PEI Beach Glass

Having courage doesn’t mean being unafraid. Rather, it means acting even in the face of fear. (Karen Frasier, Crystals for healing)

On the eve of this lunar eclipse, I have some ideas to share with you. I feel particularly connected to the moon. I admire its power to move water and control weather and seasons. A feminine symbol that sets the rhythm of time itself.

An eclipse feels like a time of renewal to review or take stock of what we are holding. What are you holding right now? Is it serving you? What do you carry around with you every day? Emotions and feelings can be heavy. Ignoring them doesn’t make our load any lighter. 

Are you holding emotions because you feel like you must? I carry around guilt, a big load. It sits there on my shoulder, reminding me of what I should be doing or doing differently. I should play more music, do more cleaning around the house, spend more time with my friends and family, and exercise more… Can you relate? It might be the catholic upbringing. We carry that guilt around like it is worth its weight in gold. 

Today, I am encouraging you to use this lunar eclipse as a time to reset. Is there something you can let go of? Something you are carrying that is weighing you down? Can you find the courage to start fresh? We hold on to habits with conviction. We convince ourselves that they are essential to our being. If I don’t feel guilty about not making music, am I somehow betraying myself? If I don’t feel guilty about not exercising enough, am I saying I don’t care about my body and health?

Worrying and feeling guilty about things allows me to remain in a cycle of inaction. “I’m not doing the thing I should be doing, but it’s OK because I feel guilty about not doing it, and maybe I’ll do it tomorrow.” When I write those words, they sound ridiculous, but that is what I tell myself. 

The eclipse allows us to reset and renew, but we can start fresh any day. That is where the courage comes in. Courage can be taking small steps, doing our best to stick to our plan, and changing small things to improve your quality of life. It doesn’t mean that tomorrow I will start jogging to include more exercise in my routine. It has to be a plan that includes body and mind. For me, it means that tomorrow, I will try to drink more water and spend some time outside. Being outside is essential for my mental health. 

Knowing that every single day, you have the opportunity to start again is a gift. Using that knowledge and putting it into action takes courage. There are hard days. There are days when we tried, and things didn’t go according to plan. Starting again the next day is our superpower.