When a full moon is sailing overhead in the middle of the night, in the middle of winter, its continually moving light brightens our snowy landscape. The soft brilliance of full moonlight often awakens me. I look forward to its arrival. With a stirring of the soul, I gladly get up in these hours between First (Deep) Sleep and Second Sleep. I pay close attention to the dying embers in the woodstove and to the stark moon shadows slowly moving across my snowy yard.

Throughout time, these are the spirited in-between hours for keeping Watch, for going deeper. We’re meant to embrace what is enveloping us in our dreams. In this sacred and intimately quiet hour, it is the brilliantly reflected moonlight which catches my attention. I get out from underneath a downy comforter to stoke a flickering fire in the woodstove. I’m keeping it and myself alive through a bitterly cold winter’s night. It’s warm here by the fire as I gaze outside at the wolf moon, keeping watch for what will be.

For further reading: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-16964783