New Moon/New Year Ritual

Most people are familiar with this concept as it applies to New Years. Resolutions, plans, ceremonies and other activities are common at this time of year.

No matter your religious persuasion, winter is a time of slowing down, resting and reflection. If you wish to flow more in tune with the planet and the energies of the cosmos, this is the perfect time to look over your past year with an eye to what was successful and what you'd like to change.

A New Year (and New Moon!) Ritual

My suggestion (certainly not original, but one I've enjoyed each January for many years now!) is to get out three sheets of paper.

On the first sheet, write “What I Love About 2013”

On this page, list every single thing you can think of that happened, that you felt, that you really enjoyed about last year. Did you meet a new friend? Get a raise or promotion? Take a long awaited vacation?

Don't forget the so-called “little things.” Did you take a walk and notice the scent of spring flowers? Did you spend a day doing absolutely nothing (and not feel guilty about it)? Did you do something nice for someone just because you could?

Spend some real quality time with yourself on this one – and milk the year for every single positive or uplifting item you can find!

Then, on the second sheet, title it “Things I Would Have Changed.”

Again, make a list of everything you can think of that you wish had turned out differently, would have preferred not happened, or in general you simply did not love or enjoy.

On the last sheet of paper, put the title “My New Ideas!”

On the third sheet, one by one, write down what you would have preferred instead. Do this for every single item. If you are at a loss, simply write down the exact opposite of what you wrote on that “change” list.

Now here's where it gets fun!

I want you to take that list of things you'd like to change, and re-read it. Get into it – feel the emotions you felt when the event or circumstance happened, and get all those things out into the open (at least open to you.)

Take that baby outside or to a sink or ashtray, and set it on fire. Watch it burn. Feel all those emotions being released and transmuted as the paper burns.

It is over. Done. You are finished with them!

Next, take the sheet with what you absolutely loved.

First, just as with the icky one, you want to re-read every entry – and feel the feelings these good things brought to you as they happened. Really soak up the joy, beauty and love!

Next, you will do one of two things:

Either

You can now burn this sheet also, with a prayer for more of these good things to come to you (still feeling the feelings, mind you – that's where the power is!) -

or

You can put this sheet into a binder to refer to any time in the future you need a boost or you need to remember that there are things in your life for which you truly are grateful.

Note: I have done both. Being a pack-rat I prefer to keep mine, and do a separate ritual regarding what I wish to bring in. However – either method works, and it is completely up to you!

And Finally...

Finally – the last sheet.

Study this one carefully, because from this sheet, you will craft your intentions for the coming year.

You are likely to feel a bit ambivalent over your list here – but what you are going to do with this is to re-read it and see just what items are most important to you.

Not everything on the list is something that will recur in your life, so those can be dropped. Some things might have been painful when they happened, but actually turned out to be blessings in disguise.

What you want to do is to choose those things that you really want to work on in the coming year, and create a list of intentions – not goals – intentions for 2014.

Once you have your list things you'd like to bring in in the coming year, burn the third paper as well. Simply feel the release, and let it go.

It Is Done

Spend the next week looking over your new sheet with the intentions for 2014, and I'll be back to help you set those intentions to working in your life on January 8 at the First Quarter Moon.

Because of the powerful New Moon and New Year energies running now – be sure to give yourself some time to do this before the weekend!!!

HOWEVER – the Moon will be Void of Course from about 7 – 1 on Thursday. Do this after lunch if you must do it on January 2.

All My Love and Blessings,

Selene

Moon Void of Course

What the heck is this – and why should I care?!

What is the Void of Course Moon?

Immediately after the Moon forms the last major aspect to another planet from the sign that the Moon is transiting, until the Moon moves into the next sign, the Moon is considered to be Void of Course.

Aspects are angles formed within the 360 degree circle. Since astrology looks at the planets, luminaries (sun, moon and certain stars) and signs as they are viewed from earth, visualize a huge circular band in the sky and you'll get the idea.

As each object moves in its orbit, and as the earth orbits the sun, various angles are created on this band... These are aspects.

A 90 degree angle is referred to as a square. Other major aspects would be: conjunction = 0 degrees, sextile = 60 degrees, trine = 120 degrees, and opposition = 180 degrees.

Some astrologers also consider minor aspects, but since I am not an astrologer, I figure the major ones are the most important... so I only use those.

How Does This Apply to Me?

The Void of Course (VoC) is similar to a short respite or a reprieve of emotions before the Moon journeys into the next astrological sign.


The Moon rules our feelings, emotions, nurturing feminine side, our childhood memories and family matters.

A sign's energies will be blended into, our natural Moon Sign's tendencies. When the Moon begins its Void of Course period, we experience a bit of confusion, or may feel emotionally and physically rundown.

We have a difficult time retaining new information. We must rely on the information that we already have, which may be insufficient once the Void of Course Moon has finished up.

For this reason, it is usually inadvisable to begin anything new during this period.

Things are harder to remember, it is difficult to gain or maintain motivation, and in general anything attempted at this time will have less than stellar results.

All My Love and Blessings,
Selene

Happy New Year - AND - New Moon in Capricorn!

WRITE YOUR ABUNDANCE CHECKS!!!

One of my favorite teachers is DaKara Kies. She has a great post on her site about the writing of abundance checks, and I highly recommend you take a look. Do go have a look at: New Moon Abundance Checks

There is also a page here on the blog that explains the process, click the top tab to take you right to it!

Capricorn NM – get those plans for the New Year down in writing!!

The Exact dark phase of the moon occurred at 7:14 CDT today. The window for the energies is from December 31, 2013 through evening of January 2, 2014.

HOWEVER: the moon will be void-of-course on Thursday, January 2^nd, beginning at 7:12 CDT until 1:03.

It is best to write your checks before or after, but not during the void-of-course time frame.

As per DaKara's new advice in her newsletter – be sure to also sign the back of your check as if you were going to deposit it!! I'm going to try this – every time she comes up with something new, it always seems to work even better!

Capricorn New Moon

The combined energy of the New Moon in Capricorn as well as the New Year create the perfect time for you to finish reflecting and saying good-bye to 2013, as well as for getting your intentions for 2014 down in writing.

Committing plans to writing gives them added power in several ways.

First, the act of writing itself is powerful. It requires not only thought, but also action. If you can muster feelings of the intentions already being real, that adds still more power to the process.

Also, putting things in writing means you can refer back and remember exactly what your intentions are! This gives you added power every time you re-read them, but also allows for a more concrete action should refinements be needed.

There is great power in words – choose them carefully!

Capricorn is about structure and form. Use these energies to give you a boost in effectiveness, as well as the discipline to follow through. This window is perfect for establishing exact steps to take in the direction of your goals.

While planning, pay particular attention to the way you feel as you move through the process. Your body will tell you if you are headed in the right directions! If you feel heavy, blocked or anxious, refine your ideas, or restate them in a more positive manner until your body and your mind are both comfortable.

Use the male, earthy energy to ground your plans by being strategic, practical and having points of progress so you can keep track of and celebrate all your successes!

All My Love and Blessings,

Selene