2021 Lenten Calendar, Week Two

My theme for Lent this year is the Land I Live On. Most of my activism focus is on climate change, and I want to fuel that work with a strong and intimate connection to this land. 

I want to better understand my relationship to the natural world and the cycles of the seasons, the history, culture, and ecosystem of my valley, the indigenous peoples and how I connect to them, and the responsibility I feel for the land.

Also, because I am caring for my grandson this year, I have a unique opportunity to see the natural world through a baby's eyes, with Wonder and Discovery. I want to re-connect to the awe for Creation that I felt as a child. 

February 21 - First Sunday of Lent

1. Journal queries: What have I learned so far from my Lenten fast and study? What are the next steps to take? Ground myself in optimistic hope for the future, and open to the best actions to take.

From my journal: I'm excited by my study so far. I'm waking up to the land in a new way, and beginning to isolate the shame of being white (which I've carried most of my life) in a way that I can lean into, and work with. 

I acknowledge my white privilege as illegitimate - stollen from brown people - and I accept the uncomfortable burden I carry as the price I must pay. Being uncomfortable is part of the human condition, and I want to transform that shame and guilt into love and compassion and action.

2. Research, plan, and shop for local foods: Last week I started "16/8 intermittent fasting", eating only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. My purpose is to strengthen my discipline, and focus attention on my relationship with the foods of the land. As part of my fast this year, I want to include fewer out-of-state foods in my diet. Today I will plan a menu for the next week that includes more local foods, and then go out to buy them.

February 22 - Pea planting day

3. Wonder Practices - Pea Planting Ceremony: Peas are the first seeds we plant outdoors each spring. Planting is such a basic act of life, and we will plant maybe a hundred seeds this year. 

Today we plant peas with attention, and we plant together. We plant peas as an offering to the earth, and an offering to our relationship. We also drink a little wine, and spill some on the ground, to bless the soil.

February 23 - Gibbous Moon

4. Study Braiding Sweetgrass, section 2: In the story "Maple Sugar Moon", Nanabozho finds that people have grown lazy due to the bounty of the first Maple trees. Nanabozho removes this culture of plenty by diluting the sap and teaching the people to honor and respect the gift of the Maple tree. What parallels can I draw from this story and our consumer-driven economy? In what ways are we wasting earth’s gifts – its non-renewable, natural resources?

"Groundless" - unfinished

5. Paint a "Groundless Landscape": I've been cogitating the idea of groundlessness, or embracing ambiguity, as a way to transcend the suffering of being human, and I began to wonder what a groundless landscape would look like... presumably all water and air?

February 24 - 

Sioux and Permelia

6. Study The Kalapuyans: I started this short book on the indigenous people of my valley. People have lived in the Willamette Valley, between Portland and the Calapuya Mountains south of Eugene, for probably 10 thousand years. At the time when white people arrived, the People here spoke a similar language, and became known as the Kapapuyans, but consisted of many, many small bands. The band that lived near to my home was the Chafin. 

The Kalapuyan name for this season is tuu pyan, "pretty near spring time", and the work for duck is anáq-naq.

7. Wonder Practices: Go on a wonder walk with Aldo, just walking around our yard with baby steps, stopping to taste the leaves, smell herbs, and feel the dirt.

February 25 -

8. YES! Presents 'An Ecological Civilization: The Path We're On': I'm so glad I registered for this virtual discussion on moving the world to a community-oriented way of life, with some pretty outstanding speakers - Leah Penniman, Winona LaDuke, and Jeremy Lent.

The path toward an ecological civilization moves us from an uncivilized society based on selfish wealth accumulation to one that is community-oriented and life-affirming. You’re invited to join us for a virtual conversation on the ways communities are already working toward that goal—and how you can be a part of it.

February 26 - February full moon

9. Extend Love Mantra: My real purpose on earth is to grow in love; our world needs more love. With more love, we could do away with war - we would have no prejudice, oppression, or violence of any kind. Everyone would have enough food because we would feed each other. We would care for the environment because we love our planet, and the animals, and our children too much to harm it.

How, then, do I create more love in the world? I simply need to open my heart wide as often as I can, wider and wider - throw open my door to love. Love is energy. I can produce the energy of love and extend it to the world so that it grows out from me in ripples. We can never have too much love in the world, and I trust in love to save us all.

 I long to touch that place of bliss and peace, where I have a sense of unity with all people and all creation; where I have a sense of being pure Love.

I wrote this circular mantra a few years ago to help me remember to extend love all day long:

SPIRIT - in sky, earth, trees - I EXPAND

THOU - infinite, ultimate Love - I OPEN

ME - awake, grounded, present in this moment - I AM

10. Draw a Lino block: I'm working on a series of block-printed prayer flags to hang in public spaces, and today I'm starting one for Wonder. One of the things I like most about the Craftivism movement is that, as I work, I'm not only expressing my hope for change, but also creating a quiet space for myself to regain a sense of power and purpose.

February 27 - 

11. Study Braiding Sweetgrass, section 2: In "Allegiance to Gratitude" Kimmerer introduces the Thanksgiving Address used by the indigenous people to give thanks to the land. She states, “...it is the credo for a culture of gratitude.” How does the Thanksgiving Address support the concept of “our mutual allegiance as human delegates to the democracy of the species”? What does that mean to me?

12. Shop at the Farmer's Market: Last week I started "16/8 intermittent fasting", eating only between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. My purpose is to strengthen my discipline, and focus attention on my relationship with the foods of the land. Today I will pick up food for next week at our local Farmer's Market!

13. Order some bee-friendly plants: Oregon's Native Bees Are In Steep Decline! Native bees, such as bumblebees and solitary bees that provide essential pollination for agricultural crops and native plants, are in trouble. Many species are at risk of extinction. As pollinator populations decline, the lower production of healthy fruits and vegetables is placing the entire natural system in peril. What can you do?

1. Do not apply neonics to your yard.
2. Grow bee-friendly flowers
3. Take a pledge to protect pollinators
4. Urge local food growers, nurseries and garden centers to support OPPA (Oregon Pollinator
Protection Alliance) Read all the details and reference material at www.beyondtoxics.org/work/save-oregons-bees