Storytelling

"Stories are compasses and architecture; we navigate by them, we build our sanctuaries and our prisons out of them, and [not knowing your] story is to be lost in the vastness of a world that spreads in all directions like arctic tundra or sea ice." - cited by Marie Gauthier

Voyager Tarot 

Should you tell your story? XIII Death. It is liberating to discover the lessons your story holds about yourself and the mystery of life. Let your old worldview pass on so that you can embrace your life in a new way.

How? Five of Wands: Oppression. Look at things in a different light. Feed the energy in your body so that you can move forward bravely. Find a structure or a purpose that will keep you focused so that you finish your task.

Why? Two of Crystals: Equanimity. To gain self-awareness and to find a map for the future. To hear the voice of guidance that may begin to speak as the pattern of your story unfolds before you. To see from above the jumble of confusions of your life and thoughts.

When? Eight of Worlds: Change. As you are changing. In other words: Now! But make sure you are being held. Find someone who is generously willing to witness the discovery of your life lessons.

What do you need to know? Five of Worlds: Setback. Defeat and difficulty are regenerative. If things you depended on dried up, then you must reflect before forward movement is possible. Make sure your story tells of your successes and your skills so that you will remember to rely on them. And always care for your body.

Contemplative Tarot - Carolyn's Question

On her blog, Art of Change, Carolyn Cushing recently offered this question for contemplation: What is the dark offering me in this season of long nights?

…an opportunity to learn from the holidays...

8 of Earth – celebrating outdoors before newly harvested fields. Celebrate as winter approaches, accepting every season as a gift.

After the High Holy Days, came Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah, nine days of celebration and tradition.

During Sukkot, one of the three pilgrimage festivals, many Jews celebrate outdoors, living in temporary shelters representing the structures that the Israelites made during the harvest moon so they could remain near the fields at night; these sukkahs also represent the temporary shelters in which they lived during forty years of wandering in the wilderness. 

Shemini Atzeret is an extra day of festival and seems to have neither agricultural nor historical significance. When describing this holiday, some say that god is like a host asks his guests to… (what's that melody?) stay… just a little bit longer. It is an extra day of togetherness.

Simchat Torah "rejoicing in the Torah." We finish reading D’varim (“These are the words” or Deuteronomy) and begin again at B’reishit (“In the beginning” or Genesis) and begin again. Jill Hammer calls Simchat Torah the Solstice of the Torah because the cycle of readings continues.

These holidays represent celebration of the season's harvest, the passing down of tradition, and a pause to reflect between summer and winter.

Death – the sparkling light on the water draws our attention from the decaying boat to a place of new hope. Be eager to change. 

Shortly after Simchat Torah, we observe the yahrtzeit of Rachel, the anniversary of her death. Later, near the winter solstice, we observe Chanukah.

The Matriarch, Rachel, died giving birth to her second child whom she named Ben Oni, “son of my sorrow.” Her husband, Jacob, sadly buried her by the side of the road. The image of Rachel, crying for her lost children is powerful. Her tears moved god to bring us home.

The Festival of Lights remember the re-dedication of the Temple and encourages us to rededicate ourselves. The Temple was captured and desecrated, but then regained and renewed. Perhaps the seven-branch menorah becomes a nine-branch chanukiah during this holiday because light may sometimes grow brighter after destruction.

These holidays teach us to hold on to hope. Rabbi Alan Berg, currently of Beit Chaverim in Oregon, spoke of breaking a glass at Jewish weddings, "If in the moment of your greatest joy, you can remember your greatest sorrow, then in times of sorrow, you will remember joy."

10 of Fire – combines the imagery of life and destruction. You never know what is next.

Everyone knows there’s spring after winter and light after darkness, but we should not to be blind to the destructive forces that come again and again. The fire represents the Tenth of Tevet, destruction. The trees represent Tu B’Shevat, renewal in spring. The smoke represents Purim.

Purim, observed very near the beginning of spring, is a dark, dark holiday on which god is hidden from us and only chance preserves us. The cycle of the year is not simple or clear. Destruction can come at any time and it may only be chance that averts it.

And yet... it will still be springtime.

