Navratri continues

For the next three nights the Mother is invoked as Lakshmi, goddess of material and spiritual wealth. She is a beautiful golden woman with four arms, sitting on a fully bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud. Cascades of gold coins flow from her hands, and she wears gold embroidered red clothes. Lakshmi brings prosperity, and the growth and unfolding of whatever will enhance life: spiritual and material wealth, good food, health, and happiness. She heals and nourishes my spirit and brings me steadiness of mind.

Lakshmi is in the center.

Agenda Today:
1- Add to altar:
On the fourth day of Navratri I add a crystal bowl of coins from around the world, as a symbolic form of Lakshmi.

2- Journal:

The word Lakshmi comes from the Sanskrit word Laksya, meaning aim or goal. Durga is breaking down the old structure of my personality, and I am working to rebuild. For the next three days I will write about my inner life-giving force of creativity, and the qualities and habits I wish to cultivate.

3- Visualization and prayer:

For these next three nights I honor the constructive aspect of the Mother. 

I pray “Thank you, Mother, for providing energy for the earth to move around the sun, causing spring to come again, and for maintaining the correct balance of the universe. You are the earth. You nourish support, protect, and mother all creatures, all beings. I ask you to help me to develop and maintain patience, forgiveness, compassion, loving-kindness, and integrity. Give me the persistence to succeed at my goals, and bless me with abundant health and happiness.”

Then I picture Lakshmi sitting on the blossom of my heart, gently opening it to accept love and happiness into my life.

4- Lakshmi Mantra:
I focus on my image of Lakshmi and chant-

• Om - the primordial sound 
• Shreem -  from which beauty and feminine energy eminates
• Ma-ha - great
• Lak-shma-yai - goddess of wealth
• Swa-ha - create abundance.

(You might want to chant along with someone who knows how. Many YouTube versions exist, and my favorite is here.)

5- Rangoli:
Today I made a rangoli of Lakshmi's  footprints on the threshold of our front door, with chalk and rice flour, to welcome the Goddess of success.

6- Make sundal: 

Many Hindus eat only vegetarian foods during Navratri; often a different sundal (dry legume dish) each night. 

Tonight I made Sweet Corn Sundal.

Ingredients:

2 c. frozen sweet corn
1-2 green chilies
1 small carrot
2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
1/4 c. grated coconut
salt to taste

1- Steam the corn in water according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside.

2- Finely chop chilies and carrot.

3- Heat oil in a wok or frying pan; add mustard seeds and stir until they start to pop, then add chilies and carrots and sauté for a minute.

4- Add the cooked corn, salt to taste, and coconut. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes until all is combined. Serve hot or warm.

Navratri

Navratri is a Hindu holiday during which we honor and thank Shakti, the Divine Mother, in all her forms. Shakti is the universal principle of energy and creativity, Mother Earth, and the feminine power in each of us. 

The word nava means nine and ratri means nights; the festival lasts for nine nights and ten days.

Navratri is celebrated twice each year, in the spring and fall, because these are times when nature and people undergo great changes. Spring Navratri begins the day after the new moon in late March or early April, and is celebrated as a request to Shakti for a good growing season.

The nine nights of Navratri are broken up into sets of three, and during each a different aspect of Shakti is meditated upon- the Goddesses Durga, then Lakshmi, and then Saraswati.

Agenda Today:

1- Rangoli:

Rangolis are rice flour designs, made on the floor or sometimes on a metal plate. At Navratri, Hindus make a new design each day- with dots, squares, flowers, steps, birds, the names of Shakti, designs from Shakti's hands, patterns of her trident and, on the ninth day, the Lotus of the goddess's heart. 

Today I made a rangoli on the plate that holds my diya lamp.

Supplies: Oil, sieve, pencil, colored and white rice flour (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. I spread vegetable oil evenly on the center of the plate.

2. I sprinkled on red rice flour with a sieve.

3. I drew a circle in the center with a pencil, then sprinkled yellow rice flour over that area.

4. I made a design with white rice flour using a cone (See below- it didn't work very well, but I still like the effect.)

2. Mother Earth altar:

Today I make an altar to honor Mother Earth, with my rangoli and a diya lamp. My altar is in no way authentically Hindu- I make it for my own use, to remind me of the work I am doing. If you want to see an authentic puja, watch this video.

