THE NEW MOON CYCLE CAN HELP YOU MAKE LIFE CHANGES

 A more fulfilling life is always a possibility for us. But, often, we hesitant and can't seem to turn our heads away from our well-worn routines and see a new path. We can always opt for change. All in all, we are responsible for our lives. Universal power is out there forever flowing around us. You can access new levels of awareness and power by using positive thinking. Begin by visualizing the way you want today - and tomorrow - to go. Then try to live your day the way you want. Everything happens for a reason - no coincidences allowed. So, don't wait. Start now to use the power of daily reflection and the energy of the lunar cycle to help you achieve new goals.

Well, you’ve heard a lot, I know, about those new products that are sent out to you for a-30-day trial. That’s a concept that let’s you try out something new to you on a risk-free basis for one month. Sales people know that if you get started with something useful for 30 days, the chances are high that you’ll be buying their product for a long time. The same idea can help us develop new habits that improve our lives. There's strength in your convictions and, in a short period of time (28 days, new moon to new moon), you can launch yourself into a healthier and more successful life.  

Let’s say you want to seriously cut back on fried foods or sweets or give up cigarettes. And, of course, you're aware that getting started and maintaining new habits are hard things to do. On the other hand, it makes sense that if you can get past the initial inertia, the going will get much easier.

So, if you’re not sure where to begin, here’s a list of positive changes that people sometimes make in their lives:

- Exercise daily

- Keep a personal journal.
- Read for an hour a day on a subject of interest.
- Take part in a charitable activity that’s helpful to others and fulfilling to you.
- Have time for prayer or meditation every day.
- Establish an earlier bedtime.
- Work to maintain healthy and deeper relationships with other people.
- Take a long walk every day with someone (or with your dog).

 Also, you might like to review a couple of my earlier posts where I’ve commented on the advantages of beginning new endeavors during the new moon, and how the earth, moon, and sun relate in the following 27 days to help you achieve your goals. By using the energy of the new moon cycle, you’ll increase the chances that your efforts will be productive.

So, here’s the deal. Make a pact with yourself to establish a positive change in your life on a temporary basis – just 28 days or one new moon cycle. And, of course, it makes sense to concentrate on just one new habit at a time. After those 28 days, you can evaluate your experience and decide if you want to continue with that change. Could you do it? Of course, you can. It requires a bit of effort and commitment, but, hey, it’s only a bit less than one month out of your life! So, go for it.

As they say: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” And if you actually complete your objective, you’ll have 28 days of success behind you. And that should give you the confidence that you need to continue. This approach lets you test new habits even when you have real doubts about whether this change will be a permanent feature in your life. It will probably work out better if it’s something that you'll be doing daily or almost every day of the week. But it should also work if you think about your resolve for change each day, even if you can’t apply it on a daily basis.

Don’t worry so much about what you’ll do beyond those 28 days. Consider this a trial period and give yourself a chance to grow as a person, even if it turns out to be something temporary. Just think about the benefits you’ll gain from your effort in the meantime, regardless of the long-term outcome.

Now, here’s your chance to embark on one of life's amazing adventures — to find more meaning in your own life and, in turn, be a better influence on others. Creating new habits takes focus and attention to the details. So, concentrate on where you’re headed and what the benefits are – both along the way and where you want to be when you get there. Take your motivation from a source of power, inspiration and peace - whether you call that God, Universal Love, Celestial Law, etc. And remember to stay humble - you're not doing all this good stuff by yourself. You have help and you should be thankful for it! 

Beyond that, do your best to keep on course with your new commitment. A part of your success can come from reflections on your experiences that you write down in a personal journal. So, for one entire new moon cycle - 28 days, use journaling to help you visualize your goal and find the strength that can guide your progress. Here’s a sample journal survey that you can fill out each and every day of the lunar cycle. It will only take about 15 minutes in the evening to fill in your reflections. And it's sure to make a big difference on your feelings and actions the next day.

