'Following the Moon': How Does Your Garden Grow?

In the Temple Garden, Drozda 1994

48x48"

Acrylic on Masonite

Private collection

This weekly posting of 'Luna See' is presented as an art/life tool. You may find it useful. It's quite spectacular for relaxing time. You may even become more creative with your conscious movement through time. It's offered as an instrument for affecting the quality of the day as the highest of arts. There is a companion monthly Luna See newsletter published at each New Moon. You can subscribe here.


Welcome to the Full 'Growth' Moon! The Full Phase arrived last evening July 25 at 9:38 p.m. and extends through July 30, Friday at 12:30 a.m. (est). That's five ful days...an unusually long stretch for one phase. Consider it a gift...a time for reflection on the stunning growth opportunities that this year has offered in terms of being a pioneer in some area of your art/life. Tuck into your awareness that the whole year is helping us to grow by learning a new level of endurance.


Now you can look over your shoulder to July 11.  Two weeks have been invested. Remember that Solar eclipse? It created an interesting springboard for the increase and expansion offered to us this year. That Solar Eclipse extends its influence all the way into December. It places emphasis on the way you show yourself  'Out There'. It brings a terrific opportunity to pay attention now regarding what we would choose to grow by then.

You might decide to place your feet flat against the floor, imagine making direct contact with the earth, the Earth Mother, the Divine Feminine. Breathe in the quiet. If we continue to breathe deep as a tool for slowing down at this most active time of the year, we'll have a balanced energy reserve to draw upon in the months ahead. You may think that you don't ever seem to get quiet for long these days but a little bit of 'Luna See' can help you to remember. Quieting time in this way offers a temperate focus rather than a frenetic pace.

A Prayer for the New Millennium

May all beings everywhere be awakened, healed, peaceful and free; May there be peace in this world, and an end to war, poverty, violence, and oppression; And may we all together complete the spiritual journey.

                                                                                                                  Lama Surya Das

Tara, Drozda 2010

8x10

journal page

Between today, Monday, July 25 and next Monday, August 2, the moon's phases (Full, Disseminating) continue to provide creative focus points for reflection as well as sharing. Reflection means that until Friday you might consider what stands in your way from accomplishing your vision/goal for this Growth cycle. What did you choose to Grow during this time? How have your studio projects developed up to this moment? Are they ready to shine out into the world in some way during the next week? Maybe/maybe not...following the moon is not a rigid task master. In fact the longer we spiral on lunar month by lunar month the more a lovely rhythm unfolds; imagine a personal creative tidal inhale/exhale. So relaxed.
At each Full moon you can 'gaze back over your shoulder' and see your vision as it began. AH. Look at all that's happened since July 11. Hindsight being what it is you can observe your trail with clarity. Now, gently notice: what have you not yet addressed. The week ahead is ripe for inserting one more aspect of actualizing your sacred dream for your art/life.
July's keyword of Growth and its attendant idea of opening out will soon turn to Augusts' Trust. Summer each year offers the peak of possibility for the assertive, ambitious, go forth aspect of the natural years' push. Each of the 8 successive phases that unfold from New Phase(July 11-14) through Balsamic Phase (August 5-9) provides a focus. Focus is so helpful in manifesting your vision.

What have you been growing?... can you trust what's to come?

August arrives on Sunday and brings with it the cross quarter day of Lammas also called Lughnasadh. You are at the midpoint of your current 90 day art/life goal. The will to trust what you grow becomes the focus point now. This time of year is referred to traditionally as 'first harvest'. Play with these words and see how they fit into your creative spirit. No one else like you has ever been here before. Again, ask yourself, 'What are you growing?'

Don't you love being the artist who has the courage to express a new view and a true heart connection? Can't you feel this whole year being about feeling what is happening 'in the gut' as you forge a new sense of identity? This renewed sense of identity requires that you know how to do the 'endure-dance'. When you practice conscious endure-dancing you grow stronger. Your strength helps us all grow into new levels of trusting this miraculous opportunity called life. Each of us deserves to celebrate the steps and stages that have brought us to HERE and now.

All the past up to a moment ago is your legacy. You have a right to it.

~Robert Henri

I once had a very difficult time with time. Violence and post traumatic stress can clearly make it difficult and challenging to trust life. I felt pressure. I wondered how life was ever going to happen well enough so as not to be filled with continual unpredictable bouts of panic/fear. Naturally there are times when I still get that demon jumping out of the bushes to surprise me...to test me. Its job is to try to stop me from loving and celebrating my precious life. Twice so far this year that demon has done its dance! That's when I spring into action and do what I call the  'Endure-dance'! Try this: Throw your hands up toward the sky, extend your longest finger on each hand toward the ethers, bounce about, kick up your heels, step out and do your best moves...call up your light heart and then call out to all seen and unseen, known and unknown demons, "You may not enter here!"

'Following the Moon' is for help in remembering to face the heaviness and anxiety that jumps out onto the path of the art/life. Look it in the eye. My teacher called this process 'Getting On Time'. I call it Luna See. I love being a Luna-tic in a world that is ever uplifted by balance and wholeness.

There's a kind of wandering opportunity in the gentle rhythm of the lunar patterns. It isn't another thing to believe in or work at, it's simply natural timing. Tuning into the phases brings a joyful stretch to art/life days.

         Artist Lynne Lofton at Salon    

                 

Between now and next Monday notice how you take stock of your gifts. Create a way to surprise yourself by sharing some aspect of what you've grown during this cycle.


As this most outgoing season of the year unfolds share your awareness with your community/tribe. Be sure that you imagine the possibility. Trust your art/life and its amazing growth thus far. I'm so glad that you're here bringing your wonder to life.

It was 105 degrees today so I went kayaking in my backyard on Lake Smith with good reading:

Alyson Stanfield's

                                                                      I'd Rather Be in the Studio



~Sing the day~