We had a wonderful Winter Solstice celebration last night. It's been an annual event for several years, complete with a ritual, a bonfire that stays burning all night as we keep vigil, drumming, and a big potluck feast. Everything was so beautiful. Quester built an archway into the circle (between two of the young oaks) out of faerie lights. The crescent moon peeked through the layers of clouds.
Our ritual this time centered around community. We are blessed to have an amazingly vibrant, creative and fun community. Our family made dream pillows for the kids in the community, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are 21 intelligent, cool and inspiring (mostly homeschooled) kids that we hang out with on a regular basis. And the adults are awesome, too!
Recently, at a monthly Pagan event, a few of us were chatting about the Pagan community here in Maine, and how lucky we are to have so many wonderful and inspiring people around us.
The success of our homeschool group's recent fundraiser shows how strong that community is, too. Our friends and family members contributed to the event's success in many ways. We have also been meeting new families, as more folks hear about what we do and decide to join the fun.
These communities overlap in a myriad of ways, and I'm so thankful and delighted to be a part of them. And I'm glad that my kids are actively involved, too. They're building many friendships and learning all the time. My two kids invited seven of their friends to stay over, and everyone had a terrific time welcoming the return of the Sun. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
"The flow of creativity feels like an avalanche of joy and wonder. Being open to that possibility creates connections with everything." - Feline Dreamers
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Our 12 Days of Solstice
Tomorrow night is our Yule celebration. I imagine we'll have something like:
12 drummers grooving,
11 singers piping,
10 logs in the firepit,
9 families chatting,
8 o'clock gift exchange,
7 late arrivals,
6 inches of snow,
5 excited dogs,
4 calls for directions,
3 bowls of punch,
2 hiding kittens,
and a big feast in the kitchen!
12 drummers grooving,
11 singers piping,
10 logs in the firepit,
9 families chatting,
8 o'clock gift exchange,
7 late arrivals,
6 inches of snow,
5 excited dogs,
4 calls for directions,
3 bowls of punch,
2 hiding kittens,
and a big feast in the kitchen!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Crunch Time
Up until now I've been filled with joy about the holiday season. Truly. And yes, I'm one of those Virgos Who Do Too Much. I come by it honestly - my Mom's a Virgo too, and has always done a huge amount of holiday preparations, from decorating to crafts to cooking to gifts to...lots of wonderful things. Yet it can get out of balance sometimes.
Today I reached the point that seems to inevitably happen somewhere along the journey toward Yule and Christmas. I stressed out. What triggered it this time? Having the car break down while we were out shopping and needing to get it towed by AAA. Not knowing how we'll pay to have it fixed, not to mention transport ourselves around until it's healed. That led to thoughts of how much I have to do, wondering if I have enough money for the remaining gifts and foods to purchase, feeling stupid for taking on so many projects to begin with, and generally feeling sorry for myself. Ick.
OK, enough complaining. On to the solutions part. What did I do to feel better? Shed a few tears. Read articles in Yoga Journal in the backseat of the big tow truck on the way to the garage. Listened to BlackLion chat with the AAA driver, who was actually quite an interesting young guy. Confession: ate three delicious cookies that my Aunt sent over. Talked to Mom, who was full of generous offers of taking me shopping tomorrow so I can pick up the last few things I need before the Yule gathering. And after getting dinner in the oven (a veggie pot pie) I went and rested for a few minutes in my room (my sanctuary) and worked on some cutout cards (art therapy).
I guess I'm feeling better now. When ElvenTiger gets back from her evening soccer game, we'll get to work on a craft project that is about halfway done. The rest will take care of itself.
Hey, what am I doing writing on my blog, anyway?! I've got SO much to do! :)
Today I reached the point that seems to inevitably happen somewhere along the journey toward Yule and Christmas. I stressed out. What triggered it this time? Having the car break down while we were out shopping and needing to get it towed by AAA. Not knowing how we'll pay to have it fixed, not to mention transport ourselves around until it's healed. That led to thoughts of how much I have to do, wondering if I have enough money for the remaining gifts and foods to purchase, feeling stupid for taking on so many projects to begin with, and generally feeling sorry for myself. Ick.
