This is the start of the twelve-day festal tide adopted by the Christian Church: In 567 C.E. church leaders proclaimed the days from December 25 to Epiphany as a sacred, festive season.
Normally I would spend all day with my family, doing a puzzle, eating and drinking, and generally wallowing in joyful abandon. This year is different: We plan to visit one household today that is in our pod, and then have a brunch gathering outside tomorrow for all of us together.
1. Journal queries
2. Goals for 2021
3. Put Baby Jesus in the manger
4. Open (some) gifts
5. Create sanctuary with a fire-side oasis
1. Journal queries:
This year, because I'm being safe and unsocial, I decided to make the 12 Days of Christmas into a mini-retreat for myself. I'm going to do some reading and writing every day, focusing on my priorities, and what I'm called to do (or not do) next in my life.
I feel like 2021 is crying out for us to make a new start, grow up, and do the work of healing the world! My plan for the 12 Days:
- Start each morning with meditation, prayer, and reading
- Think about, and set goals for, the next year.
- Contemplate, honor, and practice a different one of my life priorities on each of the 12 days.
Today I am contemplating the sanctuary of my home, and balance at the center. My home (in a perfect world) is the calm center of the storm. Since we will probably be quarantined at home for another 4 or more months, I want to consider how to improve both my home space and my mental state.
What rooms and outdoor spaces in our home and garden need the most work to become a true sanctuary?What physical clutter am I more than ready to let go of? What clutter am I clinging to?
How do I balance simplicity and order in my home with abundance and creativity?
How grounded do I feel? Am I able to set aside obsessions and fears, and return to equanimity?
Am I balanced in the gestalt? Consider all the aspects of my life, all at once... Take a deep breath and listen deeply: What could I do next year to bring my life into greater balance?
2. Goals for 2021:
I'm just beginning the work of setting goals and resolutions for the New Year. My theme for today is Sanctuary and Balance; the "earthen courtyard" where chi is always available, where energy is replenished and then moves on.
My home is a sanctuary for my body and my soul. My life flows around this solid base. A sanctuary is a sanctum, a sacred and protected place of beauty, grace and refuge; it embraces us and brings us back to center. When we take sanctuary, even for brief moments, we are re-created, recharged, healed, soothed, comforted and at peace.
Sanctuary goals might have to do with physically making my home a safe and comfortable space, making changes in my behaviors to create a greater feeling of safety for others, and also things like grounded-ness, and finding clarity in chaos.
My ideas so far for sanctuary goals next year:
- Continue to recycle possessions I no longer need. Find the balance of simplicity and abundance that I want.
- Create a safe toddler play area, and art area.
- Re-claim a grassy play space from the duck mud yard.
- Re-order and simplify my studio space, and finish creating my sewing space.
- Work more with maintaining my equanimity; keep an equanimity journal, and vow to have no fights.
- Use zoom and outdoor spaces to create sanctuary for my friends.
3. Put Baby Jesus in the manger:
Of course, Baby Jesus must arrive in His crib this morning!
I believe that we all have that of God within, and I generally picture it as Light, but the Christ Child is another wonderful image. At Advent, I am a baby again, waiting for birth into wisdom and grace.
We celebrate the birth of Jesus by giving gifts to those we love. Today W and I will open our stockings, and gifts from out-of-town family, but we will wait until we get together tomorrow, with our children and grandson, for our in-town family gifts.
5. Create sanctuary with a fire-side oasis:
Tomorrow we will have brunch and open gifts outside by our fire pit. Right now it's a muddy duck mess! Today I will try to create a more inviting space for our Christmas gathering.
6. Make Danish Prune Bread:
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 c. chilled unsalted butter
- 3-1/2 c. flour
- 2 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1/2 c. warm water (105-115ºF)
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 1 c. pitted prunes, packed
- 1 c. sugar
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2-tsp. vanilla
- 1/2-tsp. cinnamon
Yield: 2 loaves-1- Cut cold butter into chunks; combine with flour, and cut with a pastry blender until the butter is the size of kidney beans.
2- In another large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, cardamom, salt, eggs, and 1/4 c. sugar. Mix very lightly with a fork.
3- Turn flour and butter mixture into the yeast mixture and mix lightly with a fork or spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 4 days).
4- Filling: Put prunes, 1 c. sugar, and 1/4 c. of water into a saucepan. Heat and simmer until prunes are soft and plumped, and have absorbed most of the liquid.
5- Puree in a blender, transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Cool and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
6- You can finish this tonight, or on Christmas morning: Prepare a baking sheet with lightly buttered and floured parchment paper. Take dough out of the refrigerator, divide in 2 parts, and put half back. On a floured surface, roll dough into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle. Place on the baking sheet.
6- Spread half the prune filling down the length of the center of the dough. Cut strips along both sides with kitchen scissors. Fold strips over the filling in a crisscross manner.7- Repeat for the other half of the dough and filling to make a second loaf.
8- Let rise 1 hour or more, just until the pastry appears puffy (it will not double.)
9- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.
No comments:
Post a Comment