Love has designated it to hold His eternal wine."
~Rumi
In Shiva Rea's book, Tending the Heart Fire-she dedicates a section of her book to the creative cycles of the moon. As we learn to align our energy with these phases we can begin to tap into another energetic system that is supporting our growth and expansion. We often become so busy and obsessed with tasks that we forget to tap into the natural world which was so brilliantly designed for our benefit.
I love how Shiva connects these natural cycles to our energetic ability to internally harvest our desires. The moon has such a vibrant energy and it offers each one of us the ability to tap into the pure potential of each phase. When I think of my ancestors, I think of their grand love of the land and how they used the cycles of the moon to plant and harvest their crops. They relied on the creative cycles of the moon for planting. How can you use these cycles to plant your desires? When do you need to conserve your energy? How might it serve you to initiate new desires and wants into your life?
Shiva Rea uses the Vedic calendar to describe a connection to certain desirable activities throughout the lunar cycle. "The first half of the lunar month is the fifteen-day period of waxing moon, beginning with the new moon...All auspicious activities such as initiations and beginning new projects are best done here. This is the 'inhale' phase of the lunar month. ...The second phase is the waning phase. This is the 'exhale' of the cycle, a good time for 'housecleaning,' completing projects, and settling any unfinished business. A naturally inward moving time of increasing darkness, it is also a time to conserve energy."
THE CREATIVE CYCLE OF THE MOON BY SHIVA RHEA
New Moon: fertile darkness (day one). This is a good time to clear the space to plant seeds for the next creative cycle.
First Quarter Moon: (days 1 to 3)
Crescent Moon: Light emerging- the germinating seed (days 3-7)
Half Moon: Waxing energy-building the organic structure for what was planted to emerge (days 7-14)
Full Moon: peak creativity and fulfillment (day 14)
Waning Moon: Harvesting the fruits (days 15-19) Moon rises in mid evening and sets in midmorning.
Third Quarter Moon: light and dark in balance, with darkness increasing (days 19-23). This is a good time to focus on completing creative projects.
Balsamic Moon: completion, and processing the shadow (from day 23 until New Moon). This is a time to release, compost, and integrate any shadow work that is arising before the next lunar- month cycle begins. This is the most powerful phase for personal retreat time to digest and understand the wisdom gained through the last cycle, to cleanse and to envision, and to set intentions for how you will enter the coming moon phase.
Happy Moonbeam dreaming!
May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude,
Sarah