Experiencing God through Phases of the Moon
by Ame Kitchener
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
— Psalm 19:1
I believe Sacred Spirit invites us into deeper present awareness during each phase of the moon. As David says in Psalm 19:1, the heavens are declaring the glory of God and proclaiming the work of Their hands in our individual and collective lives. Hence, the opportunity to celebrate, or as I like to see it, practice joy. All things are working for our good, even (if not especially!) when it’s a difficult situation.
For simplicity, I will speak to the familiar four phases we see on the calendar. (Fun fact: there are 8 phases in total.)
During various phases of the moon, Holy Spirit invites us to notice and celebrate the following…
New moon: new beginnings, fresh start, restorative rest for action, cultivating the ground of our being for intention-setting (this means choosing the atmosphere of our inner world in which we want to plant the seeds of our intention for its optimal manifestation), and setting intentions
First quarter: resistance to aligned action, challenges, choices, decisions to be made, growth (taking aligned action)
Full moon: harvest, manifestation, wholeness of being, releasing your light
Last quarter: letting go, forgiveness, surrender, gratitude
Join me as we hear from Spirit individually and together through the rhythms and rituals of nature. I invite you to have a journal, a present and open heart, a cup of tea or relaxing beverage, and a candle (optional). The candle may symbolize the light and presence of the Holy Spirit or your intention to be present (Prov 20:27).
You may pause the recording at any time to journal or contemplate the reflection.
A Reflective Journaling Practice with Holy Spirit during the Last Quarter Moon
To begin, sit comfortably. If you are using a candle, light it now.
Welcome and thank the Holy Spirit for being with you. Ask Holy Spirit to soften your heart and ears to hear what She is saying through nature. Ask Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see the Truth of Her glow and flow through your life.
Look at the nature around you. What is going on? What do you observe? What season is it? What are characteristics of the current season? Do you notice a parallel in your life with these seasonal themes? (E.g., fall: letting go/release, harvest, death, transitioning with beauty and grace, balance, slowing down with joy and gratitude.)
Next, consider the current moon phase. At the time of writing this, the moon is in the last quarter phase. Spirit invites us to release and let go of what no longer serves: mindsets, emotions that weigh you down, relationships, limiting beliefs, what did not work, etc. In autumn, the trees release their leaves with beauty and grace, in gratitude for their support in the previous season. Letting go is the practice of non-grasping. Spirit invites us to forgive. Set yourself free.
Where are the invitations of Spirit echoing in your life this week in this moon phase? Allow Holy Spirit to lead you into non-judgmental, compassionate truth regarding your present life realities.
Discuss with Spirit, whether written or out loud, what arises as you consider and observe. Remember, this is a dialogue. It may take the form of thoughts, emotions, songs, scriptures, etc.
Close with gratitude. Write 3 insights gained as a result of your conversation with Spirit.
Ame Kitchener is a feline-loving, intuitive introvert, listener, circle leader, and Jesus Lover. She is a spiritual wellness life coach and space holder for Moon Celebrations, a community of Christ lovers that experience God through the rhythms and rituals of nature. She leads moon circles for Jesus lovers in her FB community, Moon Celebrations. You can also follow her on IG @mooncelebrations.