In the Time of the Closing Moon of Sharing Truth

The time of the 11^th Closing Moon

I am holding the place of TRUTH that walks beside me. Even when I don’t see her, hear her, feel her.

She is there, here, always present.

But where am I?

How has TRUTH, my silent, ever present partner, manifested herself this month, in me?

A year of sitting with the TRUTH and inviting her into our life:

We have learned her.

We have honored her.

We have accepted her.

We have seen her.

We have heard her.

We have spoken her.

We have loved her.

We have served her.

We have lived her.

We have worked her.

We have walked her.
We have shared her.

Now…

We thank her.

Next…

We ARE her.  We are TRUTH. 

TRUTH (and her sister Wisdom) emanate from the moon.  Both are essences ever present, though visible only through their reflection out to the world.  Still, even in their not being seen, they exist. 

Self Reflection: The truth of my essence is also visible as a reflection in the world. 

Rhythms and Cycles as Guides to Caring for Self and Others

Jamie Sams tells the story of Walks Tall Woman, her conceptualization of the archetypal embodiment of the November moon cycle.  As a storyteller, Sams uses mountain lion, the totem animal of leadership, to bring the cautionary message to Walks Tall Woman concerning the right use of her gifts, and the importance of taking time to rest and replenish.

When we are in our role as leaders, we must take time to replenish ourselves with the energy of creator--with quiet reflection and regenerative sleep.  When we don't, we draw on the life force of those we would help and we invite imbalance and disharmony into their lives and ours. (Pg. 234) 13 Original Clan Mothers

Self Reflection: Am I taking time for meditation, contemplation, reflection?  What is my definition of regenerative sleep?

Facing Both Darkness and Light

The November moon energy calls us to face our shadow and our fears, as well as to acknowledge our achievements and dreams (all parts of sharing our truth). 

If we are able to face our fears and our shadow while there is still light, perhaps we would not be so afraid of the darkness. Perhaps the tendency for depression and isolation would not be so strong during the winter months. 

If we could acknowledge ourselves in our successes and deservedness, with humility and balance and clear vision, then perhaps we could truly enjoy those months, which if we prepared and allowed ourselves, could result in a lot of creativity and fulfillment.  

Self Reflection:  I name and acknowledge the successes I have had in all aspects of my life. I name and acknowledge my deserving as a child of Creation.  This is me, Sharing Truth. 

The Waning Moon in Winter Can Get Really Dark

Perhaps it's all the holiday lights that make the dark seem even darker.

Certainly it is the ever shortening days that remind us of just how dark it can get.

Not just in the out of doors, but within ourselves as well.

All the cheeriness and sparkling lights can seem to make a dark mood darker as well.

No shadow is cast in this deep darkness.

We need not be distracted or frightened by their distortions.

We can choose to slow down and be present to the growing dark. 

We can choose to sit with the darkness and come to know it better.

For the gift of this time of growing dark is that, in the end

the deeper the dark the easier to recognize

The small flicker of light that is eternal within us.

Self Reflection: I will embrace my times of darkness. I will let my inner eyes adjust and I will see the small flicker of eternal light within.

Pouring Out Like the Bowl of the Waning Moon

The waning moon is the pouring out phase of the moon cycle.  At certain times of the year, the upside down positioning of the visible moon can mimic a bowl turned on edge to pour out its' contents.
As we approach the midway point of the waning moon phase, we check our intention and purpose in sharing our truth.
The writing on one of the waning moon journal pages reminds us that our path should not interfere with the path of others.

Self Reflection: I pour myself out into the world with care.

All Truth Cycles Imply Movement

Rhythms and cycles imply movement
They also imply there is a repeat in pattern, an ongoing return to repeat,
or to begin again further down the path
or further up the spiral.

Life has rhythms and cycles as well.
Perhaps this is why some of us are drawn to journal amidst the moon cycles,
using the Cycles of Truth as our guiding star.

To Share Truth is 'Walking Our Talk'.  We are growing, changing and 'choosing' beings.  The moment we entertain stubbornness or status quo we are no longer in a present time, we then are no longer in Truth. A very blunt spiritual teacher once said to me "You are either dynamic or dead; ultimately there are no other options."

We are all walking a spiritual path in our life, and by being conscious of our path we remain in motion. Our spirituality is a dynamic process; spirituality is NOT passive!

