New Year's Eve

Tonight is New Year's Eve - a big night for many people. W and I are traveling north to see family for the New year's weekend, as has been our tradition for a few years now.

Agenda today:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Kwanzaa principles

3. Celebration reading

4. Celebration and synergy goals for 2023

5. Prayer candle ceremony

6. Resolutions

7. Make noise!

6th Day of Christmas and First Quarter Moon

This is the sixth day of Christmas, and time to wrap things up for this old year! Today I have time to myself, and the energy to sink into revery, and begin to bring thoughts of the New Year into focus.

Tonight is also the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda today:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Kwanzaa principles

3. Purpose reading

4. Purpose, depth, and career goals for 2023

5. Prayer candle ceremony

6. Make a full effort plan

7. Practice purpose with New Year's resolutions

5th Day of Christmas

This is the fifth day of the twelve-day festal tide - a sacred, festive season. I have a day to myself, but lots of activity on my schedule, so I plan to be present in the moment and take it one thing at a time.

Agenda today:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Kwanzaa principles

3. Sanctuary Reading

4. Sanctuary goals for 2023

5. Prayer candle ceremony

6. Turn my compost

1. Christmas retreat:

I am again celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas with a mini-retreat for myself, and using the Soyal Way of Being as a guide for my days; that is, I'm keeping Mother Earth in my thoughts as I move quietly and respectfully about my days, in order to establish the right mood for the coming year, and reach a unity of everything in the universe. 

I'm also doing some reading and writing every day, focusing on my priorities and what I'm called to do (or not do) next in my life. My plan is to contemplate, honor, and practice a different one of my life priorities on each of the 12 days, and set some goals and resolutions for 2023, based on guidance from God.

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. Our home is cozy and fairly clean and tidy, but it has room for improvement: Our peace is upset by cluttered storage spaces and a few too many sharp words. 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? How can I put my creativity into form to serve my sanctuary? How can I  better welcome the natural world to enter my 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. Kwanzaa principles:

The fourth day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the principle of ujamaa (oo-JAH-maah), cooperative economics - the idea that when we 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!

3. Sanctuary reading:

Today I'm reading again from "Root and Ritual: Timeless Ways to Connect to Land, Lineage, Community, and the Self," by Becca Piastrelli (2021). Today I'm reading from Chapter 3  - Making a Sacred Home.

Becca says, "No matter where you live, your home sits upon land, upon earth.  ... It can be a challenge to remember the earth element within our homes. We forget that we can bring it into our spaces, that we can tend to it around our homes, and that we can honor it always."

She goes on to describe how to think of your home and land as kin, as a place with a soul of its own, and to "clean it with joy and infuse it with intention"; how to sit with the soul of your home and listen to what it wants.

4. Sanctuary goals for 2023:

This week I'm 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. 

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.

My home and land is a sanctuary for my body and my soul. My life flows around this solid base. 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, especially art supplies; plan some art projects to use my fabric stockpile, and papers. Find the balance of simplicity and abundance that I want.
• Renew my connection to my home by tending to it with intention and care.
• Continue the work of creating a sanctuary in our yard, for playing with grandchildren, gathering with family, socializing with friends, and for our domestic animals and wild nature; create an abundant veggie garden and and an inviting butterfly garden.
• Work on the skills of patience, equanimity, and loving kindness.
• Fill our home and yard with Medicine Art, to connect us to nature and to heal us.

5. Prayer Candle ceremony:

I'm enjoying a daily prayer candle ceremony throughout my extended Christmas retreat, using small candles and candle ends, and will choose a new candle to add each day.

Today I light a gold candle for sanctuary, and ask the Spirits to bring the rain of loving care down upon the whole world.

6. Turn my compost:

As a ceremonial way to honor sanctuary today, I plan to transfer the half-done compost in my large spinning composter into our smaller Darth Vader composter, where it will sit for the rest of winter. (I do this whenever the larger bin gets too full for me to spin.)

