Sixth Day of Christmas, New White moon, and Soyal

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. It's an introspective time- standing at the door of the year, looking backward and forward. It's my habit to reflect on the past and also to ponder the year ahead- consider my true purpose and envision hopes for myself and my world.

Tonight is also the new moon. The Chinese call the eleventh new moon the White Moon, perhaps because it brings the snow, or perhaps because it's a yin time of year. (I messed up the Chinese calendar this year at some point, so this is the second White moon)

And today is the start of Soyal, 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. Kwanzaa principle

2. Review the Divine Laws

3. Christmas retreat brainstorm

4. Purpose plans

5. Choose a month theme

6. New moon altar and meditation

7

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Settle into the Soyal Way of Being

1. Kwanzaa principle:

The fifth day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the principle of nia (NEE-ah), which is purpose. Purpose allows me to dream of the best future, to look within and set personal goals that are beneficial to me, my family, and my community.

2. Review the Divine Laws:

At Soyal, I review the Divine Laws, as I see them. A Divine Law is anything that comes directly from God: a natural law, universal truth, principle, or a rule of conduct that is inherent and essential in human society.

Today I will review Purpose: Lead the best life I can, and grow into being the best person I can be.

3. Christmas retreat brainstorm:

I am again making the 12 Days of Christmas into a mini-retreat for myself - I'm 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 each day, and set some goals and resolutions for 2025, based on guidance from God.

Today I am honoring my life purpose and career:

What are my most important reasons for living? What are my priorities? What would my best life look like? What actions give me the feeling of a meaningful life, and best support my beliefs and values?

 

Describe my life path now - Is it clear or foggy? What are my next steps in life? Do I have any well-defined missions?

 

What dreams do I have for the New Year? What might I do in the New Year to better express myself? How do I want to grow? Imagine accomplishing my goals; how do they benefit my family and community? 

 

As I move into retirement, what work do I cling to, and why? Is this the work I'm called to do? How do I discern the next chapter in my life?

4. Purpose plans:

I'm finishing up the work of setting goals and resolutions for the New Year, and my theme for today is my life purpose and depth - following the true course of my life, like a river flowing through a deep ravine. Staying on my path requires courage, honesty, and persistence. The path is always mysterious, and leads to unexpected challenges and changes. I’m directed back at every turn into the deep waters within myself, to discern the best route. Like water, I am persistent and sincere, and I keep flowing. 

Goals for this area might be to find my true purpose in life, gain greater courage or persistence, make a change in my job or career, or discern my “natural” course.

My ideas for purpose and career goals so far:

• Step firmly into the role of wise-woman-teacher, and teach in as many ways as I can find. Share simple art skills with fun art class offerings; Ducks in a row, classes, Unity Art process classes - hope, skills, and wisdom. 
• Explore "Active Hope" with abstract paintings and appliqué story pictures. Make art that grows organically from the seasons and my life, and expresses my love for nature.
• Write about climate change and how to face it with resilience and eyes open. Report the realities and the steps we can take.

5. Choose a month theme:

View from the top of the South Sister.

At the new moon I choose a new theme to give attention to. My theme this next 30-days is stillness. I picture this like a climb up a sacred mountain to an isolated cave; the mountain has reached the peak of upward movement, and in stillness holds its place as the highest. This great immovable mountain represents meditation, and the resting of body, mind and spirit.

Stillness is a peaceful inner space where I can absorb and integrate my daily experiences; it's my time to read, write, meditate, and pray. When I build quiet into my daily routine, I honor the full rhythm of life - the yin time of stillness balances my yang action. To become wise, I need to be dedicated to my practice and nurture my inner self with intention. Being a mountain allows my ego to disappear for a bit, and all my studies, artwork, and adventures are transformed into wisdom; I can then turn back to the outside world seeing myself as a part of the whole rather than an isolated individual.

Goals for stillness might have to do with cultivating my curiosity and my wisdom, improving my mental health and peace of mind, sharing my knowledge in a useful way (teaching, modeling, or advising), balancing activity with alone time for reflection, getting a handle on re-occurring mistakes, and any kind of inner study, self-growth, preparation, or education.

My stillness practices (incorporating the Soyal Way of Being):

1. Practice equanimity: Be respectful of Mother Earth, and move slowly and quietly about my tasks, because all of life is now germinating in the Mother's womb. 
2. Prayer-candle ceremony: Light candles, and ask the Spirits to bring the rain of loving care down upon the whole world.
3. Consider my values: Choose one of my core values to meditate on and write about each day, and make plans for the coming year based on guidance from the Spirits.
4. Mindfulness meditation: Ground in the reality of life, and accept the uncertainty, to build hope and faith I my own innate goodness and that of others.

6. New moon altar and meditation:

It's time to clear my altar, and discern what to put on it for December. (For my thoughts on altars see About Altars). I generally keep it simple and choose only things that speak to me and feed me, and reveal what I believe in. I ask, what quality of Spirit do I want to invoke? 

Before I left town, I cleared everything except my straw doll, for luck and protection, and pine cones, for potential growth and enlightenment - and added:

• a turquoise candle - for thought and study
• an angel - to remind me to be giving and loving
• a picture of a mountain - for stillness and meditation
• a quartz crystal - for the purity of winter

8. Settle into the Soyal Way of Being:

During Soyal, the Hopi follow a special way of acting and being, to help turn the sun back toward its summer path, establish the right mood for the coming year, and reach a unity of everything in the universe. 

This year Soyal falls when I'm traveling, but I'm going to do my best to honor the Soyal Way of Being for the full 16 days, through January 12th. To do that, I will:

• Be quiet and be respectful. Use nice words. 
• Move slowly and as silently as possible, for all life is germinating in the mother's womb. 
• Strengthen my bonds with my family. Be helpful and caring.
• Review the Divine laws, as I see them.
• Reflect on the past year, my own conduct and the conduct of people as a whole.
• Make plans for the coming year based on what I think the Spirits want.
• Pray- Ask the Spirits to bring the rain of loving care down upon the whole world.