Prepare for the Solstice

Solstice is less than a week away, and my habit is to have a week of summer fun and attention to welcome the start of this amazing season.

Summer is the wonderful time when we get to slow down, sleep in, play with friends, go swimming, bask in the sun, eat ice cream, stay up after dark... let’s face it; all the best stuff happens in the summer! No matter how old you are, summer is a time to slow your pace and savor the fun and freedom. The shift from spring to summer is worth noticing!

Agenda: 

1. Practice a Reverent Way of Being

2. Read "How to Keep House While Drowning"

3. Giving Each Thing a Home

4. Plan a fun build-up to summer

5. Make Sima

New Dragon Moon

The new moon rises today; the Chinese call the fifth new moon the Dragon Moon. Chinese dragons are a symbol of cosmic Chi, good fortune, and new beginnings, but the time around the Dragon Moon is strongly yang, with bright sunlight and moist heat. The Chinese consider this to be a dangerous and unhealthy season and they have customs to protect against the excessive yang energy.

I feel strong and effective when I am able to harness my yang energy to get stuff done, but I like to remember that yang's best aim is to protect yin, and yin's best function is to nurture yang; life is good when I have each in a kind of dynamic balance. This week I will make an effort to bring a balance of restorative yin energy to my life: Slow down, rest well, drink more water, and practice ‘discipline of purpose’.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

Agenda:

1. Retreat Day plan

2. Read "Intrinsic Hope"

3. Choose a month theme

4. Set intentions

June Garden

The June garden is pure abundance. It's too late to start most summer veggies now in my valley, and too early to start fall crops, so my focus is on garden care - watering, weeding, mulching - and on HARVEST. We are going to have an early heat wave this week - so watering will be paramount.

Agenda:

1. June tasks

2. Planting

Thursday Creative Brainstorm

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 a summer of Grandma Camps, with themes, projects, and field trips.

And thirdly, I've got lots of projects that help us function better: Fixing broken things and maintaining the house.

Agenda: 

1. Read "Tiny Habits"

2. Brainstorm for summer cretivity

3. Projects for the week

4. Camp preparedness

Hump Day

We saw Bob Dylan last night!

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.

Agenda today:

1. My bump plan

2. Read "The Book of Doing and Being"

3. Brainstorm for Nature-Culture

4. Writing themes and passion plan

Tuesday

Tuesday is my day to look at my social and emotional self, make an effort to shift my perspectives around how I view and treat the people in my life, and get ready for a week of fun activities with my grandsons.

Agenda:

1. Read "Tiny Habits"

2. Expressing Needs in the World

3. New narrative for presence

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Brainstorm my equanimity

6. Cleansing