Monday, December 30, 2013

Celebrating the New Moon and Full Moon




The moon is an excellent tool for self improvement, to move you closer to who you want to be.  You can use it to bring good things into your life and you can use it to let go of things that no longer serve you.

PHASES OF THE MOON
Each month the moon becomes New as it meets up in the same astrological sign that the sun is currently in. It moves through the signs until it is opposite the sun at the time of the Full Moon and then continues on until it becomes New in the next sign as it meets up again with the moving sun.

As the moon moves through its phases it brings certain energy with it. The time of the New Moon is for setting intentions. As the moon grows we begin to work on those intentions. At the Full Moon we are at a time of culmination and release. As the moon shrinks away again we are incorporating and adjusting and we find a period of quiet reflection just before the moon becomes New again. Cafe Astrology explains the phases of the moon in more detail. 


INTENTIONS AND RELEASE
I like to think of the New Moon as a time when your emotions (moon) and your expression (sun) are in the same place. And there is a great power of intention in that area of your life. And I like to think of the Full Moon as a time when your emotions (moon) and your expression (sun) need to find balance with each other. Sort of like the balance between desire and reality. You become aware of how the intention you set at the New Moon needs to be adjusted and you have the opportunity to release the things that are holding you back from achieving your intention. 

"New Moons are a blank page on which to speak your dreams out loud, and Full Moons are for taking action and celebrating the fruit of your efforts. Every new Moon is different, and this gives you the chance to claim the energies of each different sign. Find out where the new Moon falls in your chart for clues as to what to "call in" that month."

Let's use the example of a person who wants to lose weight who decided during the New Moon to eat healthier. He sets his intention, "I eat diet of clean, unprocessed foods in appropriate quantities." By the Full Moon, he will begin to see the challenges to his intentions ... the cost of healthier foods, the nights he works late and needs a fast, easy option. It is at this point that he sees the real world challenges to his desire and can take this opportunity to release what is holding him back. 


RITUALS
Many people engage in rituals to set their intentions and release what is holding them back.

During the New Moon, I write my intentions on a piece of paper. I light a candle and speak my intentions to the Universe and then place them under a quartz crystal. This year I would also like to add an element of creativity to my intentions by creating a journal where I will create a collage or doodle or art piece to support my intentions and I would like to add an offering. There are plenty of fabulous rituals you can find both simple and complex.

During the Full Moon, I look back over my intentions and decide what I feel is holding me back from achieving them fully. I write those items on pieces of paper and I burn them. I have a special bowl and a spot in my yard where I like to do this but I have been know to gather up a larger pot in the middle of a dinner party so all my friends can do it to! Again there are plenty of rituals to draw from and you should use or create what works best for you.


WHAT AREA OF YOUR LIFE IS BEING AFFECTED
Depending on what sign the moon and sun are in and what house that means for you will determine the best area for your intentions. 

I look at both the sign and the house that the New Moon fall in and determine what they together mean to me.



New Moon in Signs
Aries 
SELF Show a pure part of yourself to the world. Take action. Be assertive. Find ways to rely on yourself. 

Taurus 
RELAX. Breed contentment. Enjoy life's pleasures (food, nature, etc). Stop and smell the roses. Reevaluate possessions. Dream up ways to increase money. Beautify home. 

Gemini 
KNOWLEDGE Be comfortable with people. Listen to enjoy the moment (not just for the answer). Socialize. Begin a new writing project and find new ways to express myself.. Don't strive for an answer but be content to gain knowledge. 

Cancer 
EMOTIONAL Honor deepest, most irrational and intimate feelings 

Leo 
PRIVILEGE Take pride in yourself. Build self confidence. Deal with others in a personal, emotional manner. Add more playtime. Engage in hobbies. 

Virgo 
THINKING Make sense of our lives. Start a health regime. Set up routines and organize. Practice mindfullness. 

Libra 
OTHERS Make peace with those around us. Work on tact and negotiation skills. Put yourself in partners shoes and learn something. 

Scorpio 
CHAOS Take chances. Don't be content with the status quo. Tackle things that undermine (compulsive behaviors, addictions). Learn to merge with another being without giving away all our energy. Release fear of confrontation. Develop strength and depth of character. 

