Hag Stones: Seeing through the glamour

Single Form by Barbara Hepworth. 1961-1964. Bronze.  See it
at the United Nation's Building, New York.

"We must begin to see ourselves as existing in society not as isolated selves but as part of the whole. " 
– Rev. William Barber.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." — Marianne Williamson

“We are deeply committed to a society where people love one another and don’t kick people when they are down.” - Rev. William Barber

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL ALERT 
FROM THE FAIRY GODMOTHER’S ASSOCIATION

FEAR GLAMOUR

The Fairy GodMother’s Association (FGMA) has just issued an alert. They are investigating an outbreak of “fear glamour.” This magical spell is part of a series of enchantments that fall under Terror Management Series.  It is used to create a "culture of fear."

People who are infected show a mild to extreme, irrational fear towards humanity.  It is largely based on assumptions. FGMA have reported infected people appear to rely on others (including the media, Facebook, and snapchat) to spoon-feed how things should be. Ultimately, FGMA has identified that the spell is being used for the following: to silence or censor people, to isolate people, and pit people against each other based on differences (i.e., rural vs. urban, poor vs. rich, college educated vs. GED, gay vs. straight, conservative vs. liberal, man vs. woman, black vs. white – you get my point).

When talking to infected persons, they appear amnesic regarding their country’s history and/or lack the awareness of the stories about the struggles their ancestresses and ancestors experienced. In extreme cases, the infected person’s fear seems based on their lack of knowing their rights or caring for the rights of other. These individuals describe having a complete sense of hopelessness and a willingness to withdraw from community activities. They are hoping for a knight in shining armor rather than rolling up their sleeves to work on hard moral issues.

This glamour is highly infectious. The U.S.’s last outbreak began in 1950 ~ 1956 and lasted through the 1980 and is commonly referred to the Second Red Scare, Cold War, or McCarthyism.

Recommended Actions for Prevention:

• There has been some success using a Hag Stone. The stones have the ability to cut through the glamour. The uninfected look through the hole and can see the truth. However, there is an inadequate supply for the stones from Europe due to political control of imports. FGMA is asking people to share.  FGMA has had additional success using the strategically placed Barbara Hepworth's sculptures.   
• The uninfected should also consider drawing conclusions for themselves. FGMA recommends reading, active listening, having civil conversations with neighbors, and drawing a conclusion for yourself. They also recommend the of the analysis should be around the moral issue: how do we treat each other. Are we generous or stingy? Kind or a bully? Sympathetic or unfeeling? Welcoming or unfriendly?
• Secondary Prevention for mild cases.  Reducing media and social media consumption and attending a local community event: school play, band concert, helping the food pantry, meditation or prayer circle, or discussion learning group around a moral issue you are passionate about.  

###

Let Them Not Say
by Jane Hirshfield, 1953

Let them not say: we did not see it.
We saw.

Let them not say: we did not hear it.
We heard.

Let them not say: they did not taste it.
We ate, we trembled.

Let them not say: it was not spoken, not written.
We spoke,
we witnessed with voices and hands.

Let them not say: they did nothing.
We did not-enough.

Let them say, as they must say something:
A kerosene beauty.

It burned.
Let them say we warmed ourselves by it,
read by its light, praised,
and it burned.

###

This past week I marched in one of the many international women’s marches. We were a sea of pink hats each made to fit the style of the maker. My friend and I were wearing ones I made. The count estimates more than three million people in 500 US cities took to the streets with our signs, slogans, chants and song. There were lone marchers around a suburb block and several on hospital floors. I know there were many women who feared to come out and there were those who thought it was a waste of time or the marchers were sore losers.

For me, the march gave me a jolt like being knocked off my feet from being touched by a fairy wand. The march challenges and inspires me to be re-committed to helping people and to mend holes. The march also reinforced my rights as a citizen of the USA stated in my constitution: “Amendment I: Congress shall make no law ... abridging ... the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

These written rights I have are a privilege other people, mostly women may not have internationally. I also had the privilege of time to attend the march in my home state; a working person may have not had that time. But the purpose for writing down the quote above is for all to see so it can help break this spell of fear.

Gladness Factor

Maleficent from Disney Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Trickster Moon - Where do life's lessons sneak up on us/surprise us, and how can we greet these lessons with receptivity instead of resistance?  CAYA Moon Question

"Into the house where joy lives, happiness will gladly come."  ~ Japanese Proverb

"The most waisted day is one without laughter." - ee cummings.

