The Priestess Is In

Cow Peace, llvl

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Living in the country, I wind up learning country things.

Who knew that calves could be escape artists between the second and third wires?

I never dreamed I’d be worrying about untangling a goat either when I moved here. After all, I’d lived here before and never untangled a goat in all those years. I never worried about loose calves then either.

But I like having farmers I can ask questions and get answers like, they milk at six, they’ll be home. (It was 5:30!)

I do try and notice the Earth, although I’m not a very back to Nature or dig in the dirt kind of girl. But I take the web of life seriously. And I work hard at being a good neighbor, at doing good. So, when the cows are at Peace, I can be too.

(and besides last night was the night for the animals to have the gift of speech if you’re a Pagan, you wanted him to be around to talk to the sheep, didn’t you? And you didn’t want him to be on the loose…)

Peace on Earth everyone… and watch out for free ranging calves.

LLVL51Dec22

Solstice Sabbath Peace, llvl

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So much newness going on. It’s the new Cold Night Moon. It’s the Midwinter Solstice (6:03 pm). Blessed Dark! It’s still Chanukah! More light! It’s the Fourth Week of Advent: Peace on Earth! (And Hope! and Joy! and Love!) It’s also the Sabbath and I’m so taking a nap after services today!

(I’m going to start talking about the moon to get us ready. As we leave a year of living locally, we’re entering a year of Lunacy: by the end of the year, we’ll be looking for that orb in the sky and appreciating how the Moon works on our lives!

Although many people will be celebrating the return of the light, I will be lingering in the Dark… I celebrate its beauty and its calm. I’m not a naturally quiet person, so when the season turns dark, I’m encouraged to tunnel down into the Beauty and Silence.

Soon we’ll have snow and that will lighten the world considerably… but for now, shhh, the world is sleeping.

Peace to you, my friends. Peace on Earth! Wishing you Joy in this season of Sacred Holidays, whatever you celebrate. (and whatever you do, if you can find it in you, celebrate!)

LLVL51Dec21

Family Talk Peace, llvl

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Someone remarked the other day how tiresome it was that no one seemed to worry about the simple courtesies. He thought it seemed that there were fewer pleases and thank yous.

I’ve noticed that people seem less aware of where they are in space in relation to the rest of the world. But maybe I’m just a grumpy old person.

Simple kindness, being present, being grateful feel like lovely things for us to teach — and lovely things for us to remember. Because it’s probably not just the kid.

And I can’t say the thoughtlessness we overheard last night was new. And we certainly weren’t winning any prizes for minding our own business. And I admit that the three of us are all fairly talented at eavesdropping — but (and actually we can’t remember the man’s opening salvo) it’s probably not a good idea to school another adult in public for their existence. It wasn’t like telling a child to sit down we’re eating, it was more like, “this is how you’ve made a complete mess of your life,” in front of eight family members at the table and a restaurant full of folk.

I’m betting that if we all refrained from leading with our beloved’s weaknesses, particularly in public, we might all have much happier holidays. Whatever we celebrate. Just a little thought about working for Peace on Earth, Joy to the World.

LLVL51Dec20

Slow, Running Peace, llvl

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Yesterday I gave in to the season. I moved at the speed the day was moving. Slow. It was very interesting. Lots got done, but all of them little things, one after the next. By the end of the day, it was beginning to look a little like Solstice in here.

Slowing it down is a good thing. I’d been jamming to get everything finished last week, which is when most of my big deadlines were. Now there’s just the endless amount of paperwork, but I even got through most of that.

Am I actually going to listen to myself and take it slowly? The season demands a little attention. No sense babbling on about loving the dark if I don’t in fact embrace it! Missing all the family members demands a little space for the heart to be tender.

How about you? Are you able to give yourself some time; able let the days go by at their own speed?

I know there’s still too much. I’m still distracted. I lost my driver’s license, I’m off to get it renewed. I’m hoping I won’t have to get a new picture because I slammed my face into a wall yesterday and have a major bump, instead of a curl, right in the middle of my forehead. another sign I’m moving too quickly… But the days are slow… so maybe they’ll coax me to follow. There’s so much magic here… time to enjoy…

How about you? are you willing to give yourself some Peace of the season? I hope so. Make it nice for yourself and those you love. You deserve it. Contemplate Peace by the doing of it.

LLVL51Dec19

Peace Where You Are, llvl

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You know me, I love the holidays. I like pretty much whatever holidays I run into. It started with that trip to Sweden my senior year in high school. Swedish Christmas, so different and yet so festive. I’d grown up a quietly religious girl, Christmas there was fairly secular but steeped in cultural traditions. I got to spend 5 Christmases with family and friends over there. It forever changed how I celebrate.

And then I lived in NY. This time of year, it’s all about the bright lights. But my dearest friend there was Jewish. And so I was invited in to all those fun experiences. And foods. I really love festal foods. I like the rhythm of going back, year after year and having the right foods at the right time. To sit at table with people you love.

For me it’s not about the particular holiday, it’s about the whole experience with all the amazing sensory experiences — and the Love. It’s always about the Love for me.

And then it was off to CA… and that was the first time I really firmed up my own sense of these sacred days… Oh, yes, the Solstice. And the house on the hill overlooking the bay. And the friends. We got to design it to fit us. Our home… pretty fun.

And then back here to the family and what they needed, wanted. When I came back, I don’t think I understood how much their needs needed to be first. And so went the first 12 years. But in the midst of that, I was growing into a new community who had their own celebrations and they fit very well!

And now, we’ll see… But all these holidays gave me such pleasure, have such distinct flavors, taught me so much. As the song says: there is more love somewhere… hopefully it’s where we decide to be… Peace on Earth! whatever you celebrate, whoever you are! Joy to the World!

LLVL51Dec18

Little Bits of Peace, llvl

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This is a crazy-making time of year. Everyone’s caroling about Heavenly Peace, and meanwhile, back on Earth, people, particularly parents are going cray-cray.

Oh, It’s the break for Winter Holidays. Let’s throw in the end of the year madness so that no one has any time at all to enjoy things.

So, I’m coping any way I can, but one way is to celebrate each little bit of completion as a gaily wrapped Holiday Package under the tree I haven’t done anything about putting up.

Yesterday, it seems I wasn’t alone in feeling the stress. There was more than one FB post saying “ack.” (or alackaday… how come no one says that anymore? Robin Hood and the Sherwood Forest Gang used to say it all the time.)

So if you’re making a list (and checking it 800 times, sure the jolly red-suited guy only needs to check his twice, well isn’t HE special?), you might want to keep a little tally of everything you’ve done. At some point you might decide, “that’s enough!” no matter what else is on your list.

But I wish you small islands of Sanity, small experiences of the Sacred Dark and Quiet, and yes, you know me, I’ll keep holding up Peace as something to aspire to! Maybe it will inspire us to put down the list and enjoy something we love. And along with Deb Slade in this beautiful photo (look you can see a snowflake!), I’m hoping for snow. We don’t want the reindeer to have to work hard in case they have to land! And besides, getting snowed in would mean a bunch of things got accomplished! pant, pant, pant.

LLVL51Dec17