December 31, 2016

Kwanzaa- Day 6 and New Year's Eve

The sixth day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the principle of Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah), which is creativity. I can use my creative energies to build a beautiful and vibrant home and community.

For many people, New Year's Eve is a big night. W and I have no parties to go to or family to celebrate with- and are happy, really, to be alone together tonight. W has to work until after dinner, but then we will show in the New Year with some fun and fanfare. Our plan is to have delectable snacks together, watch a movie on TV, and toast the New Year with champagne at midnight.

Agenda Today:
1. Journal:
What creative ideas do I have to improve my house, my relationships, the school I work at, my faith community, and my neighborhood?

Look at my intentions for the New Year from the perspective of an artist (that is, upside down). What does my crazy wisdom tell me?

2. Ceremony:
I light the first candles, plus the last red candle, and say this affirmation-
I will use my creative talents and energies to aid young minds and hearts, and make my home and community more beautiful and vibrant.

3. Choose my New Year's Resolutions:
I've been thinking about this all week, and this is what I've decided-

In the New Year, I resolve to:
1. Be an Activist; even a shy person can work for change.
2. Be a Painter; do the work of painting every week.
3. Be a Healthy Weight; do the work it takes to reach my goal and stay there.

4. Creativity project- Make an Omamori:
Starting at dawn on New Year’s Day, Japanese people flock to shrines and temples to offer prayers and wishes for the New Year. While there, each person buys a new omamori, a traditional Japanese cloth charm, and returns last year’s omamori to be burned. 

Omamori is Japanese for “honorable protector”. They are most commonly rectangular, and contain a piece of wood or paper inside, with some powerful Shinto or Buddhist words for protection, or health, or luck, or a variety of other specific uses. The cool thing about omamori is that they are personal and portable. You can carry your omamori however feels right to you: It’s common to attach a safety omamori to a backpack to protect a child on the walk to school, or to keep a study omamori in a pencil case, or hold it in a pocket during an exam.

Since I can't buy an omamori at a local temple, I decided to make my own today

Supplies: sturdy fabric, paper for the pattern, scissors, needles and thread, awl (or something else pointing), cord, nice paper for the writing, pen or sumi ink and brush

1- Draw and cut a pattern:  Mine is 2-1/2 by 4-inches. Omamori are usually rectangular with angles at the top.



2- Fold your fabric in half at the bottom edge of the pattern and cut.










3- Turn the fabric inside out (front to front) and sew up the sides, but not the angled top. You can do this by hand or on a machine.









4- Turn the fabric right sides out again and poke out all the corners. 

5- Now you are ready to write your sacred words. Omamori can have a general blessing and protection or it can have specific focus such as:
Kaiun (good luck) 開運
Katsumori (success) 勝守
Koutsuu-anzen (traffic safety) 
Gakugyou-joujo (education and passing tests) 
Shiawase (happiness) 
Enmusubi (love) 

I'm not sure what words are usually inside an omamori, so I just wrote the words of the purpose. I chose traffic safety, and I plan to hang my omamori on my bicycle!



6- Once you write out your words, slide them inside. (I put mine in plastic to protect from rain). 

Then finish sewing up the top edges.


7- Omamori are hung by a cord tied with a special Japanese tassel knot. I found this great video tutorial showing how to tie it.





8- Once your knot it tied, poke a hole in the top of your omamori with an awl or something else that's poky.


Front
9- Slide both ends of your cord through the hole so that the tassel knot is resting on the front top


Back
and tie a small square knot on the back to keep it in place. Finished!





5. Make wassail:
The wassail bowl is an old Gaelic tradition still observed in Scotland and Great Britain. The word wassail comes from the Old English wes hál, meaning to be whole, and it was a toast made at medieval feasts to welcome the guests. People would carry a bowl of hot cider or ale outdoors on New Year’s Eve to share with neighbors, and groups of wassailers would go door-to-door singing to get their bowls filled. Tons of different recipes abound, but I like this simple one:

Ingredients:
  • 1 quart of hard apple cider (or use non-alcoholic cider)
  • 1/4 c. brown sugar (I used less)
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • 8 cloves
  • 8 allspice berries
  • apple slices
Yield: 4 servings-

1- Peel and slice the apples, and cut in thirds. Heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds on high, to soften.

