Waxing
Crescent

As we transition from the shadow of the new moon, set your pace and move forward under the light of the waxing moon. Olympic gold medalist Natasha Hastings once said, "You'll never know what you're capable of until you take that first step and just go for it." Now is the time to harness your power and take that step. 

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We all experience moments of fear, doubt, or loss of direction, but it’s never too late to find purpose and realign with dreams. Allow your focus and intentions to build trust and wisdom for the journey ahead, building energy with each step forward. Set your heart's compass toward your intentions and follow the path that lights up your purpose before you.

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Examining Yamas and Niymas is like holding a magnifying glass up to the light. We get a better look at strengthening our foundation, but like a magnifying glass, it can ignite a fire if held in one place for too long. Watch for inertia in mind, body, and spirit, but also be cautious of over-exertion with this phase’s increased energy. 

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If you missed your new moon ritual, it's not too late; carve out time to set your goals and intentions for the upcoming "moonth.” Take the next step to create an action plan for the new seeds of intentions that are beginning to sprout. It’s essential to avoid stagnation and take action with our intentions. 

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The throat chakra, the center of our creative identity and self-expression, connects our words to actions. In Eastern Body, Western Mind, Anodea Judith explains that the throat chakra helps us contribute meaningfully to the larger system, requiring a balance of ego, social confidence, and compassion.

 

As the waxing crescent moon invites us to expand, now is the time to express our hopes and dreams outward into our communities and the world.​  The throat chakra is action-oriented, just like the waxing crescent moon. This is our time to step into the light of our hopes and dreams, expand outward, and connect to our families, jobs, communities, and civilization. 

 

Healing and nurturing the fifth chakra is crucial to our mind, body, and spirit growth as we "communicate the truth of one's experience, witness and meet another's truth, and approach life creatively and effectively." As you step out into the world, be mindful of these questions asked by Eastern Body, Western Mind:

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​How can we hear our unique vibration in a world deafened by the roars of civilization? 

How can we express our truth when it goes against the accepted conformity of polite conversation? 

In the subtle realm of the fifth chakra, how can we find the quiet necessary to listen to the truth?

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​This moon phase is a great time to "find the quiet" and "listen to the truth" through Pratyahara, the 5th limb of yoga. This limb is Sanskrit for "withdrawal of the senses," which is the practice of noticing and tuning out distractions. Stay aware of your senses and send good vibrations into the space between emotions and your response. 

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Use the Feeling Wheel to name the feelings brought out by the new moon. Bring yourself back to your loving heart before you react so that you communicate with the world truthfully. Be mindful throughout the day of what you're feeling and communicating. Mean what you say, and say what you mean. 

 

*The Center for Nonviolent Communication is an excellent resource with many book recommendations, especially A Language of Life by the founder, Marshall Rosenberg.

​Use "smart goals” to help write smart, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound goals for your new moon intentions. A great resource to help make and break habits is the book Atomic Habits by James Clear.  Clear believes, "Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become." 

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Set your projects and goals to the moon's light to help you stay focused, balanced, and grounded. We're in nature’s implantation/shedding cycle, so continue to honor and nurture the life-giving spaces within you. Nurture your seeds of hopes and dreams with gentleness, and shed the lining of old cells to make room for the growth.

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Honor your creative voice by healing your throat chakra through yoga, breathwork, and mindful communication. Surround yourself with the color blue through clothing, food, and crystals like sodalite or turquoise, and enjoy the seasonal fruits that promote healing. 

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Encourage healing and restoration to the throat chakra with slippery elm bark tea and beautiful crystals like sodalite, turquoise, and aquamarine placed upon your neck during meditation. Enjoy blue foods like blueberries (holding the highest antioxidants), blackberries, concord grapes, plums, blue potatoes, and corn.

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Pay attention to your energy levels, and pick a day to unplug this phase. Use your breath, lotus position, and Savasana (Corpse Pose) to practice this withdrawal from the senses. Poses to support the throat chakra are Camel, Bridge, Warrior 1, 2, and 3 Extended side angle, Revolving Triangle, Dancer, Half Lord, Seated Forward Bend, Full Boat, Kneeling Triangle, Cat-Cow, 4 Limb Staff, Side Plank, Up Dog, Bow, Child Resting backbend, Belly Twist Poses.

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The waxing crescent moon holds the memory of spring on the horizon. Begin this new cycle with the essence of Imbolc, the Celtic tradition and celebration of fertility and rebirth. ​Follow the prompts below according to how many days are in this waxing crescent phase, and align yourself with nature and the light of the moon:

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​Day 1:

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As you shed old skin with the renewal of the new moon, continue your metamorphosis into the life you love to live. You are taking a new form, like the caterpillar's transformation into a beautiful butterfly. Create a calm and peaceful chrysalis for your dreams and intentions. 

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As you grow your new skin, awaken your creativity to include every rainbow color. Plant your dreams and intentions into the soil of the universe and water them with your actions. With Pratayahara, reach into your core and find its vibration. Is it in harmony with your heart and soul strings? 

