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"The disseminating moon is nearly full but not quite. It has faded from full but is more than half illuminated. This is the phase of the moon where you switch from sending your energy out into the world to looking within yourself to see what is working well and what needs changing. You have brought in all the positive energy of the waxing moon. Now it is time to use that energy to discard the chaff in your life. What needs to change? Even the most balanced and positive person can have problems letting go. At these times you have to accept that some chaos is bound to occur and you have to just ride through the bumpy rapids. This phase is about small changes and preparing to let go of the negative aspects of your life. These meditations help you begin that process." Moon Affirmations

Like the change in the moon, this is a time to make small changes.  What is one thing you do or say about yourself which is negative?  Do you stand in front of the mirror and say - I don't like - fill in the blank.  I have done this often.  I don't like my face, never have.  The nicest thing I could say about my face was I had nice eyebrows and unique eye color (hazel so brown/green).  

Though we've moved beyond the longest night, the winter prevails upon us a time for darkness and reflection.

Since mid-November, when the air filled with the scent of wood smoke and the days were growing ever shorter, the darkness has been heavy on me.  I worked hard to celebrate the light's return at Solstice and made many children smile from homemade gifts and books, which was delightful for me

It's late August. The grass is bleached blond, the weeds at the roadsides are turning brown, and I'm starting to feel reminiscent about rainy weather. But there is a quality of light in late August that says summer is waning, and the bright half of the year is winding down. In a month we're going to turn the corner and the dark half is going to begin, and that's when we will find ourselves indoors more. Now is a good time to consider whether we're ready to be cooped up with ourselves. Are we ready for the inward turning that often happens in the winter? Are there things we'd like to let go of, so that we don't have to carry them into the shadows with us?

During the last days of this August, we can harness not only the energy of a waning moon, but also the energy of the waning year, to help us with this process.