Xia Yuan Jie and Full Frost Moon

 

Today is Xia Yuan Jie (pronounced "Shaw you-an Jee-a") -- Lower Primordial Festival -- a Chinese festival that falls on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, usually the full moon of November. It’s the third of a trio of Taoist holidays that honor three Taoist gods, called the Three Great Emperor Officials:

• Tian-Guan, the Heaven Official, gives happiness, and rules over the first 6 months of the year (the yang part), beginning  on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, at the Lantern Festival.
• Di-Guan, the Earth Official, forgives sins and guilt, and rules over the next 3 months (the yin part), beginning on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, at the Ghost Festival.
• Shui-Guan, the Water Official, rules over the last 3 months of the year (also yin), starting today.

And tonight we see the Full Frost Moon, called that because now is when the first hoarfrost might appear - that white frost that makes walking crunchy, and that requires scraping of windshields. Frost is a reminder that winter is coming, and we all need to finish our outdoor chores and close up the storm windows.

This moon is also known as the Alangitapi moon - the Moving-Inside-for-Winter moon, by the Kalapuya people of my valley.

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon. But today it's time to CELEBRATE! 

Agenda:
1. Read "Wake Up Grateful"

2. Take a vision walk
3. Celebrate abundance

4. Hold the world in the light

5. Plant paper white bulbs

Full Harvest Moon and Asian Moon Festival

 

The full Harvest Moon rises this evening -- obliquely, close to the horizon -- and remains big and bright for a long time, giving extra light to harvesters. This moon is called Atchiutchutin, the After-Harvest moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, because the big harvest in our area comes earlier. We are enjoying the first weeks of the rainy season, a profound time of transition for me.

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

Today is also the start of Chung Ch’iu, the 3-day Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. It's a happy and beautiful Asian family celebration that comes each year at the time of the full moon in September or October.

Agenda for today:
1. Take a vision walk
2. Celebrate balance

3. Make moon cakes
4. Have a moon-viewing party

Full Red Moon and Raksha Bandhan

Tonight is the full Moon, called akupiu, the end of summer moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, and the Red moon by others, because it often appears reddish as it rises through the sultry haze of late summer - and in our valley, a sultry haze is the norm! One lovely (possibly Native American) explanation for the redness is that the moon is blushing after being kissed by the sun.

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

In India, this is also the Festival of Raksha Bandhan, which means “knot of protection.” Traditionally, girls tie a braided thread called a rakhi around the wrist of each brother-- a symbol of a sister's love and prayers for her brother's health and happiness, and to remind him of his life-long vow to protect his sister. Now it is also common for girls to trade rakhis with sisters, and with friends.

Agenda for today:
1. Take a vision walk
2. Celebrate depth

3. Make rakhis
4. Send love and prayers
5. Make Kayla Halwa (Banana fudge)

Full Strawberry Moon

Photo by Alan Gillespie

Tonight is the full moon called anishnalya, the "camas ripe" moon by the Kalapuya of our area, and the Strawberry Moon by others.

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

Agenda:

1. Take a vision walk

2. Celebrate balance

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 "First Things First'

4. Find ways to be more Buddha-like

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

Full Hare Moon

Tonight is the full moon; this one is called amanta kotantal or "Time for pounding camus" by the Kalapuya of my area, and the Hare Moon by others, because it's the month when rabbits leap and play and mate.

Carmella and Toffee

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. 

Agenda today:
1. Take a vision walk

2. Read "Writing and Being"

3. Celebrate joy

5. Balance Walk

Full Egg Moon and Holi

The full moon of March is the atcha-uyu or "Women Dig Camus" moon by the Kalapuya of my area, and the Egg Moon by others, because this is the month when birds begin to lay eggs again. The egg is a powerful symbol of hope, new beginnings, and completeness: My vague ideas take a solid shape, enclosed in a perfect shell, and I have created a whole new beautiful thing! The March Full Moon is a good time to ponder ​t​he wholeness of life.

We are now at the peak of the high-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the low-energy yin time of the waning moon.

Today is also Holi, a Hindu holiday that falls on the day after the full moon in March each year. It marks the end of winter in India. Holi is sometimes called the Festival of Color, because on Holi everyone in India throws paint at each other! 

To prepare, folks buy gulal, which are powdered paints in rich colors of pink, magenta, red, yellow and green. Three days before Holi, families get together to sprinkle a little of the gulal powders on each other, to share love and blessings. 

On the day of Holi the whole country goes wild with people laughing and running in the streets; they smear each other with powder, drench each other with buckets of paint, and spray paint with long pistons (like super-soakers). They also fill water balloons with paint! People often show respect for elders by sprinkling dry powder on their feet. 

By the end of the day everyone is covered with color- old people, children, men, women, rich and poor. Holi creates a feeling of equality in a country with strong disparity.

