Here’s a look back at all the New Moon Shakti Circles we have had together…

AUGUST 2013: Mid-Summer Skygazing and Dreamweaving

This New Moon Shakti Circle was held away from the bright lights of downtown Manhattan on a beautiful roof space overlooking the Hudson River in Hudson Heights, Manhattan. This inspiring setting set the stage for our sky journey together. Nature dimmed the lights for us just before 8pm as we moved into ritual space; wishing upon the stars and seeking wisdom and insight from the night’s sky as we braided our dreams into lavender and ribbon.

JULY 2013: The City Goddess and The Country Goddess

~Crystal Clear in NYC Dina Vitantonio, Energy Therapist and Intuitive Healer, joined Shakti Circle in July to share with us her knowledge of crystal and gemstone’s power to heal, protect, and support. We reviewed basic ways with which one can begin to work with a stone’s energy but more importantly, we will use this time together during the dark of the New Moon to develop and listen to our own intuitive wisdom with these earth allies.

~The Fire of Transformation in Schroon Lake, NYC In our upstate New Moon Shakti Circle will focused our attention on the powerful element of fire and it’s transformative potential to create, destroy, and inspire. During the week of the July 4^th, the whole country is ablaze with fireworks celebrating our independence. Through our time together we stoked a quieter inner fire which was made even brighter by its contrast with the dark of the sky. The monthly New Moon Circles at True North Yoga began when Lisa Kazmer saw the inspired work being done by Debbie and other strong women in the Schroon Lake area. She decided to share her New Moon Shakti Circle while visit her parents who summer in the area and the space has continued meeting near the New Moon each month. Visit True North Yoga 

JUNE 2013: Magic, Medicine, & Plants

Isis Phoenix, Sensual Shaman, joined New Moon Shakti Circle this June for a magical afternoon in Central Park. Lisa and Isis led a grounding meditation to remind us of the natural rhythms that echo between our spirits and the earth. We got to know some local medicinal plants growing right in the middle of NYC that can assist in grounding your mind, uplifting your spirits, nourishing the body, and discovered our very own wild and wise ways to connect with nature our own urban backyard.

MAY 2013: Beltane Fertility Rites! 

Tra La! It’s May! The lusty month of May! May has long been marked with joyful feasts and rituals to celebrate the cyclical rebirth of the land. Beltane marks the return of the firey passion and vitality of the spring and summer seasons. The element of fire was our ally this evening in stoking our creative flames. Through this we inspired and activated our potential for inspiration, fertility and fruitfulness.

APRIL 2013:  Voice, Vibration, & Sound

This evening began by grounding into the body through creative movement followed by simple breath work to prepare the ourselves to delve into the voice. Riding along the wave of the breath we curiously explored sound and communication. After plenty of time to traverse this creative exploration we gathered in a circle and shared where our voice finds their strength and where it falls into weakness. Different cultural conditioning and childhood experiences of speaking, listening and being heard were expressed. We discussed the ways in which communication and expression can be both feminine and masculine in the urban workforce and how we are attempting to keep an authentic balance. Through the power of our voice we will spoke our intentions for the next lunar cycle.

MARCH 2013: Spring Equinox Celebration

The Spring Equinox marks a point of balance in the year when light and dark are in perfect balance. Images of fertility and abundance are all around as spring dawns; rabbits, eggs, baby animals, bright colors, fresh flowers, and sunshine. We talked about the Animal Medicine of Rabbit and looked at the Rabbit as a wisdom-holder of the season. This March we planted seeds of intention for the coming season and reflected upon the lessons of winter.

FEBRUARY 2013: Lunar New Year

In February we celebrated the Lunar New Year and utilize the imagery of water snake to journey through the Chakras.The Snake totem brings with it: healing wholeness through transformation, creative power & rebirth, circles & spirals, venom & vigor! Shakti (Goddess) energy is often described as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine representative of the potential energy it holds within it.

JANUARY 2013: Manifesting Love and Abundance

With the hustle of the holidays having passed us by, the momentum of the New Year upon us, the Sun’s power growing in the sky we took time to reconnect with the tribe and ourselves. We kept things light and embraced our creative side as we dove into old magazines to create a Vision Board- a visual inspiration for the intentions we have for the new year.

