Creative Mindfulness

Creative mindfulness is fun; it's the playful little games and habits I find to be mindful and in the moment, and train my brain to be less concerned with my inner monologue. 

Mindfulness requires me to get out of my head and look outward, to my environment and the people in my sphere. I shift my focus throughout my day and life - from head to presence - and it's easy and natural when I'm with the boys - like naming the flowers we see in the garden, or taking a very slow walk. How can I more regularly be in that zone?

Agenda:

1. Read "A Book That Takes It's Time"
2. Build self-awareness for creativity.
3. Creativity goals
4. Simple project list
5. Start a seed charm

New Dragon Moon

Tonight is the new moon; the Chinese call the fifth new moon the Dragon Moon. Chinese dragons are a symbol of cosmic Chi, good fortune, and new beginnings, but the time around the Dragon Moon is strongly yang, with bright sunlight and moist heat. The Chinese consider this to be a dangerous and unhealthy season and they have customs to protect against the excessive yang energy.

I feel strong and effective when I am able to harness my yang energy to get stuff done, but I like to remember that yang's best aim is to protect yin, and yin's best function is to nurture yang; life is good when I have each in a kind of dynamic balance.

This week I will make an effort to bring a balance of restorative yin energy to my life: Slow down, rest well, drink more water, and practice ‘discipline of purpose’.

Agenda:

1. Journal queries

2. Read "5 Resets"

3. Do Less plan

4. Simplify the kitchen

5. Choose a month theme

6. Set intentions

Rogation Sunday

Rogation-tide begins on the Sunday five weeks after Easter and continues for four more days, through Ascension Day on Thursday. 

Rogation is an early Christian tradition of singing psalms and chanting prayers of petition for God's protection on crops, beasts and people. Since medieval days, parishioners in Britain would walk around the parish boundaries, bearing a cross and banners, and asking for God to bless the crops, livestock, and fishing holes. The procession was called 'beating the bounds'; it helped everyone to remember the parish boundaries, in the time before maps were commonplace.

These boundary walks were also known as ‘gang days’ from the Anglo Saxon word ‘gangen’- to go. The parish would bond together as a community, offer charity to poor people they met along the way, and the priest would stop to preach at each prominent tree or landmark.

Now Rogation-tide is celebrated more as a time to honor the gift of creation of the land and waters, to offer thanksgiving for the labors on land and water that feed us, and to pray for stewardship of the earth.

Agenda Today:

1. Read "Everyday Simplicity"

2. Beat the bounds

2. Bless my garden

3. Make Rammalation Bisquits

Retreat for Creative Risk

Saturdays are usually my day of retreat and contemplation, and on this late Saturday of May I'm contemplating a transformative shift towards hope, resilience, and flow. I've opened the door, done some planning, and the next step is to take a creative risk.

"Creativity is our greatest super-power, the rich resource that leads us towards transformation. ... Creativity is risky by nature, because it puts us on an uncertain path that we can only see by taking it. Your journey towards transforming your world will lead to more and more unpredictability - it's the nature of transformation. The trick is to learn how to be comfortable with uncertainty, and trust in the creative process. You have the map, and your Truth is a beacon of light shining the way; you just need to take the first step, and trust that your process has been good."  (Ducks in a Row)

Agenda:

1. Read "The Creativity Book"

2. Brainstorm some risks to take

3. Simple project list

Summer Nature-Culture Flow

Nature Culture is (perhaps) my final Flow Project component; my working definition of Nature-culture is "humans living in unity with nature: acting in ways that create shared spaces that mimic the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems."

To see a list of all the parts and principles of nature-culture see my Nature-Culture page. Today I will make a plan for how to interweaving nature and earthcare action gently into my daily flow. 

Agenda:

1.  Read "The Serviceberry"

2. Watering by hand

3. Care for native bees

4. Use my harvest

5. Use my harvest

6. Pay it forward

Grandma Camp

My week has a flow that includes two energetic grandsons. I need a plan for my grandson days that helps me to flow from one activity to another with little effort, slow down and just BE, in the moment- aware and awake, listening to my intuition, calm and flexible and loving.

This plan needs to touch on all of their priorities: Biking/walking, playing, artwork, eating lunch together, adventures, and clean-up time.