Self Reflection: Do I experience my spirituality as dynamic? passive?

Carolyn comments: Depending on where the teachings on the cycles of truth are sourced, the 10th and 11th cycles both may refer to Walking the Truth.  This could be a confusion in translation or interpretation, but I have come to understand this seeming confusion not as confusion, but as an invitation to be conscious of the ACTIVE action required in both October's cycle of 'Work/Walk Truth' and November's cycle to 'Share Truth' as Bob and Lee Nitsch name these cycles, or 'Walk Truth' as Jamie Sams and Kenneth Cohen acknowledge it. The teaching source (Grandmother Twylah Nitsch) is the same.

Challenge and Truth

A challenge is a call to change.
Challenge is embracing an inner urging to change.

Almost always--this change is toward growth, creativity and joy.
Almost always--this challenge, takes us into a shared space with others, and out of aloneness.

For many people, it is so much easier to resist the change, and instead experience the higher cost and tougher challenge of trying to stay the same.

It is a challenge to live truthfully.  Not because we have so much 'bad stuff' to hide or stop doing,
but rather because we humans have this bizarre shame about letting our light out into the world.

When we accept the challenge of sharing the goodness we are aware we have, then our goodness that still remains hidden will share itself. It emerges, most often (maybe even 100% certain) without challenge and difficulty, but with a sense of ease and flow.

Self Reflection:  What is my goodness? How could I share it more fully?

― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Interaction and Inner-action

This cycle of Share Truth is a month of action: interaction and inner-action.
Both are necessary for moving in and through the world

Interaction with others, in our family, our community, our work
Inner-action as we go deeply within ourselves to clear out the clutter,
to make way for our authentic self to bloom.

Self Reflection: Where am I taking action in my life?  Who an I interacting with? What is my 'inner-action'?

Surrendering 'My Way'

On the journey (or the path) of sharing ourselves out in the world what is/are the challenge(s) I currently have in my life that could require I surrender 'my way'?
What might possibly be the 'my way' that is getting in the way of my having what I want or long for in my life?

Self Reflection Exercise (yes it takes more than a minute, but well worth it)!

Make A List 

Challenges            My Way(s)         Desired  Outcome       What will I change?

Self-Appreciation

Today, I appreciate myself.
My efforts
My imperfections
That my imperfections don't keep me from keeping-on
That I make mistakes
That I take my mistakes as opportunities
For doing things differently.
For making a different choice.

Self Reflection: I honor the whole of me, my efforts, imperfections, mistakes, doing differently, making new choices. I have compassion for the whole of me.

Be Willing to Share Truth and the Heart Will Open

It was easier to stay small
When I thought there were limits to my being.
I could act smaller than I was,
Give less than I could,
Excuse my bad behaviors,
Hold on to resentments,
Stay in ignorance,
Claim self-reliance.
Not need others
Be superior.

Ahhh, but....
The only true limitations of being human comes when the heart is closed.
There is such bliss in an open heart,
Even when things are tough or seem to go wrong.
There is some kind of magic that seems to happen when
I just show up and be who I am in my
imperfect, True,
considerably more than adequate self.
The cycle of Share Truth , as does every Cycle of Truth, comes with her own marvelous gifts.
They are ours to discover, to claim as our own.

Self Reflection: Am I willing to discover my gifts, claim them and give up those ways in which I still play small?

A Firsthand Experience with Sharing Truth

Carolyn shares: On my journey of learning what it means to 'Share Truth', I've had many firsthand lessons. One such lesson happened as I woke up early one Sunday morning with an intense awareness that I needed to do something for a woman who was about to undergo a very serious operation. If I said 'yes' to this spiritual nudging, it meant giving up a good chunk of my afternoon and evening.  It also meant I would be giving away a shawl I had spent a great deal of time and effort creating.  I felt my hesitation about both things-giving up my time and letting go of an object of beauty I had become attached to.

But, the awareness would not leave me alone. During my morning meditation, the nudging became stronger. So, I rearranged my day, and that afternoon took the train to the city, hailed a taxi to the hospital and offered the shawl.

