Tonight, the Cold Moon will rise, its bright, unwavering light stretching across the dark December landscape. This will be the last supermoon of the year, and if the clouds show mercy, its brilliance will be unmatched. The Cold Moon invites us to pause, to breathe, and to explore what lies just beneath the surface of our lives, and tucked away in the quieter, shadowed corners of our spirituality.
There is a spiritual connection between humanity and the phases of the moon. Each full moon heightens a different dimension of our interior life. The Cold Moon, arriving at the threshold of winter, draws us inward, into our homes, yes, but also into our hearts. As the outer world grows colder, it becomes a fertile time for introspection.
When the air sharpens and temperatures fall, the visible world begins to retreat. Creatures burrow deep into the earth. Seeds sink into the soil and start their slow, unseen transformation. The landscape may appear barren under the Cold Moon’s glow, but beneath the hardened surface, life is still taking root. So it is with us. Nature’s descent into rest is an invitation for us to discover or reclaim the rituals, habits, and spiritual practices that bring us calm, peace, and restoration.
The Cold Moon carries the themes of rest, renewal, and shadow, themes that can serve as wise companions during this hectic season, when every calendar square seems filled with obligations. Do not forget to carve out pockets of stillness for yourself. Even a few minutes of silence each day can become a sanctuary.
We live in a world swirling with upheaval, noise, and unending streams of information. There is a pull always to stay informed, but there is also a spiritual cost when we do not set healthy boundaries. Be intentional about what you let through the gate of your attention. Turn down the volume on the distractions, not out of denial, but out of care for your own well-being. Doing so will make space for you to listen to your own body, your own soul, and to hear what they have been trying to tell you.
As the days shorten and the nights lengthen, allow this season to help you examine the shadows of your life, those tender or difficult places we often avoid. Grief, fear, guilt, sadness, questions about identity, uncertainty about the future, unmet longings, all the emotional clutter we tend to shove into the “junk drawer” of our souls. This is not an invitation to wallow but rather to gently, bravely acknowledge what is there.
And remember, you do not have to do this work alone. If exploring the shadows feels too heavy, consider turning to a trusted friend or a therapist. There is strength in asking for company on the path.
Just as the earth resets itself in these winter months, we, too, are offered a chance for a spiritual reset. Let the stillness of nature wrap around you like a blanket. Let the glow of the Cold Moon illuminate both the quiet beauty and the hidden depths of your life. And may this season bring you restfulness, clarity, and the kind of peace that begins deep within and slowly makes its way outward.
If you are a person of ritual, check out “Ritual for the Cold Moon”
