Full Wolf Moon

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.

This is also the tenth day of the twelve-day festal tide - we have 3 days of Christmas left! By now, most people are fed up with holidays and ready to get back to "normalcy", but I'm holding on for my full 12-days-worth. I celebrate these last days in Sabbath mode, doing as little work as possible, resting, reflecting, and finding peace within.

Agenda for today: 

1. 

Vision walk

2. Gnothi Seauton

3. Choose a theme for the New Year

4. Read "Perspective"

5. New narrative for the week

6. Celebrate stillness

7. Eat Hoppin' John

New White Moon and Start of Soyal

Tonight is the new moon. The Chinese call the eleventh new moon the White Moon, perhaps because it brings the snow, or perhaps because it's a yin time of year.

And today is the start of Soyal, a Hopi ceremonial period that begins at the new moon closest to the Winter Solstice and lasts for 16 days. Soyal is short for Soyalangwul, which means Establishing Life Anew for All the World. It's a sacred time of peace and preparation for the new growing season.

Agenda Today:

1

. Read a novena

2. Settle into the Soyal Way of Being

3. Choose a month theme

4. Set intentions

5. Retreat to review the Divine Laws

6. Prayer candle ceremony

First Quarter Moon of Late September

Monarch in St. Paul

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-September quarter moon's energy to find clarity and balance in the chaos of travel.

Agenda Today:

1. Read "Earthwalks"

2. Journal queries
3. Make a full effort plan

Plow Monday and Full Wolf Moon

Plow Monday, the first Monday after Epiphany, is the traditional day in Europe for farmers to restart their farm work. Our garden isn't large, but, with the ducks, it's like a miniature farm. Normally, it's too wet at this time in the Pacific Northwest to do any digging, but many other tasks are possible, and it's good motivation for me to have this set date each year to start my “farm work”.

 

And 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 & this week: 

1. Journal query

2. Vision walk

3. Celebrate stillness

4. Tool blessing ceremony

5. Garden planing

6. Daily garden visits

7. Make Homity Pie

Sixth Day of Christmas, New White moon, and Soyal

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. It's an introspective time- standing at the door of the year, looking backward and forward. It's my habit to reflect on the past and also to ponder the year ahead- consider my true purpose and envision hopes for myself and my world.

Tonight is also the new moon. The Chinese call the eleventh new moon the White Moon, perhaps because it brings the snow, or perhaps because it's a yin time of year. (I messed up the Chinese calendar this year at some point, so this is the second White moon)

And today is the start of Soyal, a Hopi ceremonial period that begins at the new moon closest to the Winter Solstice and lasts for 16 days. Soyal is short for Soyalangwul, which means Establishing Life Anew for All the World. It's a sacred time of peace and preparation for the new growing season.

Agenda Today:

1. Kwanzaa principle

2. Review the Divine Laws

3. Christmas retreat brainstorm

4. Purpose plans

5. Choose a month theme

6. New moon altar and meditation

7

. 

Settle into the Soyal Way of Being

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

Lussi Night, New White Moon, and Soyal

Tonight is Lussi Night in Norway and in Sweden, and tomorrow is Luciadagen (pronounced LOO-sha-da-gen), or St. Lucia’s Day, or St. Lucy’s Day.

Tonight is also the new moon. The Chinese call the eleventh new moon the White Moon, perhaps because it brings the snow, or perhaps because it's a yin time of year. The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

And today is the start of Soyal, a Hopi ceremonial period that begins at the new moon closest to the Winter Solstice and lasts for 16 days. Soyal is short for Soyalangwul, which means Establishing Life Anew for All the World. It's a sacred time of peace and preparation for the new growing season.

Agenda Today:

1

. Settle into the Soyal Way of Being

2. Choose a month theme

3. Set intentions

4. New moon altar and meditation

5. Review the Divine Laws:

5. Prayer Candle ceremony

6. Lusse-vigil

Sabbath for Self Care

Today is my sabbath. It's been a few weeks since I last had an entire day that was unscheduled. In the best world, everyone would have one whole day each week to spend as we want; to stay in bed, read a good book, take a slow walk or do a crossword; one whole day to do no work, run no errands, send no emails, and clean no toilets.

I'm ready to settle into a sabbath frame of mind, and today my theme is self-care: I'm going to think about taking care of myself, and put some new practices into effect, because ... today is my birthday, and I want to indulge myself in a way that will promote health! 

Agenda today:

1. All day stillness meditation

2. Read Writing and Being

3. Journal exploration

4. Resolutions postcard for 2023

5. Self-Care ritual

6. Clean and clear the livingroom

Epiphany and Full Wolf Moon

January 6th is Epiphany, the final day of the Christmas season. This was the day when the three Magi arrived in Bethlehem to see the baby Jesus, and recognized that he would grow up to be a great helper of people.

Epiphany comes from the Greek epiphania, meaning manifestation, or moment of recognition. The Magi had an epiphany- a moment of recognition, when the truth became clear through something simple and striking.

And 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.

Photo by Alan Gillespie

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. Epiphany queries

2. Vision walk

3. Celebrate stillness

4. Begin to update my Vision Poster

5. Bake a King's cake

6. Make a crown

New Bitter Moon and Soyal

Tonight is the new moon. This last new moon of the Chinese year is called the Bitter Moon, because we are into the month of the bitterest cold.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

Soyal is a Hopi ceremonial period that begins at the new moon closest to the Winter Solstice and lasts for 16 days. Soyal is short for Soyalangwul, which means Establishing Life Anew for All the World. It's a sacred time of peace and preparation for the new growing season.

