Ash Wednesday and Ramadan

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, a 46-day period of preparation for the joyful Easter celebration. The word lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means "lengthen"; it refers to the longer days of spring. Lent is about mortality and transformation; death and rebirth. Marcus Borg says, "It means dying to an old way of being, and being born into a new way of being, a way of being centered once again in God."

At Lent I allow myself to be slow, simple, and thoughtful. I spend time each day in focused study and prayer. This year I'm really taking that to heart with a totally simple set of practices. My theme is Being At One with the Earth, because I want to help to  dissolve  the boundaries between myself and nature:

• Devotions: I intend to read Living Earth and Earth Medicine as daily devotionals, because starting my day with attention to the Earth will open the door to new connections.
• Beingness: I intend to fast from being indoors all day - I will spend much more time outside - walking, doing Oneness and awareness exercises, and simple garden tasks, because this will lead to a deeper experiential connection.
• Earth Action: And I intend to take action on my Nature-Culture book - writing and practicing what I write - creating sanctuary, practicing reciprocity, and producing creative Oneness projects, because I want to model how to shift the paradigm towards unity with all of nature.

And tonight is the start of Ramadan, an Islamic holy day that marks the discovery of the Qur’an by the Prophet Muhammad. The Islamic calendar is totally lunar, so Ramadan is a few weeks earlier each year, at the sighting of the thin crescent moon, hopefully at sundown tonight. I'll write more about Ramadan tomorrow.

Agenda:

1. Devotions
2. Beingness 

3. Earth Action

4. Read "The Earth Keeper's Handbook"

5. Proaction and reciprocity plans

6. Make pretzels

7. Hang up the Lent Lady

1. Devotions: 

I'm reading from two lovely books: Living Earth Devotional, by Clea Dana (2013), and Earth Medicine, by Jamie Sams (1994).

Today Living Earth talks about water energy and rebirth: "Before you can be reborn, you must rest in stillness in the womb." She suggests a warm bed or a bath - so I'll be sure to take time in my hot tub today, to dream and float.

Earth Medicine: Relationship to Earth and Sky- "Our connections to all living things are strong when we honor the truth in each part of Creation and respect the rights of all life forms to create life abundant." When we make relatives of all creatures, stones, plants, and people "we allow ourselves the freedom to be the connecting link between the tangible and intangible..."  

2. Beingness:

Wednesday is when I walk to town with my Grandson. Beingness is easy with a three-year-old: We jump in puddles, watch squirrels, and talk about the birds we hear. Today we might also hang a squirrel feeder in the tree and fill it with some nuts. The best food for squirrels is unsalted nuts in the shell (not peanuts).

3. Earth Action:

Each day I will also take an action - Today it is writing about Natural Living and Being One with the Earth.

4. Read "The Earth Keeper's Handbook":

I'm reading this book by Loren Swift (2019), subtitled "Assuming Leadership in a New World." The premise is that lack of care for each other (people) results in lack of care for the earth. "This book details the practical steps to shift the paradigm internally from conflict to cooperation and to make the same shift in relationships and in group endeavors." Well, that is the work I need to do this winter.

I'm into Chapter 4 -  Coherence and the Coordinates of Presence. Coherence is the ability to focus my energy and streamline my efforts - all the forces at play are lined up, in the same way that photons of light are lined up to make a laser. And I can design my approach to life to intentionally create these coherent states of being, specific to the outcomes I seek. It is my consciousness - my attitude - that determines my state of being.

The practice in this chapter is called the Coordinates of Presence: "Your internal coordinates are your physical sensations, emotional state, and the universal quality of life (Needs) that is either being experienced or is longing to be expressed." The goal then is to be rooted in the present moment through a connection to this "internal ballast", and then make choices to access your strengths, communicate clearly, and use empathy.

1. Focus on your internal coordinates. Notice and name your physical sensations and emotions. These are a facet of your current state of being. They express the fulfillment or lack of fulfillment of the experience you are having.
2. Name the experience you want to have. Your sensations and emotions are pointing to the universal quality of life (Needs) you are desiring.
3. Embody that quality of life. Breathe and let the experience grow and fill you. Let your awareness expand and shift to this desired state of being, and use intuition to see the steps to take to get there, and also to see how you are affecting others around you. 

3. Proaction and reciprocity plans:

On Wednesdays I often journal a bit about the future, and my dreams and goals: What GREAT things do I want to accomplish? How will I serve people? How will I use my talents? How will I stretch myself? How can I become an “island of excellence”? What is essential?

Then I try to define achievable, meaningful goals and prioritize the goals and tasks with the greatest long-term impact.

This next week I hope to:

• Begin Lent theme of Being One with the Earth: Daily devotions, beingness, and actions.
• Write about Natural Living: Lent study and practices, Being One with the Earth; Practical air-quality steps to take.
• Work on an Interfaith Earthkeeper calendar, and communicate with faith groups to advertise it.
• Write about Sanctuary: Prepare for planting; potting soil; planting; and native plantings; Feeding squirrels and birds.
• Set up a squirrel feeder.
• Plant trilliums.
• Fight with the English ivy.
• Help to discern way forward for the Clean Water bill. Become more well-versed and educated in the facts. Work on a blurb and queries for clean water bill discussion.
• Set intentions for a possible E-Book blog for sale.
• Take part in the fourth  "Return to the Earth" event, to "come to understand the cultural lens through which I see the world."
• Write about Reciprocity: How to advocate for legislation. Network with neighbors; plant library.
• Propose an Interfaith Earthkeeper blog, to share activities and projects.
• Write about Awareness: Intro to Late Winter; Winter rain meditations

3. Make pretzels:
Pretzels are a traditional bread for Lent because they are made with no dairy or eggs.

Pretzels were invented by an Italian monk as a reward to children who learned their prayers. The strips of baked dough are folded to resemble arms crossing the chest. The monks called the breads "little arms" (bracellae). From this Latin word, the Germanic people later coined the term "pretzel." The recipe is here.

4. Hang up the Lent Lady:

Greek children make a paper doll for Lent, called Kyra Sarakosti (Lady Lent). The Kyra always folds her hands in prayer, and she has no mouth because she is fasting. Also, she has seven legs, representing the number of weeks in Lent. Each Saturday, the children fold back a leg as they count down the weeks.

I made a Lady Lent a couple years ago that I can use each year- Now she hangs in my living room as a visual reminder of the countdown to Easter. The instructions are here.