Welcome to the art/life trail.
Throughout fall and winter we explore the Underworld of the Divine Feminine, the instinctive, intuitive, nurturing and nourishing Good Mother within. She is endowed with the ability to infuse each of us with a connection to roots and to treasures residing deep and wide. This feminine aspect is waiting. She is available to support the expansion of dreams and visions by endowing courage, resource, and the capacity to midwife new creative ideas into the world.
One visual image of the Divine Feminine is Tara, the fierce protector. One day Buddha was crying. He saw the suffering and he felt the causes of suffering. He wept. As a tear streamed down his face Tara was born. She came for a real cause and purpose. She is no nonsense. She is the epitome of tough love. She stomps! She takes a stand! She comes forth because she cares so deeply.
Tara is compassion. She bring a force that clears away confusion brought about by afflicted emotions. I described a difficult situation that I needed to attend to and my Buddhist teacher gave me the directive to “Be Tara”. Her mantra is
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA!
This moon/month you can practice Being Tara. Choose an area of your life that carries negative stress. Breathe into the Earth Mother. Feel your roots.
The Goddess Tara has vowed:
“There are many who wish to gain enlightenment
in a man’s form,
And there are few who wish to work
for the welfare of living beings
in a female form.
Therefore may I, in a female body,
work for the welfare of all beings,
until such time as all humanity has found its fullness.”
It’s natural during the six moon/months between fall and spring equinox to reconnect and replenish this relationship. All year every day this relationship can be enhanced and strengthened for the benefit of all living beings.
The Mysterious Feminine energy that visits like a laser beam throughout January helps turn our attention toward clearing the physical, emotional and intuitive bodies of patterns that bog us down and keep us stuck.
You might hold the image of a frozen river beginning to thaw. The surface remains hard and impenetrable yet we can see the water starting to flow beneath.
February provides space to renew. Ahhh…clear space. No obstructions.
Out beyond ideas of right doing and wrong doing there is a field.
I’ll meet you there.
In March take account of all that has happened since April 2016 and sense into the expansive pure-land, an untouched canvas, stretching out ahead.
Open to Receive.
At the Aries New Moon on March 27, 2017 the New Natural Year begins and the masculine action-oriented six moon/months kicks off.
This week we continue to rest in the Mystery, preparing for what we will midwife and birth into the spring.
What does cultivating a relationship with the Mystery mean to you?
Moon Song, Drozda, white ink/black paper, 8 x 10″, 2010
Throughout this moon/month of January 2017, the energy suggests lightening up. That in itself can seem like a leap during these frozen days.
To move in the direction of the thaw and the flow returning take a moment to note the pattern of your breath.
Breathwork Work Wonders
A meditative breathing pattern helps us to enter the Mystery. Breathing affects communication.
Keep in mind that your speech and your communication choices matter. What you say to yourself throughout this month (and all through this year) will continue to grow your vision (or rot your roots) as the Creative Decade (2017 – 2026) unfolds.
I’m so glad that you are here.
Our two entries from my book Twenty Two Prayer Poems for Care Givers:
Spiritual Strength and Will
“I will live with you and I will teach with you if you will think with me.”
ACIM
Dear One,
Today I face the challenge of ‘being present’.
Open my heart to the fullest degree possible.
As I go forward I ask to welcome and remember Your gifts.
Let me extend myself to those that I meet.
When I wonder what to say or do
I trust that my words and actions will be under Your
Guidance and gentle control.
When I am met with confusion
I remember that the only response is to reach for the still
Soft space within my heart…where You live.
Thank You for all support today,
Amen
Let Go
I surrender.
I release my will and all of the false beliefs
standing between me and a success filled life.
Opening Prayer
Dear Beloved,
There are those moments in the day when my
Self sabotage part attempts to keep me small and whimpering.
Monitor my thoughts, my words and my actions today.
You direct my path thus far.
Today I give over all of my seen and unseen
Known and unknown efforts to spoil
The opportunities in which I can help,
In which I can add.
I am willing to release my grasp.
I am willing to let go of all need to know.
Just for today I acknowledge
That You never leave
Me comfortless.
Just for today I welcome and remember
All the ways in which You have removed
Obstacles for me all of my life.
Just for today I will to will Thy will.
Just for today I open to receive
A different set of options.
Just for today I lay all of my judgments at Your feet.
Just for today I empty of all of my needs to hold fast.
Just for today I trust that You will carry me
As though we are moving down a quiet path in summer.
Just for today I give it all to You.
Thank You in advance for all of Your gifts.
Amen
