MOON MAGIC: YOUR MOON 101 GUIDE

MOON MAGIC: Your Moon 101 guide

Happy FULL MOON!

On my birthday I made a post on instagram stating that this year, I will be more authentic. This blog post is as a step towards that direction and a way for me to shed some light on what some of my deepest interests and passions include, which happens to be spirituality, the moon and my connection to it. And what better time to do that than the day the sun fully illuminates the moon, which happens to be today.

It’s interesting how my soul chose to be born in a country where we today are so disconnected from nature and spirituality (and within that same spectrum, also the moon). Growing up in Finland, I’ve throughout my life been conditioned to a society where we are surrounded by systems, order, rules and regulations. Everything is perfectly planned, systemized and scientific. Don’t get me wrong here, I am grateful and aware of my privilege and I do feel lucky to have been born into a country that is so well functioning. But in terms of being connected to nature and its cyclical essence, our surroundings and spirit, I wouldn’t rank Finland very high today. Quite the opposite actually. But it didn’t always used to be that way. Finnish shamanism is one of the oldest shamanic lineages as it stems from the indigenous peoples of Finland; the Finns and the Saami. Both peoples developed rich shamanic traditions, where for instance going to the sauna was seen as a spiritual act (similar to a sweat lodge in Native American culture). The sauna was a sacred ritual and you had to follow the sauna rules. Sauna also had its’ own spirit called löylynhenki. So even if we Finns might seem detached from nature and spirit today, we still have our deep traditions that live and thrive.

Despite us Finns having these deep roots and traditions, to be openly interested in things most people would describe as occult or new age mumbo jumbo, is not always the easiest path. When you mention the idea of aligning your actions with the lunar phases, you might get eye rolls or be ridiculed. On the flipside though, I actually find it sad people are so detached, as they see everything they don’t understand as woo woo. Luckily however, I’ve been fortunate enough to have connected with many like minded people, who understand the ancient wisdom of connecting with la luna and its cycles. When I lived in Mexico, I used to meet up with a couple friends during full moon and new moon. We would go to a very special place overlooking the town of Sayulita to share our deepest desires and hopes and do various ceremonies to connect with the moon. And if I can inspire even one more person to find this connection, this blog post serves a purpose. Aligning your actions with nature is so so powerful.

HOW THE MOON AFFECTS US

As some of you might know, the moon affects the ocean with its tidal pull. If you’re a surfer, it’s helpful to use this information to decide the most ideal time to shred the gnar. What you also might be aware of already, is that the human body consists up to nearly 70% of water. You do the math (moon + water = effect). Another interesting thing to consider is the link between the lunar cycles and menstrual flow. A menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, which is about as long as a moon cycle. The moon takes 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes to complete one round around the earth. Normally, the ovulation happens around full moon, when everything is coming into full circle and fruition and the shedding usually happens around new moon, which is the darkest phase of the moon. When you start to observe your body more you might notice a clear correlation with the celestial events and your menstrual cycle.

The moon has always been a big theme in religions art and rituals. The moon represents powerful feminine energy. It signifies wisdom, intuition, birth, death, reincarnation, and a spiritual connection. Throughout eons of time, peoples across the world have worshipped it and gathered to celebrate the full moon. Each phase of the Moon’s cycle has a unique visual characteristic and spiritual meaning. The lunar phases are also used in agriculture as these same forces affect the water content of the soil, creating more moisture in the soil at the time of the new and full moon. This increased moisture encourages the seeds to sprout and grow. The lunar cycle is like the cycle of a seed: it grows up into a flower, it blooms and then it dies. 

Meditate and center yourself during a full moon to connect with yourself. Pic: Vuokko Salo

We are all capable of attuning with the moons energies and activating our inner power. The lunar cycle is made up of different stages.

Traditionally the full moon and the new moon are considered to be the most potent phases to align with the moon. There is a myriad of ways you can work and connect with the moon through intention and ceremony. Each month of the year also holds a specific symbolic meaning for each full moon as well as the weekday it falls upon. The full moon also falls each month in a different astrological sign and you can learn specifically about each full moon and its themes. As there is so much to dive into, I’ve gathered a simplified list here below of the different lunar phases of one moon cycle about what the various phases represent and what you can do in order to connect with them.

New Moon

New moons represent new beginnings. The Moon is positioned between the Earth and Sun so it cannot be seen from Earth.

WHAT TO DO: This is a time to start new projects and phases within your life.

Waxing Crescent Moon

This phase signifies intention. ‘Waxing’ means the moon’s illumination is growing, and ‘Crescent’ means less than half of the moon is illuminated.

WHAT TO DO: Write a list of your intentions and keep them in mind. What things do you want to accomplish or get done?

First Quarter Moon

This phase signifies decision making. Exactly half of the Moon is illuminated and the other half is shadowed.

WHAT TO DO: During this phase spend extra time making decisions.

Waxing Gibbous Moon

This moon phase signifies purification. ‘Waxing’ means the Moon’s illumination is growing and ‘Gibbous’ means more than half of the Moon is illuminated.

WHAT TO DO: Assess your goals and figure out what is working for you right now and what may need to change.