Sagittarius
WISDOM Focus on the big picture. Increase understanding and awareness. Branch out to a new way of thinking. Work on positive thinking as a way of life. 

Capricorn 
LOGICAL Set practical goals. Ambition. Recognize limitations so we can see what really matters. 

Aquarius 
PURPOSE Reach out and find support. Brainstorm. Detach from issues. Reach out to people. 

Pisces 
FEELING Take a leap of faith. Accept imperfections. Put yourself in others shoes. Enjoy imaginative experiences. Start a creative project. Rejuvenate. 



Full Moon in Signs
Aries 
Self vs Others. As we heal and become more balanced within, working together becomes easier because emotions that previously blocked progress are resolved. Burn through emotional debris. What must be left behind? What can you bring with you? 

Taurus 
Steady Progress vs. Transformation. This energy can help you be empowered, overcome obstacles and heal. There may be some stuck or lodged emotions that may surface. Who are what are you loyal to? This is such an important question during this Full Moon in Taurus. Does your loyalty cost you in some way? Spiritually, mentally, emotionally or physically? Do you remain attached to something or someone even when it is toxic and unhealthy for you? Are you attached to a friendship that has long grown apart and is now a dead weight on your path, but you remain loyal? Are you loyal to being attached to possessions instead of deeper values? Loyalty is a wonderful quality, yet the most important loyalty is to Soul. And many people are simply loyal to everything and everyone other than Soul. 

Gemini 
Information vs Wisdom. A Gemini Moon encourages us to think logically, while Sagittarius persuades us to think in a far broader manner. Sagittarius symbolizes the quest for meaning and ideas that expand upon the here and now. Gemini is quite comfortable in his or her immediate environment or neighborhood, while Sagittarius stimulates us to venture beyond. 

Cancer 
Emotion vs Logic. Cancer wants, Capricorn says “Not so fast”. If there’s something (or someone) that you just gotta have, take a step back. Trying to mold/nudge/manipulate a scenario into something that makes you feel secure will not work. Neither will forcing your nurturing onto someone else. Instead, ask yourself the following:
Why do I need ___ to happen so badly?
What’s missing, and is there another way I can supply it?
Chances are the person/goal you can’t have is just a stand in; you want what they represent. 

Leo 
Entitlement vs. Inspiration How badly do you want to stand out and what are you going to do about it? How important is it for you to get your way in a certain scenario? What do you have to offer that makes you special? think about what Leo and Aquarius have in common. They both stand out. One is about ego (Leo) and the other is about liberation from ego (Aquarius). Aquarius is so far out there that being number 1 or receiving applause doesn’t matter anymore and that’s what makes Aquarius special. 

Virgo 
Thinking vs. Feeling. Virgo rules the tools and techniques that we use to deal with day-to-day life, while Pisces rules the tools that we use to deal with our spiritual selves. Some sort of crisis (which can be a crisis of consciousness) or sudden awareness of a lack in our lives provides us with a golden opportunity to explore our emotional needs This Full Moon urges us to strike a balance between work and service, practicality and impracticality, criticism and acceptance. 

Libra 
Self vs. Others. The Aries-Libra polarity is a relationship axis, where Aries represents "self" and Libra represents "other". Where Aries is about self-assertion, Libra is about compromise. This Full Moon urges us to strike a balance between meeting our personal needs and tending to the needs of a significant other, and between independence or autonomy and dependence or companionability. 

Scorpio 
Chaos vs. Relaxation The Scorpio-Taurus axis is about going deep, physically merging with Earth or energetically/sexually merging with a lover. At the Big Reveal of the Full Moon, you see what you're enmeshed in -- is it healthy or is it a toxic wasteland? Can the negativity be transformed, or is it time to make a clean break? 

Sagittarius
Wisdom (Moral) vs Knowledge (Rational). The Gemini-Sagittarius polarity is a mental axis, where Gemini represents the "lower mind" and Sagittarius represents the "higher mind". The Gemini Sun encourages us to think logically, while the Sagittarius Moon persuades us to intuit, and to think in a broader manner. Sagittarius symbolizes the quest for meaning and ideas that expand upon the "here and now". Gemini is quite comfortable in his or her immediate environment or neighborhood, while Sagittarius stimulates us to venture beyond it. 

