Blessed Mabon! May the balance of light and broomsticks bring you a moment of reflection that empowers your journey into the darker half of the year. For those of you that were able to join us in the Sanctuary on Sunday: Thank you for your patience and levity. It was a boon to my soul to be be able to share that ritual with all of you.
We also had an opportunity to honor the Harvest Moon this week, with it’s rise at the end of our ritual on Sunday. I was privileged to see it’s pale full self over Horsetooth Rock this morning on my way to drop off the kiddo at school. I am always filled with such peace and gratitude when I catch sight of her hanging over the Rockies.
Many Pagans put a whole lotta emphasis on the full moon and I do not want to take away from the significance of our relationship to that breathtaking satellite. I would, however, like to remind us all that the moon’s cycle- from dark to full to dark again- has beneficial energy for magic, manifestation and contemplation on every one of those 29.5 days. I am only going to touch on the waning moon here, because that’s where we are now in the cycle, and the energies of the waning moon fit beautifully with the onset of autumn. I encourage you to do a little digging into the energetic correspondence to the phases of the moon.
With the full moon on Monday, today’s moon is waning and starting to show a little more lopsided egg shape when she rises later in the evening. This part of the moon’s cycle has energy to support releasing and reflection, which I think goes really well with the fall cleaning and hearth sweeping. As our families and focus move indoors, many of us are already planning to clean out closets and sweep out the corners that have collected dust bunnies over the summer. Collect what can be donated, like a stack of magazines that will never read again and the kitchen gadget that you doesn’t get as much use as you thought it would. There’s a coat drive somewhere in town soon: donate those old coats and warm clothes. Getting rid of what no longer serves you isn’t just about bad habits or grudges. There are plenty of ways to find meaning in releasing.
It is super easy to add a dash of magic to these mundane activities, if you want. Try adding a mantra or empowering statement to your repetitious vacuuming or an essential oil to your duster. You can also turn the fall cleaning into a full blown ritual to release what no longer serves. Light altar candles, set intentions, burn incense and make offerings to your house wights before you start your cleaning. Once the house is in order, consider anointing your doorways or salting your thresholds. Before you extinguish your altar candles, take a moment to express gratitude for your home.
The waning moon and the turning season are in cahoots to help you release the things, both mundane and spiritual, that which no longer serves you.
Blessings!
Jean Loomis
