Tu B’Shevat

Tu B’Shevat (too b’sch VAHT) is the Jewish New Year for Trees. It begins at sunset on the evening of the full moon of late January or early February-- but it's timed to the full moon in Israel. 

This is the season when the earliest-blooming trees in Israel begin a new fruit-bearing cycle. In contemporary Israel it’s celebrated with tree planting ceremonies and a focus on ecological awareness. Many also share a seder (ceremonial meal) with tree fruits. 

I like the focus on trees and ecology, but I also enjoy the deeper symbolism expressed by the Kabbalists: They have an image of God as an upside-down tree, whose roots are invisible to us, and whose trunk and branches reach downward toward us. Through this Tree of Life flows love, enlightenment, and persistent creation, causing the world and each of our lives to bloom.

Agenda: 
1. Journal:
How do I actively practice making connection to the flow of love and Light coming from the Tree of Life?
How can I be more open to receiving spiritual blessings? 
How can I be a better conduit through which blessings flow on to others?

2. Plant trees:
It’s a tradition to plant trees on Tu b’Shevat, or to donate money for the environment. I planted a lemon tree last year, and here it is now! 

3. Seder:
Eating fruit on this night helps to keep Divine blessings flowing in the world. We will have a fruit seder tonight at sunset.

I usually buy any fruits I feel like, but I try to include some of the seven species of fruits and grains named in the Torah (Deuteronomy 8:8): Wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates. 

We cut the fruit and arrange it on a big platter, and set the table nicely with candles and flowers. (I also make some whipped cream, for fun.)

When everything is ready, I light the candles and we say this prayer:

Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam borey p’ri ha-eyts.

Blessed are You, our God, Who creates the fruit of the tree.

Full Wolf Moon

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

January is the first full month of winter, a time when everything is shrouded in mystery- the sky is gray, trees hold their buds tightly closed, and hidden seeds germinate secretly in the ground. 

The full moon of January is called the Wolf Moon because of the hungry packs of wolves that used to roam for prey at this time of deep winter. Even with no wolves, winter is a scary time- I worry when my family travels in bad weather; I'm anxious about winter illnesses and overdue bills; and I feel vulnerable and unsettled by the violence and political goings on in the world. Unfortunately, at this time of year I am sometimes engulfed in feelings of sadness or worry, with little energy and no motivation. 

Fear limits me; it drains my energy and initiative and stops me from trying anything risky or new. It puts me in a state of foggy stasis. The full Wolf Moon is a good time to ask God to protect my home, my family, and myself, and give me the courage, confidence, and stubborn enthusiasm I need to live well in the mystery of winter. 

Agenda for today:

1. Altar:
It's time to clear my altar and discern what to put on it for the next month. (For my general 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.

Today I add-

• a piece of quartz, for the purity of winter
• a turtle, for long life and the patient earth
• an empty bowl to symbolize waiting with an open heart and mind
• a house, for the hibernation that is rejuvenating me

Each month at the full moon I add new candles, in colors that symbolize what I want to focus my attention on. Today I add:

• a red candle for courage and confidence. Red is a strong and energetic color, helpful now for reminding me to persevere.
• a pink candle for openness, receptivity, and generosity, and to remind me that vulnerability also takes courage.

I also add a motto or quote to ponder as a theme for the month. This month it's Galatians 5:22-23.

2. Journal:

Review the intentions I set 2 weeks ago, at the new moon. 

Do these goals all still seem vital? 
What are my next steps?
How can I act now with more courage, confidence, and enthusiasm? 

Consider the relationships, new projects, ideas, and missions I am nurturing in my life. 

How can I be more openhearted and patient with these? 

3. Practice at my theme:
My theme this month is receptivity; like the earth- accepting the seed, and willing to nurture it. Receptivity requires that I be open and available, but then also do the work to care for what I receive. 

I've had a great lesson in receptivity since my accident, beginning with receiving help from the EMT's and emergency room staff, my friends and family caring for me, bringing me food, tying my shoes, and (just this week) lifting me up when I got stuck in a squat. I am trying to honor all that attention by being gracious and thankful, working steadily at my physical therapy, being patient with my recovery, and continueing to accept help when I need it.

My goals this month are to:

• remember that I am filled with an abundance of blessings each day;
• receive help gracefully, and nurture myself as I grow in strength and mobility;
• take the time to open myself to inspiration, and then do the work that inspiration gives me;
• nurture my friendships.

