full moon in March

an early morning walk yesterday to gather some autumn leaves to be used during the waning moon.. the trees are slow to colour this year, however there are little peeks of colour as the mountain trees begin to don their autumn garments. There is a crisp feel in the air, coloured leaves of magenta, burnt orange and amber, and a distinct slowing down, which pervades my soul. this is such a favourite time of mine.
I have been home for two days from the sub tropics and already I feel myself soften. I don't know what it is about Katoomba for me, but it has such an affect on me like no other place I know. I feel as if I am truly home, when I wander around the area.. I can remember when I lived at Woodford, I had a name for every full moon.. but here, I am not yet familiar with the garden or the bush.. eventually I am sure, it will fall into place..

this morning, after such a beautiful Full Moon last night, I took a walk down to the Witches Leap. I felt a need to go and do some kind of ritual, ceremony.. another gorgeous autumn day, this one with cool breeze. Divine.

as I began to walk down the path to my sacred place, I stopped at what I call the Portal Guardians, two ancient pines. I took a deep breath in and then released the anxiety that I held in my chest.
I continued down the path, stopping at the top of the stairs, to ask my spirit guides to accompany me.. Arch Angel Michael, Mary Magdalene and Mother Mary, St. Martha and St. Clare and of course my power animal of the moment - snake [but all the while hoping that snake didn't appear on my path today].. I continued down the steps with my ever growing following of spirit guides, past the guardians of the place...

to my tree..

a giant coachwood and I stopped for a few moments with my face upon her trunk - breathing in and exchanging life force with her.
then, continuing down the path to the Witches Leap to the small clearing,

where there is a smooth rock to sit upon. And I sat and read some full moon writings from Moon Woman.. and then journalled my reflections ..

" I surrender myself to the mystical forces around me ~ I ask that I am open to their support and guidance on my ever evolving journey.
I ask the Goddess of Justice to bless my continuing journey, to help me to bring balance into my life, and to support me in creating harmony in my everyday" -  and so it is.

after journalling for a short time,

I wrote on a leaf and threw it into the water, asking the spirit of place to take my intentions as a gift, the trees overhead sighed in the wind, as if to acknowledge this journey of mine. I placed  my heart on my heart chakra, asking it to be healed.. and I thanked the spirit of place.. giving them a gift of my hair.. [it is always polite to give a gift back to Earth.. usually I bring a crystal or rock, but hair is good too]
I love this place.. the peacefulness, the sacredness..

and now it is Easter.. the first Easter that I have no gorgeous table decorations, candles and chocolate. And no roast lamb on Easter Day lunch with family coming. I am going on a retreat and Joe is going on a bike ride. Not my chosen way of celebrating Easter, but that is the way it is. This is my life  now, I keep telling myself.. and oneday, I will be ok with it.. my life is beautiful still, but different. different to what I had, to what I had planned and dreamed of..
But I can make my retreat some kind of reflection on the past Easters that I  have enjoyed so much... I can play Deuter - East of Full Moon.. I can burn Equinox incense that I bought in Glastonbury.. the retreat is not a silent one, it is one learning about Plant Spirit medicine, so I will be spending alot of time with Earth.. reflecting, journalling, healing.

*it is 21 years this Easter since I converted to Catholicism.. one of the best choices I made.. because it was there that I discovered Mary... who has been a constant in my life ever since... it makes a beautiful story and one day, I shall write about it on my blog. it's not for everyone, I know.. but for me.. it is one piece that makes up the whole.*

a different full moon, and certainly a different Easter.. but here in the beautiful Blue Mountains, that I call my home, the currawongs are in full voice with their autumn song. AND SO IT IS.