 

28 DAYS TO A LIFE CHANGE Day __ Phase of the Moon ____________ Calendar date _____________________ My new habit/resolve is to:__________________________________________________ ·   What did I do today that helps me succeed in my objective? How can I do it even better tomorrow? ·   What, if anything, did I do (or someone else do) that might harm my eventual success? How can I minimize that negative influence? ·   What did I learn (read, see, feel, etc) that I didn’t know about before or wasn’t sure of? ·   What one happy, unexpected thing am I especially thankful/blessed for today? ·   What one thing could I do tomorrow to make my life (or someone else’s life) better?

Related posts
IN THIS FIRST FULL MOON OF SUMMER: TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES.

PHASES OF THE MOON - MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU MAY THINK.
VISION BOARDS AND THE NEW MOON CYCLE.
REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE
BENEFIT FROM NEW MOON FASTING
LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

GREEN GARDENS: GOOD FOR FAMILIES AND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Small-scale farms, over the centuries - if not millennia, have been the basis of family subsistence and sometimes provided farmers with additional seasonal earnings. But, over the past 100 years, more and more small farms have given way to large-scale agro-business. The principle that guides agro-business is the maximization of all (or nearly all) available agricultural resources for the purpose of generating profits. Agro-business depends primarily on monoculture, and the outcome of large-scale monoculture has been massive soil erosion, overuse of fertilizers and pesticides, and toxic waste in our waterways. While agro-business has been efficient in filling up our supermarkets, much of the food that's produced is of poor quality, having lost part of its nutrients and flavor in its long journey to the family table.

Over and over again, agro-business, by its practices, has ignored the health and well being of local communities and harshly damaged eco-systems. Worse yet, it has all but strangled traditional farming efforts. Now, very few farm families are able to make enough money to sustain their costs and turn over even the smallest income, and only a small fraction of the U.S. population lives in rural areas. This is a sad story and our government (and those of a lot of other countries, too) has done little or nothing to stop this process.

Today, most family farms have been turned into sub-developments and commercial centers, and almost everyone, excepting the rich, has been forced off rural lands. With no small-scale farming, a large majority of the population has to work for wages in businesses or receives government money - either in some direct capacity or as a dependent on government aid. Food has become "something" that you buy in the supermarket.

But, with the recent emphasis on “doing more with less” (money, that is), families have found that, even in the cities, they can turn some of their efforts  into farming resources that produce family.  All this can be (and mostly has been) done without the need for large investments. And, just about anyone, who hopes for a greener world, should consider family gardening as a clear reflection of their personal values in areas such as better nutrition, family solidarity, greening of living space, saving money, and sustaining eco-systems. What’s more, family gardens can be decorative additions to the home when they include a mix of beautiful flowers along with the veggies.

Whether you have a lot, a little, or no yard at all, you can come up with a way to grow some food. The satisfaction of seeing green plants grow and the good taste of homegrown food will be well worth the cost and work involved. So, if you have space, time and money for a good-sized family garden, by all means go for it. And, for the majority of us who are (almost)  gardening novices and facing what we once thought were insuperable limitations, the good news is that we can also succeed using non-traditional ways of gardening. What’s important is that more families follow green garden principles. And, if enough people do green gardening, not only will their individual families benefit, but their combined efforts can contribute to healthier ecosystems.

WAYS TO DO SMALL-SCALE GREEN GARDENING
Containers
Don’t let limited garden space keep you from growing vegetables in containers. Small patches of yard, patios, and even rooftops can be sites for container gardening. It’s fairly easy to do this kind of gardening with a minimum of equipment, and many different kinds of vegetables can be grown in pots. You can be pretty much imaginative with the types of containers. Recycled containers of all shapes and sizes can be used, and they are a greener alternative than buying a lot of new pots. Just be sure that all containers are washed clean and deep enough to grow the crops you plan to sow. Even old tires can be used if you line the tires with heavy weight plastic to prevent possible toxicity. Here a list of some popular veggies that are easy to grow in containers.

Green onions - Choose mild-flavored varieties and sow small bulbs anytime from March to July. Thin out the seedlings to 1-inch spacing. Harvest them when the bulbs are about 3/4 inch in diameter.