Capricorn 
Logical (Discipline) vs Emotional (Creativity). In some ways, this polarity deals with the balance between unconditional love and conditional love. Cancer encourages us to value our home base and our roots, while Capricorn persuades us to consider our sense of duty and responsibility along public or professional lines. While Cancer may be content to be dependent, Capricorn urges us to be grown-up and responsible. Cancer represents the origin, and Capricorn represents the goal. 

Aquarius 
Personal Goals vs Collective Need 

Pisces 
Feeling vs Thinking. It deals with the balance between day-to-day functions and routines, physical health, and the need for order (Virgo) and vision, spiritual health, disorder, and the infinite (Pisces). Virgo rules our personal set of tools and techniques that we use to deal with day-to-day life, while Pisces rules our tools that we use to deal with our spirituality. The key to balance lies in identifying and expressing our spiritual needs, while maintaining order in our everyday lives. 







Friday, December 27, 2013

An Astrology Primer



I love astrology.  I have been studying it for years.  I have collected lots of facts and site links and books.  I have created notes and charts and spreadsheets.  It is time to put it all in one place.  And I am happy to share with you.

WHO ARE YOU?
The first thing you need to do is get a natal chart for yourself.  You need to have your birth information handy and then you will have a lovely picture of your assets and challenges, your strengths and weaknesses.

The Natal Astrological Chart... Your Self Portrait

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?
Once you know what you look like, you can use that information to decide what you want to enhance and what you want to change.

Staying on Track ... Creating a Map for Your Life

TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Knowing how of the energy of the planets affects you during different periods of your life can help you plan the best times to move ahead with projects and plans and the best times to hunker down and weather the storm.

Astrological Aspects ... The Timing of Energy

THE YEAR AHEAD
I love to create a picture of what the year ahead will look like,  It helps me to focus my energy around work or home or my personal growth.  A post is in the works!

WHAT DOES LIFE HOLD?
I have just started playing around with making an overview chart for my life.  I can't wait to see what unfolds!  A post is in the works!

USING THE MOON
The moon controls our emotions and working with the cycles of the moon is very supportive to your emotional body.  The phases of the moon also signal times of big changes.  A post is in the works.

Keep in mind that I am not an astrologer!  I have studied for years and I have put my own spin on things.  My information is not meant to be the definitive answer but a look into how I use this wonderful tool.

For more information on astrology, I love these sites ...
Ruby Slipper
Future Minders
Cafe Astrology
Astrology Zone



Astrological Aspects ... The Timing of Energy


Even though they are millions of miles away, the energy of the planets affects us each day.  Knowing about this can help us use it most effectively.

The way the planets interact with each other or with the position of the planets at the time of our birth determines the energy.  This energy can be positive and provide lots of opportunity or it can be more challenging and provide us with lots of obstacles and lessons.  Exactly what happens depends on the planets involved and where they happen to be for you.

ASPECTS
The planets move around the 360 degree circle of the zodiac and as they move they make different aspects.
Simply, when the planetary aspects are ...
conjunt ... they are right on top of each other and join forces to create an intense energy
trine ... they are 120 degrees apart and provide luck and harmony for you to manifest your desires
sextile ... they are 60 degrees apart and create opportunities that require action
opposition ... they are 180 degrees apart from each other and require balance
square ... they are 90 degrees apart and create conflict

I get a rough idea of the aspect of a planet by looking at the signs of the two planets.

When you look at the 12 signs of the zodiac ...
conjunt ... are in the same sign
trine ... are in Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sag), Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) or Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)
sextile ... are two signs apart
opposition ... are opposite signs
square ...  Aries, Libra,  Cancer and Capricorn or Taurus, or they are in Scorpio, Leo and Aquarius or they are in Gemini, Sag, Virgo and Pisces

DETERMINING ASPECTS
Great, so how do you use this information?
As I mentioned before you can look at the way the planets interact with each other or with the position of the planets at the time of our birth.  

