Navratri Continues

Navratri continues tonight with the visit of Lakshmi. 

The word navratri means nine nights; on each set of three nights we meditate on a different aspect of Shakti, the universal principle of energy and creativity, Mother Earth, and the feminine power in each of us - the Goddesses Durga, then Lakshmi, and then Saraswati.

Each of the three goddesses signifies a stage of the spiritual journey we all go through: Durga’s strength and energy creates an opening, Lakshmi’s success and fortune nurtures growth, and Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace. Tonight we honor and thank the Divine Mother as Lakshmi, the Goddess of success.

2021 rangoli

Laksmi 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, indicating her offering of prosperity. The word Lakshmi comes from the Sanskrit word Laksya, meaning aim or goal. Lakshmi heals and nourishes my spirit and brings me steadiness of mind. She bestows spiritual and material wealth, good food, health, and happiness. Lakshmi brings the growth and unfolding of whatever is life-enhancing. 

Agenda Today:
1. Morning meditation and mantra 

2. Make a new rangoli design
3. Add to my altar

4. Set intentions

Fall 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, symbolic of the nine months in the womb.

Navratri is celebrated at least twice each year in India- in the spring and fall- because these are times when nature and people undergo great changes. Autumn (Sharad) Navratri begins on the day after the rise of the new moon in late September or early October.

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. Each of the three goddesses marks a stage of the spiritual journey we all go through: Durga’s strength and energy creates an opening, Lakshmi’s success and fortune nurtures growth, and Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace.

 
Agenda for today:

1. Morning meditation and mantra

2. Make a rangoli design

3. Plant grain seeds
4. Set up an altar for Mother Nature

5. Set intentions

New Chrysanthemum Moon and Rosh Hashanah

Endurance- acrylic and collage on canvas.

Tonight is the night of the new moon. The Chinese call this ninth new moon the Chrysanthemum Moon. The chrysanthemum is a symbol of long life and endurance because of its ability to withstand colder temperatures. According to Chinese scholars, it shows the virtues of one who can endure temptations and maintain grace.

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.

Tonight is also the first evening of Rosh Hashanah (Roash hah-shah-nuh), which falls at or near the new moon of late September or early October. The observance begins at sundown tonight and lasts for two days, but it's actually the start of a ten-day period called the Days of Awe that ends with Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah means “Head of the Year”; it’s the Jewish New Year for the Spirit. The focus of this festival is repentance for wrongs you have done, and reaffirmation that you will take the honorable path in the future.

Agenda for today:

1. Journal queries

2. Retreat Day

3. Choose a month theme

4. Set goals and intentions

5. New moon altar and meditation

6. Make challah

7. Share a Seder

Autumn Equinox

The autumn equinox occurs today at 6:04 p.m. in the Pacific Northwest. Summer is over and darkness will again catch up to the light.

Now the rains have begun (hallelujah!), Canadian geese are on the move south, the leaves are turning and beginning to drop, and night temperatures are cooler. Everything in nature is paring down, and moving energy to the roots and into the earth.

This is the second balancing point in the year; in the fall we might gently shift our attention from the physical side of life to the spiritual and mental, to indoor projects and thoughtful pursuits. As the nights lengthen, we have more dark time available, to be alone and to think; to become clear about our intentions; to nurture inner seeds that may not sprout until spring.

Mark the Start of Autumn:

1. Journal queries

2. Fall possibilities list

3. Wise Medicine Collecting

4. Autumn nature tray

5. Make a straw doll

6. Fall cleaning

International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by a resolution of the UN General Assembly. In 2001 the date was fixed on September 21. 

This year's theme is End racism. Build peace. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms.  It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race.

As Secretary-General António Guterres has said:

“Racism continues to poison institutions, social structures, and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and… the linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable.”

Peace Day Agenda:
1. Journal queries
2. Raise awareness
3. Make Peace Stones
4. Peace vigil

Late Summer Garden

September is always dry here in our valley, but this year the heat continued well beyond average. The garden is looking wilted and dusty, and the soil is exhausted. And the smoke from nearby fires is back, limiting my healthy time outdoors.

But the weather is starting to cool off, so (when the air quality allows) my goal is to get the garden in order this month, with no weeds, dead wood, weak plants, or disease - only the sweet smells of the flowers and fruits. With a little effort now the garden will shine for two more months with fall blooms and delicious vegetables.

Permelia, helping to prepare a bed.

All in the garden is changing, aging, ripening, and setting seed. Very soon this sweet summer spell will be broken, and winter will be upon us. Grounding and a good connection to the earth makes the big changes go smoother. I stand firmly planted in my garden and call on my quiet inner strength and solidity to sustain me through the confusion of transition.

Agenda:
1. Read "The Earth Path"

2. Extend the season

3. Weeding and green mulching
4. Fall planting
5. Harvest and preserve
6. Save seeds

The Eternal Now

Quakers are mystics. Mystical experience is direct experience of God; our Quaker silent worship is an invitation to experience that of God within ourselves, and within the entire perceivable universe. 

