Exploring Possibilities and Navigating Obstacles Under a First Quarter Moon
On a late spring afternoon, I found myself back on a familiar nature trail, one I had walked a hundred times. I knew the twists and turns of the trail and always had a plan in my mind of how far I could go given the time I had – and where I would cut right to circle back around. What I wasn’t prepared for on this particular day was having a fallen tree blocking the path I typically took to return to the trailhead. It caught me by surprise, yet with the windstorm we had two nights prior, maybe it should have been expected.
I now had a choice to make. Should I climb over the tree to continue on the path I knew? Or should I turn around and retrace my steps, knowing that it wouldn’t give me the distance I had committed to before I started my hike?
As I quickly pondered what to do, I caught a glimpse of another trail to my left, one I had passed on many occasions but never took. I had no idea where it led, but in this moment, I found myself rather curious. I knew I had an extra hour before I needed to be anywhere, and I started to wonder if it was the day to try a different route.
Admittedly, I was a little concerned that I might get too far off the main trail, but I told myself that I could always backtrack if the path ran for too long. At that point, the decision was made, and off I went.
The trail took me deeper into the forest and around a curve with an uphill climb. It offered a more vigorous workout than my usual path, and for that, I was thankful. It eventually led into an open meadow with a wonderful selection of wildflowers. They were so colorful that I had to slow down to take them all in. Wandering through the meadow, I found myself back on a forest path that took me to a ledge overlooking a pond filled with water lilies that sparkled in the sunlight. I was quite amazed by what I was seeing and decided to park myself on a rock to take it all in.
This detour provided an opportunity to reflect on paths not taken and what opportunities I might have missed by taking more familiar routes. It seemed to be an ongoing theme in my midlife journey. And here I was, staring at an environment that had been there all along, but in my many moments of choosing to stay on the beaten path, I had missed it. It made me wonder what else was under my nose that I hadn’t yet opened my eyes to see. What else was waiting for me to notice it?
In that moment of questioning, I looked up at the sky and noticed the first quarter moon phase, already present in the late afternoon. To the naked eye, I could see half of what would eventually become a full moon, and I became curious about the other half that was still hiding out in darkness. It was another daytime moon in my midlife transition, and it seemed to be calling my name, this time with an invitation to explore paths not taken.
What Is Calling Your Name?
As you ponder your own midlife journey, reflecting on creative dreams that have gone unrealized, what comes to mind when you reflect on paths not taken? What dreams are still calling your name? Do you recall where you were at that point in your life and why you chose not to venture in that direction? Or maybe your direction was chosen for you due to circumstances that were beyond your control.
Imagine looking up at the sky and seeing a first quarter moon as you breathe in the energy of the light you see while also acknowledging that half of the moon you are seeing is still immersed in darkness. Allow yourself to be curious about any creative dreams that have gone unrealized. What’s still sitting on a shelf hanging out in the dark? What’s still calling your name?
Return to those moments where you were dancing on the border between darkness and light, wanting to move in a particular direction, but for whatever reason, you couldn’t go there. Give yourself permission to be with these creative dreams by noting them in your journal, bringing light to what might feel lost in the dark.
What creative desires are still calling for you?
The First Quarter Moon
Looking up at the sky and seeing a moon half full of light reminds us of our creative potential. When we ponder the transitions and opportunities in our lives, we can choose to look at this moon phase as half-light with lots of room for possibilities and expansion. Or we can look at it as half-dark with lots of space to hide, wondering about the safety of being seen as a creative dreamer, triggering our doubts and insecurities.
As we look at the brightness of this magnificent lunar object, we can feel a sense of wonderment. There is potential in territories not yet explored, and at the same time, it is only natural to wonder what craters or bumpy roads may lie ahead as we carefully contemplate creative yearnings that have found a place in the cobwebs of our mind. What might be revealed when we shed light on those dreams?
The first quarter moon signals the balance between light and dark. It serves as a breakthrough point between our creative potential and our tendency to hold back out of doubt or fear.
Obstacles attempting to block new insights, keeping our creative desires from emerging into light, will begin to show themselves. And feelings of fear, doubt, guilt, or resentment may surface. Yet the power of our creative potential can overcome any thoughts that may keep us from moving ahead. If we can apply the moon’s half-light metaphor to our journey of creative self-discovery, we are giving ourselves permission to move ahead in this exploration of new frontiers with a trust that we will indeed overcome any obstacles that may block our path.
As you continue to contemplate your midlife creative calling and the shifts that are needed to support it, both internally and externally, what possibilities do you see for yourself when you look at it from a moon half-light perspective?
I invite you into the safety of your journal to explore the potential of routes not yet taken. What might you stumble across as you embark on a meandering path?
About Tina Games
