There's been over-the-top elation in our house the last few days about the "Pink Moon" this month. My 4-1/2-year-old daughter shares a slight full moon obsession with her mother, and seeing as pink is one of her signature colors (cue the Steel Magnolias quote along), it was all squeals and screams of pure joy and anticipation leading up to last night's big event.
My husband and I tried to explain that the "Pink" part is just a name nodding to the moon's spring timeframe and the pink moss that historically blooms in April, but she was still holding out hope. And since I'm a sucker for magic and for miracles showing up in unknown ways, I roused her from bed at 10:30pm as promised to let her check it out herself. The big bold circle had just risen above the mountains behind our house, and with a haze of clouds fogging its bright white light, it *almost* looked a little pinkish. (Almost.)
There's something undeniably primal that happens during the full moon. Teachers attest to rowdy kids, doctors report more activity in labor wards and ERs, and police officers confirm a spike in strange incidents. The moon's gravitational pull yanks at our tides and tugs on our own watery composition creating a stirring in each one of us.
Yet somehow we've forgotten our indelible connection to this celestial body and the very real effect it has in our lives. The following are the truths I whisper to myself each month as I set my crystals outside to bathe in the magic of our faithful friend. They are nurturing beliefs that when acknowledged will give you chance to pause, reflect and soak up the wisdom nature is effortlessly offering to each of us.
The full moon is about shedding.
Long before the smear campaign of modern society against women's menstrual cycles, menstruation was seen as a time of power and sanctity for women. Women's bodies were worshipped for their connection to nature's cycles, and full moon bleeding was seen as a time for purification and rest. With the shedding of what the body physically did not need also came the shedding of what it did not energetically need.
This is still the truth today, but our perspective has changed drastically. In a time of hoarding and jumbo-sized everything, the natural process of letting go has been plagued with lack and scarcity, and instead of gracefully honoring the process of release, we grip and cling to that which does not serve us. We white knuckle our way through what could be a beautiful, sacred time.
In truth when we loosen our grip and allow the energies to run their course, we make way for a new sense of freedom and lightness. If we did not pull weeds from the garden, there would be no room to plant a new crop. Likewise, we must shed what we no longer need to allow for the fertile possibilities the new moon brings.
A beautiful inquiry each full moon is to ask: "What is my body/energy/heart asking me to let go of? What have I been holding onto that I could lovingly release?" Then simply breathe into that space and watch it float away like a small ship sailing into the full moon's glow on the water's surface. The days leading up to and after the full moon are ripe time for this simple, purposeful visualization.
The full moon is about magic and connection.
Back to the beauty of periods. :) Before the rise of patriarchy, men literally stood in lines to interact with women during menstruation. Because the body has to physically open to allow the shedding of the uterine lining, the women themselves were seen as more physically and spiritually open to the wisdom of Spirit. Members of the tribe listened intently to the words of women during this time, and to lie with a woman during the full moon was considered a high honor, with the blood itself seen as imbued with magical and sacred powers.
And indeed this connection to something greater is possible for each of us during this sacred time of the month. The human body is made of over 50% water, and just as the tides are literally tugged by the moon's pull, so are we hugged by her tight embrace. Nature has incredible lessons to teach us about death and birth, light and dark, and If we are open to hearing her wisdom, this time can be an especially magical time full of sacred connection to the planet and the cosmos.
An inquiry to open yourself to new wisdom can be this: "What lessons is Spirit showing me right now? Where in my life could I force less and allow more?" The utility of a bowl is in its empty space. Set out an empty bowl in the full moon light to remind yourself to stay open enough to allow space for wisdom.
The full moon is about celebration.
When the moon hangs full in the sky, it marks the height of the waxing phase. At this point her bulging circular glow is as full as it will be all month. It is pure abundant joy lighting up even the darkest night. And it is a celebration of this amazing planet we live on, the huge expanding universe we are rocketing through, and the harmony of cycles that nurture our lives.
The beauty of the natural world is a beacon of love, hope and promise. Without any doing on our part, the sun and the moon rise, the rains fall and abundant air fills our lungs. That is worth celebrating.
Take time to bask in the wonder we are a part of. Even one moment spent out of stress and immersed in gratitude is good for the soul. Ask yourself, "What aspect of nature am I thankful for today? Will I allow the full moon's glow to remind me of the incredible abundance around me?"
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.”