Composting - growing better soil - is one way we heal the earth. And it can also be a meditation: As I shovel out the half-finished compost, I add my thoughts to the mix - love, patience, peace - all the beneficial nutrients. I add in my thoughts of anger or remorse as well, and ask the earth to recycle them into something useful.

4th Day of Christmas

This is the fourth day of the twelve-day festal tide - a sacred, festive season. My retreat today will again embrace the disposition of a pre-schooler ... a busy kind of retreat, with lots of short projects and (hopefully) a long nap!

Agenda:
1. Christmas retreat

2. Kwanzaa principles

3. Earth care reading

4. Service and activism goals for 2023

5. Prayer candle ceremony

6. Make end-of-year donations

7. Winter nature table

3rd Day of Christmas

This is the third day of the twelve-day festal tide - a sacred, festive season. It gets harder on the third day to maintain a Sabbath mentality, and today we will returned to our regular grandchild-care duties, so my retreat will take on a different flavor. But maintaining a peaceful and joyful attitude in the midst of 2-year-old chaos is a valuable practice!

Agenda:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Kwanzaa principles

3. Creativity reading

4. Creativity goals for 2023

5. Prayer candle ceremony

6. Seed charms for the New Year

2nd Day of Christmas and Kwanzaa

This is the second day of the twelve-day festal tide - a sacred, festive season. In some old traditions, this whole season is seen as a sort of Sabbath: Prepare ahead of time and then spend the Twelve Days doing as little work as possible; rest, reflect, and find peace within.

This is also the start of Kwanzaa, a seven-day African-American cultural holiday - an American holiday inspired by African traditions. The word kwanza is Swahili for “first”, as in "first fruits", because in some parts of Africa this is the season for first fruits harvest festivals. Kwanzaa is a time of thanksgiving for the earth, but also a time to honor ancestors, and a time for African-Americans to celebrate their heritage and learn about African traditions and values.

Agenda:

1. Review the Divine Laws

2. Christmas retreat

3. Kwanzaa principles

4. Love reading

5. Love goals for 2023

6. Prayer Candle Ceremony

7. End of Year work list

8. Christmas pudding

First Day of Christmas

 

Today is Christmas, but only the first day of Christmas (what Norwegians call 1. juledag). 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.

Now my preparations are finished, and I can relax with my family, do a puzzle, eat, drink, and generally wallow in joyful abandon.

In some old traditions, this whole season is seen as a sort of Sabbath: Prepare ahead of time and then spend the Twelve Days doing as little work as possible. It's a good time to rest, reflect, and find peace within.

Agenda:
1. Christmas retreat

2. Plan physical nurturance habits

3. Candle Prayer ceremony

4. Put Baby Jesus in the manger

5. Open Gifts

Christmas Eve

Tonight is Christmas Eve. Advent is over and Christmas is upon us. Today I will tie together some loose ends (finish one gifts, final wrapping), and settle into the grace and mystery of Christmas.

What is the grace of Christmas? It's an experiential thing. We don't need faith that the sun will rise because we have experienced it. Even in the darkest of times, this season of Light and Love will deliver its grace.

As Santa for a 2-year-old, I am invested in the experiential part: We light the advent candles; we cut out cookies; we play with the manger scene - "This is Joseph, the daddy. This is Mary, the mommy - she's going to have a baby. This is the donkey..." He doesn't need to understand anything, but just be in the grace.

Agenda Today:
1. Read a novena

2. Read "Meaningful Life"

3. Plan a spiritual practice

4. Prayer candle ceremony

5. Make Danish Prune Bread

6. Hang our stockings with care

New Bitter Moon and Soyal

Tonight is the new moon. This last new moon of the Chinese year is called the Bitter Moon, because we are into the month of the bitterest cold.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

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 for the new growing season.

Agenda Today:

1. Read a novena

2. Settle into the Soyal Way of Being

3. Choose a month theme

4. Map and plan mental nurturance habits

5. New moon altar

6. Prayer Candle ceremony

Alban Arthan

Alban Arthan is the Celtic and Druidic name for the Winter Solstice; it's Welsh for Light of Winter.

The Winter Solstice was never a one day festival - three days seems to be the minimum. The sun appears to stand still for three days, then days begin to noticeably increase in length (and we all sigh in relief). 

Alban Arthan is a celebration of the strengthening sun, and the central theme is renewal; we leave the past behind and greet the new. The world is undergoing constant change and we must change and adjust, too, in order to be able to survive.

From A Druid Way: "One link between the objective and the subjective is awen, inspiration, the flow of spirit, which lets us evoke in others an echo of our original experience. Let the echo be strong enough, let our understanding of this thing called being human, and our skill in working with it, run equal to the task, and music, image, voice, story, object of craft can all serve to unite us in the experience of mystery. An echo from outside awakens a resonance within us." 

Agenda today:

1. Read a novena

2. Druid peace prayer 

3. Prayer journal queries

4. Make a wheel of my year

Winter Solstice and Mothers Night

The winter solstice occurs at 1:48 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. In the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice happens during the coldest season of the year, when the sun is at its lowest angle and is seen for its shortest period. This is the turning point, the moment of new beginnings - the darkest time, with the brightest hope.

I've recently been reminded that we need to believe in these little myths - that the sun is returning and hope is reborn - so that we can continue to believe in the Big Myths, like justice, mercy, democracy, freedom - "That sort of thing".

“Humans need fantasy to be human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.” ~Terry Pratchett, Hogfather

 

And tonight is known as Modraniht, or Mothers Night, by Saxon Pagans. On this first night of Yule the early Germanic and Scandinavian tribes paid tribute to the ancestral mothers who protected and watched over the family, helped with childbirth, and healed illnesses.

Agenda today:

1. Read a novena

2. Spirit Guide trance

3. Celebrate Yule

4. Mothers Night fire and prayer

Prepare for the Solstice

Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice, and the start of winter. This a good occasion to honor the sun, and remember that in spite of our technology, we are still dependent on the sun for life. Our world does revolve around the sun!

Agenda today:

1. Read a Novena

2. Prayer journal queries

3. Say a prayer of thanksgiving and aspiration

4. Paint a plum tree calendar

5. Make lemon sun biscuits

6. Make candles

Our Guiding Light

This week of advent I focus on the Guiding Light of God. My image of God is the Creator Spirit of earth and sky, and the Love and Light that lives in all people. I think of Light as Truth, with a capitol T.

I try to live always awake and listening for the message of love, and always feeling a connection to Creation, but I often get distracted. I often feel disconnected, disengaged, and detached. This week I plan to take some time to heal my relationship with my Guiding Light.

Agenda:
1. Read a novena

2. Set an intention

3. Prayer journal queries

4. Watch Hogfather with a Friend

Fourth Sunday of Advent, and Hanukkah

The fourth and final part of advent begins today. When I have observed advent well, I find that I am now mostly prepared for Christmas - my house is fairly clean, shopping is finished, and the cupboards are filled with yummy food. I need to complete only a few finishing touches.

This is a good day to take a deep breath and go back to the source, back to the Spirit that brings me to this place of light and grace; back to living in Spirit, being Spirit. I remember then that happiness comes in calm simplicity, and awareness in the moment. I experience Spirit through my breath, and with each sensation, sight, sound, smell, and taste. I only need to be fully awake to the ordinary miracle of Being, and keep my focus on the Spirit of Love that guides me.

Tonight is also the first night of the eight day Jewish holiday known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is observed beginning 3 days before the new moon closest to the winter solstice, at the darkest part of the moon phase and the darkest part of the sun phase.

Agenda today:

1. Read a novena

2. Plan ways to give attention to God

3. Winter Awareness Walk

4. Prepare for Hanukkah
5. Make potato latkes
6. Hanukia Ceremony

7. Advent wreath ceremony

An Earth-Quaker Advent

What is an Earth-Quaker advent? It's simple and earthy! 

