Yesterday was the new moon. This is the phase when the moon is completely in shadow, invisible from Earth. So it’s darker out, which means a time for going inward and letting the inner voice speak.
I love noticing nature’s rhythms. It’s freeing to let go of my agenda and lean into this larger force.
So I did a little ceremony to invite in the energy of the new moon. First, I prepared my space. I turned off most of the lights and lit candles. I put this song on repeat. I tidied up anything that caught my attention. I got myself a glass of water. I made a little altar. A quartz crystal (representing air), a candle (fire), an abalone shell (water) and a lemon (earth).
Curating the environment gave me time to ease in and go deeper. (Like setting context before sharing a poem.)
I did all of this prep, not knowing what would happen. I didn’t set out to write a poem. I just got in the zone, and trusted. Sometimes, I get nervous without a plan or a structure. Okay. That’s there. But I just leaned in - that’s the essence of the new moon. And this came out. And it felt really good.
savor this frequency
the space between
being
hearts silent
connected
retrain my diaphragm
to breathe smooth
to hold steady
when it wants to slip away
to sip slowly
when it wants to grasp for air
the other muscles
iron out their nervous wrinkles
clear
the darkness
lights a new path
hovering over the old
free to make a different choice
can it be easier?
can I let myself be led
by a softer voice?
one that can’t be heard over the din
of traffic
or reality tv
one that can’t compete
with jagged self-doubt
finer than the comb of “what should I do?”
grander than what’s possible to understand
sometimes
the curtain just opens
and the nakedness of now is center stage
every other voice falls away
nothingness
embrace
