2015 Leo New Moon Mandala © Lynn Keefer
New Moon in Leo
August 14, 2015
I Will
All summer long, the love song of cricket and especially the cicada have been drawing me in. At first song, I invited us to sing this love song to ourselves – to take care of ourselves in deeper ways on every level. In these last days of summer, their song seems to be more desperate…crickets singing past night into day, and cicada song long into the evening hours still in search of “the other.” It seems to me to be truly one of the loneliest songs on the planet. “Interestingly enough” (lol-I find myself saying that a lot lately) on the day of the Leo New Moon I found a cicada attached to the screen of the window of my home office – the place where I write, create, work on projects, prepare for meetings., etc., etc., etc..… For several hours, this lovely little creature stayed with me making its way slowly up the screen. I have come to know, that if a symbol repeats itself, I have not completely unpacked its meaning and have not fully received its message. So back to Cicada I went …and while love is the message, “They purr in large groups, as a whole. Cicada’s are very big into teamwork, and they sing in unison for the benefit of the group rather than exultation of the individual.” ~What’s Your Sign
For years, I have associated Goose with community and usually, but not always, in the Capricorn cycle. I can hardly wait to share how this new symbol of “community” manifested in my month!
2015 Leo New Moon Mandala © Lynn Keefer
The Mandala
You know, sometimes you see a mandala and all you can say is “WOW!” They are just so powerful! And this is one of those! So here we go…
At the very center we have a 12 pointed star: “When a star is used as a symbol in the Christian faith, the number of points it has is especially significant because it adds meaning to the sign.
In this case, the number 12 has a special symbolic meaning in the Bible, often depicting completeness. Both the Old and the New Testaments find special meaning in the number 12. In the Old Testament, 12 often represented God’s people because Israel was comprised of 12 tribes. In the New Testament, 12 may represent the church, which was built upon the life and ministry of the 12 apostles. The 12-pointed star may also be used at Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, on which the church celebrates the manifestation of Christ as the Son of God.” ~ Symbols in Art by Walter E. Gast. (For me, Epiphany has always represented the manifestation of God in human form.)
This 12 pointed star is at the heart of a 5-pointed Star: “…the five-pointed star symbol in Christianity is also known as the Star of Bethlehem and represents Jesus’ birth and incarnation. Also known as the Epiphany Star, it is used especially for church decoration during the Advent and Christmas seasons.” Carolle E. Whittenore, ed., Symbols of the Church.
Radiating from the center we have two sets of 12 diamonds (feminine) and over all, a large Triangle (in this inversion, masculine): “The diamond symbol, triangle symbol and similar motifs that form a construction of other (more complex) symbolic designs occur in every era, culture, religion, and esoteric sect. Overwhelmingly, the diamond symbol or the triangle symbol motif expresses itself in terms of clarity, ascension, and wisdom. Not of the ordinary sort of wisdom, though. I speak of a clarity and wisdom that transcends the banalities of our everyday realm…”
This particular diamond shape “speaks of the partnership between night and day with the center-point represented as the dawn. Metaphorically, the dawn marks an awakening to all new understandings.” This particular shape “is the foundational geometric symbol of creation… the literal image of the birth canal…. So literally, this symbol means creation of life. “. ~What’s Your Sign
Here, too, the light shines and extends in straight points of light (masculine) and then makes a turn in the reverse or counterclockwise movement (feminine) with the second set of diamonds feminine.
In the outer ring, Sandra alternates masculine (triangle) with feminine (new moons?) – “30 each – representing perfect balance in the cosmic organization. To Cabalistic, this number is associated with the letter “lamed,” in the form of sickle “to express the maturity of the crop.” (So perhaps not new moon, but sickle?) It corresponds also to the 12th Arcane of the Tarot, the Hangman, which is interpreted generally as the Expiation, the Sacrifice, The Martyrdom.” ~Riding the Beast
The Month
The Key Phrase for Leo is “I Will.” It implies an action…something we will “do” – a commitment, no holds barred. Nothing will get in the way of accomplishing it.
