In the last post, we focused on practices for tapping into the body’s wisdom. A related concept is our connection with nature. Think about how a woman’s body and its cycles mirror the natural world. The moon cycle is around 28 days and so is our menstrual cycle. Seeds are planted in the darkness just as the egg and sperm are fertilized in the dark womb. And we really are made of the very same substance that makes up the stars.
While animals and plants are seamlessly connected with the natural world, humans living in an industrialized world typically need to be intentional in order to connect. That’s why as part of the Rebirth Journey, we will be looking to Mother Nature as our guide to living our best life.
Consider, for example, how farmers leave their fields fallow in the winter so that they can plant in the spring and receive a harvest in the fall. To thrive, you too should consider following seasonal patterns. In the blogs that follow, you will be learning rituals to honor each season and the gifts that it brings. You also will be reminded to allow yourself to lie fallow sometimes and occasionally take a step back from day to day activities.
As you learn more about the moon, you will discover how you can use the lunar cycles to be intentional in manifesting your desires. Every month, when the sun and the moon are perfectly aligned and she is blocked from our view, she is dark and also new. This is a powerful time to plant the seeds of your intentions in the dark fertile void. Two weeks later, when she has moved all the way to the other side of the sun, she is full. This is a time for expressing gratitude for what has manifested but also a good time to let go of what doesn’t serve you. Hopefully, when the next moon cycle begins two weeks after that, many of your monthly desires will have come to fruition.
Yet nature also teaches us that desires may not always be fulfilled on our time line. When you plant a seed in the earth, do you dig it up in frustration a few days later and try to eat it, believing it will never grow any bigger? Of course not. When we look to the natural world, we realize that there are seasons for reaping and there are seasons for sowing, and they are rarely one and the same. Nature can teach us patience and faith that what is unseen can blossom into things we can actually see and taste and touch.
The moon’s daily movements also give us insight into the rhythms that can allow us to thrive. Notice how she changes shape every day. She is not always shining bright, and neither should we. She is dynamic, moving across the sky throughout the evening hours. Sometimes she rises earlier and other times later. If we follow her pace, rather than trying to emulate the constant solar power of the sun, we will find that we can accomplish more by doing less.
Think too about the ebb and flow that the moon generates in our oceans, and use this as a guide for pacing your own self. The tides are powerfully affected by the moon with waves cresting and subsiding, washing in and receding out. If we stop and consider that we are made of 55% water, perhaps we can consider allowing more ebb and flow into our own life.
Even going outside to gaze at the moon, or anything in nature for that matter, can be the perfect way to create more flow. When you are caught up in thought and looking to connect with your body and the divine, go outdoors. Put your bare feet in the grass and soak up the antioxidants it provides in the form of negative ions. This practice of earthing has tangible health benefits such as reducing inflammation, improving blood flow, and enhancing sleep. But perhaps even more importantly, it will connect you with your source.
When we get to the third month of the Rebirth Journey, we will explore our connection with nature more fully through the Wild Woman archetype. She is wild and free. She is bold and courageous. She has a warrior spirit. We want to embrace this part of ourselves to counter the “sugar and spice and everything nice” messages we have received as women. Our Wild Woman will help us connect with nature where we find balance and clarity as well as freedom and power.
There was a time when connecting with nature came easy to humans. We rose with the sun and rested when it was dark. We relied on Mother Earth for sustenance and guidance. But with the dawn of the industrial age, everything changed. We started relying on clocks and calendars to set our pace and forgot about seasonal patterns and natural flow. We embraced a go, go, go society that only gets faster as technology improves. Now we are connected to our devices even when we walk outside and look to the virtual world to meet all our needs.
Take time each day to disconnect from the material world and go back to your roots, literally. Walking mediations are great but so is breathing in the fresh air or gazing at a beautiful sunrise. Take a step back from the hustle culture and embrace slow living instead. You just may be surprised by the results.
How do you connect with nature? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Sacred Circle Retreats 