by Lia Opstal-Dees
Just as in nature there is a cycle of construction, flowering, decay and death, so the Moon also has a cycle with the four most famous lunar phases. The Dark Moon is the Moon that is not visible to us. With the New and Waxing (increasing) Moon, a crescent moon can be seen, which grows in a week to a half Moon. Another week later, the Moon is full and decreases again to a half Moon in the following week. In the following week, the Moon gets smaller and smaller and finally becomes invisible again. Each lunar cycle lasts 29.5 days. The Moon has a different influence on us at each stage. By attuning to this, you can use this influence to explore things in your life and in yourself, to let go or to give them a place and to shape new things.
The Dark Moon is a good time to start something new and / or to let go of unwanted patterns or unhealthy habits. You can do this, for example, by writing what you want to release on a piece of paper and burning it in the fire. With the Dark Moon you also put down what you want to work on this Moon cycle, what you want to tackle, change or what you want to work on further. You set your intentions for the coming lunar cycle. You can shape this by taking the evening of the Dark Moon in your mind or literally taking steps. At every step you feel and think about the intention or intentions you want to achieve in the two weeks ahead. Dream your dreams with the Dark Moon in silence. Allow yourself to rest and reflect and listen carefully to your own intuition.
The New and Waxing Moon is the time of growth and building. You feel your energy increase and everything you tackle now has a good chance of success. Now is the time to take action and consciously choose who you want to be and what you want to do. Make your wishes heard and you can focus outside. Take control and take the initiative yourself.
The Full Moon has an energy that is at its peak. You can feel this well. This can give a tense feeling, but also (old) emotions and feelings can now surface. Creativity flows and it is easier to listen to your intuition. A time to celebrate your successes and follow your passion. Look at yourself from a distance and observe what you have already achieved in recent weeks and what you still have to work on. Celebrate your own moments of success! Feel grateful for everything you have already achieved.
The Waning Moon has an energy that will become less and less. The time to turn in and learn about yourself. Research what you have left behind and what you want to tackle the next lunar cycle. Your energy decreases and you need to slow down. Now is the time to clean up and cleanse, both in your home and inwardly. This way you are ready to start the next cycle with Dark Moon. This is the basis of working with the Moon cycle. Every year has 12 Moons. However, once every two to three years there is, as I call it, a Magical Moon. An extra Full Moon in a month. Such a Full Moon is a gift and an opportunity to experience the theme of a particular Moon cycle even more. Every season has 3 Moons. Just as every season has its own energy, every Moon cycle has it too, matching the season in which the Moon cycle falls.
The Dark Moon symbolizes the Winter Time. Focused on your inner being, peace and introspection and connected to the element Earth. Feminine power is abundant.
The New and Waxing Moon symbolize the Spring Time. Growth, construction, fertility with a view of the outside world and connected with the element Air. Masculine qualities can be in the foreground.
The Full Moon symbolizes the Summer Time. Pure bloom, passion, gratitude, celebration and even more “are” in the outside world and connected with the element of Fire. The male powers are often expressed through the expressive.
The Waning Moon symbolizes the Autumn Time. Letting go of what can no longer serve you, what you no longer need. Take more rest and start to focus inwards and connect with the element of Water. Feminine qualities demand attention.
We have little written information about the old Gaulish-Gaul worldview. This part seasons, the cosmic principles and the Three Worlds of Western Europe, before the Romans and Franks began to predominate here, spoke the Gaul or Celtic language. There is almost no literature in this language, as we have in Greek, Latin, Irish and Welsh. Through inscriptions we get the information about their worldview, the view on the
various studies on this special language and peoples provide a deeper picture of their experience of the present, past and future by comparing, studying and connecting them. All this also gives us a glimpse into their thoughts.
In Old Common Celtic as a language, there are two connecting and also dualistic principles, which together lead to BALANCE. In order to live in wholeness and balance, both of these would be necessary. They support each other to Wholeness and Life Itself.
There is no evidence that in Gaulish there were words for these two principles, however linguistic / linguistic reconstructions show that the words already existed in Old Common Celtic. It is inconceivable that these words would not have brought it as heritage to Gaulish, which is therefore later than the Old Common Celtic.
The Celts divided the year into two parts: the Dark and the Light Time. This time division has to do with the two solstices. The Dark Time ran from about September 21 to about March 21. The Light Time from March 21 to September 21. They called the Dark Time Giamos, the Light Time Samos. Every half year has a different energy.
SAMOS, is the cosmic principle of SUMMER, the Upper World, the daily rhythm / experience, order, the living world. Samos is outward-looking, active and shows your light side, your conscious. The word “the tame” also applies here, which means: to bring under authority, to master, to subdue, to take possession of. It is the time of LIGHT.
GIAMOS, is the cosmic principle of WINTER, the Lower World, the night rhythm / experience, chaos, the dead world.Giamos is turned inward, passive and brings you to your subconscious mind. Here the words “the wild and the magical” apply, which means: the stormy, unimproved and savage, the magical, enchanting, bewitching and magical. It is the time of the DARK.
These changing principles take shape in Day and Night, the growing Moon and the retreating Moon.
The basis, however, remains that at any time, the Spiritual Influences are always there with the message of CONNECTION.
In early Irish Cosmology we find the basic principle of The Three Worlds in the oath, incantation, pledges, vows and prayers. The Celtic linguists use the ancient words The Heaven, Earth or the World and The Deep. Also in Gaulish we find Sky, Land and Sea. Albios is the SKY, a Samos principle. Dumnos is the the DEEP, a Giamos principle. Bitus is this WORLD, the home of the people, animals, plants and different spirits, between the UPPER and LOWER WORLDS.
Other words that come from Gaelic-Scots for the feminine and masculine principle, with certain meanings and also some Irish influences are:
BOIREAM, feminine, female fox, a big rock, earth and a stony area.
FIREAM, masculine, intellectual.
The Giamos and Samos division fits all polarities. Once you understand this, you can apply it in your life and balance will arise. Balance in yourself and balance around you.
Giamos also stands for the feminine and Samos for the masculine principle. Working with these principles makes you reconnect. In connection with nature, and ultimately with yourself. Because we humans are part of nature and respond to the rhythm of nature. However much we try to get around that with electric light, food grown with artificial light or in a distant, warm country. Imbalance occurs when we lose the connection with nature and its rhythm, with Giamos and Samos. If one of the two polarities is not or insufficiently addressed. If we lose the connection, duality can arise. Sometimes this is exactly what we see in our society. Everything is focused on growth, constant performance and being active. We live in a 24-hour society where there is hardly any room for rest. There is no or insufficient alternation between the polarities. We approach them as duality: it is either Light or Dark, you are either active or passive. While in nature we see that there is variety. Light becomes Dark and Dark becomes Light, action becomes rest and tranquility becomes action. All this in a cyclical rhythm. Thus the feminine and masculine principle bring harmony and balance which is a gift to humanity and a pure blessing.