Once I know if the planets are generally in aspect, I need to look at the degree each planet is at to be sure they really are in aspect.  Find Your Fate has tables for every planet for basically eternity!  If two planets are at the same degree in their aspecting signs then they are exact but I go out 3 degrees in each direction and some people go out 8 degrees

WORKING WITH ASPECTS
Let's do an example of planets interacting with each other on a given day.  This energy will impact everyone.

Mars has just moved into Libra and I know that Pluto is in Capricorn.  I know from my list above that these signs are square to each other.  Pluto is slow moving and is spending most of December at 10 degrees.  I check to see when Mars is going to be between 7  and 13 degrees (plus or minus 3 degree from PLuto's 10 degrees).  December 22nd through January 8th.

Now you see this conflict between Mars and Pluto.  You can figure out what this means by knowing the energy of the planets.  Or you can hop over to Cafe Astrology.  On the right hand menu they have a list of transits by planets.    I would head over to Mars Transits and see what it had to say about Mars squaring Pluto.  Basically it tells me that people will be sensitive to not being in control and will try really hard to get the upper hand.  Handy to be aware of that to manage my own behavior and to let go of some of the aggravation I am sure to encounter with others during this period.

Cafe Astrology posts a list each month of the aspects.

It is a lot of work to track these aspects so I am in love with Ruby Slipper Astrology to keep up with this.  Nadia points out the most powerful aspects and gives a great overview of what will happen and how you can handle it.

WORKING WITH YOUR PERSONAL ASPECTS
We can do the exact same exercise to see the energy that is directly impacting you, but not everyone around you, by looking at how the planets moving around today aspect the planets as they were at the time of your birth.  You will need to have your natal chart for this.

So, lets look at Pluto again. We know he is currently at 10 degrees Capricorn.  So I look at my natal chart and I see that I happen to have a planet, the Moon, at 15 degrees Cancer.  Almost opposite Pluto.  They will be opposite when Pluto is between 12 and 18 degrees.   I check to see when this will happen and I find out it will start in January and last into 2015.  I head over to The Future Minders.   Scroll down to the bottom and click on the transits by planet.  I see that my transit signals enormous emotional change.  Again, something handy to be aware of.  I can calm myself by understanding what is happening and if it happens to be really difficult, I know when it will be over!

Again, it is a lot of work to look at all of the aspects that are going to hit your natal chart, but if you just pick a short period of time and only focus on the outer planets (Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter and Saturn) it wont take but a few hours and will show you the most powerful opportunities and challenges.

USING HOUSES
You can even go one step farther by checking the houses these planets are in for you to see exactly what area of your life is being affected.   Your first house is the house that your Rising Sign is in and then just count around from there!




The Natal Astrological Chart ... Your Self Portrait



Want to get a clear picture of who you are?  Want to figure out what your positive aspects are so you can enjoy and share them?  Want to find out where you are stuck so you can try to release those blocks?

Then a natal chart is for you.  It is a chart that tells exactly where the planets were the moment you were born.  The location of the planets and how they interact with each other at that moment paint the picture of who you are.


THE BASIC CHART
My favorite site for finding out these locations is Astrolabe.  Head over there and fill in your birth information to get a chart and a short description of what each planet means for you based on where it was located.  Each planet brings with it some good traits and some more difficult traits.   Our goal in life is to release these negative traits and really focus our energy on expressing the positive ones.  The better we do that, the more peaceful and healthy and productive our lives will be.  

GOING DEEPER
Now you have a pretty good picture of yourself.  But we can go even deeper by looking at the aspects (another word for angles) the planets made to each other the moment you were born... where they right next to each other or across or making a difficult 90 degree angle.  

Always Astrology maps out the aspects at the time of your birth for you.  Fill in the information and display the chart.  Then scroll down to the Display Options and select "Display List of Aspects" and redraw the chart.  If you scroll all the way to the bottom you will get a list of planets with conjunction, square, trine.  Make a note of these and then head over to Rainbow's End to understand what each of the aspects means.   You now have a much more complete picture of your assets and challenges.

