Mahala! Mahala!

The first of September marks a new orbit for my one and only sweet baby girl, Mahala. Love of my life. Incandescent beacon of light. Beloved creator of all her art. 

Her entrance in my life has anchored us to our lifetime vagabond homes, wherever in the world life brings us. Her presence is a constant source of delight and pride, awe and wonder, grace and glory. 

on one of our many memorable travels

As I was journaling this morning I listened to a new interview of Arundhati Roy - international literary star and vocal political activist - a woman of substance whose work Mahala and I admire deeply and read voraciously. 

2024 green wood dragon

Chinese New Year holiday is traditionally seven days long - from lunar new year's eve to the sixth day of the first lunar month. This falls on February 10 to 17 in 2024 - the Year of the Green Wood Dragon. 

Celebrations last up to 16 days although only the first seven days are considered a public holiday which culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 24th, 2024.

art by Issa Urra

The festival began over 2000 years ago developing many meanings through the ages. It celebrates family reunions and community - featuring ancient spiritual traditions. Some also call this the “true” Chinese Valentine’s Day. 

birthday bonds

It has been a while since I have been back to celebrate my birthday in the land of my birth. Our island knows best how to throw a fun and yum party! 

Our sister is the best hostess with her household staff skillfully trained to set a creative tablescape with thematic setting, beautiful floral arrangements, and a bountiful spread. Nom nom nom! 

cabana fiesta spread

imbolc

Imbolc is a celebration that has existed for centuries and has been passed down from generation to generation in different parts of the world. It has existed since the tenth century and holds great importance in the lives of many as it is linked to the fertility of land and livestock.

Imbolc welcomes the first wave of spring

Imbolc is observed on this day when people strengthen their connection with the world of nature and pray for a fertile land to produce plenty of crops the entire year. The best part about this occasion is that even if the history and practice surrounding the event is not ours, we can’t resist the amazing celebration that takes place.

decolonize holidays

Columbus Day - also known as Día de la Hispanidad (Hispanic Heritage Day), Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Indigenous Resistance Day) or Día de la Diversidad Cultural (Cultural Diversity Day), and Día de la Raza - is the contentious controversial commemoration of historic events that started on this day in 1492 as seen through very different lenses. 

© Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

On one hand, some argue that this date was the beginning of the history of the modern American nations with the introduction of the American continent to the rest of the world. This Eurocentric view focuses on the colonizers' outlook. 

celebrating Indigenous groups & tribal communities across the globe

The other perspective is October 12, 1492 was the start of a process of death and subjugation of native indigenous people by European nations. This view states that celebrating the person who made that possible (Christopher Columbus) is insensitive and erroneous. 

House of the Crab

As we move from Cancer into Leo, I wish to acknowledge the advent of another bountiful year in the life cycle of this lune child and crab character. Retreats are my preferred choice for celebrating the occasion. 

birthday blooms & greetings

Here are some birthday photos to go with some words of wisdom from my We'Moon journal. 

October 2021

October starts the last quarter and brings the year to a close as the holiday season kicks in. Here are a few significant days we celebrate around the world. 

October is also National Learning and Development Month, ​National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, National Book Month, and many other important occasions to celebrate and honor. 

patriotism vs nationalism

With the recent death of a former decent president back in the Philippines and recent Fourth of July celebrations in the USA, issues regarding beliefs that drive and affect us have come up once more. 

Patriotism is love for or devotion to one's country. The feeling of pride, devotion, and attachment to a homeland, as well as a feeling of attachment to other patriotic citizens. The feelings of attachment may be further bound up in factors like race or ethnicity, culture, religious beliefs, or history.

Nationalism is loyalty and devotion to a nation. Feelings of nationalism are based on a belief that one’s country is superior to all others. It also carries a connotation of distrust or disapproval of other countries, leading to the assumption that other countries are rivals. 

They may have similarities but there's a world of difference between the two - they are not in the least synonymous. Patriotism is the love of one's identity and achievement to better the world and future generations. Nationalism is believing your identity and achievements are better than those of others.

winter solstice 2020

This year folks are more attentive to being in tune with and more respectful of Nature. No brainer behavior for even the most dense, right? Given the hellacious challenges of 2020. 

they're out early this year

Plenty to choose from and here are some of my favorites. 

Shamans Are Gardeners of Energy

with Sandra Ingerman 12/21/20, Video # 1

Sandra Ingerman has been sending out the Transmutation News for 20 years. For past issues, go to https://www.sandraingerman.com/transmutationnews.html and the archives are at the bottom of that page.

The Shift Network is hosting a four day Winter Solstice Fest, December 18 to 21. The event is chock full of fun stuff - music, presentations, rituals, links, First Nation prayers and offerings. 

festival lineup

Finally, take the time to catch the Four Winds three day Earth Keepers Summit with their impressive roster of leading edge scientists and wisdom elders sharing their valuable information. 

Alberto Villoldo, The Four Winds Society

Let’s come together and honor ancient wisdom traditions as we set a powerful collective intention to manifest a new year of peace, health, and unity. Blessed Winter Solstice to all!

Diwali 2020

Diwali festivities start on November 14 this year - a five day holiday celebration. It is the Hindu festival of lights, originating in India as a harvest festival, and now celebrated all over the world.

diya palms protect a diwali flame

Diwali signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, hope over despair. With the Biden/Harris win in the US elections we have cause to celebrate all these with joyous abandon.

