Witch. Revolutionary.

I think everyone knows that Full Moon power and Waning Moon time is ideal for banishing.  I know of many people who have been working for great things in their lives, anticipating the phases of the moon to create new, powerful realities in the following ways e.g. banishing negativity from their self-talk, banishing negative people from their personal lives, banishing bad eating habits and unwanted weight, banishing bad decision making in all areas (finance, romance, career), banishing limited consciousness and visualizing greater abundance and prosperity. 

These are all wonderful things to work for on a monthly basis.  In fact, the more adept you are at “feeling” the phases of the moon, the more likely you will be to create a cycle for yourself that finds you initiating/accumulating after the New Moon and letting go after the Full Moon.  This isn’t hokey or “new age-y” – this is one of the benefits we get for living on this planet. 

My suggestion for this month’s Full and Waning Moon work (and hopefully the rest of the year): rethinking and working towards banishing corporate franchise loyalty. 

Do you enjoy shopping at Target every weekend?  Wal-mart?  Costco? 

Do you look forward to purchasing “your look” from the Gap, Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Ann Taylor or any other clothing chain where millions of people can buy the same clothing and all look exactly alike? 

Do you feel rewarded by the purchase of magazines like Lucky and In Style?  Does it feel good to keep abreast of the latest “trends” in fashion?  Do you like to know what everyone else will be wearing? 

When you look around your home, do you pride yourself on the decorating bargains you found at places like Pier One, Ikea, Pottery Barn, and Crate and Barrel?  Maybe you’re earning more and delighted that you can shop online and from catalogs distributed by the “higher end” retailers.  Perhaps you have reached an all-time high in shopping and spending convenience. 

I make the assumption that most people would laugh at anyone who would answer “yes” to my questions above; that you are too smart and too evolved to subscribe to that generic consumer profile. 

If that’s true, then why are those companies thriving?  Why, with all the “stuff” that was manufactured and retailed in the 20th century, why, in the 21st century do we have a need for more “new stuff”? Why do I find myself mystified by daily encounters with otherwise intelligent American adults whose preferred method of bonding seems to be the acknowledgement of and identification with common mass market retail purchases.   

I make the assumption that most people are intelligent enough to spend their money in a way that supports their belief systems. 

If you’re anti-mall, I would imagine you shop for clothing in second-hand stores and on Ebay.  Maybe you design your own clothing.  If you’re anti-corporate then I imagine you support indie businesses, “mom and pops”, shop for produce at Farmer’s Markets and/or grow your own food as much as you can.  If you’re an animal rights advocate, then I imagine you boycott all fast food chains and purchase only vegan goods (so we won’t see you in leather shoes, ever, right?).  If you’re an avid reader then I imagine you use the library more than you shop at bookstore chains.  Or maybe you choose to shop at the bookstore chains in hopes they’ll never disappear.  If you’re earth friendly and physically fit, you probably prefer public transportation, biking, walking and other alternatives to car culture.  If you think corporations make the entire world a better place economically, then get the proof and educate everyone about healthy capitalism.  This makes sense to everyone, right?

It isn’t my intention to shame the average American shopper.  I find myself, every once in while, giving in to shopping for an item at a franchise.  It’s hard to find office supplies at anything but a franchise.  No, my major complaint with American consumerism is that practised “frugality” is less popular than celebrity personal lives. 

So my point is: whatever way you choose to spend your money, you should feel entirely confident that every dollar you spend supports your belief system.  This is empowered thinking.  It gives you control over your money.  It makes you less likely to become a mindless consumer.  It makes you less vulnerable to corporations who want to part you from your money for no good reason. 

We all act like we know this, don’t we?  Of course.  But our pocketbooks say otherwise. 

So…if you’ve forgotten to question where everything you own comes from, or you find yourself shopping more and more when you’re depressed, or you’re struggling with debt from retail credit cards, then using this Full Moon, Waning Moon to begin banishing corporate clutter from your life might be a fun and healthy way to start marking the rest of this year’s moons for revolutionary personal growth. 

1. Lighten up – donate everything you haven’t used in a year.
2. Spend less – ask yourself if you really need what you usually purchase.  Use the library.
3. Cook from scratch.  Support local restaurants and Farmer’s Markets when you are able to.
4. If it doesn’t make you feel great, get rid of it.  Especially clothing.
5. Develop your own look – once you begin to know what you like and what works for you, you will be able to shop for items second hand and you will be immune to trends.  The key word is “develop”.
6. Know that the money you save by furnishing your home with a few well placed, well-loved, second-hand/antique/retro items can now be donated to charities you believe in.
7. Know that eating less, spending less and driving less will all contribute to your fitness. 
8. Know that indie business and “mom and pops” are kept afloat only by people who empower these efforts with their dollars. 
9. Look for alternatives to everything corporate.
10. Question everything. 

This is boring, right?  This is stuff everybody already knows, right? 

Well, for those who didn’t…five words: FULL MOON.  BANISH CORPORATE CLUTTER. 

Blessed be.