Leo Full Moon Meditation

FULL MOON MEDITATION
MOON IN AQUARIUS, REFLECTING SUN IN LEO

AUGUST 12th, 12 noon

‘Leo is the sign of the child, and the more we can enter into meditation in a simple, childlike spirit with humility, playfulness and joy, having surrendered the outer mind of intellect that is also associated with Aquarius, the deeper our contact can be. Then, true healing can take place within the individual, within the group and for all life.’ [Jane Lewis, 2022]

Aquarian style leadership as the art of creating and holding sacred space, while with courage we share our heart’s radiant inspiration. [image Mair Forder]

York City in the Sign of Leo: Guardian trees along the River Ouse, which joins the River Foss to create a grail space for the city chakras.
(from pilgrimage in 2018 and 2019). Within the walls a string of churches align with the Clifford’s Tower and Minster. Each chakra has a role to play for pilgrims.

York a city of cultural fusion in the sign of Leo, and was the centre of the Roman Empire: layers of sacred space and hidden pilgrim tracks and trees. Near these trees is the site of St George’s chapel, starting the chakric process at the Root, ending with the Minster where Constantine’s statue displays lion heads on his boots.

The Minster at the crown chakra - montage of images from York Minster, with the Roman pillar, black dragon, and the ceiling of the Chapter House imitating the canopy of a woodland sanctuary.The Gothic architecture of the Minster mirrors natural forms: the Chapter House ceiling imitates the canopy of a woodland sanctuary. The heart motif is found in the West window.

York is a city full of significant leadership in cultural transformations with Constantine ruling the Roman world from his mother's home city. The landscape of the city is built around two rivers, Ouse (a strong male quality with fat guardian trees) and Foss (a subtle, female quality ​with willows, water lilies and geese).

The two Rivers and a guardian goose. [Charlotte Yonge 2019]

When Christianity was accepted, the old and the new mingled. Archaeologists found the Roman pillar under the transepts of the Minster, kept as a foundation so that cultures fused down the millennia. The Chapter House used images from the canopy of ancient woodland sanctuaries.. The new gothic architecture reflected Nature to recapture the mysteries of the past. York a city full of 'historical crossroads', including Vikings - its 'the central role it has played in the history of England. From its humble beginnings as a riverside Roman settlement, to its turbulent takeover by the Vikings, and on to its thriving medieval period of commerce...' Are we at another historical crossroads?

Candles lit along the chakric pilgrimage of 2018. [Angela Shaw]

Alchemical traditions were in evidence, as ways of hepherding pilgrims and creating sacred spaces to hold and ground their devotional energy:

The ‘lantern tower’ was built to light the way for incoming pilgrims.
[image montage by Charlotte Yonge 2019]

Collaborative Culture of our Ancestors: The city of York has a surprising map of the walls, which have been built up since the Romans who honoured an even earlier site of powerful sanctuaries. Later the Vikings altered them, and so on, and we find a shared ‘leadership’ culture down the ages, honouring the original sanctuaries. Reflecting the spirit of Leo ‘the radiant generous hearted’ the shape of a city of collaborative culture has been preserved:

Map screenprint adapted from ‘Friends of York Walls’
[https://www.yorkwalls.org.uk/?page_id=3690]

Walking the Walls - pilgrimage in 2017 [photo Rose Williams] - energising the boundaries of sacred space.

So the 'Aquarian Leadership' theme is about working collaboratively in the spirit of the past, now for a new age, representing the polarities of planetary cultures. Together we learn from our ancestors how to create sacred space, and build communities within which to share our hearts and build visionary courage.

What skills do we need, and how will the future look, as we cross a portal this year (planetary aspects point to Saturn/commitment and discipline, Mars/action, and Uranus/creative diversity in service to the earth.) These rule for the rest of the year, beginning the end of July... very strong unusual combination, we need to be letting go and open to many options for collaboration.

St Mary’s Abbey and garden sanctuary - nearby we danced Paneurythmy to honour the ancient place of inspiration and peace in 2019…

This year is seen as a sort of 'kick-start' for the new age, we are aroused and distressed, confused and bewildered, signs of a break-down stage for creating manure for new sprouts. So individual self leadership/sovereignty can be learned at home, in your own garden/windowsill etc. Also in local landscapes we can collaboratively walk and talk out our visions asking the landscape angels for their empowerment: 'unusual ways of acting in dialogue with the earth'.

These seed thoughts evolved from our powerful walk in 2019 through the chakras up from the river junction to the Minster. Our second pilgrimage was with Sarah and Paneurythmy in the Abbey Gardens outside the walls. So we have balanced the two qualities.. Then, visiting the three Thornborough henges to dance there too, lining up in a triangle with Harrowgate. These rings were shepherding devotees through landscape, teaching the mythology of the ‘heavenly shepherd and holding a sacred space that is still honoured today:

[see Babylonian mythology of Orion: "The Heavenly Shepherd" or "True Shepherd of Anu" – Anu being the chief god of the heavenly realms.’ Wikipedia]

Megalithic and mysterious Thornbury Rings (image Wikipedia) showing the Orion’s Belt alignment similar to the Great Pyramids.

Orion’s ‘shepherding’ vision for Humanity today - balancing Inner and Outer Sacred Space, nurturing our own peace gardens and inner space ecology:

Meantime, our own gardens play a most important part in our gathering and holding of sacred space: even indoors we can sow sprouting seeds and micro-greens, for the freshest, healthiest year-round harvesting of Natures gifts. Sprouts contain essential amino acids and fibre that feeds our good bacteria, our inner 'garden biome'.

Sacred Planet: Much rethinking and earth-centred regenerative agriculture, is now part of an emerging integrative science that preserves complementary ecologies. (see the book ‘Restoration Agriculture’ by Mark Shepard), - a refreshing new vision for the age we are entering. We also can start at home with our own sacred regeneration space, facilitating growth and fertility in our own gardens .... herbs and nutritious micro-greens can be grown by anyone anywhere as we practice collaborating with growth cycles and sharing our experiences of our sacred planet.

The future is Mother Earth-human collaboration promoting the rebirth of Gaia: enlightened, ecologically sustainable eco-species farming methods - cattle, pigs, turkeys in rich woodland pasture.

Courageous leadership through working with the earth, creating multi-species silvo-grazing, with alleys of pasture in between fruiting trees and vegetables. [Adapted screenshots from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPTprZ2Bb6s - ‘Restoration Agriculture’ presenting Mark Shepherd’s 30 years’ experience in managing the land]

Enlightened project leadership: ‘ELMS - the UK governments ‘Environmental Land Management Scheme’ at Dartington Estate,(Devon) now seen as an ‘agroforestry lighthouse’ pioneering regenerative agriculture.[https://www.dartington.org/dartington-estate-to-become-an-agro-forestry-lighthouse/].

‘INNER SOVEREIGNTY of ‘GAIA-HUMAN’
My teacher is the book of life
My Guardian the cloak of invisibility
My Guide is the lantern of fiery Hope
And my friends are the footsteps we share,
My mother The Wells and Rivers of Llfe
And my faith the Sword of Divine Inspiration.
As I listen to the voice of love
From the true Heart of my Beloved.

[Charlotte Yonge, 2022 - with thanks to Peter Dawkins for inspiration]

Gatekeeper is instrumental in honoring and maintaining sacred space and shepherding/nurturing the seeds of a ‘new age’ of harmony and enlightenment, with fiery hope. We aspire to the Aquarian style of leadership where we learn to be playful, collaborative and radiant hearted.

Editors: Charlotte Yonge and Rose Williams. 2022