How to Take Make A Visual Prayer To Leverage the Power of a New Moon, Full Moon or Eclipse.

Ahoy Life Pirates!  We are part of this incredible earth and Universe and, like us, she’s got cycles.  If we pay attention to these cycles in our lives, and work with them, they can help us mindfully shift, upgrade and expand. Whether an eclipse is on the horizon or a new or full moon, it’s always a very good time to pray: to be thankful for all we’ve been given and to ask for what we need.

Most importantly my daring and loving friend, I want you to know that YOU are a walking talking sacred space, and have come here, fully equipped, to pray!

A little about eclipses…

Eclipses, whether solar or lunar, are potent periods of transformation. When the sun or moon disappears for a period when it is normally seen, it’s a powerful wake up call…things are not going to be business as usual.  Even the beasties may fall silent in the forest for a moment.

They may serve as a strong reminder from the Universe that something in our life must change.  I like to think of them as a little bit of salty goading from the Creation,

“Stay awake [your name], gather your courage and dig deep, we need you to keep blossoming like a lotus!”

Often (but, not always) they may bring important news and signify a turning point (birth, marriage, a new contract, home sale, relationships status change, new doorway opens, somebody or something exits.  There is no turning back and things will never be this way again.

Eclipses always come in pairs associated with the new moon (a potent time to plant dream seeds) and the full moon (a time for gratitude and reviewing the “harvest” from seeds previously planted).

“Any eclipse is a significant event in the heavens. In truth a solar eclipse is just a new moon on steroids and a lunar eclipse is a full moon on steroids–they have the strength of three new moons or full moons” – Susan Miller of Astrology Zone

One beautiful way to mark these potent times (in the 72 hours surrounding an eclipse, new moon or full moon) is to create a visual prayer or mandala.  I love to use flowers and leaves.  Doing this with a child could be lovely!  They need to learn good ways to pray too:)

1. Thoughtfully gather your leaves and flowers. Sometimes I simply ask which wild flowers and plants want to be used and other times I will purchase special flowers (ideally from a local flower farm!) or (when available) I use flowers from my own organic garden

2. Choose a beautiful spot in nature for your mandala.  Sometimes I chose a secret spot that nobody will see but the songbirds and other beasties and other times I will build my visual prayer out in the open near a public trail where somebody else might encounter it. Let yourself be guided. There is no wrong way.

3. Call whoever you pray to to join you.  If you have a spirit animal or spirit helper in human form, invite them to come be with you. Or you can simply call upon the Creator or however you call upon the divine to join you as you make this prayer.

4. Begin to create with gratitude in your heart. As you hold each petal or leaf and put it into position,  lovingly bring things into your mind that you are grateful for.  I like to infuse each piece (or group of blossoms/leaves) with my breath as a I feel my gratitude.  As you build your design and continue being thankful, you will most likely feel your heart opening and expanding. Keep going- you’re really praying now!:)

5. Take your time. Do this creating with great care. And do it as like a child would…playfully and innocently.

6. Once you feel complete, pause.  This is a good time to drink in the visual beauty of the arrangement you have made and to make a prayer for the world, your community, your family/friends and yourself.  Again, there is no way to do this wrong when you do it from the heart.  I like to envision harmony and balance being restored to the earth and all of her people. I pray for strength for all to face the challenges they are facing, and I always pray for myself to be able to do everything in a good way. Sometimes, praying, I imagine all souls flying free in the sky the way eagles do. If you wonder, like I once did,  “What should I pray for exactly?”, my friend Hank, an Anishinabe elder, just laughed and he said to me, “Oh, Sarah, we just pray for EVERYTHING”.  So, pray for everything.

7.  Say thank you to whoever you called upon. You’ll have a sense it’s done and it’s time to close.  We say it’s good manners to say ‘ thank you’ to the spirits who have come to join us in ceremony and release them as they may have other business to attend to.  There is no right or wrong way, but I silently say something like this,

“Thank you _______, if you wish to go please know you go with my love and if you wish to stay with me you are always welcome!”

Afterwards,  I often take a photo to share with others.  You can feel what feels right for you!  I always think that it’s a small way I can broadcast this love, beauty and sacredness out into the world!

Please share your images with me!! I love to see these visual prayers- the world needs them and the spirits love them!!

I hope this has inspired you to feel confident in your own ability to pray like this.

much love, Sarah