Because, why not?

Did you guys see Moon last night? It was one of the first nights that I’d driven in the last month, and I feel like it was because Moon wanted to show off. No joke, we had a moment. I was a minute from home, driving down the garden street, the one with the little country houses and some sort of neighborly garden-wars happening all summer long. It’s the one street where I always inch by as I look around every yard and, like clockwork, find myself immersed in the moment. It’s like a little escape, but the focus is on reality. So I’m cruising, there’s nobody else on the road, when I look up and see Moon, straight up shining down at me at full brightness. I might as well have gotten out of my car and pushed it at that point, because I stopped moving. I couldn’t help it, I had to stop and stare because it was incredible. There was a sliver of a shadow along one edge, so I assumed it was waxing and would be full tonight. I made a turn and, just like that, it was out of view and remained so for the rest of the night.

When I arrived home, I was curious, so I checked my moon app, as you do. Spot on, y’all! Moon was shining at 95.9% last night, in waxing gibbous. That means one thing, tonight is full full.

Okay now, go on and show OFF for us!

I barely know which month it is, let alone the date, so I double-checked and realized last night was right in the middle of Capricorn, and tonight’s full is in Aquarius. Interesting. So Moon was transiting my natal sun sign last night, and tonight it lands on my natal moon? It’s like the sky is walking through my chart, in real time, and I’m not only watching it, but can make real moves if I go with it? I’m in. Oh, I am all in.

Given that the sky was legit repeating what it did on the night that I was born, as I’m standing about six hundred feet from the very room where I breathed my first breath, what could possibly be more ideal? I felt like this energy needed to be soaked into the things I’ve collected in recent years. I opened my box of seashells, the ones already cleaned and waiting for their next move. I’m not exactly creating the art that I had planned to make with them, but it’s something, so let’s. Out they went, onto my windowsills (yup, plural), to soak up the glimmer. The quahogs collected throughout New England, the clamshells that I dug at my local beach after storms, and the Florida piles from that solo trip to Kice. During this last year, checking tide charts immediately after the weather became routine without even realizing it. I’m absolutely fascinated with how everything has its place, but eventually merges into a flow. Sun’s shadows and light reflect off of Moon, which then pushes and pulls the tides. All of the little (and big) creatures have to just go with the flow, literally. Ever notice that on those super calm beach nights, during a half-moon, it feels the most balanced, like the universe is at rest? And then it moves into a new phase, when we’re asking all sorts of things from it. On new moons, we ask to receive and set intentions, whereas on full moons, we express gratitude for its role in our world and for all we have. The only balance in between asking and thanking, a moment to rest itself, is during each half-moon, when the pull stabilizes the push and waves are relaxed. It’s like the universe is saying to us, “Not now, I need a nap.” Well, good for us, because tonight is not such a night. In fact, Moon is doing the most, so I feel like I shall as well. Let’s get into a ritual, I could use a whimsical distraction.

Up to this point, my favorite moon rituals have been charging stones that I use to make jewelry, sleeping with the windows open to let the air flow through, and making moon water. Yup, moon water. As in pani left out under the moonlight in a glass jar. That’s all it is. Just tap water (I use well water), a glass jar, and moonlight. Oh, and obviously intentions and an openness to receiving. That’s the magic, y’all, your own good vibes.

The last full moon was two nights after Sister passed, one month from now. It wasn’t my first go at making moon water, but this time, I decided to play chemist. I worked with what I had on hand: well water, fresh rose petals from her home, lavender seeds from mine, and, because they were in view, I tossed in a few drops of essential oils. That’s it. Revolutionary, right? Previously, I’ve used it to pour some into a glass spray bottle and spritz it on me throughout the day and as a primer spray before my tinted sunscreen. Since I used oil this time, I don’t care for it on my face, but my son loves it. I spritz his laundry and keep one in his bathroom, to sprinkle his nose with love each day. At night, he gets a dose of lavender. It brings me back to me, as in the intentions that I set during the new moon. I’ve also used the non-oil version to spray my plants and they didn’t die, so there’s that. Sometimes I make ice with the residuals, for a little face de-puffing after a workout, and other times I save it as a final rinse for my hair. Nothing groundbreaking occurs, I mean I don’t feel any less my age, and definitely haven’t experienced any glitter coming out of my holes, but it is a healthy (and cheap) way to zap you back into the moment. Small distractions like this have helped me get through some of the more stressful hours, days, and weeks of life. I guess that’s what makes it magic, right?

For the curious:

I placed the rose petals and a massive rose quartz in one small lidded jar, and in another, a decent sized amethyst and a handful of lavender seeds. I filled both with water, along with one larger jar with only water, and placed all three of them outside on Sister’s patio table. Moon always dazzles back there, so it was a given they’d soak up the glimmer and, on that night, I knew she was a part of that glow. Two days later, my amethyst moon water smelled like a mix of lavender and jasmine, and the rose quartz version like gardenia and fresh roses. Both smelled so damn good. I’m sensitive to scents (hello, part wolf here), so I strained, cut, diluted, and then strained again, cut again, and diluted again. Still smelled great, but I repeated the process until it eventually became clear.

So now I basically spray this stuff like a madwoman, but at least I smell good and feel, well, all Moon-y. It’s the little things, right?

Sidenotes: Remember Asa, from Bravo, and her “diamond water”? Am I… Asa?! Welp.