Full Moon Meditation

I attended my first ever guided full moon meditation last night and it ROCKED! It was at this local metaphysical book store called Wellspring Books.

http://wellspringbooks.net/

It is literally three minutes away from my house and is one of the most beautifully energized stores I've been to. They sell books, candles, crystals, you know... new-agie stuff. Psychic readers, classes, and meditations are some of the main features of the store and probably its bread and butter.

I showed up just before 6:30, met a few very interesting people and learned from the teacher about what to expect. Since the full moon was waning, it was time to let go of whatever I wanted. I made a list to be ceremoniously burned and offered to the universe to relieve my burdens.

The peaceful music played and the teacher, Deidre guided us to our own individual places of peace. I was transformed to a state of relaxation that I had never experienced before. My eyes were closed and I could see a place that was so familiar. I had seen it many times before in my mind and in dreams:

A field of tall grass rustles in the breeze and gleams a rich bronze color in the light of the full moon. A thick forest of pine trees surrounds the meadow as if to protect it from outside forces. It cradles me in it's womb. To the left of where I'm standing is a structure much like a gazebo. It has pink columns and is trimmed in gold. It's a gateway to another realm. I'm not sure where exactly. As a matter of fact, I don't need to know right now, but I feel comforted to know I have access to it if I chose. This is my meeting place with anyone of my choosing in the universe alive or dead. This is my place of solitude and refuge. There are no directions to get there. It's not on any map. I'm just there.

At one point, just for a second or two I felt absolutely NOTHING! Then the tears came. Not because I was sad. They just came and I let them be. To feel nothing is to be totally in the moment and to be open. In the current state of the world with a million things coming at you at once, it is very difficult to get to a place of nothing or no thing. Especially for someone like me who likes to plan every part of the day! The state of nothing is pure bliss and to be there for just a second really cleans the cobwebs out of my brain.

At the end of the session Deidre said that she noticed that I went really deep and was wondering if I was going to come back. I laughed because when I heard her voice say, "Come back whenever you're ready," I was contemplating the idea of staying in my meadow. Then I remembered my family at home and realized that life must go on, so I came back.

Last night, I slept wonderfully. This morning I didn't hit the snooze button once and I hopped out of bed at 5 am feeling so refreshed and ready for the day. The moon is very powerful and nourishing especially when it is acknowledged. I am grateful for this and look forward to what the universe has to offer me since I released some of my clutter that has been stopping me in so many parts of my life.

Our learning wall

Danzo's playroom is constantly changing, but one thing I'm going to keep the same for a while is this wall. I went to a store called Teaching Tools. Its a great little place filled with curriculum meant for actual classrooms. I was even able to get stuff laminated there too!

To the far left is a list of the months of the year. Next to that is a calendar with the current month and huge numbers for each day. Of course there's the alphabet at the top and a map to the right. The mirror in the middle has been there for a long time, but it has its purpose. I like to keep it there as a symbolic tool to remind us to look at things from all angles. To have a different perspective especially when it comes to problem solving.

Every day we start out with me singing a song about how all the months make up a year:

January..... February
March, April, May
June, July and August are comin' your way
September..October..November and then
December ends the year and starts over again!

Then I say, "This month is May. What is the DATE today? The date is..." Then I point to each number that we've already put on the calendar and count until today, which is blank. Then I stick the new date on the calendar and announce it as I point to it,"It's the 26th."

"What DAY is today?" I say. Then I take the finger that's pointing to today's date and follow it up to the top where the days are. "Oh, today is Wednesday!" Then we review and I say, "It's Wednesday May 26, 2010!"

Next, I take my magic pointer, (which is an awesome glitter baton I got at the dollar store!) and sing the ABC's as I point to the letters.

Lastly, we go to the map and talk about how its a picture of the world, which is the planet Earth. I say each continent as I point to it. Then I show him where we live now and where I'm from. Eventually, I'm going to get or make a model of the solar system that will hang from the hook in the middle of ceiling.

We talk about these things every day and its there for him to look at and digest for the rest of the day as he goes about his business of playing. I really think that constant exposure with an emphasis on fun will help him to be more alert and absorb the world around him no matter where he goes. I want him to have the opportunity to be as successful as he wants to be!

Plus, there are benefits for me too! I really miss working in schools, so its kinda fun to feel like I have a classroom in my own house. Since I don't have an actual job outside of the house, I never used to know what day it was. This system keeps me on track and wakes my brain up to the outside world even if I don't go anywhere. Now people ask ME what day it is! Plus it makes for some good bonding time for the two of us and helps me feel like I'm doing something a little extra to help his brain develop.

I'd like to add to our daily learning routine, but for now this is what we're up to. Kind of exciting isn't it?

Internet Writing Workshop Weekly Exercise

"In 400 words or less give us a scene where two characters make a deal. Show us what the stakes are for each, what he or she stands to gain or lose."