OK, enough complaining. On to the solutions part. What did I do to feel better? Shed a few tears. Read articles in Yoga Journal in the backseat of the big tow truck on the way to the garage. Listened to BlackLion chat with the AAA driver, who was actually quite an interesting young guy. Confession: ate three delicious cookies that my Aunt sent over. Talked to Mom, who was full of generous offers of taking me shopping tomorrow so I can pick up the last few things I need before the Yule gathering. And after getting dinner in the oven (a veggie pot pie) I went and rested for a few minutes in my room (my sanctuary) and worked on some cutout cards (art therapy).
I guess I'm feeling better now. When ElvenTiger gets back from her evening soccer game, we'll get to work on a craft project that is about halfway done. The rest will take care of itself.
Hey, what am I doing writing on my blog, anyway?! I've got SO much to do! :)
Busy Elves
Oh, how I wish I could discuss and describe the various creative projects I'm working on this week. Alas, many of my friends and family are readers of this blog, so that will have to wait until after the gifts have been given!
Of course, I've already mentioned the cutout cards. And there is cooking to be done, as well. For our Yule celebration, I'm making warm drinks and soup. Two of the recipes are from the vegan Pagan cookbook I've co-written. On Saturday, the kids and I are going over to Mom's to decorate and bake sugar cookies. It's a fun tradition! She's been doing this with the kids for quite a while, and now that I'm not working outside the home I'm able to join them for the festivities.
Sash finished his semester of college today, so we've been finalizing our characters for the new role-playing game he's starting (Cyber Punk). Tonight we've been buying our equipment, which for my character is quite involved. I'm a street doc, which is a sort of high-level, first responder paramedic. I have a fast motorcycle to get to the scene, and a fancy full-body suit containing a computer that helps me diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses.
Last night I went to this month's Red Temple meeting. What a fabulous group of women! And during our discussion we were expressing our gratitude for the amazing Pagan community here in Maine. Speaking of which, the Winter issue of the EarthTides Pagan Network newsletter should be out soon. It has a ton of great articles!
On a personal level, I'm still enjoying the introspective energies of the time between Samhain and Yule. I've been working on my list of goals for this coming year, and reflecting on the lessons from the year past. I'll soon look over the records of my daily Tarot card readings for 2009 and see which cards were a particular focus, and why. I'll also be looking over the goals I had for this year and see how things went.
It's a very busy time of year for our family, but one that we enjoy quite a bit. I hope you do, as well!
Of course, I've already mentioned the cutout cards. And there is cooking to be done, as well. For our Yule celebration, I'm making warm drinks and soup. Two of the recipes are from the vegan Pagan cookbook I've co-written. On Saturday, the kids and I are going over to Mom's to decorate and bake sugar cookies. It's a fun tradition! She's been doing this with the kids for quite a while, and now that I'm not working outside the home I'm able to join them for the festivities.
Sash finished his semester of college today, so we've been finalizing our characters for the new role-playing game he's starting (Cyber Punk). Tonight we've been buying our equipment, which for my character is quite involved. I'm a street doc, which is a sort of high-level, first responder paramedic. I have a fast motorcycle to get to the scene, and a fancy full-body suit containing a computer that helps me diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses.
Last night I went to this month's Red Temple meeting. What a fabulous group of women! And during our discussion we were expressing our gratitude for the amazing Pagan community here in Maine. Speaking of which, the Winter issue of the EarthTides Pagan Network newsletter should be out soon. It has a ton of great articles!
On a personal level, I'm still enjoying the introspective energies of the time between Samhain and Yule. I've been working on my list of goals for this coming year, and reflecting on the lessons from the year past. I'll soon look over the records of my daily Tarot card readings for 2009 and see which cards were a particular focus, and why. I'll also be looking over the goals I had for this year and see how things went.
It's a very busy time of year for our family, but one that we enjoy quite a bit. I hope you do, as well!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Use Your Imagination
Sometimes we get stuck in a rut of predictable thinking. I appreciate traditions and the cycles of life, but doing things because "that's how we've always done it" can cause us to miss wonderful opportunities for growth and joy. The best way to get out of this kind of pattern is to use your imagination.
