Full Strawberry Moon and Wesak

Tonight is the full moon, my monthly time for action and release: I look again at the “seeds of intention” I planted 2 weeks ago at the new moon and decide on my next steps to take, I take those steps, then I release my expectations in order to clear space for new ideas and new intentions.

This full moon is called the Strawberry Moon. Sweet, ripe strawberries are a gift from Mother Earth that remind me of the springtime renewal of life, and the creative power I have to make my dreams real and visible. June is a highly yang time of movement and strength, the season of completion, abundance and fulfillment: The maiden grows into a woman. I have hope that I will reach the full flowering of my self, begin to enjoy the fruits of my visions, and relax in the richness of success.

My Wesak lantern on our back porch.

Today is also Wesak (pronounced way-sak), celebrated usually on the May full moon, but sometimes (like this year) on the June full moon. This is the day that Buddhists honor the birth of Gautama Buddha  in 623 BCE, in Lumbini, Nepal, and also honor his enlightenment and death. Buddhists all over the world celebrate this day to remember the Buddha's virtues, and express their gratitude and appreciation for his teachings. They celebrate by finding ways to be more Buddha-like: By practicing meditation, visiting monasteries and listening to sermons from venerable monks and nuns, serving free vegetarian meals to poor people, making donations to charities, and distributing gifts. 

Agenda for today:

1. Altar:

It's time to discern what to put on my altar for June. (For my thoughts on altars see About Altars). I generally keep it simple and choose only things that speak to me and feed me, and reveal what I believe in. I ask, what quality of Spirit do I want to invoke? 
Today I add- 

• a dragon, for strength and good luck.
• a sun, for clarity and yang energy.
• a picture of the Buddha.

Each month at the full moon I put a motto or quote on my altar, to ponder. This month:

I also add new candles, in colors that symbolize what I want to focus on. June’s color is the yellow of the sun and its element is fire, which purifies and gives life. I add-

• a yellow candle, for clear thinking, success, and confidence.
• a green candle for strength and vitality.

2. Journal:

June is a month for fine-tuning, and for decisive action. I climb energetically to the top of a hill, survey the landscape, and put myself in context; I evaluate my progress, see what I’ve accomplished so far this year, and make adjustments in my goals.

Review the intentions I set 2 weeks ago, at the new moon. Review also the goals I set at the beginning of the year.

Do these aims all still seem vital? What are my next steps? How can I best bring some of my goals to completion?

Write about problems, disappointments, and changes I've encountered lately. 
How well have I risen to the challenges I face? 

3. Practice at my theme:

My theme this month is strength- Just as I need my home to be in good repair to weather a storm, I need to be strong myself. When I am strong, I thrive on moving forward without the baggage of fears and grudges. My intentions:

• Continue the discipline of healthy diet and exercise I have begun.
• Review my Life Mission.
• Work in my garden a little bit everyday.
• Save money for summer.
• Celebrate and make food and crafts with friends.

4. Take Action:

The full moon is a time to celebrate life, stay up late, see friends, exercise harder, and be more creative and outgoing. The crazy full moon energy builds and builds; it’s best to acknowledge it so it doesn’t throw me off balance. This surge of energy allows me to take action on intentions I set two weeks ago.

June has a different pace- less scheduled though more active. My aim this month is to stand still and calm in the center while I am hiking, cleaning, writing, socializing, teaching, digging, swimming, traveling and painting.

5. Make a lantern for Wesak:

Many Buddhists in Asia decorate for Wesak with flags and elaborate lanterns. I made a tissue paper lantern called an atapattama. They are usually made out of thin pieces of bamboo, but I found a good video demonstration on YouTube showing a simple wire technique. 

(For a view of last year's lantern look here.)

Supplies:

• 2 nails and a hammer
• piece of scrap wood
• ruler
• C-clamp
• 16 gauge wire
• wire cutter
• masking tape
• thin wire
• votive candle
• awl
• tissue paper
• scissors
• white glue

1. To make the frame of the lantern you will need six squares of wire. The easiest way to bend the wire into consistent squares is to use nails: Pound two nails into the scrap wood about 6-inches apart and clamp the wood to a table.

Wire squares ready to build a lantern.

2. Bend the wire around the nails, leaving a short 1-inch piece at the start. As you bend each corner, straighten the sides as best you can, and make the corners close to 90º-angles. 

Overlap the fourth side with the short first piece, and cut the wire. Tape the overlapping pieces with a bit of masking tape. Repeat for five more squares.


3. Lay one square down for the base of the lantern. Attach four other squares to the base- corner to corner- with masking tape, to make a checkerboard pattern.

4. Now join the other squares where the arrows indicate, to create triangles between every square. Add the sixth square to the top to complete the shape of the lantern- this cool shape is called a cuboctahedron.

Cuboctahedron with votive suspended in the center.

5. I decided to suspend my votive candle in the middle of the lantern for safety-

To do this, take the candle out of its little metal holder, and punch four holes around the sides of the holder with an awl.

Thread long pieces of thin wire through the holes and attach the ends of the wires to the four center cross points of the lantern. Replace the candle.





6. Now all you have to do is cover the sides with tissue. I left the top and bottom open-

Cut four squares and eight triangles of tissue, a little bigger than the shapes you need to cover. Brush slightly runny white glue along the edges of the paper and stick it onto the wire.

Add a string at the top for hanging.





6. Cook Hath Maaluwa (Seven Vegetables Curry):

Buddhists all over the world refrain from eating meat on this day, and serve vegetarian meals to poor people. 

Here’s a tasty vegetarian curry from Sri Lanka. You can use any seven vegetables that are in season in your area. The recipe calls for coconut milk, but I left it out because of an allergy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2-c. raw cashews 
• 1 potato 
• 1 small sweet potato 
• 1 small onion 
• fresh ginger 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 tsp. crushed curry leaves 
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, turmeric, curry powder, chili powder, black pepper, and salt to taste 
• 1 carrot 
• 1/2 small eggplant 
• fresh green beans 
• 1 can chickpeas
• coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. oil 
• 1/2 tsp. each cumin, fenugreek, and mustard seeds 

Serves 4-

1- Put the cashews in a large pot, add 2 c. boiling water, and let them soak.

2- Peel and cube the potato and sweet potato. Add to the pot and begin to simmer.

3- Chop the onion and mince the ginger and garlic. Reserve half, and add the rest to the pot, along with crushed curry leaves and powdered spices. Cook on low heat until potatoes are half cooked, about 10 minutes.







4- Peel and chop the carrot, eggplant, and beans and add to the pot. Cook another 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and add the chickpeas. Add coconut milk, or water if needed, to just cover the vegetables.

Cook until the curry boils and thickens.

5- Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a small frying pan, and add cumin, fenugreek, and mustard seeds. 

When they start to splutter add the reserved onion, garlic, and ginger. Brown them a bit and add to the curry. Serve hot with naan or rice.