crescent moonday

Pieces for flying dreams. The crescent moon is appliqued onto a moon I discharged with bleach soap, the other is a little nine-patch. Nine-patches truly are addicting. I'm wondering how everything will come together for this project. When it happens, I hope it feels like puzzle pieces connecting at last, such a good feeling.

This moonday we have an hours-old New Moon in Virgo. Since a New Moon occurs directly between the Earth and the Sun, we aren't able to see it for a few days -- at which point it can be seen in the west right after sunset and only for a little while before it, too, sets. If you look closely, the entire Moon may appear to glow, in addition to the bright crescent. This effect is called Earthshine -- it's sunlight reflecting off the Earth onto the Moon and then reflected back to Earth again. Moonshine, Earthshine. That's nice.

Virgo influences our digestion, absorption, and assimilation of both life and food. The next few weeks will be a good time to focus on the well-being of our digestive system because we will feel a Virgo influence during this entire moon cycle. Befittingly, now is when to begin thinking about fall digestive tonics to prepare for a change in diet along with the change of season. Hard-working Virgo also enhances outdoor work, and we can draw on that energy as we gather and preserve the garden's abundance.

The New Moon is when to begin something new. In a play, it's the inciting moment in the first act where the rest of the story is set into motion. Make wishes, lists, and resolutions; make fresh dye-baths and herbal tinctures; sketch ideas -- whatever, just take the first step. And that reminds me of this chant by Starhawk:

Let it begin with each step we take,

And let it begin with each change we make,

And let it begin with each chain we break,

And let it begin every time we awake.

Now I'm off to take some first steps.