#queenofthemoon

Card of the Day: #27 'Release' which is represented by the Waning Crescent Moon.

Let it go. It is time to release anything that does not serve you. Old negative habits do not engage you any more as the pay-off is not enough. You are ready to make room for bigger, brighter, more aligned things.

"I freely release what I no longer need."

There is a pay-off if we decide to finally release something we no longer need. The pay-off is as individual as you are, but there will be a universal feeling of making space for something new.

The secret to effectively releasing what no longer serves you is, in fact, knowing that the pay-off will indeed be worth it; which makes it super important to know what the positive pay-off may be. For example, giving up a habit such as smoking, which we know is detrimental to your body in that it is cancer causing (among many other things), has pay-offs. What the most important pay-off is for you may be different for someone else who is giving up the habit, but it needs to be clear to your mind, body and spirit. You might give up so that your body feels healthier generally, or so that your children and those around you aren't exposed to the smoke and chemicals, that you live longer or that all that money you are wasting on cigarettes could be used for something that is more in line with what you really want such as travel or a home- all of which are real pay-offs for which it is worth releasing the habit. In magic, in particular in spell craft, the art of release after raising power is vital to its effectiveness. Should we raise power without sending it out to the Universe or deities in a focused way, it remains stagnant or stuck. This can cause us to feel overwhelmed.

Companion stone or metal: Smoky Quartz

The spiritual difference between a waxing and a waning moon is broad and during the waning moon you will want to reflect on your life, consider the changes you have made, and whether these changes have had a positive or negative impact on you. It is important during the waning crescent that you take on an observer role toward your own life - not taking action but rather taking an overview of your life and discerning which areas of your life are in harmony and which areas feel strained.

During the waning moon, it is very important to honor your accomplishments as well as look favorably at your strengths. Personal growth is a huge central force during the waning cycle and in order to move forward and create new opportunities for yourself, you must first look back and reflect to see how far you have come.

The waning moon phase is a low energy phase and as the moon moves through its last crescent; it is important to sit back and recognize yourself as a person in full. For example, you can explore your habits, negative thoughts, and stresses that may have plagued you in this time and identify their causes and their reasons. Once you have done this you can start working toward changing these habits in the new moon phase and beyond.

#5 'Waxing Crescent'~ Growth

Reject stagnancy; to get unstuck, take action. The choice to grow should be made. Expect growing pains when making huge changes in your life. Change is a natural part of life and cannot be pushed against forever. Change should have aim and purpose. Be courageous, you will blossom!

"I choose growth."

Think of a willow tree. Willows often grow on the sandy banks of highly shift-able and changeable rivers, yet they reach huge sizes, successfully growing and holding fast in an unpredictable habitat. How do they do this? When you see a young willow on the banks, for a long while it just looks like a feeble stick. It may have a few branches and leaves, but at first the trunk will be fine and flexible rather than robust. What we don't see immediately is the root base. The willow spends a lot of time establishing a veritable root city under the surface. These roots are long and strong and very numerous, finding their way into many nooks and crannies, holding onto rocks, other established tree roots and anything that can help with their stability. These roots go off in all directions, thus securing their position just in case the Earth begins to shift. Then and only then, once these root networks are established well enough, does the willow put its energy into further growth. The trunk begins to thicken and widen and harden and travel upwards to the sky. However, as they grow, the branches have little of the trunk's supportive thickness; they have instead the instruction that they must be flexible. Flexible means they can turn with the sun and survive punishing winds that might threaten to topple the rest of the tree. All of this growth is done with purpose and a divine strategy.

The waxing lunar cycle calls for growth, but not growth without aim or purpose. When we understand our current position, accept it, and decide to change, we will naturally grow as people. We might experience some 'growing pains'; after all, transformation of any kind is rarely completely easy and trouble free. Having a strong intention of what the results of our growth will be helps with gaining the courage and resilience to move forward with our growth and into the eventual blossoming of our true self.