Heal Thy Self this new Moon...

This New Moon (30 Aug) and the subsequent waxing two-week phase to the Full Moon (15 Sept) is a time for serious inner reflection and toward healing for yourself and the world, a time to express the values of service & selflessness. Though it can be hard to do, this is the New Moon to realize that we each have a duty to heal ourselves by reaching out to heal others.

This is the time to take your commitment to health and healing very seriously. Health, well-being, seeing the body as a temple of the spirit. Viewing the body as a sacred vessel to house the mind and heart, it becomes almost impossible to consider doing it harm. (Why not have a colour bath - a pink one - to facilitate healing?!) "A healthy body creates a healthy mind.” Be attentive to good health and ingest delicious, healthy foods in moderation. Getting healthy is one of the highest forms of self-love, and this new moon is all about the mind-body connection; the most powerful medicine for healing. Achieve total health through activities like Mindfulness Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or Aikido, all of which simultaneously heal the body and center the mind.

This is also the time to tame your inner critic. Deal with unrelenting self-criticism, perfectionism, from the sense of never being good enough, of not feeling worthy. Instead, meditate on the idea that all that you are, existed 15 billion years ago at the beginning of time. Think of the interconnectedness of life - we are all sourced of the same energy, we are all made of the same material, we are all one. We are all radiant and divine beings and yes, you really are that important to the continuing unfolding of the universe. What I do for one (like healing my self), I do for all.

And remember, "the only way to transcend tragedy is to laugh." (Deepak Chopra) If you can view 'tragedy' as 'that which requires healing in my body', then it's clear - laughter is valuable medicine. Laughter brings both a certain tension & an elasticity into our lives. It releases pent-up energy. With laughter, we become self-aware. A little Laughter Yoga, anyone?

In order to make your commitments stick you must continue to give your goals lots of attention and energy during the two weeks while the Moon is waxing to full.

Namaste.