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As you create the space around you and step into the life you want, remember that your thoughts, words, and actions harmonize your vibration. Nurture your wisdom with truth by breathing joy into the flames of desire. Direct your breath toward any emotions that trigger addictive patterns, and let the breeze expand your capacity to grow naturally. To be whole.

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​Journal Prompts:​ How can I create a calm and peaceful environment? What is toxic around me? Friends? Food? Distractions like news, social media?...

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​Affirmation: I deserve a life rooted in love. I create a calm and peaceful environment for my intentions and goals to grow and flourish. 

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Day 2:

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As the moon is to Earth, stillness is a loving mother and grounding presence to us. Her face will shine upon you and guide you through the river of life. She will lead you to fertile soil and help you grow. Return to silence and find your strength, joy, and desires.

​​Create time today to be silent and allow yourself to feel how you feel. You're on the right track, and now it's time to pace your steps.

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​Journal Prompts:​ Growth is in process. Today is the day to manifest more strength for your transformation—journal about what you are attracting into your life. Sit with your emotions right now and go deeper within them. Write about your senses today. What are your taste, touch, smell, sound, and sight sensations?

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​Affirmation: My seeds of hope are joined as one with the universe. Together, our dreams will grow into a beautiful garden. I return to silence and find my strength, joy, and desires. 

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​Day 3:

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Use your breath and lotus position to practice going inward. Now is the time to take an honest inventory of your discipline and fine-tune your practice. No matter how much you try to create the life you want, you will remain in a cycle of struggle if you ignore your stress.

 

The book Take Back Your Time says, "A speeded-up mind only gets in the way." The book recommends developing and practicing skills to grow, such as:

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*Waking up earlier and beginning the day with meditation and gratitude practice.

*Not crowding your day with busyness.

*Asking what's most important.

*Taking time for relationships and reflection.

*To slow down and not let yourself get hurried.

*To respond with patience.

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​Journal Prompts: How do you feel about your goals, discipline, and schedule? Write out the life you want and keep this life as your focal point throughout the rest of this moon cycle.

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​Affirmation:  My faith is restored as I look for signs of new life.

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Day 4:

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"When you produce peace and happiness in yourself, you begin to realize peace for the whole world." ~Thich Nhat Hanh

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​Having tools for managing stress is crucial to growth, but how we perceive stress has a more significant impact on our health than stress itself. Watch this TED talk about how changing your thoughts about stress can change your body's response. Health Psychologist Kelly McGonigal describes how our stress response is our "body helping us to rise to this challenge" and how your pounding heart under stress is "preparing you for action."

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McGonigal further explains how Oxytocin helps the heart cells regenerate and heal from stress-induced damage and protects the cardiovascular system from stress, as the heart has receptors for the stress hormone. McGonigal shares how Oxytocin is "enhanced by social contact and social support," which reveals that "caring creates resilience." Ultimately, "how you think and act can transform your stress."

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​Journal Prompts: What are some ways that I can strengthen and refine my self-care and grounding tools? How can I see my stress in a more positive light? How may I build social connections?

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​Affirmation: My stress leads me to my excitement. I invite more soul-loving support into my life, creating space for my growth and excitement.

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​Day 5:

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The book, Take Back Your Time says, "The problem is not lack of energy, but how to control and direct it." Nothing causes inertia in our lives as much as shame, perfectionism, and insecurities. The book describes inertia as "frozen power," it says, "the power is there, just as water can freeze, thaw, and freeze again, our personal energy surges back and forth between activity and torpor." 

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This frozen power can be lodged in our bodies, specifically our second chakra (the sacral), which holds our desire. Release any shame hiding in the shadows as you press into your longing and passion. Melt any frozen power causing inertia and reclaim your energy with your voice and expression.

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​Journal Prompts: What do you long for the most? Slow down and breathe fire into this space. Where are the frozen parts that long for the flame?

 

​Affirmation: I'm rooted and ready to blossom and thrive. I harvest the energy bursting from the waxing crescent.

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Day 6:

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James Clear says in Atomic Habits, "You don't rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." Create a "system for change" by fine-tuning your schedule to your mind, body, and spirit. Align your energy to the schedule that you've created. ​

 

Journal Prompts: Where is your energy going? Are you feeding your body to replenish this precious energy?

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​Affirmation: I harvest the energy of the sun and the moon, balanced, focused, rooted, and ready to rise.

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​Day 7:

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With your seeds of hope scattered around like dandelions, they gently fall upon your field of dreams. You have found a new sense of excitement with refined goals and sharpened skills. Now is the time to have confidence in your strength, as Marianne Williamson said:

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​"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do." ~Marianne Williamson

 

​Journal Prompts: Answer Marianne's question: "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?"

 

​Affirmation: I am confident in my strengths and abilities. Today, I honor my voice with songs and spoken words. 

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​*We're approaching the first quarter moon. Notice how the waxing moon appears in a beautiful dance with the Earth as it spins around the sun. This reflects our lives here on Earth and asks, "How am I moving through life? Am I dancing or tripping through the day?" ​How can I slow down and be in harmony with nature and the rhythm of life? Invite more healing and care to your throat chakra today. Drink a hot cup of tea, sing a song, chant, speak the truth, and listen actively in your communication.

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