YOUR PURPOSE, PERHAPS
I like to add two additional pieces of information to my charts that give you a good indication of your biggest gift in this life and your biggest challenge.  

Your Rising Sign has many purposes but I love the idea that it indicates your soul purpose, what you are here to share in this life.  This site by Alan Oken gives a great overview of each Rising Sign. 

North and South Nodes are my favorite astrological discovery as they reveal your biggest obstacle, perhaps even a karmic challenge.  Your South Node indicates where you are coming from.  It is the behavior you fall back on when you feel uncomfortable and the habits you are trying to break.  Your North Node indicates where you are going.  It is what you need to strive to embrace instead of falling back on those bad habits.  I love the site Raging Universe for detailed descriptions of each node.  (The best way to get there is to figure out your North Node and then search on "raging universe north node in " then do the same for your South Node.  

WORKING WITH YOUR NATAL DISCOVERY
Now that you have all of this information, what do you do with it?  Well, it can be entertaining just to know all of this stuff but I like to put it to good use.  So I  use it is an input to the map for my life where I incorporate it into my goals and let it guide my decision making.   I do my best at taking my assets and making them even better and sharing them with others.  And I do my best to manage the challenges I have.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Staying on Track ... Creating a Map for Your Life



I spend a lot of time trying to rid myself of the negative, limiting things in my life and trying to enhance the gifts and opportunities I have been given.   I read books and meditate and take classes and journal.   I have gained a lot of insight into myself.  But sometimes I have trouble remembering it!

So I created a Map for My Life to act of my guide when I am faced with troubling circumstances or important decisions.  Your Map uses things you find out about your intention to help support you in generating the most possible positive energy and will help you work to release blockages.

My Map is set up in a spreadsheet, although I have toyed with making it in to a picture.  But it could also be a written story or a list of words.  I use a lot of astrology and numerology and chakra knowledge to help generate my Map.   But your only input could be your quite mind or maybe a close friend.  

The first two areas of my Map are ... What Do I Bring to This Life? and What Do I Need to Resolve?   I spend a good deal of time forming the lists of my gifts and talent and of the things that weigh me down.  "I am artistic and ahead of my time."  "I inspire others to see the divine in the everyday."  "I am a perfectionist."  "I do things for the praise of others."  This took me a long time and I revise it often as I discover new ways of getting in touch with myself.  

The next area of my Map is Intentions.  I make a list of intentions to support really making use of my gifts and a list of intentions to modify the negative things in my life.  "I combine creativity and discipline."  "I share what I need instead of correcting what others are doing." "I create for the pure joy that the process brings me."   If I put all of these intentions together, I would have a picture of the person I strive to be.  I refer to this list when I make decisions or I am having a crisis.  I check in to make sure what I am doing supports my intentions.

The last area of my Map are Actions.  These actions are the day-to-day things I can do to begin living my intentions, the things that will help me to move closer to where I want to be.   Have dates with my kids.  Dance.  Paint.  Collect memories, not things. These actions get put into my Pinterest boards, to do list or Sadhana so that I am reminded of their importance.  I add or remove actions as I progress down my path.

Everyday I am grateful that I have my Map to help me navigate the path of life!


The Intention vs The Path .. Hiking the Trail of Life


I have been thinking a lot about how on one hand I believe that we can manifest whatever we want in our lives but how on the other hand we are here for a certain purpose and we are provided with different lessons and opportunities to achieve that purpose.  So what's the answer?  Do we have the power or not?

I decided that it is a combination of both.  I believe that we set intentions, both big and small, and we can achieve them if we put the full force of our energy behind them.  Generating positive energy around an intention will help it to manifest. But the path we take to get there is not of our choosing.  I believe that there is a path of lessons and opportunities that is mapped out for us to follow in order to arrive at our intentions.

I believe we make some big intentions before we come in to this life. We make a soul contract regarding what we want to achieve.  What talents do you come into this life with? What type of beauty are you here to create? What do you need to overcome?  Your past lives help to determine what your intentions will be.  Your intentions are reflected in your natal astrology chart and in numerology. They clearly communicate what strengths you need to radiate and what weaknesses you need to overcome.  There are also smaller intentions that we make while we are in this life. 

