Shadow Work During Waxing Gibbous Moon Phase: Overcoming Greed

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Shadow work can be a potent ally in overcoming greed, which can block attempts at manifestation. During the momentum-building waxing gibbous moon phase, ambition and drive can sometimes turn into greedy desires for more. By exploring this tendency with mindfulness and gratitude practices, we can unlock the full potential of this lunar period. Let’s examine how to skillfully navigate waxing gibbous shadow energies on the path to empowerment.

Understanding the Waxing Gibbous Moon Phase

The waxing gibbous phase occurs in the lunar cycle between the first quarter and the full moon. During this period:

• Just over half of the moon’s visible surface is illuminated as it progressively grows in size
• The moon reaches its peak fullness and potency at the full moon stage
• It’s a time of growth, forward momentum, and increased passions
• Our drive and ambition grows as we build energy toward the full manifestation powers of the full moon
• It’s an incredibly fertile period for setting intentions, taking action on goals, and doing magick to attract desires into reality

Much like the moon growing visibly bigger each night, the waxing gibbous carries a sense of our potential continuing to expand. Things seem to gain positive traction as we collectively tune into the lunar currents. However, as with any period of increased power, we must also skillfully manage our relationship with that energy.

Key Details About the Waxing Gibbous Moon:

• Occurs between first quarter and full moons
• Moon is over 50% illuminated and growing larger
• Represents growth, drive, momentum, passions
• Potent time for manifestation magic
• Requires balancing amplified energies

How Greed Manifests During the Waxing Gibbous

With amplified momentum comes a risk of inflated ego and greed. As passions and magic intensify, it’s easy to lose perspective. The ambitious energies can sometimes translate into perceived scarcity and urgent wanting. Rather than enjoying the journey of growth during this moon phase, we become attached to specific goals or outcomes.

Greed rears its head when we believe there is not enough abundance or resources available. We fear that if we do not grasp and control things, we will end up lacking. This makes us possessive, stingy, and never satisfied enough. Our innate magic becomes distorted by desperately wanting more and more.

Greed blocks the natural flow of manifestation energy during the waxing gibbous. The frantic fixation on gaining sends out resistant, repellent energy. It’s like trying to grasp water in our hands—the tighter we squeeze, the more it drains away. We must relax our grip and trust in the steady momentum already underway.

How Greed Shows Up:

• Perceiving scarcity and lack rather than abundance
• Becoming attached to specific goals and outcomes
• Possessiveness, control issues, always wanting more
• Frantic energy blocks natural manifestation flow
• Trying to grasp outcomes too tightly repels magic

Using Journaling to Examine Greedy Thought Patterns

One way to skillfully manage the shadow side of waxing gibbous energy is to use journaling for increased awareness. Through writing prompts and reflection, we can bring greedy tendencies to the surface for examination. Here are some questions to explore in your journaling practice:

• When do I tend to feel scarcity rather than abundance in my life? What triggers those fearful perceptions of lack?
• What specific beliefs or thought patterns seem to fuel my greedy behavior? For example, “I need to make as much money as I can or I’ll end up broke.”
• How can I reframe greedy thoughts coming from a place of abundance and gratitude?
• What does contentment feel like? What is truly enough for me already?
• Do I attach to very specific picture of how I want goals to manifest rather than accepting what arises?
• What benefits come from releasing the tight grip I have on wanting things to go a certain way?

Journaling enables us to identify our unique patterns around greed and scarcity. Through increased awareness, we can unravel the false perceptions and beliefs entangled with these shadows. We also uncover the wisdom and openness found in appreciating things as they are, without needing more.

Journal Prompts to Examine Greed:

• Identify scarcity triggers that lead to perceiving lack
• Uncover beliefs and thoughts patterns behind greed
• Reframe greedy mindsets into gratitude
• Define true contentment
• Explore benefits of surrendering attachment to outcomes

Cultivating Gratitude to Release Greedy Attachments

Along with journaling, cultivating gratitude is a simple yet profound way to transform our relationship with greed. When we spend time giving thanks for what we already have, feelings of lack naturally dissolve. The energy shifts from fearing scarcity to full appreciation.

Make gratitude a part of your daily practice during the waxing gibbous. Keep a notebook just for listing things you feel thankful for before bed each evening. Speak an attitude of gratefulness through positive affirmations. Tell your partner, friend, neighbor or barista something you appreciate about them.

Perform small acts of generosity without expecting anything in return. This could be volunteering for a cause, donating what you no longer use, or surprising someone with an act of service. These practices unlock your natural magic by aligning you with waxing gibbous energies of expansion and sharing, rather than hoarding and control.

Gratitude Practices to Overcome Greed:

• Daily gratitude journaling
• Affirmations of thankfulness
• Expressing appreciation to others
• Small acts of generosity expecting nothing in return
• Volunteering or community service

Here are some additional gratitude practices to try during the waxing gibbous moon phase:

• Gratitude meditation – Settle into a comfortable seated position and spend 5-10 minutes breathing deeply and calling to mind things you feel thankful for. Let the feelings permeate your being.
• Gratitude jar – Write down blessings, big and small, on slips of paper and place them in a jar. Pull one out periodically and reflect on it.
• Gratitude journaling prompts – “Today I’m grateful for…”, “The people I appreciate most are…”, “At this moment, I feel thankful for…”
• Creating a gratitude altar – Decorate a small space with items representing blessings in your life. Spend time meditating here.
• Gratitude nature walk – Spend time in nature noticing and giving thanks for all the beauty around you.
• Mealtime gratitude ritual – Before eating, take a moment to thank the food, people who prepared it, and all involved in bringing the meal to your table.
• Loving-kindness meditation – Send blessings and gratitude to loved ones, community, and the world.
• Write thank you notes – Express your appreciation through writing to friends, family members, teachers, coworkers.
• Share gratitude socially – Post regularly on social media about things you feel grateful for.
• Bedtime gratitude – Make listing 3 good things about your day before bed a consistency practice.
• Morning gratitude – Set your intention each morning by listing blessings to be grateful for today.

The more we infuse our waxing gibbous experience with gratitude, the more this moon magic can work its nourishing, expansive transformation in our lives! Let me know if you need any other moon phase content or ideas.

Conclusion

The waxing gibbous invites us to ride amplified passions and momentum towards manifestation. Yet this ambitious energy can easily flip into shadowy greed if left unmanaged. Through intention and practices like journaling and gratitude, we can skillfully examine where greed arises for us during this moon phase.

By shining light on fears of scarcity and lack, we reconnect with waxing gibbous qualities of nurturing expansion and abundance. Our desires find proper alignment with trusting the universal process to unfold. And by allowing rather than grasping forcefully, we enable the potent magic of the waxing gibbous to flow effortlessly into our lives.