This is a wonderful time to take inventory of how we understand and develop security. The Sabian symbol points to "a priest performing a marriage ceremony," and continues to remind us that, "The married couple is the basic productive unit in our society—as it has been for millennia in all patriarchal societies."
And marriage is an archetypal security symbol—an outer institution, overseen by figures of patriarchal authority, onto which we—especially women—often project our certainty of being perennially loved, cherished and accepted, and thus of feeling lovable. What happens when we discover that marriage does not make us secure, and often begets greater insecurity, as we give our power away to someone else who has now become responsible for making us feel lovable and worthy? What happens when we try to lean on someone else, when in truth the only entirely dependable being is the Higher Power, which is in each of us?
Another context which makes us look at how we define security is the generalized response to recent world affairs. Personal stability appears to be so dependent on outer occurrences that the mere possibility of some potentially disruptive event makes many cower and forget our principles and critical faculties. As often happens in marriage, as a country we appear to have projected our well-being onto external events and patriarchal dispositions to such an extent that we have indeed become quite insecure.
The good news is that a mere shift of perspective can do much to assist us in rediscovering the true center of security within us that has never left us. I invite you to step towards this process by centering your New Moon meditation around a marriage ceremony to wed yourself. At the very least, going through the steps will help you define your relationship goals, move towards taking better care of your own needs, and release objects of security projection.
RITUAL TO WED YOURSELF
This New Moon’s Sabian symbol speaks of a marriage overseen by a priest, representing patriarchal authority. Exercise your own awareness that you don’t need an intermediary between yourself and your Higher Power, by consecrating your own dear self in marriage—to yourself.
1. Write a prenuptial agreement, describing those ways in which you would like your ideal partner to treat and deal with you. These can include elements you might usually attribute to someone else, like, "You will go out of your way to make motivating, supportive remarks to me on a daily basis." They may also include elements nobody else can take care of but you, like, "you will go out of your way to take care of your health with daily exercise."
2. Read it over and ask yourself, are you willing to treat yourself that way?
3. Dress in a way that you personally really like. As you choose and put on your garments, know that you cannot dress wrong, because the most important thing about this act is that you are discovering and expressing yourself, not concerned with pleasing anyone else, but giving yourself pleasure and love. This exercise of itself is quite interesting and healing.
4. Stand before your altar, or in another space that is particularly sacred to you, and vow to apply all those types of consideration and attention which you requested in your prenuptial agreement, from now until your needs change, or you reach a new understanding.
5. You may bless your marriage thus: Ask yourself aloud, "Do you, (your name) vow to love and cherish your divine self, being loyal to yourself whether or not you are in a relationship with another, whether or not you are subject to pressures or difficult appearances in the world?" Say, "I do."
6. The following prayer may help you keep your wedding vows, as you rediscover your true security. Repeat this prayer for at least 7 minutes aloud now and throughout this Moon cycle.
MY SECURITY DOES NOT COME FROM OTHER PEOPLE, NOR FROM ANY SOURCE OR CIRCUMSTANCE OUTSIDE OF ME.
MY SECURITY COMES FROM STAYING CENTERED IN MY DIVINE SELF. I REDISCOVER MY CENTER WITHIN AS I RELEASE ALL CONDITIONS, AND ALL PERSONS AND THEIR OPINIONS, AND HEED MY OWN HIGHEST THOUGHTS, VALUES AND PERCEPTIONS.
TODAY, I REMEMBER THAT I AM COMPLETE, WHOLE AND POWERFUL JUST AS I AM, INDEPENDENTLY OF WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCES I MAY FIND MYSELF IN. TODAY, I ENJOY LIVING THE PRESENT MOMENT FROM MY CENTER AND RELEASING THE FUTURE. I AM SECURE IN MY ACCEPTANCE OF MYSELF. I AM SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SPIRIT IS WITH ME AND WITH EVERYONE WHO CONCERNS ME, GUIDING US AND PROTECTING US ON THE DIVINELY DELINEATED PATHS TO OUR COMPLETE GOOD.
7. Give yourself wedding gifts in consciousness, by repeating the following decree:
I AM THE BELOVED CHILD OF ALMIGHTY SPIRIT, I DESERVE AND RECEIVE ALL OF THE LOVE, HAPPINESS, FREEDOM AND SECURITY THAT ARE MY TRUE LEGACY NOW.
(Also for 7 minutes daily throughout this Moon Cycle.)
8. Stay tuned for reflections and prayers to fulfill your vows to your beloved self at the Full Moon.