Agenda Today:

1. Take a vision walk

2. Celebrate strength

3. Make Malpua
4. Have a color celebration

Full Snow Moon and Lantern Festival

Tonight is the full moon called the Snow Moon; also called the Atchiulartadsh, or "Out of Food" moon by the local Kalapuya.

We've not had any snow this month, and we are not out of food, but it is a lean time: Lean on light, barren garden beds, and low on energy.

Tonight is also Yuan Xiao, the 15th and last day of the Chinese New Year Festival. Yuan Xiao means "first night", meaning the first time that the full moon is seen in the New Year. 

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon. The February full moon is a good time to explore what it's like to be the receptive earth, accepting the seed and willing to nurture it. 

Agenda for today:

1. Vision walk

2. Celebrate receptivity

3. Read about inspiration

4. Make tang yuan, sweet dumplings
5. Hang a lantern
6. Riddle guessing

Full Wolf Moon

Photo by Alan Gillespie

Tonight is the full moon of January, called atalka - the "Stay Inside Moon" - by the Kalapuya of my area, and the Wolf Moon by others, because of the hungry packs of wolves that used to roam for prey at this time of deep winter. The full Wolf Moon is a good time to ponder what I am hungry for, and how to be resilient.

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon. The full moon shines her light on everything; use the full moon energy for creatively completing things, and for seeing your next moves, and also to CELEBRATE how far you've come and give thanks for the lessons learned and the blessings received.

Agenda for today:

1. Read "Root and Ritual"

2. Vision walk

3. Celebrate discernment

4. Inspiration Walk

Full Cold Moon and Second Day of Christmas

This is the second day of the twelve-day festal tide - a sacred, festive season. In some old traditions, this whole season is seen as a sort of Sabbath: Prepare ahead of time and then spend the Twelve Days doing as little work as possible; rest, reflect, and find peace within.

This is also the start of Kwanzaa, a seven-day African-American cultural holiday - an American holiday inspired by African traditions. The word kwanza is Swahili for “first”, as in "first fruits", because in some parts of Africa this is the season for first fruits harvest festivals. Kwanzaa is a time of thanksgiving for the earth, but also a time to honor ancestors, and a time for African-Americans to celebrate their heritage and learn about African traditions and values.

And it's the Full Moon of December, sometimes called the Cold Moon (for obvious reasons), but it is also called the "Not Bad Weather Moon" by the Kalapuya of my area, and that's generally pretty accurate. 

Agenda:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Kwanzaa principles

3. Light a candle for spiritual growth

4. Spiritual reading

5. Plan spiritual habits

6. Take a vision walk

7. Celebrate Stillness

Xia Yuan Jie and Full Frost Moon

 

Today is Xia Yuan Jie (pronounced "Shaw you-an Jee-a") -- Lower Primordial Festival -- a Chinese festival that falls on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, usually the full moon of November. It’s the third of a trio of Taoist holidays that honor three Taoist gods, called the Three Great Emperor Officials:

• Tian-Guan, the Heaven Official, gives happiness, and rules over the first 6 months of the year (the yang part), beginning  on the 15th day of the 1st lunar month, at the Lantern Festival.
• Di-Guan, the Earth Official, forgives sins and guilt, and rules over the next 3 months (the yin part), beginning on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, at the Ghost Festival.
• Shui-Guan, the Water Official, rules over the last 3 months of the year (also yin), starting today.

And tonight we see the Full Frost Moon, called that because now is when the first hoarfrost might appear - that white frost that makes walking crunchy, and that requires scraping of windshields. Frost is a reminder that winter is coming, and we all need to finish our outdoor chores and close up the storm windows.

This moon is also known as the Alangitapi moon - the Moving-Inside-for-Winter moon, by the Kalapuya people of my valley.

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon. But today it's time to CELEBRATE! 

Agenda:
1. Read "How to Manifest"

2. Take a vision walk
3. Celebrate Grace

4. Hold the world in the light

5. Plant paper white bulbs

Full Squirrel Moon

Tonight is the full moon called the Squirrel Moon, because now the squirrels are busily gathering nuts for the winter. This moon is also called Atchalankuaik, the "start getting sagittair roots" moon, by the Kalapuya of our area (sagittair is a potato like tuber). 

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

Agenda:

1. Read "How to Manifest"

2. Take a vision walk

3. Celebrate abundance

4. Autumn blessings walk

Full Harvest Moon and Asia Moon Festivall

 

The full Harvest Moon rises this evening -- obliquely, close to the horizon -- and remains big and bright for a long time, giving extra light to harvesters. This moon is called Atchiutchutin, the After-Harvest moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, because the big harvest in our area comes earlier. We are enjoying the first weeks of the rainy season, a profound time of transition for me.

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

Today is also the start of Chung Ch’iu, the 3-day Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. It's a happy and beautiful Asian family celebration that comes each year at the time of the full moon in September or October.

Agenda for today:
1. Take a vision walk
2. Celebrate balance

3. Make moon cakes
4. Have a moon-viewing party

Full Blue Moon and Raksha Bandhan

Today is the full moon, called the Blue Moon because it is the second full moon in August.

