I’ve been tracking moon phases since a few years now – new moon to full moon to new again. Initially, it was simply a way to make sure I got at least one art journal spread completed every month, especially in the hot, often humid summer months. Then I started adding in moon lore – looking at the astrological sign where the moon is and what its energetics are.
Slowly, I started looking at the moon phases as cycles of time, which gave rise to a fascinating question:
What if time was not a linear progression, as we've been led to believe? What if it is cyclical, which means we can always circle back to something over and over again? Click To Tweet
Tracking moon phases
I found this concept fascinating. Instead of being disheartened each time I didn’t follow through with my intentions or check something off my list, I could look at the lessons from each moon phase and tweak and refine my to-do list.
Why was I slacking? Was it because I had too many things on my plate, or because the project didn’t excite me as much as I thought it would?
Did I need to tweak my expectations? Clear out some things that were no longer serving me so I could focus on the things that really mattered to me?
Where were these to-dos and goals coming from, anyway? Were these things that I wanted to achieve, or were they merely societal expectations that did nothing for me?
As I looked at each previous moon cycle through the lens of these questions, I started to get more in tune with myself and with the unique working of my own heart and mind.
Creating rituals with the new moon
Each month, I would spend some time focusing on my intentions and seeing how the astrological moon phase could support me in the pursuit of them. I threw down some tarot cards, journaled, and created a painting in my new moon journal. This became a monthly ritual that helped me to learn and grow and achieve in a way that felt more gentle than beating myself up for each perceived failure of crossing something off my list.
Here’s a walk though of my completed new moon journal from 2016. As the year progressed, my understanding of the phases deepened. As that happened, I slowly stopped gluing in so much of the new moon energetics information – some months just the painting was enough; on other months a word would suffice; and sometimes, a couple of sentences would capture the essence of the cycle.
The concept of cyclical time
As I researched the moon phases further, I realized that this concept of cyclical time is not related to moon tracking alone. There is also the Wheel of the Year, which I had heard of before, but I hadn’t paid much attention to it. Last year, though, I started to explore it further, and found that it is a very interesting way of looking at time through the lens of the seasons and the energetics of each season – another fascinating rabbit hole that I am starting to explore much more closely this year!
Over to you. Have you ever thought of time as cyclical rather than linear or tracked the waxing and waning of the moon? And if you haven’t, is this something that intrigues you, too? Oh, and if you have any questions about any of this, do ask – I’ll try my best to answer them for you. 🙂
The concept of time as being cyclical rather than linear is a n interesting one indeed! Now that I think about it I feel that way too! And I loved the art in your journal! Beautiful.
I never thought of it in this way but it makes a lot of sense the way you put it. I also love your journal. Your art is beautiful and putting it in journal is very cool and creative:) #mg
I’m reading this the night of the first full moon eclipse of 2018 and am going to do my full moon forgiveness afterwards! I went to a new moon workshop last year with Yasmin Boland and knew a little of the moon phases beforehand but that workshop totally changed my understanding and my intentions (or new moon wishes as Yasmin calls them) were fulfilled! I have no doubt of the power and pull of the moon and am also looking more closely at astrology this year too. FAscinating journal. #mg
The concept of cyclical time makes so much sense and I love your art journals! I’m so glad I followed you on Instagram to witness them 🙂
I’ve always believed in the concept of cyclical time with respect to second chances and failure, learning from mistakes. But with regard to regrets, time for me is linear and they are best left in the past. Regrets serve no purpose other than cause guilt and self pity. I’ve learnt to move on 🙂
But I love your rendition of it and how apt that I read this the day after the Super Moon sighting. Timing is everything. Plus with February, I embark on a new phase of life, which interestingly, is a re-worked version of an earlier phase of life from 17 years ago. Perhaps it’s meant to be 🙂 Wishing you love for the next cycle too.
I want to be more intentional about noticing the heavens, and this recent lunar eclipse, super moon, etc. has only reinforced that!
“Why was I slacking? Was it because I had too many things on my plate, or because the project didn’t excite me as much as I thought it would?” I have been asking myself a similar question lately, I have a project that I believe I really want to do yet I keep putting it off, or making excuses as to why I have no time, so then I wonder do I really want this? Am I afraid? I recently stayed up with my children to see the eclipse, it was amazing. Thanks for linking up #mg
hi lovely I am popping back to say . . Thanks for sharing this with us #ablogginggoodtime
Interesting article. Is that your photo up top? I was wondering why the moon transforms into a reddish color?
Your art journal is so beautiful. You are very talented. I don’t really know much about the moon and it’s phases, so this was an interesting read. Thanks for sharing it. 🙂
I have not given this much thought until reading this ..interesting and like everyone love your journal 🙂
This sounds amazing, and your journal is beautiful!
I’m visiting from Damyanti’s Linky–for Delurking week. What a great post. I explore the Moon for the fiction I write (because my characters didn’t have watches). this was fascinating.
How interesting! The moon does play a big role in time keeping too. The moon played a big role in deciding when to plant and when to harvest. And when you layer the phases of the moon with the astrological signs and the seasons, there’s a lot more layers to that, too! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post!! xx