Conversations with Luna

Showing my authentic self has always been a great joy of mine.

With having such a diverse and wonderful collection of friends and family, I am fortunate enough that my authenticity has been respected and appreciated for the largest part of my life.

Whilst pondering what I would write in response to this 'The Remarkably Real Challenge' there was one event in my recent memory that really stood out as an opportunity to explore parts of me I had previously neglected.

A real opportunity for growth.

I think I speak for everyone when I say breakups can be crushing.

We have all spent countless hours on Facetime conversations with patient friends, outbursts of crying, created playlist after playlist of songs with which we resonate with (mainly by Lizzo in my case), all in an effort to find emotional strength and direction...

But where do you go from there?

Talk to the moon.

Ok, it sounds crazy, let me give you a real life example on how this can help you be authentic with yourself.

Admittedly, I skipped a few steps of the healing process after a breakup, decided I would put myself back out there and, as I am sure you have already foreseen, it was too soon.

Dismissing myself from the date, I made my way home and predictably, the tears began to swell in my eyes.

*You will be pleased to know I made it off the train without shedding a single tear. But you can only hold back building emotions for so long.

As I walked, I frantically scrambling through my brain for anything close to a comforting thought, until I noticed the familiar face of the moon. She was full, bright, and bold in all her glory.

Looking exactly how I wanted to feel.

So I began to speak to her as if she was somehow my fairy godmother who could see all of my pain and could wave her wand, giving me all of the things I deeply desired in a heartbeat.

The mental image you must have picturing this young girl walking home uncontrollably crying over some nondescript boy is a lot...

I can see it too. It is a lot because it WAS a lot.

With that being said, some of the things I asked of the moon were so raw and honest that even I was shocked these feelings had even materialised inside me.

Remember my mention of the conversations you have with friends? Well I had done this. I thought I was all talked-out, that I had exhausted every possible avenue of thought.

All I was really doing was assuring everybody around me that I was ok.

Having the space to authentically explore my emotions and true desires without fear of judgement, or worrying I sounded crazy, was exactly what I needed.

The honesty made me feel more in touch with my emotions than I had ever felt speaking to another person.

Since this day, I have read many articles about the act of speaking to the moon, and found that speaking to the moon has been a common way people have expressed themselves throughout history.

In some ideologies, the moon is considered the moon as powerful a force on our emotions as it is on the oceans and tides.

Representing a whole collection of symbolism including immortality, enlightenment, the rhythm of time, femininity... And there is no more powerful symbol in literature and art than a full moon.

Many people consider conversations with our moon akin to writing in a diary, or going to counselling... It is beneficial for us to have a safe space to explore the emotions we are experiencing, especially with somebody or something that doesn't have an emotional response to the issues we are working through.

I have realised there is more to authenticity than just dancing on tables, expression through my clothing, and speaking my mind unapologetically.

The truest form of authenticity is the validation you give yourself to be human, and I found this in my conversation.

Maybe you should try your hand at it at the next full moon...

LB xo