New Moon

It has been a very enlightening week for me. I've been extremely focused on current projects and made a few decisions and plans for future endeavors that are dear to me and about which I am passionate. Excited!

Today I had a random and meandering conversation with my sweetie about the spirit of giving and to me it's clear as day - if you give with the expectation of getting something back you will forever be disappointed. You can't give to just be nice or to keep up appearances because, in this way, you are only fooling yourself. It has to come from your heart and in that way you are being honest with yourself. If you are honest with yourself you will feel less conflict.

So, funny thing - after that conversation my sister calls later in the day and tells me a story about something nice she did for a coworker. She put detailed thought into what she did and concertedly chose this woman to make an effort to help out because she knew she had been having a difficult time recently. Didn't expect anything back but the lady didn't as much as offer a "thank you." Those words and "I'm sorry" are two of the most important courtesies we can offer one another in life to give something of ourselves and gain an understanding of and connection to someone else. And when you get used to doing it or find someone who teaches you through example (ahem, Mike) and reminds you of these two basic things we were taught by our mothers as children, it's really pretty easy. But they seem to be the most forgotten or hardest phrases for people to muster up. "Thank you" seems easier because not as much ego or frustration is concerned where "I'm sorry" is but still not used often enough. Anyway, point being, it really strikes a chord in me when these sorts of "coincidences" in life happen...living examples of intense moments or thoughts or ideas you recently had. And my sister felt as passionately about her given situation as I did about the broader concept of giving.

While talking with Mike about the truth of giving I was thinking about how that can manifest from a real openness and sincerity - a sincerity that is an understanding of yourself - again, truth. Another coincidence: I come across a blog called the Resting Nomad (shared on Facebook by The Cosmic Collage) that expands on the notions of truth, purity, and openness, as the writer shares her personal experience of the process of writing with "Ink & Paper" as well as her hopes for the new year.

New year, New Moon. Soo, also this week I decided to go ahead and order a moon calendar and learn more about the moon cycles because more often than not these days when I'm wondering why I am this or that or things are happening with me that seem uncontrollable (yes, I'm talking about the female cycle and at times freaking out!) I discover there was a particular change in the Moon. It's beyond coincidence at this point. Everything seems to be aligning for me right now - acceptance (after some fear over next steps where my career is concerned), decisions as to next steps and moving forward with new, deep-rooted and exciting projects I mentioned I'm planning, making a conscious decision (during the week of the New Moon -- coincidence? ;) to learn more about the Moon and astrology, and finally, I'll be doing a sweat lodge tomorrow.

For years I've been curious to do one but have always been afraid. Rather than fearing the heat or any physical discomforts, I think the fear is more about having some sort of emotional breakdown in front of strangers, as I hear lodges are intense and release toxins, offer realizations, and cleansing. Well, after doing some research I learned that the traditional Lakota sweat lodge signifies a transformation to a new you. An opportunity arose to participate in a sweat lodge during the time of the new moon and in the midst of all these discoveries and revelations and feelings of openness, freedom, bravery and acceptance. Coincidence, really? Well, another "coincidence": the same lady, where I discovered the link to the blog post from the Resting Nomad who discussed truth and openness, happened to share a blog post referencing a Lakota prayer. Now, I realize not everything I point to as "coincidence" (and if you haven't figured it out, I quote "coincidence" to express when things seem to me more meaningful than mere coincidence) is not always a magical or cosmic phenomenon but rather the simple fact that people with similar or the same interests and/or beliefs run in the same circles or seek out certain information. Birds of a feather... However, ha!, that warrants some thought, too - how those people find one another.

Anyway. Alignment. Moon calendar, focus, overcoming fears, coincidences...turns out it's a New Moon today. So I can't help think this is not all coincidence but that I have been led to this point by somehow being in tune ... with the moon. One last "coincidence": I also came across another blog post by The Sphinx & the Milky Way, where she talks about how the new moon brings focus, space, and freedom. And is about "being in the darkness" (darkness pertaining to a particular phase of the moon when, "at the moment of conjunction in ecliptical longitude with the Sun, the Moon is invisible from the Earth"). I'll keep it simple and just say that I deeply relate to what she wrote. She also talks about how the New Moon is about what ... truth -- and that's what started this dang blog post. And one final note - I discovered all these new people and blogs this week.

P.S. I  realize in my last post covering our Arizona road trip I said I would post a video of the forest we drove through in the high plains of Arizona but as the Resting Nomad said in her post I linked to: ..."Till that subject arises, I can only allow what is moving within me in the moment of NOW to flow out of me and flourish."