These are the next steps I need to take for my big Flow Project:

Agenda:

1. Summer day flow routine

2. Grandma Camp plans

Bliss State

This morning I woke up in a state close to bliss: I was alert, eager, looking forward to my day, and already thinking about what I've titled my Flow Project. I thought, "I've got my groove on." 

Then I thought, the word flow might be limiting me, because it's associated with accomplishing tasks. What I'm aiming for is a daily flow, or maybe a bliss-flow state, that I can ride through each day, with equanimity, resilience, and hope.

A search for "Bliss-flow" led me to a book called Bliss Flow: The Ultimate Energy Journal: Unstoppable Success In 90 Days, by Chelle Clarke. "Chelle is a modern day witch, energy and crystal healer and all round spiritual junkie and gets her creative outlet fulfilling her stationery addiction by designing high vibe and super cute notebooks right here on Amazon under her brand, Journal Junkie."

Oops.

Back to my Flow Project: I've made a backwards calendar, with the first steps I need to take for my big Flow Project, and I expect that more will be revealed as I progress. Today's steps are:

Agenda:

1. Define the hope component

2. Creative self-care intention

May Third Quarter Moon

Today is the third Quarter moon. This 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.

I've made a backwards calendar, with the first steps I'm taking for my big Flow Project, and I expect that more will be revealed as I progress. Today's steps are to:

Agenda Today:

1. 

Read 

"Mindfulness-Based Emotional Balance Workbook"

2. Mindful Thinking plan

3.

 Renewal plan

4. Evaluation House

5. Monthly journal brainstorm

Do Less

Monday is my day to center and set myself some simple, synergistic goals, and this week I'm continuing to focus on flow. I've made a backwards calendar, with the first steps I need to take for my big Flow Project, and I expect that more will be revealed as I progress. Today's steps are to:

Agenda:

1. Read "5 Resets"

2. Plan how to Do Less

3. Simplify the bedroom and office

Sabbath for Flow

Today is my sabbath, but a very socially challenging one for me - I've got a big commitment, leading a community poster-making workshop. This is a perfect opportunity to experiment with Flow!

Yesterday I made a backwards calendar, with the first steps I need to take for my big Flow Project (to transform my life towards hope, resilience, and flow), and I expect that more will be revealed as I progress. Today's steps are to:

Agenda:

1. Read First Things First

2. Define my goals for personal leadership

3. Design a Daily Flow Plan

Retreat for Flow

Saturdays are usually my day of retreat, and on this third Saturday of May I plan to be quiet, and prepare for a creative shift. I've set intentions to transform my life towards hope, resilience, and flow, and the next step is to open the door.

"This is your growing edge: To accept that you will be carried beyond yourself; to accept that you will find the strength and creativity to take the risk, walk your path, and speak your message out loud ... to open the door to transformational love." 

My query today is, "How can I improve the underlying system of my life?"

Agenda:

1. Retreat day plan

2. Love meditation

3. Read "The Creativity Book"

4. Backwards calendar

5. Life system

6. Simple project list

Transformations

I've been thinking and dreaming about where I'm being nudged to transform my world. When I say "transform my world" I am suggesting a shift towards a better life: It could be mostly an inner renovation, or lifestyle alteration; it could be an adjustment in my relationships; it could be a new project or area of growth; or it could be a move into activism or service. 

That's the gift we have - to see what needs to change and do the work to change it. No matter our limitations, we CAN make the world better, one smile, kind word, or conversation at a time.

Agenda:

1. Love Meditation
2. Read First Things First
3. Transform my world intentions

Love and Synergy

Love and synergy go hand in hand. Teamwork requires respect and care; each day unfolds with new challenges - I need to be open to love in the moment, and breathe through my expectations and frustrations.

My Inter-dependence manifesto is:

I am open to an abundance of creative solutions to problems. I will allow people to be different from me and will relentlessly seek the creative win-win resolution.

When emotions are high, I listen first to clearly understand, then express my own ideas courageously, clearly, and sensitively.

I am open to love. I will allow people to make mistakes, and will remember to adapt my schedule when people are more important. 

I am open to alternatives to my ideas- to synergy- to different ways of thinking and being- to the adventure of life with other people!

Agenda:

1. Love Meditation

2. Read "Mindfulness-Based Emotional Balance Workbook"

3. Synergy and Flow plan

Full Flower Moon and Wesak

Today is the full moon called atantal, the "camas blooming time", by the Kalapuya of our area, and the Flower Moon by others, because - well - May flowers!

