One of my passions is reading about how some of our astrological forefathers worked with and thought about astrology.
A favourite is Firmicus Maternus and I find this quote of his on the Moon (which I have used in lectures on Moon Phases in the past few years) truly poetic.
“…for we feel in our bodies the increases of the waxing Moon and the losses of her waning. The innermost parts of the human grow when the Moon grows, and when she begins to lose light they languish, fatigued in the body; when she grows again their power of growth comes flooding back.”*
I love how eloquently these words connect your ‘innermost parts‘ to the ebb and flow of the Moon, as if the Moon’s rise and fall is a guide to earthly life.
Right now, the Moon is her waning cycle, the balsamic phase, letting go of what little light she has to darken before being refreshed by the Sun (at the New Moon).
Similarly, we too are invited to let go, release, close out, complete and retreat.
Like the Moon losing light, your spirit or even your body may languish now, a little tired from the past four weeks and in need of quiet time, preferably alone, to recharge.
Perhaps knowing that the Moon will grow again, and in turn inspire you to reconnect with the ‘power of growth‘ (next week, after the Libra New Moon) will help you say no, step back and hit pause for just a little while in the next few days.
Do you tune into the Moon? Are you noticing a softening, releasing or increased need to rest as we enter the dark balsamic Moon phase this month?
*(The quote is from the Brahm translation and can be found on page 118.)