“If we can just let go and trust that things will work out they way they're supposed to, without trying to control the outcome, then we can begin to enjoy the moment more fully. The joy of the freedom it brings becomes more pleasurable than the experience itself.” ~ Goldie Hawn

The Gladness Factor (GF) was “discovered” as an essential for being a Fairy Godmother in the late 1990s by Dr. Leticia Foon.  Most traditionalists have scoffed at her discovery, because GF was always perceived important through oral tradition.  Foon just wrote it down and gave it a name which instantly professionalized it in peer reviewed journals.  Current students majoring in Western Fairy Godmothering now are required a minimum of three levels to help increase and maintain their GF skill set.     

 

Maypole Dance

Foon states GF predates 900 AD coming from both the English and Norse Fairy Godmother traditions (Note: Foon hasn't studied other traditions).  Paintings from this period hint that singing and dancing are important components for increasing the intensity of GF.   It wasn’t until the Elizabethan period did twirling and skipping became an aspect of GF.  This can be best illustrated in Shakespeare’s play Midsummer’ Night Dream.  Foon developed several GF exercises lifted from Eleanor Porter’s 1913 book Pollyanna.

 

Researchers have shown that deficiencies in GF can lead to misery, cynicism and exhaustion.  It can be best illustrated in the case study of Maleficent, now associated with the Sleeping Beauty tragedy.  If we look at the beginning of Maleficent career, her personnel file shows that she had high levels of enthusiasm, team player, and had the knack to solve problems where other’s didn’t seem to find them.  She was written up twice for singing staccato happy songs, because they caused a disruption in the office.  Also noted was she’d work overtime without meal breaks or going to the bathroom in order to get the job done.  We find that around twenty years into the Fairy Godmother business, there was a change in Maleficent’s personality.  She became more isolated.  Her annual review states: “She lost her nimbleness and flexibility when waving her wand.”  She seemed exhausted and cranky at staff meetings.  She had taken to leaving notes on the bathroom like: wash your hands and close the door.  We have learned her change was due to the work climate: reduction in resources, endless requests that agency couldn’t compensate for and a management attitude: if you want to keep your job you need to be tough and committed enough to suck it up.  The cumulative toll at the worksite and the oversight by the King and Queen were the straw that broke the camels’ back so to speak.  It drove Maleficent to curse rather than provide a blessing. 

 ~#~

Understanding trauma and how it affects us is important.  Trauma has a way of sucking the GF out of our lives.  One way is to take back lunch. 

My co-worker retired almost a year ago.  One thing I’ve noticed is I’m eating more and more at my desk.  I’m catching up with e-mails while eating my salad, soup, and yogurt.  J always made me step away from my desk and eat somewhere else. 

I’ve decided to be part of the take back lunchmovement as a way of break in what I do.  To put my work back into perspective.

~#~

 

How is this spiritual?  If you can’t laugh or sing songs, even out of tune with staccatos – how are you going to make magic?  How are you going to see possibilities?

 

Resource to learn more about trauma - required read for all Fairy Godmothers:

Laura van Dernoot Lipsky Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

Downward Facing Dog – Youtube Yoga Practice

The Dog by Picasso

Silent Moon - How can we find silent time to restore and regenerate our enthusiasm for our lives/work/relationships? ~ CAYA's Full Moon Questions.

When the breathe wanders the mind is unsteady.  But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life.  Therefore, one should learn to control the breath. ~ Hatha Yoga Pradipika

I would like for people to realize that yoga is not about touching your toes. ~ Gary Kraftsow

Yoga has a sly, clever way of short-circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety. ~ Baxter Bell, quoted in "Worry Thwarts," Yoga Journal, March 2006

The first time I heard “Rest in Downward Facing Dog,” I turned towards my friend (the one who talked me into coming to this free yoga class) and smirked.  It was a “Now I heard everything” smirk while holding back a big belly laugh that would ultimately cause me to land on my head in this position.  Looking around, I could tell everyone in this class was very serious resting in their inverted “V” poses.  This only made me want to giggle more.  How could you be serious in this pose – bum pushed up into the air while you are looking at your feet?  And, rest?  Hello - my arms were killing me.

Yet, Yoga and energy work has somehow managed to weave in and out of my life since that 1988 class. 

