mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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Blue Moon Opportunity
July 28, 2015
— 1 Comment
This July, 2015 is full of unusual astrological events. The most obvious is the blue moon in Aquarius on 31 July at the end of this week. This second full moon in a month is rare, and will not occur again until January, 2018. In astrology terms, the sky is full of aspects, squares and retrograde planets that do not bode well for relationships and power struggles.
Full moon is a time of plenty, a time to reap and be grateful. As tides swell and retreat, the moon (from our point of view) grows large until it is directly opposite the sun at full moon, and then it diminishes in size. Since ancient times farmers have followed the moon’s phases to find the right times to plant or harvest, feed, or weed the crops. The new moon begins a cycle which comes to fullness about 2 weeks later when it reaches fullness. Each new moon I make a mental and physical sweep of my space, clearing and cleaning. I have learned that for me this important step makes clear a new beginning. Projects that have been abandoned can be refreshed on the new moon. Obvious excess, including commitments that don’t benefit me, are examined for possible removal at the new moon. It reminds me of soil preparation and planting seeds. During the time between new and full your enthusiasm and efforts must continue to nurture the new project or you will arrive at the full moon with little to show. A continuum of careful execution must be carried out with mindful purpose in order to attain the goal, or the harvest we desire. Each new moon is a chance to start anew. Each full moon is a time to count our blessings and feel our successes.
This special blue moon seems to me an excellent time to examine life goals, large and small. Relationships from the past may be haunting the present. This week my meditation is about cleaning up and forgiving in order to move into the future with ease. This task is simple, but it always needs to be repeated, at least in my life. I wish all my gentle readers a joyous and adventurous blue moon.
Full Moon
Grounded in Acceptance
July 19, 2015
— 2 Comments
Yoga and meditation are designed to focus the mind and keep it focused when distraction happens. The very nature of being alive involves change and the unknown. We may have habits and patterns, but we have no way to predict what is just around the next bend. Our futures collide with destiny and fortune to become our realities. Much unnecessary stress is created by attempting to control too much. We can educate and improve our minds, train and feed our bodies with the best nutrition, and stay within strict guidelines for safety and still meet with disaster. It may also be true that through no real effort of our own we may be lucky, blessed, and well loved. If we ascribe good and bad labels to each of our experiences we may find that what seemed the best at the time was a prelude to downfall, and vice versa. We are not 100% in charge of our fates.
Dependent arising is the awareness that desire and fear are driving forces in human evolution. These strong emotional forces dominate our thinking, leading to suffering. The Buddha became enlightened while sitting under a tree eating sweets. His realization liberated him from all his previous desires and fears. He taught his followers saying:
“Whoever sees Dependent Arising sees the Dhamma.
Whoever sees Dhamma sees Dependent Arising”
This essential teaching of the Buddha explains how one thing leads to another when the untamed mind is permitted to ramble. Dependent arising is cause and effect. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. I think it also explains how we create suffering for ourselves and others by refusing to accept things as they are. If we start by accepting ourselves as we are we can extend that good feeling to others. Once we can stay grounded in a practice of acceptance we develop the power to change. Certain traits are present in a soul still striving to control rather than accept:
- Perfectionist and hyper-critical demeanor
- Either too demanding or unable to stand up for one’s self
- Codependence in relationships and with substances
- Self doubt
- Inability to complete plans
To live happy free lives we must find acceptance for ourselves as well as others. We must see that we are dependent on all of our ancestors and everyone alive who contributes to our well being. Nobody exists without a great deal of help from others, many who will remain anonymous. The worldwide supply chain now means we depend on folks in distant lands to make our goods and provide our services. When Amazon delivers a package to your door hundreds, and maybe thousands, of people have been involved in making and delivering what you want. To create a world with more compassion and less violence and terror each of us can start where we are to accept ourselves the way we are. By reaching a state of self compassion we can light the way for others still struggling to find acceptance.
rose
On the 20th of each month bloggers join to speak up for compassion. Click here to visit more posts on acceptance or add your own.
“1000 Voices Speak For Compassion is a blogging initiative started in response to violence and alienation in our world. If you would to be part of a movement for loving change, join our Facebook Group, like our Facebook Page, or look for our posts on Twitter with the hashtag #1000Speak.”
A Practice of Patience
June 19, 2015
— 9 Comments
1000 Voices Speak for Compassion
Some very good examples were set for me early in life by teachers in school. My high school choir director extended great praise and patience to all his students. When you think about how awful a chorus of high schoolers can sound …..most of the time, this man was a true saint to struggle through each number until we finally could sing it. He loved music, and was still willing to hear it massacred year after year, day after day. He was generally good natured, and very dapper in his fashion. He was by far the best dressed teacher we had at our school, and seemed to be the most sophisticated somehow. He was generally fun and upbeat, but insisted on discipline in class. When he was upset with us he would say “Frank, C., Elephant, Coulter never forgets an infraction.” His stern delivery of that line was always enough to handle any issue. We never actually witnessed the elephant bring up past offenses. He worked to make our roles in the choir a constant source of pride and mutual understanding. He taught us all the value of practice, precision and harmony. He was a living example of patience as virtue.