Be sure to see Carolyn's blog, here.

Post-It Notes

Do you sometimes scribble notes in the middle of the night, then read them in the morning and wonder what the fuss was all about?

I found one on my bedside table this morning that I think I’ll keep.

I only need to do three things: 
   walk 
   immerse myself in Hebrew 
   learn to love myself

זכרונו לברכה

I am very sad to learn of the passing of W. Gunther Plaut.

The Plaut Torah Commentary and the people I studied with every Shabbat morning were my dear companions and teachers for seven years.

During this last bout of insomnia, I have been spending the middle of the night reading the his Haftarah Commentary. (I'm a little amazed that I never read it before now.)

May Rabbi Plaut's memory be a blessing.

They Did Not Die For You

Jesus was not unique. The Romans murdered thousands of people. Many of them were brave and faithful and loved their fellows.

Rabbi Akiva

On Yom Kippur, Jews recall ten rabbis martyred by Rome.

Rabbi Akiva was arrested and tried for teaching Torah. The Romans tortured him to death by flaying his skin. He spent his final moments reciting the Shema. As he recited, “the Lord is one,” his soul left him.

Rabbis Yishmael and Shimon were imprisoned together. Before the execution, each begged to be killed first so that he wouldn't have to witness the torture and death of his friend.

Rabbi Yishmael’s last words were, “I will trust in You even though You slay me.”

The Gates of Repentance, describing the deaths of these martyrs, says of Rabbi Yehuda:

The Romans had forbidden the ordination of rabbis, decreeing death to ordainer and those ordained, and destruction for any city in which ordination would take place. Rabbi Yehudah ben Bava ordained five in the pass between two cities, Shefaram and Usha. When the enemy soldiers were upon them, Rabbi Yehuda told his disciples to flee. ‘What will become of you?’ they cried. He answered: ‘I shall place myself before them as an immovable rock.’ So he did—and the Roman lances struck him down. But the disciples escaped.

The memory of their lives is a blessing. 

We don't ask you to worship them. We do not claim they died for you.

Feline Friday

"Today, the trellis. Tomorrow, the roof."

Bentley Blockade and Social License

I learned the term "social license" today. It's the idea that people are more powerful than corporations. (Corporations will, no doubt, learn to use the term for their own benefit, but for now, let's be optimists.)

from http://www.ecocitizenaustralia.com.au

Last year, a friend in Australia mentioned meetings in her local community that she was attending to learn about fracking. At that time, all I knew about fracking was that it had created a boom (figuratively speaking) in North Dakota.

I'd read that long-term residents near the North Dakota oil fields weren't happy with the damage to the community and the environment, but…  Jobs! One woman, found work transporting gas, after both she and her husband had been out of work for nearly two years. She was one of only two female truckers working in a place with virtually no law and order, so she carried an iron bar with her at all times in case she needed to defend herself. There were health risks, too, but she was able to send money (lots of money) home to her husband and daughter.

That and other articles I'd read about fracking in the U.S. barely mentioned environmental damage and I didn't look any further than those articles. Because… Jobs!

Susan's posts about fracking and her links to documentaries and to websites opened my eyes. But protesting?

"Good luck with that, folks," was the thought that I kept to myself.

The Australian gas company, Metgasco, ignored the opposition of local people, but that wasn't the end of the story. All the talkers stood up! Since early March, the Bentley Blockade has been gaining more attention and more support. Susan passes the blockade on her way to work so I've seen pictures and videos of the campsite as it has grown and visitors have increased.

I am filled with hope.

How will the gas company and the politicians respond? Other protests in Australia have had some success. If these blockaders prevail, will it make a difference elsewhere?

At the very least, it will make all the difference there.

And imagine how children at the Bentley Blockade will view their role in the world.

by Susan McGeever

by Susan McGeever

I Don't Always Pull A Daily Card...

… so for this Tarot Tuesday, I am re-blogging Carolyn Cushing's  cards from her "Week of April 21st Practices." (Read Carolyn's interpretations of these cards on her blog.)

Nurture the small actions that bring structure and meaning to your life

Embrace every moment and every person you encounter with celebration.

