Red Wednesday (and Nowruz)

This Thursday is the Persian New Year, beginning on the Spring Equinox, and celebrated in Iran for two weeks. The word Nowruz means New Day in Persian. It’s an ancient Persian belief that creation of the world took place on the first day of spring. To prepare for Nowruz, Iranians clean their houses, mend anything that is broken, take baths, and buy new clothes.

The night before the last Wednesday of the year is called Chahar Shambeh Soori, or Red Wednesday. On this night neighbors in Iran gather to build bonfires, and everyone leaps over the fire, to burn away the bad luck of the old year, and create good luck for the new year.

Agenda this week:
1. Start my spring-cleaning: 
This week I plan to clean the woodwork in the living room, and scrub the decking on the back porch.

2. Prepare the sabzeh: 
Last week we planted some seeds in shallow bowls, called the sabzeh in Iran, a symbol of new life. Lentils or wheat are traditional; we planted a mixture of wheat and ryegrain that I had in the cupboard for a cover crop.

This week the sprouts are tall enough to make a good show, though it’s best to start the sabzeh two weeks before Nowruz, so they fill out more. To prepare them for the table, we wrap them up with a red ribbon. 

3. Dye a few eggs: 

Yep, colored eggs are a traditional part of Nowruz. The favorite colors are red, green and yellow, but all colors are used. 

4. Make Shir Berenj 
(Persian Milk & Rice Pudding):

In Farsi, shir means milk and berenj means rice. This pudding is one of the 7 symbolic foods on the Nowruz table. My recipe is here.

5. Make nan-e badami: 

These delicate almond cookies are often served for Nowruz. My recipe is here.

Our suzani.

6. Set up a haft-sheen:
A few days before Noruz every household spreads a special tablecloth on the carpet or table called the haft-sheen, or cloth of seven dishes. 

My art class students have been decorating a special tablecloth that looks like a Persian embroidered suzani; we work on it a little each year, and this is what it looks like now.

The haft-sheen table includes seven bowls filled with seven symbolic foods, each beginning with the Persian letter sheen:

• Sharab- wine, for happiness
• Shakar- sugar, for sweetness
• Shir- milk, for nourishment
• Shireh- fruit syrup (usually grape, but I made raspberry), for vigor
• Shahd- honey, for productive teamwork
• Shirini- candy, more sweetness
• Shir berenj- rice pudding, for health

Other symbols of spring are also placed at the haft-sheen; each family has its own traditions, but the common symbolic items are:

• Sabzeh sprouts, for new life 
  
• A mirror to reflect the images of creation 
• A candle for each child, to represent wisdom and happiness 
• A Holy Book or book of poetry
• Spring flowers 
• Colored eggs, for fruitfulness 
• Coins, for prosperity 
• Rose water for healing 
• Cookies for a sweet life 

We spread the suzani out on the table, then have a hunt to find the symbolic items.

7. Build a fire and JUMP!

Full Egg Moon

My bulb garden today.

Tonight is the full moon, which is my monthly time for action and release: I look again at the “seeds of intention” I planted 2 weeks ago at the new moon and decide on my next steps to take; I take those steps; then I release my expectations in order to clear space for new ideas and new intentions.

This moon is called the Egg Moon, because this is the month when birds begin to lay eggs again. The egg is a powerful symbol: It is hope, new beginnings, and completeness. My vague ideas take a solid shape, enclosed in a perfect shell, and I have created a whole new beautiful thing!

The month of March is filled with a riot of color and activity. It’s a fresh, youthful, quick-flowing time- the start of something new. In the winter I dreamed dreams and made plans. Now is the time to get into action- to do the work of creating my vision here on the earth.

Agenda for today:
1. Altar:
Each month at the full moon I put a motto or quote on my altar, to ponder as a theme for the month. This month:

"It is not the length of life, but the depth."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

I also add new candles, in colors that symbolize what I want to focus on. In March I add-

• a spring green candle for joy and inner growth; a color to support change, and bring new things into being. 
• a dark blue candle for depth, purpose, and persistence; this is the color of deep water flowing, reminding me to seek my true path.

2. Journal:

Review my mission statement, and write about my purpose in life. 

Is my path clear? What would I most like to do in life that I’m still not getting to?

Review the intentions I set 2 weeks ago, at the new moon.
Do these goals all still seem vital? What are my next steps?

3. Take Action:

Plan steps to take to complete some projects. (I really want to finish building my new spice shelf.)

