FULL MOON /Blue Moon Power

Grandmother Moon is powerful!  Last night ten amazing women sat in a circle in our living room - the South Jersey Peer Group for the Transition Network.  We come together monthly to honor, celebrate and explore our creative selves.  A few months ago, I put out the request that we open to further exploration and share what mattered to each of us.  You know the expression - Be careful what you ask for.  One of the women said, "Martie, why don't you be first to host this?"  My bold, daring and wonderful self said "SURE!"  Then my other self - the one that is uncertain and doesn't think she knows enough said, "What have you done?  How will you make this happen?  The pressure is on!!"
   It happened and I did it!  We started with a Mindfulness exercise - visualizing that we are the flower opening and closing to discover our inner beauty.  After some lively sharing, this activity stilled us to move on.
   Acknowledging the Full Moon and her power as a time to let go of what no longer serves us so we can bring in the new or grow with our strengths, we each wrote something on a paper - set it aflame and quietly sat to watch it burn.  I did one...tonight I am going to do another - alone and reflective.  I am wishing for relationships built on looking for the best in one another - affirming who each of us is...acknowledging and recognizing how wonderful that is to knowing one another and building strengths.  As I wrote in the last blog - when that doesn't happen in your own life, it can be very sad.  When there are beautiful ways to acknowledge and you hear what is wrong - well, sadness came set in and one has to learn to let go of that.
    Life is short and tenuous - life is filled with wonderful people and insights - life is meant to be shared... people are meant to be acknowledged and celebrated with joy.
   For all who are important and valuable in my life, I celebrate you.  For all who cause challenges, I still celebrate your wonder and aliveness.  As we say in Mindfulness/Metta Meditation:  May you be safe; May you be happy; May you be healthy; May you have peace of mind and ease of wellbeing.  May you be at peace.

And may I add the same peaceful message to all in my world - may you go deep into your heart as I have gazed at the essence of this flower and found calm - and may it bring you stillness and peace - today and always

Addendum to this blog:  I wrote the whole thing and published it and forgot to mention that the DRUMS came out and we drummed!  What fun...what inspiration...and we indeed were what Christine Stevens calls in Drumming Diva a TOWER OF STRENGTH!!.

Clouds on my Journey

 I looked at clouds from both sides now...from win and lose and still somehow, it's clouds illusions I recall - and that I did as I traveled up Rt. 1 in Delaware after some full and wonderful days of visiting friends - old and new - visiting our friend the ocean - eating the most awesome mac and cheese - and just hanging out with friends.  It was a rest to be sure.  As I was driving home, I realized that I was following the clouds and was mesmerized.  It reminded me of coming home from the same place a few years back but being lost in the clouds and sunset and ending up in Cambridge, Maryland.  WHAT??? HOW???

 Today I stayed on the route but got so caught up in the beauty, colors and shapes that I fially just had to pull over and sit by the side of the road.  The cars WHIZZING by made me stop to wonder if anyone even noticed the gifts they were being given!?!?  My guess is not because they were in a hurry to get WHERE??  They are among the masses who have never realized that life in the fast lane is just that...and not to be enjoyed or treasured.  They are the ones stressed by the rush they are in...

For me, it's all about MINDFULNESS - stopping to meditate and ask for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health...and peace of mind and well being.  That's NOT too much to ask for friends - and the more you ask...the more you will receive. STOP and notice the wonder...I did and I am so grateful!!