Behold the world through the eyes of a child, filled with wonder and discovery.

I love hearing back from my readers so please

leave a comment. I read each and every one. 
Be well!

Chag Pesach Sameach

This year's charoset, made with apples, kiwis, pears, oranges, dates, yellow raisins, almonds, pistachios, dried cherries, and ginger; sprinkled with cayenne, cloves, cardamom, and black pepper; and marinated in pomegranate juice, Manischewitz, and apple cider vinegar.

May your Passover be warm, inspiring, and only as kosher as you want it to be.

I Will Be Offering Tarot Readings on May 17

I was recently admitted into the ranks of the Mile High Mystics and will be participating in their spring show. The next show will be held on May 17th. (Our website amusingly describes the response to the first show in 1994: "there was a line of people running out the door and down the block!")

At the last show, I had a dozen customers and each one was pleased with his or her reading. I enjoy reading cards for other people so I'm hoping to develop a client base of people who will request more readings and also refer their friends.

This was my table at the February show.

I use two decks in my readings. I find that this style of reading engages clients and helps them remember what they learned during a reading. 

After discussing the client's question with him or her, I do a ten card reading using the Robin Wood Tarot deck. This part of the reading is to satisfy the client's expectation that I'll be doing all the work. It also helps get the client into a relaxed and receptive state of mind, willing to explore his situation frankly. 

The next part of the reading is what I consider the most important. I ask the client to select two cards that he or she wants to explore further. Then I pull the corresponding cards from the Gaian Tarot and have the client describe the card and free associate. Together, we discover its meaning and the advice it has for her.

Although I give accurate and helpful readings, I believe that everyone has her own answers. By asking a client to interpret some of the cards, I am helping her hear and recognize her own intuition. The more a person listens to her intuition, the more it will speak to her. I want people to learn to rely on soul's guidance in all matters. 

Tarot Tuesday - Draw upon the energy of springtime

Spring began at the beginning of February, on Imbolc. Equinox was weeks ago, but in some places, people are desperately longing for the end of winter weather and for signs of spring.

Here, we had a very mild winter, but now people are not coming out of their homes to watch the returning birds, to plant gardens, or even to walk outside. Perhaps, before we can rise up to embrace the warm brightness of spring and summer, we need to sink into the cold and darkness of winter.

So how can we release our urge to hibernate and begin to blossom? To answer that question, I did a reading based on a spread created by Joanna Powell Colbert.

How do we leave winter behind? The Explorer of Air (Knight of Swords) often represents a person who is prepared and adaptable. He climbs high to get perspective. Nature is his highest ideal and he can leave winter behind as he makes the effort to see and feel what nature is offering us now.

What is the heart's desire? Temperance usually indicates balance and healing or the need for those things. To me, it seems that the Gaian Tarot's tempering angel of balance and healing is standing in polluted and poisoned factory run-off; she shows us what we've done to our world and reminds us that we are part of nature. We've forgotten the balance between ourselves and nature; we've forgotten how dependent we are on nature. In this reading, Temperance represents our desire for our psyches to reflect the season.

How do we enter the joy and growth of spring? The Child of Air (Page of Swords) is naive and inexperienced, but sees the world with eyes full of wonder. She tells us to pay attention to the signs of spring and to let our spirits be lifted by them.

I love hearing back from my readers so please

leave a comment. I read each and every one!

Seamus Heaney

Irish poet, Seamus Heaney, passed away on August 30, last year.

The Railway Children

When we climbed the slopes of the cutting

We were eye-level with the white cups

Of the telegraph poles and the sizzling wires.

Like lovely freehand they curved for miles

East and miles west beyond us, sagging

Under their burden of swallows.

We were small and thought we knew nothing 

Worth knowing. We thought words travelled the wires

In the shiny pouches of raindrops,

Each one seeded full with the light

Of the sky, the gleam of the lines, and ourselves

So infinitesimally scaled

We could stream through the eye of a needle.

Since I first read this poem in college, it has been a favorite of mine, but I didn't know why.

He says that as children we thought we knew nothing / worth knowing. Perhaps he was suggesting that those things are more important than the supposedly worthwhile things that adults "know."