2- Combine all ingredients in a pot. Smash the apples to a pulp. Heat just to warm.

3- Strain directly into cups and serve warm. Save the last bit to pour onto an apple tree to ensure next year's crop.

6. Wassail my apple tree:
I really love my apple tree, and so sometime on New Year's eve I will probably slip out to toast it's health, pour some cider on it’s roots, and give it a "Hurra".

"Here’s to thee, old apple-tree,
Whence thou mayst bud, and whence thou mayst blow,
And whence thou mayst bear apples enow!
Hats-full! Caps-full!
Bushel, bushel sacks-full!
And my pockets full, too! Hurra!

7. Make noise: 
Noise-making is considered an effective way to drive off the spirits of the old year and awaken the sleeping new year. We will gather horns, bells, pots, pans, and whistles, throw open the door at midnight, count down the final seconds of the old year, then let loose with whoops and cheers, bangs and toots, to welcome in the New Year.

December 30, 2016

Kwanzaa- Day Five

The fifth day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the principle of nia (NEE-ah), which is purpose. Purpose allows me to dream of the best future, to look within and set personal goals that are beneficial to me, my family, and my community.

Agenda:
1. Journal:
Two days left of 2016; it's time to see it out, and welcome in the New Year! This is an introspective time- standing at the door of the year, looking backward and forward. It's my habit to reflect on the past and also to ponder the year ahead- consider my true purpose, envision hopes for myself, and resolve to improve my way of life.

Today I will write a summery of the past year- the general tone, highlights, good memories and bad memories, friendships, challenges, successes, and adventures; also, write about my purpose, my life mission, and my intentions for the year ahead-

What are my hopes for the future? 
What might give my life more wholeness? 
What are my next steps in life?
Imagine accomplishing my goals; how do they benefit my family and community?

2. Finish old business and prepare for the New Year:
This is the traditional time to complete and tie the old year closed in order to allow the New Year to start fresh: Finish old projects and old business, pay debts, make apologies, call neglected friends, and return borrowed items.

My list is short this year:
  1. Visit one or two friends.
  2. Send a few final cards.
  3. Prepare for next week's art classes.
  4. Send a challenge letter to Geico. 
3. Make New Year's resolutions:
Make important New Year’s resolutions that speak to my purpose. Tips: 
  • Start early: If I wait until the last minute, my resolutions will be based only on my mind-set that particular day. 
  • Be realistic. Set small, clearly defined goals that will be possible to accomplish. Also, limit the number to two or three at the most.
  • Make a plan: Consider how I will stick to it. Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity to become a habit, and 6 months for it to become part of my personality.
  • Talk about it: Don't keep my resolutions a secret. Tell at least a couple people what I am planning, and ask if they will check up on my progress.
  • Write about my motivations: A few weeks in to the New Year it will be very helpful to read and remember why I thought these resolutions were such a good idea. 
4. Kwanzaa ceremony:
Today I light the black candle and the purple, 2 inside red candles, and 2 inside green candles. Then I recite this affirmation-
I have great hope, and a reason for everything I do. I will set goals that add to the good and beauty of the world.

5. Purpose project: 
I like to make my goals visible, so I made this collage postcard of my resolutions to pin to my bulletin board.

December 29, 2016

Kwanzaa- Day Four

The fourth day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the principle of ujamaa (oo-JAH-maah), cooperative economics- the idea that when we all work together, we all profit. Cooperative economics encourages us to meet our common needs by chipping in together. Imagine a world where everyone shares their wealth (even our government) and uses our economic strengths to make the world a better place!

On this day of Kwanzaa, I pledge to support community businesses, neighborhood stores, and local artists, and to boycott businesses that take from my community and give nothing back. Also, I remember that I need to share my wealth within my family and community, and respect the work done by others by compensating them fairly.

Ujamaa is about generosity and integrity, sharing what I have- money or food or time, and weighing carefully the pros and cons for the community before buying things.


