Lunar Love Letter 🌒 - December 12, 2023 — Cold Moon*
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Important dates this cycle (in EST):
Lunar Cycle Duration: 12/12-1/10
New Moon: 12/12 ← we are here
First Quarter Moon: 12/19
Winter Solstice: 12/21
Full Moon: 12/26 Cold Moon*
Last Quarter Moon: 1/3
Happy new moon, sweet friend 💜
What’s been coming up for you during this last lunar cycle? Have you been fortifying yourself? What feels different?
One of the things I love most about setting intentions at the start of each lunar cycle is that how they manifest is always a surprise. We can plan or expect or daydream, but the actual reality of it always looks different. Sometimes so much that we question it while we’re in the middle of it, but hindsight always grants us clarity.
I did a lot of experimenting with what I’ll call living joy-forward this past lunar cycle in an effort to strengthen this part of my life. I took time to plan out some things that I knew would be joyful and fun, and then fill in the serious stuff around those events. How often do we do that the other way around? Usually most times. I found the reverse fulfilling and lighter, and I plan to make this a long-term practice.
This lunar cycle, we’re working with the energy of the cold moon*, our last full moon of the year, and a lunar cycle that spans many special days, including the Winter Solstice and a variety of other holidays. These will be the shortest days in terms of daylight, and the beginning of the slow transition to the other side as the days start to grow longer.
We have a fantastic opportunity to align with transitional energy.
In yoga, you might hear a lot of talk about the energy of transitions — transitioning with love, slowness, and intention. On the mat, it’s all too tempting to slam our bodies between postures without much care about the action to move from one to the other, but the energy of that transition — that’s the tone for our exit of one experience and entrance into another. It’s the carryover, the bridge. And it’s just as important as either point on the timeline. And that’s the energy I want us to work with during this lunar cycle.
Off the mat, we can explore it from three perspectives: wrapping up, the actual moment of transition, and leaning into evolution and new beginnings. In nature, this isn’t drastic or sudden. It’s very organic and soft, and that’s a good cue to pick up on.
First, during the wrap, let’s find ways to give ourselves some sense of closure or a solidified checkpoint. What would you like to wrap up that you started exploring this year?
Perhaps this manifests in small ways (which I’m a super fan of for accessibility and freedom to experiment). Maybe on your mat, you pick a few asanas to spend extra time in and explore how those shapes feel in your body. Maybe you spend an extra minute or two in savasana or meditation. Maybe off the mat you shut off screens a few minutes more each day do something else you enjoy. Let nature take its course.
For the day of transition — let’s soak that in. Honor that it’s there. See it as a moment in time for us to be in a liminal space between one natural season and the next.
Maybe you have a celebration, ceremony, or ritual. Maybe it’s as simple as taking a few quiet minutes to contemplate the transition. Soak up the magic that has to offer. Brew a special cup of tea or cider. Light a candle. Take a few moments of purposeful pause to allow your body and mind to follow nature’s cues.
And as for the after, there’s no need to rush. No need to go barreling after whatever’s next.
Let’s let the daylight moments lengthen at their own pace while we start winter at our own pace. Not one dictated by holiday schedules or cultural standards or work day production, but one that’s led by our natural selves. Whatever that might mean for you. Let’s steer clear of sharp edges and sudden bursts, and find the softness of change unfurling.
I know it’s very tempting to get caught up in the speed of the season. Everything seems like it’s going a million miles an hour, but what happens is that we don’t even get to truly experience what’s going on. Instead it becomes too much about schedules, presents, finances, meal plans, and decor. And let’s be honest — while those things are a big part of this season in our culture, they aren’t the most important. And we definitely need constant reminders of that.
So I urge you to keep this work as front and center as you can this lunar cycle. This is an open invitation to journal and observe yourself — take note of what you’re doing, where you’re spending time, how you’re treating yourself, and what you’re doing to honor each part of this transition. What’s creating magic and what’s making you feel aligned (or not)?
And, of course, if you feel like sharing — I’d love to hear about it, so send me your story 💌
🪄May this lunar cycle see us settle into our authentic selves just a little bit more ✨
With loving energy from heart to yours 💜
*The moon names and phase details given here are as given on the Farmers' Almanac website. There are many other moon names and stories from other cultures that are not included here, but I encourage you to do your own research. It’s fascinating!
All resources mentioned in this newsletter are included for research purposes only and are not affiliated with Zenful Mindings LLC.
photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash
