It's the evening of the full moon and I'm staring at a blog post that should have been posted 3 days ago. I sat for a couple minutes trying to decide if I should even hit publish. Then 2 things occurred to me 1) this information is timeless, I think of working with the moon cycles like swimming. You can swim at any time but if you can figure out how to swim with the current, it is less strenuous 2) Since the full moon's energy lasts 3 days before and after its peak, you still have time to work with it.
Trauma and Triggers
You may be wondering what the connection is between trauma, triggers and the full moon. Well, the full moon illuminates the dark side of our identity, or the shadow self. The spiritual and wellness community often speak of the "shadow" and for years I couldn't avoid an eye roll. Mostly because I couldn't identify with any clarity exactly what this shadow is. I was sure that no one actually knew what it was because everyone seemed to describe it differently. I've come to understand that this "shadow" can be aspects of your subconscious and unconscious behaviors that affect how you show up in the world. These things can include traumas, suppressed emotions as well as aspects of our personality that we or others have rejected. I've come to understand that the shadow is essentially that closet in comedy shows where characters haphazardly stuff all their junk, until it spills out, typically at the worst timing. The full moon can be the force that helps to open that closet door causing all of our stuff to spill out.
Just as a disclaimer, I am not a religious person. I am however very spiritual. Religious and spiritual identity and practices can range widely even within the same belief system, but for me I can usually find wisdom and comfort in different religious texts and teaching. I came across a clip of a sermon titled Glory Triggers by Sarah Jakes-Roberts on Instagram. I found the full sermon on YouTube and immediately felt the weight of her words. During the sermon she discussed the way a trigger returns you to the scene of a trauma. The purpose is to remind you that, while you may be reminded of past events, you are no longer there, and more qualified to handle that situation. I remember looking up the definition of a trauma months ago, which is an event too overwhelming to process. My mind always brings me to the image of undigested food that sits in your belly fermenting and causing discomfort, until you can finally release it. So if emotions are energy in motion, a trauma stops that motion and creates a blockage. The full moon then illuminates the areas to bring it to your attention. This is necessary because we can often get stuck in autopilot, pushing forward getting accustomed to the discomfort. The full moon energy will agitate us out of complacency. If you can work within the energy of that sign you can work through some of the traumas stored within the body. The full moon is a time of release and its energy will facilitate the work of letting go. This is how you swim with the current. During the full moon, find a practice that works for you, it could be venting on the phone with a friend, writing in a journal, working out, dancing in the moonlight or anything else that would assist in moving some of the blocked energy.
Full Moon in Virgo
This is an important full moon since it's the last one before the start of the astrological new year. Energetically prepare yourself to close the year and begin another. It's like a second chance at December. If you could go back 3 months, what would you have done differently to set up this new year for success? The energy of this sign encourages you to step into your authentic identity as the highest version of yourself, free of imposter syndrome, limiting beliefs and all other manifestations of fear. That version of yourself is then able to fully align with its purpose, because your core identity is the biggest gift to the collective. That version of yourself with unlimited potential and unique gifts will serve the best interests of humanity. I think the first important steps involved in embodying that identity begins with self care. How you tend to your body, which is the home of your spirit, is the foundation of your abundance. I love listening to Patrice Washington who consistently discusses the twelfth century definition of wealth which is the condition of well being. Health is wealth. Are you creating or sustaining wealth? Most people have some sort of health complications whether large or small. How are you attending to those needs? I learned early in parenthood that my ability to raise and provide for my children is directly affected by my health and wellness. If I am unwell, it limits my capabilities to serve within my role as their caregiver. The same is true for any job. So in order to best take care of my children I am duty bound to take care of myself. That analogy then applies to your ability to serve (in whatever capacity you're guided to) the collective. To serve you must work to retain and hopefully expand your capabilities. So basically prior to serving others you must first be of service to yourself. One can only pour from an overflowing cup. One of the best ways to take care of yourself is to address that closet. Address the shadows and unblock your energy and relieve yourself of the strain of stuffing and hiding the junk. Use the moon as an opportunity to slowly clean out the closet and release all that isn't serving you. I couldn't think of a better way to end the astrological year.
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