1. Journal:
How can I put my money and energy to the best possible use in the service of the community?What resources do I have that I could share?
What changes could I make in my buying habits?

2. Kwanzaa ceremony:
I light the black candle and the purple, the inside red candle, and the inside green candle, plus another red candle. Then I recite this affirmation-
I will be generous with my resources, and have integrity with my buying habits.

3. Cooperative economics project:

Make a donation of time or money to a local charity.

December 28, 2016

New Bitter Moon and Soyal


Today is the New Moon, and the start of Soyal. This last new moon of the Chinese year is called the Bitter Moon, because we are into the month of the bitterest cold.

Soyal is a Hopi ceremonial period that begins at the new moon closest to the Winter Solstice and lasts for 16 days. Soyal is short for Soyalangwul, which means Establishing Life Anew for All the World. It's a sacred time of peace and preparation. During Soyal, the Hopi follow a special way of acting and being, to help turn the sun back toward its summer path, establish the right mood for the coming year, and reach a unity of everything in the universe.

Agenda:
1. Settle into the Soyal Way of Being:
  • Be quiet and be respectful. Use nice words. 
  • Move slowly and as silently as possible, for all life is germinating in the mother's womb. 
  • Strengthen my bonds with my family. Be helpful and caring.
2. Journal:
At Soyal, I review the Divine Laws, as I see them. I reflect on the past year, my own conduct and the conduct of people as a whole.

How far have I strayed from the Divine Laws? Where can I make improvements?

The new moon 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.

Because it's almost the new year, I list my intentions for the next year and the next weeks in these areas-
Self, Friends and Family, Teaching, Artwork, Writing, Home and Garden, Work/Business, and Volunteer work.


3. Make Prayer Feathers:
At Soyal, Hopis make prayer feathers for their family and friends, for personnel well being, for the increase of animals and crops, and for any other purpose they can think of. At the Soyal ceremony, they breath their wishes and prayers on the feathers, then hang them up.

Supplies: 1-3 feathers, small piece of leather, string, beads 

1. Like many objects of prayer, the making of prayer feathers is a prayer itself. Before you collect your feathers into a bundle, focus your thoughts on your prayer and remain in a prayer state as you work.

2. Gather a small bunch of feathers and cut the leather to just fit around the feather stems. Cover the leather with glue then wrap tightly around the stems. 

3. Tie with string. Add beads if you like. Leave a loop for hanging.

4. Take your prayer feathers in your hand and whisper your prayers, dreams and hopes to the feathers. 
Hang the feathers in a tree branch or someplace outside where Brother Wind can touch them. Each time Brother Wind moves, your feathers move also, and your prayers are carried to the sky.

4. New moon meditation and prayer:
Today I will light a small white candle on my altar. I will center, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.

Ask the Spirits to bring the rain of loving care down upon the whole world.

Hopi Prayer: Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy ---Myself--- Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.

5. Altar:
It's time to discern what to put on my altar for the next month. (For my thoughts on altars see About Altars). I generally keep it simple and choose only things that speak to me and feed me, and reveal what I believe in. I ask, what quality of Spirit do I want to invoke? 
Photo of South Sister from Moraine Lake

I am keeping-
  • my straw doll, for luck and protection
  • Kwanzaa candles
Today I add-
  • a turquoise candle for thought and study
  • sun, for the returning light after the solstice
  • a picture of a mountain, for stillness and meditation
  • my beautiful new handblown glass, open to receiving spiritual guidance
  • the rune "isa", ice- for the stillness of a frozen day, the development of concentration, and curbing of emotional outbursts
6. Work at my theme:
My theme this month is stillness. This month I plan to spend a little extra time in study, reflection, and meditation; I will use this time to absorb and integrate my daily experiences. When I build quiet into my daily routine, I honor the full rhythm of life- the yin time of stillness balances my yang actions. 

This week I am starting with these topics of study: 
  • "The Way of Silence" by Steindl-rast
  • How to stay calm through conflict
  • How to keep good habits
  • Tai chi form
Albert Einstein said“Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.” I've found that simply studying the wisdom of others isn’t enough; I have to think through ideas myself, and seek out information that contradicts my views.