The early winter months would be absolutely hideous without the blessing of gratitude.

These months seemingly have no redeeming qualities. The dramatic beauty of autumn has long departed, and with it, whatever warmth of summer that may have lingered. The sun has vanished behind a thick, impenetrable cloud layer, appearing thinly, perhaps, at dawn and dusk. The time between the rising and setting of the sun decreases rapidly. There are days when the sun seems to make only a half hearted attempt at rising above the horizon before it retreats into exhaustion down again. Perhaps it takes just too much effort.

In ancient times, our fore-parents believed that the Great Mother disappeared from the planet during winter. The great Mother gave and produced and fed all Her many children all summer and fall, and afterwards, She retired to some unknown hideaway to recuperate. Some stories have Her falling into a deep sleep. The stories of Demeter have Her searching for Her lost cherished daughter, Her grief bringing desolation to the world. Other stories tell of Isis travelling the globe looking for Her beloved consort, while the summer beauty vanishes. Many tales tell of the Great Mother descending into the Darkness, only to reappear at the Winter Solstice, young again and renewed. She gives birth to Her radiant Child, the Sun, who brings Light once again to all the children of earth. Yes, it is indeed a familiar story, repeated in many eras and cultures around the globe.

These stories help to bring continuity and security to our lives. The tales help us to feel the rhythms and cycles of the seasons and our lives. The Great Mother bears the Sun Child, who lights the world, and guides us into the warmth of the growing season. The child, in his time, will symbolically die and be reborn and resurrected into the new life that appears in Spring equinox. Once again, the earth will flower and grow and nurture creation, only to die back in the autumn and winter. The cycle of life continues each year, with regularity and continuity.

We mere mortals may dread these dreary grey months…..it takes just too much effort to work, to get tasks done, too much effort to even think……we just want to be. Hibernation may be as strenuous an activity as we desire. Resting peacefully, with minimal activity, and lovely, lovely peace and relaxation. Warm and cozy, quiet and delightful. All our needs attended to, so there is nothing to do and nowhere to go. No stress, no disturbance, just peace and tranquility.

Well, that is so not going happen, at least not in this life time. We enter now into the frantic, shopping crazed, required-fun "holiday" parties, go-go-go season of the year. As much as we may enjoy the Christmas season, the Holidays seem to add additional burdens to an already overloaded schedule. Shopping, cooking, baking, planning the annual party, cleaning, organizing…it only ends when one drops from exhaustion, or gives up the struggle.

How does one find the time to practice gratitude when there is no time at all? Why do we need to practice gratitude? What good will it do?

Gratitude is the flow and center of creation. Gratitude is what makes the world go round, in a very real sense. When we express our gratitude, we enter into the cycle of renewal. What we are grateful to grows and expands with warmth and love, and we ourselves fill with love and gratitude. Life gets better in every way. Health improves, attitude improves, and spirituality improves. Every aspect of our being is better. All life becomes more beautiful with gratitude.

Gratitude begins with being grateful for our life and physical being.

Start with a simple scanning gratitude meditation: look around the room, look at yourself, and look at your home and backyard. Your eyes are a miracle of natural technology that we cannot begin to duplicate. Thank the Goddess for the gift of sight. Gently touch your hand, your hair, your clothing, enjoy the textures and sensations. Remember how lovely it feels to touch your beloved, your baby, your cat or dog. Thank the Goddess for the gift of touch. Listen for all the varied sounds you can discover: the beating of your heart, the tick-tock of your clocks, the distant hum of traffic. Again, give thanks to the Goddess for this gift of hearing. What scents does your nose discern? Are you wearing perfume? Is something yummy simmering on the stove? What is the scent of your backyard: piney, wood-smoke, leaves? Enjoy the early winter scents, and give thanks to the goddess for the ability to smell. Finally, fix a tiny snack to savor. Fruits, breads, nuts, vegetables, or milk…whatever you feel inspired to enjoy. Place your treat on a pretty plate, with appropriate placemat, napkin, china and silver. Make it as lovely as possible. Eat very slowly. Treasure each bite. Enjoy each taste. All the while giving thanks to the Goddess for this remarkable gift.