4. Hard-boil some eggs

The World Day of Prayer

The World Day of Prayer takes place every year on the first Friday in March. Christian women from all over the world join together to plan and organize events, and suggest a theme and focus for prayer and prayerful action. 

The World Day of Prayer began after the devastation of World War I, when women were convinced that world peace was tied to world mission.

I enjoy looking at the materials they produce every year. This year the woman of Egypt have set the theme, which is "Streams in the Desert" - inspired by Isaiah 43:19- “I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert”. The mission is the world water crisis.

Agenda today:
1. Visualize:
I live in an area with abundant water, and looking out on all the rain pouring down today I find it hard to grasp the reality of water scarcity. So today I’m going to sit for a bit and imagine what it would be like to live in a desert. I’m going to picture walking in a desert with a can on my head to collect water from the well.

2. Study up on the water crisis:
From the WDP site: 

“In many communities around the world today, water remains scarce. In places where water is not easily accessible, girls often are sent for water and must walk miles, carrying gallons of water home to their families. This makes them vulnerable to rape and other violent assault, and many girls miss school because of the time it takes them to collect water in the morning. Lack of clean water is one of the world’s chief causes of disease, and lack of sanitation causes the death of an estimated 5,000 children each day.”

“An estimated 2.4 billion people in the world lack adequate sanitation and 1.1 billion people are without access to safe water. There are 1.6 million deaths per year attributed to dirty water and poor sanitation.

Here in the United States, 40 percent of our lakes, rivers and streams are too polluted to be safe for aquatic life or swimming. Our national tap water infrastructure faces a troubling $23 billion annual investment gap.”

Corporate Accountability International invites you to learn more about water issues both in the United States and internationally, and participate in one of their campaigns: Human Right to Water, Think Outside the Bottle, and Public Water Works!

And here is a link to calculate your water footprint.

3. Journal: 

Think creatively about water issues- 

What small steps can I take to advocate for change in the world?

What steps can I take myself to change habits?

4. Learn about Egypt:

WPD has a whole page about Egypt’s history and cultural diversity here. Tonight I plan to eat Egyptian Fool Medemmas - fava beans with veggies.

5. Prayer:
Great Spirit, open me to feel compassion for those in need. Help me find ways to fight for equality and work towards equity in my own use of resources.

2014 Lent Calendar

March 5

• Research Fair Trade sugar .
• Tally up how many grams of added sugar I eat in my cereal, creamer, and snacks.

March 6

• Fast from meat and sugar.
• Take the Hunger IQ test and pass it on.

March 7

• Buy cans for Food for Lane County.
• Buy fair trade sugar.

March 8

• Fast from meat and sugar.

March 9

• Journal: What has my experience of fasting been so far this Lenten season? What insights have I had?
• Pray: Spend an hour in prayer; reach deep for compassion and new understanding.

March 10

• Fast from meat and sugar.
• Study: "Food & Faith: Justice, Joy, and Daily Bread"- Overview.

Baby spinach and over-wintered kale in my front yard

March 11

• Research soup kitchens that I might volunteer at.
• Study: "Food & Faith"- Introduction: Food as Sacramental.
• Plant spinach and radishes!

March 12

• Study: "Food & Faith"- Ch. 1: A Celebration of Food.

March 13

March 14

• Fast from meat and sugar.
• Buy cans for Food for Lane County.

March 15

• 

  I bought onions at the Farmer's Market, and also a bag of

  locally grown whole wheat flour.

  
  

  Shop at the Farmer's Market- support local farmers.
• Potluck with my faith community
• Study: "Food & Faith"- Ch. 2: Your Health, the Western Diet and Politics.

March 16

• Journal: What has my experience of fasting been so far this Lenten season? What insights have I had?
• Pray: Spend an hour in prayer; reach deep for compassion and new understanding.
• Study: "Food & Faith"- Ch. 2: Your Health, the Western Diet and Politics.

March 17

• Fast from meat and sugar.
• Make homemade bread with locally grown whole wheat flour.

March 18

• Plant onions & peas!

March 19

• Study: "Food & Faith"- Ch. 3: Spirituality and Food.

March 20

• Fast from meat and sugar.

March 21

• Study: "Food & Faith"- Ch. 4: Caring for the Land.
• Buy cans for Food for Lane County.

March 22

• Shop at the Farmer's Market- support local farmers.

March 23

• Journal: What has my experience of fasting been so far this Lenten season? What insights have I had?
• Pray: Spend an hour in prayer; reach deep for compassion and new understanding.