I was lying out by the pool, really enjoying myself when I felt an object eclipse the sunshine that had been warming my face. I looked up and as my eyes adjusted I could see the face of this little red-headed girl staring right at me.
Totally annoyed, I sat up and asked, “What are you doing?”
She was grinning from ear to ear. Not as if to smile, but rather to show me something in her mouth. I noticed that she was exposing the enormous gap where her two front teeth used to be.
“Rook! I rossst my two fwont teef!” she exclaimed.
Rolling my eyes, I replied, “That’s nice. Now move a little to the left. You’re blocking my sun!”
The girl didn’t move. She just stood there looking at me perplexed that I wasn’t excited for her.
“Did you hear what I said? YOU ARE BLOCKING MY SUN!”
Her mouth sank into a deep frown and her bottom lip started to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes.
My impatience turned to pity and I said, “I’m sorry. Listen, I don’t get much time to relax so it’s easy for me to loose my patience. That’s nice you’re excited about loosing your teeth. Did you get a really good prize from the tooth fairy?”
Her tears turned off quicker than the time it takes to turn the knob on a faucet and said, “No. Whath’a toofairy?”
A glance at my watch told me that I had about twenty minutes left before I had to get ready for my twelve-hour shift at work. I thought, “Do I tell this kid to buzz off so I can enjoy the rest of my precious little time soaking up the sun in solitude? That would just crush her and leave me feeling guilty. Then again, I didn’t want her to make a habit out of interrupting me. She’s obviously in need of some attention since she’s wandering around an apartment complex pool unsupervised. Where are her parents anyway?”
After my inner debate, I was able to muster the compassion it took to tell her the best tooth fairy story I could think of. Her gratefulness beamed out of her eyes and struck a cord in my heart.
She learned about the tooth fairy and I learned that relaxation by the pool doesn't have to be so solitary.

an experimental concrete poem: Dumbbell

Mind Block

The taped wall is an unfinished idea.
A project that started out with such energy and drive.
Then... it fizzled.
It just stares back at me.
Reminding me of my distracted life.
Full of sidetracks
...side dishes, side streets, side cars...
Never the main focus
...Main street, main course...
Always lagging behind with my bright ideas and intentions.
To do something... ANYTHING with them.
Just like what I'm writing right now.
I started with every intention of writing a masterpiece.
All I'm left with is a rambling observation of
procrastination!

Obituary

Foofie Wheeler-Page
Born sometime around October 2005
Died in his sleep in the evening of May 10, 2010.

Survived by his human mother Tami, father Cameron, brother Danzo, six cat brothers and sisters; Holly, Dali, Penn, Simon, Nina, and Gracie.

Foofie lived a full life equivalent to 90 human years. He came to our family in a cage and as his living conditions expanded and evolved to open pens and free access to outside, so did his personality. His exuberant alarm squeaks in response to hearing a plastic produce bag in the kitchen will always be remembered. Chasing him in the backyard, dancing with him to lively music, coming up with creative living arrangements, feeding him home-grown herbs and watching his joy as he munched them down were all precious memories we shared.

He left behind a legacy of possibility that a creature such as a guinea pig can demonstrate an understanding of his role in the family and physical surroundings. He challenged boundaries and constantly surprised everyone who knew him with his capacity for intelligence and love.

Foof, it will take a long time for us to mend this wound created by your loss. Now that you are gone, I realize how much of an outlet you were for my creativity. It will be difficult to find a way without you. You will always have a place in our family and hearts. We love and miss you.

For the Sake of Convenience

The portly man drives
me around town in his taxi
he speaks of dreams
of fears
of his daughter...
of his mistress
of this new health care plan
of his burning, ithcy HEMORRHOIDS!!...
No kidding!

He smells of smoke
and I'm so SURE!
does dope.
He wears his pit-stained tight wife-beater with pride.
He looks like crap, but does he care?
Most people wouldn't dare to wear
such a trashy outfit with greasy hair.

Oh god, will this ever end?.... He's still talking
....and talking.......and TALKING!

This cab driver makes me
wanna end up WALKING!!

What's he saying now?
Hell, I have no idea anymore.
His voice has faded to the
horn-sound
of the teacher on
Charlie Brown

My stomach is starting to turn from
the mix of constant taxi-man gibberish mixed with
the blare of Rush on the radio and the
spicy, musty smell of upholstery marinated with
old tacos, sweat, vomit, and probably blood.

What did I do to deserve this?...
Wait!
The cab is pulling over...
What do you know!
This is my stop already!
I've never got here so fast...

That's cool, but
is it really worth the price
to put up with this gibber-jabbin
manic,
taxi-cab havin
FREAK!!!

...to get there just
a little faster
To shave just
a little more time
to get just
a little more done
so you can do even
MORE
the next day?