As an adult I have been very fortunate to study in person with His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet. He came to Tucson in September 1993 for a teaching on patience. That was my first introduction to the meditation practices of Tibetan Buddhism, which are complicated to say the least. I studied for a year previous to his visit to get some background and study under my belt before he arrived. He covered a lot of material and empowered us to Green Tara, all of which was new to me. The crash course was not intended to convey the entire teaching in a few days, but to instill the value of practice. Like my high school choir director, His Holiness teaches all kinds of people who have no previous experience or ability to meditate. He teaches each person and group from scratch, using the ancient texts on the Bodhisattva’s way of life. He reaches each mind according to the readiness of the student to comprehend. One question he took from an audience member was about the best way to begin a personal meditation practice. His answer was simple. He told her, “Be nice.”
Since 1993 I have made efforts to be nice, and have recognized that it is easier said than done. To transform anger into patience is the ultimate practice. If anger has no hold on your mind you are free. If what bothers you about people and life can be surmounted by a practice of patience in all things, you have reached Nirvana. This teaching, so pure, simple and true, provides a lifetime of practice. He taught us that the folks in your life who make you angry also teach you patience. They provide a special gift without which we could not become enlightened. Nipping anger in the bud, transforming it into patience, is compassion in action. Anger may be a natural sentiment, but it is helpful to nobody, least of all to the person who harbors it. Compassion is a conscious choice, starting with one’s own inner demeanor.
Each month on the 20th a round of compassion is raised here. Please join #1000Speak to add your voice to the choir.
Feng Po, Goddess of the Wind
May 26, 2015
— 3 Comments
Mistress of the Wind
In China the goddess Feng Po is in charge of wild animals, weather and movement. She must certainly be involved in global warming. She is seen riding a tiger. She holds the wind in a bag over her shoulder on the days when it is calm on earth. She has the power to move and or shake things into place. Her message is integrity. Representing the winds of change, she must discern the most appropriate velocity of wind for each purpose. Her energy can be very refreshing, cleansing and clearing the air for new ventures. Think of how many metaphors there are in English for this breath of fresh air.
Like other gods and humans she has a dark nature that is dangerous. She warns against all false agreements and conditions. Move carefully through your obligations and promises to others. Giving requires a cheerful heart. Quid pro quo, expecting something in return for favors, leads to resentment. Feng Po teaches a healthy balanced approach to the needs of others. If we allow space, time, and understanding into our decision making process we will be authentic. We will say yes only when we genuinely want to engage, and we will discover the beauty of saying no when we are really not into it. Feng Po will support and stay at the back of the sincere sailor on the winds of change. She is known to reek havoc, unleashing stormy gusts of destruction to tear down bonds built from guilt. She is sometimes called Feng Po Po, and even sometimes referred to as a male. She represents the value in conserving and preserving energy, and spending it wisely. On a personal basis she shows us how to say no to time wasting. On a global level she asks us to make some sense of the power balance at work around the world. We need to resist certain larger issues on the world stage in order to survive. It is time to both show power and control it wisely.
Poet Hollow
April 30, 2015
— 1 Comment
orchid
Woods dripping with Spanish moss and voodoo shrines
Down the hill from the oracle cave the hermit still declines
To give you the secret magic word you use to save the day
Find the sorcerer’s manuscripts then interpret what they say
Squandered youth, wild stormy stories, hidden truth of night
Dreams bring colorful vibrant myths, strong psychic insight
The realm inhabited by poetry and poets, invisible to some
Portrays life more intensely, gives clues to why we have come
flora
NaPoWriMo 2015
It has been a real privilege to inhabit the place of the poets this April. Thanks to all who contributed and read.
Truth by Mother Goose
April 28, 2015
— 7 Comments
field of sunflowers
Early years fill with nursery rhymes, stories designed to teach
Suspended between fictional characters dialog is made to preach
Current popular opinion, political outrage hidden between the lines
The villain and the hero match wits whilst the wicked witch opines
These morality plays change very little with the passage of time
Forces of good conquer evil and the story is set to rhyme
When you meet a character who comes straight from Mother Goose
You have discovered archetypal imagery that will help you to deduce
If you are the victim or the hero, the popular victor or the slimy creep
We all have parts to play, ego hiding under shadowy cover of sleep
field of sunflowers
NaPoWriMo 2015
The poetry train has almost arrived at the destination…May. Hop aboard for a poetic ride here.
Exchange
April 22, 2015
— 1 Comment
poppy
California Poppy
Currencies and agricultural pursuits have exchanges
Changing times, political events, require sensitive gauges
To measure then analyze the progress we have to report
Comparisons to perfection are built on data that we all support
The withdrawal from nature has no column in this audit of value
The inexhaustible generosity of earth has unlimited virtue
Flowing steadily down from high places feeding the demands
Of a hunger impossible to satiate that nobody alive understands
Pioneers of wilderness and giants of industrial conquest
Bequeath to the future a desolate landscape, fully processed
skull and crossbones
Find your muse and write some poetry this month. Enjoy the work of diverse poets here.
