The Full Moon in Scorpio that graces the sky on Thursday, May 7th in North America could not bring us a more perfect and supportive energy during this volatile time. With so much changing all of the time, coupled with the slowing down of the collective pace, the last few months have been an emotional roller coaster. Listing all of the possible emotions you may have felt/are feeling in this moment is impossible due to the fact that the list is infinite. For many of us, what we are experiencing on an emotional, mental, physical and spiritual level may not be what we prefer to be experiencing. If we had our choice, we may choose our circumstances to be different. This is justified; our intellect is designed to choose pleasure over pain, safety over threat.
This moon is so powerful for us at this time because the energy she brings is that of radical and unconditional acceptance. She is the mother from the nursery rhymes that swoops in to support all of her earth-bound children. We are invited to remember that no matter what our experience may be – the entirety of the roller coaster ride – we are held inside of it.
The Full Moon invites us into practices of deep self-nurturance and compassion. She is reminding us that there is no "right" way to be moving through our lives, rather we are invited to look at the places we may be neglecting ourselves and bring more care to those places. For example, if in the last 24 hours you have thoughts that centers around you not being "enough", not getting "enough done", or feeling guilt for not having a sense of clarity around what is going to happen - know that such feelings are a beautiful moment to pause and take extra loving care of yourself.
We are invited to enter into conversations with our inner child or younger self through contemplation, meditation, and journaling. This is a beautiful time to look back through the timeline of our lives so far and find the tender moments where we had a need that was not met. How we coped in that moment is no one's fault, and yet we can understand that the impact of those moments may still be affecting us today. This is a time to bring love and compassion to this part of ourself. This cycle asks us to welcome in forgiveness for the memories and experiences that have caused us pain. The first step is to forgive ourselves for whatever choices we have made out of hurt. To nurture and support all the pieces that make us who we are, especially the places where we feel shame.
No human is perfect. We are all works in progress learning from our hiccups along the way. Because of this perfect truth of our imperfect nature, we can have compassion for the humans that raised us or looked after us when we were growing up and could not choose differently for ourselves. We can bring forgiveness and compassion to our families, caretakers, and friends. Even when there has been trauma and hurt incurred, the possibility of forgiveness as a means of healing what hurts inside is always there, patiently waiting. We are being encouraged to spend time examining where we are holding onto pain that no longer serves us.
Forgiveness is the theme of this full moon, and if you work with the energy of forgiveness, you will increase your vitality, lightness of being, and capacity to experience rich loving in your life. There is no time like now.
Self-care is a concept that gets thrown around a lot, and it is important to know that there are many forms of self-care. There is the kind of self-care that takes us out on long nature walks, or tells us not to set the alarm and receive extra nourishing rest. There is the self-care that looks like watching a movie that will make you laugh because laughing is medicine, and there is the calling a friend you haven't talked to in a while just to saw hi. There are bubble baths, journaling, restorative yoga, or the high energy fitness class that gets your blood circulating. Self-care takes many forms, but what connects them all is the pure intention to treat ourselves with tender kindness. Self-care can look like anything, as long as it is what is in alignment with the need of our highest self. It can very easily get lost in a spiral of what we think we "should" be doing or how self-care "needs" to look.
Instead, use these next two weeks as a way to check in. Ask yourself, what would be nourishing in this moment? What would nurture my body, mind, heart or spirit in this moment? By doing so, you will embody the archetype of the ever-loving mother, which is in itself a very healing place to be.
Do not get caught up in worry if you experience intense emotion during the next few weeks. Especially if you are willing to enter into contemplation around your childhood experiences, allow every and all emotions to belong. This is different than reacting from inside of the emotion or expressing it in a way that causes harm. Allowing something to belong means releasing the need for anything to be different. The light of the full moon will illuminate what we need to see if we are willing to pay attention. All of this is for your growth and expansion.
This Full Moon is also a wonderful time to step into day dreaming of the future. This is not the time to make concrete plans or figure out how to control what happens, rather this is the time to watch the clouds and let your mind conjure whatever it wants to present. Set your intention for your imagination to reveal what could delight you and then give yourself space and time to watch it happen. Day dreaming, visualizing, and fantasizing are sometimes given a childish connotation. This is perfect because just as we are being asked to step into the Mother archetype, so too can we call upon the imagination and innocence of the Child archetype to give our dreams space to keep taking shape. Let daydreaming be another form of self-care between now and the next full moon.
This moon is here to remind us that although we may be more physically separated than we would prefer, our connectedness has never been more apparent. We can lean into the knowing that we are held and supported by the sky, the earth, each other, and most importantly by our highest most loving selves.
FULL MOON RITUAL : A Loving Note
The light of the full moon asks us to illuminate the places inside of ourselves that are in need of more tenderness and care. The places within where we hold painful memories and deep-rooted negative beliefs are the entrances to healing. Often the parts that we think we have healed have deeper and deeper layers that continue to be discovered. The beauty of the journey of self-discovery is that it is a lifetime opportunity. This is not because there is anything wrong with us, but rather we have the chance to keep creating a life as full of love as possible.
Try this Full Moon Ritual several times over the next two weeks (until the next New Moon) to connect with your inner child and offer to them what he/she needs. You will need a journal, a pen, and something to keep time with.
1. Find a comfortable space to sit in for a bit of time. It's nice to have your back supported for this practice. Have your journal and a pen with you. Close your eyes and settle into your space by breathing deep for 10 rounds of breath.
2. After your tenth deep breath, let your breathing become natural and uncontrolled. Acknowledge that you are safe in this space and in your body. Set the intention for highest healing. Imagine yourself bathed in light from the inside out.
3. Set your timer for 10-15 minutes. Until your timer goes off, write a letter to your inner child. Tell her or him anything you want them to know. What do you know now that you'd like to share with your younger self, what would be most supportive if you were to know it back then? You are invited to write to your inner you at whatever age feels most resonant. You can stay with the same age or write to different ages each time you sit to write. For example, the first letter may be to you as 1 or 2 years old, the next letter might be for your 5 year old self. Then perhaps 7 or 8, 13, and so on. Each time you write, imagine you at that age. Let yourself free form write. No editing, no judging - simply let your love note flow.
4. Once the timer goes off (or until you've complete your writing if you go longer), take a moment to close the eyes and breathe deep for another 10 rounds of breath. Thank your inner child for being receptive to your love note, and thank yourself in the present moment for having the courage, the wisdom, and the trust to connect with the deepest parts of you.
5. Continue to write each day until the New Moon. There is no "wrong" thing that you could write. As long as you have the intention to be of love and service, you will be supporting your highest you. Trust your intuition with this one.
