Lunar rhythms: September's new moon 🌑
How the dark night sky is a portal to autumn's earthy energy
Hello, sweet soul.
Today we find ourselves in the slow, resting dark moon phase just before we welcome the last new moon before the equinox. The last new moon before the light fades and the dark half of the year takes its place up here in the northern hemisphere. And, just as following the seasons creates a sense of meaning and brings a rhythm to my everyday life, so does following the cycles of the moon. So, I wanted to write to you to celebrate the unfolding of the season and share the energies that this first autumnal new moon of 2023 brings.
Lunar living invites me to experience a monthly cycle of life-death-rebirth. It is a way for me to watch the night sky and to remember the constant change that defines all of life. Moongazing and following the phases of the moon is practical, deep magic to me. A reminder that I am so tiny, and yet, so significant. We all are. And, just like the moon, we move through phases and cycles, again and again and again. We grow and learn, but we are also emptied and left in the dark. Our lives wax and wane, year after year, month after month, even day after day, as we follow the rhythms of nature and the nature of our lives.
The new moon phase is the dark, empty phase. At first, it seems frightening and disturbing, shadowy and lonely. Something about the night sky feels wrong. But it is here that a new moon cycle begins. It is here that potential is born. It is here that energy is created out of nothingness. It is because of the darkness that we see the light. And, it is due to the pain, grief, sadness, and fear in life that makes space for rebirth, for new growth, and for new energy.
So, by watching the moon, I learn to sit in the dark. To find my way by the stars and to accept that I need to be quiet, breathe, and trust in the silence of the black night sky. I need to make space for emptiness and uncertainty. I also need to trust in the dark moments of my life. To know, first of all, that the darkness will not last. The only constant is change, as the saying goes. In fact, I dare say that the mysterious dark moments of life have even more to offer that the bright, happy ones. But, I have to really slow down and summon up courage in order to hear the whispers and learn the lessons of the dark.
The September new moon, being so close to the autumnal equinox and right in the middle of the harvest season, brings a grounded energy to these early autumn days. Perfect for learning to listen and sit in the dark.
Under this new moon, I feel drawn to focus not only on settling into autumn, but to really rooting myself and surrendering to the season of darkness that is almost upon us. I feel connected to the dark sky in September, but I also feel connected to the earth during these autumn months more than any other time of the year. Watching the moon and the earth give way to their own cycles of death and release, surrendering to the cycles of nature, grounds me. The dark new moon of September means returning to the quiet, inward time of the year. Reminding me to surrender, like the moon and the earth, to the rhythms as well.
So, my intention all month long, and perhaps even all season long, is to be rooted and grounded in my daily life. To create balance and stability. And to trust the darkness as it takes over. To surrender, to let my roots sink down, and to trust the power that I find within me to guide me through the dark months ahead.
The only way I know to make my intentions my reality is to practice routines and rituals. The only way to tap into my power, my wisdom, and all that is within me is to surrender to the darkness. To accept the dark phase, just as the new moon does. And to let my roots stretch and grow and strengthen way down deep.
Through my kundalini yoga class, which is amazingly and serendipitously, focused on the root chakra all autumn long, I create space every week to literally root myself. To rest in that grounded, rooted feeling of stability and connection. I also have simple routines that give me the space to write, reflect, and create. Routines like journaling in the mornings, taking photo walks during lunch, and lighting candles to bring a sense of holy moments into everyday life.
It is these rituals, along with moongazing, that keep me grounded. They guide me through the darkness that is both within me and all around me.
I suppose it’s a bit weird to discuss surrendering and grounding and rooting in conjunction with the cosmic science of the new moon phase. But, to me, they are so related. The moon, way up there in the sky, keeps me grounded. It’s her phases, her cycles, her stability, and her constant presence - even when she is not seen - that gives me my own sense of stability and presence. The consistency of her cycles is the thing that keeps me grounded.
I, too, have phases and cycles. I am also always present as myself. And, because of these stable, ever-present rhythms of the seasons, the moon, and my own life, I am also rooted, grounded, and mysterious.
So, blessed September new moon, love. May the dark night sky this weekend welcome you, once again, to the cozy, grounded, earthy season of autumn.
xoxo. liz.
Beautiful read as always Liz! xx
I really like the invitation here to "learn to listen and sit in the dark." What a beautiful way to think about autumn!