Manifesting with the Moon

According to experts, magic is the art of producing illusions by invoking supernatural powers. I have always been fascinated with this idea. Since I was a little girl, I believed that magic in Puerto Rico is a manifestation of its magnificent nature. I imagined dwarfs and fairies playfully dancing in the mountains of the island.

Surrounded by crystal waters and breathtaking sunsets, I felt lucky to live in what is known today as the Island of Enchantment. At bedtime, my father liked to make up stories about magical kingdoms. My favorite one was about the fairies from another planet that came to explore the island and loving it so much, decided to stay. He vividly described these fairies as tiny transparent frogs that could almost fly. Evolving into coquís, they still enchant everybody who hears them sing.

There were so many times throughout my younger years when I looked at the night sky with fascination, witnessing the marvelous and magical show of the falling stars in the black heaven of my rural and small town. With the musical accompaniment of the breeze, I felt I could hear the moon during its lunar cycles, echoing the powerful chants of our indigenous Taínos.

The connection I had with nature as a girl inspired me to write. A persistent inner voice has always insisted I write the words I hear through the wind.  I remember to listen to the voices without being able to see their faces, referring them to invisible voices. They were real because they told me so many things I was able to confirm when I became an adult.

The first time I heard in school that the Taínos liked to perform a sacred  ceremony, I wondered if those invisible voices commanding me to write were our indigenous Taínos. Recognizing how powerful the moon was,  they celebrated a ritual during the full moon to honor Yocahú (their good god), Atabey (Mother Nature), and their ancestors. The ceremony lasted they celebrated a ritual during the full moon that lasted three days where dancing, fasting, drumming, chanting and praying was performed by everybody to honor Yocahú (their good god), Atabey (Mother Nature), and their ancestors.

The Taínos believed the new moon phase was optimal for planting and seeding their crops. They felt that the mysterious dark phase of a half-moon allows a period of ingestion before the fruits break through the soil and reach for the sunlight.

Just like our indigenous ancestors, many people continue to believe that the bright side of the moon, with its thin silver ring and mysterious unseen forces, offers a nurturing environment where our dreams can show roots before their miraculous manifestations begin to sprout and reach out to the stars.

After being absent from Puerto Rico for a few years, I was finally able to fly to my magical island on December 31 of 2012 and again on July 21 of this year. During both dates, I experienced a magical full moon intensified by the pleasant breeze and the serene waters of the sea.

On July 22, that night was very special because we had a super moon, which is the moon’s closest point to Earth for the monthly orbit.  During my stay there, every time I looked at the new moon and asked for a wish, assuring me the shining stars that it would be granted.

The Taínos planted seeds on the new moon and prayed for 14 days, honoring the lunar phases. Because the lunar cycle is, like the menstrual reporting period, 28 days, they believed women have within the rhythm of the universe. Crowned by a feminine aura, the moon is considered a powerful goddess with the potential to bring magic into your life by manifesting your desires.

Where you feel dissatisfied, I invite you to pay attention to the moon. It doesn’t matter where you are in this world. Beginning with the new moon, the mysterious darkness and thin silver ring is quietly and patiently waiting for you to express a desire with a grateful heart. Just know that the moon wants to grant you what you want.

Once you have done it, observe the beautiful moon emerging into its fullness for the next 14 days. Take a few minutes at night to contemplate the movement of the earth’s shadow across the firmament. Some nights you may only see clouds covering the satellite with a white gown. During each night remember to tell the moon your wish, believing that it is already granted, and it will be manifested at the perfect time.

Our highly intuitive Taínos left us a legacy of spiritual principles that are full of wisdom. If we honor their teachings, incorporating them into our lives, we will be able to create the life our heart desires. As for me, this connection with the moon is the first step in a beautiful and magical journey of dreams coming true.