This week we travel deep into the ‘Wisdom’ Moon cycle (May 6 – June 5, 2016).
Change is afoot
“A blueprint for our lives is as necessary as a blueprint for a house.
It doesn’t serve us well to keep trying to build an igloo in the congo.
Joanne Silver, artist
Welcome to this week on the art/life trail ride! The trail ride offers many scenic views. All through the Natural Year we are given creative opportunities to step off the beaten path to meander a bit and savor time. However even with the best of plans there will be unexpected circumstances that remind us to SLOW DOWN.
Recently I played a part in a powerful and poignant reminder of the consequences of moving too fast. A motorcycle appeared ‘out of nowhere’ on my left careening in front of my car as I merged into traffic on the expressway. The rider zooms by the front of my car on his way to the exit ramp. Problem is…he can’t see that traffic on the exit ramp is in rush hour gridlock. Nothing is moving. Cars stacked up all the way to the end of the ramp and at a standstill. He takes a quick action and slams on the brakes. Too fast and too late he looses control. The motorcycle goes into a snakey skid and slams into the rear bumper of the last car in line. Before the cycle gets jammed under the car’s rear wheel
he gets thrown violently through the air and across the pavement. He lands beside my front passenger wheel in my blind-spot.
I’m merging into the fast moving traffic entering the expressway. I slam on my brakes and turn on my emergency flashers. In my rear view mirror I see cars barreling up behind me. Thankfully traffic comes to a screeching halt in my lane. Good Samaritans call 911, come running to his aid gathering around. A woman leans close and talks to him calmly.
Hidden from our view, inside the helmet and leather protective clothing, his body is reacting to the shock and trauma. Yet even as he lies there in the road, thousands of vehicles blasting past him on four lanes, I suspect he knows he is not alone.
I keep traffic in our lane stopped. Emergency vehicles arrive.
I’ll never know the outcome for this fellow. I wish him well…and share this story in which I played a small supportive role… to help us remember that there is risk of danger when we’re in too big a rush. He never got to where he was in such a hurry to get to…he may not remember what was so all-fired important. Did he even survive the crash? Mystery is never far removed from the art/life trail ride.
TAKE IT EASY
During this high-action 6 month period, between April and October, the simple most natural prescription is: take it easy.
There is Wisdom in knowing that there is no where to get to…ultimately there is simply ‘Being Here Now’.
Wheel of Life, Drozda, Mixed media, 20 x 16 inches, private collection
There are many good reasons this season to take it easy and review before taking action. There are many good reasons to find your own way to check the scene before proceeding.
No rush. No hurry. This moon/month provides the Natural Time to ask yourself wise questions:
What keeps me grounded?
What feels sufficient?
Where is my enough point?
How do I know when it’s time to act?
What’s making me go so fast?
Who/what is chasing me?
When will I resolve an issue that’s stalking me?
During the May moon cycle it’s wise to explore ‘enoughness’. Doing enough, having enough, being enough. The concept or theme of being granted serenity. The opportunity to accept what cannot be changed and/or to change what needs to change.
Using Natural Time we refer to this ease as…
‘Making Life the Master Peace’
‘What would I do if I knew I could not fail?’ is a classic inquiry to make now. This question can only sprout up from the roots of enoughness.
During May it’s wise to align with a direction that points to creating your art/life master peace. It’s natural to be peaceful. It’s wise to practice.
Water Wheel, Drozda, photo, 2007
Creative commitment is easy to resist. This month there is Wisdom in addressing resistance. You might make addressing your resistance a part of your 30 Day Wisdom Challenge.
Look resistance in the eye. Scan the open trail. Find your middle way…the path of least resistance. Notice how ignoring commitment creates a thrum of discontent. Discontent exacerbates resistance.
‘I’m too busy.’ ‘I have to take care of this urgent issue.’ ‘I don’t have the money, the materials or the inspiration.’ ‘I don’t have the guts or the gumption’… and on we go careening down the highway.
There are many forms that resistance takes. Wisdom lies in taking the time to find your middle way. Learn what your particular brand of making excuses and holding back and never having enough time, money, help, materials, etc. looks like, sounds like, feels like and how it manifests.
Here’s to a great week on the trail ride!
WISE WOMAN OF THE WEEK
Sangita Iyer
I have been inspired by the compassion in action of Sangita Iyer since our paths first crossed in 2014. Sangita is an individual who has the capacity to scan the trail seeing where major landslides exist. She is willing to clear debris, address issues and be instrumental in creating solutions.
At this juncture in our planet’s history it may be worth pausing and contemplating that the well-being of human species depends on the well-being of the biosphere. Earth has provided optimal conditions for life’s evolution, but human activities are offsetting the balance.
Sangita Iyer
From Sangita’s website:
A world-renowned leader, Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the Change You Wish to See in this World”. Having applied this principle most of her life, Sangita strongly believes that healing is possible one person at a time. By making conscious choices we can create peace within our ‘self’ and co-exist peacefully with all sentient beings.
So what does a journalist and wildlife filmmaker know about stress and anxiety? The reality is, when Sangita launched her career as a Health and Environmental Journalist in 1999, little did she know that nature and wildlife would have such profound healing influence on her chronic stress and anxiety, stemming from childhood traumas. But that’s exactly what happened. In over a decade of reporting from the front line, Sangita gathered profound insights from the natural world that transformed her life dramatically.
Sangita’s current film project ‘Gods in Shackles’ … is winning awards at film festivals internationally…this film itself is a vibrant and courageous creative act.
Thank you Sangita! You are an extraordinary example of compassion in action.
“Resist and Persist” have been aspects I have been working with for a while in multiple layers . I .loved your sharing and loved the message of TAKE IT EASY Making Life the Master Peace’ is the action of a WISE WOMAN for THE WEEK with Compassion Pro-Action and knowing TIME MASTERY IS SELF MASTERY. and as Buz shared after his passing There is “no Time In the Now”.
thanks for your awesome words and work .Have a great Full Moon!
Hello Renie…your comment makes me smile…I can appreciate the many layers that you’ve been working through…and the Buz channeling is superb. Happy that we’re lookin’ UP at this gorgeous ‘Wisdom’ moon together.
Ah, Donna. More wise words. Not rushing is always so important, and a message that I need to remind myself. I have afforded myself the time to be, to allow space and visits with friends, and make dinner and listen to music. My week in Hawaii was deeply helpful in this regard, and I carry it with me. Summer and good weather are helpful in this slowing down process. As is a rainy day!
Hope your motorcycle man is faring well…..
Thanks Meg.
I too send out the best to motorcycle man.
None of us is immune to the hurry sickness that trips us up when we least expect.
It’s beautiful to hear that you have “afforded myself the time to be, to allow space and visits with friends, and make dinner and listen to music. My week in Hawaii was deeply helpful in this regard, and I carry it with me.” Fabo!!