April Full Moon
I know at the moment many of us are losing track of time and days of the week. I know I am, this morning I put the dustbin out, Nick told me I was too early, I said but they’re coming early this week because of Easter Holidays, this is true yet still I’m a day too early! Many of us are finding ourselves with no routine and perhaps putting too much pressure on ourselves to have a daily routine packed with many tasks whether that be starting the day with PE with Joe Wicks your usual yoga routine or something else and then timetabling yourself much in between lunch, dinner and bedtime. Often in an attempt to avoid doing nothing all day, perhaps to ensure your fitness maintains or perhaps you’re just not good without structure. Structure is something that I often struggle with, I tend to rebel against structure and routine wanting to be free flowing, however, I’m aware that I then have a tendency to be too free flowing and actually achieving very little indeed apart from having fun with the dog, which I’m sure makes Daniel The Spaniel a very happy dog indeed.
I’ve noticed that Imelda my teacher is ending her communications with a note reminding us to stay connected with our Spiritual Practices. I’m loving this and it is something that I am doing, ensuring that I continue with my Rune for the day and singing to the Runes everyday and just generally incorporating them into my life. Yesterday I did much out in the garden and spent a lot of time singing runes to my seeds and beds and so on. Having ideas of how I could have the runes in my greenhouse whether to paint them or sew them. I have to confess though that my practice of Yoga has been a bit hit and miss when the sun was shining I was very good at doing it outside everyday but mornings like this morning when it’s drizzly outside I’ve not been so good. Although I will be doing yoga later today planning for tomorrow’s zoom session, when we will be doing the Full Moon Salute, and this is essentially what made me think of writing this short blog today.
Wednesday is Full Moon and to me seems a perfect time to re-connect with the lunar cycle if it’s something you tend to do but have lost your way slightly. Or perhaps it’s something that you’ve often thought about but never got around to for whatever reason. I do like a Full Moon ritual I have a cup of Full Moon tea from Tarn and Moon, set up my altar with crystals, oracle cards, incense, whatever I’m drawn to at each particular Full Moon and anoint myself with an oil blend I’ve made up or my Full Moon oil from Root and Flower. Each Full Moon has a name, many names in fact with many stories behind them. In medieval times April’s moon is said to be Budding Moon, Seed Moon and New Shoots Moon, it’s easy to see how these names came about with all the new life in nature and a time of planting our seeds for new growth. Another name for this Full Moon is Pink Moon which is commonly mentioned in various places for this moon and is said to come from the “seasonal flowering of moss pink, bright pink flowers native to the eastern United States”, (Seasons of the Moon by Michael Carabetta)at Spring they begin to appear and thus the Pink Moon. In China it is called “Peony Moon as this is typically when peonies begin to blossom, a symbol of honour, wealth and good fortune” (Seasons of the Moon by Michael Carabetta)
Back to our Spiritual Practices and back to Full Moon Rituals, Full Moon is a time of releasing, of letting go, for me it’s all about burning too! Burning all that I wish to release and let go, allowing the flames of the fire to transmute all that I let go of into golden blessings and bury the ashes returning them back to Mother Earth. I encourage you take time out this Full Moon, to create a sacred space whatever that may mean to you, for me I cleanse the space; smudging, whether that be using sage, mugwort or a runic spray I’ve created, light a candle and ensure I have peace and quite and won’t be interrupted. I gather whatever calls to me as I said earlier, sit in quite meditating on all that I wish to let go of right now, remember, that as we let go, as we release to acknowledge and thank whatever it is we are releasing, it has served us a purpose whether it is something physical or emotional, energetic, it has taught us, it has brought us a lesson and now we have learnt we thank it and release it. I like to write each thing I’m releasing on a separate piece of paper it feels then that each thing that is being released is giving its own space and time rather than all on one piece of paper. You might wish to wrap it around a twig and burn it that way, I encourage you find a way that is right for you, that fits with you. There is no wrong or right, a ritual or ceremony is about you and your intention. I prefer to be outside to carry out this ritual under the light of the moon but appreciate that may not be possible for many this Full Moon, but perhaps you have a space at home where you can see the Full Moon, but at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter whether you are indoors, outdoors, can see the moon or not, the intention is there the magic is happening the alchemy of fire is happening and that is what it’s all about.
So I wish you a magical Full Moon and encourage you think about your spiritual practices whatever that may mean to you, I know for some of my friends that maybe a run, or a dip outside, I too shall be having a Full Moon dip in the river here and again I am very much aware that many of us are unable to what we normally do, what we have until now perhaps taken for granted. I am feeling immense gratitude for where we live right now. This really is a time for thinking outside of the box for how we can incorporate at least some of what we love to do into our daily lives.
I have set-up a Sacred Awakenings Drumming Circle on Facebook for those who have experience of shamanic drum journeys and I will be posting up a drum journey on New Moon. For those that either don’t have this experience of find this isn’t something that talks to you I have also set up a Sacred Awakenings Yoga Circle and in here I’ll gradually be adding some yoga routines and meditations. I will post up a Full Moon Meditation in here on Wednesday and if I’m able to get my technology sorted a short Full Moon Salute routine. I am also offering Full Moon Rune Readings, let me know if you’d like one.
THE MOON was but a chin of gold
A night or two ago,
And now she turns her perfect face
Upon the world below.
Emily Dickinson