Feline Friday

"I didn't think she'd really do it. She made the bed right on top of me."

Saving for a Rainy Day?

If you happen to live in an area that does not observe DST, you may have wondered why people in other areas change their clocks. A quick perusal of Wikipedia will show you that there is no good reason.

Have you also wondered when people in those crazy places change their clocks? The mnemonic is, "Spring forward, fall back." However, this year, they did not adjust their clocks when spring began in early February. They waited until the end of March, after the equinox, the middle of spring. So remember, clocks are changed... sometime during spring and fall.

No matter when people futz with their clocks, the procedure is absurd. It is true that there is more sunlight in the summer than in winter, but no one gets to save it for a rainy day.

There are, it seems, only three "benefits" to Daylight Savings Time:

• stores make more money if the sky is light after people finish work each day 
• people watch less prime time television during Daylight Savings Time 
• there's an "extra" hour in the fall

Here are just a few of the problems caused by changing the clocks:

Health

• changing the clocks disrupts circadian rhythms; the effects on a number of biological systems can be severe and last for weeks 
• it disrupts sleep and reduces the quality of sleep 
• it increases the incidence of heart attacks by 10% (studies in several countries support this) 
• for several weeks after changing the clocks in the spring, the number of male suicides increases (however, male suicides are at their lowest rate in the summer, which, some argue, is a benefit of changing the clocks)

Environment

• in the summer, energy use increases in the morning, but there is no corresponding decrease in the evening; no power is saved during DST

Work

• DST causes problems for farmers and other people whose work depends on the sun (e.g., grain can only be harvested after dew evaporates, so the work day "officially" starts before work can be done and ends when work could continue) 
• cows need to be milked at the same time every day; their systems are disrupted when dairy farmers need to make milk deliveries earlier than usual

Safety

• major industrial accidents have occurred because of DST (molten steel should be cooled for all the time it needs, not one hour less) 
• when the clocks are changed, medical devices can "generate adverse events" (I don't want to know what that means)

Economy

• changing the clocks makes a mess of meetings, travel, billing systems, and record keeping, resulting in much unnecessary expense 
• different regions have different DST rules; this adds more complications to an already confused system 
• work efficiency decreases, leading to financial losses 
• U.S. stock markets experience a significant one-day loss each time the clocks change

Ruining Our Fun 

• Fourth of July fireworks occur long after the kids' usual bedtimes 
• because some people announce the times of teleconferences as PT, MT, and ET rather than the accurate PST or PDT, MST or MDT, and EST or EDT, other people may miss a teleconference. People who don't change their clocks have no reason to be aware that Daylight Savings Time has started or ended. For them, it's always Standard Time.

In conclusion, changing the clocks has no benefits. More importantly annoys those of us in numerous saner regions where we do not change our clocks—

so just stop it!

Exploring a Tarot Card - the Eight of Earth

This week's card is the Eight of Earth from The Robin Wood Tarot. The traditional associations of this card are the daily grind and production (as opposed to artistic creation).

The image moves me to ask whether a person’s daily work nurtures and inspires her and whether it expresses her love for others. Will this work help her achieve her goals or is it simply the daily grind? The young worker in the card is idealistic and trusting. He keeps the window open so he can see his “castle of dreams.”

What do you think of when you look at the image? Consider what answers you would give to the questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Who: someone who has learned the basics of his craft and is working to improve his skills.
What: focusing on the work before him forgetting his goal.
When: when he is hopeful that vision can become reality.
Where: in a quiet, well lighted place that facilitates concentration.
Why: because he is engaged, inspired, and hopeful.
How: with all his attention.

How did you answer those questions? What additional ideas did they yield? What do you think this card means?

Here are other ways to explore a card:

• note what emotions the image evokes in you
• describe the card out loud to uncover its meaning
• if an image reminds you of something, explore that further
• trust your first impressions and any ideas that just pop into your head
• if one of the details of the image jumps out at you, take note of it

If you see a potential difficulty in a particular image or if you are simply having trouble interpreting the image, try looking at the corresponding image from a different deck.

This card is the Eight of Earth from the Gaian Tarot.

