Lughnasa

Lughnasa (loo-na-sa) is a Celtic festival celebrated in early August, usually August 1st. It's called a cross-quarter day because it falls approximately midway between summer solstice and autumn equinox, marking the end of summer in the Celtic tradition, and the beginning of the harvesting season.

The name Lughnasa comes from Lugh, the Celtic God of harvests, crafts, and the lightening flash, and nasad, which was an assembly or gathering. The Lughnasad was a gathering to honor and appease Lugh, so he would hopefully not throw a summer storm temper-tantrum, and ruin the harvest.

All of the cross-quarter days are times of transition from one focus to another. At Lughnasa the shift is from growth to harvest. 

And it's the yin time of the waning gibbous moon - a time to receive the fruits of our labors.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal Queries
2. Make bread

3. Arts and Crafts

4. Take a pause to enjoy the season

6. Nasad (gathering)

Friday

Friday is my day for proaction: Proaction is taking initiative to anticipate and shape future events rather than simply reacting to circumstances as they happen. Some people think Covey should've just used the word ACT, but proaction requires a thought: "I could do this or I could do that; I choose to do this."

And I'm still in the thrall of the active full moon phase!

Agenda:

1. Summer action plan

3. Morning ritual

3. Proaction and reciprocity plans

Art is Life

Thursday is my day to open the door to creative thinking and doing; I've reverted to an earlier phase of my life, before painting and art school, when I was internally driven to Make Things, and they were varied and creative. But I'm also a different person now - as Grandma Earth Teacher I am led to make things that are a gift to the Earth in some way, sustainable, and with a message. 

Also, I need to prepare for the next week of Grandma Camps, with themes, projects, and field trips.

Agenda: 

1. Read "Tiny Habits"

2. Design a watercolor habit

3. Start a fire for watercolor

4. Camp preparedness

5. Projects for the week

Full Thunder Moon

Wednesday is my day to re-group and re-define my week. First I make a plan for getting over the bump of the mid-week, then I re-envision my emotional tone and perspective.

And tonight is the full moon of July is called ameku, the mid-summer moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, and the thunder moon by others. July days have the humming energy of a summer storm. It's a month of passion and activity: I'm challenged to find integrity in my actions and expand into my Truth.

The sun is at the peak of its power, lighting all corners with its radiance, and burning away all non-essentials, and we are now also at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, the time to harvest what was planted and nurtured.

Agenda: 

1. My bump plan

2. Full moon shift

3. Celebrate depth

4. Writing themes

5. Start a fire for clearing space

Tuesday

Tuesday is my day to look at my social and emotional self, and make an effort to shift my perspectives around how I view and treat the people in my life.

We are in the Waxing Gibbous moon phase, when I pause to reconsider my intentions, my patterns and approaches, and make adjustments. I will look at the big picture of my life as I practice mindfulness, self-care and trust. It's a time to review and refine, a time to practice Being and trust in the ebb and flow of the universe.

Agenda: 

1. Remember my past and my path

2. Read "How to Deal with Anger"

3. Considering my intentions

Monday Home Coming

I got home late yesterday afternoon, after a whole week away, and this morning I am reveling in all the normalcy of home: Waking in my own bed, making my favorite coffee, and sitting at my desk to write. It seems like I have a lot of catching up to do, but really I just need to pick up the threads where I left them.

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and how I will step up for the Natural Living Challenge. 

We are in the Waxing Gibbous moon phase, when I pause to reconsider my intentions, my patterns and approaches, and make adjustments. I will look at the big picture of my life as I practice mindfulness, self-care and trust. It's a time to review and refine, a time to practice Being and trust in the ebb and flow of the universe.

Agenda:

1. Read "How to Keep House While Drowning"

2. Giving Each Thing a Home

3. New food habits