Moon Magic

Whether you are religious, spiritual, something in between, or none of it at all – it doesn’t really matter. At the end of the day, we are all interconnected and living organisms that are indeed influenced by “the weather,” AKA, Moon News as I like to call it. Even if you read this intro and felt it was verging on “woo-woo,” stick with me because I promise there will still be delicious meat and potatoes throughout this post!

On May 31st, we had a rare Full Moon (the second in the month of May, which is what made it so rare). I’ve personally been exploring the cycles of the moon and paying a bit more attention to the cosmic weather because I truly do believe universal energy does have at least a minor impact on our itty bitty human psyches.

In the name of trying to build a life I am proud of, while also thriving with a chronic illness, I have introduced a specific practice I engage with both during an oncoming New Moon and Full Moons alike.

New Moon Energy is a time where I like to enter “Hermit Mode” and get very still within myself to connect deeper with my inner being.

What am I feeling right now?
What can I change based on that?
Where am I trying to go?
What are small steps I can begin to take to get there?

New Moons are all about slowing down; when the sky is completely dark, it signals (at least within me) that it is a time for rest, recuperation, and a time to slow down. In finding slowness and then stillness, I am better able to hear my inner voice more clearly and trust my inner compass (AKA, your intuition) to best direct and guide my next steps. During these times, grounding is SO important to maintain psychological safety, but also better control over pesky symptoms that can creep up unexpectedly when the energy is vibrant.

How I put this into practice:

There are numerous ways to approach this based on your personal preferences, but the way I like to engage with a New Moon:

Prioritize my meditation practice and get quiet – whether this be 10 minutes of stillness or an entire hour session, it counts. I personally don’t time my meditations, I just go with the flow (pun intended)
Journaling! During a peak New Moon period of time, I really like to get honest with myself about how exactly I’ve been feeling and what I can potentially release in order to maintain forward motion
Think BIG picture – I like to get a little cocky in my personal space because I personally believe in miracles and that absolutely anything is possible! For example, I’m writing down huge goals that feel almost impossible from a practical standpoint, but in reality, may end up being possible some day (e.g., miraculously curing my MS)

Full Moon Energy (which I like to call BIG MOON ENERGY!) is a time of high energetic vibrancy that 100% impacts every one of us, whether you believe in the cosmic weather or not. Where the New Moon is a time for stillness and grounding, I personally have found that Full Moons bring out an almost feral side of me that is so ready to jump into action, grounding once again becomes essential. Within the 2 days prior to a Full Moon, my practices look a bit different to ensure I feel prepared and grounded enough to really harness the energy available to me.

How I put this into practice:

Again, there are some folks out there who love to meditate in the bathtub or cover their bodies with rose quartz to initiate a heart opening sequence, but I personally like to keep it on the simpler side as someone newer to this arena. In a journal (or on a sheet of paper I can fold up and slip under my pillow, hehe), I like to parse this out in the following format:

What am I ready to let go of that is no longer serving who I’m trying to become?

Where am I keeping myself small?
What are my limiting beliefs?
What attachments am I still holding onto with a death grip?
What timelines still exist in my mind that are blocking flow?
Which relationships are no longer serving my highest good?

What am I ready to call in to expedite the process of my becoming?

My full, authentic self (this is a big one for me right now because I’m tired of performing in all aspects of my life)
The BIGGEST dreams and successes that are available to me
Grounded happiness in all moments of my life
Deep trust and love for myself to enhance grounding support

While these are not the specific things I wrote down during this last Full Moon, they are vague examples of something similar. Get specific! Think bigger than you ever have before and you will naturally begin to orient your life toward making the magic happen.

How does this relate back to Chronic Illness?

Really, I just look for every excuse in the book to integrate the things I’m passionate about or interested in, into my chronic illness journey. I have seen massive successes in better management of my symptoms since initiating a practice of mindfulness and actively grounding my energy throughout the day. Whether you follow the cycles of the Moon, choose to walk in nature on your lunch breaks, breathe deeply before starting your work day, or just simply smile at your reflection after you brush your teeth and say “I am proud of you,” it doesn’t really matter.

Your practice is entirely yours and can look however you want it to! Whatever works for you to keep your breath steady, your state clear and calm, and symptoms as well-managed as possible – it’s a win at the end of every day. Thank you for humoring me and sticking with me to the end as I brand out of my comfort zone and begin establishing new practices and routines, and as always, thank you for remaining Chronically Joyful with me! ♡