First Quarter Moon of November (on Abundance)

Tonight is the First Quarter Moon; 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 and full effort. 

But November is dark and wet, and this November has drained the vigor from all of us. 

I use this November quarter moon's energy to help me find the spark to keep on going; Blótmónað means Sacrifice Month, and just as Persephone goes peacefully down to the underworld every year, I release expectations and accept the peace of total surrender to what will come. Bring it on!

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Read "Comfortable with Uncertainty"

3. Make a full effort plan

4. Low status oxymoronic priorities

1. Journal queries:

Today, at the first quarter moon, I prepare to give full effort to my priorities. I remember that for each opportunity in life there is a challenge. My theme this month is abundance, and the challenge to abundance is limitation; if I feel restricted, I will find it hard to accept the blessings that present themselves. 

The limitations I most often feel are lack of time and energy, making it easy to say, "I don't have the time or energy to take on anything new." 

But this particular month, the biggest limitation I feel is the uncertainty of life - with the shock of the election and the mystery of how the year will unfold, how can I relax enough to enjoy the richness of life?

The practice for meeting this challenge is to open doors and step through.

If I could open any door to abundance, what would I see? What is on my bucket list for this lifetime?

 
What potential challenges and obstacles do I face this week and month (things I don’t enjoy, don’t know how to do, or feel blocked on) and how can I best meet them? 

 

What do I need (tools, information, allies) in order to best act on my life goals? What practice will help me to open doors?

 

2. Read "Comfortable with Uncertainty":

I'm looking again at "Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion", by Pema Chödrön (2002). The last time my world fell apart this book caught me and saved me.

The theme throughout this book is training in tenderness for life, called bodhichitta. "We train in the bodhichitta practices in order to become so open that we can take the pain of the world in, let it touch our hearts, and turn it into compassion."

Chapter 9 is No Such Thing As a True Story. "... we habitually string our thoughts together into a story that tricks us into believing that our identity, our happiness, our pain, and our problems are all solid and separate entities. In fact, like thoughts, all these constructs are constantly changing. ... 

Wisdom is a fluid process, not something concrete that can be added up or measured. ... Trying to hold on to any of it by buying our story line only blocks our wisdom." 

3. Make a full effort plan: 

Full effort requires attention; you remember your intentions - what it is you want to do and your deepest reasons why - and also notice your emotions, energy, challenges, etc. I'm thinking today about full effort as a teacher. I still identify as a teacher, so I want to act more like one.

I intend to Be a Teacher by proactively planning, advertising, promoting and preparing for classes and teachable moments with my grandsons, my painting class, my Ducks-in-a-row cohort, my Earthcare community, and my wider Friends community, neighborhood, and the entire internet, because I truly feel that I have a message and skills worth sharing.

My plan / schedule:

1. Friday: Brainstorm next steps and projects, and research and plan for teachable moments with my grandsons, painting class, my blogs, etc. and write about themes, projects, skills, and opportunities for teaching this week. 

2. Saturday: Gather all the supplies and books for the week of teachable moments and class preparation in one place - ready to go when the time is right - because it's very satisfying to catch the moment when it comes, and be able to hold attention and interest, and to be able, then, to build on the excitement.

3. Sunday: Simple projects list: Make a project list of tasks for each class and kid project; plan my top 3 projects and put them on my schedule.

4. Monday: Promote and advertise my classes and ideas with my blogs and new website, Facebook, and print signs to draw others in to the opportunity of new skills and information.

5. Tuesday and Wednesday: Celebrate art moments with my grandsons, with chalk, paint, clay, sewing, etc.

6. Thursday: Plan and prepare to teach workshops, with a defined project, exercises, and demonstrations; brainstorm new methods, test the steps, set up to teach.

4. Low status oxymoronic priorities:

Unfortunately, not all of my priorities share equal status. For some reason, some of the actions that I hold very high in priority just don't get the attention they need. I call these my "low-status (oxymoronic) priorities"; exercise usually fits into that category for me, and sometimes (unfortunately) artwork - for some reason, when flexibility is required, it's my health and creative priorities that suffer.

I try to keep track of these weekly, and make adjustment, but if things continue to be out of balance over a few weeks, I need to regroup: 

Do I need to lower my expectations for a while because I'm are running on low energy? 

Do I need to sideline a committee that is draining too much of my time?

Or maybe I can initiate a Creativity Focus Day to catch up on artwork, or a new renewal plan to bring myself more consistently to exercise.

Since I put a lot of my priorities on hold last month because of my partner's health crisis, this is a good time to re-evaluate and adjust. 

Today, I looked at my list of priorities, and noticed big holes in two places: Creativity and Earth Unity / Garden. I set these two intentions:

I intend to work with attention and tenacity on many creative projects this late autumn and winter, including sewing, sign-painting, felting, making gifts, decorations, kid projects, and craftivism, because my creativity is from and of God, and is the voice of my soul. Furthermore, I intend to finish things I start, because my mission is to be a creative force for change, and my brilliant ideas won’t have any impact on the world unless I put them into form.

I intend to work for climate justice with tenacity, creativity, and  courage - by speaking out, writing, joining in actions, and with art  and craftivism - because all life on this earth has the right to a safe and healthy environment, and our children need us to make change happen! Also, I intend to Take Good Care of our garden spaces and the wildlife that uses it, listen to the earth, and cultivate a real relationship with nature, because finding unity and connection with Creation will bring vitality, peace, and purpose to my climate justice work, my art work, and my writing.