The flowers in my garden are a delicate reminder to me to project a gentle, honest spirit (less cactus, more columbine).

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

Today is also Wesak (pronounced way-sak). The full moon in May is the day that Buddhists honor the birth of Gautama Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal, in 623 BCE, and also honor his enlightenment and death. Buddhists all over the world celebrate this day by pausing to remember the Buddha's virtues, expressing their gratitude and appreciation for his teachings, and by finding ways to be more Buddha-like.

Agenda Today: 

1. Take a vision walk

2. Celebrate synergy

3. Read "How to Keep House While Drowning"

4. Find ways to be more Buddha-like

5. Make a lantern
6. Cook Hath Maaluwa (Seven Vegetables Curry)

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day, and a low-key time for me, now that my daughter is a mother and I am a grandmother!

Agenda Today:

1. Journal query

2. Mother Meditation

3. Read "Everyday Simplicity"

4. Transform my world brainstorm

Creative Fire

Creativity is a way of thinking and being: A creative mind is relaxed, expansive, and spontaneous. When I am open to creativity and inspiration, I can see original answers to any question. The childlike qualities of joy and curiosity support my innovative, creative spirit. 

I use my creativity to make things, and express myself, and also to solve problems. My mission is to use my creative fire to heal our connections to nature; I use every skill I have: Creative gardening, preservation, crafting, writing, and painting. Sometimes I share a craft that can I teach others (craftivism), and sometimes it's artwork that I can hang on the wall. Often it's more of an every day art, like making pickles, or saving seeds ... these practices require as much skill.

 Here's my prayer:

I call on the Creator of all life to be with me, and bless me. And I ask Nature to guide me, give me images, and insight, as I seek to heal myself, my community, and the Earth.  

Agenda:
1. Read "The Creativity Book"
2. Simple project list

3. May garden tasks

4. May planting

5. Creative Visualization

Empowerment

Empowerment is one of the goals I have for Grandma Camp: To help my grandsons become competent and trustworthy individuals. I do that for pre-schoolers mostly by modeling, but also by setting up systems that support empowerment. Today I will begin to plan how to do that.

Agenda

1. Read "First Things First"

2. Make a stewardship agreement

3. Review my Leadership Manifesto

Grandma Camp in May

May brings more outdoor activities with the boys: Park time, wading pool, chalk, clay, hopscotch, bike rides, and so on. With just a little thought, I can plan activities that also teach new skills, new ideas, and new emotional competence. 

Drawing chalk flowers and balloons

In May my themes are flowers and monsters. 

Agenda:

1. Flower projects

2. Monster projects

3. May Nature Table

Flow

I've decided to take time each Monday this month to center and set myself some simple, synergistic  goals, and this week I'm focusing on flow. Flow is the natural, effortless unfolding of my life in a way that moves me toward wholeness and harmony. Flow is always here, around me and in me, whether or not I am in it. Sometimes it runs underground like a river, and I stay aloof. But when I step into the power of flow, I am connected in an intuitive sense to patterns and meaning, and to a dynamic force beyond myself.

Agenda:
1. Read "5 Resets"
2. Mediteranean Diet

3. Synergy and Flow plan

4. Simplify the living room

First Quarter moon for Synergy

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. I use this May quarter moon's energy to create synergy with all my partners, and spark synergy within myself.

Agenda Today:

1. Read "Everyday Simplicity"

2. Journal queries
3. Make a full effort plan

May Day

May Day, on May 1st, is a spring celebration of the blooming flowers. It's an ancient holiday that originated with the festival of Floralia which honored Flora, the Flourishing One, the Roman goddess of spring. Flora is a bright nature goddess who makes trees bloom- she is a “lady of pleasure", but also a symbol of motherhood. She wears a garland of flowers in her hair, and in her right hand she holds a columbine, for fertility. 

Maying is what we call the things we do to celebrate this beautiful month-- going on picnics, picking flowers, dancing around a maypole, and sharing our love. In England a young woman is still chosen as May Queen, representing Flora, and is crowned with hawthorn blossoms. She is often accompanied by a May King.

Agenda today:

1. Prepare a Beltane fire
2. Bring in the May
3. May baskets
4. Make Tippaleivät (Finnish May Day Fritters)
5. Maypole Dances

6. Phenology record