March 24

• Fast from sugar and meat.
• Plant potatoes, peas, and radishes.
• Spring cleaning

March 25

• Spring cleaning

March 26

• Fast from sugar.
• Spring cleaning

March 27

March 28

• Fast from meat.
• Buy cans for Food for Lane County.

March 29

• Shop at the Farmer's Market- support local farmers.

March 30

• Journal: What has my experience of fasting been so far this Lenten season? What insights have I had?
• Pray: Spend an hour in prayer; reach deep for compassion and new understanding.

March 31

• Fast from sugar and meat.

April 1

• Fast all day (April Fools!)

April 2

• Plant carrots and radishes.

April 3

• Fast from sugar and meat.

April 4

• Buy cans for Food for Lane County.

April 5

• Shop at the Farmer's Market- support local farmers.

April 6

• Journal: What has my experience of fasting been so far this Lenten season? What insights have I had?
• Pray: Spend an hour in prayer; reach deep for compassion and new understanding.

April 7

• Fast from sugar and meat.

April 8

• Research and shop for greens.

April 9

• Plant greens.

April 10

• Fast from sugar and meat.

April 11

• Buy cans for Food for Lane County.

April 12

• Shop at the Farmer's Market- support local farmers.

Budding Moon & Losar Eve

Tonight is the new moon; the Chinese call the second new moon the Budding Moon. This is my monthly time for “seeding” intentions. I write down what I hope to focus on in the next 30 days or so, and then give my ideas a period of gestation, like seeds in the soil, before I take action. Having this regular time each month to focus my goals has helped to give me clarity of purpose.

AND this is the eve of Losar, the Tibetan New Year. The word Losar means literally year- lo and new- sar. By now in Tibet all the cleaning and preparations are finished except one- the Generosity Shrine; Tibetan families will set these up tonight. 

I love the symbolism of this altar, which serves as a reminder of the wish to cultivate a generous heart, and to share without expectation of return, what Tibetans call jembay tsultrim. The purpose of making offerings is to develop and increase a "mind of generosity".

Agenda for today:
1. Journal:

What might give my life more wholeness? 

What am I hungry for? 

What changes would make me happier?

What are my next steps in life?

List my intentions for the month of March in these areas-
Self, Friends and Family, Teaching, Artwork, Writing, Home and Garden, Work/Business, and Volunteer work.

2. New Moon Meditation:
Light a small white candle. Center, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life. Do this each day until the candle is gone.

3. Generosity Shrine:

Some Losar shrines are very elaborate. Tibetans offer butter sculptures, bowls of water, sweet rice, a cup of tea, dried stalks of wheat (symbolizing the harvest), sprouted wheat grass (symbolizing freshness and newness), cookies, candies, candles, incense, fresh fruit, flowers ... the more visually pleasing and fresh the better. These offerings should be seen as “vast in number, as extensive as space.”

I had fun setting up my Generosity Shrine. The advise is to make offerings that are in nature with my own good qualities, so I have chosen to offer -

• A bowl of water with the wish that all beings be eased of thirst. 
• A plate of (not yet) sprouted buckwheat with the wish that the world food harvest be abundant. 
• Flowers from my garden to remind me to care for the earth. 
• A pink candle with the wish that my love will continue to expand. 
• A small painting with the wish that I can continue to share the joy of creativity.

4. Practice Generosity:
I hope my shrine will remind me to actually be more generous- put more effort into looking after people; become more actively involved with my community; give attention to each conversation; be more open-minded, and give people the benefit of the doubt. 

I have found that when I intentionally avoid over-commitment, I feel a sense of space that makes me more willing to share my time. This week I want to make an effort to open to extravagant love, and look for opportunities to express my generosity in new ways.
  

5. Make new Prayer Flags:

Before Losar, all the old prayer flags are removed, and tomorrow the new ones will be hung. I have some old peace flags outside that are looking pretty bad, so I plan to take them down today and start to make some new flags. 

Prayer flags in Tibet are made with woodblock prints of designs and the words of Buddhist prayers. 

I stamped the cloth with a large rubber stamp,  and then wrote my prayers with markers.

My prayers are:

Great Spirit, open my heart to extravagant love. 
May love spread to hold every child and creature.

Great Spirit, fill me with joy and the awareness of my blessings. 
May joy lighten the hearts of all.

Great Spirit, bring me equanimity. 
May peace and ease settle over the world.

Great Spirit, help me to be mindful and aware of each precious moment. 
May we all be awake to the wonders around us.

Great Spirit, give me a generous spirit and alertness to other’s needs. 
May generosity spread to every corner of the world.
Amen.

My finished prayer flags.