New Moon in Scorpio

Nov. 1, 2024

WELCOME & ORIENTATION:

Hello everyone, and happy new moon!

Welcome to Moon Moments, and thank you for being here. This is a program where we gather every two weeks, on the new and full moons. Each new moon is a time for invitation, longing, intention-setting, and introspection; and full moons are times for gratitude, celebration, connection, and reflection. In the dark of a new moon, we plant seeds that grow for six months and culminate with a bright full moon in the same astrological sign, which then wanes for six months until it empties and returns to a new moon in that sign, and the cycle begins again.

Today’s new moon is in the astrological sign of Scorpio.

Here’s what a spiritual leader named Xenia Viray has to say about Scorpio:

• “The water element is often misunderstood – you can’t intellectualize it, you have to feel it.

• “Scorpio energy has the ability to confront death. To trust change. To know that birth requires letting some things die.”

• “Scorpio energy asks us what it feels like to confront the power we hold, and asks us what we will do with that power…. Scorpio reminds us that we all innately have power, and that power is transformative.”

• “Scorpio is associated with the darkness of the deep sea. But what many of us forget is that in the deep water, much of the wildlife learns to generate its own light. This is the gift of scorpio. Going towards the darkness to see the light of aliveness.”

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We are on the unceded traditional lands of the Duwamish Tribe, ‘the people of the inside’. As we take this time to connect with the earth, let us honor with gratitude the past, present, and future Duwamish people, who are the family of this land. This land offers us so much; may we offer back to the land and their Duwamish kin through this time together, through what we nurture in and between us, and through what we do with what we receive from this time. We hold deep thanks and deep intention for justice for the Duwamish people in this space.

MOMENT OF ARRIVAL

ANCESTOR INVITATION

Now, as we begin our moment of arrival, I want to make a space to acknowledge and connect with our wise and well ancestors. This time of year, fall and winter, is the time when the veil is thinner.

These may be people you know of or ones whose names and lives you’ve never heard of. Regardless, they are with you, they are part of you, and they want to support you.

As people who live in a colonized context, most of us have been taught either explicitly or implicitly to be afraid of connecting with the deceased – or that it isn’t even possible. I want to name this because, if this practice makes you feel nervous, that’s both understandable and okay. We will set boundaries with those we speak to and we’ll only engage those who are safe people; however, as with all of our practices together, you do not have to do this if you don’t feel comfortable with it. If that’s you, just listen and breathe and take this time to remember with gratitude those who have loved you into being.

If you are comfortable and willing, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and (in your mind or out quietly loud) just say hello. Then we’ll invite their companionship and guidance during our gathering. If someone comes to you, great! If you don’t sense anyone, that’s okay too. You can bring in whatever movements feel natural, if that’s something that arises for you. There is not one right way to do this, I’m just sharing mine. So, you can follow along with my words, using and omitting what you feel comfortable with, or find your own words.

Hello to my wise and well ancestors, to those who love me. Thank you for always being with me, supporting me, even when I can’t tell. Thank you for your life, for the ways you have given me life. I want to connect with you in this space;

I ask that someone would come forward to strengthen and guide me during this time. You can choose amongst yourselves, or if someone really wants to support me right now that’s good too; whoever has the insight I need for this new moon, please come into my awareness with your loving care. Please be present with me during this Moon Moment; hold me in your sturdy care and share your wisdom with me so that I can heal, grow, and offer myself in love. As I move through tonight’s practices and face hard things, I will let you know how brave I am feeling; if I feel ready to encounter any intensity that needs my attention, I will let you know; and if I want you to keep your communication muted so that my body can slowly learn that I’m safe with you, I will let you know. Thank you in advance for honoring my agency. At the end of this gathering, I will say goodbye and end our connection, but I can return to you whenever I want to. And to my personal ancestors – please look after those here who are greeting their ancestors for the first time. Help and support them as they do this new thing and find within themselves that this connection is ancient and familiar. Thank you.

Okay – to everyone sitting here, let’s take a moment to breathe and allow whatever does or doesn’t come through. I will invite you back to our shared space after a minute or so.

Alright, as we start returning to our shared space, you can slowly wiggle your toes and fingers; make circles with your wrists, shoulders, neck; you can sway a bit or stretch; and, eventually, when you’re ready, open your eyes and look around you and behind you.

For our next practice, let’s make some space in our bodies and spirits.

BRUSHING

First, just use your hand to brush off the body, swiping away any unhelpful energy that clutters or clings you. Wipe your face, the back of your head, your neck and shoulders; brush down your arms and chest, your stomach and hips; swipe down each leg top to bottom; and finally let’s wiggle and shake out whatever remains.

BREATH

Next, let’s create some space inside using our breath. Breathe in and out, deeply and slowly, and notice how your breath creates some space.

As you inhale, consider what you want to invite into this season. What do you notice as you hold this question? If something comes into focus, let your inhale be a gentle but confident invitation to it.

As you exhale, consider what you may need to release – what stale energy, mindset, or behavior pattern it may be time to let go of – in order to make room for whatever it is you’re inviting to take root.