While we have set out intentions, the path is determined by the universe. It takes on a journey that helps us to grow and learn lesson and have experiences that will help us generate even more positive energy.
Your path is reflected in astrology. Your progressed chart gives you an overview of key events in your life and the aspects and astrological events show you to little steps along the path. By generating positive energy and trusting the universe you can clearly follow the road signs along the path.   Your path is also communicated to you via your intuition, tarot and signs along the way. Again, your positive energy will make you able to read these signs and smoothly follow the path that has been set for you.

I think about it like taking a little hike in the woods.  I decide where I want to go (set my intention) and I get dressed and pack my backpack (put all of my energy behind arriving at my destination).  Then I head out on the trail to my destination (I let go and follow the path).  Along the way I will stop to see interesting plants or watch animals (opportunities) or I might trip and fall or find a change in the weather that I need to deal with (lessons).   If I follow the trail and handle each diversion with positive energy, I will arrive at my destination.. perhaps a little later or dirtier or earlier or with pockets full of rocks and leaves... but I will arrive.  If I refuse to stay on the trail or I get frustrated by every diversion, I will never reach my destination.   

Getting to my end destination is about how much I want it.  What happens as I travel there is not up to me.  The intention and the path.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Your Story of Purpose ... What the Heck Are We Here For?


I wrote a story.  About why we are here.  

This was an exercise in a book I was reading.  You were asked to write your "creation story".  And at first I was not too interested in completing this particular task.  I have never really been one to care for where we came from.  But as I was coming up with my story, I realized how important it is to have a sense of purpose by which to gauge all of the things that go on on in your life.  A way to comprehend the circumstances that happen to you and a way to validate your decisions.  

Your story might be one that was passed down in your family or by your culture or from your religious organization.  I had none of those so I created my own.  I thought it would be hard but I just closed my eyes and sat their with my journal and it flowed.   It is pretty rough and un-edited.  Really just a guide  for me.  


We are here to create more positive energy.

Nature was created for beauty. To create more positive energy.
Animals were created to experience beauty in movement and constant change.
People were created to create more beauty … art, cooking, dance, feng shui, yoga, sex, blessings

We start out as souls in the Collective Soul. The original souls are the planets and now they guide us and send us all lessons and opportunities. We are born into our bodies bringing with us our purpose to achieve in this life, our primary fear to overcome and our coping habit to change.

The Ego developed to create negative energy. It lives off it. It fooled humans into thinking that material things and power generate more positive energy, But they really generate negative and make you forget your soul.

Messages come from the Collective Soul to help free yourself from the negative energy and remember the Collective Soul. This is your intuition.  The messages are sent by guides in the Collective Soul.
When the soul is done in the host, it returns to the Collective Soul. It can stay awhile and act as a Guide, sending messages. If you are a very aware soul, you can send messages back. And you can always send gratitude.

When you are on earth and you are serving your Soul Purpose and are dealing with your primary fear and you are changing your habit, you are generating more positive energy and raising the general energy of the earth.  

While you are on earth you can be wounded by negative energy and if you don’t deal with the wounds, you keep these wounds with you until you release them in a future life.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Christmas Crunch ... A Tantalizing Mix of Sweet and Salty and Crunchy


It is so yummy.  Make it and you will be Santa's very favorite.

1 box of Rice Chex
1 bag of mini pretzels
2 bags M&Ms
24 ounces of white chocolate candy coating

Mix the Chex, pretzels and M&Ms in a huge bowl.
Microwave the candy coating in the microwave in 30 second intervals until it is all melted.
Mix the candy coating into the other ingredients.
Spread the entire batch of crunch on a piece of parchment and allow the coating to harden.

Enjoy!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Christmas Decoration Scavenger Hunt ... Or Where the Heck Have All the Inflatable Snoopys Gone!?

Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt
Every year I do a Christmas countdown for the kids with a fun thing to do each day in December.

This year has been a big fail almost every day.  We get too busy.  Or the kids just don't feel like making ornaments out of popcorn for the birds.  Or I my husband ate all of the candy canes.

