Once in a Blue Moon - Intro.

On Dec.31^st.2009 there will be a Blue Moon which means the 2^nd full moon in the same month. The Blue Moon phenomenon usually occurs approximately every three years. The next time we will be celebrating a Blue Moon will be in August, 2012. For those of us who follow the Sacred Circle Tradition this means the crossing of the Dream Time Gates. The whole idea behind the Blue Moon is that it is a Moon of Initiation. Every three years we are basically tested or challenged on what we’ve learnt in the past three years since the last Blue Moon and offered a chance to move to a new reality of awareness and learning. If we pass the gates we are offered a major life change and if we don’t pass the gates we basically continue where we’ve left off for another three years. Unlike the Western perspective of failing and success the Blue Moon initiation only focuses on what is best for every individual. For some not making it across the gates may be the best possible solution…

There are sixteen gates on the Sacred Circle. There are eight outside gates and eight inner gates. The eight outside gates are: dolphin, spider, deer, lizard, coyote, raven, snake and owl. Each gate has its own properties and characteristics. The dolphin gate for example is about unconditional love. Spider is about fear and deer is about making choices. The lizard is about sorcery and incantation whereas the coyote is the trickster and the scavenger. The raven is the keeper of in-between and the snake is the seducer and the sexual predator. The owl is the messenger of death. I may be a bit quick and vague in defining each gate but I think people can get the picture. The idea is to reach each gate and attempt to cross them. It’s like crossing the border between Canada and the U.S. each gate basically harbours an initiator who makes sure that the people who cross deserve their crossing.

Once you’ve crossed the outside gate you then make your way towards the inner gate. The inner gates are: thunderbird, orca, eagle, dinosaur, bison, wapiti (elk) turtle and wolf. Again each gate has its own properties and characteristics. The thunderbird is about rage, anger and propulsion. It’s about movement basically. The orca is about determination whereas the eagle is the messenger. The dinosaur is about extinction and the bison is about family or community or building a Nation. The elk or the wapiti is about “not having any choice” when faced with certain circumstances in life. The turtle is about slowing time and honouring one’s story. Finally, the wolf is the pathfinder, the guide. Each gate again holds an initiator who is ready to test you. Only those who are deserving of the values at the gate will cross the gate.

You can reach the Blue Moon only once you’ve faced the challenges and crossed the gates. It is understood that once the gates are crossed each individual will have their two feet in the dreaming of the Blue Moon and will be given three years of transformation. Synchronicities, dreams and obvious, daily events will show who are the people who’ve crossed the gates and what has been given to them.

I plan to return with more entries and stories on the topic of the Gates of the Blue Moon.