Meditations On The Next Life for the April 2023 Full Moon

From “The Tree”, Cakes and Ale Ceremony:
‘All now sit and individual drinking-horns, or goblets, are filled and cakes distributed.
At this time will the Priest, or Priestess (or any who request to do so) speak out on any matters of importance (in effect, a sermon, though open to question/discussion by all, if necessary).’
It is in the spirit of this that I present not only general information on the coming Full Moon, but also suggest a topic to discuss or ponder.

Blessed Be!

This is the first Full Moon of Spring! If you’d like, we have a Full Moon Ritual, and we have a guide on performing a ritual from start to finish.

Spring has been here for a couple weeks now, and new life is beginning to bud as the flora slowly comes out of its dormancy. That new life, and the rebirth that each Spring brings, is the inspiration for this talk.

In Seax-Wica, and Wicca in general, the idea of reincarnation is fundamental to our beliefs. As diverse as Wiccans are, we generally share the belief that our souls continue to journey and evolve through multiple lives, each one providing us with new experiences and lessons for our spiritual growth.

After passing from this life, we spend time in Drëun, or the Summerland, where we rest, reflect, and renew ourselves for the next life. We take the lessons and experiences from our previous life and use them to decide on the experiences and lessons we wish to have in the next. What I would like you to do during this Full Moon is to take some and think about your next life.

Reflect on your experiences and lessons

Take a few moments and reflect on the experiences you’ve had in this life. Whether they are positive or negative, what were the lessons you learned from each one that have helped you in this life and will help you in the next one?

Recognize your desires

How do you want to grow in your next life? Do you want to deepen your spirituality or refine your practice, develope stronger relationships, or try a new career path?

Ask for guidance

If you’ve found a spirit guide, whether it’s an ancestor, a god, an anima, or some other being (such as an Ælf in Saxon Paganism), this is a good time to reach out to them. They help remind us that we are never alone on our journey, so seek their guidance and wisdom as you look toward your next life.

Set your intentions

Using these reflections of your experiences, wisdom from your guides, and desires for the next life, set your intentions for your next cycle. What experiences do you wish to have in the next life, and what lessons do you wish to learn? Setting these intentions will help you focus your energy and guide you to these experiences that will shape your soul’s journey.

Get Started!

Now, finally, I want you to take this list of experiences and and lessons you want in your next life and ask yourself: “Why wait for the next life?”

What is getting in your way in this life that prevents you from having these experiences or learning these lessons? For each experience you want to have, is there a lesson that comes with it that you could receive in some other way? What is the purpose behind each experience, and can that purpose be fulfilled in some other way?

It’s also important to realize that when we go forward in our journey, both in this life and the next, and plan out our desired experiences and lessons, that the world is a living, changing, thing. Our paths will be shaped by our new desires based on a new world, and the actions and desires of others. When evaluating what lessons and experiences you could have in this life, don’t fret over the ones you simply can’t, and if you come to the conclusion that your are happy with your current life’s path exactly as it is, then that is a beautiful thing!

As you discuss this with yourself or others on this Full Moon, my hope is that with this meditation and guidance, you’ll be able to find the motivation to pursue experiences and lessons in this life that are within your grasp, and live just a little but fuller, while also finding acceptance for the things that you might want to do, but just aren’t in the cards, and maybe find another way to fulfill the need you have for those experiences.

When you take a look at these step, they almost become a layout for pursuing any new experience or journey:

• Reflect on your experiences and lessons
• Recognize your desires
• Ask for guidance
• Set your intentions
• Get started!

Blessed Be, and may the Lord and Lady guard us and guide us on our journey, in both this life and all our future ones.