I recently listened to a dharma talk by Buddhist teacher Tara Brach about honesty. She described a cartoon featuring two dinosaurs who look up and see an asteroid hurtling towards the Earth. One reassures the other, “Maybe it won’t be so bad.”
The problem with denial is that it prevents us from seeing things as they are and thus renders us incapable of responding effectively and adaptively. (not that it would have helped the dinosaurs!) This can be true on a personal level, like when we deny the impact of any habitual behaviors that degrade our health, like poor diet, alcohol consumption, lack of movement, or the impact of toxic relationships. Lack of acknowledgment of self-harm enables us to continue the destructive patterns. This also plays out on a collective level, such as the catastrophes we regularly experience now related to climate change and our denial of the need to change our behavior.
Denial is a form of lying. Collectively it increases feelings of hatred and separation. Brach noted the persistence of lies promulgated about the integrity of the 2020 election’s corrosive effect upon democracy, and how the denial of our country’s legacy of slavery is perpetuating the horrors of systemic racism. Denial is a maladaptive way of coping with fear and shame. The consequences of the pandemic and exponentially accelerating technological advances are intensifying the speed of change, resulting in disorientation, polarization, black-and-white thinking, blaming, and scapegoating, as well as the embrace of conspiracy theories. Brach identifies the illusion of separateness and denial of our fundamental interconnectedness as the lie that is at the heart of our suffering.
Between November 30 and December 1, 2024 (depending on your time zone) there will be a new moon in Sagittarius. Truth and freedom are essential qualities of the archetype of Sagittarius. New moons always represent new beginnings and provide energetic support for intention setting, but this new moon is particularly potent as it will be the first new moon since Pluto entered Aquarius on November 19th, where it will remain until January of 2044. When slow-moving Pluto changes signs, it correlates with a major sea change and shift in the collective consciousness. This astrological event heralds the beginning of a tsunami of change that is predicted to intensify in the Spring of 2025. Dedicate yourself to holistically caring for yourself, your loved ones, and the community as together we navigate the transformative times ahead. This period will be an initiation, a rite of passage into a new world.
To cultivate resilience, clarity, and inner peace, witness yourself repeatedly throughout the day. Check in and notice what you are feeling. Are you tired, or do you feel sad, or are you feeling grateful and finding moments of joy despite it all? Brach quoted the 13th-century Persian poet and Sufi mystic Rumi asking “Do you make regular visits to yourself? ” She recommended saying this simple phrase to yourself, “It’s like this right now.” Name your state to yourself. She said that our ultimate refuge is Truth, and I agree. Unfaced realities only cause suffering and the truth sets us free. Ask yourself the question, “How am I lying to myself? What behaviors would I change were I to truly acknowledge the reality of what is happening in my life? How would that both protect and set me free?”
I would like to recommend a ritual of honoring the new moon which can be meaningful, grounding, balancing, and organizing during this time of chaos. This practice will strengthen your connection to the cosmos, to the cycles of light and dark, and the rhythms of the natural world. New moons are about intention setting and planting seeds. They are about renewal.
Here are detailed instructions about how to conduct a new moon ritual:
- Set aside time when you will be undisturbed and take a few moments to reflect upon your intentions regarding what you would like to manifest at a moment when there is so much cosmic support for new beginnings.
- Take a shower, apply fragrant lotion to your body with loving intention, and put on fresh clothing.
- Prepare Holy Basil tea (Tulsi). Holy Basil is a sacred adaptogenic herb revered in India for its powerful support of the integration of mind, body, and spirit. Here is a recipe
- Create a feeling of sacredness by lighting a candle, and burning bay leaves, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme to support cleansing and manifestation.
- Place your hands on your heart and feel the warmth. Breathe into your heart center with slow deep breaths. Visualize your intentions coming true, and imagine the feelings that you would experience if you were living this reality. Imagine feeling healthy, whole-hearted, and peaceful.
- Write down your intentions using positive language as though it is happening or has already happened. For example, it works better to say ” I am cultivating a heart that is ready for anything.” rather than “I am releasing my fear.”
- Express gratitude to the Universe.
- Take a symbolic action meant to represent the manifestation of your intentions. For example, I made a drawing of a heart with a peace symbol in it.
I would love to hear about your experiences if you decide to try it.
Here is the talk by Tara Brach:
