April Dark Moon - What do I truly want?

Hello Moonchild :)

We approach the Dark Moon again this Sunday, April 27th. It is Vaishakha Amavasya in India. An auspicious day to connect with your roots, honour ancestors, offer charity and engage in inner work towards spiritual progress.

This Dark Moon is a conducive one to sit with yourself and journey to the crux of what you really want. Come into a space of knowing and define your direction for the next few days.

NOURISH YOURSELF THESE FEW DAYS

1. Fill your cup with gratitude for all that you have been blessed with - your body, health, qualities and gifts, source of income, support system, all that you own and more. Write these down and keep looking at these regularly. Add on things as you remember.

   
   

2. Do one or more self-care rituals everyday for the next few days until the Full Moon.

   
   

   Here are some examples:

   Abhyanga (self oil massage)

   Cooking yourself a nutritious meal

   A few minutes of meditation and/or a movement practice

   An early morning or night walk

   A morning and/or night routine

   A rest period in the middle of the day

   Have a cup of a beverage of your choice mindfully, without multitasking

   Walk bare feet on grass or mud

   Build in some music listening time into the day, not doing anything else in that time

   Read a few pages of a book of your choice

   Give and receive hugs from people close to you

   Look into the mirror and smile at yourself

   
   

   You know what nourishes your heart and soul and gives you a sense of deep fulfilment. So choose and give it your everything :)

   
   
   
   

WHAT IS A RITUAL YOU CAN DO ON THE DARK MOON DAY?

You will need: A quiet room, about an hour, your journal. If you have a favourite deity or an altar, let these be part of the space you are doing the ritual in.

Step 1

Centering

Sit in a meditative posture. Centre yourself by observing your connection with Mother Earth. Remember your ancestors and Gurus and seek their blessings. Visualize a Dark Moon in your eyebrow centre. As you inhale and exhale a few times, ask the lunar energies to flow through you and guide you.

Place your palm on your heart.

Make an intention: "I am in touch with my authentic self."

Repeat this silently 3 times, feeling it in your heart space.

Step 2

Body Movement

Go through a gentle movement practice that focuses on hip and heart opening. Add poses that aid release for your body.

Step 3

Journaling

- Sit down, close eyes and feel a deep connect with Mother Earth.

- Take a few gentle, slow breaths, till you feel a sense of settling and calm.

Write down the following questions and answer them. Think of incidents/instances in the past to inform your answers.

What gives me a feeling of deep grounding?

What makes me come alive?

What have my recent lessons been?

What do I want to focus my energies on going forward?

Take your time to answer these. Read your answers.

Close your eyes, once again taking a few gentle breaths, sitting with the experience of what you expressed in writing.

Step 4

Expansion of energy / Raising your frequency

You could do this in one of the ways mentioned below:

Break into a dance without any inhibitions, moving intuitively. Feel free to play music. Dance till you feel fully energised, not tired.

OR

Stand with legs wide apart and arms up in the air, opened up in a receiving mode, tilting your head a little, looking up towards the sky. Close eyes and visualize energy radiating from your centre outwards with every breath. Do this for a few breaths. Then visualize receiving lunar energy into your body with the next few breaths. Smile as you do this :) Feel free to sway a little, without tightening the body. Once you feel full with this energy, drop the arms and sit down on the earth.

OR

Tap the whole body with your palms. Maintain a force enough to hear the sound of the tap. Keep the body loose and bend forward to access parts like your back and legs. Tap the face and head gently as well. You can do more than one round - till your body starts to feel the pulsating life force!

Sit and take a few easy, natural breaths and recentre yourself.

Step 5

Revisiting your journal

Read your journal again

Now write using the prompt:

My heart says...

Write continuously for 5-10 minutes without thinking. Do not hold back at all. Then read what you have written. Close eyes and absorb the experience.

If there are definite ideas that have revealed themselves, spend some time reflecting on how to bring these into action. Note these down as well. Then place your palms on your heart and make a promise to yourself to work on them.

(Plan to do one small thing related to it right after the ritual to reinforce it. For example, if your unfolding involves making more time for yourself, pick a simple activity that you love and do it. If it has gratitude as part of it, express it to someone you need to. If it is in the area of health and wellness, make a meal plan or cook a healthy meal or go out for a walk or a jog. The examples are simple, just for guidance.)

Step 6

Absolute Surrender & Trust in the process

Complete the ritual by prostrating to Mother Earth. Adopt an attitude of complete surrender to all that has been, is happening and will unfold. Know that you are being guided. Kiss the Earth.

Close the ritual by offering gratitude to your ancestors, Gurus, the Moon and Mother Earth.

Here's to a beautiful ritual, new beginnings and sustainable transformations :)

Love & Gratitude

Sheetal