Hello,
This is Amanda O'Brien and this is a full moon meditation for the July 2018 full moon,
Also known as the buck moon.
This is a special moon because it's also a lunar eclipse and it is the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century.
The moon will be hidden by the earth's shadow for 103 minutes.
This has some significance because we can use this time to think about our own shadow.
This meditation has been designed to help you to work with your own shadow side,
Your own darkness and light.
We will take a journey to discover some hidden parts of yourself.
This can be emotional work,
So be very kind to yourself and very compassionate.
During this meditation,
You can choose to be seated or lying down and you can also choose to do this while gazing at the full moon.
So find yourself in a comfortable seat or lying down and make sure that your body is very comfortable.
We will begin by slowing down the breath.
So begin by breathing in for a count of four and exhaling for a count of five.
Breathe in for a count of five and exhale for a count of six.
Exhale for a count of six and exhale for a count of seven.
Begin to feel the body and mind relax.
Let go of any troubles or thoughts that you might have had before beginning this meditation.
Set an intention now to simply go on a journey and allow whatever is revealed to you to come to you without judgment,
With full acceptance.
If at any point during this meditation you find yourself getting agitated or distracted,
Simply use the breath,
Inhaling for a count of five and exhaling for a count of six to re-center you and allow you to come back into your body and continue with the meditation.
Now I invite you to visualize the full moon or if you're gazing at the full moon,
To gaze at it.
Notice how the light is bright and full.
Notice how the light makes us feel safe and the light illuminates and allows us clarity.
Now close your eyes and imagine that moon reflected in a pond of water.
Notice how there's two moons.
Notice how if there's a breeze that comes and disturbs the water,
The image of the moon is broken up,
Scatters,
The light becomes fractured.
And slowly as the water returns back to stillness,
The reflection of the moon comes back together.
When we're born,
We are fully formed.
We are complete.
But as we grow,
Certain parts of us become hidden either due to shame or to embarrassment.
Our culture or our family may tell us that a certain part of our self is not to be revealed and so we choose to hide it away.
This part of us becomes our shadow.
It's still there,
But it's now hidden from our conscious awareness.
However,
We seek our shadow.
We seek it outside of us.
We see our shadow aspects in people that we admire and people that we despise.
Bring to mind someone that is very difficult for you,
Someone whose behavior triggers you in a way that causes you discomfort.
Ask yourself,
What are the qualities of this person that I despise?
Perhaps they're selfish or cruel.
Perhaps they're disloyal.
Just bring to mind these qualities.
Allow yourself to be fully honest.
Now I invite you to take one of those qualities and to apply it to yourself.
You can say to yourself,
I am selfish.
I am cruel.
These may represent our deepest fears.
This may represent our darkness,
Our shadow side.
This may be the part of our self that we most fear.
But what we know is that it's a distortion.
And by hiding our shadow,
It becomes an extreme version of itself.
We may not be a selfish person,
But we may have the capacity to be selfish.
As a human,
We have the ability to take on any of these qualities.
Now I invite you to visualize a person that you admire.
Bring to mind someone that you really look up to,
That you just love and even maybe have a crush on or just feel like I wish I could be this person.
Call to mind the qualities that this person has that you so admire.
Maybe they are confident.
Maybe they are beautiful.
Maybe they bring joy to others.
They're physically capable.
Once again,
Take those qualities and apply them to yourself.
I am confident.
I bring joy to others.
Notice how this feels.
This is again,
Our shadow.
Often the things that we admire most in others are the things that we fear in ourselves.
We simply cannot believe in our own greatness.
But again,
Know that you have the ability to have any of these qualities.
We are all shape-shifters.
As the moon moves into darkness and her light is eclipsed,
The shadows will be revealed.
We may have collective shadows as a human race,
As a culture that we need to work through.
You may see these shadows reflected in yourself,
For we are all one.
Know that as you begin to heal your relationship with your shadow,
You are healing all of us.
You can also rest in the knowledge that just like how the moon will be hidden,
She will again be revealed.
The light will come back.
The darkness will return and the cycles will continue.
We don't have to fear the darkness.
We don't have to rush towards the light.
We can rest in acceptance and be at peace.
Thank you for meditating with me.
As always,
If you have any questions,
Please feel free to contact me.
I hope you have a beautiful night and if you are interested in learning more,
You can always ask before you go to sleep that your dreams help to reveal your shadows.
Pay attention to what your subconscious mind reveals.
Good night.
