Mini Meditations

Lately, I've really been trying to focus on making my spirituality fit my life.  The hardest part is meditation.  It requires quiet, uninterrupted time that I just don't have.  So I am focusing more on mini-meditations, stolen moments to quiet myself and reflect.  A few of my favorites are listed below.

Hang the Laundry: I know it sounds like a chore and some may see it as extra work, but it's quite relaxing.  The repetitive motion and no brainer activity makes it a great time to think and reflect.  I leave the girls inside and use this time to focus on the invigorating power of the sun and the wind.  It always improves my outlook on the day. Plus the sight of colorful cloth diapers dancing in the wind gives me an enormous sense of accomplishment. 

Sit on the Toilet:  Yes, I did go there.  If you can't get a few moments any other way, hide in the bathroom.  Find a comfortable seat the floor or edge of the tub work just as well as the toilet and just quiet your mind.  The distinctive bath room white noise really helps.  Usually, I find myself hiding in the bathroom when it's been a particularly active day for Miss Busy.  Once I've found a few moments of comfortable balance, I try to focus on all the good, funny, silly things she has done.  It helps me feel far less frazzled. 

Get Something Done:  Maybe this sounds like the opposite of meditation, but stay with me.  If there is something you love to do, but feel you never have time, give it the time that you do have.  I keep some knitting or hand sewing easily accessible through out the day and sneak in a few minutes of work every chance I get.  The act of creating is very meditative for me and unless Miss Busy pulls my knitting down it is something that will never have to be redone.  If I knit one row, that one row will still be there tomorrow. 

Speed Write:  When there are just way too many things running around in my brain, I sit down and write them down as fast as I can.  Give it a try. No editing, no grammar checks, no reading over previous ideas.  Just toss them down on the paper as quickly as they pop into your head.  When you have finished, sit and relish a few moments of mental stillness before throwing the paper away or burning it on your altar. 

Fresh basil from the garden. It has nothing to do with this post
other than the fact that the smell of fresh basil makes me happy.

Making a Believer

Superman has been a bit slow into coming around to my herbal ways.  He has always been supportive of my beliefs and my use of natural medicine, but when it comes to using them himself he has been a bit reluctant.  That is changing slowly, but the proof is in the pudding and he just can't deny when my methods work. 

A few days ago, we were out in the yard and he was restringing my clothes line.  A sudden rain storm caught my towels out to dry last week and the weight of the drenched fabric snapped the already frayed lines.  Unbeknownst to him, the bees had built a hive in the pipe across top and as he pulled the rope through he disrupted the community.  Fortunately, it was a cool day and only one bee ventured out to investigate, but Superman ended up getting stung in the palm of his hand.  Since I was standing right over a bunch of Plantain I simply snatched up a leaf, gave it a quick chew, and spit it on the throbbing bite.  A few minutes later, he wiped the green goo off and continued his task with out pain or stiffness.  He is now a believer in the power of Plantain.  Add that to his acceptance of ginger for stomach aches and his positive reaction to my Achy Joint Salve...I'm making progress! 

From the Weed Patch

 

 

Sometimes our landlord just makes me angry.  So angry that I have been known to very verbally predict that with in five years he will be the local slum lord.  When I saw the mess starting to grow up underneath the clothes line last week he had the rest of the yard mowed, but neglected the area I use the most I was fuming at him once again.  

 

Then I noticed what was growing up: Plantain, Dandelion, and Lambs Quarters.    Since I already know that he doesn't spray anything, I decided to make the best of the situation.  A few days ago, I harvested the Plantain and made a quart of tincture and a pint of slave.  Tomorrow, I am hoping to bring in some of the Dandelion to dry for use in teas.  The Lambs Quarters will be snuck into the salad green as soon as it gets a bit more growth on it.  Superman and I have an agreement that he doesn't always need to know what he's being fed as long as it tastes good. 

 

I am still not happy with the landlord there is a leak over my bed that he has known about for weeks and not even looked at, but the convenient wild harvest does make me smile. 

Celebrate the Wind: My Favorite Childhood Poem

Fiber Art: Air Elemental (work in progress)

Who Has Seen the Wind?

By Christina Rossetti      

 

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you:

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I:

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

 

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Source: The Golden Book of Poetry (1947)

 

 

As a  Virgo, I am an Earth sign, but that does not stop me from being very attached to the Wind.  Maybe it was growing up on the prairie where the wind is a constant companion.   Even before embracing a natural faith, I found spiritual moments standing at the clothes line with my bare feet absorbing energy from the sun warmed Earth while the Wind swaddled me in friendly gusts.  For many years, not even understood by myself, the clothes line was my altar from where I worked infantile magic.  I sent and received messages, drew strength for upcoming tasks, and received soothing.  The elementals require no liturgy or dogma and they were happy to commune with one who simply believed.