Crescent Moons

Waxing Crescent Moon

Ask the questions: Who are you, really? What do you desire? What do you need, on all levels—your mind, body, and heart? Pay attention as this practice reveals the answers to you over time. You will find that layers upon layers are revealed to you as you go deeper, not just in thought, but also in your lived and felt experience.

 This is the first of the Yin phases. The Yin phases are a way to conceptualize downtime and help us navigate a busy schedule. They show us how to start practicing a better way of living and working.  

The Lunar Abundance practice works with eight Moon phases alternating, in pairs, between Yin and Yang. Therefore, within the lunar cycle, four phases are Yin and four are Yang. The Crescent Moon is the Yin phase that corresponds to the New Moon.  

Yin phases are a guide to help you to tune into yourself and to practice slowing down. These are the ultimate permission slip to tune into your body.  

Yin and Yang are relative. What these phases will look like, in practice, will depend on the contours of your own life and work.  

It is not only more conducive to your well-being to bring back the Yin; it is a pathway to sustainable success.

Spencer, Ezzie. Lunar Abundance (p. 104). Running Press. Kindle Edition. 

Waning Crescent Moon

Receiving is a key Yin principle. The more you are able to receive in healthy and effective ways, the more you will be able to enter the flow of life, make others happy, cultivate abundance, and enjoy yourself a little more! There are principles regarding healthy and effective receiving that are worth following to avoid the less effective ways of being in Yin—to be so closed that you are unable to receive at all (not conducive to abundance!) or to be so open that you receive everything without discernment, preventing you from living in a purposeful and intentional way, able to focus on the aspects of life truly important to you. 

And now that we have started to receive? It is time to give back.

 After the excitement of the Full Moon, stay committed to your practice for the remainder of the Moon cycle. The waning part of the cycle (and Yin phases in general) is not about checking out. Any practice requires ongoing devotion to yield results.

The emphasis of this Yin phase is to help us receive. Receive selectively—as opportunity floods in, you will not be able to accept every invitation or you may not want to. Look to the return of the discernment principle: discernment in receiving and being, as well as giving or acting.  

Receiving is most powerful when accompanied by a feeling of gratitude.  

Elements of a redemption narrative, when working with gratitude, can be helpful in keeping up your morale and helping you to see the next step to take. There is no obligation to feel grateful for awful things going on in your life, however. Before reaching for gratitude, reach for support.

Spencer, Ezzie. Lunar Abundance (p. 185). Running Press. Kindle Edition.