NaPoWriMo 2015
April Fool Romance
March 31, 2015
— 2 Comments
Jurgen and Ardell
Born to be together, nobody would ever guess
How destiny had formed their souls into a perfect fit
He is concerned with systems, mathematics, digital hacks
She is an intuitive healer, in possession of everything he lacks
They found themselves in Big Sur, a classic hippie venue
Aires attraction brought them in sync, and the magnetism continues
Sharing a birthday on April first these lovers celebrate diversity
Cherishing home grown romance, more abundant with each anniversary
These fools know the secret in taking risks is usually on the surface
Be the lover you were born to be by ignoring what makes others nervous
Happy birthday to my favorite foolish couple!
NaPoWriMo 2015
Please enjoy the poetry party this month by clicking here. Read, write, recite…be corny, gentle readers. There is no such thing as too corny.
Hidden Weakness and Undiscovered Strength
December 22, 2014
— 1 Comment
Our new bed, Truth
Testing boundaries and applying discipline will lead to mastery of any skill we choose to practice. We generally rely on what we consider to be our strengths to solve most of our problems in life. Most of us hide our weaknesses, primarily from ourselves, since others can clearly see them. While I am on a big push to clean and clear out my home I notice similarities between my mental state and the state of all my various projects. While digging out all the clothing that is heading for new closets in other people’s houses I discover very cool things I had forgotten in the back of the closet. I have both stupid stuff I have barely worn and the most brilliant, well crafted wardrobe imaginable. The problem has been mixing them all together and overstuffing the space. Nothing is appealing when it is disheveled and jumbled. The same thing applies to my sewing supplies, my office desk, my kitchen cabinets, and, (dare I say it?), my mind. In each one of these cases I go looking for one thing and find 100s of useless items just hanging around for no reason, and a few real treasures I never see or use because they are in a sorry state of order. This clearing must continue until everything I own gives me joy. This must apply to all things, mental as well as physical, digital as well as analog. At the end of the month, which is the end of the year, our brand new bed will arrive. The mattress is named Truth. The truth is that I have a lot of cleaning to do before it arrives:
What needs to go?
- duplicate photos, bad photos, meaningless photos
- paper files of all kinds
- clothing and accessories
- bed and bedding
- decorative items not in use
- dust and dust bunnies
- books not in use
What are the mental steps to take to assure I maintain my unobstructed new life?
- open and deal with paper mail daily
- immediately discard paper when it becomes useless
- set goals for maintaining all spaces clutter free
- deep clean my office and bedroom monthly on new moon
- create special (clean) area for my dream diary next to my bed
- menu planning and good freezer management
- eliminate all junk drawers, closets, boxes, and cubbies
- find a place to put everything away without cramming
I am looking forward to exposing this entire phenomena. Often it is said that our greatest strength is also our greatest weakness. I think we all keep a lot of junk out of sight. I maintain a clean and orderly home (to the naked eye), but stuffed into all available nooks and crannies are things I do not need or want. I believe my talents and spiritual life are similar to those overstuffed cabinets. Not only do I have way more than I can use, but I have some trouble distinguishing one thing from another because the agony is all wrapped around the ecstasy at this point. I don’t embrace resolutions. I do want to find myself at the end of 2015 owning fewer things and liking them more. How do you fight the clutter bug, Gentle Reader? Who will win in 2015? I am planning a victory!
Jumping Jupiter Retrograde, Batman
December 17, 2014
— 3 Comments
Jupiter is by far the most massive planet in our solar system. The Roman god Jupiter was worshiped as the purveyor of the universe. He was the ruler of the daytime sky, the god of lightning and thunder, and the political deity of the Roman state. As king of the gods he administered the cosmos. He is the son of Saturn, known for his jovial nature. Jove, as in by Jove the English expression, refers to the god Jupiter. Thursday is his day and protection of the state is his mission. He was the main man in the pantheon when Jesus was born in a Roman colony. He was revered for his reputation for abundance and good fortune, as well as very fine organizational and judicial skills. He was known for bringing chaos to order.
The fifth planet from the sun is now retrograde from the point of view of the earth. This means that due to our orbits around the sun, Jupiter appears from the earth to travel in reverse. This phenomena has significance in astrology, representing a chance to go over events in the past and make improvements. The Jupiter retrograde period will last until April, ending just as US taxes will be due. It represents a chance to review our organization and abundance issues. This time is a portal to edit and remake your own movie that has been running since last September. You do not have to believe in the power of Jupiter to know that good fortune regularly follows good organization. There is no need to worship the god of the daytime sky to use this time to significantly improve your own judgement and organization. Americans need to review the year for the IRS, if not for Jupiter. Take your habits through an honest evaluation aimed at creating more joviality and order. We all have room for improvement, Gentle Readers. What did you start last September that is not properly organized? Imagine jolly Jupiter guiding you through tax preparation and New Year’s resolutions. Redirect your attention to all that brings you joy. Rigorously remove disorder and chaos that clutter your life. Finish what you started, either by discarding it or completing it.
