Go outside tonight and spend some time with the moon. It’s easy to forget she is up there as we go about our lives. You may feel separate from her, unrelated, but in essence you are made up of the earth and all its elements. In fact you are mostly empty space, juggling elements and creating the facade of solidity. Water is the primary element inside you, it is flexible and moving and holds memory.

Each of us is a microcosm of the universe that holds us. We may dwell in artificial light and heat and cooling systems that help us forget we are a part of the cycles of life around us, but we are no less a manifestation of the universe’s cyclical powers than the moon.

Each year has a waxing and waning phase just like the moon; from winter solstice onward, the day light increases each day and culminates in the longest day of the year on summer solstice. This is the waxing time of the year. From then on, even in the heat of summer, the day light is waning and gradually the ripened fruits fall to the earth and the yang integrates back into yin.

The moon, of course, goes through this same cycle each month, waxing and waning. Each day is a microcosm of the larger cycle with the sun rising and setting. A woman’s menses follows this cycle as well, and if she is irregular then getting in touch with circadian rhythms will be good medicine. Trouble with insomnia will also benefit from obeying natural rhythms and getting in touch with the many cycles we are a part of.

I encourage you to keep in touch with the natural world around you; take a gander at the phase of the moon and wonder what effect it’s having on the tides. Watch the fog moving across the land, notice the dew in the morning coolness. Feel the sun warming the earth and burning off the fog. Notice how it makes your body feel. Take the time each morning to greet the sun and maybe even do some deep breathing and sun salutations to mark the beginning of your day.

Now the air is getting cooler and the night is wetter. Take care to feed yourself appropriate foods that are warming and seasonal. Visit the farmers market and see what is in season in your region. Learn how to cook something new and feel proud of yourself for this tiny contribution to meeting the season. You are part of the world around you and when you notice that a bit of magic happens.