CANCER NEW MOON GUEST CONTRIBUTORS : JAMES CAMPBELL & DAVID GRINLY
SAT 10 JUL 02:16 - Mooning Monthly finding the positives in pessimism....
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Welcome to another edition of MOON LIT, the international platform for lunar influenced new literature, this month graced by the sun drenched summer poetry of folk lore enthusiast and Green Man incarnate, Philip Leamon.
And what does this Gemini New Moon have in store for those of a moonish persuasion? Well, it's our first solar eclipse of the year for starters, when Lady Luna perfectly blocks the face of Lord Sun to create the heavenly visual spectacle of a perfect ring of fire. This phenomenon will only be visible at extreme northern latitudes so if you're lucky enough to find yourself camping by the North Pole at sunrise on Wednesday, don't forget to set your alarm.
Astrological tradition suggests that any new moon is a propitious signal to sow seeds of conscious intent, confident that with nurturing, a bountiful harvest may be gathered under future full moons. When you add a solar eclipse into that creative equation, the opportunities for mindful manifestation are magnified manyfold.
The planetary alignments of this particular solar/lunar axis have got those in astrological circles all hot under the collar, some going as far as to suggest it's in the running for the most powerful galactic event of 2021. That said, it might be considered rude not to utilise such readily available cosmic influence to optimal effect....so let's give it a go.
Gemini has great mental agility reflected in its silver tongued communication skills. Feeling the full clout of a solar eclipse we are likely to be a fountain of new ideas and plans. Key to their fruition will be clear, concise communication and maintaining concentration. Gemini can be a little bit flighty (understatement) and as a solar eclipse consequence we may find ourselves temporarily bored, listlessly searching for the next tantalising tit bit of interest without seeing anything through to completion.
This week we could benefit from setting ourselves the target of improving the clarity of our communication. This includes the not very Gemini skill of listening. And I'm not talking solely about communication with those around us. I'm suggesting we should be just as focused on the internal dialogue that ceaselessly rattles along within us, usually without being paid any attention at all.
The relationship with the Self is quite often ignored in favour of a relationship/obsession with what we think the self needs or desires. This imagined wishlist has nothing to do with the simple innocence of the true Self which actually requires very little to find a tangible experience of Love - the feeling/thing/experience most of us claim we're ultimately after.
Many wisdom traditions suggest that the experience of Love arises as soon as we let go of what our minds think we need and let our hearts do the talking instead. But how many of us take time out to listen to it's gentle, reassuring commentary? This is the perfect week to start reacquainting ourselves with that internal conversation, the one that accompanied us unabated as small children.
This is the week to listen hard to the stories we're telling ourselves that often hijack the positive intents we're trying to encourage into being. We are currently in the middle of a three week Mercury retrograde which tends to play havoc with message misinterpretation and tech issues. A strong recommendation would be to distance ourselves from all social media during the next fortnight for fear of getting the wrong end of various sticks. Many of those sticks are the ones we use to beat ourselves up, the classic being the I'm Not Worthy birch whip. Give up the self flagellation, along with any media involvement that makes you feel small in comparison to others. This is a new moon under which to genuinely fall in love with the You you know yourself to be.
Under this Gemini New Moon Solar Eclipse we are perfectly poised to rewind and reassess the life messages that we may have misread. Social and cultural conditioning may have persuaded us that happiness lies in an ever expanding desire for 'improved' largely material circumstances but how many consulted the heart about those stressful, anxiety boosting, joy restricting parameters?
Ultimately this is the new moon of second chances. An astral window in which to revisit, remember and reappraise in order to align with the eternal goal of the heart which is to love - EVERYTHING. If you don't love who you think you are or the circumstances in which you find yourself, commit to being something different - which logically, is simply to love. This is a subtle but seismic shift of awareness. It is but a choice. In Love we merge into all there is and ever was; we are whole, together and healed; a recognised vital, integral part of this miraculous unified experience of life that could just as easily be called Love itself.
Let's take every opportunity under the forthcoming Gemini New Moon Solar Eclipse to listen to, connect with and act upon the message of Love in our hearts for the benefit of Love in All.
Welcome to MOON LIT, the international platform for lunar influenced new literature, this month enlivened by the munificent poetic presence of author, comedian and broadcaster James Campbell. As an added visual treat we feature a gallery of 13 sublimely considered photographic artworks (one for every new moon of the year) by Scottish photographer, art historian, philosopher and general renaissance man, David Grinly. Cultural treasures indeed so do make sure you scroll through to the end of this message to experience these extraordinary luminous jewels in their full splendour.
And so to this weekend's Cancer New Moon. It's a tricky, slightly pessimistic forecast I'm afraid. What might have been a full bodied embrace of exciting positive change, hard won liberty and greater self awareness, rather hits the buffers of compromise under current astral aspects.
Our love lives are likely to be on high alert with our desirous drives unsettling normal routine. Wandering eyes and attitudes might lead to dalliances we may soon regret and while I am loathed to ever give direct advice in this column, the coming fortnight is not the one in which to get involved with someone you don't know.
This stretches to our financial and professional spheres too. Although we should be encouraged to instigate planning for our next big projects we should be wary of new faces in the mix, perhaps offering finance or promises of great tomorrows, overtures that are set to bring only discontent to our todays.