Lettuce - The loose leaf varieties are the best in containers. Plant the seeds 3 inches apart and don’t overwater them while they’re germinating. Use good potting soil and water them with a low-volume sprayer (rather than hosing them down). When the leaves are the size that you want, pluck off the outer ones in just the quantity that you need for the day. This stimulates more leaf growth. You can continue to plant seeds in emptied spaces every 2 weeks or so. That way you’ll be harvesting for several months.

Green beans – Opt for beans that grow into bushy plants with red, white or pink flowers. French green beans are a favorite. Their pods are 4-6 inches long. Sow the seeds in early June. They need to be planted about 2 inches deep and use stakes to provide the stems with support. Some of the climbing varieties can be 5 feet tall, so they'll need a solid support. Pick the pods when they are about 4 inches long.

Tomatoes - With the price of fresh veggies as high as it is, you'll be glad to have a good supply of salad-size tomatoes almost the entire summer. The best small container tomatoes are compact plants that don’t require pruning and the bushy varieties are good  because they don't require staking.There are also great cherry varieties that have bright colors and a delicious flavor.  Standard tomatoes will need larger pots with at least 3 cubic feet of soil. Tomatoes are best when grown in a sheltered and sunny spot. Insert a stake or a wire tomato cage in the pot at the time of planting. Stems can be tied to the support as needed.

Cucumbers - These veggies can be climbers or ramblers. They need a lot of water and like a sunny location. Choose the smooth skins ones unless you plan to make pickles. Sow them in tubs, placing 3 seeds 1-inch deep and a few inches apart. You can do this any time in late spring or early summer. Thin them out to leave only the strongest seedlings and cut them off with a sharp knife when they're about 8 inches long. 

Herbs - It's really easy to grow herbs in pots, and they make attractive additions for porches, front lawns, and sunny kitchen windows. Their root system is very shallow  so they can grow in almost any container.  Most herbs do best with at least 6 hours of daily sun, but if you live someplace with near triple-digit temperatures, you’ll need to shade your herb container gardens from the afternoon rays. Also, herbs grow better in potting soil and most don’t need any extra fertilizer. Drainage holes are a must to prevent root rot. Just be sure to sow your herbs in separate pots or combine them with others that require similar levels of watering. Popular herbs for container gardening include rosemary, thyme, cilantro, parsley, sage, and mint.

Raised beds
Raised beds are freestanding structures typically made from wood, stone or concrete filled with soil and compost.  Like containers, beds can be placed on concrete slabs or rooftops and are excellent in small yards or anywhere there is poor soil.  They keep soil warmer, provide better drainage and require less maintenance than traditional gardens.

Most often, these "constructions" are rectangular, longer rather than wider, and about 3 feet in height. For comfort, your bed should be about 4 ft wide so you can reach from both sides. They can be any length you like, but most people choose to have them from 10 to 16 ft feet long. (In the small space I have in my yard, my raised beds are only 2.5 ft wide and about 8 feet long because they end up against walls on three sides. It's a sort of a hybrid raised bed/container garden .)

Raised beds can grow standard-sized plants and involve less back-breaking work than earth-level gardens and their soil warms up faster in spring allowing for earlier planting. The disadvantage of raised beds is that they dry out fast and require daily watering. With a north-south bed, you can use the sunny end as a hot slope for early crops and herbs while salad and other leafy crops can grow on the shadier end. Beds will have better drainage if you use a  mix of soil, compost and other growing materials.

Community and pirate gardens
If you really want to grow some veggies, but don't have even a square yard of patio space, you might look for some other people who want to work on a neighborhood or community garden. By sharing the costs and work with a bunch of people, you can have more varied and abundant crops. Of course, administrative questions, such as how the work will be done and how to divide the harvest, need to be established before starting up a cooperative venture. Beyond that, there are even those brave souls who garden on land that's not theirs, choosing empty lots, pieces of urban green, and even public park areas. This could be tricky in several ways besides being technically an illegal act. You'd have to find land that's not likely to be identified as pirated space or seen by other people who might take away your harvest. So, GrandmaS doesn't recommend pirated gardens. A better thing to do is to get permission or rent a space - doing this might be easier than you imagine.

