On Friday, October 27th at 22:22 UTC, La Luna marks the First Quarter in her lunar journey. By the waxing crescent a few days ago, many of us had set our goals for the month and now, in this waxing moon, have taken action. And La Luna is still waxing. You may feel that energetic rise continuing through to the Full Moon on Friday, November 3rd.
In our Medicine Wheel Soul Work at the First Quarter, we examine “What is beginning?” as we move through another lunar journey.
This may seem curious — or misaligned — especially for those in the Northern Hemisphere. Are we really beginning in these dark times, as the harvests are completed, as the leaves shed and the days draw in? With Winter coming?
Well . . . yes. All birth begins in the dark, in the womb . . . in the wisdom that comes from the darkness of our dreams or subconscious… from the seeds planted in the deep composted soil of Mama Earth awaiting a spark of energy that will create new growth. And the coming Samhain represents the Celtic New Year, and new beginnings.
In the Southern Hemisphere, those new beginnings can already be seen in the approach to Bealtainne… new buds on the trees, flowers, plants growing, longer days.
Connecting with the energetics of the current lunar journey can be a challenge for some. Yes, the energies of Grandmother Moon are still strongly felt in her monthly journey around Mama Earth and with the rhythm of our flow or daily energies, but many may find themselves attuning even more strongly to the energetic shift of this liminal time — the threshold between autumn and winter here in the Northern Hemisphere, between spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere — the approach of Samhain / Bealtainne next week… all of it jumbling together in a profound mix of waxing and waning, of Sun and Moon, of Earth and Sky.
In these liminal times, we may be entraining more with the energies of Mama Earth and Father Sun than Grandmother Moon, feeling the long slow waning and waxing of the Wheel of the Year.
For me, my personal energies are fluctuating crazily. I have been falling asleep close to sunset for an hour or two, only to awaken with renewed energy, staying awake until well past midnight… then falling asleep again for a few short hours. Hopefully, my body will find a new rhythm soon!
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH YOUR ENERGY?
La Luna finds a momentary balance at the First and Third Quarters . . . half-illuminated, balanced between light and dark, Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine.
But how is your energy in the liminal time? And how is the energy of Mama Earth and Father Sky manifesting in your location? Are you feeling closer to the lunar energy, or the energy of the sun and earth?
This is a time to entrain with your environment. Raise your awareness. Recognize what signifies the seasonal change. Perhaps it is the shifts in the length of the days or how the elements express themselves with the elements such as Water (Northern Hemisphere) or Air (Southern Hemisphere). These changes may be subtle, but they are there.
Each of us lives in a different part of the world, and that shift in the dance between Mama Earth and Father Sun plays out differently. There is no single uniform manifestation. For instance, here at the 49th parallel (in Vancouver, I’m very close to the Canada/US border), the days draw in earlier each day; on October 1st, sunset came at 6:50 pm but now arrives at 6:00 pm as we draw closer to the Winter Equinox. The summer heat and drought is now gone and the winter rains have (with gratitude!) arrived. The trees are bearing and dropping their fruits, and the deciduous leaves are changing from green to luscious golds, reds, purples and orange. The bushtits have returned to our balcony feeder, and migrating birds are perching momentarily in the trees.
Reflect on the changes you sense.
ANCESTRAL ALTARS FOR LIMINAL TIMES
It is at these liminal times — between seasons, between places — that the veil between this physical world and the Otherworld is said to be thinnest. The voices of the Ancestors may be calling you…. and they may be more easily hearing your voice. You may feel a stronger connection to the Sidhe (pronounced “she”), also known as the Fae, the Fair Folk, or Faerie.
Honour that connection in your Soul Work and your daily practices. If you haven’t created an Ancestral Altar before, this is a perfect time to do so. It can be as simple or complex as you wish.
You could include:
- items that represent your ancestors, perhaps a picture or a gift you received from a beloved family member that has crossed over
- items from your heritage, if known to you, or from your country of birth
- items from your spiritual heritage
If your DNA is not known to you (many have been adopted or their family history has been forgotten over time), consider taking a shamanic journey to the ancestors, meditating on your deep genetic past, and asking an ancestor to come forward and share some history with you. You could also invite your ancestors to visit your dreams.
SOUL WORK
Building on this month’s theme of Relationship, at this First Quarter, reflect on YOUR relationship with Mama Earth, Father Sky and Grandmother Moon and how your energies dance with theirs.
- How are you sleeping, eating and moving?
- Whose energy are you drawn to at this moment in time?
- What do you love about this liminal time as we change seasons?
- What do you find uncomfortable or off-putting about this time?
- What attachments — the energetic ghosts of one’s past, regrets, resistance, pain, no-longer-useful behaviour(s) — are getting ready to be released at Samhain and in the Waning Moon?
- What new relationships are ready to be created with your Self, with Mama Earth, Father Sun and Grandmother Moon?
Wisdom from Seanmháthair Gealach (Grandmother Moon)
- First Quarter Moon in Aquarius (from 5:58 am PT onwards)
- arrives October 27th @ 3:22 pm PT / 22:22 UTC
- Aquarius Star Medicine: Element – Air, Fixed Sign – the Stabilizers, signifying friendliness and one’s personal uniqueness, confidence, self-reliance, steadiness.
- Moon Mansion Sa’d al-Akhbiyah from 11:05 pm PT
- Keywords – growth and protection, revenge
- Theme for this lunar month: Relationship