4. Visualization: 
Light my pink candle and settle into quiet meditation. Focus on the tender emotion of generous love. Allow a smile to settle on my face and in my heart. Visualize love as soft, tingly, warm, pink light, and see it move from my heart to every part of my body so that every cell is glowing and vibrating. Now see the pink light of love radiating to fill the whole room, then the whole city, and the whole planet earth. See that all people, plants, and animals feel warm and happy. Send an extra dose of love-light to my family and close friends. 
Pray: "Great Spirit, open my heart to generous love."

5. See the Full Moon:
The full moon always rises near to sunset. Since the sun sets early in the winter, it's my favorite season to try to view the moonrise; however, in my climate, the chances of a clear night are slim, and tonight is supposed to be cloudy. I will take a look anyway... ahh, nothing but gray.

6. Take Action:
The full moon is a time to celebrate life, stay up late, see friends, exercise harder, and be more creative and outgoing. The crazy full moon energy builds and builds; it’s best to acknowledge it so it doesn’t throw me off balance. This surge of energy allows me to take action on the intentions I set two weeks ago.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2015 MLK march

Today I am reminded again that I need to honor the ongoing struggle for freedom, equality, and dignity for all people, and share in the efforts.

Agenda today:
1. Journal: 
What have I done lately to teach or support freedom, equality, and dignity for all people? 

How can I better define myself as part of the human (rather than white) race? 

2. Celebrate:
Usually I attend the annual NAACP Martin Luther King Jr. celebration, but this year I taught a workshop instead. 

We celebrated the day by exploring how to create inner peace, peace between people, and peace in the world.




3. Study: 
Each year I read more of the writing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year we read and discussed these three quotes: 


"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."  ~speech on Aug. 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C.



"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." ~from “Loving Your Enemies,” in Strength to Love


"Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals."  ~Why We Can't Wait, 1963

4. Make peace paintings:
To be a peacemaker in the world, you first need to feel at harmony within yourself.  Many people find inner peace when they paint or draw. We practiced this with watercolors

Supplies: Peace music, watercolor paper, watercolor paints, palettes, brushes, water, rags

 1. Set out paper and paints in a place where you won't be distracted... and turn on some peaceful music.

2. Close your eyes and listen to the music for a while and see if it makes a picture in your head. Do you see any colors, shapes, or lines? Do you see a scene? 

3. When you get an idea, dip your brush in the water and start to paint. You might paint an actual scene, or just lines and shapes. Anything is OK- just paint what comes. Focus only on the painting and the music. Allow yourself to be absorbed by the painting, and hold that as long as you can. 

4. When you finish, sit and look at your painting and feel the peace you have created. 

5. Make peace sign pretzels:

The circle with three lines is one of the best known peace symbols in the world. It was designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom, a Brittish artist, as the logo of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The symbol combines the semaphore letters N for nuclear and D for disarmament. (Semaphores are letters made by holding flags in different positions.) 

The peace symbol was used in the United States for civil rights marches and anti-Vietnam War demonstrations and it became very popular because it is so simple to draw. It's also easy to make into pretzels! (Unfortunately, I forgot to take photos.)

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. yeast
• 3 c. flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup very warm water (130ºF)
• oil
• 6 c. water
• 4 Tbsp. of baking soda
• coarse salt

Yield: Makes 6-8 pretzels-

Kneading the pretzels

1- Combine yeast, flour, sugar, salt, and 1 cup very warm water (130ºF). Mix well. Knead until smooth. Cover; let stand 10 minutes.

2- Divide the dough into 6-8 pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. Use half to make a circle and half to make the inside lines of the peace sign.

3- Place each pretzel on a small piece of waxed paper. Let them rise 20 minutes.

4- Oil 2 baking sheets, preheat the oven to 400ºF, and combine 6 c. water and 4 Tbsp. of baking soda in a large pot. Heat the soda bath to boiling.

5- Carefully tip one pretzel off the waxed paper into the soda bath. Cook for 15 seconds, then remove with tongs, drain, and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt. 

6- When all the pretzels have been boiled, bake them for 20 minutes, until golden.

Pongal

Pongal is a four day harvest festival celebrated in India, beginning on January 13th or 14th. The word Pongal means “overflowing” and “abundance”. It's celebrated as a shift in the season- the end of winter- the day on which the sun begins to move northwards. The sun is a symbol of wisdom, divine knowledge and spiritual light, and as it turns on its northward course, it turns towards us and blesses us with life and energy.

Each day of Pongal has a slightly different focus and theme. Today is called Bhogi Pongal, which means "enjoy abundance". On Bhogi, everyone cleans house and clears out unneeded stuff to make way for the new. Many people burn and get rid of old household items and clothing, and buy new household items on this day. After the house is clean, women decorate their courtyards with rangoli designs made with rice flour. Also, farmers anoint their plows and sickles with sandalwood paste to bless them, then bring in the fresh harvest of rice and sugar cane.

