Ash Wednesday and Budding New Moon

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a 46-day period of preparation for the joyful Easter celebration. The word lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means "lengthen"; it refers to the longer days of spring. 

Lent is about mortality and transformation; death and rebirth. Marcus Borg says "It means dying to an old way of being, and being born into a new way of being, a way of being centered once again in God."

Tonight is also the new moon; the Chinese call the second new moon the Budding Moon. Spring has always been my favorite time of year, when I feel most creative and joyful. As we cycle nearer to spring, I can feel my energy growing and swelling like the buds on the trees!

Agenda for Lent:
1. Journal queries

2. Set intentions for lent

3. Write a daily Lenten calendar

4. Hang up the Lady Lent
5. Make pretzels
6. Plant the sabzeh

1. Journal queries:
The new moon is the first phase of the moon, a beginning time for growth. At the new moon I regroup, evaluate where I am now, and plant seeds of intention for the next weeks.

What deep study am I led to undertake?
In what way am I trying to grow right now?
What compassionate action is calling me?
What might I fast from or do without in order to prepare for the joy of rebirth?

List my intentions for the next weeks in these areas-

Self, Friends and Family, Teaching, Artwork, Writing, Home and Garden, Work/Business, and Volunteer work.

2. Set intentions for lent: 
At Lent I allow myself to be slow, simple, and thoughtful. I spend time each day in focused study and prayer. And I choose something to temporarily reduce or cut out of my life, as a reminder that what I truly need is the nurturing of Spirit. And I also observe Lent as a time of creative action, acting on what I learn.

My theme for Lent this year is low-carbon living. I'm working on climate justice this year, so I want to get a better technical understanding of the best practical changes to make in my life.

My goals are to:

• Educate myself: I'm reading the book Cooler Smarter: Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living, by the Union of Concerned Scientists
• Meditate and Journal: Ground myself in optimistic hope for the future, and become more open to the best actions to take. 
• Fast from Carbon: I try to choose something to fast from that is a good symbol of how I am trying to grow. This week I will start by turning off the heater in my office, but I might find new ways each week to reduce my carbon footprint. 
• Take creative action: Go to committee meetings, organize events, make banners and artwork, teach classes, and take some small compassionate actions to make the world better.

3. Write a daily Lenten calendar:

I really like the calendars that some churches publish for Lent, with a daily reading and a task of some kind. Here is one Lenten Carbon Fast Calendar, but as usual, I will write my own calendar, and the first week is posted just above this entry.

4. Hang up the Lady Lent:
Greek children make a paper doll for Lent, called Kyra Sarakosti (Lady Lent). The Kyra always folds her hands in prayer, and she has no mouth because she is fasting. Also, she has seven legs, representing the number of weeks in Lent. Each Saturday, the children fold back a leg as they count down the weeks.

I made a Lady Lent a couple years ago that I can use each year- Now she hangs in my living room as a visual reminder of the countdown to Easter. The instructions are here.




5. Make pretzels:
Pretzels are a traditional bread for Lent because they are made with no dairy or eggs.

Pretzels were invented by an Italian monk as a reward to children who learned their prayers. The strips of baked dough are folded to resemble arms crossing the chest. The monks called the breads "little arms" (bracellae). From this Latin word, the Germanic people later coined the term "pretzel."

Ingredients: 

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

Yield: 10-12 pretzels-

1- Combine the yeast, flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add 1 c. very warm water (130ºF) and mix well.

2- Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth (I used my Kitchenaide). Cover with a towel and let stand for 10 minutes.



3- Divide the dough into 10-12 pieces, and form each into a long rope. Twist into a crossed arm shape and place on a small piece of waxed paper. Let the pretzels rise 20 minutes.

4- Meanwhile, oil 2 baking sheets, preheat the oven to 400ºF, and stir in the baking soda into a 6 c. water in a large pot. Heat the soda bath to boiling.


5- Carefully tip one pretzel off the waxed paper into the soda bath. Boil for 15 seconds, then lift out with a slotted spoon, drain, and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the pretzels.

Pretzels ready to bake.

6- Sprinkle the pretzels with coarse salt. Bake 20 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.




6. Plant the sabzeh:

Our sabzeh: We keep them in a bag until the seeds sprout.

The sabzeh is a bowl of sprouted grains, prepared for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which begins every year on the Spring Equinox. The sabzeh is a symbol of new life.

Since it takes two weeks to get good looking sprouts, we usually start them about now.

Supplies: A shallow bowl (we tried paper bowls last year and I can't say it was a success), damp soil, grain seeds (lentils and wheat are traditional; we planted a mixture of wheat, field peas, and ryegrain).

Fill the bowl with damp soil, cover the surface well with seeds, and spray daily with water.