GREEN GARDEN CHALLENGE
So, I hope you're now convinced that you can grow veggies (and/or flowers), someplace in your home or yard or elsewhere. And it's best if you can follow the green gardening principles listed below. But, if you think that all that’s a lot to do at once (or too costly), then just focus on a couple of projects right now. Later on, you might be able to do more. (Get started by doing an Internet research on some of these topics and select the ones that suit your gardening style and pocketbook.)

- Use recycled containers whenever possible instead of buying new ones.
- Compost your food and yard waste.
- Water wisely and use water conservation methods.
- Use a rain barrel in the months with adequate rainfall or create a rain garden for runoff from roofs and other overhangs.
- Use natural organic fertilizer and pesticides.
- Re-purpose and recycle your garden tools and equipment.
- Have a plan for freezing, canning or sharing your veggies with others should they appear in quantities greater than your immediate family needs.

Notes
For inspiration on green home gardening, see PathtoFreedom.com. This blog is the story of super-successful urban homesteaders who grow almost all of their own food and do lots of other major green activities at the same time. And they do all this on 1/10th of an acre!

GrandmaS' Almanac Calendar includes a list of gardening activities (taken from Farmers' Almanac) to do according to the phases of the moon. 

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PHASES OF THE MOON - MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU MAY THINK.

Lunar phases are what we see as we look up at the Moon on it’s journey around the Earth in conjunction with the Earth's orbit around the sun. Traditionally, the first phase is the New Moon. That’s when the Sun and Moon are aligned on the same side of the Earth,  and the Moon isn't visible from Earth. As the Moon waxes (increasing illumination as seen from Earth) the New Moon crescent progresses to First Quarter Moon, and then on to the Full Moon phase, before waning (shrinking illumination from the Earth’s vantage) through the Last Quarter Moon, and continuing on to begin another cycle. The "Quarter Moon" refers to the progress of the moon's cycle around the Earth and not to its shape, which is seen as a half-moon.

You may have asked yourself: “Are we really affected by the phases of the Moon? Most people who have studied it think so. For thousands of years, the effects of the Moon on the earth's oceans, animals and humans have been a passionate subject of interest. Many important activities, like planting crops (remember the Farmers’ Almanacs), are often done according to the phases of the Moon. And, as GrandmaS has mentioned many times before, we all need to be more connected to the natural world around us. The practice of watching the Moon helps us to be more aware of the patterns of nature, and this can have very positive effects in our lives.

As we learn more about the Lunar Cycle, we see that the different phases are associated with particular energies. And, each part of the Moon cycle can be associated with a special flower that represents the essence of those days. Meditation on this flower can be done many different ways - by observation in nature, home displays (real, silk version, or drawing), by smelling the oil essence (fragrance), and the wearing of or even dancing around with the flower in your hand. All these forms of meditation are wonderful ways to celebrate a phase of the Moon.

NEW MOON
The New Moon brings calmness, and people’s emotions are stabilized. This means that they have more energy and acceptance of changes in their lives. So, the New Moon is time to strengthen your inner self by meditating, praying, chanting and resting. It’s also beneficial to fast for a day or eat lightly so that your body may flush out what it no longer needs. The vibrations of the New Moon will provide fresh perspectives and motivations. Nothing can remain stagnant at this stage of the Moon. So, start out fresh and transform your intentions into action, invoking the Law of Attraction. Plan for positive changes in your life and map out what you want for the upcoming month.

Floral essence: NIGHTBLOOMING CEREUS, a fragrant, desert cactus that blooms at night.

WAXING MOON AND FIRST QUARTER
The days following a New Moon represent the early advance of the new cycle, and you can take advantage of this to get things underway. From a farming perspective, waxing is a time for planting and growing. This is the gestation period for a new idea and the seed is still underground. By organizing your intentions, you can work in coordination with the lunar cycle and be ready to put your intentions in practice.

