Maidyozarem

The Zoroastrian community honors the six seasons of the year by celebrating six Gahambars - the word gahambar means "proper season". Each of these six festivals is celebrated for five days, and each honors one of the six material creations: The heaven, water, earth, flora, fauna and man.

Maidyozarem, the first Gahambar of the Zoroastrian year, means "mid-spring", and it celebrates the creation of the sky, heaven, the stars, and the hot nebulous cloud of the fire of the Universe. It takes place each year from April 30 through May 4th.

Agenda this week:

1. Recite prayers

2. Make Kachumber Salad

Full Hare Moon

Tonight is the full moon; this one is called amanta kotantal or "Time for pounding camus" by the Kalapuya of my area, and the Hare Moon by others, because it's the month when rabbits leap and play and mate.

Carmella and Toffee

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the shift to the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon. 

Agenda today:
1. Take a vision walk

2. Read "Writing and Being"

3. Celebrate joy

5. Balance Walk

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day! The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, and it still remains a big event in the environmental movement. Interest and participation in Earth Day has increased and spread around the world, with millions of people taking part. 

I do many things everyday in my life to help the earth: I live in a small house; I walk and bike, and work at home; I buy used stuff and buy locally; I use the library instead of buying books; I compost, recycle, and grow my own food, I lead an Earthcare support group at my Quaker Meeting, and I work with other climate activists to help change the way we use carbon in our community.

Agenda today:

1. Study regenerative farming

2. Take action

3. Artwork

April Retreat for the Earth

Next week is Earth Week, and I plan to post an agenda of activities for each day, including some reading and education, contemplation, earth care actions, and artwork, that grounds me in unity with the Earth. 

Today I just want to sit with the notion that I am of the earth, and settle into a contemplation of how I want to BE.

Maya Angelou said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” This is the kind of flexible optimism I aim for - not naivety, but realistic and adjustable. 

I am aware that the planet is suffering, that birds and insects are dying, that we will face riots and wars because of our actions. But I need to have hope that things can change, and I need to do what I can to make change. And then I need to cultivate an attitude of joy because of all the beauty we still have.

Agenda:

1. Read "It's a Meaningful Life" 

2. Creative visualization

3. Go to the Farmer's Market

4. Plant native flowers

April First Quarter moon and Navratri, Part Three

Camus by Alan Gillespie

Tonight is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the 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.

And Navratri continues for the final three nights. The nine nights of Navratri are broken up into sets of three, and during each a different aspect of Shakti is meditated upon. For these final three nights we honor and thank the Divine Mother as Saraswati, who is "the essence of self". Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace.

Agenda Today:

1. Morning meditation and mantra

2. Read Writing and Being

3. Writing a photo

4. Journal queries

5. Make a full effort plan

April Retreat for Synthesis

April is spring; the yellows and violets of March explode into all the amazing colors of the rainbow: orange tulips, pink azaleas, lilacs, fresh green, and the blue true dream of sky, that rich blue of patience, peace, and understanding.

During this middle month of spring, I celebrate the limitless energy of the maiden and the crazy wisdom of the fool. I turn everything upside down and inside out - anything is possible! April offers me happiness and wonder; maybe now I can say YES with vigor, enjoy the surprises, confusion, and chaos that life brings, and feel comfortable in the depths of my life.

Synthesis is defined as combining ideas to form a new idea or theory. Today I will take some time to juggle my ideas around in my head and come up with an exciting new order.

1. Retreat day plan

2. Read "The Creativity Book"

3. Elaboration meditation

4. Earth week craftivism