Agenda Today:

1. Read a novena

2. Settle into the Soyal Way of Being

3. Choose a month theme

4. Map and plan mental nurturance habits

5. New moon altar

6. Prayer Candle ceremony

Full Wolf Moon and Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Photo by Alan Gillespie

The Full moon of January is 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.

And today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Today I am reminded again to honor the ongoing struggle for freedom, equality, and dignity for all people, and share in the efforts.

Agenda for today:

1. Equality and Service intentions

2. Vision walk

3. Full moon sharing

4. Celebrate stillness

5. Mountain pose meditation

6. Study

7. Freedom Ribbon project

8. Index to MLK Day projects

Kakizome Day and New Bitter Moon

The last new moon of the Chinese calendar rose this morning; The Chinese call this twelfth new moon the Bitter Moon, because it brings the bitter cold and unforgiving darkness. 

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, shine a light on your path, and set some intentions.

Since this is also the start of the year, I've got a jumble of thoughts, goals, plans, and vague ideas floating in my head. Today I will take some time to shine light on my path for January, and also for the year.

Today is also Kakizome Day; kakizome means "first writing". Today people all over Japan will take time to use a brush and sumi ink to write out a favorite quote or phrase - the first calligraphy of the new year. Kakizome is a way to express your positive wishes for the New Year. 

Agenda:

1. Discern a year theme

2. Christmas retreat

3. January journal brainstorm

4. January theme - Stillness 

5. Set goals and intentions

6. New moon altar and meditation

7. Practice my calligraphy

Full Wolf Moon

Photo by Alan Gillespie

Tonight is the full moon. The full moon of January is called the Wolf Moon because of the hungry packs of wolves that used to roam for prey at this time of deep winter. 

I've been paying close attention to the cycle of the moon this month, starting with the new moon two weeks ago. 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.

But today it's time to CELEBRATE! The full moon is a time of fruitfulness, creative energy, and completion, and also strong (sometimes overwhelming) emotion - this month I feel joy, relief, and hope, along with grief, anger, and trepidation. I want to acknowledge and embrace the whole spectrum of my emotions. 

Today I will celebrate how far I've come and give thanks for the lessons learned and the blessings received.

Agenda for today:
1. Journal queries
2. Celebrate stillness

3. Life-long learning intentions

4. Mountain pose meditation

5. Full moon ceremony

5th Day of Christmas and Full Cold Moon

This is the fifth day of Christmas, and tonight is the Full Moon! The full moon of December is called the Cold Moon (for obvious reasons). Nature is resting now in preparation for the growing season, and so should I be. No matter how busy I feel, I can slow down, rest more, and pay better attention to the inner growing that is going on.

The turning point of solstice is past- the light born out of the darkness- but it's only the very beginning, not anything complete. I can feel my own tiny inner growing- a flicker of compassion, a butterfly of creativity, a sprout of wisdom.

Agenda today:

1. Kwanzaa principles

2. Update my altar

3. Journal queries

4. Learning goals for 2021

5. Practice stillness and learning

6. Update my intentions poster

Full Harvest Moon and Hungry Ghost 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.

Today is also the date of the Hungry Ghost Festival. The ghosts have been wandering the land since the beginning of Hungry Ghost Month, 14 days ago, at the new moon; by now they must be very hungry. In China both Taoists and Buddhists perform rituals to soothe the sufferings of the dead. The Taoist name for the Hungry Ghost Festival is the Zhong Yuan Festival, and Buddhists call it the Yulanpen Festival. Think of it as a summertime Halloween celebration!

Agenda for today:
1. Update my altar
2. Journal queries
3. Practice Stillness

4. Prepare offerings
5. Family feast
6. Hungry ghost ceremony
7. Make a floating lantern

Full Wolf Moon

Tonight is the full moon. The full moon of January is called the Wolf Moon because of the hungry packs of wolves that used to roam for prey at this time of deep winter.

Agenda for today:
1. Journal queries
2. January altar
3. Practice Stillness
4. Mountain Pose

Full Harvest Moon

Photo by Alan Gillespie

Today is 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. 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. In China it's celebrated as a harvest festival and also the moon’s birthday.

I'm not celebrating Chung Ch'iu this year-- for art and recipes see last year's post. 

Agenda for today:
1. Update my altar
2. Journal queries
3. Practice Stillness
4. Set Intentions
5. Fall cleaning

Soyal

Today I begin Soyal, a Hopi ceremonial period that begins at winter solstice, or at the new moon closest to the Winter Solstice, and lasts for 16 days. 

Soyal is short for Soyalangwul, which means Establishing Life Anew for All the World. It's a sacred time of peace and preparation.

Agenda:
1. Settle into the Soyal Way of Being
2. Journal
3. Write to my family
4. Make prayer feathers
5. Prayer

Full Cold Moon

Tonight is the Full Moon! The full moon of December is called the Cold Moon (for obvious reasons). Nature is resting now in preparation for the growing season, and so should I be. No matter how busy I feel, I can slow down, rest more, and pay better attention to the inner growing that is going on.

The turning point of solstice is past- the light born out of the darkness- but it's only the very beginning, not anything complete. I can feel my own tiny inner growing- a flicker of compassion, a butterfly of creativity, a sprout of wisdom.

Agenda today:
1. Journal queries
2. Update my altar
3. Practice at my theme of stillness
4. Mountain pose meditation
5. View the full moon
6. Christmas Novena, day 7