The arrival of the First Quarter Moon represents the time in the planting cycle when the plant emerges from the ground and puts out its leaves and branches. This period helps you build a solid foundation for your new endeavors and gets you ready to embrace expansion and growth in your life. Your new reality begins to evolve. Take confidence in your future success and fill your life with interests and activities.

Floral essence: the IRIS, considered to be the creative and liberating paintbrush of the soul.

FULL MOON
The Full Moon appears when the Sun and the Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth, and the Moon's face is fully visible. This corresponds to the time in the planting cycle when the flower emerges. But, along with the great change comes increased activity. There's more emotional stress during the Full Moon, and people tend to be self-centered and  ignore the needs of others. So, there's more need for objectivity. While considered a great time for business and sales, it’s bad for purchasers who tend to be spend recklessly. Even though listening skills may be somewhat muted during the Full Moon, many people get more engaged and focused at this time. So, fully trust in your gifts, talents, and creative spirit, and keep yourself moving in a positive, helpful way.

Floral essence: the LOTUS, the flower that represents completeness and both cause and effect, simultaneously.

WANING MOON AND LAST QUARTER
This is a time that represents completion. In the planting cycle, this time corresponds to the appearance of the fruit. From a farming perspective, waning is the culmination of the entire planting cycle, involving harvesting and clean-up. You are filled with the knowledge of what you’ve accomplished in the past weeks, and your purpose is to share it with others. It’s also creates a sense of urgency to get the most out of things. This part of the lunar cycle offers you the opportunity to share your knowledge by communicating, networking, and offering service. It’s not the best time to start new projects since it's the end of a cycle. As the waning phase progresses, you may want to spend some quality time alone, reading a good book, or cleaning out a closet.

Floral essence: the ROSE, deeply rooted in the Earth and associated with true love.

MAKE YOUR OWN MOON CALENDAR
Traditionally, the Moon Cycle is one of the most important elements of life on Earth. You can think of this cycle as sort of a big clock. When we can keep track of the phases of the Moon, we have a guide to make improvements in our work and outlook. Here’s a simple way of doing that. Print out the Moon Cycle drawing shown above and write in the dates of the corresponding periods for the coming month (or just find a regular calendar that includes the phases of the Moon.) Next, write some short notes to yourself about what each phase of the cycle is supposed to mean. (An Internet search may be helpful, here.) Then, observe and keep records of your emotions, interpersonal reactions, and activities in the Lunar cycle. Write down your experiences in a personal journal. After a few months, read over your notes. You may find interesting patterns. These patterns represent your personal Lunar Rhythm. Knowing more about your own attitudes and behavior, can help you improve many important aspects of your life.

Related posts:
THE NEW MOON CYCLE CAN HELP YOU MAKE LIFE CHANGES
LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

BENEFIT FROM NEW MOON FASTING
VISION BOARDS AND THE NEW MOON CYCLE.
KEEPING AN INSPIRATIONAL JOURNAL.
REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE
COLOR THERAPY CAN HELP YOU REJECT CONSUMERISM
FENG SHUI CAN HELP ENERGIZE YOUR FRONT DOOR AND ENTRYWAY

VISION BOARDS AND THE NEW MOON CYCLE.

You could really use a vision board.
Most everyone desires for a better future for themselves and for their families. We spend a lot of time and energy on actions that we hope will bring about that future. Here’s an activity that you may not know about that can help you achieve the better life that you wish for. It’s called a vision board, and it’s a collage of visual images of what you value and what you want to see as part of your life. The purpose of a vision board is to create a focus on specific things that will enable you to realize your dreams. By selecting and putting together a set of very significant pictures and writing, you’ll begin to reveal those things in a very positive way. Physically, it is a poster or corkboard with cut out pictures, drawings and writing about things that you want in your life. Like many other endeavors that involve heart and spirit, new moon energy can help you with your vision board. (More about this later.)

The vision board is also called a manifestation board, an intention board or treasure map because it provides us with a road map of the intentions/hopes/goals that we want to attract in our lives. By frequent reviewing of our creation, we can focus our energy in a way that helps us move closer towards our goals.

