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

Sabbath for Discipline

Today is my sabbath when I step out of the fray, and regroup. We are at the beginning of the end of summer, and I want to take time to prepare myself - body, mind, and spirit.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

And since I'm recovering from norovirus, I'm going to need two naps!

Agenda:

1. Stoic musings

2. Renewal plans

3. Purpose review

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)

Open the Door to Love

Our main purpose on earth is to grow in love; our world needs more love. With more love, we could do away with war- we would have no prejudice, oppression, or violence of any kind. Everyone would have enough food because we would feed each other. We would care for the environment because we love our planet, and the animals, and our children too much to harm it.

How, then, do we create more love in the world? We simply need to open our hearts wide as often as we can, wider and wider, calmly throw open the door to love. 

If you have a leading to act in love, and you have gone through all the stages of discernment, you might be clear on your next steps. That's where we are often stuck, though - we might hear the Truth, but still have doubts about its absoluteness; we might hear the Truth and see our path forward but struggle against apathy, or mind-numbing fear.

Ed Bacon says, “But however Truth comes, it bears with it just enough of its own sense of rightness to overcome the fear of risk taking. While genuine risk plays a crucial role in all of the Habits of Love, it is perhaps most keen in the Habit of Truth. At too many forks in the road, anxiety stops us from following Truth's suggested direction. What will happen if I say yes to Truth as I recognize it? That question can arrest us in our tracks."

Whatever your biggest mission is now - personal growth, healing, service, relationship revival, activism, or something else - you need to find the strength 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.

Agenda:
1. Read the Creativity Book
2. Have a chat with myself

3. Open doors one at a time

4. Do the smallest thing

April First Quarter moon and Navratri, Part Three

Camus by Alan Gillespie

Tonight is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

And Navratri continues for the final three nights. The nine nights of Navratri are broken up into sets of three, and during each a different aspect of Shakti is meditated upon. For these final three nights we honor and thank the Divine Mother as Saraswati, who is "the essence of self". Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace.

Agenda Today:

1. Morning meditation and mantra

2. Read Writing and Being

3. Writing a photo

4. Journal queries

5. Make a full effort plan

First Quarter Moon of Advent

Tonight is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda Today:

1. Read a novena

2. Read "Root and Ritual"

3. Daily love journal

4. Light a candle for Purpose

5. Make a full effort plan

6. Write a mission haiku

First Quarter Moon of November

This is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda:

1. Read "How to Manifest"

2. Journal Queries

3. Make a full effort plan

4. Write a Mission Haiku

First Quarter Moon of October, and Navratri, Part 3

Navratri continues for the final three nights. The nine nights of Navratri are broken up into sets of three, and during each a different aspect of Shakti is meditated upon. For these final three nights we honor and thank the Divine Mother as Saraswati, who is "the essence of self". Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace.

And this is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda Today:

1. Morning meditation and mantra

2. Journal queries

3. Make a full effort plan

4. Write a Mission Haiku

5. Practice visualization

6. Add to my altar

Fall Equinox and September First Quarter Moon

The autumn equinox occurs tonight at 11:50 p.m. in the Pacific Northwest. Summer is over and darkness will again catch up to the light.

The rains will begin soon (hallelujah!), Canadian geese are on the move south, the leaves are turning and beginning to drop, and night temperatures are cooler. Everything in nature is paring down, and moving energy to the roots and into the earth.

Tonight is also 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 August quarter moon's energy to help me to discern my path, and then act on it; this requires clarity.

Mark the Start of Autumn:

1. Journal queries

2. Fall possibilities list

3. Make a full effort plan

4. Write a mission haiku

5. Sustainable straw collecting

6. Make a straw doll

First Quarter Moon of August

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 August quarter moon's energy to help me to discern my path, and then act on it; this requires clarity.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Read "How to Manifest"

3. Make a full effort plan
4. Write a mission haiku

First Quarter Moon of Late July

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 July quarter moon's energy to help me to discern my Truth and then act on it; this requires some discipline.

The ancient Stoic philosophers used discipline as a tool in their journey towards a life lived well. Epictetus listed three disciplines: Amor Fati, or the loving acceptance of one’s fate, which was for living in harmony with the nature of the universe as a whole; Hormê, or the impulse to ethical action, for living in harmony with humans; and Sunkatathesis, which is mindfulness, for living in harmony with our own essential nature, with reason and truthfulness in both thoughts and speech.