Finally, give thanks for having a healthy strong body, with senses that function beautifully .

Your meditation is complete. This is the beginning of a gratitude practice that can extend to encompass your entire day, and possibly, your entire life. Seeing the world through the eyes of gratitude is prayer in motion. It makes every moment worthwhile, and brings you closer to the Divine. And it can even make cold, grey skies beautiful in your eyes.

Love and blessings,

Sharon

Autumn 2008

“What is this season?  What month is it?

Why is the world so beautiful today?


Spring is beautiful. Flowers cover the mountains.

Leaves appear, greening the mountains.

Summer is beautiful. Leaves cover the valleys.

Grain appears, golding the valleys.
 

Spring is beautiful, summer is beautiful.

But autumn is most beautiful of all.”

Korean Shaman Song

From the “Goddess Companion:  Daily Meditations on the Feminine Spirit.” by Patricia Monaghan, Llewellyn Publications, 2008

The  Wheel of the seasons turns, and turns yet again. Summer is passing into memory, and the golden season of Autumn begins. I am always sorry to see the Summer end; I love Summer so. I love the warmth of the Sun, the vibrant colors of the vegetables and fruits, the heartbreaking beauty of the violets and roses, the scent of the lilies and herbs.

But the amazing colors of Autumn are truly breathtaking. I would be very sad to live in a place where the seasons do not change.            I would be sad to not have the Autumn to inspire me. My needlework  projects takes on a different tone. Sweaters and socks are reflecting the oranges and russets and saffrons of the tulip trees and maples and oaks. Paintings mimic the warmth of the external colors, and ignore the chill in the air.

Autumn is a time for enjoying the weather. The brutal heat is past, the oppressive cold has not yet formed. Perfect times for walking, leaf gathering, and harvesting what remains in the fields…pumpkins and gourds and squash. A magical time of year.          

Yet, Autumn is the beginning of the introspective season of the year. A time of new beginnings. Students are returning to the classroom. Adults are inspired to take on an inspiring course or renew an old system of learning. The mind stirs, and imagination is on fire, reflecting the colors of this season.         

This Autumn season holds new challenges for all of us as a nation. Only once every four years is a new leader of our country selected. “We the people” have a huge obligation to our country, especially in this election. Our country is hanging delicately at a crossroads of a myriad of issues: environmental, moral, political, social and global. The United States of America was once the esteemed leader of the free world. We were once respected and admired, copied and imitated. In the past years, the Light has seemed to vanish from our country’s consciousness. Greed has replaced honor, distain has replaced respect. Our moral and political infrastructure is crumbling.

I implore you to begin this Season of Autumn with political study. Even if you have never had an interest in the political scene, please develop an interest now. Educate yourself about your local politicians; discover the issues, both pro and con. Find out about environmental concerns in your area. Who is willing to work and plan to save our precious feathered and furred brothers and sisters?  Which corporations are supported by what political group to improve and clean are troubled waters and forests? Which are not?  Which political leaders are supporting greener fuels, cleaner air, less emissions? If you can do very little, and I know that you are all so very busy, at least find what you need to vote for or against. Network with friends, family, coworkers and neighbors. Find out who they are voting for and why.  Discover opposing viewpoints, and truly listen to the arguments. Meditate and pray and look within your heart to find the answers. If you are not registered to vote, do so now….do not put this important step off. If you do not vote, you have no right to complain. Our foremothers worked so hard to gain the right to vote…do not disappoint them.

If you find yourself inspired and passionate about the future of our country, there are so many ways to become useful. Of course, volunteer for the cause of your choice.  Environmental concerns, women’s issues, educational matters, employment, justice and equity, health care, and many, many more important matters. Question and challenge the media, and discover the truth about issues for yourself. Ignore rumors and propaganda…seek always the truth.  Do not be swayed by the newest media star’s views. Formulate your own viewpoint. It may surprise you. Again, pray always, meditate and go within to the center of yourself. We are all connected. Every event and action affects all of us, in some way.

This is your country, our country, and you have the right and privilege and honor to make your voice heard.