Durga is to the left, near the bowl of seeds.

For the first three nights the Mother is invoked as Durga, goddess of strength and courage. Durga is a warrior, rides a fierce tiger, and has 10 arms, which hold weapons and a lotus flower. Today I prepared a dish of soil, planted with seeds, as a symbolic form of Durga- the image is of the womb of the earth, and her creative energies.

3- Journal:
During Navratri, Hindus work on their vyavhaar (behaviour) and acharan (character). Each Goddess signifies a stage of the spiritual journey we all go through: Durga’s strength and energy create's an opening, Lakshmi’s success and fortune nurtures growth, and Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace.

For the first three days I write about my strengths- the qualities and habits I want Durga to preserve- and my defects- the qualities or habits I wish to let Durga destroy.

4- Visualization and prayer:
For these three nights I honor the creative / destructive aspect of the Mother.

I pray “Thank you, Mother, for providing energy for the earth to move around the sun, causing spring to come again, and for maintaining the correct balance of the universe. You are the earth. You nourish support, protect, and mother all creatures, all beings. I ask you to help me recognize those aspects of myself that are not helpful. Give me the strength and courage to maintain my physical and mental balance, and to destroy my vices and defects so that what is good and pure has room to unfold.”

Then I picture Durga entering my heart riding on a tiger. I see Her wipe out my anger, greed, laziness, procrastination, indifference, pride, defensiveness, and jealousy.

5- Durga Mantra:
I focus on my image of Durga and chant-
Om - the primordial sound, 
Dum - the energy which protects from all negative influences,
Dur-ga-yei - goddess of strength, 
Na-ma-ha - I pray.

(You might want to chant along with someone who knows how. Many YouTube versions exist, and my favorite is here.)

6- Make sundal: 
Many Hindus eat only vegetarian foods during Navratri; often a different sundal (dry legume dish) each night. 

Tonight I made Channa Sundal, with chickpeas- spicy and good!

Ingredients: 

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• salt
• 1/3 c. grated coconut
• pinch of cayenne

Yield: Serves 2-

1- Open the can of chickpeas and rinse and drain. Set aside.

2- Add oil to a wok or frying pan and heat. Add the mustard seeds to the hot oil, and stir for a few seconds, just until the seeds begin to pop.

3- Add the chickpeas and the red pepper, and mix well. Add a pinch of Asafoetida (helps with gas!), salt to taste, the grated coconut, and a pinch of cayenne. Mix and stir for few seconds then turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit for few seconds. Serve with yogurt and naan.

New Sleepy Moon

Tonight is the new moon; the Chinese call the third new moon the Sleepy Moon, because the drowsiness of spring is in the air. 

On the first three days of this moon, the Chinese in Beijing celebrate the birthday of Hsi Wang Mu with a temple festival. Hsi Wang Mu is the Grandmother Goddess of the Western Heaven, also called the Great Yin. She controls the cosmic forces of time and space, determines life and death, and controls disease and healing. She watches over the tree of the peaches of immortality.

Agenda for today:
1. Journal:
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.

How can I honor the yin energy (reflecting, waiting, non-doing) in my life?
What am I dreaming of?
What would make me more whole?

List my intentions for the month of April 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. 

Meditate on the Great Yin- all that is dark, quiet, soft, and mysterious- and how grateful I am for this energy in my life. Do this each day until the candle is gone.

3. Have a yin day:

Spend one day in yin mode, not doing, but rather being. Hang out in the garden, relax in my home, drink water, read a book, daydream, go for a long walk, take a bath, take a nap, linger over dinner, and go to bed early.

4. Set my theme:
My theme this month is balance- the balance of yin and yang, concentration and mindfulness, action and study, social and alone time, yearning and resistance. 

It's spring, and I am ready to give myself passionately to life, refreshed and renewed after the long winter. I'm ready to say YES with vigor, and enjoy the surprises, confusion, and chaos. At the same time, I want to retreat- to be still, write in my notebook, read a good book, think of nothing and do nothing. 