We often hear about the value of visualization in creating what we want. Visualization can seem like a complicated or mysterious process, reserved for "the big stuff" like healing from a disease or finding a new job. In fact, visualization is just a matter of using your imagination. And it can be used in any situation.
I just read an excellent article about imagination in Yoga Journal, "It's All in Your Mind," written by Sally Kempton. She explains that we use our imagination all the time, whether unconsciously or on purpose. Kempton writes, "imagination always precedes transformation. Every important change you've made in your life, inner or outer, started with an act of imagination." She goes on to describe the different words for imagination in Sanskrit, detail their meanings, and discuss how to harness the power of imagination in your daily life.
I use my imagination mostly in my creative projects and with the big transformations I'm hoping to manifest, sometimes forgetting that it's available to me all the time. But reading this article and thinking about imagination has inspired me to consciously use it more often. From coming up with gift-giving ideas to helping one of the kids with a math problem to what to make for dinner, my imagination is a wonderful resource. I can tap into it anytime, and the ideas I find will enhance my experience.
With practice and regular use, my ability to imaginatively transform my moment-to-moment experience will increase. Not only that, it's fun, too!
We often hear about the value of visualization in creating what we want. Visualization can seem like a complicated or mysterious process, reserved for "the big stuff" like healing from a disease or finding a new job. In fact, visualization is just a matter of using your imagination. And it can be used in any situation.
I just read an excellent article about imagination in Yoga Journal, "It's All in Your Mind," written by Sally Kempton. She explains that we use our imagination all the time, whether unconsciously or on purpose. Kempton writes, "imagination always precedes transformation. Every important change you've made in your life, inner or outer, started with an act of imagination." She goes on to describe the different words for imagination in Sanskrit, detail their meanings, and discuss how to harness the power of imagination in your daily life.
I use my imagination mostly in my creative projects and with the big transformations I'm hoping to manifest, sometimes forgetting that it's available to me all the time. But reading this article and thinking about imagination has inspired me to consciously use it more often. From coming up with gift-giving ideas to helping one of the kids with a math problem to what to make for dinner, my imagination is a wonderful resource. I can tap into it anytime, and the ideas I find will enhance my experience.
With practice and regular use, my ability to imaginatively transform my moment-to-moment experience will increase. Not only that, it's fun, too!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Just Trying to Help
I have two friends, who don't know one another, who have both been having a really rough time lately. Part of the trouble they mention is that they are each lonely and seeking a companion (no, I don't think they would make a good couple), and I understand that this time of year can be an ordeal when you hear all about how the holiday is for spending with your loved ones.
My heart is filled with compassion for their plight. I wish that I could help them in some truly meaningful way. I offer what comfort, advice and other help I can (being careful to make sure it's what they want). Yet I know that ultimately they each need to use their own resources to lift themselves out of their unhappy situations.
On a smaller scale, I am frequently the peacemaker in my immediate family. My very nature leads me to seek harmony. So I am often the one to facilitate when there is conflict between family members, looking for a solution that will work for everyone. Sometimes it works, and other times they seem to want to experience their own drama until they are ready to release it. It occured to me today that the desire for harmony is only my own perspective, and might be better kept to myself. Perhaps I should only give my ideas when I'm asked.
This could be true with my two friends, as well. Maybe they need to learn the challenging lessons they're experiencing, for reasons unknown to me (or even to them, in some cases). Unless they ask, maybe my help isn't needed or desired.
Of course, sometimes it's hard to ask for help even when you want it, so I think I'll continue to make the offer, in a more general way: "is there anything I can do to help?" But my well-intentioned search for harmony could be derailing what would naturally happen in these varying situations. I want to be more respectful of each individual's lessons. Though I'm not reprimanding myself. After all, I was just trying to help.
My heart is filled with compassion for their plight. I wish that I could help them in some truly meaningful way. I offer what comfort, advice and other help I can (being careful to make sure it's what they want). Yet I know that ultimately they each need to use their own resources to lift themselves out of their unhappy situations.
