Creative Impulsivity & Balance - Full Moon in Aries
{~8 minute read... or listen to me speak about even more here on our new podcast!}
Hello to you as you are in this moment.
My hope is that this bi-weekly Moonletter meets you well exactly where you are, and is a reminder of your inherent enoughness and interconnection to the whole. Inspired by the framework of Cyclical Mindfulness, this space is both a practice for myself and an offering for you. May you take what resonates from these musings, inspirations, and creations, and leave the rest behind.
Pause
Pausing into the present...
It’s one of those mornings I want music over silence after my routine as I eat breakfast. Is 9am too early for reggaeton? No!
Yet this is in such contrast to how I start my day, and beautifully so. Before I embraced the active energy of the day, I always start slow though as that’s what I tend to need.
Waking up and embracing the elements is helpful - I drink water and enjoy the message of a shower, I speak my morning incantations and gratitude sentiments into the air, I stand in the sun’s warmth or tune into it behind the clouds (in winter the SAD lamp stand in for this lol), and I sit or walk on the Earth and tune into this support. Surrounding and embracing all of the layers, forms of matter and molecules I sense and thank spirit/energy/source/whatever you call the divinity of space and love.
As I work on Embodied Ecosystems more and more each day, these practices reflect what I’m visualizing and encapsulating in writing to share with you as practices and reflective anchors in our wild, wise, wavering world.
I’ve finished all 80 sketches, and am working on the final imagery and writing for the book! I’m so in love with all it is and is becoming and can’t wait for it to support more than myself.
I’ve been sharing progress in my stories or the feed on IG, but tbh the algorithm doesn’t like my WIP (work in progress) posts much… I wonder i f you feel the same or if you’re just not seeing my posts? Maybe you’re not so active on social media, which is awesome. I want to share here more too but at the same time I seek another form that feels less structured, quick and easy. We’ll see! Either way, i’ll save them to my highlights there so you can still see.
All of this inspired creativity feels resonant to…
Notice
Current cycles and energy...
Our Full Moon in the cardinal fire sign of Aries exacts at 5:57 am EST on Friday, September 29th 2023.
(If you're reading this at a much later time, it's still relevant to reflect on your life around this time / season, especially in comparison to what's happening now.)
As always, this peak of the lunation cycle is just that; the energy of a transit affects our collective before and after this moment as well. Additionally, we continue to integrate the lessons of a transit well after it shifts - whether we're aware of it or not.
The full moon in Aries always feels like a lot to me, but in a fun exuberant kind of way? Kind of overwhelming though - it reminds me of this pic of my cat from another year;
The moon in Aries can feel the subconscious bubbling up into action, internal overwhelm, creative impulsivity driven by intuition, and so many other expression depending on its alignment in your personal chart, and where you’re at in your other body & life cycles.
The full moon naturally opposes the sun which is newly in Libra as we had our equinox just a few days ago, we’re in a transitional season of release and rebalancing.
The abundance of mars-driven energy during this peak time can be activating, but remember your venusian values and boundaries in the midst of it all.
These themes will follow us for the next year or two as the lunar nodes in Aries/Libra represent our current collective theme.
Autumn feels like a time of slowing, releasing, taking inventory, harvesting and preparing. The days’ lengths wane, and the temperatures lessen as my layers of clothing needed for comfort increases. I’m sad I can no longer swim, but glad I can enjoy warm soups and sweaters, pumpkins and candles. Light comes in other forms during the darker days.
Maybe it’s the opposite for you if you’re in the souther hemisphere, but it’s interesting how it’s always a mirrored reflection of what was or is in contrast to the now.
Allow / Flow
Behind the scenes of creativity / reflections on recently...
Next week - expect an exciting announcement of additive change - yes it’s about Cyclical Roots! Some of you may have seen hints of it starting to emerge, but I’m excited to launch our new website/home for everything next week! :) Stay tuned…
What’s been supportive & inspiring lately:
-
the band Los Espiritus
- Pharoah Sanders’ Harvest Time is always a favorite, and it feels so viscerally relevant right now. i could play it on repeat forever.
- revisiting Circe by Madeline Miller - I must say even if you’re not into Greek mythos, this book is just so good and surprised me how much I loved it.
- I’m such a nerd for Star Trek (next gen) lately.
- strawflowers
- as always, inspired by the muse in the moon
- the owl hooting at 4am when I got up to pee
- letting choosing my clothes and jewelry for the day be a form of ritual/divination
- apple trees
- harvesting dried beans to store
- adding more ergonomic support to my desk chair and car bc my body was asking for it
- tiny breaks throughout the day to hug my cat or stretch
- staying hydrated and moisturized as the air gets dryer and cooler
- gua sha/facial massage as part of my bedtime routine
- learning and practicing in community
a note of transparency that the book links support both indie bookstores and myself through affiliation if purchased, because I believe in the power of print, writers, indie bookstores, and accessible knowledge-sharing!
Please join us inside our Cyclical Community's free Reading Club if you like to talk books & more!
Reflect / Release
Invitations for you to sit with - you can pull cards about these, meditate on them, and/or reflect in your journal or notebook...
- What does this new season invite you to reflect on?
- Where are you in need or more balance in your life?
- What creative sparks are asking you to follow?
- How can you invite in more pleasure or play?
- What adjustments can you make to feel more ease and support?
Gratefully connected,
Rachael Amber (they/she)
Creator of Cycles Journal / Cyclical Roots
All words, photographs and artwork are by Rachael unless quoted or otherwise stated. You're welcome to share (for non-commercial reasons only) so long as credit / links remain attached! Thanks for supporting living artists <3
p.s.
-
Feel free to forward this email to a friend if you sense they could benefit from it.
-
If you received this from a friend and want to continue to receive my moonletters, sign up here.
-
Update your preferences or unsubscribe below.
Current Offerings;
Catch the replay of the most recent Moonthly Meets Workshop on Archetypes with Maya Rain, plus over 15 others workshop replays!
Discounts | Current Sales • Order Cycles Journal 2024! • DEAL: Cycles Journal 2023 is only $5! • Fundraiser for Our Rights
Enjoy Always;
Free Community • Free Healing Library • Browse Our Healing Resource Directory •
Questions?
Check out our FAQs, or email us!
