As we cozy up to the enchanting embrace of winter’s solstice, let’s embark on a musical journey like no other. We’ve got not one but two incredible renditions of Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’ that are guaranteed to send shivers down your spine, leave you on the edge of your seat, and fill your soul with awe.
Get ready to be mesmerized as we explore these riveting performances! Which one will steal your heart and whisk you away to the winter wonderland of music?
Stay tuned for the showdown of the season! #VivaldiWinter #MusicalMagic”
.
Or…..
.
Enjoy this time of hibernation, dreams and “tearing it up” a little!
However you like to celebrate, remember to spread the love and do what you can to lift someone else up.
Calling ourselves “Scar Clan” emerged through the threads of love and the tapestry of long life, and has bound us together in a unique bond, marked by shared experiences and cherished memories. As we gather before our Dia de los Muertos altar, we long for the day when we can reunite with our ancestors, celebrating the eternal connection that runs through our veins.
With every offering placed upon the altar, we honor the past and anticipate the future, knowing that our love will guide us to that sacred heart where our ancestors await, ready to welcome us into their timeless embrace.
We create an altar and invite our ancestors to return home and visit. During this week we celebrate life and love together as we offer remembrance and gifts.
Dia de los Muertos
October 28 – November 3rd
October 28th – The first candle is lit, and a white flower is placed to receive lost souls.
October 29th – The next candle is lit, and a case of water is placed, dedicated to the abandoned and forgotten deceased.
October 30th – Another candle is lit, a glass of water is placed, and white bread is placed, for the deceased who left without eating, perhaps through an accident.
October 31st – Another candle is lit, a glass of water is placed, a white bread is placed, and we add some fruit for our ancestors.
November 1st – All Saint’s Day, the souls who died as children arrive this day. All the food is put on the altar.
November 2nd – Day of the faithful departed. Souls of the dead adults come to collect and eat the offering that their families place.
November 3rd – The last white candle is lit, and we say goodbye to our deceased and the offering is removed.
Supplies
Candles 5
Water carafe, glass of water
White Flower 1, Flowers for display, such as traditional marigolds
As the world slowly thaws out from the long, cold winter, it can be hard to shake off the sluggishness and gloom that often comes with the season. But fear not, dear readers, for the arrival of spring brings with it a renewed sense of hope and possibility.
The buds on the trees and the blossoms on the flowers are a reminder that even in the darkest of times, new life is always waiting just around the corner. The world is waking up from its slumber, and so too can we. It’s time to shed those heavy winter layers, both physically and emotionally, and step out into the bright, warm sunshine.
Sure, there may be days when the clouds gather and the rain pours down, but even on those days, there is something to be grateful for. The smell of fresh rain on the pavement, the sound of birds chirping in the trees, the sight of a rainbow stretching across the sky – all of these things are reminders that there is beauty in every moment, even the difficult ones.
So, if you’re feeling down, take heart in the arrival of spring. Take a walk in nature and feel the sun on your face. Plant some flowers and watch them grow. Reach out to a friend and reconnect. And remember that just as the world is constantly renewing itself, so too can we renew ourselves and find hope and joy in the midst of darkness.
Life is a wild, unpredictable ride, but we’re all in it together. So, let’s embrace the new season with open hearts and open minds, and see where this journey takes us.
I am SO ready for spring this year! The new moon cycle began on the 13th and next Saturday, March 20, is the Spring Equinox. ::Rebel Yell Inserted Here::! Here is a photo of an old rose from the garden I hope you enjoy.
With so much chaos in so many areas around the world, I am reminded that Nature is a reliable guide to follow in the day-to-day of life. The Covid pandemic over the last year has changed so much in our world and most people’s lives are still changing. One thing that really stands out for me is that the need for civil discourse is evident everywhere and it’s time to take a collective deep breath. On a hopeful note, as the tide of herd immunity comes in to our society, vaccines are becoming available to a second, wider tier of citizens.
There’s a storm outside right now as I sit at my window to work. I’m hoping for thunder and lightning! The garden’s colorful flowers pop through the grey stormy light and tickle me with a reminder that life always comes again.
I’m reminded that the Navajo say that they do not use drums or other loud instruments during the winter time; aware that many creatures are hibernating. When the lightning strikes the earth in the moon cycle before spring, (about NOW), it is a signal to the sleeping ones to wake up.
We are taught that it’s good to go outside and stretch when we hear that thunder. We’re told that it’s a good time to get your tools and ‘medicine things’ ready for the year.
For me, being aware of Nature’s cycles helps me align with a larger life. It takes me out of my head and into my heart; loving my garden and the sun and moon cycles – and remembering a deeper truth.
Mark the Equinox on your calendar – 3/20/21 – and celebrate the coming of spring!
We try to plan. But, as we move through life, things just happen.
We’ll set goals each year but, …. The Gods laugh. Make all the plans you want. The Universe, in its own time, is going to show up.
As they say, mess happens.
Those precious Life Skills develop for us as we learn to navigate the changes thrust upon us by Universe’s upsetting Hammer-of-Chaos.
The thing stands out as I move through my years is this; you need to be able to pause at any moment and not lose your stuff.
What do we do when everything shifts on us? Pause. We re-calibrate our efforts to match the new energy available and move forward. Refocus. Stay on target.
Then, there’s the empathetic piece. Everyone has something going on and we need to be kind. Can we pause long enough to, not only answer the call in that moment; but be generous and even kind?
That can be hard to do.
But, people crave kindness. I know I do. I want to be able to give it.
That’s really the point of this Universal exercise, I think. The Hammer-of-Chaos. It’s another integrity check for us to live with. An expanding personal boundary.
We have the responsibility to manage our own stuff such that we have the room to give a little. If we run ourselves too low on energy reserves, we’ll become brittle and break instead of bending in a wind.
We’re more likely to lose it at someone instead of being able to hold a ‘pause’ for them – and ourselves.
Today, in my workout, we were asked to do a new move that required intense focus… then, we were asked to pause. Next, came the impossible request: lift one leg.
As this workout unfolded, I found myself pondering how very much I struggled – until I just let go.
Let go. Relax. Stay focused.
Then, like a warm breeze, you are simply being in the moment. Alive and living your life. This pause isthe imprint. Breathe it in!
That’s what I learned. The doorway home is the release of struggle. There’s real strength in that pause.
The loss of balance is a precious opportunity to adjust. To pause. To harmonize vibration and renew our target for intention.
It’s our opportunity to be radiant.
Note:
This piece was originally published in February, before Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement changed the entire world.
I thought to bring it forward again now, June 13, 2020, as a hopeful offering about something we can all do to make things a little better right now.
We need each other.
We need to live with the ability to be generous to each other in the face of our own stuff coming up. Be civil. Be loving. There are more changes coming.
If you’ve never sat in a Lakota Stone-People Lodge and listened to sacred songs sung in their deep, deep language… well, it is moving.
I’m remembering a dark night in the hills by the lake with the sound of drumming in the air. That was an Earth heartbeat. The fire used in ceremony is the energy of the stars. Power is afoot.
I felt to share this sacred healing song because it seems to convey the heart and humility of an Earth people crying out to spirit for the benefit of their people.
As Grandpa taught us; “If you’re going to say something and break the silence, then say something good”. Prayers like this epitomize saying something good. Something worthy of breaking a sacred silence.