Consider the things that you dream about or think about when you are alone. What do you imagine yourself doing or having? These questions are the ones that can help you reach the objectives you’re searching for. It’s our own sense of positivism or courage that needs to be activated so we can obtain our most cherished dreams. There is universal energy (part of the Universal Mind) available to all of us that can help us find the strength and wisdom that we need to succeed.

The theory for the vision board comes from the Law of Attraction. The basic idea behind this law is that we attract things to us by focusing on or giving our attention to them. And this happens whether or not we are aware of this principle. If you think negative thoughts about yourself, that attracts bad things to you – things like lack of money, loneliness, worries. If we focus on things that are positive for us, then we can attract the brighter, better future that we long for.

What do you want on your vision board?
Consider your priority areas for the next year. The items on your vision board may involve things, beliefs and/or environments. Do you want a nicer or more organized home? Better health? A stronger marriage? Do you want to connect or reconnect with some person or a group of people? Do you want to live in a safer and more loving community? Do you want your lifestyle to be simpler and more eco-friendly? Do you want to keep a journal or write a book? Do you want to eat more nutritious and less fattening meals?

Do you even really know what you want? If you are like many of us, you've been so busy with everyday activities that you haven’t had time to fully consider your own needs. Don’t worry if you don’t have any clear goals when you begin this process. That’s what you’re going to find out once you sit down and figure it out. Choosing what to include in the board may take a number of hours or even a few days. Give yourself the gift of time to dream and be guided by your visualizations.

Ways to put your board together.
Collect a lot of magazines, Internet clipart, drawings, and/or photos. Go through the pictures, cutting out any images that appeal to you. Whether they're words or pictures – if it’s what attracts you, separate it, and put in your "keeper" pile.  Consider including some things in these areas: health, wealth, family, friends, personal growth, home and environment.

Pick out your favorite images from all the cutouts. Lay these on your board and begin to arrange them into the places that you want. Glue your images to the board.

Draw some lines under each image. The spaces under each item can be used later to write in just when and how those dreams make themselves apparent in your life. You can also decorate the board with paints, shapes, and hand drawn pictures. If you like, you can write words or short phrases beside the pictures. Make your board as attractive as possible. If you like, you can even do the whole board as pin-ups on a bulletin board. Or use computer software to collect all kinds of photos and digital images and put them in a single vision board file (as in my drawing). It can, then, be a computer print-out or the image on the background of your computer desktop.

It’s good to leave a space in the center of the board for a photo or drawing of yourself. This makes your vision board personal to you. You can also draw lines or place ribbons (like rays out from the sun) to emphasize your connection to each item.

Affirmations are part of the vision board process.
State your affirmations (desires) for each item in the present tense and in very positive terms. For example: I am healthy. My children are strong and doing well. I have the money that I need. I help my family and friends and they help me. I pray often and my prayers comfort me.

Put your vision board somewhere in your home where you can see it several times a day – in the kitchen, in your bedroom, in the hallway. Every day spend a few minutes in front of your vision board and imagine all these wishes happening in your life. Repeat your affirmations out loud in the morning when you get out of bed, and then again in the evening – perhaps before going to bed. As you make the affirmations part of your everyday life, you’ll begin to notice some changes happening around you. These changes will point to new possibilities, and you’ll find the steps you need to take to accomplish your dreams.

In the following weeks and months, you’ll see many of the items on your board actually appearing in your life. Also, if after a time, something that you have on your board doesn’t feel “right”, then remove it and replace it with something else. Changes are O.K.

Begin your vision board with the new moon.

The best time to create your board is during the first four days of the lunar cycle (day of the new moon and the three following days). Some experts recommend that the board be made in conjunction with the yearly astrological cycle - that's Aries in April. But you don’t have to wait for an annual cycle. Any lunar cycle during the year will do. Ideally, you should complete your board within the first four days of the new moon. Don’t worry if you don’t finish all the work in four days. Get the bulk of it done in those days, and if necessary, you can add some details later. Be ready before the new moon cycle by buying supplies, collecting pictures, and bringing together all the materials that you’ll use in your board. But don’t begin it early. The energy of the new moon will help you create your board faster and in a more positive frame of mind.

