Full Snow Moon and Lantern Festival

Tonight is the full moon called the Snow Moon; also called the Atchiulartadsh, or "Out of Food" moon by the local Kalapuya.

We've not had any snow this month, and we are not out of food, but it is a lean time: Lean on light, barren garden beds, and low on energy.

Tonight is also Yuan Xiao, the 15th and last day of the Chinese New Year Festival. Yuan Xiao means "first night", meaning the first time that the full moon is seen in the New Year. 

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon. The February full moon is a good time to explore what it's like to be the receptive earth, accepting the seed and willing to nurture it. 

Agenda for today:

1. Vision walk

2. Celebrate receptivity

3. Read about inspiration

4. Make tang yuan, sweet dumplings
5. Hang a lantern
6. Riddle guessing

1. Take a vision walk:

The full moon shines a bright light on everything, and I might experience intuitive and creative breakthroughs. I might be shocked by the clarity of my insights. I might see some ugliness - the full moon illuminates all the things I've left in the shadows, some heavy truths and some embarrassing mistakes.

Today I'm going to settle in to silence and access my intuitive mind - my connection to the Creator and the Inner Guide - by putting myself into a relaxed, trance-like state, and seeking a leading of the spirit with an open mind and heart.

Queries:

In what areas of my life do I want to be more open and receptive? What blessings am I seeking? 

How can I be more openhearted and patient with the relationships, new projects, ideas, and missions I am nurturing in my life?

How do I bring mindfulness to the practice of kindness in the ordinary setting of every day?

How can I create a habit of generosity and easy-going open-handedness?

2. Celebrate receptivity:

My theme for this Holiday Moon continues to be receptivity. Receptivity requires that I be open and available, and also requires that I do the work to care for what I receive. I've been spending time with family, and keeping in touch with friends. I'm also taking lots of time for contemplation, and working on my patience skills.

Yesterday was a very social day, with lots of chances to celebrate receptivity, including a Game Night with my son and daughter-in-law, so today I will celebrate receptivity with a quiet day at home:

• Read about inspiration.
• Open to a new painting project, and gather inspiration.

3. Read about simple inspiration:

I decided to collect simple ways to spark inspiration, and here is my list of ideas to try this week:

1. Practice Mindfulness - My theme is not clear yet, but paying mindful attention to nature around me, and my connection to it, will bring it into focus, and give me fresh eyes. 
2. 
   Do a web search - Spending time looking at other people’s finished art, and learning new techniques can spark new ideas and put me in a different mindset.
3. Start a new Inspiration Collection - Dust off my Art Notebook and begin again to print pictures, quotes, and thoughts that inspire me.
4. Just get started - It’s easy to get lost in the details of what needs to happen before starting paint (I need to clear a space, learn a new process, buy supplies)
   but the the simple truth is I have to actually do the work! Once I’ve started a project, I may be inspired simply by the progress I'm making. 
5. Connect with other artists - I'll do this on Tuesday with my ongoing art class night, and I want to take full advantage, so I'm going to list some questions I want to ask, such as, "Are any of these new ideas worth pursuing?"
6. Write an Artist's Statement - Write about my current project, and my intentions for it, and be as detailed as possible. Remind myself what I'm working toward. 

4. Make tang yuan, sweet dumplings:
It is a tradition to eat these round sticky dumplings on the Lantern Festival to symbolize the full moon and also family togetherness.

They are delicious, but very rich, so only cook a few for each person, and freeze the rest to cook later. I have used two different fillings - sweet bean paste (you can buy it ready to use at Asian Markets), and one made with black sesame seeds. The recipe is here.

5. Hang a lantern:

The Yuan Xiao festival's other name is the Lantern Festival, because folks will make or buy lanterns of all kinds - shaped like flowers, or boats, or birds; made of bamboo, silk or paper; decorated with paintings, embroidery, paper cuts, tassels, and fringe - and tonight everyone takes to the streets to display their lanterns. It’s like a carnival: Children dress in costumes and watch parades with lighted floats, fireworks displays, puppet shows, and dances.

In China, the lantern is a symbol of eternal hope. I try to make a new lantern each year to hang on the front porch.

I used a yellow cellophane around the jar on the left, and white tissue
on the small jar in the center.

Supplies: A clear jar, tissue paper (optional), red paper (we used butcher paper), double stick tape, wire, gold cord

1. Choose a clear jar, big enough to hold a votive candle.

2. Cut a strip of yellow or white tissue paper to wrap around the jar and overlap just a bit (I used cellophane). Tape the strip where it overlaps. Or you can leave the jar clear.

3. Cut many 1-inch strips of red paper a bit longer than the height of the jar; you will need between 11 and 20 strips.

4. Put a small piece of double stick tape at the top and bottom of each strip and attach them one at a time to the rim and the bottom edge of the jar, overlapping each strip by about half.

5. Add a wire around the top rim if you want to hang it outside. Decorate with gold cord around the top.

6. Riddle guessing: 
It’s a custom at the Lantern Festival to have riddle-guessing contests; people copy out a puzzling riddle onto a paper lantern, and hang it at the door, with the promise of a reward to any who may succeed in unraveling it. 

Here are some of my favorite riddles:

• What always goes to bed with his shoes on? (A horse)

• What has feet but can't walk? (A yard stick)

• What has eyes but can't see? (A potato or a needle)

• What has hands but can't feel? (A clock) 

• What has ears but can't hear? (Corn) 

• What has teeth but can't chew? (A comb)

• Take off my skin - I won't cry, but you will! What am I? (An onion)

• There is an ancient invention still used in some parts of the world today that allows people to see through walls. What is it? (A window)

• What gets bigger the more you take away from it? (A hole)

• At night I come without being fetched. By day I am lost without being stolen. What am I? (A star)

• The more you have of it, the less you see. What is it? (Darkness)

• What must you keep after giving it to someone else? (A promise)

• What is lighter than a feather yet harder to hold? (Your breath) 

• If you have it, you want to share it. If you share it, you don't have it. What is it? (A secret.) 

• When you say my name I disappear. Who am I? (Silence)

• What is always coming, but never arrives? (Tomorrow)