An Ghealach Nua/The New Moon

Tá an ghealach nua linn anois, oíche amárach mar a tharlaíonn sé. Ní rud í an ghealach nua nó an ghealach dhorcha, a labhraítear faoi mórán. Is dóigh gur sin mar atá sé toisc go bhfuil an ghealach dhorcha agus nach bhfeiceann tú í ach tá an tréimhse seo den ghealach chomh tábhachtach céanna is atá tréimhse ar bith eile.

It is the new moon again, tomorrow night. The new or dark moon isn’t one that people talk about very much. That is presumably because you can’t actually see it but the dark phase of the moon is just as important as every other phase of it.

Nuair a bhíonn an ghealach mhór, lán agus gheal is am iontach é sin le scaoileadh le rudaí nach bhfuil uainn a thuilleadh; nósanna nach bhfuil ag cabhrú linn, smaointe a dhéanann damáiste dúinn. Ach má táimid ag scaoileadh le rudaí uair sa mhí, caithfimid rudaí nua a chothú agus a mhealladh isteach chugainn, agus sin an rud a is féidir leat a dhéanamh nuair atá an ghealach dhorcha. Is am é le dul istigh ionann féin, le machnamh a dhéanamh ar an rud agus na rudaí atá uainn. Go traidisiúnta, is am ag an am seo den mhí go dtiocfadh mná le chéile agus an míostrú acu. Nuair a bhíonn an míostrú agam féin bíonn níos lú fuinnimh agam agus airím gur am maith é aireachas a dhéanamh agus a bheith liom féin níos mó. Nuair atá mé airdeallach ar mo chorp insíonn sé dom céard é an rud atá uaim ag aon am ag le linn an mhíostriú tá orm a bheith níos ciúine.

When we have the full moon it is a great time to release things that no longer serve us; things that are not helping us anymore or things that we have out grown. But if you are releasing every month you need to bring new things in; new ideas, new thoughts, new ways of being and this time of the moon, the dark or the new moon is a wonderful time to do this. It is a time to go within ourselves. This can be done with meditation or simply being a little bit quieter, not running around all the time like we usually would. Traditionally the new moon was a time where women would come together as traditionally, when we lived more with nature and the world around us the new moon was the time that women would have their period. When I am on my period I have much less energy and I can sense within myself that I need more quiet and more meditation. I need to be alone more.

Tá timthriall 28 lá ag an ngealach agus bíonn timthriall na mban 28 lá ar an meán. Bogann corp na mban leis an ngealach.

The moon has a 28 day cycle and the average length of a woman’s cycle is 28 days – although of course this can and does vary hugely! But generally is is a 28 day cycle, just like the cycle of the moon.

Nuair a bhí mé níos óige bhí mé i gcónaí an-tógtha leis an ngealach lán. Thaitin sé go mór liom í a fheiceáil thuas sa spéir ag lonrach anuas orainn. Is cuimhin liom uair amháin a bheith ag tiomáint le linn na hoíche i nGaeltacht Mhaigh Eo agus bhí an ghealach chomh geal sin nach raibh gá leis na soilsí móra ar an gcarr. Bhí sé draíochtúil!

When I was younger I was always very taken by the full moon. I loved seeing it in the sky shining down on us. I remember once driving in the Mayo Gaeltacht and the moon was so bright we didn’t need to put the headlights on. It was incredible.

Mhothaigh mé nasc idir mé féin agus an ngealach i gcónaí ach níor thuig mé riamh é, go dtí go raibh mé ag labhairt le Joanne Callan ó Try tHEAlternative agus luaigh sí ciorcal na mban liom a bhuaileann le chéile uair sa mhí ar an ngealach lán. Bhí suim agam sa smaoineamh láithreach ach ní raibh a fhios agam an raibh mé ag iarraidh a bheith páirteach in rud mar sin ar feadh 12 mhí.

I have always felt some sort of a connection between myself and the moon but I never really understood it until I was talking to Joanne Callan from Try tHEAlaternative and she mentioned a full moon women’s circle she was starting. I didn’t really know what it was about or what it would be like but I was immediately interested.

Rinne mé cinneadh fáil amach cén cineál rud a bheadh ann agus b’ea ceann de na cinntí is fearr a rinne mé riamh! Bhí mé ag freastail air ar feadh bliana go leath go dtí gur bhog mé go Gaillimh agus briseadh croí a bhí ann dom ag fágáil an grúpa sin! Ach is ansin a thosaigh mo thuras féin leis an ngealach lán agus is as sin a spreag mo shuim agus mo thuras leis an ngealach nua agus gach tréimhse eile a bhíonn ag an ngealach!

I decided to go with my interests and find out what it was all about and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made! I was part of this incredible group of women for a year and a half and then I decided I was moving to Galway, which was probably a decision I made partly because of this group. But I was heartbroken having to leave. It was this circle that inspired my real journey with the moon in all of it’s phases. It was from there that I started to feel a connection with the new moon and all of the other phases of the moon and the effects they have on me as well.   

Mar sin, oíche amárach tá sé ar intinn agam seisiún speisialta aireachais a dhéanamh anseo sa teach agus déanfaidh mé píosa scríbhneoireacht thart air agus feicfidh mé céard iad na rudaí atá mé ag iarraidh cothú agus a mhealladh chugam sna chéad chúpla seachtain eile.

And because of that, tomorrow night I am going to set aside some time to do some meditating, some journaling and to feel into the power of the new moon and discover what it is that the new moon can help me cultivate and bring into my life.