DECEMBER 2012: Winter Solstice Celebration

Isis Phoenix and Sensual Woman’s Soiree joined New Moon Shakti Circle at Maha Padma Yoga Temple for the Winter Solstice. The Winter Solstice marks a turning point in The Wheel of the Year when we move from the darkness into the light through the rebirth of the Sun’s power. We reflected on the symbols of the season, the dynamic of light & dark within ourselves, and set our intentions for the New Moon.

NOVEMBER 2012: Elemental Balance

November’s circle fell two weeks after Hurricane Sandy’s dark feminine power plowed through NYC and its surrounding areas. The power of “the elements” did not need to be conjured or evoked for it was already imprinted in our experience. In this month’s circle it felt important to simply leave room for women to have refuge in community and to ask for what they needed. We spoke our stories of the past lunar cycle and cast our wish for the New Moon.

OCTOBER 2012: Samhain Divination

Samhain is the time of deepening darkness, literally meaning “Summer’s End” in Gaelic. This time between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice has potential to be a season of increased psychic sensitivity, intuition, and introspection as the veils grow thinner. We worked with the images and symbols of the traditional Tarot deck as well as Shaman Medicine Cards. Through this, develop our skills of entrainment and intuitive wisdom.

[Keep exploring: get the standard Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck HERE]

SEPTEMBER 2012: Fall Equinox Celebration 

The Autumn Equinox divides the day and night equally. We take a moment to pay our respects to the impending dark and the powers of the Wise Woman/Crone archetype. We give thanks to the waning sunlight, as we reflect on this year’s abundance and blessings. We energize on the idea of balance between light and dark. This is a time to put old business to rest as we ready for a period of relaxation and reflection which winter offers. In September, we were blessed with TWO New Moon Shakti Circles! On the night of the New Moon, in the darkness the Adirondack Mountains women of Upstate NY gathered at True North Yoga in Schroon Lake, NY. A few days later, just before the Equinox, Shakti stirred once again at Maha Padma Yoga Temple in NYC. This is the time of the year when plants drop their seeds to Mother Earth for future growth. Together, we reflected and served witness to the seeds we seek to plant and that which we hope to shed within winter finding.

“As the Wheel turns, the seasons pass, and the years give ‘way to the next / Guide me most Wise Ones lest I forget / Every beginning has an ending and every ending is a new beginning / As the days grow colder, and the nights last longer may I remember the summer past / With sunlight fading, and hearth inviting my memories will warm my soul / From a season of hard work and hard play, I hear Mother’s voice calling me forward / While I rest, shall She lull me, with songs of a dream / As close to Her bosom I cling.”

AUGUST 2012 Goddess Archetype

With the burning of Cronewort for clarity and focus, we began by our sharing personal themes of the passing lunar cycle. Present in the space was: big transitions & next steps, challenging family dynamics, need for balance of work/play, self-care practices & energetic boundaries, and a deep burning for shared sacred space with fellow women. The Moon was moving into Leo and an ambitious drive for expansion was running through the blood of many of the women present.  We shared our personal relationships with Goddess Archetypes and let that be the jumping off point for our work together. We completed our evening by journeying to find our Goddess Archetype, opened dialogue with her, and processing her teachings in community. Read ‘Dakini Yoga Bliss’ reflections of August’s circle HERE.

Cauldron of changes / Feather on a bone / Arch of eternity / Ring around a stone
We are the old people / We are the new people / We are the same people / Wiser than before

JANUARY 2012: Shakti Circle Kickoff! Lunar New Year

This intimate gathering not only fell directly on the New Moon but the Lunar New Year itself. We allowed for The Water Dragon to be our guide as we moved through our bodies; symbolically shedding old forms and stepping into that which is waiting for us. A few hours after the circle closed, I joined my doula client in the hospital. I spent the next day and a half hearing new babies and moms howl the Dragon’s song of birthing. The power of the feminine shows itself to me time and time again. It is through our tenderness and nurturing warmth. Through our wrath, passion and anger. The Goddess flows through Love. This primordial energy is in our life creating/destroying capacity. This is Shakti- potential energy.