The other part of this story is that in this nudging awareness, I also felt an insistent urging to hold a healing ceremony for blessing and protection.  My tendency is to keep this 'sacred object' wrapped up and hidden safely away from view, as if it were only for a 'special occasion'.  I act as if I were keeping some kind of sacred 'secret' and I don't share about it, or offer it to others, as though somehow my not sharing and keeping it hidden away was being humble (by the way, I have learned that not sharing  is never humble). As I observe this behavior in myself, it seems rather that I more selfish  by not letting others see or share the fullness of who I am and what I am able to offer, and by not sharing what I have been given. This, unfortunately is a lesson where I seem to need repeated teaching!

This is what I have learned: Sharing Truth is an action step.  It's not enough to have the concepts, or know the principles of Truth.  I must be willing to share actively ALL of myself-All the Truths of Me when asked, when needed.

Self Reflection: Am I willing to share actively ALL of myself-All the Truths of Me?

Honest Self-Presentation May Not Be What You Think

Honest Self-Presentation?

In his November 18th post of daily meditations, Emmet Fox (1886-1951) wrote that we cannot have too much respect for ourselves, or too much confidence, that we must claim as much as we can for ourselves, all the while realizing these are an expression of the Divine within us, that these qualities are not of our own creation, but are of our expression.  And then, he reminds us that we must also accept them as true for every human being.

We realize we are sacred beings
and our sacredness
NEVER
ends in failure!

"Think, talk, live your divine glorious selfhood, and it will demonstrate itself in your life!"
Emmet Fox

Self Reflection: What one doable act could I commit to that would support me living more of my Divine Glorious Self?

Taking Hold of Our True Self

Taking hold of our self, requires we hold sacred our core values. This requires we know what we honestly value in the core of our being.

Are we willing to be Truthful with ourselves about these core values, even if we are embarrassed to admit what these core values are? Our actions in the world are a either a reflection of the values seeded in our soul or the values of our ego. Either are acted out in the world as 'core values'.

In the cycle of Share Truth, we move through these weeks continually inquiring-Is what we express in our life an expression of the Truth at the core of our being?

Self Reflection: Take hold of who I am at the core of my being, and then take hold of all the support available to me so I can to live my truth.

The Bigger Picture of Stepping Back

The inner nudge to step back might come when we are in the midst of struggling to see things clearly, to know what to do next.
An artist will step back to get a clearer picture of his/her work.  In a sense to see, to have a truer vision of whether their creation is how they 'imaged' it when the impulse to create their art came to them.  This is true whether the 'artist' is a painter, gardner, carpenter, designer, chef, teacher...in other words, the innate creative part of each of us intuitively steps back to take in what we are creating out in the world. We step back to see if what we are sharing in the world is true to our inner knowing or vision.

Self-reflection:  The truth I share in the world is reflected back to me. When I step back to see the 'bigger picture' of what I am sharing, what Shared Truth do I see?

How Stepping Forward Shares Truth

May I become willing to step forward, to speak up when my soul stirs and feels the inner urging to stand where others might hold back from fear, shame or a desire not to be noticed in the crowd.

May I step forward to because I WANT to be more visible in the world to share who I AM in my truth.  May I step forward to share the imperfect fullness of me.  In this way, I am a mirror for others to also step forward in their unique, wonderful, imperfect fullness.

Self Reflection: Let me count the ways I step forward in my life to be fully in my humanness.

Stepping into the World As a Full, Feeling, Imperfect Human Being

These qualities are seeded in our hearts and our being.  They are already within us in the seedbed of our souls. A few tiny sprouts will support us stepping out into our world. ***

Humility
Compassion
Letting Go
Stepping Forward
Courage
Stepping Back
Taking Hold
Honest Self-Presentation
Risk-Taking
Slowing Down
Speeding Up

Self-Reflection: Which of these qualities are familiar to me? Which are waiting to take root, to sprout?

 ***Over the course of this waxing moon, each of these qualities will be contemplated.  May they each grow and nourish us.

Share Truth or Share Delusions

A brief interruption on our exploration of qualities needed to share truth--or maybe the perfect example?

Today's MoonCycleCircle blog gives her posting space over her space to a colleagues's post:
Dr. Kelly Flanagan on the ego, connection and co-creation

Carolyn writes: I chose to share Kelly's post because he shared so clearly the challenge of discerning Truth and Delusion, He describes how easily delusion is taken as truth, and how this comes to be so. He names the difficulty and vital importance of coming to know Truth and the courage to share Truth in the world.