New Moon. 3:17 AM, CST. August 27, 2022.
(Liturgy length: 10 minutes)
Supplies:
A scented candle, incense, essential oil diffuser, or any tool to impart airborne scent
A match or a lighter (if necessary)
A blank sheet of paper
A pen
Go to a place that instills you with spiritual contemplation. Prepare that space appropriately as dictated by your personal practice. Find a comfortable place to sit down, and begin reading.
Opening
“What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action...
Truly, it is in darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is nearest of all to us.”— Meister Eckhart
Place your incense, candle, diffuser, or other scent carrier in front of you at arm’s reach. Light it, or set it in motion to release scent. Then read the following out loud:
“The New Moon is here today. The Full Moon is for the whole, but the New Moon is for me. I choose to participate in the cycles of nature, resting in the quietude of waning as I prepare to grow full once again.”
Action: Clap twice
Welcome! With your act of creation and participation, the Liturgy has begun.
Breathwork
September’s New Moon occurs during a particularly busy time of the year. Bring your attention away from your output with 7 deep, full breaths.
Sit up straight, aligning your spine. Wrap your arms around yourself, giving yourself a hug. Breathe inward slowly through your nose, filling the base of your lungs — pause for a moment, gently holding your breath — then breathe outward slowly through your mouth, exhaling in an even, controlled manner.
As you repeat this pattern, bring your focus to the tension within your shoulder blades. You have been working so hard these past few weeks. With each inhale, feel this tension expand and tighten, experiencing its peak as you gently hold your breath. On the exhale, feel that tension fall slowly from your back, rolling down your body and seeping into the earth like the first drops of a gentle rain.
Self Care - Tapping
Tapping on your body to help process personal weight, anxiety, and sadness connects the mental with the physical and can unlock emotions that have been stagnant in various parts of your person.
Take your pen and sheet of paper. Briefly write down three things that have made you feel anxious, frustrated, or sad in the last two weeks. Then, for each of the three things, write a variation of this sentence; “Even though I have this [fear or problem], I deeply and completely accept myself.”
Now sit up, and take a moment to assess your body. Is there anywhere in particular that feels tense when thinking about the things you wrote down? It might be at the center of your forehead. It might be at the tops of your shoulders. Identify the area of tension in your body, wherever it may be, and begin to tap gently with the tips of your first two fingers. If you feel the tension moving around your body, slowly follow the tension with your gentle tapping.
If you don’t feel drawn to a particular area, focus on your arms, gently tapping from the top of each arm all the way down to your wrist.
When you have grown comfortable with tapping your body, read each of your three sentences out loud, three times each, as you tap:
Even though I have this [fear or problem], I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I have this [fear or problem], I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I have this [fear or problem], I deeply and completely accept myself.
Let any emotion you feel, even numbness, rise to the surface as you tap. No emotion you feel during this practice is wrong. Let your body and mind experience what it needs to, embracing it and letting it flow up and out of you.
When you’ve finished, take a few deep breaths. You did a great job.
Minute of Quiet
It’s important to take a moment to sit with yourself after thinking about the hard things that have been weighing you down. You are a person outside of your emotions, and it’s time to rest and make space for yourself in the wake of that experience.
Sit up straight in a way that feels comfortable, and gently rotate your palms upward. Place your dominant hand on top of your non-dominant hand, like you are holding a small bowl. Rest your overlapping hands in your lap, feeling your arms and back relax as you do so.
Close your eyes, and slowly count to 60.
You may do so out loud or in your mind. If you have any thoughts besides counting, feel them enter your mind, hold them for a moment, then let them go.
When you’ve finished, open your eyes and continue the liturgy.
Breathwork
As you sit in the wake of the effort you have put into caring for yourself, you may begin to experience warmth toward yourself and the work you have done. Nurture this spring of affection with 5 deep, full breaths.
Sit up straight, aligning your spine. Wrap your arms around yourself, giving yourself a hug. Breathe inward slowly through your nose, filling the base of your lungs — pause for a moment, gently holding your breath — then breathe outward slowly through your mouth, exhaling in an even, controlled manner.
Let your mind be filled with pride in yourself and love for yourself as you feel your own arms wrap around your body. You are amazing, and you are worthy. Just as nature loves and cares for itself, you can love and care for yourself too.
Closing Blessing
Open your arms in front of you with your palms pointing upwards. Read the following out loud:
As the New Moon reserves its light for itself, I will also bask in care for myself. The universe does not question its worthiness of rest. So as a part of that universe, neither will I. Here are blessings for myself and for all that binds us together.
Action: Clap twice
Thank you for participating in this Liturgy.
Enjoy the presence of today’s New Moon!
A new liturgy will be published for the upcoming Full Moon on Monday, September 20.
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