Full Moon

Fruition, completion, bloom, release and sealing of intention. The Sun illuminates the entire moon.

WHAT TO DO: This is a the time to set goals and make any promises to yourself on a soul level. If there are any areas that no longer serve you, it is time to let go of them.

Waning Gibbous

Gratitude. ‘Waning’ refers to the decreasing of the Moon’s illumination, and ‘Gibbous’ means more than half of Moon illuminated.

WHAT TO DO: Make a list of all the things you are grateful for.

The full moon is a powerful time for looking within, for healing and shifting. A great way to channel these energies is through a sound bath. Pic: Vuokko Salo

Third Quarter

Forgiveness. Exactly half of the Moon is illuminated and the other half is shadowed. We will see the opposite side than the First Quarter Moon.

WHAT TO DO: Use this time to forgive others and forgive yourself.

Waning Crescent

Surrender. ‘Waning’ refers to the shrinking of the Moon’s illumination, and ‘Crescent’ means less than half of the Moon is illuminated.

WHAT TO DO: Spend time being mindful, going with the flow and surrendering to the world around you.

February Snow Supermoon 2020

Like I mentioned above, each full moon has a specific theme and meaning. The February’s moon is the Snow Moon.  In the northern hemisphere, this name reflects the time when winter is in full force.  This moon has other names as well such as the Hunger Moon, Storm Moon, and Chaste Moon.

This specific full moon falls upon the sign of Leo and is a supermoon, meaning the moon appears to be closer to earth. The theme for this full moon is passion, motivation and shining brightly, burning away anything that stands in front of you from achieving your deepest desires. Leos like to be in the spotlight and this full moon is a time for all of us to embrace our inner Leos and celebrate ourselves. As full moons represents fruition and/or completition, it’s a great time to look back at all you’ve accomplished. 

This full moon also has the moon trine Mars aspect. This condition helps us to acknowledge the fears that have been holding us back,and the things we have tried to avoid resolving. This creates a new setting for change and progress. The projects that we start during this Full Moon will blossom into something truly beautiful. So if you’ve been waiting for a sign, let this be it. Source & read more here.

How do you connect with the moon?

It’s been a while since I wrote my last guide. Let me know if you enjoy these posts or you have any topic you’d want me to write about.

Con amor,

Eva

Vision boarding and the Law of Attraction

VISION BOARDING AND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION

I want to write about something that is very close to my heart and about a practice I do using the universal laws and this is creating a vision board. Law of attraction is real and for those of you who has experienced it, know exactly what I mean. Like attracts like and thoughts become things. Where you put your focus will appear in front of you. Energy flows where intention goes.

Think about it the other way around too, imagine you’re having one of those sucky days where everything simply goes south. One thing after the other, it’s almost like a joke and at the end of the day you’re not even surprised when something else shitty happens to you. This too, is the result of the universal law of like attracts like. When you constantly focus on the negative, guess what you’re attracting more of: more negativity. So this luckily works both ways. When you focus on the good stuff guess what you’re drawing to you, yup, more good stuff. And this universal law is the key that works with creating a vision Wether you believe in the law of attraction it is constantly working. Every thought, action and word has a frequency and is sent out to the universe. The universe will then respond by matching your thoughts, intentions, words, affirmations or actions. The thing is, time is a tricky one to understand, so there might not be an immediate result, but at some point that energy you put out will come back to you in a way or another.

So what is a vision board. A vision board is first and foremost a tool you can use to your benefit that uses this universal law. It is a collection of images, words and phrases that you feel drawn to or that somehow represent what you want to bring forth in your life. I’ve made several vision boards in my life and I am always surprised at how the universe will find interesting ways on how it brings forth these things in my life. It’s a magical feeling when you notice that something you’ve put in your board suddenly presents in your life. What do you have to loose really? Give it a try!

So how do you make a vision board? If you didn’t join me and Jonna Monola for our vision board workshop, worry not, I will spill the beans and share this magical little practice with you. All it takes is a little bit of time, some dedication, a pair of scissors, glue and a big pile of magazines. Before you start your little arts and crafts extravaganza I recommend getting quiet, putting on some relaxing music, meditating so that you can get clear on your hearts deepest desires and what is it that you want to bring forth in your life. Ask yourself; “If I had a magic wand, what would my life look like”? Other questions might be; what would your days look like, how would you feel, what would your living situation be, what would your home look like, what about your relationship, your body? Then I recommend writing these things down and then lastly start browsing through your magazines and looking for images and phrases that speak to you or that somehow match what you want to manifest. When going through the magazines you’ll very often even find more images and words that you want to include. Let this part be fun and intuitive. Once you feel like you’ve gathered enough material you can start gluing them on to a piece of cardboard. Once you feel ready with your board I recommend placing it somewhere you can see it as often as possible. The more visible it is to your brain, the more you’re sending these signals to your brain subconsciously and consciously and of course to the universe and somehow these creating magical situations and things of your dreams start becoming reality. What are you waiting for? Start now.

A vision board example, not mine.

Go make yours now!

Con amor,

Evita