December’s Full Moon
Día de las Velitas (Day of the Little Candles)
There is a Colombian holiday tradition of lighting rows and rows of candles on the night of December 7 to celebrate the proclamation of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX at the Vatican in Rome on December 8, 1854. This proclamation basically acknowledges that the female and male aspects of divinity are equal.
It is said that Catholics all over the world lit candles in anticipation of the proclamation the next day. Día de las Velitas commemorates this moment.
In the past, Margarita told me, families used to put candles into bags or boxes with holes cut in beautiful designs, and sit outside their homes while the candles burned down. Each candle is lit while making a prayer or intention. As Margarita, Luca, Shona, Soraiah, Rafa and I walked, we did pass a few such little gatherings on the street. But the main event was in the Parque Central, where clusters of families and children were lighting their candles, so that the whole park was lit up. It’s very festive, people hang out and chat, some drinking beer, some focused on keeping the children from burning themselves with the dripping wax and wavering flames of multicolored candles.
Of course in a small town like Barichara, everyone knows practically everyone. Lucero and Macaya were there, Carlos and Maritza, Arturo, Diana, Santiago, Nix, Juanita and Alejo and their daughter Zoe, Esmeralda and her little girl, the visiting French family (Julie, Benoit and their children), and many other people whose names I didn’t remember. I was introduced to Mago, who leads Temazkal (sweat lodge) ceremonies. There were a lot of fireworks and firecrackers making plenty of noise!
Full Moon
As I write this, there’s a beautiful full moon in a clear night sky. In the northern hemisphere, it’s the longest full moon night of the year. Full moons represent completion. Quoting Stephen David Hewitt:
“The Moon represents our feelings, habits and subconscious drives, and Mars is the activator planet, intensifying the power of any planet it forms an aspect to. However, in this case, Mars is retrograde, meaning its activation energy is turned toward our inner world. And since both are in Gemini, this has to do with how we think, communicate, and perceive our reality. How do we put together the information we receive to create our day-to-day world view of our experience? Are we victims of circumstance? How do we frame the suffering we experience?…
“With such strong Moon/Mars retro in Gemini energy, our thoughts could become quite scattered and directionless, or even reactive. Remember that the Sun is in Sagittarius, and sheds light onto the energies of faith, of the larger picture, of using our accumulated wisdom to deal with the most difficult aspects of living on Planet Earth in this most challenging time.”
From the Modern Gypsy website: The Sabian Symbol for the full moon in Gemini is The head of a robust youth changes into that of a mature thinker. Lynda Hill writes, “it’s time to use your intuition and intellect. Look to what’s being learnt and allow wisdom to shine through…acknowledge the ‘youthful’ mindset that is now changing, evolving and growing. Think things through and look to the consequences of your actions.”
This symbol reminds us that there are times in our lives when we need to grow up, become more mature. Circumstances may demand that of us, or we may realize that we can go only so far if we don’t stop to think things over and consider them more deeply.
The Harvest
Since full moons represent completion, I am looking back on the year 2022 and harvesting its gifts, and I invite you to do the same!
- Increased respect for indigenous wisdom on how to live well with All our Relations, especially Mother Earth, Sister Water, our sisters the plants and trees, our brothers and sisters the winged ones, animals, and fish; and the fumbling, crazy humans
- Greater awareness of the power of love and gratitude, of validating and sending heart energy to those I meet, of all species
- Observing how my emotions are caused by my automatic judgmental, critical, or unloving thoughts
- Less frequently giving in to fears or self-judgments
- Living affordably in a breathtakingly beautiful, safe and friendly small pueblo, with freedom to volunteer my time
- Connecting with an inspiring group of people, with team planting and maintaining agroforestry systems, learning, hands in dirt; and Casa Comun cooperative
- Gradual improvements in Spanish comprehension and expression
- Living in a small community with sharing of meals and chores; contributing through cooking for all; gradual integration into a larger progressive community
- Making more new friends and deepening some friendships
- One nearly completed biogas digester, two repaired; learning a lot more about biodigesters and teamwork
- Raising more funds for biodigesters, thanks to the generosity of friends!
- Living simply, lower fossil fuel footprint, healthy active lifestyle
- Writing poetry and blogging
- Greater commitment to my own healing
- More meditation and perspective
- Precious time with my father (in perhaps his last months of life), giving service, sharing love