One dictionary definition: "a person who claims to attain, or believes in the possibility of attaining, insight into mysteries transcending ordinary human knowledge, as by direct communication with the divine or immediate intuition in a state of spiritual ecstasy."

We mostly don't exhibit ecstasy anymore, but the early Friends did quake and shake, which is where our name comes from.

Agenda:

1. Read "Testament of Devotion"

2. Worship with the Earth

September Third Quarter Moon

The September 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 and self-care.

Agenda today:
1. Renewal plan for next month

2. Evaluation House

3. Read "The Earth Path"

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Surrender, rest, recuperate

Medicine Art

Making art has been healing for me; I've used it throughout my life to explore my grief and my hopes. But I've felt disconnected from inspiration for quite a long while now.

Lately I've been wondering how I can use my art skills (and teaching art skills) to help heal the rift in our human connection to the Earth. I've opened myself to that possibility for the last month, and finally have just a glimmer of insight. This month I'm practicing all the ways I can think of to connect to my muse, and see a path forward for me and art.

Agenda:

1. Read "Healing with the Arts"

2. Weekly lesson

3. Guided meditation

4. Make a medicine art plan

Paitishem

The Zoroastrian community honors the six seasons of the year by celebrating six Gahambars; the word gahambar means "proper season". Each of these six festivals is celebrated for five days, and each honors one of the six material creations: The heaven, water, earth, flora, fauna and man.

Paitishem is the third Gahambar, celebrating the creation of the earth, the end of summer, and the harvesting of crops. It takes place each year from September 12th through the 16th.

Agenda this week:
1. Recite prayers
2. Make Shirazi cucumber salad
3. Harvest and preserve

Full Harvest Moon and Autumn Moon Festival

The full Harvest Moon rises this evening -- obliquely, close to the horizon -- and remains big and bright for a long time, giving extra light to harvesters. This moon is called Atchiutchutin, the After-Harvest moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, because the big harvest in our area comes earlier. We are enjoying the last weeks of the sun-baked summer, a profound and abundant time of the year.

Today is also the start of Chung Ch’iu, the 3-day Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. It's a happy and beautiful Asian family celebration that comes each year at the time of the full moon in September or October.

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon.

Agenda for today:
1. Take a vision walk
2. Celebrate synergy

3. Make moon cakes
4. Have a moon-viewing party

Grandma Adventures

I love being a Grandma! When my first grandchild was born, I was ecstatic. Here's a quote from the early days:

"Becoming a Grandma means I get to mother in a grand way: I can play with him, craft for him, talk, sing... and laugh, laugh, laugh. I melt at the sight of him, stare into his face, whisper to him. I miss him when I don't see him every day. I hope to be a role model for him, teach him skills, share my ethical wisdom, and my respect for the environment. But: I will follow his lead and his interests because Grandmothering is not about my ego. I get to dote."

Agenda:

1. Look for teachable moments

2. Have adventures

3. Explore art materials

Finding My Muse

Making art has been healing for me; I've used it throughout my life to explore my grief and my hopes. But I've felt disconnected from inspiration for quite a long while now.

Lately I've been wondering how I can use my art skills (and teaching art skills) to help heal the rift in our human connection to the Earth. I've opened myself to that possibility for the last month, and finally have just a glimmer of insight. This week I'm practicing all the ways I can think of to connect to my muse, and see a path forward for me and art.

Agenda:

1. Read "Healing with the Arts"

2. Weekly lesson

3. Guided meditation

4. Make a medicine wheel

5. Look for signs & omens in nature

First Quarter Moon of September (on Synergy)

We are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle; the moon is waxing - growing in light and energy, creating a time for decisive action. 

I am thoroughly enjoying the start of September - the last weeks of the sun-baked summer, a profound and abundant time of the year. I'm called to be absolutely open, listen for crazy wisdom, look under rocks and turn things upside down. I'm called to respond to whatever life brings me - sort out the ideas that come, holding each up to the light to see if it’s a keeper.

I celebrate each new day and the Truth it brings. But I am happily aware that I will never have an orderly shelf-full of the Truth. Truth is a mystery - it hides in the shadows, revealed to me one bit at a time. I am so happy to know this, because it releases me from the need to have all the answers. My real work is to ask all the questions.

  

My theme this month is synergy - the ability to seek unity, embrace teamwork, live holistically, and work tirelessly towards a better end. Synergy is the eternally active primal force of creation: No matter what the conditions are, they will change.

 

I use this September quarter moon's energy to help me to take persistent right action on the work I'm called to. For this, I need discernment (insight and clarity), equanimity, and centering in chaos.

Agenda:
1. Journal queries

2. Synergy walk

3. Read "The Earth Path"

4. Make a full effort plan

5. Write a mission haiku

6. Creative visualization: