How to Pay Attention This Week

The moon has a way of reminding us that we can be pulled by it just as the tides of the ocean are.

There was a time in my life when I forgot to pay attention to the moon. Living amongst the city lights or traveling the world and living from one side of the planet to another, I lost track of the rhythm of this part of our days. When we moved to the hill we call home now, I noticed the moon right away that year because as it would set in the middle of the winter to the southwest, it shined into my eyes from my bed. I could watch it at midnight fill the snowy landscape with a glow that shone through the entire house. The moon became so apparent to me in those days.

At first, I was annoyed. I was frustrated by how it drew me from sleep in the depths of winter. It bothered me so much that I got an app to know when the full moon would pass, and the new moon would come. Then, I began to note how the moon aligned with my body as a woman. I realized how connected the moon was to our feelings, life, perspectives, creativity, sleep, and more.

In the summer, I find it harder to note the moon’s movement. The brighter and shorter nights don’t lend our attention to it as much. Sure, we can still find it hanging above us as the sun sets in the west and I am in the soil, but in the winter, we see it even more than the sun some days. Many times, the clouds will clear in the evening, and on a full moon after fresh snow, it can feel brighter than it did during the day.

As we descend to the longest night of the year and then we will begin our rise back to the light, I want to encourage you to begin to pay attention to the moon’s phases. The subtle ways it changes and shifts and how you align with it in your body, mind, and soul. It will take the entirety of the winter to really feel this, but starting now will be helpful. We are currently at the end of the New Moon, which means the moon is beginning again. By the time we reach Solstice, the moon will be halfway full and becoming full by the day after Christmas.

Spend time in the coming days as the shape shifts, taking in its power. Below, I detail more about how I track the moon and more, but no matter what, I spend time paying attention to the sky in this season. The darkness of this season can be heavy, but it can also offer new perspectives.

Read more about how to pay attention this season by becoming a paid subscriber for only $5 a month (even less if you subscribe for the year). You can also access events and guides for each season.

PS. Paid Subscribers, you will be getting your winter guide before the holidays so you can soak into the new season during the break during the holidays.