LISTENING

There are different kinds of spiritual listening: listening internally, to hear the voice of your spirit or body, and listening externally, to hear the voice of the land, of ancestors, of the divine. This is super simplified, so these aren’t perfect categories, but I’m naming them to say that the new moon is perhaps a time for listening internally.

We can practice both by tuning in to our senses, by noticing. To ease in before our guided practice, let’s head to the dock and spend some time with our senses. Find a comfortable position, close your eyes, and just notice. What can you hear? What can you feel? What smells do you pick up? What is it like to hear, feel, smell these things?

This is not a fail-able activity, so just pay attention and allow whatever you experience. Settle in, and I will call you back in five minutes.

Group sharing recap: What is one thing you noticed?

IMAGINATIVE PRACTICE: BOX OF FEARS

This last activity is an imaginative practice, so I will be guiding us in some visualizations.

Take a moment to settle in and get as comfortable as you can; sit or lay down, whatever feels right to you. Then, take some deep breaths and notice how your body feels where it meets the ground, where it bends, where gravity weighs a little heavier, where your chest and belly rise and fall with your inhale and exhale.

Now, imagine a container that holds your fears. What kind of container is it? What is it made of? How does it close? Does it seal, or lock, and if so how? Where is this container stored?

Imagine taking that container from where it’s stored and placing it in front of you or holding it in your lap. Maybe say hello to it. Take a deep breath, and imagine opening the container. As you look inside, picture your fears as a tangible substance; what material are they? Are they creatures or objects? Are they separate or do they run together like liquid? Do they sit still or move around, or even leave the container?

Often, we are afraid that our fears will wreak havoc if they are not sealed away. Take a moment to speak to your fears; acknowledge that they’re scared, that it is hard being shoved away and alone; if you are moved to, maybe even apologize to them for this.

With gentle kindness, imagine asking these fears what they need – but first be actually willing to meet whatever need they tell you. Listen, and if a need is shared, try to picture meeting that need. If nothing arises, simply tell your fears that you are with them and you care. What happens to the fears when you do this? Do they stay the same? Do they move? Do they change form? There is no right or wrong here; just notice.

We are now going to imagine putting these fears into a new container; you can give them a heads up if you want to. Picture a new, sweeter container for your fears to live in. Then imagine moving the fears out of the old container and into the new one and closing. Say a farewell to the fears – maybe some sweet words, maybe a promise to visit again (but only if you mean it) – then close the new container and place it in a new, more accessible spot than where it was stored before.

Now as we return to our shared space, start to wiggle your toes, sway or stretch, and when you’re ready you can open your eyes and look around and behind you.

BLESSING & SEND-OFF

Thank you so very much for being here tonight. It really does make a difference being in community; you have offered a real gift to each other and to me with your presence.

Our next gathering will be on Friday, November 15th for the full moon. I’d love to see you there if you can make it!

I also want to let you guys know that I am offering six-month packages of private sessions with me once or twice monthly, starting around the new moon and continuing until the corresponding full moon. If anything came up tonight that you want to attend to more deeply, or if these Scorpio themes hold something that you want to explore and grow in, let me know! Or maybe a future new moon will feel more potent to you. If you’re interested, you can chat with me after we end or send me an email – I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. As with all of my offerings, a sliding scale is available for payment to make this more accessible.

BLESSING: Water connects us all on earth

Rain, rivers, ocean, and seas; the water in tears, plants, and food – it’s all the same water moving around. From the Duwamish River to the Salish Sea to the Mediterranean Sea along the coast of Gaza and Lebanon, and even to the water that makes up the majority of our bodies, we are all connected.

Tonight we’ve gathered together under a new moon in the deep-sea water sign of Scorpio. As we dive into our depths, release with its ebbing and invite what we want to receive when it rises – how will we lean into connection instead of focusing solely on our own wellbeing? How will we share? How will we, with our bodies, practice trusting that our flow and flourishing is tied to everyone else’s? That living in a hyper-individualistic scarcity mindset actually cuts us off from the abundance that we seek?

How will we remember the indigenous peoples of these waters, of the Mediterranean Sea? Where does seeking their liberation fit into the watery emotional experience that we, you, I are having here today? I encourage you to really sit with this question, because our shadow and healing work is incomplete without it. If the question brings you back to fear and shame, return to the practice we did earlier. If ideas and answers don’t come to you, that’s okay; let it be slow. Revisit the question and turn it over in your hands. Observe it like a scientist, or like a gardener watches a seed sprout and grow. Go toward the ones who might know more about this question – journalists reporting from Palestine, those organizing on their behalf here in Seattle with Jewish Voice for Peace, local leaders of the Duwamish tribe working for federal recognition and for real rent support; learn in action.

Every time our cultural scarcity mindset makes interdependence feel scary, like a burden, you can return to curiosity and community to be reminded of the abundance available to us. You can return to the water – to local bodies of water like this one – they’re wise teachers who hold a lot of memory. And remember: we’re never alone. Let’s end our time together by thanking our ancestors and closing tonight’s connection with them:

Thank you, ancestors, for your presence, support, guidance, and love tonight. We will honor the wisdom and care you’ve offered by using and sharing it well, by living fully. We’re ending the connection now, but trust with gratitude that you are always watching over us. Thank you, goodbye – until next time.

Go in peace, everyone. Have a beautiful weekend. Until next time!