In 1927 the Holland Tunnel under the Hudson River opened to the public, connecting New York City and New Jersey - our home for the past decade.

We mark the occasion by lighting candles and special incense, stringing up lights and major clean ups, dressing up and offering our prayers as we celebrate with family and loved ones.

May love and light bless us and happy Diwali to all!

a people united against oppressors

More and more communities recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day - either as a joint celebration on Columbus Day or totally replace it. 

Those more conscious choose to acknowledge and honor the suffering of the colonized and not gloss over the injustices of the colonizer, especially those perpetuated by the contentious Christopher Columbus. 

Portrait of Chief Yalektit by Robert Shetterly, Americans Who Tell the Truth

Columbus may have formed part of a large narrative of American history, yet he remains emblematic to the beginnings of the mistreatment of native peoples, the indigenous slave trade, the usurpation of their lands, the deaths of their people, the destruction of their cultures, the destruction of their local way of life.

dream into being

my digital decoupage of Mahala's art

dream big (Moon/Neptune) 
dream smart (Pallas/Uranus) 
dream true (Sun)
my Virgo star child

your time
your vortex
manifest who you are
weave your purpose

paint your dream 
true to you
true for you
truly you

Happy Glorious Birthday

This week’s Pisces/Virgo Full Moon began with the Leo New Moon on August 18, the 100th anniversary of the passing of the nineteenth amendment that gave women the right to vote. As those women did to pave the way for us - don't get mad, get creative! 

blessed Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday and Passover are major occasions evoking sacred rites, rituals and communal practices among many. 

Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week, the last week of the Christian solemn season of Lent that precedes the arrival of Eastertide. The beloved palm frond has become for many a precious symbol of triumph and victory. 

The origins of the Passover festival predate the Exodus. The Passover ritual, prior to Deuteronomy, is widely thought to have its origins in an apotropaic rite, unrelated to the Exodus, to ensure the protection of a family home, a rite conducted wholly within a clan. 

When done properly, their preparation is Sacred Alchemy - balancing mythology with technology and philosophy. 

Ganachakra (a Dakini feast) is a sacramental meal and festive celebration invoking an alchemical transmutation from base to higher vibration. 

In this process, the negative energy of baser emotion or klesha (poison) is transformed into the luminous energy of enlightened awareness or gnosis (jnana). 

Its ingestion is highly intoxicating where the physical digestion leads to spiritual unfolding and God realization. 

YOUer than you

To honor Mahala and her new decade, I steal the staggeringly beautiful words of David Whyte.

Detail of Unicorn Hunt from Geinhausen, Germany

Altar Antependium "Marienteppich" [late 15th century]

SEEING YOU

I want you 

to see

yourself

the way

I sometimes 

see you.

EcoDeo at NY Open Center 35th Anniversary

EcoDeo was at the NY Open Center 35th Anniversary celebration and open house.

On its tenth year now of the SMI sound healing program, it was the first time the graduates participated.

The night was a huge success! Even though Martina and I did miss Manny.

good intentions & the road to hell

As we celebrate yet another Thanksgiving day, feasting with friends and family, strangers or loved ones, too few know the truth behind this beloved celebration.

The tale of food, football and oppression we celebrate as Thanksgiving. 

Caught between the fiction of what really happened and the ignorance of not bothering to find out, many are divided between grief and gratitude or outraged betrayal and corrupted commercialism.

This new retelling of past pilgrim history recounts their voyage as one of folks fleeing seduction rather than persecution.

Fearing materialistic corruption they fled the comfort of Holland for the unknown wilderness of America.

Much as their intent was to remain pure and holy, they were unprepared for the dire consequences of their dream to risk all for the ideal commonwealth.

To this day we tell ourselves tall tales and misguided misrepresentations of those times. As we sit in the warm comfort of our homes, over tables groaning with food, intent on stuffing ourselves to bursting.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

Sunday in the City

For a native New Yorker "the city" can only mean our one and only New York City - the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, bright lights - big city.

Yesterday NYC hosted two international parades - the Philippine Independence Day Parade and the Israel Day Parade.

mix & match | a Thanksgiving lauriat

This year's Thanksgiving celebration was spent among transplanted multinationals in our US home base of Weehawken, New Jersey.

We wanted a stress free gathering for our tiny group of neighbors and friends so we pre-ordered a scrumptious Oriental lauriat from the aptly named Precious Restaurant in Hoboken.

defining tenderness

Even I was amazed at the number of definitions the Merriam-Webster dictionary listed for this word. 

releasing, relaxing, letting go

Definition of tender

1 :     marked by, responding to, or expressing the softer emotions : fond, loving

• a tender lover

2a :   showing care : considerate, solicitous

• tender regard

b :   highly susceptible to impressions or emotions : impressionable

• a tender conscience

3a :   easily chewed : succulent

b :   having a soft or yielding texture : easily broken, cut, or damaged : delicate, fragile

• tender feet

a grand design

Mahala celebrated her birthday yesterday. We refer to it as my labor [of love] day as well.

Graphic Illustration by Mahala Urra

It is the start of a four year "high" that culminates on marking another special decade. 

This is incredible!

As solar systems are aligning in the Universe, our planets are aligning with our sun, so too are her life years and numbers lining up - 1, 2, 3, 11.

The microcosm within, the macrocosm outside. The internal manifests externally.