Full Frost Moon and Xia Yuan Jie

Today is Xia Yuan Jie-- Lower Primordial Festival-- a Chinese festival that falls on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month. 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 moon, called the Frost Moon 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.

Agenda:
1. Update my altar
2. Practice at my theme of Synergy
3. Hold the world in the light

4. Walk down the Amazon Creek

First Sunday of Advent

Today is the first Sunday of Advent!

ad•vent (ad’ vent) n. The coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important.

I'll fill the next weeks with decorating, baking, buying gifts, and singing songs...

but enfolding the busyness is the simple, deep peace and love of advent. I wait, anticipate, and learn again that transformation is a slow process.

Agenda today:
1. Journal queries
2. Advent wreath ceremony
3. Plan activities to express my unity with nature

Day before Advent

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is a time of expectant waiting, and today I will actively prepare to wait. I will get my house and my heart ready for this (even more than usual) complicated winter season of holidays.

Agenda:
1. Open-Heart Meditation
2. Journal queries
3. Space clearing
4. Simplify & slow down
5. Make an Advent Wreath

Simple Gifts for Black Friday

Black Friday sales are an abomination! 

All I want to do on the day after Thanksgiving is eat pie and whip cream, and think about Advent. I make most of my holiday gifts, and usually spend this free day at home, working on projects. 

And this year, since we decided not to meet for a big meal on Thanksgiving, we are all getting together outside to share desert!

Agenda:

1. Compile a family wish list
2. Make simple gifts
3. Dessert gathering

Thanksgiving Day

Today is Thanksgiving. It's not that hard to find things to be thankful for this year: I'm grateful my house did not burn up, the fire and smoke season is over, that my family is healthy and financially secure, and that I get to play with my new grandson every week!

Agenda:
1. Thanksgiving Meditation for Peace & Abundance
2. Community zoom worship
3. Finish the food
5. Give thanks

Prepare for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I'm trying to be positive. My family has decided to be safe and stay each in our own homes; we are not even going to try to eat and zoom together. 

So, I'm focusing attention on myself and W, thinking of ways to make the day special and joyful. We will cook together - a roast chicken and stuffing - and sit down in our newly tiled kitchen (with our new flat top stove), and talk about the good things that have happened this year.

And we'll get together on the next day, Black Friday, with all four of our kids and our grandson, for dessert, outdoors. Yay, pumpkin pie!

Agenda:
1. Make a thank-you card and hand it out
2. Cook the pumpkins
3. Make pies