I long for better discipline - to give me stability and structure, and help me to be responsible; to allow me to keep promises to myself and to others, and maintain the integrity and self-control that I want; to empower me to grow and reach my dreams. But I also hope that this growth in discipline might lead to a transcendent state where I no longer rely on discipline because I love and understand myself enough to follow the right path naturally!

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Read "How to Manifest"

3. Make a full effort plan
4. Write a mission haiku

June First Quarter Moon

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 June quarter moon's energy to help me find a balance of simplicity and abundance - I am embracing the paradox of the expansive, free, effortless ease, and rich, complex, and vital profusion that is summer. 

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Make a full effort plan
3. Write a mission haiku
4. Read the Creativity Book

First Quarter Moon in May

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 end-of-May quarter moon's energy to create synergy with all my partners, and spark synergy within myself.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Make a full effort plan
3. Write a leadership manifesto
4. Read the Creativity Book

First Quarter Moon

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 end-of-April quarter moon's energy to express myself, and find joy in just being alive.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Make a full effort plan
3. Write a mission haiku
4. Read the Creativity Book

March Garden

Permelia and Anka standing on their frozen pond.

March is when the gardening season increases in intensity. I will prepare my garden beds, and plant seeds indoors and out. Right now, it's still too cold to plant outside, but I have lots of preparation work to do!

Agenda:

1. Nature Mentor

2. Resilience practice

3. Write a Mission Haiku

4. March permaculture plan

5. Make potting soil

Late January First Quarter moon

Photo by Alan Gillespie

At 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. Kiki Ely, in her book Living Lunerly, says, "A good way to remember this is by looking at the perfect line of shadow down the moon's center: this is the moment to draw a firm line, boundary, or decision in your life and stick to it."

I use this late January quarter moon's energy to actively gather in and nurture all the seeds of projects, relationships, and organizations that are under my care; I use obstacles as fuel for growth and show full effort for my priorities. 

Agenda:
1. Journal queries

2. Resolutions review

3. Make a Full Effort Plan

4. Write a mission haiku

6th Day of Christmas and First Quarter Moon

This is the sixth day of Christmas, and time to wrap things up for this old year! Today I have time to myself, and the energy to sink into revery, and begin to bring thoughts of the New Year into focus.

Tonight is also the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda today:

1. Christmas retreat

2. Kwanzaa principles

3. Purpose reading

4. Purpose, depth, and career goals for 2023

5. Prayer candle ceremony

6. Make a full effort plan

7. Practice purpose with New Year's resolutions

First Quarter Moon of Advent

Tonight is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

This dark season puts limits on our lives. Chinese philosophy says winter is a time of conservation and storage; the night, the feminine, water, and cold is dominant. We slow down, go inward, and spend more time on quiet, yin activities.

Luckily, advent is four weeks long, allowing us to grow slowly and steadily towards the light: Let yourself go inward now - be like the bear in her cave, saving your strength and relishing the darkness. Don't celebrate Christmas too soon; allow yourself to experience the darkness of winter, against which it shines.

Agenda Today:

1. Prayer for the Light

2. Journal queries

3. Make a full effort plan

4. Write a mission haiku

Day of the Dead and First Quarter Moon of November

Dia de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead - is a holiday observed in Mexico on November 2. It’s a family time for remembering and honoring dead friends and relatives - a period when the souls of the dead can return for a visit. It’s celebrated with humor, not sadness.

And this is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries

2. Make a full effort plan

3. Write a mission haiku

4. Set up an ofrenda
5. Make paper banners
6. Make skeletons
7. Make sugar skulls

Navratri and October First Quarter Moon

Navratri continues for three more nights, with the arrival of Saraswati. 

2021 Navratri altar

The word navratri means nine nights; on each set of three nights we meditate on a different aspect of Shakti, the universal principle of energy and creativity, Mother Earth, and the feminine power in each of us. Each of the three goddesses signifies a stage of the spiritual journey we all go through: Durga’s strength and energy creates an opening, Lakshmi’s success and fortune nurtures growth, and Saraswati’s wisdom and knowledge leads to enlightenment, happiness, and peace. For these final three nights we honor and thank the Divine Mother as Saraswati, who is "the essence of self".

And this is the First Quarter Moon; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda Today:
1. Morning meditation and mantra

2. Journal queries

3. Make a full effort plan

4. Write a mission haiku

5. Fall cleaning

6. Add to my altar