But tonight was a rousing success.  

We did a Christmas Decoration Scavenger Hunt.   We laughed.  We cried.  We agreed not to go home until we had found a large inflatable Snoopy.  We had a great time together.

I can't to do it again next year!


Monday, December 16, 2013

5 Senses Meditation ... Checking In With Myself

I added a new practice to my Sadhana.  I reflect on my 5 senses.

For many years I have reflected on the 4 elements every day... air, water, earth and light... and I have found it to be an amazing experience.  I had no idea that I could be so observant and how what I observed in nature could change so drastically from day to day or location to location.  I have often thought of capturing it all in a piece of daily pottery.  Hmmm, maybe something for the new year...

Anyway, I somehow decided it would be a great idea to do the same thing with my 5 senses because I could observe myself!  (I think I read it somewhere but I just can't recall!)  

I did it for the first time today and it went something like this...
Sight.  My eyes feel dry.  I would love some eye drops.
Taste.  I am really thirsty.
Touch.  My hands feel dry and could use some lotion.
Smell.  I can't smell.  My nose is stuffed up.
Sound.  I hear the dehumidifier humming in the basement.  I guess it is stealing the last bit of moisture out of the air.

I hadn't realized until that moment that I was feeling really dry!  It was a level of awareness of my physical being that I am not sure I have ever achieved.

I wonder how I will feel tomorrow!

  

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Christmas Cookies ... This Year's Recipes


I spent today making Christmas cookies.  

I am not sure anyone likes receiving them anymore, but I just can't help making them.

This year I made....

This was the family favorite!



These tasted like the all-time best gingersnap ever!



These were tasty but the least of the bunch.  The flavors all competed a little too much.



These were really interesting.  I loved the contrast of the savory coconut to the sweet caramel and of the flaky shortbread like cookie to the chewy caramel.


One was more delicious than the next.  Now I must go put on elastic pants and lay on the couch.

Friday, December 13, 2013

I Believe ... Because Santa is Magical and Magical Makes You Happy



I want to believe in Santa Claus again.

When my children were little is was so easy to be swept up in the magic of Santa.  They believed, so I almost did.  I talked about him like he was a real person, I got so excited in the days leading up to his arrival, I helped write letters and bake cookies.  

But now my kids are 7 and 9 and I think we are in our last year of believing.  They are still "all in" but I can tell there is this little glimmer of a question in their mind.  They already know that the men in the furry red suits you find at the tree farm and coming around town in the sled are not really Santa.  And I actually find myself trying to downplay Santa a bit and leaving their gifts in plain sight because I almost want to feed that question in their mind so that they are not crushed when they find out that there really is not Santa Claus.  Like I was.  In 2nd grade.  From my best friend. While making peanut butter Christmas cookies at an after school party.

Since I know that my days are numbered until my kids find out that Santa is not coming down the chimney and  delivering all of the gifts, I really want to find a way to go back to those days of believing in Santa so the Christmas doesn't lose all it's magic and excitement.  When I think back to the most magical days, it was when they were very little.  The excitement was not about the presents, it was about the man.    It was about the idea that there was this special person who knew all about you and cared about your hopes and dreams and loved you unconditionally and was genuinely jolly all the time.

So maybe, couldn't I JUST BELIEVE?  Couldn't I believe that there is this kindly old fellow up in the North Pole surrounded by funny little elves who keep tabs on us all and who showers us all with the gift of being extra happy and crafty and thoughtful and loving at Christmas time?  (I would love to believe that he delivers it all from his sleigh led by eight flying reindeer but I might have to think that one through.)

Could I be so childlike again to believe in something that sounds so crazy but makes me so happy?   Can I once again be swept up in the magic of Santa?  I think that I can!

I can accept that Santa isn't coming to eat my cookies and fill my stocking or attempt his way down my chimney.  I can let go of that charade and let gift giving change in my home.  But I can also accept that I don't need to disprove everything magical in the world with logic.  I can let go of needing to see to believe and needing to have answers to all of my "why"s and how"s.

So from this day forward, I do believe there is a Santa.  That is all I need to know.  And I might just leave him a few cookies, just in case.