Preparing for the Closing Moon, Listen to the Song of Life

On this closing moon, we are invited to sit in the darkness and gift our selves the time to listen back to all we have listened for over these past weeks, reflection on what we have heard in our hearts, guts and minds.  What has our practice (not perfection) of listening gifted to us?  This song may help us focus our receiving of Hear Truth's offering.

Libera's 'Song of Life

There's a whisper in the dark

As a new life comes to be

Then a song begins to form

As it finds the harmony

With a chorus of sound

Of the world all around

Now it blends in the tune

Joining the endless song of life

We shall never be alone

As we link our hearts in one

Joining voices from above

All in the miracle of life

Through the ages we will grow

Only time will ever know

As our voices magnify

All in the miracle of life

Love plays along

In our lives yet to come

As we join in the song of life

Now the music starts to build

As the words begin to rhyme

Then another lends a tune

As their voices now combine

With the chorus of sound

Of the world all around

Now they blend in their tune

Sharing the endless song of life

We shall never be alone

As we link our hearts in one

Joining voices from above

All in the miracle of life

Through the ages we will grow

Only time will ever know

As our voices magnify

All in the miracle of life

Love plays along

In our lives yet to come

As we join in the song of life

As we join in the song of life.

Self Reflection: Song of Life (Listen to this song by Libera)

Slow Down and Listen

When we listen with the whole of our being, the patience that comes with this practice brings with it balance and right-timing.

We learn to live in balance with the whole of our self: the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental aspects of our being. We come to know how to listen to all these aspects of our being. We become able to respond to our needs in wholly and healthily.

This brings wisdom and harmony within ourselves, which allows us to bring wisdom and harmony to the world. We Listen with the whole of our being to others as well.

Slow down and listen.
Slow down and hear.
Slow down and live more in balance, more in harmony, more in wisdom.
Slow down; Hear Truth.

Self Reflection: I will slow down and listen to hear the Truth for my life.

Prayer of Gratitude for Being Listened To and Heard

I first heard this prayer from Lee Nitsch, the daughter-in -law of Twylah Nitsch the Seneca Elder who brought the wisdom of the Truth Cycles out into the world. This is the way I pray it as part of my morning prayer and contemplation practice.  I have attached a recording of the prayer as well: Morning Gratitude Prayer

  

I say good morning Creator; thank you for being. Thank you listening. Thank you for hearing me.  A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful.

I say good morning Mother Earth; thank you for being. Thank You for listening.  Thank you for hearing me. A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful.

I say good morning to the East; thank you for being. Thank You for listening.  Thank you for hearing me. A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful

.

I say good morning to the South; thank you for being. Thank You for listening.  Thank you for hearing me. A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful.

I say good morning to the West; thank you for being. Thank You for listening.  Thank you for hearing me. A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful.

I say good morning to the North; thank you for being. Thank You for listening.  Thank you for hearing me. A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful.

I say good morning to all my relations, (the standing people, the two legged and four legged relatives, the winged and finned ones, the creeping crawling creatures, the rock and mineral people and all the elementals, and the celestial beings) thank you for being. Thank You for listening.  Thank you for hearing me. A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful.

I say good morning to my own being; thank you for being. Thank You for listening.  Thank you for hearing me. A million, million times thank you.  Your being allows my being and I am grateful.**

**A colleague of mine uses this prayer and adding gratitude to the ancestors for hearing and listening as well.  Thank You, Vicki for sharing your wisdom.

Self Reflection:  Praying the Morning Gratitude Prayer

Listening to Self First

May moon cycle invites us to listen to ourselves first-our inner voice. Is our inner voice whiny, seductive, open-hearted or compassionate? Does it change depending on who we are speaking to? 

Learn to listen from the metaphor of a ‘blank slate’. The color of the may moon is obsidian or deep black, in this blackness, there is no influence to what we hear-other than ourselves. 

The Celtic medicine wheel for the season of Spring invites us to have compassion for ourselves during this third cycle of spring.  Only with compassion can we know how to really hear ourselves above all the din and distraction of ruminating thoughts, worries, unfounded fears, etc.  All this takes practice, and having enough compassion for ourselves to keep recommitting to the practice of listening. 

Self Reflection: I take time to listen to myself first, listening until I enter the space of an open 'blank slate'. Only then am I in a wise place to listen  to others. 

The Art of Listening

I listen to myself:  What is
it that I am REALLY saying? ...to myself? ...to others? 

I listen to what is really being said. 

I listen to my intuition. 

I listen to my conscience, to the voice of the Divine. 

I listen for the real NEED underneath the WANT from myself, 

and from those with who I am in relationship. 

Am I willing to listen?



Am I willing to hear, and am I willing to take action on what I
hear? 

What are others are saying? There are so many levels of
communication. 




Self Reflection: Can I discern the differences in the voices of my ego, my
spiritual essence and Divine voice? What would I need to change in my life to develop the skill of

discernment and use it in my abilities to listen?  

Practice Listening

With practiced listening I will learn to discern deceptive words from True words.  
My ongoing prayer is to listen with compassion. 
Deceptive words are often spoken out of fear.  
Fear of the consequences of truth.
Just stay present and aware of thoughts.  
Use the eyes of see truth to work with the ears of Hear Truth. 

Self Reflection: Today I renew my commitment to listen whole heartedly.

To Hear Truth, Just Listen

During this month the first weeks of this cycle, choose the time of day or night when it seems easiest for you to listen to that still voice within yourself.  Sit silently, bringing your body into a state of stillness (as much as it is able to be--be patient) Listen without preconceived ideas, judgments, fears or interpretations; all things which shut our ears and hearts to hearing truths. Make this practice of routine stillness a habit in your life and you will soon have develop the the discipline and skill of deep listening; the wisdom to know truth when you hear it.

Self Reflection: Is there anything that would keep me from 'listening'  to my deepest voice--beyond my preconceived voices?

New Moon for May Brings the gift of Hearing Truth

This is the last of the moons for the season of spring. The May's Moon is the cycle for Hear Truth and invites us to listen to ourselves first-our inner voice, our out-loud voice (Is it whiny, seductive, open-hearted, compassionate?  Does it change depending on who we are speaking to?) Learn to listen from the metaphor of a ‘blank slate’.

The color reflecting the May moon is obsidian or black. In deep blackness, there is no influence to what we hear-other than ourselves. The Celtic medicine wheel invites us to have compassion for ourselves during this final month in the season of the east. We are learning how to hear ourselves above all the din and distraction of ruminating thoughts, worries, unfounded fears etc. All this takes practice, and having enough compassion for ourselves to keep re-committing to the practice of listening.

Listening, to oneself, what is it that I am REALLY saying? to myself? to others? What are others are saying. There are so many levels of communication. What would I need to change in my life to develop the skill of discernment and use it in my abilities to listen? Listen to what is really being said, listen to my intuition, listen to my conscience, listen to the voice of the Creator, and listen for the real NEED underneath the WANT, from myself and from those with who I am in relationship.

Self Reflection: Am I willing to listen? Am I willing to hear, and am I willing to take action on what I hear? Can I discern the differences in the voices of my ego, my spiritual essence and Divine voice?