What advice does this image offer? What are your first impressions? How is is different from the other image? Answer the questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Is there a message that both cards share?

"Symbology"

Thank you, Agent Smecker!   

[Additional link to same scene]

Composting

HaMelech Parpar supervising the work

Last week, I bought a twenty-gallon Roughneck Refuse Can by Rubbermaid. After tax, it cost $16.29. Holly Winkeljohn suggested a larger bin, but I don't generate huge amounts of vegetable waste, and I wanted to purchase the cheapest one in the store. (The lid snaps on and I hope it is secure enough to remain attached when I roll the bin.)

I had fun that night, noisily drilling holes in it. I felt almost handy and self-reliant. (I was glad I had my father's electric drill; using a nail and hammer might have been possible but would not have created large enough holes. You'd have to lay the bin on soft soil and hammer the nails from the inside out.) I used a metal file to remove the spirals of plastic that were sticking out from the edges of each hole that might have restricted airflow. 

My first contributions to my compost bin were pieces of seed potatoes left over from planting I did a few days ago. I also added a little bit of old potting soil, some dry clippings from the yard, and a few green leaves. (Since nothing will grow under a pine tree, I didn't add pine leaves, but I read later that it's fine to include them.)

Dad's electric drill

This morning, I offered it some wet coffee grounds. Yes, offered. Contributing to a compost bin is nearly a religious experience. It’s amazing that garbage can become beautiful, rich, clean soil. 

Years ago, a neighbor of mine had a huge compost pile and I loved taking my cooking scraps to her yard—contribution instead of waste. (Why do stores sell bundles of cilantro when all we ever need is a couple of springs? I always put the bundle of greens in a small glass of water to enjoy their fragrance, but it only keeps for a day or so.)

Holly Winkeljohn's article tells us to equally mix browns and greens to ensure the rapid breakdown of . If the greens and browns aren't balanced, the bin will put off a strong odor.

The result

• Greens are items rich in nitrogen: freshly cut grass, pruned plants, tea bags and tea leaves, peelings, used coffee grounds, horse and cow manure, and vegetables. 
• Browns are items rich in carbon: dried twigs, fall leaves, paper, pinecones and pine needles, shredded newspaper, straw, and wood chips.
• Avoid meat and dairy products, diseased plants, grease, oil, and pet poop.
• You can add eggshells to your compost bin as long as you rinse them thoroughly. They are a source of calcium.
• Citrus fruits may keep scavengers away. Cut the peels into small pieces because otherwise they take a very long time to break down.
• Compost This is a great site with tiled pictures of items you might want to compost and the word "yes," "no," or "maybe" on each one. You can click on the picture if you want to learn more.

My yard has no shade in the summer and we're expecting particularly hot weather, so I’ll have to add water each morning when I take water out for the baby quails. I'm very excited about my compost bin and can't wait to watch the magic.

If you have any composting tips or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you!

Update: Now that the bin in nearly full, I have trouble rolling it or even using a shovel to stir the contents. Consider investing in the real thing.

"We Had Everything But Money" or "Wasn't the Great Depression Fabulous?"

It's intriguing that people who grew up during the Great Depression have so many fond memories of that time. Maybe it's only because their parents sheltered them from knowing just how hard things were. Or maybe they had the right attitude: pay attention to what you do have.

Things are tight now, too, and many people are out of work. Even if you are doing well, it's wise to put as much as possible aside for retirement. Remember, if you're under fifty, you will never see a Social Security check.

There are a few websites that offer advice about the satisfaction of "simple living," but that seems to be a rich person's hobby.

I'm not extravagant. I haven't had cable television or a land line for years and I've always been a fan of the public library, but I'd like to cut down even more. These are a few things I'm doing to be more frugal.

How to save money on utility bills:

1. Turn your hot water heater down below "warm." You'll have to turn it up a couple hours before you shower, but you'll save an amazing amount on both your water and natural gas bills.
2. Tolerate a slightly colder house. 
3. If you're struggling, showers are available at public sports facilities. (Make sure they are SAFE!) 
4. Many utility companies have discounted rates for people with low incomes. Some discounts are only nominal, others are quite helpful. 