The second day is called Surya Pongal, named for the sun god, Lord Surya. On this day people cook sweet rice in a clay pot at sunrise; the pongal pot is the main attraction- it is decorated, and set up on the kitchen floor or in the front yard, with decorations surrounding it and the cooking fire. Everyone watches as the rice cooks and the moment the rice bubbles out of the clay pot, someone rings a bell, and everyone shouts "Pongalo-o-o-o Pongal!" The boiling over symbolizes good luck and prosperity for the family.

The third day is Mattu Pongal, focusing on the cattle who pull the plows. (Mattu means "cow".) The cows are cleaned, decorated and fed treats.

The fourth day is Kanum Pongal. Kanum means "to view": It's a day to visit friends and family.

Agenda for Pongal:
1. Housecleaning:

Like many 'change of season' festivals, cleaning and clearing is a theme for Pongal. I’ve been doing some deeper cleaning this month, with a focus on mold, and this week I will clean the living room:

• Dust the furniture and the corners.
• Scrubb the mold off the windowsills with detergent and warm water, then use a solution of ¼-cup bleach in 1-quart water. Wait 20 minutes and repeat. Wait another 20 minutes. Apply Borax solution and do not rinse, to help prevent mold from growing again.
• Vacuum the sofa and around the sofa.

Also, I have gathered a box of books and other stuff to donate to the thrift store, and a few things to burn. I don't want to burn clothing or other items that are still useful, so I've collected some old wood and junk mail for the fire.

2. Have a Fire:
The Bhogi fire is, of course, symbolic. Tomorrow the sun shifts to bring us wisdom, life, and energy, and so today we will sacrifice our ignorance, delusions, bad habits, attachments, and vices on the fire. 

Today I will write down one or two things I want to clear from my life, then start a little fire in the fire pit, and toss in my list.

3. Paint a rangoli:

My rangoli design from last year.

Women paint new rangoli designs each day for Pongal, onto the floor or the ground outside. Rangoli painting is an art handed down from mother to daughter in all parts of India. 

The artist uses very simple materials; rice flour, natural colors, and her fingers. In some places, women paint new designs each morning outside the doorway of the house, to protect those who come and go. In India rice flour is thought to have protective power.

Rangoli are ephemeral art- they are meant to be walked on and not to be kept. However, last year we decided to make small designs on posterboard to keep.

Supplies:

• poster board or matboard
• chalk or pastels
• designs (see this site for some nice rangoli designs)
• rice flour, white or colored
• tacky craft  glue
• cotton swabs or glue brushes
• paper or foam plates

White rice flour is fine, but many rangoli are colorful. I suppose you can buy colored rice flour in India, but I made my own with food color; I just added spoonfuls of food color to a cup of rice flour and mashed it in with a fork.

1. Draw your design onto the matboard with oil pastels.

2. Spread a little glue on your designs with a cotton swap or brush.

3. Carefully sprinkled rice flour over the designs, and shake off the excess onto a plate.

4. Pongal Paanai (Sweet Rice):

The Pongol rice is central to this holiday. You can make the rice on the stove in the usual manner, but if at all possible, try to experience the "overflowing" that gives Pongal its name. 

For the Pongal ceremony, in addition to the food ingredients, you will need a bell and / or a conch shell. 

Ingredients:

• 1 c. water
• 2 c. milk
• 1 c. white Basmati rice
• 1/4-c. moong dal (yellow lentils) 
• 1/4 c. dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp. molasses
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom powder

Waiting for the pot to overflow...

1- Wash the rice and moong dal. Put water, milk, rice and moong dal into a pot and begin to simmer. 

We set up a hot plate on the floor, and that's where we cooked our rice. 

Finally, it's on the brink of overflowing!

2- Heat to a rolling boil, stirring occaisionally. 

Watch carefully: As it rises up to boil over, allow it to slightly overflow, ring a bell and yell “Pongal-o-o-o pongal!”

The overflowing of the rice symbolizes good luck and prosperity.

3-  Reduce the heat and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until thick and soft. 


4- Meanwhile, in another pot, melt brown sugar, molasses, and 1/2 c. water. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the syrup cool a bit- it should be very sticky.

5-  Add the syrup to the cooked rice-dal. Stir in cardamom. Simmer on medium, stirring constantly, until the whole mixture comes together into a sticky, gooey mass. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes, covered. It will thicken further as it cools.

6-  To serve, mound into bowls and sprinkle with roasted cashews.

