New Harvest Moon and Rosh Hashanah

Tonight is the new moon. The Chinese call this eighth new moon the Harvest Moon, because it's harvest time! 
Tonight is also the first evening of Rosh Hashanah (Roash hah-shah-nuh), which falls at or near the new moon of late September or early October. The observance begins at sundown tonight and lasts for two days, but it's actually the start of a ten-day period called the Days of Awe that ends with Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashanah means “Head of the Year”; it’s the Jewish New Year for the Spirit. The focus of this festival is repentance for wrongs you have done, and reaffirmation that you will take the honorable path in the future.

Agenda for today:

1- Journal queries
2- New moon harvest meditation
3- Set intentions
4- Harvest and can pickled beets
5- Make challah
6- Share a Seder

Ripe Corn Festival

The Ripe Corn Festival is a tradition of the Tsalagi (Cherokee) Native Americans, held annually in early September. The Festival lasts for four days and nights. The holy man tends a sacred fire, and the men dance. Then they have a big feast with lots of corn-- roasted corn, corn tortillas, corn soup, and corn bread.

The festival is a time to thank Mother Earth for providing all foods during the growing season, and acknowledges Selu (pronounced Say-loo), who was the First Woman. In Cherokee mythology, Selu is the goddess of the corn. Her name means "maize" or "corn" in the Cherokee language. Selu's spirit is resurrected with each harvest. You can read the whole Cherokee story of Kana’ti and Selu: The Origin of Game and Corn here.

Agenda:
1. Prayer of thanksgiving
2. Make succotash
3. Make corn husk dolls

Red Full Moon and Raksha Bandhan

Tonight is the full Red Moon, called that 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 is that the moon is blushing after being kissed by the sun.

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. Update my altar
2. Journal queries
3. Practice stillness
4. Make rakhis
5. Send love and prayers to my sister and brothers
6. Make Kayla Halwa (Banana fudge) 

Hungry Ghost Festival

My hungry ghost altar

Today is 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, so it's a good idea to offer them food.

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:
1. Prepare offerings
2. Family feast
3. Hungry ghost ceremony
4. Make a floating lantern

Hungry Ghost New Moon, or Ghost Gate

The Chinese call the seventh new moon the Hungry Ghost Moon, or "Ghost Gate". This whole month is called Ghost Month, and special ceremonies take place today, and on the full moon, and again on the last day of the month. 

The Hungry Ghosts are depicted with huge, round bellies, large mouths, and very thin necks. This day is called Ghost Gate because today the Hungry Ghosts are let out of hell to roam the earth, looking for entertainment and seeking out their enemies.

Hungry Ghosts have two manifestations- they are the spirits of unhappy, homeless souls, but also we have our inner Hungry Ghosts, our unhealthy cravings and insatiable greeds, that are always hungry and never satisfied.

Agenda for Today:

1. Journal queries
2. New Moon meditation
3. Ghost Gate ceremony
4. Plan small steps

Lughnasa

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.
The name Lughnasa comes from Lugh, the Celtic God of harvests, crafts, and the lightening flash, and nasad, which was an assembly or gathering. Lughnasad was a gathering to honor and appease Lugh, so he would hopefully not throw a summer storm temper-tantrum, and ruin the harvest. 

Lugh is a master of all crafts, and is known for sharing his knowledge with humans. I feel a connection to Lugh-- he is the image of God as an Arts and Crafts Teacher! 

But he is also the trickster face of God-- chaotic, disorderly, operating outside the framework of right and wrong-- sending lightning at inconvenient moments. This isn't a comfortable image, but I have to face the fact that my spiritual life isn't always comfortable; sometimes what I harvest is tough to chew.

Agenda Today:
1. Journal Queries
2. Harvest and eat new potatoes
3. Make bread
4. Start a craft project