Related Posts
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THE NEW MOON CYCLE CAN HELP YOU MAKE LIFE CHANGES
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REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE
BENEFIT FROM NEW MOON FASTING
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BENEFIT FROM NEW MOON FASTING

Inspired by Farmers' Almanacs
When I began writing this blog, I decided to call it an almanac instead of a referring to it as a diary or journal. The term almanac seemed to me more appropriate for what I wanted to say. The Farmers’ Almanacs are a source of folk wisdom that has been published in the U.S. continually for about two centuries. Many people, over the years, strongly believed in and have been helped by following the recommendations of farmers’ almanacs. So, that was part of my inspiration. While I never imagined that what I had to say would become widely popular, I hoped that the pages of my blog would reflect traditional wisdom and be helpful to a small group of people including, of course, my family and friends.

There is a lot to be learned in the Farmers’ Almanacs. One of the main points in these publications is detailed weather prediction that is printed for at least a year in advance. The sun and planetary movements, as well as phases of the moon guide these predictions. The almanacs also tell people the dates when to plant crops and when to harvest, as well as the best timing for starting up many other human activities. (See note below.)

The new moon offers opportunities
The lunar month is one of the most important aspects of our planet because it represents a regular cycle of greater and lesser gravitational attraction between the earth and the moon. The lunar cycle is 29.3 days long, and the lunar calendar has thirteen "moonths", plus one extra day to harmonize with the 365-day solar calendar.  Besides having a daily rythym of high and low tides, the lunar cycles also affect the tides. We have highest tides on new moon and full moon days and lowest tides when the moon is in the 1st quarter and last quarter.

According to the farmers’ almanacs, the new moon offers opportunities for making changes and initiating new projects. The new moon is a time for promoting all forms of growth, including planting crops, business opportunities, relationships, as well as creative and spiritual endeavors.

We become more attuned with our own aims and possibilities, when we are aware of the geo-magnetic and psychic energy available to us in different moments according to the lunar cycle. For the same reason, many spiritual traditions, including that of Native Americans, yogis and others, have special practices during the new moon. Their traditions point to these days as very favorable times to carry out certain spiritual rituals and other intentions.

Fasting and the new moon
Short periods of not eating offer a way of cleansing the body and preparing the mind for greater focus. When you fast, your body takes a rest and healing occurs. A lot of people who regularly fast say that their days of fasting help them see things more clearly and with a new perspective.

The Christian tradition also calls for fasting, and is rooted in the words of Jesus: “All things will be possible for you. That kind of spirit comes out only if you use prayer and fasting.” (Matthew:17:20-21)

Fasting gives you an opportunity to live your day in a different way – with greater reflection -- a time for peace of body and spirit, and a closer connection to your Creator. Your fast will be even more pleasant if you spend at least part of your day outdoors, walking in nature, creating art, writing in your personal journal, listening to inspiring music, or doing devotional reading.

When you fast during the new moon, you receive important benefits. Fasting on that day greatly increases your energy and boosts your health. Yogis don’t do their regular yoga practice during the new moon, but instead maintain a fast and use the day for quiet walks, meditation, and prayer. This is a wonderful way they have of connecting with the Divine.

So, my recommendation to you is to try new moon fasting and feel its benefits for yourself. This fast is usually for 24 hours. Start your fast in the morning and end it with a light breakfast on the following morning. If you’re new to fasting, try to plan as calm a day as possible. Be sure to allow yourself some quiet time or a leisurely nap in the afternoon -- if you can manage it.

You may fast in different ways. The usual ways are by drinking water with lemon juice or drinking vegetable and fruit juices, diluted with about 50% water. You may drink as much as you like. The important thing is to not chew anything during the day and don’t drink any coffee or black tea. If -- and only if -- there is a lot of hunger in the late afternoon or evening, you can drink a fruit smoothie with a little yogurt.

Note: You can see the date of the new moon in the coming "moonth" and other info from Farmers' Almanac in GrandmaS' Almanac Calendar.


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