Spirituality is not merely the ethereal….spirituality is every day. Spirituality is the bread and butter of life. And our external life needs to be the visible manifestations of our inner life. We need feet under our prayers. It is not enough to merely voice concerns. Worry is an affront to the Goddess, it implies lack of trust. Trust always in the Eternal Divine, but don’t forget to work. There needs to be action, positive action. Working towards the greater good. Our nation, our globe, our Dear Mother Earth, all depends on you.

With Bright Blessings,

Sharon

Summer 2008

At long last, my favorite season of the year has arrived. The warm time, the swimming time, the glorious days of Summer are here again

My kitchen garden has been planted, and the first tiny green shoots are bursting from the ground. So tiny and so precious are the new beginnings of life. I must guard these little plants from unexpected cold snaps, from wandering rabbits and chipmunks and squirrels and deer, from bugs, large and small. Eat or be eaten is the law in the garden. There is so much to learn from our Mother Nature.

I planted organic seeds and plants this Spring, exploring heirloom and antique and native varieties of vegetables and fruits. The “plastic” and “modified” and “scientific” versions of plants are more worrisome than ever to me. I have recently finished reading Michael Pollen’s “The Botany of Desire, a plant’s eye view of the world” (Random House) which solidified my desire to plant “all natural” and to grow more varieties of vegetables than ever. He describes four plants, and how they changed the history of our planet. Please consider reading it; it is well worth your time.

With this beautiful weather have come the inevitable gas price increases, now to almost unbelievable highs. People are beginning to be scared of the ramifications of such high fuel pricing: food and clothing are more expensive than ever. Everything is delivered by truck, truck that need lots of fuel, and the costs are mounting rapidly. It is difficult not to buy into the fear; it is easy to scream and blame the Arabs and the government and big business, it is challenging to remain positive and joyful amidst dire economic forecasts.  My favorite quote from dear Albert Einstein is: “a problem will never be solved at the level in which it was created.” To me this means creative thinking, very definitely “outside the box”.

 This is absolutely a time of great change; it is also a time of transition. What was in our world before will never be again. We will never have cheap gas and oil again. The world will not go back to “the good old days” when America was the top of the world food chain. Nothing will ever be the same again. There, then, is the transition,  the challenge and the opportunity. And it is up to us to gracefully manage that transition from the  what was through the what is, to  the what will be.

Listen to the Goddess through nature, and understanding will blossom naturally. The Goddess provides for all our needs, if we are wise enough to listen, see and understand. She graciously gives us solar and wind energy. Natural and noninvasive of methods to provide the world populations with the necessities of living. Innovative and creative minds will seek out new ways of providing energy and food and other commodities safely, easily and economically. There are plans for high mileage electric cars, efficient solar energy, hybrid cooling and heating systems, and wind and solar generators. These ideas and more have been squelched over the years by big business corporations, whose motivations are greed, profit, greed and more greed. Corporate greed will give way to enlightened cooperation between consumer and manufacturer. No, this is not a dream, it is the way to preserve our beautiful world.

We must always pray; always. We need to meditate. We need to align ourselves with the Highest Goodness and Integrity. We must do these things each and every day, to always keep the Goddess present in our hearts.

However, there needs to be feet under our prayers. Pure intention with no action is useless. Our lives need to be where our prayers are. Each and every thing we can do to conserve, reuse, recycle, and reduce is of the greatest good. Every time we consciously recycle, whether by composting, or returning glass and plastic to the recycling center, we are one step closer to healing Our Mother Earth. Every time we consciously do not buy products that, either directly or indirectly, damage our Mother Earth, we take another step in healing.  Each time we choose to beautify our neighborhood, whether by picking up trash on the street, or planting trees, or beginning a community garden plot, we are living in accord with our prayers and highest aspirations. We can solve our energy crisis; we can heal our waters, and forests and atmosphere.  We can grow enough uncontaminated food to feed the world. We can preserve our planet for future generations.

Ours is the generation of creativity and intellectual genius. We can easily discover solutions to obstacles that were unsolvable to previous generations. By looking to the past, gazing into the future, and remaining firmly in the now we will be successful.

This is the beginning.

