Welcome to the Harvest Moon meditation.
You may find it helpful to have a candle nearby,
So if you'd like to do so,
Pause this meditation now,
Light your candle,
And then come back.
The Harvest Moon is a potent time for meditation and ritual.
It's the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox when day and night are equal.
It's called the Harvest Moon because it comes when the season's harvest is at its peak and the brightness of the full moon gives farmers extra light to work late into the evening gathering their bounty.
In this meditation,
We celebrate the abundance of the season by honoring the prosperity in our lives.
This wealth may transcend the material world and come in the form of rich friendships,
Creative abilities,
Or any other type of good fortune.
So start in a comfortable seated position.
Find a nice straight spine,
And this will allow your energy channels to be open to flow.
Now take a moment to gaze at the flame of your candle.
Just like the stars in the night sky,
This light represents a beacon of hope,
A bright light through the darkness of the upcoming season.
Start breathing normally,
Bringing your focus to the breath,
And start to find a slightly deeper and slower breath pattern.
Place one hand over your heart and one hand over your belly.
This will help you tap into the natural rhythm of your body,
The cycle of inhale and exhale in tune with the drum beat of your heart.
Find a few moments here connecting to all the activity that goes on below the surface.
Umm.
.
.
Then place your hands palms up,
Resting in your lap.
If you haven't yet,
Allow the eyes to close and shift your internal gaze towards the third eye,
The home of your imagination.
Being here internally helps us connect to our mind's visualization abilities.
In celebration of the season's harvest,
Call to mind your own prosperity or wealth.
Asking yourself the following questions and allowing whatever images,
Words,
Thoughts or feelings come up to float to the surface of your mind.
What did you harvest this year?
In what ways is your life abundant?
What did you grow and foster this year?
What benefits are you reaping now?
What benefits are you reaping?
Find another moment here with the season's harvest.
It is the natural cycle of life.
Once the harvest is gathered,
We begin to prepare for winter.
The trees shed their colorful leaves,
Flowers bloom and then lose their petals,
And the vibrancy of the natural world starts to dull,
But it does not die.
Winter turns its focus inward.
Winter is a vital time of rest and renewal.
So as you prepare for the colder and darker months of the year,
Ask yourself the following questions.
And just as we did before,
Allow any images,
Words,
Thoughts or feelings to float up.
Trust your intuition and avoid censoring yourself.
There is no right or wrong.
What will you need to keep your spirit bright?
Just as nature draws its attention inward to focus on renewal,
How might you use this upcoming season to do the same?
Allow for a few moments of reflection here.
And even though the light from the luminary will burn out,
There is an eternal flame inside your heart.
This flame is powered from your own brightness,
The brightness of your loved ones near and far and our greater community at large.
We can call upon this light to help us through the darker half of the year,
Knowing that we are always supported.
As we close out the meditation,
Take this moment to silently express gratitude for the abundance of your harvest this year and send a thank you out to all others who may have contributed to your harvest.
And I'll end with one of my favorite quotes from Marianne Williamson.
As we let our own light shine,
We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
So bringing your hands to your heart to end this beautiful meditation,
Bow in gratitude to your own light,
The light of others and the light of our community and world at large.
We are always supported.
