Beautiful Reflection
The moon stands in the sky. It is night. All is quiet, she is quiet. She shares the light of the sun and transmutes it into a soft, cool pool of light upon which we can gaze. She does not resent the fact that her light is not her own. And we do not look down on her for it, but upwards in awe.
Like Eve, formed from the bone of Adam, the moon is the sun’s counterpart as night is to day- a cycle complete. Before our eyes, she shifts and changes to a rhythmical dance as old as time. We are her daughters, following her patterns and dancing with her. In a circle. A place of belonging. Under that shared light. Drinking in the ancient song. –Lauren O.
An old man once told me, “Think of something that fills you with wonder. Maybe it’s a flower blooming, the sunrise, a child’s laughter… Now ask yourself, could you commit to observing this thing every day? Try it, and see how it deepens your spirituality.”
For me, it was the moon that had captured my intrigue. My sister and I were taking a walk one night and beheld an incredible moonbow. At the time, I didn’t know there was such a thing. I can only describe it as magical and it was very special getting to share that moment with my sister.
Around that time I was also learning just how intimately women are connected to and governed by the moon. Before modern electricity, all women ovulated at the full moon and bled at the new (dark) moon.
I took up the nightly ritual of moon gazing, and what that man said was true for me. As I watched her follow after the sun across the sky each evening, I perceived my spirituality deepening and these words are what I drew up from that moonbeam-infused well.
And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. 2 Corinthians 3:18
When I read this verse after starting this ritual, I immediately connected it to the moon’s symbolism which I was coming to understand.
The moon is like a mirror. It reflects the sun’s light, just as we, the Church, should reflect the light of the Son. The monthly waxing of the moon is a recurring reminder that as the Spirit works in us, we reflect His glory more and more. I can only think it is a recurring reminder for a reason! At times, like the moon, we turn away from the source of Light and no longer shine. He is ever asking us to return to Him.
The symbolism and message of heart-helping plants is confirmed when we look at the thorny Hawthorn tree–another medicine for the physical heart. Again we see that when dealing with the heart, thorns (protection, boundaries, awareness) are essential.