Ceremonies for the New Moon (in Aries, March 30, 2014)

It's never too late to learn new things, and learning more about this female body is an ongoing event and remembering process. Our regular Readers to Makua O'o may have noticed I'm here less and less in the recent months. I do this disappearing act periodically retreating into the deep cave to restore or reestablish my equilibrium. This recent retreat has been a focus on giving birth to my newest story. The birth, like that of birthing any and all children is both a painful and exhilaration plus the added experience of having several especially chosen mid-wives to welcome the child-story. My attention will continue to nurture and support the rearing of that work.

Fueling me as I learn new things I have found the work and ceremonies offered by Christine Page to be such valuable support. I am reading her book The Healing Power of the Sacred Woman. Here is an excerpt from Page's book "Ritual No. 1 Cleansing and Purification: Separating the Gems from the Compost" in which Dr. Page describes a New Moon Dark Moon ritual for women. For many years now I have attended to the cycles of the Moon Mahina, and used the practice of astrology to set new intentions for the coming cycle of 29.5 days-nights. With the New Moon in Aries coming up this Sunday, March 30, 2014 I will be adding a different (for me) ceremony to my usual focus of setting new intentions for the newest moon cycle thanks to the study of Page's work.

"Whether during menstruation or during the dark moon for postmenopausal women, the first step to the cleansing process is to share the stories. An ideal scenario is for women to gather together in sacred circle, perhaps creating a "Rent Tent" menstruation hut, or simply a place of nurturing where food and creature comforts are in abundance, although this process can also be carried out alone...the first condition of telling a story of our life is to take ownership of its creation..." Page continues and adds a list of questions to prime the creative pump before sharing the story concentrating as she suggests on events of the past month. A few of those questions are:

• What dreams or fantasies am I holding onto that will never be fulfilled?

• Where am I giving love in the delusional belief that it will be reciprocated?

• What expectations do I carry that can never be fulfilled?

• Where am I still attached to my own stories from the past because they evoke emotions such as anger, pain, disappointment, and shame?

• What seeds of wisdom do I need to glean from the situation that will allow me to move on?

I am a storyteller. It is such valuable feedback to be reminded that some dreams will never be fulfilled. I tend to hold fast to people, things and memories that will never be born. Holding fast to stories because they make me feel what is unthinkable in the light of everyday? Yes, I do that to my detriment UNTIL I create a mythic adventure where I can be another person, someone else's daughter or a near-sighted monkey like Lynda Barry.

At 66, this moon cycle completing, the one that began with The New Moon in Pisces has been a cycle of spring-time awakenings. Before setting new intentions for the next cycle, the cleansing process needs to happen. I am ready to pitch "The Red Tent" and tell the stories not to repeat myself or to hear myself talking. With this cycle I wish to clean things up before moving on. Goddesses willing my old friend and I will share the shore along the west-side of Whidbey, tell some stories and leave behind what no longer serves the Sacred Woman. It's good to know there's room for remembering the valuable lessons that Papa Honua Mea (the Great Earth Mother) offers.

Then, the Aries New Moon can be one where we set intentions to suit the nature of that First Astrological Sign.