Hello,
It's Ji Ling.
Welcome to your New Moon Meditation.
During the time of the New Moon,
The sky is dark.
Traveling around,
It might be difficult to see things,
And yet this is the time of new beginnings.
Because of the darkness,
This is the time when the stars are brightest.
It's easiest to see constellations and for ourselves a wonderful time to reflect and set our intentions for the new month ahead.
For today's meditation,
We'll be doing some reflection then crafting clear intentions.
It might be nice to have writing or drawing materials on hand if you like to reflect that way.
Create a comfortable space for yourself,
Perhaps having tea,
Candles,
And something comfortable to sit or lie on.
And as you are ready,
Let's begin.
Find yourself in a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down,
With your body parallel on both sides.
Feel the weight of your body connecting deeply with the earth below you.
Sense the energy of the New Moon,
The space of darkness and clarity,
The stars that shine through the darkest of dark nights.
Notice your breath.
Allow your breath to soften and deepen.
Notice any areas of tension in your body.
Allow your breath to move to those areas,
Welcoming your breath to help soften and open any areas of tension in your body.
As your eyes close,
Deepen into the spacious stillness of your body,
Mind,
Earth,
And dark night sky with shining stars.
Allow yourself to relax.
Allow yourself to relax.
Relaxing your feet,
Every single toe.
Relaxing your ankles.
Relaxing your shins.
Relax your knees,
Thighs.
Releasing your hips.
Relaxing your belly,
Chest.
Relaxing your back.
Allowing this rippling sense of relaxation to release and relax every single spinal piece.
Relaxing your chest and your heart.
Relaxing your shoulders.
Rippling relaxation down your arms.
Relaxing through your wrists and every single finger.
Relaxed.
Relaxing your neck,
Vocal cords.
Releasing your jaw and face.
Allowing your eyes to relax.
Relaxing your scalp,
Top of your head,
Mind.
Your whole body completely relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
Allow yourself to reflect over the past month.
Or you can gather writing or drawing material and allow yourself to reflect in this way.
Noticing throughout the past month,
What was challenging for you?
What would you like to let go of or change from this month?
What would you like to see in the future?
And now,
Noticing what was beautiful from this month.
What would you like to create more of in the coming month?
What would you like to see in the future?
Holding both of these reflections from noticing what was challenging and what you would like to let go of from the past month,
As well as what was beautiful and what you would like to create more of in the coming month.
Simply noticing both of that and how that feels in your body.
How do you feel right now?
Having reflected.
And now encapsulate into one word.
What are you releasing?
And what are you welcoming?
Crafting your intentions.
One word.
What are you releasing?
And what are you welcoming?
Noticing a felt sense of both.
And draw your awareness back to your breath.
Allowing your breath to be smooth and soft.
Allowing your body to be easeful,
Relaxed,
Aware,
Yet at rest.
As you notice your in-breath,
Simply repeat to yourself,
In.
And as you breathe out,
Simply noticing to yourself,
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Now,
We'll integrate our intentions with our breath.
So with the in-breath,
As you inhale,
Internally repeating to yourself,
Breathing in,
I welcome.
And your one word of what you are welcoming.
Breathing out,
I release.
Insert your one word.
So for example,
I welcome beauty and I release suffering.
So breathing in,
I welcome beauty.
Breathing out,
I release suffering.
Breathing in,
I welcome beauty.
Breathing out,
I release suffering.
Breathing in,
I welcome beauty.
Breathing out,
I release suffering.
Continuing at the pace of your own breath and with your own intentions of what are you releasing and what are you welcoming,
Welcoming on your in-breath and releasing on your out-breath.
Breathing in,
I welcome.
Breathing out,
I release.
Breathing out,
I release.
Breathing out,
I release.
Breathing out,
I release.
Breathing out,
I release.
As you are ready,
Find closure for yourself.
Bringing your awareness back into your body.
Easy smooth breath.
Bringing your intentions moving through your body.
As you are ready,
Gently bring movement back into your body.
You can return to your journal and reflect on this process.
Perhaps your intentions have changed through the course of this meditation.
Allowing yourself to free-write or free-draw.
And noticing what pieces you would like to carry through with you and continue through the course of this month beginning with today at the new moon.
Allowing your intentions to be like the bright stars that light up even the darkest of nights guiding our way.
Allow whatever arises to come forth either in your thoughts,
Noticing it in your body or writing it down.
Take your time and have fun with this process.
Perhaps creating a piece of art or something written that you can place in a visible area to remind yourself of this process and these intentions for this month.
May the brilliant stars of your intentions guide your way through this month and beyond.
I hope that you return to this meditation as needed each new moon.
Allowing your life to be brilliant,
Intentional,
Clearly reflecting on what came before in order to intentionally step forward,
Walking in beauty to all your days that move forth from here.
Thank you for joining me with this new moon meditation.