New Moon (Practical) Magic Phase II – Starting where you are

The next New Moon is in Capricorn on January 1st, 2014. This is the perfect time to talk about phase two of the new moon ritual, since Capricorn is a sign based in practicality, ambition, and duty – and phase two of the ritual has to do with the practical details of putting tiny steps toward your dreams into motion. It’s turning the “I wish” into the “I will”.

In the first part of the ritual, we use our imagination and our bodies to release what we don’t want, to reveal what we do want, to envision our lives as if we received exactly what we wanted, and let it go. I have found that with the somatic experience tied into the imagining, the ritual alone creates a powerful shift and focus. (Review the New Moon Magic here).

By reviewing your goals and intentions with the moon cycles, it is easier to stay on track with your progress. I find that as I evolve, it is easier to go through transition while being connected to the moon cycles, which are eternal. Sometimes change, even when it is welcome, can be unnerving, and being connected with nature’s cycles keeps me grounded and connected with, not only my purpose, but with Earth as well.

I am working through the chakras with each moon cycle. Last month, I focused on the second chakra. The second chakra is where we experience the power of relationships, pleasure, sweetness, sexuality, and the desire to create. It is about activating, inviting, and energizing sensuality in our lives. It is our emotional center, and it is linked with water. Water is constantly moving, as are our emotions. The second chakra is also ruled by the moon.

I found that as I wrote out my “three-year success party” I had a lot of gratitude in my life for experiences I have already had. I wanted to include all of those people who have been there in my life – especially my creative life – to my party. That was an amazing, uplifting feeling! And of course, I wanted to include new friends, too. My imagination wanted to integrate the old and the new, which helped me feel grounded and open at the same time.

As the work from the New Moon evolved throughout the waxing and now the waning of the cycle, my intention was to write out the practical next steps from the ritual. But something happened. I found myself feeling stuck – especially in matters pertaining to relationships. I shared this “stuckness”, this inability to imagine things differently, and my friend Terry suggested an open-ended question – a technique she learned from Richard Bartlett.

This, to me, feels like an extension of the moon ritual, almost a mini-ritual for when things seem impossible or doubtful. I would say this is:

New Moon Magic Part 1A (or simply a mind/heart opening exercise that you can do at any time) – The Tool of the Open-Ended Question.

If you find yourself feeling stuck, and focused on a problem, simply ask yourself how it would feel to have what you want.

Start with, “I wonder what it feels like . . . “

My questions are these:

I wonder what it feels like to be in a reciprocal relationship.
I wonder what it feels like to follow through on my ideas.
I wonder what it feels like to be successful.
I wonder what it feels like to have faith in all that I can create and accomplish.

The interesting thing about asking these questions is that I have had moments, weeks, months, and years of all of these things, so I could put myself in the vibration of the feeling for a minute. Suddenly nothing seems so far out of reach. Like water flowing against a rock, the blockages of self-doubt or frustration seem to slowly dissolve. (I know I will touch back on the “open-ended question” in another post – just for now, try it).

This may be enough for you when working with the moon. But sometimes, action is required. For example, If you want to be a singer, you need to actually sing. If you want to be good, you need to practice daily, find a vocal coach, find musicians to play with. If you don’t take action, it’s just a wish. The Moon Magic part of it is to help you focus and maybe even build up the courage to take action.

I was going to say break your three-year success vision all down into doable goals, almost Franklin-Covey style, but I’m a bit in the flow of things right now and breaking it down like that is going to stop my flow – and I love goals and charts and measurable things – I’m a Capricorn after all! I’m finding that working along with the cycles of the moon, I am trusting more and having to control less. Occasionally, though, especially for specific projects, Phase II is useful.

So PHASE II is this:

Break your Three-Year Success Dream into doable steps – they can be the teeniest, tiniest doable steps along your path, or they can be big leaps. Maybe take some small steps to build up your confidence with some hops and pirouettes thrown in. Do it your own way, with your unique style. Do it in a way that is fun and where you are least likely to beat yourself up. Maybe some of those small steps become habit, and once they are established, you reach a turning point. Three years is 1095.75 days. What can you do, see, be? Can you wonder what it feels like to do, see, and be something completely new? Who can you call or enlist to help you on the way? Who and/or what can you let go of? What are 1095.75 steps you can take toward something? Can you enjoy the journey and not worry about the destination?

Start with what you’ve got and where you are. Most importantly, start.

Thanks for reading!

Peace.

Holly