At Work with Roots & Wings

I lead an Astrology Salon with a deck from the Roots & Wings book. In the salon we say astrology is "a language of energy", really just a conversation about your life. Astrology is about leading a more examined life, more soulful, it stretches people to open up and communicate personal as well as emotional or even spiritual things. "It makes ya think!" as many people have commented. When someone challenges the very idea of astrology, I usually say-"It's better than television, its about self knowledge and what your gifts are to develop so you can make the world a better place."

One evening there were a few women who were sort of caught by the salon-they happened to be sitting there chatting-when the salon started. They were good sports-guffawing and giving raised brow looks w/shoulder shrugs, but they selected a few cards from the Salon Deck (from the Roots & Wings book)as it passed by them. The deck is passed around the room, each person is asked to select three cards. The cards have a focus word and questions that accompany the specific word-as well as an almost unnoticable symbol-an astrological symbol that shows what specific astrological energy is at play in relation to the word (there is a chart that explains the symbols that comes with the deck-but most people get so involved-we usually never even address the symbol-we are living it!) Anyway, the caught women looked at their cards on the first pass (we go around the room twice) read their cards, and made wise and witty comments. But as the energy of each person speaking was felt, their truth or resistance, their essence or inspiration, the women who had been caught began to bear a demeanor that conveyed more sincerity, and at the end, when one of them commented how much she enjoyed the game, I laughed and said, "The deck tricks you into communicating and going deeper doesn't it!" She laughed and exclaimed, "Yes! It does! And I think you should keep on tricking people too-I may not have joined in voluntarily-but I got a lot out of that."

Roots & Wings reaches people who, yes, already utilize such things to enrich their lives, but also those who would not normally "be drawn" to these "new age" ideas, like "opening up and communicating". And it's a hook that keeps catching people's attention. Roots & Wings brings us closer to our words, to the meaning of our lives, and to each other. To order your Salon Deck of 50 laminated cards e-mail: artspiritcenter@yahoo.com for order details. Play the game!

Lovingkindness

Meditation teacher's say-"It's the work that's good for us." It's so important to remember this in many moments of our lives. In lovingkindness meditation, we move toward our hearts. We kneel down to the mystery, asking for baptism in the well of experience. In meditation, we talk about how words are symbols for experience, not the thing itself. Each time we say the words for the lovingkindness meditation-it is an exercise-to check in with one's self, to locate the experience of lovingkindness. Say or think, "may I be filled with lovingkindness" and see if you can truly find the feeling, allow or create the feeling of lovingkindness to fill, to contact, to embody and bloom in your energy body. Like Mantak Chia's smile deep within at the inner heart-center, feel the lovingkindness circulate in the four bodies, bring lovingkindness into the: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies.

What words would you use to describe your experience of lovingkindness?

Circles of Women

It's not the fault of men that the world is run by the negative masculine ego. It's in all of us-the responsibility- the ability to respond. Hungry for more mindlessness or violence? It's a low appetite the media keeps feeding. I'm doing what I can to wake up and dance a dream of peace awake. At times I have lay down and quit. But this is not that time, this is a time of renewal. Time to gather in circles of women and focus our attention on creating the world of peace we (often weakly) hope for. Dear Sister, please create your own healing circle, right where you are. Not just a knitting circle, but something with a specific healing agenda to knit thoughts, intentions, and actions together to benefit our world. Wield words in the circle to bring wholeness to your self, and the community of which you are a part. Create one at your house, join together to usher in the waves of healing.

http://www.millionthcircle.org/


I'm working on a DVD project filming mother's talking (5 seconds to three minutes) on Mothering. What they have learned and want to pass on. If you are interested in being included in the project "100 Mothers", please contact me.