~#~

Adho Mukha Svanasana (AH-doh MOO-kah shvah-NAHS-anna)adho = downward, mukha = face, svana = dog

Benefits

•Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression

•Energizes the body

•Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands

•Strengthens the arms and legs

•Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause

•Relieves menstrual discomfort when done with head supported

•Helps prevent osteoporosis

•Improves digestion

•Relieves headache, insomnia, back pain, and fatigue

•Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, sinusitis

~#~

As I’ve spoken before, our bodies are made up of energy that vibrates (science speak – partical energy theory). Many people are familiar with chakras, but there are also many more energy layers that make up our bodies.  Even our physical form that you can touch is an energetic body (science speak - its molecules move around at low energy.)  These individual energy layers don’t work in solo by themselves.  They’re interconnected and working in concert together.

If you injure your physical body, the others will be affected.  When I broke my ankle, I found it so easy to get caught up in healing the physical.  For example, I went to the emergency room and got a cast, had to navigate stairs and doorways for 8 weeks, taking a bath with a garbage bag was.... – I didn't even consider the other layers in my treatment plan.   

The same can be said about negative thoughts, emotions or habits.  We may stop or change them, but energetically speaking they’ve been imprinted on the body.  They are in our muscle memories.  Again, each energy body needs to also be healed in order for the habit to be permanent. 

Bodywork like Yoga is a great way to integrate healing throughout the energy levels.  I think of Yoga or Qigong working like oatmeal does for the digestive system.  The poses or movements unclogs and scrubs out the places where energy is stuck.

Why is this important?

Magical living is about working with energy.  If I have stuck places like stress pain in my neck and shoulder it makes it hard to concentrate on what I’m trying to manifest.  I become so focus on the pain that my energy is diverted between two places – what I'm trying to create and that “pain.”  My craftiness becomes not so perfect: the lemon happiness cookies burn or taste odd, the healing candle for a friend becomes more about me and I have to rip out many rows of stitches. 

~#~

There is no excuse for not doing bodywork.  Thanks to modern techology you can do Yoga or Qigong at your home via Youtube.  Start off with something gentle like Hatha Yoga.  There  is no Olympic medals in this practice.  Turn off the competition - yoga is about being present in the moment without judgement.  It is accepting where your temple body is at each day.

 

Backwards one step

Sisyphus Vik Muniz - Photograph (2011)

Yearning Moon - What desires, deep within, are yearning to be fulfilled, and how might you begin to take steps toward fulfilling them?

“When giving careful and calculated thought on how else you might see certain situations differently than you now see them - including your entire life, for that matter - please keep in mind, that occasionally being on "the fringe," is good.” TUT: a note from the Universe

“It’s helpful to step back and see the bigger picture” Richard Carlson

Dreams Checklist

SMART Goals – check

Affirmations – check

Able to use all 5 senses to visualize completion of goals - check

Announcement Ritual – check

Belief – check

Creative Visualization Collage – check

Baby Steps towards goal – check

Asking for help – check

Shake in some magic - check

Purposefully take a backwards step – Are you crazy?

As you can guess by now, I’m a little structured in how I go about getting my dreams and goals (Maybe it is because there is always a Capricorn Moon present in January?).  But, purposefully stepping back or stepping say a little to the right or to left is healthy.  It gives you a different perspective like a camera zooming out or zooming in for detail.  I’ve found that it helps me to stay on track and maybe adjust my course setting to something better.      

Last year I received training to become a circle leader for the Wild Woman Project’s New Moon Meditation. This international project’s purpose is to bring women together (note: some circles are co-ed) in order to create a trusting and supportive space to express what’s on their hearts.  Holding the circles on the New Moon is symbolic.  The New Moon is seen as a time of new beginnings and setting your intentions.  It’s a time to start fresh with a clean canvas and new paints; or seed packets for newly tilled loamy soil; or soft blue wool to cast on; or a new document in word. 

January’s New Moon Circle was on soulful structure for getting our goals and dreams.  I was jazzed for this.  I had created my re-solution list earlier this month.  I had my SMART Goals written into my dream book.  I’d plan out my ritual to announce to Motherfather Spirit my intention on the new moon.  And, then I looked at the circle leader’s curriculum guide.  The curriculum asked me to take a step backward and rethink my approach in getting my dreams and goals.  My initial response – are you crazy?  I’ve got a good system going on here why break it.

The curriculum exercises are based on Danielle LaPorte’s work.  Basically, it challenges us to examine what it means to be successful.  The activities make us take a step back away from our tangible dreams, resolution lists, SMART goals and bucket lists.  We’re asked: 1) Are these things and goals really that important to us?  2) Why do we want to get them? 3) Do we want them because of what others think or believe?