The energy of this key phrase does not stop or step back like the phrase “I will not” or hesitate like “maybe” or “I might.” The energy of “I Will” is forward moving. All cylinders go! Full steam ahead! Whatever “it” is…it will be done.
Last fall the reigning booster coordinator of my daughter’s High School volleyball team asked me if I might like to do her job “next year.” I burst into laughter and said, “My husband will divorce me if I take any more on.” She responded with, “Not the response I was expecting.”
Near the end of the season, another mom (who REALLY didn’t want to do it) was working me over pretty well. Seeing her perspective and me being the kind of person who will do what others will not because it needs to be done and after much convincing I agreed and said, “I will do it.” Truth be told, I was not happy about it. I knew the time constraints of coordinating this group would mean a sacrifice on my part – of letting go of some of the things I really enjoy doing. But in agreeing to do it, I resigned myself to this: It’s only 5 months. I can do anything for 5 months. In the scope of my life…maybe 95 or more years (I have very old genes in my family), 5 months is a blip on the radar. I also made a commitment to myself: I will not be their mother (and bear the full burden of this, i.e. do it for them) nor would I be a martyr and over do – which I am prone to do. If I was going to do this, it was going to be a partnership – which meant I needed to invite everyone to the party, let go of outcomes and let things happens – Que sera, sera – and so be it…VERY out of character for me. I’m much more of a “make it happen” kind of person with very high expectations.
Much of the Leo cycle has been spent getting ready…organizing …getting people to chair fundraising events, pulling a directory together, developing a Team Roster so we can get to know one another a little faster. Time spent doing these things required that I did not do other things…like praying daily with scripture. I decided, for this season, I would just focus on the Psalm response for each day. It’s a short phrase that I could carry with me throughout my day.
I had a spiritual director who once said, “God is never outdone in generosity.” The psalm response on August 22 was “See how the Lord blesses those who fear Him.” The word fear is often misinterpreted…it really means to be in awe of… so, See how the Lord blesses those who are IN AWE OF HIM. On this very day, August 22, we kicked off the season with our parent’s meeting. The coincidence (if you believe in such things 😉 of the Psalm Response and holding this first meeting gave me a giggle – I felt very supported. 65% of the parents showed up and began to add their “I Will” to mine. That day our first Tournament was almost completely staffed and donations were almost completely met. Unheard of! We had a great start to the season and were on a roll.
I continue to marvel at my word for the year, “Simplicity.” Had I not heeded this word I would surely be insane and bald by now. I needed to let go of some things to be able to fully accept this new mission in my life.
I can only do things one way. It’s the way my parents taught me. If you say “I Will” to something, you give everything you have to it to the best of your ability. I can say with all honesty when you give you get so much more back. It seems that in this cycle, I would do what I have always done, but like the change from Goose to Cicada, I would change streams and do it with a different group. Instead of organizing the Prayer Shawl Ministry, (even that is on the back burner right now), lending my talents to my parish Faith Formation and leading sung prayer, I am coordinating fundraising efforts, finding sponsors for our tournament and taking up a collection in memory of our Coach’s mother who recently passed to be donated to the Susan G Komen Foundation. I’m still me just in a different venue. And yet, my hands are more open…less grasping. I’m learning how to better balance “doing” (masculine) with “being” (feminine) and accept what is.
In the dark of the moon, the day before the Virgo New Moon, and in true energetic hand off fashion, the boosters came together to cheer on their daughters and carried with them bottles of Gatorade, trays of mac and cheese, baked goods, rolls or crock pots filled with sausage and peppers or meatballs and sauce. Others donated their time. Even a booster from last year, whose daughter had graduated, lent us her coffee urn. The “I Will” shifted to “We Will” for the benefit of the greater good.
The memory of that day still brings a smile to my face and fills my heart with joy. It was a glorious day!
Love, Hugs, and Blessings,
Lynn