I need balance- somewhere between emptiness and chaos is the state of just enough. Balance is about knowing what I really want out of my life, making a commitment, and sticking to it. It’s an ongoing dynamic process, a balancing act! My intentions:

• Seek clarity in the chaos- what are my next steps?
• Move forward with steadiness and calmness on the path I choose. 
• Roll with what comes- life is an adventure! 
• Connect to the Spirit outside myself and within. 
• Notice (again) how satisfying it is just to be alive!

5. Plan:

As the moon waxes, I expand-- plant seeds, make connections, and begin new projects. Today I will plan my first small steps for the week ahead.

Spring Equinox

Spring Equinox occurred this morning at 3:18 a.m. PDT. The word equinox comes from the Latin words aequus (equal) and nox (night). This is a moment of balance- the sun rises exactly in the east, and sets exactly in the west, and we experience twelve hours each of light and dark. From this moment on, we gain more light each day, until the summer solstice.

Agenda Today:
1. Equinox Prayer: 
This morning I lit candles, as soon as I got up (not at 3 a.m.!), and said this prayer as I pointed to the 7 directions: 

In this moment of perfect balance between day and night,
I seek to be grounded in the center of my being.

I am:

• (East) inspired by the crystal clarity of Air.
• (South) enlightened by the transforming power of Fire.
• (West) renewed by the healing powers of Water.
• (North) nurtured by the powers of Earth.
• (Downward) supported by the stabilizing energy of below.
• (Upward) guided by the Spirit above.
• (Within) balanced in the axis of my being.

2. Journal:
Center, and consider the balance in my life.
How can I balance my personal needs with my commitments to the outside world?
How well do I balance my physical, mental, and spiritual needs?
Think also of the balance in the world; meditate upon what this half of the year will bring, dark and light, and how best I can take right action in the world.

3. Start Spring Cleaning: 
For the past three months I have been keeping the house basically clean, and doing a few extra cleaning projects when I have the time. In January I cleaned mold and mildew. In February I did some clearing of clutter. 

Now it's spring, my traditional time to clean deeply. As I begin this process, I consider the symbolism of the cluttered and dirty areas of my home: 

• If my desk is messy, is my thinking confused? 
• Does ancient food on the kitchen shelves connect to undernourishment of my spirit? 
• Do dirty windows block my view of the celebration of life?
• Do cluttered closets point to activities in my life that need reorganizing or recycling?

Today I will make a plan, and schedule one cleaning focus each day. Each day I will put on some fun, lively music, set a timer for two hours, open the windows and doors, and let the sweet green aroma of spring enter our home. I will work for my allotted time each day, and then stop.

• Today- Clear out the cabinets and closets: What things have I not used in months or years? What can I donate or toss?
• Tuesday- Clean the woodwork: Scrub around doorknobs, clean the outside of cabinets.
• Wednesday- Paperwork: Sort and discard about half of my stored paper.
• Thursday- Clean the floors: Move and clean under furniture; vacuum and mop. 
• Friday- Clean the windows: Clean inside and out and wash the curtains.
• Saturday- Clear surfaces and decorate for spring: Put away all the winter decorations and knick-knacks; put out green and yellow cloths and candles, a big vase of spring flowers, and set out my nests, birds, and bunnies.

After a thorough cleaning, we will feel the fragrance of springtime throughout the house, and I will also get the cobwebs out of my head! What a perfect way to celebrate the season- my house, my family and I myself deserve this kind of loving attention. 

4. Spring Altar:
Today I will clear my altar, and discern what to put on it for spring. (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?

Today I removed my straw doll finally, and replace-

• a flower print cloth for spring
• eggs for hope, new beginnings, and completeness
• a spring green candle, for strength, vitality, and inner growth; a color to support change, and bring new ideas into being
• a dragon, for strength and good luck
• hyacinth for playfulness
• daffodils for happiness and friendship

5. Plant my straw doll:

Each fall I make a corn or straw doll. This year I made this simple straw doll on the autumn equinox, and she has been sitting on my altar ever since.

The custom in Europe was to make a straw figure out of the last sheaf of wheat that was harvested, so the spirit of the grain had a place to live through the winter. Then it was planted again in the spring... so today I will plant my doll, along with some spinach starts.

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday that falls on March 17 each year. In Ireland it’s celebrated with parades, community feasts, singing, dancing, and church services, all in honor of St. Patrick, an English man who lived in about 400 A.D.