On a smaller scale, I am frequently the peacemaker in my immediate family. My very nature leads me to seek harmony. So I am often the one to facilitate when there is conflict between family members, looking for a solution that will work for everyone. Sometimes it works, and other times they seem to want to experience their own drama until they are ready to release it. It occured to me today that the desire for harmony is only my own perspective, and might be better kept to myself. Perhaps I should only give my ideas when I'm asked.
This could be true with my two friends, as well. Maybe they need to learn the challenging lessons they're experiencing, for reasons unknown to me (or even to them, in some cases). Unless they ask, maybe my help isn't needed or desired.
Of course, sometimes it's hard to ask for help even when you want it, so I think I'll continue to make the offer, in a more general way: "is there anything I can do to help?" But my well-intentioned search for harmony could be derailing what would naturally happen in these varying situations. I want to be more respectful of each individual's lessons. Though I'm not reprimanding myself. After all, I was just trying to help.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Drumming at the Edge of Winter
Last night BlackLion and I drummed for a Pagan benefit performance honoring the Winter Solstice, called "The Longest Night." The performances, which were excellent, consisted of dramatic readings of prose and poetry, storytelling, dancing and a sing-along. As Feline Drummers, we drummed before the official start of the show and during the intermission. I had a great time! Leading up to the event, we practiced the rhythms we've written over the past year and learned a new one, which was also a lot of fun.
This reminded me that I haven't taken much time to drum lately, since the colder weather. I'm not sure exactly why. I recently read Mickey Hart's Drumming at the Edge of Magic, which was inspiring. When I do drum, I get swirled away in the music and the moment. Learning new rhythms engages both my logical and intuitive sides, which is challenging and exciting. I'm still a beginning drummer, though I think now I'm perhaps at the advanced beginner stage. I'm lucky enough to have a natural sense of rhythm, but that only takes me so far. I definitely want more practice and training.
After performing last night, we got several invitations and recommendations, along with a bunch of compliments. Two people mentioned a local drum circle that we should drop in on, we were invited by a dance teacher to drum for her classes this winter, and some folks that we work with magickally want to add drumming to our next gathering. I think I'm being gently nudged in the direction of more drumming! First, though, I need to get through the rest of these holiday preparations and celebrations. Pa rum pa pum pum....
Oh, and an addendum to my book wish list - I forgot (at least) one very important book! I really really want to read The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn.
This reminded me that I haven't taken much time to drum lately, since the colder weather. I'm not sure exactly why. I recently read Mickey Hart's Drumming at the Edge of Magic, which was inspiring. When I do drum, I get swirled away in the music and the moment. Learning new rhythms engages both my logical and intuitive sides, which is challenging and exciting. I'm still a beginning drummer, though I think now I'm perhaps at the advanced beginner stage. I'm lucky enough to have a natural sense of rhythm, but that only takes me so far. I definitely want more practice and training.
After performing last night, we got several invitations and recommendations, along with a bunch of compliments. Two people mentioned a local drum circle that we should drop in on, we were invited by a dance teacher to drum for her classes this winter, and some folks that we work with magickally want to add drumming to our next gathering. I think I'm being gently nudged in the direction of more drumming! First, though, I need to get through the rest of these holiday preparations and celebrations. Pa rum pa pum pum....
Oh, and an addendum to my book wish list - I forgot (at least) one very important book! I really really want to read The Teenage Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn.
