Reframing our Goals through a More Natural Lens of Time
Syncing up with nature is a goal setting practice to which you may already be attuned. If you are not familiar, some possibilities to work with are the phases of the moon and their corresponding seasonal solar cycles. Below are some examples of connective time frames in which to work and reflect on what might feel right for you. Start small and if it feels correct, you can always expand!
- Set and monitor your goals around the moon phases. Phrases and ideas for working with them are listed below
- I have identified the moon phase under which you were born which can be a beginning or ending point for goal setting, especially the more personal ones.
- The Sun and its seasons mirrors those moon phases through the course of a year. Think of the Winter Solstice, the longest night and shortest day of the year as the New Moon phase. Summer Solstice is the Full Moon. If we split the year up by solstices, we are now in the Waxing season, the winter and spring as planning and growing stages of the year. The Spring Equinox (balance of night and day) is a beautiful check in on any intentions of goals set in the darkest season where we dream of growth and blooming possibilities. After the Summer Solstice, we begin the harvesting and preparing times where those dreams we began tending to in the cold dark times come to fruition and need to be cared for so that they may continue to grow even when the cold and dark are upon us. The Waning season is the summer and fall with the Fall Equinox (balance of night and day) another beautiful check in point. OF course you could say it’s just like planning a year but there is something liminal and magical in connecting our goals with the balance of the sun and the moon and the seasons rather than the gregorian calendar of days, weeks and months. I don’t know about you but letting the original calendar lead me rather than the man-made one has been one wonderful thing I have picked up in the paradigm shift of 2020 and it is serving my mental health very well.
- Find out the phase of the moon you were born under and some interesting information about yourself based on the moon. You can connect to this birth information in goal setting or in tending to your energy. To learn more about you birth moon phase: https://www.moongiant.com/birthday-moon/
The Moon Principle Phases and Intermediate Phases and Their Correspondence with the Sun and Seasons.
I have been using Sarah Faith Gottesdiener’s Many Moons Lunar Planner for 2 years now and it has been such a wonderful way to merge the mainstream calendar with the moon cycles. Below is a merging of Sarah’s research on working with the moon combined with my own connectives.
The New Moon: Corresponds with the winter solstice.
- A principle phase, characterized by the Moon being invisible due to her close conjunction with the Sun.
New Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- The void, reset, beginnings, planting seeds, cultivating, mindset work, beginner’s mind, sacred pause, hope, regeneration, intention setting,
New Moon Mantra: I set my intention.
I am .
Waxing Crescent Moon: Corresponds with the winter season
- An intermediate phase, this Moon phase is characterized by the first time the Moon is visible in the West at sunset.
Waxing Crescent Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- What brings you to light, growing career, growing a passion project, the long game work, goal setting, clarity, recharging, building up inner power, clearing negative energy
Waxing Crescent Moon Mantra: I feel into my intention.
I am .
Half/First Quarter Moon: Corresponds with the Spring Equinox
- A principle phase, here the Moon is half-full while still increasing in light.
Half/First Quarter Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- Balance, refocusing & rededication, expression, new behaviors, action, building, external, pedal to the metal, announcements, networking, growth, growing energy/emotions, boundaries, and protection.
Half/First Quarter Moon Mantra: I take action to support my intention.
I am .
Waxing Gibbous Moon: Corresponds with the spring season.
- An intermediate phase, the Moon is more than half-full while still increasing in light.
Waxing Gibbous Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- Abundance, growth, prosperity, expansion, action, focus on tangible manifestation
Waxing Gibbous Moon Mantra: I trust the universe will help me focus my intention.
I am .
Full Moon: Corresponds with the Summer Solstice
- A principle phase, this is characterized by the Moon’s face being completely veiled in light. She is considered at her most powerful at this stage, but begins to lose light.
Full Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- Harvest, culmination, celebration, fulfillment, consciousness and subconscious, unveiling, big magic, wholeness, psychic visions, crest of a wave, magic, embodiment, manifestation of just about anything, abundance, ancestor work, everything all at once, emotions, downloads, exhaustion.
Full Moon Mantra: I release that which no longer serves me and may be standing in the way of manifesting my intention.
I am .
Waning Gibbous/Disseminating Moon: Corresponds with the summer season.
- An intermediate phase, here the Moon has passed her peak and is losing her light, but has not yet lost a whole half of it.
Waning Gibbous Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- Reflection, recalibration, realizations
Waning Gibbous Moon Mantra: I see more clearly and express gratitude for the shadows coming to light.
I am .
Half/Third Quarter Moon: Corresponds with the Autumnal Equinox.
- A principle phase marked by the Moon being half-full and losing light.
Half/Third Quarter Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- Reorientation, balance, clearing, letting go, low energy, weeding, decluttering, forgiveness work, shadow work, release, subconscious work and reprogramming, inner parenting work, ancestry/personal history work and release, concentrated interior work, cord cutting, boundary and protection work
Half/Third Quarter Moon Mantra: I receive the form of my intention as it was truly meant to be, in all its perfection.
I am .
Waning Crescent/Balsamic/Dark Moon:
- An intermediate phase where the Moon has nearly lost all of her light and appears as a slim crescent and then completely invisible.
Waning/Balsamic/Dark Moon themes, focus, and possibilities
- Radical rest, quiet, turning within, slowing down, self care practices, rage/anger work, banishing, mystery, a time of potential deep transformation, going down into the underworld, deep subconscious work such a hypnotism, guided meditations, psychic work, cord cutting
Waning Crescent/Balsamic/Dark Moon Mantra: I give thanks to the universe for guidance.
I am .
At this completion cycle, the New Moon/Winter Solstice offers the following mantra: I adjust my intention and refocus OR I set a new intention.
I am .
Revolutions Imaginarium 