St. Pat’s whole name was Magnus Sucatus Patricus. When he was 16, Irish raiders carried him off from England to Ireland to work as a slave. He escaped six years later, traveled and studied for many years, and became a Christian missionary. He returned to Ireland, and grew famous for all the miracles he performed and for converting many Irish people to Christianity.

The Celts brought a new perspective to Christianity, quite different than the Romans; the four major themes of Celtic spirituality are:

• Pilgrimage as a means of discovering your own path to God 
• Monasticism and life in community
• Art and symbolism
• The idea that God is present everywhere.

Agenda Today:

1. Prayer of St. Patrick:
Before you read this prayer, I need to explain how I translate the word "Christ". I understand it means the Chosen One; and I believe we are all chosen ones, with "that of God" within. I believe that was Jesus' message to us.

Christ, shield me this day:
Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every person who thinks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

It's very powerful to ask to be surrounded and protected by a world and people filled with the love of God, and feel the Spirit of Love within and all around me.

2. Learn some Irish Gaelic:

Happy Saint Patrick's Day- Beannachtai na Feile Padraig (bann/ockt/tee nih fail/eh pawd/rig)

Peace be with you- Siochan leat (shee/oh/con lat)

3. Wear the green: 
In Ireland, it’s an old custom to wear a shamrock or a green ribbon pinned to your clothes on St. Patrick’s Day. 

The three-leafed shamrock plant (Trifolium repens, or white clover) is a national symbol of Ireland. St. Patrick may have used it to teach the Irish about the Christian trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). Before that, though, the leaves stood for love, courage and wit; it was also a symbol of the Goddess Brigid as virgin, mother and crone.

This year I made a shamrock pin, following the directions from the Saturday Evening Post. The only thing I added was a safety pin, so I can wear it on my jacket.

Supplies: Green felt, pen, scissors, needle, thread, safety pin

1. Cut out four shamrock leaves, as shown.


2. Sew the ends together with a running stitch.

3. Gather the ends into a circle and take a few stitches.


4. Sew a safety pin onto the back.

4. Plant potatoes:

Last year's potatoes on the right, under the straw, and onions on the left.

In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is the traditional day to plant peas and potatoes (or so some people say).

Our garden is not as advanced as last year- it's been a cold spring so far. The first planting of peas are not up yet, and neither are the sweetpeas or other early flowers I planted. Today I will plant onions and potatoes.

This year's potatoes going into the bed.

5. Enjoy hot Irish coffee:
Ingredients:

• 1 c. freshly brewed strong black coffee 
• 1 jigger (1-1/2 oz.) of Irish whiskey 
• 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 
• heavy cream (not whipped)

Yield: 1 serving-
1- Warm a mug with hot water and then empty it. Pour piping hot coffee into warmed glass until it is about 3/4 full.

2- Add the brown sugar and stir until completely dissolved. (The sugar is essential for floating the unwhipped cream on top.) Blend in the Irish whiskey.

3- Shake the heavy cream a little, then pour it carefully over the back of a spoon, held just above the surface of the coffee. The layer of cream should float on the coffee without mixing. Serve hot, and drink the coffee through the layer of cream.

Holi

Holi is a Hindu holiday that falls on the day after the full moon in March each year. It marks the end of winter in India. Holi is sometimes called the Festival of Color, because on Holi everyone in India throws paint at each other! 

To prepare, folks buy gulal, which are powdered paints in rich colors of pink, magenta, red, yellow and green. Three days before Holi families get together to sprinkle a little of the gulal powders on each other, to share love and blessings. 

On the day of Holi the whole country goes wild with people laughing and running in the streets; they smear each other with powder, drench each other with buckets of paint, and spray paint with long pistons (like super-soakers). They also fill water balloons with paint! People often show respect for elders by sprinkling dry powder on their feet. 

By the end of the day everyone is covered with color- old people, children, men, women, rich and poor. Holi creates a feeling of equality in a country with strong disparity.

Agenda Today:
1. Make Malpua:

Malpua is a very addictive treat from North India especially prepared during the Holi festival. It's a like a fried donut with a slightly spicy flavor. 