As I've said, my Earth-Quaker way of celebrating is to acknowledge and mark the changes of the season as they progress. The season of advent is when I celebrate the darkness, and the hope of returning light.

Darkness is not all bad; it can be cozy. Darkness leaves space for mystery, reflection, and quiet growth. But the world holds so much chaos, grief, war, famine and hunger; it's important to remember to have hope, and shine the light.

Gill Sewell says in "A Quaker Reflection on Christmas":

As nights draw in, it is a reminder to me that I need to hold my spark of light faithfully and boldly, witnessing in the darker corners of my community. Holding and living by the Quaker testimonies of peace, simplicity and care of the environment remains a challenge in my preparations for a Christmas celebration. I make donations (including at the food bank), try to make good ethical choices with my purchases, and identify ways in which to share.

Agenda:

1. Read a novena
2. Dawn prayer for Creation

3. Prepare my duck yard

Las Posadas

Tonight is the start of Las Posadas, a nine-day Mexican celebration that begins on December 16 each year. Posadas is Spanish for "lodging", and the nine days represent the nine months of Mary's pregnancy.

Tonight is also the start of the Christmas Novena in Italy. A Novena is a Catholic ritual, a prayer repeated daily for nine days. It can take place at any time of the year, but one of the most observed is the Christmas Novena, recited or sung during the nine days leading up to Christmas day. Las Posadas comes from that same tradition.

Agenda:

1. Listen to novenas

2. Set out our crèche

3. Have a Posadas procession

4. Pinata party!

December Third Quarter Moon

Photo by Alan Gillespie

Today's waning third quarter moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care.

At this point in my advent, I'm still finishing gift-making, baking, and decorating, but I'm ready for a gentle shift towards quiet.

Agenda today:

1. Renewal plan for next month

2. Evaluation House

3. Monthly journal brainstorm

4. Write about a rosy future

5. Surrender, rest, recuperate

Advent Equanimity

Right about now, as the holiday energy builds, I need to review practices that help me to maintain an even-temper, patience, and grounded-ness. I need to work at equanimity.

Equanimity is an expression of love: It’s the serenity we exhibit when we have to wait, and also the kindness we show to those “difficult people” who don’t listen to reason, who interrupt, who are overly sensitive, or who are so annoying. Equanimity allows us to let go of frustration and irritation, and treat those people with skill and gentleness. It allows us to counter disrespect and contempt with compassion, and to remember that human needs are not always logical, but are always more important than our schedule.

Equanimity is a habit that requires love and self-control; it requires that you cut people slack and allow them to be imperfect; that you relax and let go of time anxiety; and that you acknowledge your impatience and irritation but don't act on them. It's powerful; it opens hearts. People feel liberated when you let them know that you are unruffled and in no hurry. Your patience is a gift to them, and will allow them to heal and grow.

And it's not only useful with in-the-moment situations, but also for grounded-ness in the face of world upheaval and fears about the future. Life is a rainbow of chaos, and equanimity is a super-power that will get you through.

Agenda:

1. Daily equanimity practice

2. Daily love journal

3. Take care of myself

Family Joy

My children painted these plaster houses when they were young.

During this week of Advent my theme is "family love and joy". Of course, the joy of the season is spontaneous and un-planable, but I do these three things to create the right conditions:

• Take the time to consider what my friends and family will want most this season. In other words, I become less self-focused and more generous in all ways. 
• Be respectful, patient, and kind (no matter how stressed I feel).
• Take care of myself so I can be calm and present for the spontaneous joy when it arises.

These are obviously year-round aspirations, but I need a strict reminder now, because, somehow, everything seems so important: I have high expectations (both of myself and others) and I feel we must get this right.

Agenda this week:
1. Journal queries
2. Check in with my family

3. Read "Braiding Sweetgrass"
4. Card-writing practice
5. Make simple gifts