On a bad day,�� the over-consumption in our culture can cause me to rant and rave. On good days, I tend to just look at it as the way things are. Usually my husband and I boycott shopping on Black Friday in particular. But this year actually felt a little bit different. We have been working hard in 2010 to simplify and de-clutter. We have made several trips to the recycling center and donated countless items to the free-cycle shed and the local thrift store. By doing this, we have a more accurate accounting for what we have and what we need.
After a very powerful ceremony a few days ago, I woke up thinking of this blessing for Thanksgiving.
Hold Hands. Close your Eyes. Take a couple of deep breaths and drop the weight down into your feet. Feel your place on the ground. Give Thanks for the solid foundation on the earth and for this physical structure surrounding you; This beautiful home; a place for families to gather.
We have FOUR events to attend over the next 36 hours! This is how my very social new married family rolls, but it is important for me to have a plan in place so I can enjoy myself physically and emotionally during this busy time.�� So what is my plan of attack to survive this holiday with grace?
Those of you who know me well, know that I came to yoga almost 13 years ago because I sustained an injury in a dance class in Africa. I have actually never fully recovered from it, but it teaches me something every day. Particularly lately I have been yearning to dance again. My friend Christine also studied dance in Africa and she teaches an AFRI-CArdio class at the local community center. She stopped teaching for a while because of a broken toe, but she taught a teaser class last night to get people ready to start up again in January.
Last night was the full moon and I spent the entire day in ceremony. This full moon was a particularly auspicious one because it is the Full Moon of Initiation and the Lunar Celebration of the Beginning of Winter. Traditionally�� all of the harvest had been stored for the winter and all debts for the year were paid. Traditionally ceremonies were held to release our shadow selves to the eternal flame that burns through the winter and let it burn in transformation for the spring.
Today was the full moon and I spent the entire day in ceremony. It was the final day of our herbal medicine class. The ceremony was one of my favorite aspects of this class. We brought it into every day by brewing herbal teas, lighting candles and gathering in circles over the course of nine months. The idea of coming together as a community, a tribe or a counsel harkens back to ceremonies of yore when everything was sacred. If you did not hold ceremony before planting this year's crop, you could not expect a good yield.
This past weekend was the last weekend of a 9 month course in herbal medicine. I felt tired on Saturday and on the tail end of a cold so I actually contemplated not attending! We spent the day giving each of the 15 women and men in our circle about 20 minutes to present what moved them over the past 9 months.
I take a weekly walk with some girlfriends and each Friday we wonder if we will walk the next week. We have had several frosts here in the Blue Ridge Mountains and each Friday could be our last so I am thankful for these walks. Even though I could feel a cold coming on, I decided to walk anyway hoping that the fresh air might do some good. I think it did.
Last night we had dinner with our friend and musician, Alex Schein, who is currently recording in our studio. Alex uses his music to promote peace and raise awareness of international issues. He is a very uplifting individual. Inevitably, however, our dinner conversation turned toward current events and Alex introduced us to the increasingly common practice of fracking. Needless to say, we all became a little depressed.
November is Gratitude Month at iHanuman. Our intention is to make gratitude a daily practice, and in an effort to set that practice in motion we are encouraging you to join us by posting something that you are grateful for every day during the month of November.
November is Gratitude Month at iHanuman. Our intention is to make gratitude a daily practice, and in an effort to set that practice in motion we are encouraging you to join us by posting something that you are grateful for every day during the month of November.