Looking at my list, many of my goals for the year sit in the professional, fame and money categories.  Working through the exercises, I quickly realized that these have been heavily influenced by what people have told me means to be successful.  True, I feel called to do some of the goals and dreams, but is this really what I’m looking for?

~#~

“The appearance of things changes according to the emotions; and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves.”  ~ Khalil Gibran

“[E]motions are feelings caused by physiological changes such as sweating or a racing heart.” Jean-Paul Sartre

~#~

One of my SMART Written re-solutions is to walk two ½ marathons this year.  I’ve walked ½ marathons before.  Stepping back I examined the feelings I get walking across the finish line:  tears of joy, wooowee heart dance, and confidence come to mind.  LaPorte says these emotions are how I define being successful.  These emotions should be more important than all the bucket lists and things I do.  These emotions should be what I’m trying to manifest with all the things I do or create.

My goal list should look like this

Interconnected

Creative

Joyful heart

Dancing heart

Relax

Peace
Loved

The SMART Written re-solution lists should be aligned with these emotions that make me feel successful.  If they aren’t, I really need to ask why they are on my list or why I’m even doing them. 

~#~

Activity – Reexamine your Re-solution list

Journal on the following

What emotions make you feel successful?  How do you feel when you’re successful?  Are the activities that you are planning to do this year – make you feel this way?

If you were to get your dream/SMART Goal how do you want to feel?  Who will be the first three people you tell? Include the answers in your dream journal.


Note on the photograph: You should check out the work by Vik Muniz who is a Brazilian Photographer.  Muniz creates art by working with the Brazilian trash pickers, arranging garbage and taking photographs of them from a distance.  The work brings focus to the trash pickers and why they do this work.  The documentary Waste Land is moving. makes us examine our thoughts about living in poverty.

Baby steps: The Charm for Getting Here to There

Hare and the Tortoise. Arthur Rackham (1912) Illustration

Yearning Moon - What desires, deep within, are yearning to be fulfilled, and how might you begin to take steps toward fulfilling them?

 “Inspiration exists, but it must find you working.” ~ Pablo Picasso

 “There are two types of people: The ones who give you 50 reasons it can’t be done … and the ones who just do it.” ~ Hoda Kotb

“It is only through labor and painful effort, by grim energy and resolute courage that we move on to better things.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” -Lao-tzu

I know everyone has heard the ad nauseam phrase: Rome wasn’t built in a day.  The same is true with your dreams.  You just don’t announce your intent to Motherfather Spirit and voila you have it.  And, it’s also been my experience that you’ll be waiting around a long time if you think Cindy’s Fairy Godmother will show up and wave her magic wand to help you out.  You must be willing to take the baby steps towards your yearning desires.  You need to roll-up your sleeves and put some work into it.

Think about it – you didn’t just pop out the womb and begin walking a marathon.  You took small developmental steps: rolling over, sitting-up, crawling, pulling yourself up, table top walking and all out walking.  These were manageable tasks that helped build up your confidence towards that marathon of a first step.  Likewise, Rome’s city concept probably started off as several villages getting together to help each other out.  Needless to say, Rome of today probably went beyond what they dreamed of.  But, somebody had to take the baby steps.  Somebody had to put out continued energy to keep that dream alive, even those times when things didn't come out as planned.

Here’s how I see it - the initial announcement of to Motherfather Spirit is the first step in your dream.  You visualize your specific outcome using all 5 of your senses; you write it down in SMART format; and through a ritual you direct creative energy out to attract this dream.  What happens in most cases is we put all our energy up front rather than continuing to tend the fire.  We think Motherfather Spirit will do all the work after our ritual.  And, when we don’t get the dream we blame Motherfather Spirit.  But, it doesn’t work that way. 

Most people will tell you that it wasn’t courage or willpower that kept them from their dreams.  What kept them from their dreams was consistency.  My dreams that have come true were the result of continued creative energy being directed towards the outcome.  I had to be the co-creator even if that meant committing 5 minutes daily to think about that dream.  Or, in the case of being a PBP blogger, typing for at least 10 minutes a day on a topic to post; or setting aside daily time to work some stitches for that magical scarf I’m knitting for Yule 2013; or putting in daily steps and following a training plan for the half marathon in May; or setting aside time to write the two required essays and fill out the application for graduate school. 

