New Kindly Moon

Tonight is the night of the new moon. The Chinese call this tenth new moon the Kindly Moon. In China, this is the season for winter crop planting, and this month brings the first “little snow” which gently (and kindly) moistens the winter wheat seedlings. We don't have snow yet, but we've had a kindly bit of rain.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

In late November everything begins to slow down, and I try to remember to be more aware of time flowing; to find the right tempo for each activity; and to transition calmly. Advent will bring a wealth of activity, so take time this week to savor the changing season. Remember, as Waverly Fitzgerald says in Slow Time, that time is "much more fluid and mysterious than I had imagined."

Agenda today:

1. Retreat Day

2. Read "Present Moment Awareness"

3. Choose a month theme

4. Set intentions

5. Proaction and reciprocity plans:

6. Plant paper white bulbs

Transition time

At the new moon this week I will move to a new theme focus - from abundance to joy, children, and self-expression, a perfect theme for this next phase of my life. 

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health, home, holiday, and prepare for Grandson fun. Today I'm also making a few fun transition-to-joy plans for the week:

• Complete our hot tub set up, and soak!
• Make a dinosaur terrarium with my grandsons.
• Paint an Autumn positivity abstract.
• Choose a new positivity book to read 

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"

2. Soul notes journal

3. Housework script

4. Fall Cleaning and Home projects

5. Holiday mindset

6. Dinosaur School plans

November Wildlife Garden

November is a significant month for a wildlife garden because it's generally the turning point for the first frosts of winter. This fall has been warm, as was last year - we still have roses and raspberries in mid-November - but the rains have begun in earnest.

I'm writing a whole book about my Nature-Culture ideas: living my life as part of nature; sharing my resources with those who share theirs (the bees and the birds, etc.); becoming more aware of nature's needs so I can be a better neighbor; changing my habits so I can cause less harm.

My working definition of Nature-culture is "Humans living in unity with nature: acting in ways that create shared spaces that honor the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems."

Agenda:

1. Bird watching

2. Feed the birds

3. Add to my wildlife garden habitat

4. Winter vegetable garden tasks

5. Personal life-style goals

6. Education and advocacy plans

Creative Flow

My creative energy is all going into our big home project these days, with only a little left over for making things. That will begin to transition soon, so today I will dream a bit about days of creative flow.

Agenda Today:

1. Read "The Creativity Book"

2. Evaluate my creativity habits

3. Craftivism plans

4. Preschool plans

5. Studio

6. Do the smallest thing

Third Quarter Moon of November

Today is the third Quarter moon. This waning moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care. This isn’t a moment for starting new projects but for finishing up old ones, making peace with the past, and preparing for a fresh start at the next new moon.

Agenda:

1. Read "Focus on the Good Stuff"
2. Ritual for Release and Realignment

3. Meditation and Evaluation Journal

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Proaction and reciprocity plans

St. Martin's Day

 Martinstag, November 11, is the day of St. Martin of Tours, patron saint of beggars, soldiers, and conscientious objectors.

Martin was born in Hungary in 316 A.D. As a teenager, he joined the Roman army, becoming a soldier like his father, and traveled to what is now Italy and France.

The most famous legend of St. Martin is of his time as a soldier: One snowy winter evening, Martin and the other soldiers were returning on horseback to Amiens. A freezing beggar was sitting at the city gate. Martin didn't have any money or food to give him, so he used his sword to cut his heavy red soldier’s cloak in half, and gave half to the beggar. That night Martin dreamt that Jesus thanked him for giving Him his cloak. This dream convinced Martin to become a Christian and be baptized. 

Martin remained in the army for two more years, but then he decided that his faith prohibited him from fighting, and he was jailed as a coward. He was eventually released from prison and from military service, and went on to become the bishop of Tours in France. He died peacefully on November 8, 397 A.D., and was buried on November 11, among the first non-martyrs to be venerated as a saint.

Originally Martinstag was celebrated only in the Catholic areas of Germany, Austria, Flanders, Netherlands, and Portugal, but it has now spread to Protestant areas as well.

Agenda:

1. Soul notes journal

2. Gift list brainstorm
3. Make a lantern
4. Bake Weckmänner (Bun Men)