Nox Amicus

At 6:57pm on July 5th, the Moon was New again. We’re currently in the waxing crescent phase, which signifies growth, intention, and hope.

The focus for the last cycle was Resistance, during which I talked about how I “was creating my own Resistance in the path of my attaining peace and happiness” and how I wanted to “bring awareness to where and how I stand in my own way and be mindful that even when I am unable to see clear steps forward, it doesn’t mean that’s actually the case.”

Throughout that cycle, I tried to take note of where I was seeing Resistance or friction in my path. I eliminated some barriers I had inadvertently erected for myself, but when you spend a lifetime creating defenses, it takes a while to realize that some of the things you thought were in place to help you are the very things that are doing you harm.

As the last cycle moved along, I started to ask myself the question, “What have you been creating Resistance to?” Despite the number of words I appear to use, I am very much a fan of short answers. If you have a problem that can be defined in ten words or less, you’re well on your way to solving the problem. You won’t have all the answers – life is too complex for that – but you will at least have a signpost.

During my meditations, one word kept popping into my brain – Experience – so that becomes the focus for this cycle. Experience can take the form of aspiration – we strive to Experience something, it can take the shape of lessons learned – we gained Experience, or it can be celebration – we were able to Experience something.

Experience can also be elusive, though. Just because we have moved through moments does not mean we were able to appreciate the true essence of an Experience. There are times when we are simply adjacent to the actual Experience that we seek – and while we might gain some insight to the Experience we’re looking for, we’re missing the reality embedded in the nuance.

So during this cycle, I will work to differentiate between the types of Experience I am living through. I will work to recognize Experiences that don’t serve me and learn what lessons they may be trying to teach; I will try to savor Experiences that feed my spirit; and I will try to position myself to be open to opportunities to Experience substantive moments that bring greater understanding of myself and those closest to me.

The hope attached to all this also plays into one of my core philosophies: the future is unwritten.