Friday, December 11, 2009
A Book Wish List
Over at Fall Down to Fly, Miranda posted her holiday wish list. Being a deluxe bookworm, I was inspired to post my book wish list. Not that I'm asking you to do anything about it. It's just for fun - and also a good way for me to keep track of what to order when some spare book money comes along. They aren't in any particular order. Here goes:
Shadowrise by Tad Williams
Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion by Michael York
The Self-Aware Universe by Amit Goswami
Renegade's Magic by Robin Hobb
Healing Light of the Tao: Foundational Practices to Awaken Chi Energy by Mantak Chia
Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling by Anita A. Johnston
1776: The Illustrated Edition by David McCullough
Anastasia (The Ringing Cedars, Book 1) by Vladimir Megre, Leonid, and Dr. Sharashkin
Creative Journal Writing by Stephanie Dowrick
The Daily Writer by Fred White
Old Friend From Far Away by Natalie Goldberg
Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
Shadowrise by Tad Williams
Pagan Theology: Paganism as a World Religion by Michael York
The Self-Aware Universe by Amit Goswami
Renegade's Magic by Robin Hobb
Healing Light of the Tao: Foundational Practices to Awaken Chi Energy by Mantak Chia
Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationship with Food Through Myths, Metaphors, and Storytelling by Anita A. Johnston
1776: The Illustrated Edition by David McCullough
Anastasia (The Ringing Cedars, Book 1) by Vladimir Megre, Leonid, and Dr. Sharashkin
Creative Journal Writing by Stephanie Dowrick
The Daily Writer by Fred White
Old Friend From Far Away by Natalie Goldberg
Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sweet Success!
This is the final post in our 30-day blog challenge! Sweet success! I'm glad we did this experiment. I thought for the last post in the challenge I'd share what I've learned and what my plans are for the blog as I move forward.
It was indeed a challenge to sit down every day and write something for the blog. The challenging part was usually just taking the time. I found that I tend to write in the later part of the evening, because that way I can write about things that have happened or that I've been thinking about during the day. Most of the time, coming up with ideas and topics wasn't a problem. That's true for my creative work as a whole - I have a ton of ideas, but making the time to follow through on them is what I need to practice.
I also found that with the focus on writing on the blog each day, the amount of writing that I did in general has increased a bit. I more often turned to my journal to jot down ideas and thoughts, particularly when I was away from access to a computer. I enjoyed the collaborative aspect of the challenge, too - BlackLion and I edited posts for each other, and I found myself more often reading other people's blogs to see how they presented their thoughts. Reading the comments and feedback on various entries (including which ones generated more responses) was fascinating.
The next step for this blog is...to keep blogging! I don't know that I'll do it every single day, but I do enjoy it and I've had positive feedback from readers. It's easier for me to do the plain text posts than to add the pictures, but I do want to include more pictures because I think it adds depth to what I'm describing or relating. So my goals for this blog are to keep up with making frequent posts (say, five per week) and to add more photos.
My writing goal in general is to take time every day to work on my writing projects. BlackLion and I are forming a further challenge along those lines. We're still figuring out the details, but we want to focus on our shared writing projects as well as individual creative work.
I appreciate you reading my thoughts and ideas in this forum! And an extra thanks to those who have taken the time to leave comments. You rock!
It was indeed a challenge to sit down every day and write something for the blog. The challenging part was usually just taking the time. I found that I tend to write in the later part of the evening, because that way I can write about things that have happened or that I've been thinking about during the day. Most of the time, coming up with ideas and topics wasn't a problem. That's true for my creative work as a whole - I have a ton of ideas, but making the time to follow through on them is what I need to practice.
I also found that with the focus on writing on the blog each day, the amount of writing that I did in general has increased a bit. I more often turned to my journal to jot down ideas and thoughts, particularly when I was away from access to a computer. I enjoyed the collaborative aspect of the challenge, too - BlackLion and I edited posts for each other, and I found myself more often reading other people's blogs to see how they presented their thoughts. Reading the comments and feedback on various entries (including which ones generated more responses) was fascinating.
The next step for this blog is...to keep blogging! I don't know that I'll do it every single day, but I do enjoy it and I've had positive feedback from readers. It's easier for me to do the plain text posts than to add the pictures, but I do want to include more pictures because I think it adds depth to what I'm describing or relating. So my goals for this blog are to keep up with making frequent posts (say, five per week) and to add more photos.
My writing goal in general is to take time every day to work on my writing projects. BlackLion and I are forming a further challenge along those lines. We're still figuring out the details, but we want to focus on our shared writing projects as well as individual creative work.
I appreciate you reading my thoughts and ideas in this forum! And an extra thanks to those who have taken the time to leave comments. You rock!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)