Unity with Winter Rain

We have a paradoxical relationship with rain. Rain gives us life - we can't survive without it, but it's so inconvenient; we like to complain about it, and try to avoid being caught out in it. We sometimes find it dismal and depressing. (I certainly got tired of rain, as a young person who had to walk to school in it EVERY DAY; and not just gentle showers, but cold, sideways driving rain that penetrated every part of you...)

Agenda:

1. Ongo journal

2. Beingness 

3. Earth Action

4. Explore rain

5. Write a mission haiku

6. Proaction and reciprocity plans

1. Ongo journal:

I'm going back through this book by Catherine Madden and Jesse Weiss Chu (2022), focussing on the solo practices. I'm on week 7 (still), and Day 3 is Celebration and Mourning. Every thought and feeling we have is a present-moment celebration or mourning; we are celebrating (showing gratitude for) met Needs or mourning (showing regret for) unmet Needs.

So when I feel impatient with myself and sad about words I said that caused pain, I am in mourning for the Needs (sensitivity, caring, connection) I left unmet. Mourning is a natural response and an important way to acknowledge loss. I can name it, notice how it feels in my body,  and rest with an understanding of what is precious: I mourn the lost chance for sensitivity, caring, and connection.

2. Beingness:

For Lent I am finding creative ways to make space for Being in Nature. Today: Feed the squirrels and watch for squirrels on our walk.

3. Earth Action:

Each day I am taking an action for the Earth - Today it is sharing about Lobby Day and the Clean Water bill with my Interfaith Earthkeepers group.

4. Exploring rain (puddle jumping): 

The importance of rain is undeniable; we need rain, and we are so lucky to have an abundance of it still in my valley. Many parts of the earth have an ever scarcer rainfall, and water conservation there is crucial.

And actually, water poverty IS a part of my daily life. My green valley is impacted by the drought taking place in other parts of my state: Since 2000, there’s only been one year (2006) that Oregon has not experienced moderate to severe levels of drought. Drought certainly contributes to the wildfires that we’re seeing every summer in the state, and we are hugely impacted by the smoke, being at the end of the valley.

Based on these thoughts, I set the intention today to "explore my relationship with rain, honor and celebrate the Late Winter Rains." When I set an intention to "explore my relationship to rain," my walks take on a new kind of focus: They become a meditation - I move slower and look at every puddle with new eyes (walk like a little kid).

This week we took several rain walks, to jump in puddles and get joyfully soaked.

Cold rain on my face;

washing away all regret,

baptism of hope.

5: Write a mission haiku:

My missions are my various big projects or directions in life. I try to review them often, and look at them from different perspectives. Today I'm going to look at my Mission to "be a creative force in the world - express myself". I'll write it as a haiku, because a poem has a unique ability of getting to the core of a Truth. Here's the steps I use:

1. Write a brief, evocative sentence or two describing this top mission in my life, and the significant issues that surround it:

Expressing myself requires courage, clarity, and some skill. And I add to that creatively - another challenge, accessing something new and interesting.

 

2. List the most exciting or pleasing verbs that describe what I want to do with this mission:

Innovate, influence, illuminate, inspire, share, celebrate, play.

 

3. Next, list some core values that go with this mission:

Truth, Learning, Creativity, Celebration, Unity

4. Turn these sentences, verbs, and values into a haiku, an unrhymed poetic form consisting of 17 syllables arranged in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables respectively (or a Cinquain, which is five lines, with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables), that gets to the core of my mission, and gives me a framework for my actions.

Painting my pains and 

turning them into flowers -

a gift of crazy.

 

6. 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:

• Write about Natural Living: Practical air-quality steps to take.
• Work on an Interfaith Earthkeeper calendar, and communicate with faith groups to advertise it.
• Write about Reciprocity: How to advocate for legislation. Network with neighbors; plant library.
• Send out the EC action news, with some information about the Clean Water bill discussion.
• Write an agenda for the Earth-care Meeting that includes a report on the superfund bill, plans for plant library, and clean water bill discussion.
• Work on a blurb and queries for a discussion of the Clean Water bill. Make a flyer.
• Next steps for the Little Plant Library: Do some research to determine what plants will best serve our native pollinators. Make signage and web info.