We like to start these before the celebration so they are ready to fry and eat (with hot tea) while we are warming up. 

Ingredients: 

• 1-1/2 c. coarsely ground whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 10 crushed peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder.
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 3/4-c. water
• 1/4-c. yogurt
• oil for frying

Yield: 12 pancakes- 

1- Combine the flour, fennel seeds, peppercorns, and baking powder.

2- Dissolve sugar in water. Add yogurt and mix into the flour mixture to form a thick batter. Set aside for 45 minutes.



3- Heat 1" of oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Pour a spoonful of the batter into oil, spread into a thin round shape, and fry until golden brown.


4- Drain on paper. Serve hot.

2. Have a paint throwing celebration:
Holi is very early this year, and March has been very rainy and cold. We are going to celebrate Holi with paint throwing- but not until later this month.

Here's how I organize things: 

• Everyone wears clothes they don’t care about, and brings a change. I stack large old towels by the backdoor. Most of us choose to go barefoot.
• I pour out small cups of powdered tempera paints, and each person chooses one color.
• I gather empty spray bottles, and a large bucket of warm water and we each find a bottle that sprays to our satisfaction.
• We gather in a circle outside in my backyard, around the bucket of water. I put a good quantity of red food coloring into it, and we fill our spray bottles. 
• We set the ground rules: No spraying in the face. Let us know if you don’t want others to put paint in your hair. The back porch is a safety zone. Have fun and make sure everyone else is having fun! 

We begin with a ritual sprinkling of dry powder- one at a time we dip a finger in our powder and smear it on each person, to honor our friendship. 






Then we begin to spray and throw the colored water and dry powder at each other! It’s a blast!

Afterwards, I bring a dishtub of warm water outside and everyone cleans their feet, strips off the top layer of wet clothing, and then goes inside to dry off and change.

Full Egg Moon

Tonight is the full moon, 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 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 full moon is called the Egg Moon, because this is the month when birds begin to lay eggs again. The egg is a powerful symbol of 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!

Agenda for today:
1. Altar:
I am keeping:

• feathers, for air, wind, breath, inspiration, and spirit
• my harvest doll, for luck and protection
• a spring green candle, for strength, vitality, and inner growth; a color to support change, and bring new ideas into being
• a dragon, for strength and good luck

-and today I added:

• eggs for hope and new beginnings.

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?
What do I want to create in my life?

Write about new ideas I have this spring- ideas of change and new beginnings.
What is the hope I feel? 
What is the strongest fear?

3. Practice at my theme:

My theme this month is strength against the storm. 

Picture an unexpected storm; thunder shakes the earth and heavy spring rain falls- everything and everyone are surprised into creative action, and great changes are set in motion.

Shocks and sudden unforeseen problems cycle through my life like stormy weather. This is a difficult quality for me, very yang. The sudden distress scares me, but if I pause in the storm I will see that it's an invigorating place to be.

That's how I feel about the world today! This storm of an administration is the spark that will get me going, make me think and act persistently for peace and justice.

Just as I need my home to be in good repair to weather a storm, I need to be strong myself. When I am physically and mentally strong, I thrive on moving forward without the baggage of fears and grudges. My intentions this month:

• Renew a discipline of healthy diet and exercise.
• Sit less and move more.
• Step out of my comfort zone to take part in social action.
• Work in my garden a little bit everyday.
• Work creatively also, making things that tell a message

4. Green Dragon Meditation: 
In Taoism the Green Dragon symbolizes the east and spring, as well as strength, goodness, courage, endurance, and vigilance. He is the divine bringer of storms that clear the stagnant air.

Green Dragon is an immortal fire animal living always within me. He is strongly yang- he thunders in the sky with a compassion that awakens me from my misunderstandings.

I have made a commitment to a life of truth, wisdom, compassion, and peace- the life of a bodhisattva-in-training-  sometimes called "riding the dragon". The temptation is always to push the dragon of truth back into the cave, but I am determined to befriend the dragon.

Today I sit in meditation and ask Green Dragon to bring me courage and stamina, persistant creative action, and the strength I will need this spring to tackle my hopes and fears. I ask Spirit to hold me in a loving stream of Light so that I can be free to break out of my shell and grow larger and better.