Farvardegan

Today is the start of Farvardegan, which means “days of remembering the Fravashis" (guardian angels). It's a ten day Zoroastrian festival that includes the five days of Hamaspathmaidyem, which begin on March 16, and concludes with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on March 21.

Hamaspathmaidyem is the sixth and last gahambar. This gahamber is the most significant to Zoroastrians, because it's devoted to remembering the fravashis or guardian angels. According to Zoroastrian religion, each of the 6 creations was created during one of the gahambars. Mankind was created on this last one.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Book of Doing and Being" 

2. Creative imagining for art and teaching

3. Teaching brainstorm

4. Projects for the week

5. Welcome the angels
6. Offer thanks

7. Recite prayers

1. Read "The Book of Doing and Being":

I'm reading from this book by Barnet Bain (2015), subtitled "Rediscovering Creativity in Life, Love, and Work". This is a book of creative perspective, to help jiggle me out of the straight line way I usually think into something new: Use the exercises with consistency in order to stay focused on my destination. Practice will ground me and allow my ambitions to take root and grow.

Chapter 5 is Creativity in Balance, about assessing your life wheel: The 7 areas of creative life - Spirit, career, money, love, family, health, and relaxation. He suggests I score each area with the level of satisfaction and proportion of attention, from 1-10, and then also list what I value most in each area (like, opportunities to use my skills, people I care about, feelings of belonging, etc.), and finally, my desires and goals in each area.

Well, first of all, I need to define career as Activism, Teaching, Art, and Writing, which are 4 separate but overlapping areas. I can score Activism and writing both high, and Teaching and Art low. I'm writing a lot, which is a great outlet for expression, but I'm not finding motivation for any of the hands-on art and craft projects I normally love to do. I find myself getting started on sewing something then not finishing; planning projects for the kids, then not doing the preparation to make them happen; and worst of all, not completing house and garden projects; not even going out to buy the supplies.

What do I value about art and teaching? I'm very nostalgic for the days that I was an art teacher. I loved BEING that person. I loved the research and planning, and the actual teaching a classroom full of eager kids and interested adults, or working one-on-one with a kid who was enthusiastic. It was very fulfilling. And now, my audience is limited, which pins my wings a bit, but I also cannot imagine having the energy to do that again.

2. Creative imagining for art and teaching:

My theme this year is Creative Perspective: To keep a positive and broad perspective; shift my perspective to help myself find equanimity, and also expand my perspective (think outside the box), having the courage to take experimental risks and express myself honestly with words and art.

Beginner's mind is dropping expectations and preconceived ideas, seeing things with an open mind, fresh eyes, curiosity and wonder.

Today I'll enjoy a beginners's mind meditation for art and teaching, using the Creative Imagining practice.

1. Hold in my mind an image of a new kind of art teacher, one with fewer students, who needs to be flexible and always prepared for the moment, with easy access to supplies and ideas; maybe also one who can teach online with videos, or share with demonstrations for small groups. Let's call her Grandma Earth Artist. 
2. This teacher smells like baking bread, feels like an oak tree, tastes like mushrooms, and sounds like an owl.
3. My confident self says, "Grandma Earth Teacher is as tenacious as Johnny apple seed". 
4. My abundant self says, "She has all the tools and resources she needs". 
5. My higher self says, "She is like an angel, giving blessings". 
6. My child self says, "She is wise, warm and cuddly." 
7. My analytical self says, "She is skilled and knowledgable." 
8. My feeling self says, "She fills a void in my soul".

3. Teaching brainstorm:

Today I am brainstorming some goals for Grandma Earth Teacher for March: N

ext themes for pre-school, possible projects, nature and skills goals, online videos, community demonstrations and rituals, as well as ideas for a spring class or workshop or retreat. Ideas:

• General: I need to clear out the studio so I can access my supplies and so I know what and where my tools are.
• Grandson Art: Painting, playdoh, or construction every day (big motor, process oriented). This week I might bring out the bird nests, and focus on bird and nest projects. Also, painting a bird, and drawing birds. Also making a gift for MOM.
• Wonder walks: Bird talk, look for nests, signs of spring.
• Nature projects: Navratri altar, feed the squirrels, planting peas, equinox celebration.
• EC news- share thoughts on Rights of Nature.
• Potting day - What is regenerative planting?
• Climate cafe with poetry and ritual.

4. Projects for the week:

Each week on Thursday I plan the projects I will work on in the next week - one or two kid projects, one or two home projects, and one or two Unicorn projects (those that feed ME). This next week I will:

• Th: Design the kitchen + Drawing with A-1
• F: Native plant signage
• S: Plant spinach 
• Sun: Regenerative gardening demo + potting
• M: Finish spring appliqué to hang + paint butterflies
• T: Bird nest and birds
• W: Navratri altar + Gifts or Mom

Doing the smallest thing is a great way to make courageous creative work less frightening; also finding the "minimum effective dose", the amount of work that keeps me challenged and joyful, and if I keep at it will get me to the finish line on time. 

5. Welcome the angels:

To honor the angels, and prepare for Nowruz, Iranians clean their houses, mend anything that is broken, take baths, and buy new clothes. After the house is clean, Zoroastrian families set out fresh flowers and light an oil lamp to welcome their ancestors and the Fravashis. 

This is like All Souls Day, when souls come down to the earth -- a joyful time for remembering and welcoming the souls of departed ancestors and all angels. The water and flowers in the vase are the symbolic reminders of the invisible souls and Fravashis, and are supposed to be changed daily for the next 10 days. The lamp is kept lit all the time (I use a candle, and keep it lit only when I'm nearby).

6. Offer thanks:

During this festival, Zoroastrians show love and gratitude to the Fravashis, for all the help they give during the year. The Fravashis help waters to flow, plants to grow, clouds to go where needed and the sun, moon and planets to go around in their orbits. They uphold the sky and earth. Every creation has a Fravashi, and human beings have individual Fravashis as our guardian spirits. 

This is also a time to show gratitude to one's ancestors - those whom we know and the countless others whom we don’t know, but who have made a difference to our lives.

People mostly stay home during these days before Nowruz, since the souls and Fravashis come home, and it is not proper to leave them and go out. Sometimes people keep a night long vigil.

It's also interesting to note that the Zoroastrians celebrate the last day of the year (March 20th) as the Day of Repentance, to ask Forgiveness from the Fravashis... much like the Orthodox Christian Forgiveness Sunday at the start of Lent.

7. Recite Prayers:

People say lots of prayers during these ten days. Zoroastrians turn towards a flame while praying, which symbolizes the fire of creation and the spiritual flame within each of us-- and so I stand before a candle flame to recite the Ashem Vohu (invocation of Asha) from the Avesta (Zoroastrian Book of Common Prayer).

The Ashem Vohu is a prayer with universal appeal. The word Ashem has many meanings: Law, Order, Beauty, Truth, Righteousness, Purity, Freedom. This one word expresses Divine truth, purity of body and mind, and all the beauty of nature. It's a central idea in Zoroastrianism.

This prayer is like a mantra, to be chanted slowly. To hear it recited, go to this link.

ashem vohû vahishtem astî

Truth is the best good.

ushtâ astî

It is happiness.

ushtâ ahmâi hyat ashâi vahishtâi ashem.

Happiness is to one whose truth (represents) best truth.