~#~

Garden Song - John Denver

by David Mallett

CHORUS:

Inch by inch, row by row

Gonna make this garden grow

Gonna mulch it deep and low

Gonna make it fertile ground

Inch by inch, row by row

Please bless these seeds I sow

Please keep them safe below

'Till the rain comes tumbling down

Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones

We are made of dreams and bones

Need a place to call my own

'Cause the time is close at hand

Grain for grain, sun and rain

Find my way in nature's chain

Till my body and my brain

Tell the music of the land

CHORUS

Plant your rows straight and long

Season with a prayer and song

Mother Earth will make you strong

If you give her loving care

~#~

I spoke with T the engineer about energy.  I wanted to know scientifically if it was better to put all you energy up front or use constant energy to get a task done. 

He gave me a bike riding analogy. 

You can approach riding a distance via bike two ways.  1) You put up all you energy up front.   Yes, it will put you up front of the crowd but the increased wind drag will cause you to expend a lot of energy.  Most times you may not get to the point you intended to.  2) You use a constant steady energy across the distance.  You will get there and may be able to go farther. 

You can watch this same principle viewing Disney’s Tortoise and the Hare Story.  Putting aside the Hare bragging he’d make it to the finish line first, the Hare poops out and takes a nap.  Meanwhile the Tortoise with slow and steady ways wins the race.

~#~

Activity: New Moon Dream Remembrance Ritual

Purple Pillar Candle for Creativity – to be burn for the entire year.  I use Healing Reiki Candles.  and I purchase them from one of my favorite local stores – Pearls of Wisdom

Silver charm baby shoe tied around the candle

Notebook of Dreams (I have a dream notebook and on each page the dream listed at the top.)

On the New Moon, I review my goals and dreams for the year and reflect on how it feels to get that dream completed.  What is the emotion that I’m looking for when I get that dream?

I light the candle each month and write notes about where I’m at on my dreams. And ways to remind myself on those feelings.    Meaning – when I’m down and have to rip out an entire row of stitches because I goofed – what can I do now to make myself feel the emotion of casting off?

Asking for Help - Law of Giving and Receiving Love

Christ Washing the Feet of the Apostles
Meister des Hausbuches (1473) see it at
Gemaldegalerie, Berlin

Yearning Moon - What desires, deep within, are yearningto be fulfilled, and how might you begin to take steps toward fulfilling them?


“Sometimes letting other people serve us can be as profoundly valuable, nurturing, and connecting as giving to others.” David Simon, MD

“The healthy and strong individual is the one who asks for help when he needs it. Whether he’s got an abscess on his knee or in his soul.” -Rona Barrett

Asking for Help –Law of Giving and Receiving Love
I don’t know about you, but it is easier for me to ask Motherfather Spirit for help to get my dreams and goals accomplished than a real person (Zazen Zen Meditation – self growth by meditating on areas of self).  Why is this?  I find it’s easier for to look up the answers in a book or use Google even if the answers may be wrong rather than ask a real person.  And, I’m not just talking about cooking a new recipe; learning a new knitting stitch; or figuring out how to do something in excel.  I also have this problem even when it comes to spiritual practice.  Oh – don’t get me started on delegating work.  And why is this?

1.       I was taught that by asking for help somehow made you weak.  That you couldn’t be independent, self-sufficient and take care of yourself if you asked for help. 

2.       There was a whole lot of shame surrounding asking for help. 

3.       There was guilt in asking for help, because there might be someone else who really needs help and you are taking away the needed resources.

4.       I really didn’t have any role models who showed me how to ask for help.  And, if I did have to ask for help I felt intimidated and weak (i.e., Organic Chemistry and spelling).

5.       I was taught if you want something done right – do it yourself.  It is just easier to do it yourself than have to correct someone else’s work.

6.       I had a lot of role models showing me that it was better to serve than to be the recipient of that service.  This was wrapped up into what I believe as a one-sided interpretation of Christ’s teachings.

~#~

Knitting Shop Story

This past week I went to one of few independent yarnshops in C’Bus.  For over a year I have wanted to do the Conceptual Sky Scarf.  I thought the pattern was a cool way to bring an urbanite and CCWWW closer to nature.  When I first found the pattern, I immediately saw that it could reinforce my connection to the earth even running back and forth between my house to my car to my wherever I’m going.

Pattern in hand, I entered the store and did my typical walk around the store rather than seeking help.  There must have been something in my look or how I was wandering around the store because the store’s owner quickly came asking: “Can I help?”  Instead of saying my typical response of “I’m just looking,” I showed her my pattern and said I didn’t know where to begin.  She quickly moved to the front of the store with the lace weight yarn.  This is yarn that I’ve never used because it is so thin and tangles easily.  There were two women knitting away in the comfy couches up front.  They too became interested in my sky project and dropped their knitting to join us.  The choosing of my Ohio sky yarn became a group project.  The owner laid out the potential colors on the table and the group gave the thumbs up and thumbs down.

