Category: New Moon

This past Tuesday afternoon the lunar cycle was new again, so it’s time for another of these posts. I’d like to thank everyone who tunes in every month for these. They’re just mileposts on my journey, but posting them here helps me feel accountable – so thank you for your witness.

Last month was about clarity, the need for it and the search for it. The trip to Australia was exactly what no doctor ordered, but exactly what I needed in the way it unfolded. It was physical endurance, it was the exploration of other cultures, it was immersion in the creative arts, and it was an exercise in self-reliance and self-expression.

So what’s this month about? The word is “resolve”.… More...

On Monday morning we had another New Moon. This was a little hard to believe because I felt like we’d just had one – but such is the nature of time right now.

For May I had chosen Integrity, because I seemed to be surrounded by such a lack of it that I wanted to make sure I was living my own life with as much honesty, mindfulness, and conviction as I could. It was tough – there were some choices and compromises, but the sun kept rising.

But things are still muddled. There are turbulent waters all around – spiritual questions, professional questions. I need space to think, but I haven’t really been able to give myself the healthy time to do that.… More...

It’s been a rough week. It’s been six days since the new moon and this is the first day I’ve felt like I was able to write an unbiased New Moon post. Funny thing is, the theme that I’d intended on last Saturday followed me through the week and stays true today.

For the April lunar cycle I chose Patience, and in that post I said: “I’m going to just be patiently watching for the next few weeks, void of expectation, but mindful of the changes – and any calls to action those changes may prompt.” Turns out one of the changes was a wonderful surprise gig with the band. But this theme of patiently watching while void of expectation served me well during the troubles this week as well.… More...

There was a cautious optimism coming out of my last New Moon post. I’d chosen “renewal” because of how I was feeling and processing the trip to Hawaii. There was so much of that which called me back to myself – and so much of the intervening years that called for processing and forgiveness. In retrospect we are rarely exactly who we would have wanted to be in a moment – but that’s what growth is for.

I’d had some ideas for this month – thoughts that planned to build on what had come before, deepening the sense of renewal and the promise of rebirth that spring holds. But for right now there is other work that needs my attention, so in line with that, I’m going to pursue Patience for this lunar cycle.… More...

Ten days ago we had another New Moon – but it happened on the day we were flying from Oahu to Kauai; the middle of the vacation. Also – I had no idea what March’s theme would be. Collaboration had gotten us there – but what would being there bring?

As I look back on the trip though – and at moments, challenges, and adventures – I think the theme right now is Renewal; which seems fitting for this time of year. I realized that this was the first time since 1978 (I think) that I was in Hawaii with no other family than my brother, sister-in-law, and their family. There were shadows here and there of what Sean was like before high school… and a lot of “stuff” that’s gotten in my way in the past 40 years came into perspective.… More...

I’m a few days late on this one, the new moon was actually Monday afternoon at 4:04pm. It’s funny too – last week while I was away I was convinced I knew what this cycle was going to be. But as it happens so many times, the universe had other ideas.

Last month the topic was Respect. Respecting one another, our choices, our paths, and what we desire and need from each other. This give-and-take of accepting and testing boundaries has a musical component. When you’re playing with other musicians you develop a sense of where someone will want to go, and you learn how to follow them. This is also reciprocated – they sense where you are, where the energy is taking your spirit, and they either join you in flight or keep track of the ground and let you soar.… More...

Happy New Year – and welcome to the first new moon of 2019. I started this process two years ago this month; and I like the fact that I can go back and see where I was, what I was facing, and examine how I chose to deal with it. Thanks to those of you who choose to come along for my introspective journey every month!

Last month was about Honor. Honoring commitments, honoring memories, honoring sacrifice, and honoring talents. When I was thinking about what this cycle might hold, it felt like Honor needed some sort of companion. As if to say that Honor is the theory – but I needed to understand the practice. So this cycle will focus on Respect.… More...

It’s been a few days since the new moon, but traveling kept me from taking the time to announce this cycle’s intention.

The last cycle was about Change – and there certainly was a lot of it. Not just for me, but for people very close to me. Some of these changes were joyful, some painful, but all evolutionary.

This cycle, I’m choosing to focus on “honor”. Honor as respect, honor as reverence, honor as acknowledgement. For me this takes on the flavor of Matt Smith’s final speech as the 11th Doctor Who:

We all change, when you think about it we’re all different people all through our lives, and that’s okay, that’s good, you’ve got to keep moving – so long as you remember all of the people you used to be.

… More...

Here we are at another new moon, let’s pray that this cycle is better than the last. My last month’s focus was about Choice – and while I fully expected it to move in one direction, I was reminded of the adage that if you want to hear the gods laugh, announce your plans. Instead, last month I was faced with a flurry of decisions, choices, and interactions I couldn’t possibly have prepared for – and maybe that was the lesson. Sometimes we’re placed into untenable circumstances where we need to feel our way through – where no amount of preparation can ever be enough. While I’m, of course, grateful for the lesson – the price last month was way, way too high.… More...

Another full moon tonight – and another facet draws my attention. This past cycle was about Gratitude – and there was a great deal to be thankful for. The month saw its share of challenges, but it also brought community together for great purpose, it saw the release of the first CD, it saw the celebration of important milestones, and it brought a constant reminder that we are all in a state of change.

It was this sense of change that inspired this cycle’s focus – Choice. When I was first meditating on this I thought it was Decision – but I was assured that it wasn’t as decisive as that… it was flexible, malleable, and fragile. Many of us are blessed to be able to make choices every day – mostly simple ones – what to wear, what to eat, how to socialize and with whom.… More...