Mindfulness meditation doesn’t change Life.
Life remains as fragile and unpredictable as ever.
Meditation changes the heart’s capacity to accept Life as it is.
~~ Sylvia Boorstein
Happy Harvest Full Super Moon celebration!!
I love following the Moon cycles – a natural progression of light and change in the sky that highlights the amazing, consistent, reliable patterns of the Universe. September’s Full Harvest Moon appears just after sunset on Thursday, September 28. It reaches peak illumination at 5:58 A.M. Eastern Time on Friday the 29th, drifting below the horizon shortly thereafter. The Full Moon that happens nearest to the fall equinox (September 22 or 23) always takes on the name “Harvest Moon.” Unlike other Full Moons, this Full Moon rises at nearly the same time—around sunset—for several evenings in a row, giving farmers several extra evenings of moonlight and allowing them to finish their harvests before the frosts of fall arrive.
The first Full Moon of Autumn is the fourth consecutive “supermoon” but also the last supermoon of the year 2023, so the energy in the sky as well as on the earth will be extra strong. The Harvest Moon’s significance is an invitation for new beginnings and an inspiration to re-examine priorities. Full Moons are all about completing cycles and letting go of old patterns, so this is a gentle reminder that encourages us to pause, reflect and release what we no longer want to carry.
During this period of reflection, the Full Moon reveals where we may be blocking our intentions from manifesting. It shows us the work we must do within ourselves to create the life of our highest visions. It illuminates our shadows and gives us guidance on how to shift them into the light. The Full Moon helps us understand the higher and lower frequencies of our day to day lives as we become more aware of how these frequencies/energies align in our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Our energy can work like a light switch, where one moment we are vibrating at a certain level, then the next we exist at a whole new level. Finding the light switch, though, can be the challenging part. Shifting our vibration can occur with a single change in perception or a new understanding. Shifts can happen quickly, but they also require continual awareness on our part to ensure the change we want to see becomes permanent.
It takes work to shift and release frequencies/patterns/habits that we no longer want in our lives, since many of these energies/patterns/habits have been with us for some time. The Full Moon is about building awareness of the work we need to do while trusting that this work/change/adjustment does not happen instantly, but rather over a period of time with consistent attention and acceptance of the process.
The Harvest Moon will be radiating with gratitude, so remember to show your appreciation for your blessings. Whether you acknowledge a specific gift, like your career or relationship, or recognize your good fortune as a whole, take a focused moment to celebrate the abundance in your life and feel gratitude for the bounty you’ve harvested in your lifetime during this Full Moon.
These reliable patterns of Moon cycles in the heavens also impact the Earth by influencing light, time and tides and are part of our miraculous human design. The intricate nature of our body and mind that supports our breathing, digestion, replenishment of cells, skin and hair, without any input from us, follow patterns encoded in our DNA. But how much attention do we truly pay to these mundane occurrences that support our life? How mindful are we of our own miraculous and reliable patterns and their impact on our health and well-being? And why do we want to consider being more present within our day to day busy schedules, and what does that really mean?
George Mumford, psychologist, aka “The Mindfulness Performance Whisperer” says: Mindfulness by itself is not enough. Mindfulness is the beginning of awareness – but it needs to be balanced and cultivated with insight, effort, faith and concentration. Mindfulness is something to be practiced all the time, not just when we are sitting in prayer or meditation. This is truly what is being highlighted in the celebration of the Harvest Full Moon – taking the time to be aware, to look up and around, to appreciate the awe of the cycles that have been consistent for millions of years, to reflect on the miracle of your life and the gifts you’ve cultivated, to have faith in your Self as well as the symphony of the Universe and to celebrate the promise of more Moon cycles with hope and optimism as we continue the journey.
Mindfulness meditation is a great way to begin listening to the inner wisdom you possess. Consider gifting your Self with the experience of connecting with the awe and wonder of your Being. Check out the in-person and online offerings at Pause to be Present, where you can learn to practice the space between stimulus and response, in the sacred moment of pause.
Remember!!! You have the divine spark within you ….