There's a pathway through these potential tripping hazards in the form of gentle compromise and partnership. Investing in communal activity with those you know and trust is likely to strengthen those bonds and bring great benefit to your wider associated world. Neighbourly behaviour unsurprisingly leads to a nicer neighbourhood so the suggestion here would be to positively engage with your immediate surroundings.
Strong personal partnerships/relationships will ride the vagaries of this Cancer New Moon commensurate with an ability to hear and respect the other side of any 'discussion' that might arise. The choice to meet another half way on an issue can redefine the often negative connotations of compromise and build firm foundations for trusting adventure when the moment arrives.
There will probably be further setbacks, financial hits and disastrous romantic flits under this Cancer New Moon but we should have enough good humour, intuition. creative innovation and self awareness in reserve to see us through....just.
Ultimately this is a new moon in which to hold tight. The imminent easing of Covid restrictions might be emblematic of a sudden urge to get out and mingle just because we can. It may seem like an enticing prospect currently but actually, what is offered in expectation over the next couple of weeks will likely be answered with disappointment.
One thing Lockdown has proven to many of us is that time spent on our own and with those closest to us can be time well spent. Our internal world, that intuitive aspect of ourselves that so often gets ignored when we're caught up in the relentless seductive drama of external circumstance, was hard to avoid during the past year and a half. We have grown as a result.
We should not forget as we determine our 'new normal' that the reanimating drama of external affairs is not what defines or validates us. Rather, it is the still small voice most audible in the calming silence of solitude: the life breath in everything, paradoxically separate from nothing and no one, that resonates with our truest being. It is the voice, experience and legitimacy of Love - the essence that binds us all.
Let's take every opportunity under this slight downer of a Cancer New Moon to find intimate unifying partnership with ourselves, that we may share more fully our love of life for the benefit of Love in All.
I am delighted that I've been able to persuade James Campbell to contribute a poem to this month's edition of MOON LIT.
A renowned comedian, children's author and broadcaster, James has been making people laugh onstage, onscreen and on the page for over twenty years. He has performed in theatres and festivals around the world with runs on Broadway, in Toronto, in London’s West End (three runs) and at the Royal Albert Hall.
His hugely successful Boyface series of books are published by Hodder. Oddly enough, these were illustrated by yours truly. His latest book The Funny Life Of Football will be published by Bloomsbury later in 2021, other titles in the series are The Funny Life Of Pets, The Funny Life Of Teachers and The Funny Life Of Sharks.Write Your Own Funny Stories was also published by Bloomsbury in 2021
What most people don't realise is that James is also a very accomplished poet on the quiet and readers of MOON LIT are the privileged beneficiaries of a rhythmically rhymed poem exclusively composed for us in the run up to the Summer Solstice. The honour is ours in the reading folks. Humour is so often a missing poetic ingredient, but James' lunar lyricism is never far away from a gag. Feel free to chuckle away.
MOON I’m always surprised when I see her in the sky
With her face like a round pat of butter I’m always surprised when she pops up at night As it seems such an odd place to put her. If I were in charge I would keep her in a jar With the lid tightly kilnered and rubbered. If I were in charge I would fold her with stars On a shelf in my mum’s airing cupboard. But when I was in charge I never looked up I was numb to her silvery tug So I stand my guard down I am happy to drown Submerged in her watery hug.
James Campbell 2021
Invitingly, the doors of our very own art gallery MOON LIT DISPLAY remain wide open to moon led viewers. Exhibiting drawings, paintings, prints and sculpture with a lunar bent, visual artists share their most recent creative output alongside our literary guests, ensuring our exhibits complement the contemporary, enquiring nature of the poetry.
Under this Cancer New Moon may I draw your attention to the engaging, considered work of Scottish photographer, writer, art historian, and teacher David Grinly. He is the current chair of the Bam Pot Foundation, a society that helps support practicing visual artists in the often challenging mid/late stages of their careers. His teaching focuses on photography and philosophy to degree level at Edinburgh College. He lectures internationally on the same themes and has appeared regularly on radio and television. A man sensitively positioned stent-like at the beating heart of Scottish Fine Art, his prolific output has been a huge influence to me and I am honoured to share it with youze.
You can catch up with more of that prolific output yourselves on David's website: www.davidjamesgrinly.com
His work is also available for viewing on Instagram should you be that way inclined: @davidjamesgrinly
DAVID JAMES GRINLY
PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS
All works copyright and courtesy of David James Grinly
Just so you know, MOON LIT seeks to present literature and artwork that celebrates and reveres, marvels, champions and cherishes, whilst never shirking the necessary excavation of life's rich shadows in search of the priceless shining diamonds within. Each edition is a poetic invitation to contemplate our reading of, and reaction to, circumstance, that we may more consciously direct our thoughts, words and actions toward positive benefit for All.
Throughout 2021 MOON LIT will offer a monthly meditative pause under the poetic guidance of our distinguished literary guests. It is hoped readers will find time in hectic schedules to unhurriedly savour their literary craft; to read and reread these new perspectives on the miraculous, beguiling life experience to which we all belong.
MOON LIT publishes at new moon alongside its full moon sister publication MOONING MONTHLY that offers loosely astrological lunar forecasts for the coming month. (Mooning Monthly 118 'SUMMER QUICKIE' still available here) Subscribe for free HERE at your leisure to ensure both emails hit your inbox when it matters.
And of course, do please share MOON LIT with friends and family of similar lunar sensitivities, in the hope that this illuminating endeavour brightens our currently challenging, darkened times with the light of beauty and Love.
With love 'til next time
Mark
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