New Moon Mindfulness * Mindfulness Garden Games

Happy New Moon – December 23, 2022

It’s the December new moon – and this particular one arrives just two days after winter solstice .These events share many of the same energetic qualities. They both are times of darkness, but also are turn around points for increasing light. Winter solstice is the annual point, but the new moon occurs every 28 days or so.

What is Happening at New Moon

The moon is our earth’s satellite, but it has no light of its own. Any light we see is reflected from the sun. And because the moon is traveling around the earth while the earth is traveling around the sun, the amount of light reflected changes as it moves. During the moon’s roughly 28-day journey it seems to disappear, then grow, become full, and then shrink again to invisibility.

Lunar Phases as Mindful Focal Points

Our ancestors were keenly aware of moon cycles and used them to track time and guide activities like planting, harvesting, and even warfare. New moon’s darkness provided protection from spying eyes; but the light of a full moon would make an evening journey easier.

Our modern world presents a lot of challenges for staying in tune with celestial happenings. If we live in a city of any size there is a lot of artificial light in the evening sky. It is hard to see the moon and stars.

However taking the time to tune into the phases of the moon can be a gentle mindfulness practice. It connects us to the present moment on our planet in a very centering way. The rhythm of the moon’s waxing (increase) and waning (decrease) can be an anchor in a world that sometimes feels chaotic. Looking up at the night sky to notice the changes and the beauty connects us to this moment, time, and place.

Symbolism and Energy of the New Moon

Like winter solstice, new moon is a time of darkness before light returns. The returning light can be a symbol of greater clarity in our lives. We might use this time to journal or meditate on the things that we need to illuminate in some way. It is also a great time to set intentions. Using the 28 day lunar cycle as our time-keeping device for a new intention is a fun way to both stay in touch with the moon phases and set a reasonable time frame.

The moon is large, with a radius of 1,080 miles, and yet we can’t always see it. The lunar cycle is a great reminder that there may be things outside of our perception, but it does not make them any less real.

One of the lunar cycle’s other reminders is that life ebbs and flows – there is increase and decrease – light and dark – cold and warmth – invisibility and manifestation. And there are beginnings and endings. We can fight this ever-changing flow or we can accept and maybe even embrace it.

To look up at the night sky is also a reminder of the enormity of the universe and how profound it is to be here.

A New Moon Challenge

During this busy holiday season, take the time to go out into the night and just look up. You won’t see the moon this evening but know that it is there. This is a very simple and yet profound intentional practice – allowing ourselves to be filled with wonder at the expanse of the night sky.

And here is an added challenge – Can you commit to heading outside every night to look up at the sky until the next invisible moon (January 21)? Could you let yourself be in sync with the phases of the moon, like our ancestors for one lunar cycle? What might 28 days of intentionally taking time to pause and notice the rhythm of the moon do for you?

About this Lunar Blog Post Series

This article is part of my lunar blog series. New moon posts focus generally on garden and mindfulness related topics. Full moon posts focus on one of the plants featured in my book, Growing Mindful, Explorations in the Garden to Deepen Your Awareness. For more details on the lunar blog post series and to see past posts click here.

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