MOONSPIRED: FAITH FULL MOON

It is a deeply important time of year. It’s always weighty at the Libra moon. We have just passed out of winter into spring and the shifts of the season in nature can be seen and felt everywhere. More bulbs in bloom, more budding trees, more birdsong, and more sunlight are apparent. What we do now will come to fruition in summer and fall. The moon phases help define the time and are, in fact, always viewed the same everywhere on Earth. We are all under the spell of the April full moon tonight.

Humanity is in synch with planetary cycles. Each culture is celebrating the season with its own traditions, by its own names. Whether fasting for Ramadan, passing up meat for Lent, giving up leavened bread for Passover, or substituting with our own personal modern-day limits… the theme is faith and freedom at this Paschal Moon. Jerusalem is the center point of all three monotheistic religions and is literally translated from Hebrew to English as “City of Peace.” Let’s imagine its fullest potential as the possibility of a place of peaceful coexistence for all people.

Even as the world is filled with strife, there is deep solace in the spiritual nature of humans. April’s full moon often marks the holy week, depending on the cycle of the lunar calendar sometimes these holidays occur at the March full moon. The holidays are measured by whichever moon is closest to the Spring Equinox. It’s a blessed time, ushering in Judeo-Christian celebrations of spring with Passover and Easter, and this year Ramadan occurs during this moon cycle as well. The Islamic counting of time has Ramadan circling the seasons every three years. In Judaism the moon phases are counted beginning with the night of the dark moon as the new moon, while the Muslims look for the crescent moon as the new moon, exemplifying cultural variance. Jewish, Islamic, and Christian calendars mark time differently, and while it’s unusual, this year all three sync up. Let’s use this opportunity to create more interaction with others. Plant seeds of sustainability, build bridges of compassion, and pray for understanding, kindness, health, and happiness, for these are the paths to faith and freedom.

These holidays use the symbolism of eggs to represent life rebirthing itself in spring. Eggs are well represented with perfect timing, as the weather warms up enough for the chickens to begin to lay regularly again. Speaking of eggs, it’s the season of abundant chicks, bunnies, kittens, and lambs, too. Some ancient cultures link the egg to the creation of the universe, suggesting that the Earth itself may have been born out of an egg. The eggs of animals are like seeds in the plant world. Both eggs and seeds help us experience the possibilities life offers and are wonderful tools for visionary purposes. For example, when we look at the kernel of corn we can see the whole ear, the stalk, and even imagine shucking the silken husks. An egg or seed is an origin point. When we raise them, we help create the future. And it’s time to choose what seeds we will plant. What do we want out of our gardens this year? What do we want to tend? What do we want to eat? Which fruits and flowers will most nourish us? It’s clear both our soul and our soil are important components of this moon cycle.

On our farm we create healthy soil knowing what’s underground will provide the foundation. Right now, the cover crops are flourishing with all the extra more-than-ever-recorded-before rain northern California has received so far in 2023. A cover crop is made up of specific plants we cultivate over winter, like clover, mustard, nettles, vetch, and native grasses to restore the soil. Balanced microbial content promotes healthy habitats for beneficial insects as well as for plants. We have an integrated pest management plan that incorporates companion plants as an insectary, to attract the good bugs and repel the bad bugs. We have not purchased ladybugs or earthworm castings in a couple of years because our regenerative practices have created an ecosystem that promotes their organic existence. The same goes for green lacewings and other tiny, sometimes microscopic, garden helpers. We are moving slowly this year as the weather has only begun to shift. But we are preparing to start to sew our seeds in two weeks at the next new moon. Strawberries, tomatoes, corn, beans, squash, melons, and more are on the table to plant so we can fill our table with freshness all summer and the rest of the year.

Of course, our fruits and vegetables are planted alongside our cannabis crops. Biodiversity is essential. For the past couple of years, we have focused on cultivating contracted clones for the regulated market. From a business perspective, the homogeneity that the clones offer is preferred by some of our distributors and manufacturers. Think of it as buying generic, that’s what it means for us to white-label our crops. In other words, to grow for other than our own brand, such as a retailer’s house flower. We will again use some contract clones. But our passion is growing our cannabis from our own seed bank as well as the seeds we receive from other local breeders. We are cultivating in concert with the sun, moon, and all of the natural resources with the goal of allowing the plant to fully express itself in its most natural setting, along its most natural timeline. You can already find some of our longtime genetics in the California market in our Martyjuana™ branded packaging. With more coming up this year, like our Supreme Church flower crosses. Our personal favs, Supreme Gelato or Cosmic Tangie, are on retail shelves now. We have seeds available as well. When we plant seeds we plant our hope for what will come. It is an action of faith and a promise of connection while we tend the garden.

As we retell the stories of our collective past we can together shape new stories for our collective future. The past is the past, but while we remember the history, we must also remember to stay in the present, for it is this moment that creates the next moment. Begin within! Let the tales of yore into your life experience. And on a personal level, when we tell our old story from the point of view of where we are now, the moral or lesson is often easily available. We can use this moon phase as a pivotal point in the year. The time is now vibrant with possibilities. In humans and in nature, ahhh, human nature, it seems obvious, but we humans seem to sometimes forget we are an intricate part of nature. We are each unique facets that create a most beautiful whole, and together with the rest of the elements of the universe, we are ultimate divine oneness. As one of my favorite modern-day prophets sings out, “All the freaky people make the beauty of the world (repeat, repeat and repeat again, and again, and again) All the freaky people make the beauty of the world …” (Michael Franti) Make room for the beauty of the world that shines in spring renewal, in nature, and in our own hearts, minds, bodies. The energy of this time is here to assist us in this process.

We each deserve to freely cultivate our faith and pursue our dreams and passions. Get in the garden of life and grow.

 

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