Actually, the original definition of a blue moon is a fourth full moon in one season, but I'm going with the newer definition - the second full moon in a month - because I don't have any better name for this moon. Both are correct, because it's folklore, and folklore is fluid.

In India, this is also the Festival of Raksha Bandhan, which means “knot of protection.” Traditionally, girls tie a braided thread called a rakhi around the wrist of each brother-- a symbol of a sister's love and prayers for her brother's health and happiness, and to remind him of his life-long vow to protect his sister. Now it is also common for girls to trade rakhis with sisters, and with friends.

Agenda for today:

1. Take a vision walk

2. Celebrate depth

3. Make rakhis

4. Send love and prayers

5. Make Kayla Halwa (Banana fudge)

Lughnasa and Full Red Moon

Lughnasa (loo-na-sa) is a Celtic festival celebrated in early August, usually August 1st. It's called a cross-quarter day because it falls approximately midway between summer solstice and autumn equinox, marking the end of summer in the Celtic tradition, and the beginning of the harvesting season.

Tonight is also the full Moon, called akupiu, the end of summer moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, and the Red moon by others, because it often appears reddish as it rises through the sultry haze of late summer - and in our valley, a sultry haze is the norm! One lovely (possibly Native American) explanation for the redness is that the moon is blushing after being kissed by the sun.

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

Agenda for today:
1. Take a vision walk
2. Celebrate integrity

3. Take a pause to enjoy the harvest

4. Make bread
5. Paint

6. Nasad (gathering) and candle ceremony

7. Harvest Meal

Full Thunder Moon and Asalha Puja

The full moon of July is called ameku, the mid-summer moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, and the thunder moon by others. July days have the humming energy of a summer storm. The sun is at the peak of its power, lighting all corners with its radiance, and burning away all non-essentials. It's a month of passion and activity: I'm challenged to find integrity in my actions and expand into my Truth.

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

Today is also Asalha Puja, a Theravada Buddhist festival that takes place on the full moon of July. Asalha Puja celebrates the Buddha's first sermon, in which he set out the teaching of the four noble truths. The day is observed by donating offerings to temples and listening to sermons.

Agenda: 

1. Take a vision walk

2. Celebrate abundance

3. Read Happier at Home

4. Study the Four Noble Truths

Full Strawberry Moon

Tonight is the full moon called anishnalya, the "camas ripe" moon by the Kalapuya of our area, and the Strawberry Moon by others.

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

Agenda:

1. Take a vision walk

2. Celebrate synergy

3. Read Happier at Home

4. Synergy with my garden

Full Flower Moon and Wesak

This morning 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 full Flower Moon is a good time to think about joy, contentment, play, and blossoming into our full potential.

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 joy

3. Read (and Practice) the Happiness Habit

4. Find ways to be more Buddha-like

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

Passover and Full Hare Moon

Tonight is the full moon; this one is called amanta kotantal or "Time for pounding camus" by the Kalapuya of my area, and the Hare Moon by others, because it's the month when rabbits leap and play and mate.

Carmella and Toffee

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. 

And tonight is the start of Passover, the oldest of the Jewish holidays. It celebrates the story of how God set the Jewish people free from slavery in Egypt. Passover begins on the fourteenth day of the Jewish month of Nisan, which is the night of the first full moon after the equinox.

Agenda today:
1. Reflect on freedom

2. Passover blessing

3. Take a vision walk

4. Celebrate balance

5. Balance Walk

Full Egg Moon and Holi

The full moon of March is the atcha-uyu or "Women Dig Camus" moon by the Kalapuya of my area, and the Egg Moon by others, because this is the month when birds begin to lay eggs again. The egg is a powerful symbol of hope, new beginnings, and completeness: My vague ideas take a solid shape, enclosed in a perfect shell, and I have created a whole new beautiful thing! The March Full Moon is a good time to ponder what I need to be made complete.

We are now at the peak of the high-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the low-energy yin time of the waning moon.

Today is also Holi, a Hindu holiday that falls on the day after the full moon in March each year. It marks the end of winter in India. Holi is sometimes called the Festival of Color, because on Holi everyone in India throws paint at each other! 

To prepare, folks buy gulal, which are powdered paints in rich colors of pink, magenta, red, yellow and green. Three days before Holi, families get together to sprinkle a little of the gulal powders on each other, to share love and blessings. 

On the day of Holi the whole country goes wild with people laughing and running in the streets; they smear each other with powder, drench each other with buckets of paint, and spray paint with long pistons (like super-soakers). They also fill water balloons with paint! People often show respect for elders by sprinkling dry powder on their feet. 

By the end of the day everyone is covered with color- old people, children, men, women, rich and poor. Holi creates a feeling of equality in a country with strong disparity.

Agenda Today:

1. Take a vision walk

2. Celebrate strength

3. Make Malpua
4. Have a color celebration

5. Plant the sabzeh