5. Surya Mantra:
A mantra is a phrase which is repeated as a prayer. I will chant this mantra tomorrow:
Om Hrim Sum Suryaya Namaha
(pronounced "Om Hreem Soom Soor-yah-yah Nahm-ah-ha")
which means: “Om and salutations to Surya, the bringer of clarity and dispeller of darkness”. 

For a longer explanation see this site.

Plow Monday

Daffodils showing in the mud of January.

The first Monday after Epiphany is the traditional day in Europe for men to restart their farm work. (Notice that farm work starts nearly a full week later than “women’s work”, on Distaff Day!)  

Before work can start, though, a ceremonial plow is blessed at church, then paraded through the streets to collect money for the parish.

Our garden isn't large, but I think of it as my miniature farm. I haven't done a thing out there for weeks, except dump compost and rake leaves. Of course, it's really too early in the Pacific Northwest to do any digging because the soil is too wet, but other tasks are possible, and it's good motivation for me to have this set date each year to start my “farm work”. 

Agenda for today & this week: 

A jumble of garden tools, sprinklers, gloves, and a birdfeeder...
waiting to be blessed.

1. Tool Blessing Ceremony:

Today I clean and sharpen my garden tools and oil the wooden handles. While I work, I focus on the purpose and history of these tools: All the planting of food that they have helped with, and the pruning of trees, and the trimming of grass. I clean the dirt out of my storage basket, and put everything away again in better order. 

I make the act of cleaning into a blessing: “Bless these tools to do their work”.

2. Journal:

Today I also like to fantasize and plan changes in my garden. I map out the rotation of my vegetable beds for this year, look through my Garden Journal notes from last year, and make a list of ideas- new garden projects, and new things to plant. My query:

How can I make my garden a better sanctuary for my family, more comfortable for friends, a greater learning-experience for my art class kids, more mysterious and secluded, more of a visual treat, AND easier to keep up with? 

3. Seeds:

Sometime this week I will pull my seeds out of the refrigerator, and go through the seed catalog to make a list of new seeds to buy (some before February 1 for the seed-blessing ceremony on Imbalc).

4. Daily Garden Visits:
In January, our garden is so wet and cold! It’s hard to get motivated to visit it. But the winter garden offers me connections with the earth and sky, the seasons, and the Spirit of God. My heart fills when I visit my garden even for a few minutes each day, to see the buds poking up and watch the changes in the trees. 

Here are the tasks that inspire me to step out into my garden this week:

Junco in our apple tree, against the gray sky of January.

• Tour the garden and make note of things to do this week and this year. 
• Visit a different garden bed each day and pull just a few weeds or dead plants. 
• Take my camera out into the garden to collect images. 
• Check the buds on the apple tree each week. 
• Check the bird feeders and refill them. 
• On sunny days, drop everything and go outside to prune: This is a good time to prune the apple, grape, and summer flowering bushes like the lilac and hydrangea.
• Another sunny day job: Rake up the last of the Hawthorn leaves and berries, and move them to the side path.

5. Make Plough Pudding:

This is a steamed meat pudding traditionally made in Britain on Plow Monday- very rich and yummy. 

I added some kale, because I could.

Ingredients:

• 2 c. all-purpose flour 
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening (1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp.)
• 8 slices bacon (I used 4 thick slices)
• 1 small onion
• 6 sage leaves
• 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 lb. pork sausage (not in casings)
• scant 1/2-c. vegetable stock

Yield: 4-6 servings-

I used a Pyrex mixing bowl.

1- Butter a 1-quart pudding basin (or heat-proof bowl with a bit of a rim) and set it aside.

2- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add shortening and rub together until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add cold water and stir with a fork until the dough comes together. 

3- Take out 2/3 of the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until 1/4-inch thick. Use this to line the pudding basin, using cold water and extra dough to fill any gaps. Roll the remaining dough for the lid. 

4- Chop the bacon and the onion, and slice the sage into thin ribbons. Mix with the sausage and brown sugar in a bowl. Fill the pudding basin and top off with vegetable stock.

5- Place the dough lid on top. Trim, and press edges firmly together, using a bit of cold water. 

6- Cover the basin with a circle of parchment and 2 layers of aluminum foil (you are supposed to pleat the foil so it can expand, but I forgot and it was okay.) Tie tightly with string, making a handle to lower it into the water.

(This video shows how to wrap and tie a steamed pudding.) 

7- Place the pudding basin into a large pot of boiling water so that the water comes up to about three-quarters of the basin. Place the lid of the pot on and steam for 4 hours. The water should remain at a constant lightly rolling boil. 

8- Check the water level every half hour to ensure it remains at three-quarters full and top up with boiling water from a kettle as required. 

9- Remove foil, invert on a plate, and serve hot.