I was reserved about their choice with the thunderstorm colored yarn of blue, browns, yellows and rusts.  I said that it looked too much like tornado colors and I surely didn’t want tornados coming to Ohio.  They dismissed my fear telling me that my knitting project was also about making a beautiful scarf for myself.  The women oohed over the colors and asked for a copy of the pattern.

Yarn to be used:

Malabrigo – Azules (bright blue day)
Malabrigo – Bobby Blue (light blue day)
Malabrigo – Natural (clouds)
Malabrigo – Piedras (thunderstorm, snowstorm, tornado)
Isager – Charcoal Gray (gray days, fog, light rain and light snow)

~#~

From the Song of the Three Cauldrons

 “The Cauldron of Life-Work

gives and is replenished,
promotes and is enlarged,
nourishes and is given life,
ennobles and is exalted,
requests and is filled with answers,
sings and is filled with song,
preserves and is made strong,
arranges and receives arrangements,
maintains and is maintained.
Good is the well of measure.”

~#~

Law of Giving and Receiving Blessings
This law is known by many names: “You reap what you sow” or “What you put out you’ll back 3 times.”  When someone talks about this law, I get it.  I really get revved up by giving and helping someone out.  I find this an essential part of being interconnected with creation and keeping true to my spiritual path (CCWWW).  Meaning: my CO2 helps the trees and the trees’ O2 helps me. 

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about foot washing.  Foot washing was considered a form of hospitality back in the day when traveling was done all on foot.  Having healthy feet was a necessity.    A host would provide water for guests to wash up their feet before joining the meal.  This Bible story occurs during the last supper before Jesus’ death.  Before dinner, Jesus begins washing the Disciple’s feet (John 13:14-17).  Peter, one of the Disciples begins protesting that his beloved teacher shouldn’t be washing his feet; it should be the other way around.  Peter demands to take over the task.  But, Jesus tells the group: “a servant is not greater than his master.”

How this story has been interpreted to me is that everyone is a servant or a friend to another.  This friendliness isn’t dependent on who the person is or who the person is receiving this gift of service.  No one is greater than another; and there are no strings attached in this type of action.  You serve others because it’s part being active in this earthy cycle of giving and receiving.

What I have realized in this Zazen Zen Meditation is there is another part to this story: allowing others the opportunity to be givers and servants to me.  When I don’t ask for help or allow someone to help me out  - I’m denying this other person access to this cycle.  I’m not allowing them to have a generous giving heart.  I turn into a Peter in a sense. 

I have been reflecting back on what my big desires are this year.  The desires I feel nudged by Motherfather Spirit to get done.  Several of them I know that I’ll need to ask for someone’s help.  One of my re-solutions this year will be to practice asking for help. 

~#~ 

Activity:

KAL (Knit Along or Crochet Along) 2013 – Getting in touch with the sky and weather.

I don't know if you have this problem in the winter?  It is hard to stay connected with the earth from inside during the cold.  I think it is so easy in our modern society to be camped out in cubicle land, drive home and camp out in front of the television.  I believe when we follow this pattern it leads us to be out of touch with the land and frankly out of harmony with everything.  Part of being a CCWWW is walking with nature through the seasons and being observant of her Wowness.  Knowing the phases of the moon and sun and watching the trees change their clothes; this is the mystery and magic around you.

I would like to invite you to join me for KAL project for yourself.  It is a scarf that will put you in touch with the sky color and weather pattern throughout an entire year.  The finished project will be a reminder that you are part of nature and all her Wowness. 

Challenge #1:  Go into a yarn store with a print out of the directions and ask for help picking out the yarn.  

Challenge #2:  If you don’t know how to knit or crochet ask someone to teach you.

Challenge #3: If you know how to knit or crochet ask someone to share a pattern with you.

Challenge #4: Ask someone how they would classify the sky for the day.

Feather and Fan pattern:

Cast on 40 stitches.  Knit 3 rows. 
Row 1 (Right Side) Knit to the end of row
Row 2 (Wrong Side) Knit two and place a marker.  Purl until you get to the last 2 stitches, place a marker and Knit last 2 stitches
Row 3 (Right side) Knit 2, * (Knit 2 together) 3 times, (yo, Knit 1) 6 times, (Knit 2 together) 3 times *place a marker.  Repeat the portion between the **s once; Knit last 2 stitches.

Row 4 (Wrong Side) Knit to end of row.