Earth Week Tuesday and First Quarter Moon

 

This week I plan to post an agenda of activities for each day, to show my dedication and love for the earth.

Today is also the First Quarter Moon, when we are one-quarter of the way through the Sleepy Moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda today:

1. Journal queries

2. Make a full effort plan

3. Earth Week petition walk

4. Plant a bee garden

5. Climate Revolutions by Bike Meeting

1. Journal queries:

Today, at the first quarter moon, I prepare to give full effort to my priorities. 

Which of my priorities am I having the most trouble acting on this month?

What potential challenges and obstacles do I face this week and month (things I don’t enjoy, don’t know how to do, or feel blocked on)? How can I best meet these challenges?

How will I find the inspiration that will spark full effort for my priorities, every day, over and over?

I will certainly face obstacles but I will remain flexible and use my obstacles as fuel for growth:

• The challenge to changing my attitudes to BIPOC is confusion and sadness; practice centering, and equanimity.
• The challenge to painting with persistence is lethargy and procrastination; practice taking one step at a time.
• The challenge to daily climate action is limitation; practice opening doors and stepping through.

2. Make a full effort plan: 

Full effort (sometimes called exertion) is one of the steps of mental discipline on Buddha’s eightfold path. Buddha was urging full effort for awakening the mind; a first step is to practice full effort for whatever is most important in your life right now - for your priorities.

Full effort requires attention (remembering what it is you want to do and your deepest reasons why), a spark of energy and determination (connecting to your excitement for life each day and each moment, and sustaining it long enough to accomplish your priorities), and balance (holding your intentions lightly in the complexity of life).

3. Earth Week petition walk:

Each day on my walk this week I will repeat this prayer of petition:

That the Earth be cared for, I pray. 

That we learn to live simply and lightly on the Earth, I pray. 

That we stop poisoning the soil and seas, I pray. 

That global warming is halted and reversed, I pray. 

That protection of the Earth becomes the political priority, I pray. 

Amen.

4. Plant a bee garden:

Planting a bee garden is pretty easy to do, easy to maintain, nice to look at, and is an effectively way to help.

I have quite a few plants that attract pollinators, but I want to have more, so today I'm going to buy some new flowers:

• Red- flowering Currant- thornless and with bright flowers cherished by hummingbirds.
• Lovage- a pollinator magnet. It resembles a carrot plant, and is a perennial. It grows very easily from seed.

5. Climate Revolutions by Bike meeting

I've been part of this wonderful group for a couple of years now, but we weren't very active during the pandemic. Things are picking up again now and Today we will meet on zoom to make our plans for our first ride in May.