Mother Earth, Gaia,

Beautiful One, Precious One

We are all your children

Animal, rock, tree, fish, sky and ocean

We are all yours

We are all intertwined

Help us to use your wisdom

To heal and preserve and save our only home

Blessings,

 Spring 2008

            I can feel it in the air, Spring is returning. Mother Earth is waking up, slowly and steadily. There is nothing more refreshing that HOPE, and that is what Spring is. The hope of warmth, new life, new beginnings and rebirth for all living beings.

In some lands, Spring begins in late winter, when the Sun begin to assert itself a little more. In the Celtic lands, Spring begins in early February, with the birth of the new lambs. We celebrate that ancient rite with our own Americanized version, the Groundhog festival, to “scientifically determine” how much longer winter will remain.

            I would rather focus on Spring. The seed catalogues are being delivered by the armful, and I gaze at the pages, with their hope of brilliant flowers, and luscious fruits and vegetables. An August tomato would taste so good now! Waiting is part of the delight of hope. Anticipation for that which is to come.

            The rebirth of the earth in Springtime is an enormous part of our mythology and culture. Religions and folktales, legends and stories rely heavily on the seasonal changes. The Spring Goddesses  Eostara, Persophine, Brigid and Ceres remind us of our beginnings. Spring is such a vibrant example of birth from the seeming lifelessness of Winter. From frigid, snowy ground pops green shoots of crocus and snowdrops. How amazing to see flowers in the snow! Their beauty  literally takes my breath away.

            I think about my own rebirth in the Spring. What have I learned during the quiet wintry months of introspection? What insights have been formed? How have I changed? Spring returning always brings the solid physical work of Spring Housekeeping. Winter ravages the landscape of house and home, and my own spiritual home landscape is not immune from it. What needs cleaning out? What needs to be banished forever? What needs to be nurtured and renewed? What lay silent and dormant in the cold, which will need tender care now?

            Journaling is a favorite way to bring order and perspective to the chaos. Writing down exactly your dreams, your hopes, your visions, your intentions, and your short and long term plans can enliven the soul. Knowing your goals will set you on the path towards them. Asking the Goddess for guidance in this renewal process is an excellent way to begin the journey of inner guidance.  Ask a question, and begin to write, without censoring or judging the words. Just write. Let the words flow and the Goddess will speak.

            A huge part of becoming one with the Goddess is learning to reverence our Earth. We are part of this creation. Learning to live in harmony with the seasons, the world, with the natural process of life, even learning to live with the natural flow of our bodies, is not something the Western culture has embraced easily. We conquer, we take, and we use and abuse the natural world and its resources. We are not the only beings to live on this planet. The Goddess is in every part of creation. We are all connected in a very real way. This Spring, make a commitment to do your part in” living green”. Every positive action you can take, not matter how tiny, makes a very real difference.

            Purchase the canvas totes to carry your groceries home, thus avoiding plastic and paper bags. (Meijers sells really nice ones; I use 5 of them for a week of groceries). Our local Walmart recycles plastic bags, so do other retailers. If your neighborhood waste company does not have a recycling system yet, ask them to start. Companies listen! Eat as low on the food chain as you comfortably can. Beef uses more resources than you can imagine. Of course, use local produce. Please get rid of the SUV, the Hummer, and the other big gas guzzlers. You don’t need it. Mother Earth certainly doesn’t need Her reserves depleted.  Please think for before you make a purchase…..ask yourself what it will cost, not only in monetary terms, but in planetary terms: what is the cost in human (often sweatshop) labor? What is the cost to the environment? What is the cost to natural resources? What is the cost to our fellow creatures? We are not the only ones living on this planet.  

            Be informed. Read. Study. Take a class. Learn about what is going on. Start small. For example, discover what country your morning cup of coffee comes from. Is it grown in an environmentally friendly way? How is it harvested? By whom? How is it transported to your local grocery store? Discovering the chain of events is a fascinating method of illustration. Is coffee what your body requires, rather than what it is addicted to? Rethink everything!  Your health is at stake. And so is the health of your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Our beautiful world’s health and well-being is on the line.

            The Native Americans lived with tremendous respect for the Natural World. Decisions were based on what was good for all people, and not for just one or two generations, but for seven generations into the future. If we all made our decisions using this wise and generous system, harmony and peace would indeed be ours.

Bright Spring Blessings,

Sharon