How to save money on food and prevent waste:

1. Make soup. (This deserves its very own post.)
2. When you purchase fresh produce, shop at more expensive grocery stores. You'll get fresher produce that lasts much longer. (I was stunned to discover that produce does not have to go bad within twenty-four of arriving in my refrigerator. Bye-bye Walmart. Hello weird-organic-place. Just don't expect me to buy your nine dollar, save-the-planet, chocolate bar.)
3. Walk to the grocery store. If it takes two hours to get to the store and back, think of it as great exercise. Do you have something better to do with that time?
4. Go to your local food bank. (Food banks are the best advertisement for private charity over public charity: no fingerprinting, no requests for documents you've already submitted, and no public servant whining, "It's just not clear what you mean when your write that you've been living on your savings.")
5. If you're really struggling, most Salvation Army posts serve one meal a day. 

If you live in a region where you can garden, why not get outside and play in the dirt? If you live in an area with a very short growing season, then definitely enjoy the brief good weather by going outside to garden. Obviously, avoid investing in expensive equipment.

1. Old flower pots may be small, but if you have them, use them. 
2. Raised beds will require a few pieces of wood (or cinder blocks). In some areas you will need  old carpeting (placed face down) to protect the bed from burrowing rodents and either chicken wire (as protection from birds and other animals) or plastic covers (as protection from the cold). If you live somewhere very hot, research what plants thrive in heat and think about cheap ways to create adequate shade for them. 
3. Make a cheap compost bin. If you already have an electric drill, all you need to purchase is a dark garbage bin with a locking lid.

Cell phones and internet may be necessary expenses today; you decide. I relied on the public library for internet access for a year, but then purchased an internet service for my home. Thankfully, the $32 a month service I chose is far more reliable than the $99 service offered by the area's more popular provider. (It was originally a $37 per month "special offer." After six months, the provider notified me that the rate was going up and I called to cancel. The representative offered me a "bundled plan" that included a cell phone. I insisted she just cancel my current internet service. She renewed my plan-- at five dollars less than I had been paying.)

I've never researched the cost of land lines! If they are cheaper, I'll have to consider how important it is for people to reach me any time of the day.

Since I don't purchase a newspaper, the only coupons I see are the ones that arrive in my mailbox; they are for things I didn't know I needed. So I throw them out without looking at them-- I might be missing out on savings, but I'm probably just missing out on temptation.

I do compare store prices. When I told my pharmacist that a prescription was cheaper at another store,  he called to confirm and now I pay that store's price without having to go out of my way. After another prescription increased in cost, I asked the pharmacist why; he didn't know but he very kindly tracked down a discount and now I pay less than a quarter of what I had originally been paying. (Don't get your hopes up; there are no discounts for prescriptions that cost more than twelve dollars a day.)

Do fun things that don't cost money:

• Ask yourself, "What did I do when I was a kid?" If you're old enough to remember playing outdoors with just the things you found in the woods or at a construction site, try wandering around outside to see what interests you now. If you were playing video games when you were a kid, go outside and find out what you were missing.
• Enjoy your free time. If you always have the cleanest house in the neighborhood, start being a little irresponsible. Broaden your horizons even if that only means sitting on the front porch admiring your yard or listening to kids laughing in the park across the street.
• Volunteer. You probably won't meet someone who knows about a job (most volunteers are retirees), but you will meet nice people and you will remember that you can make a  difference—that’s a double morale boost. Just google "volunteer opportunities" and the name of your town. 
• If your friends will only meet you at a bar, restaurant, or movie theater, offer to pack a picnic for a lunch in the park or suggest a long walk "because it's great exercise."
• Some towns have free concerts during the summer. I've seen several excellent cover bands. How many people have learned to line dance while listening to the Rolling Stones?
• Own a digital camera? Take lots of pictures that you never have to print.

Being frugal goes against my grain and perhaps the grain of many people who grew up in the United States after World War II. If it's feasible for you, when you begin to pare down your expenses, keep an eye out for one unnecessary item or activity that you don't want  to give up. Then really savor and enjoy it!

For me, it's carbonated water: all the bubbly goodness of beer with none of the calories!