Full Moon Rising – Nature Beyond the Earth

The Earth rises to meet the Full Moon. The Earth’s crust literally rises as does my body and the tide. We are all pulled towards this luminescent light.

Nature encompasses more than the Earth. It is the cosmos itself. All is interconnected and so it is all one. I learn from individual beings and things in Nature and I learn from the relationships I find between these.

The relationship between Earth and Moon has played upon our psyches since we came to be. We are what we are because of this relationship. It has not only created the physical environment in which we live it has shaped us both within and without. Our imaginations have drawn fuel from this relationship since ancient times.

The rise and fall of the tides, the Earth’s crust, our bodies is an important teaching of this relationship. There are times when our energy is high and when it is low. It is a natural occurrence. When we try to always be high energy, it can adversely affect us body and soul. Low energy times are times of rest. We need both.

Another teaching is that of symbiotic relationships. We see how the Earth and Moon interact to the benefit of life on earth. If we saw all of our relationships, to one another, to animals, to the environment as symbiotic, we would work together for the good of all.

The fact that we are affected by celestial bodies, some millions of miles away, shows us just how interconnected it all is. We can see the interconnections on our earth, but to view how it all is interplay is to expand our consciousness.

This Full Moon is also a Blue Moon, the second Full Moon in a month. January also had a Blue Moon leaving short February without one. As I was writing notes for this blog in the middle of the night my eyes landed on a drink listed on the bar guide in the den. The drink was a Blue Moon. Until that point I hadn’t even thought of it. There was a reason I was drawn to that spot to take down my predawn musings.

We often use the term Blue Moon to indicate something that rarely happens and yet this year we have two. The last time this happened was in 1999. The next time will be 2037. Being metaphorically minded I have to wonder what it could mean. Of course our calendar is just a construct, but then we’ve made much meaning from it and it’s all reflection. A rarity occurring twice at the beginning of this year brings to mind how we may be starting to embrace a possibility mindset. Instead of have a mentality of “that’s just the way it is”, we’re moving towards one where we ask what is possible.

As the time of the Full Moon draws closer, I’ve been dreaming more. The Moon pulls all upwards including the content of my subconscious. All becomes closer and brighter. I will bathe in her light and all that is brought to me in dreams. Wisdom lies deep within the Source of All Life. It is born as Nature.

Nature’s Healing Presence

My backyard

Tree shadows lulled my tired mind as they moved over the lawn. The rustle of leaves and the chatter of birds calmed me further. I’d forgotten how healing it is to be in nature…even the backyard variety.

After a week of an intense downloading of ideas that interrupted my sleep, I had one hell of a headache on Sunday. Leading a morning meditation at church helped, but later the headache came back. Deep breathing wasn’t helping anymore. Before I took a pain killer I decided to spend some time outside.

My husband was in the yard planting flowers. I grabbed a lawn chair and planted myself near the back of the yard where there was a mix of shade and sun. It had been too long since I felt grounded in Nature.

At first I enjoyed the feel of the breeze as I watched the birds flutter about. I just let go of everything and settled into the moment. Soon I realized my headache was gone. I relaxed further and then decided to give my brother a call. I snapped a picture of one of the trees in the yard to share with him. I wanted to bring him into this green calm nearly 4000 miles away from cold and snow.

I have much to learn from Nature about being a healing presence. That is what I wish to be for others. It’s time for the apprenticeship to begin.

To Greet the Morning as Birds Do

Photo by Pritiranjan Maharana

A birdsong can even, for a moment, make the whole world into a sky within us, because we feel that the bird does not distinguish between its heart and the world's.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Every tree seemed to be alive with birdsong. They were so excited to begin their day and to share their excitement with one another.

I could barely get myself out bed, showered, dressed and out the door for my walk. I did apparently have a lot to say though. A discussion with my husband about the placebo effect preceded my walk.

It was later than I usually go. The time change has thrown me off. But this later time seemed to be a busier one for the birds. The usual few birds in a bush or two was this morning dozens in every tree.

Why do I resist the morning? It’s not like I’m unhappy, though I do worry and that worry often rises when I do. What if I let the sun rise within as the birds seem to do? Joy and excitement rising to the surface until it becomes song.

Even the mocking bird, who was probably up since before dawn, stands on the peak of a house, blue and gray against red clay proclaims it is a sparrow and then switches to being a cricket. Why does it copy all it hears? Is it for the sheer joy of it? Some believe they are just more open to expanding their repertoire beyond what they hear from other mocking birds. It’s also been said they defend their territory with their incessant mocking. Making the sound of a competitor will keep it away. Whatever it is, it’s enthusiastic in the morning after a long night of singing.

What will happen if I wake up tomorrow with all the enthusiasm of a mocking bird or sparrow? Perhaps it won’t take me until evening to sing my own song, these words (I’m still running late). Maybe I’ll rush back from my walk and the words will just flow. Who knows what is possible when you begin the day with joy.

The Animal Teachers in My Life

Me with Ting-a-ling and Bambi

 In the very early hours of the morning my past animal companions came to me. I just started to think of all of them. It felt as though a few of their names had begun to slip into oblivion. I couldn’t let that happen, so I began to name and remember each one.

Nature speaks to us through the animals. They are Nature and so are we. It’s been nearly 20 years since I had an animal companion. For a brief moment about four years ago a black cat entered my life and later a neighbor’s cat befriended me. But it’s been a long time since I lived with an animal. I miss that relationship. I think they came to me last night to remind me they are still with me and that I can still learn from them.

Here are the lessons from my childhood animal companions all the way up to the last one I had 20 years ago.

Bambi, a German Shepard mix, was pure love. She and the cat Ting-a-ling used to cuddle together. Together they taught me differences don’t matter. She was the first one to teach me about death and loss.

Ting-a-ling, a long haired beauty had an independent spirit typical of cats. She wouldn’t put up with much from us kids. She taught me to stand up for myself.

Billy Jack was a terrier mix who was a bit high strung. He was always ready for fun, though. He would ride on the front of the boat, the wind in his face and his tongue hanging out. He taught me to enjoy the moment.

Nipper, a border collie, came to us when she was five. She was very sweet and embraced us right away. She taught me change was okay.

Cleo, a gray and white cat, came to me as a tiny kitten via some neighborhood boys. I took her in when I was 15. She was mine from the beginning. The first night she came all the way downstairs to my room and climbed up to sleep on the pillow next to me. She was stocky and strong. She taught me resilience.

Max was a big white rabbit. We took him in after he ate through a friend of a friend’s stereo wires. He was jittery and funny. He often spooked Cleo. On purpose I think. He taught me to accept him just the way he was.

Willie was an orange tabby with lots of personality. He would meow at me and jump into my arms and snuggle in my hair. He only lived to be one, but in that short time he taught me to ask for love.

Sammie was a shy gray tabby. She was being picked on by a bigger kitten at the pet store. I couldn’t let her stay there. She grew into an independent cat who loved to play games. I had to leave her behind when I moved to the U.S. She died a couple of years later and came to me in a dream. She taught me about forgiveness.

And their teachings go deeper. When we bond with an animal, their greatest teaching of all is unconditional love. I’m grateful for all of these beautiful beings who came into my life. I say their names so they may continue to live within my heart and teach me.

Please share your stories in the comments. There is so much wisdom to be gained from our animal friends.