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On: “Morning & Evening…”
“Morning and Evening Services of the Quanzhen Order”, by Sung-Hai Kim
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On: “Daoism and Chinese Culture”
A short bit of reflection on this book by Livia Kohn follows below.
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Retreat and Ordination – April 22, 2022
I was ordained as a Daoist priestess on Earth Day, 2022. This was one of a number of coincidences, or perhaps ‘synchronizations of the Dao’.
Traveling up to the incredible Black Mountain Retreat Center in Cazadero, California, were six of us Daoists from various home states. The drive became rainy, dark, and nerve-wracking as the road narrowed and curved continually back and forth up the mountain. Even with the white-knuckled journey, one could not deny the absolute beauty of this place.
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From “Road to Heaven:”
“Taoism teaches us to reduce our desires and to lead quiet lives. People willing to reduce their desires or cultivate tranquillity in this modern age are very few. This is the age of desire. Also, people learn much more slowly now. Their minds aren’t as simple. They’re too complicated.”
Master Jen Fa-jung -
Front Facing
I have completed a wonderful solo retreat. There were many moments of inspiration, and deeper reflection that really broke through tough ground. In addition to progressing with my Daoist meditation, I am working through a self-awareness course. These are things that go together well; a synchronous retreat integration. One of the parts of retreat that I try to leave time for is free-flowing journaling. This is an attempt to catch wayward thoughts and questions.
Excerpts from this retreat: Who am I now? I don’t think I know. I have spent so much time basing it on the idea of who I was. I’ve spent so much of my time trying to redeem myself from it, or clinging to it. It can be comforting. But what happens if I let it go? If I made a point to only reflect or build on those especially relevant pieces/lessons. …Could my ego take me releasing the pride and status? Why do I need to be interesting?
A message I received: “Release who you were to live as you are.”
I want to live in the now, or at least be front-facing...
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Autumn Woman
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On: “Daoism and Chinese Culture”
A book reflection on “Daoism and Chinese Culture,” by Livia Kohn
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New Pink Moon 2021
I am very grateful for Spring. Being outside in the yard is absolutely rejuvenating. As I wrote in my latest report to my teacher / Shifu, I feel as though the past year has been one very long winter… and we’re only now emerging from it. Tomorrow night is the New Pink Moon, and being out of spiritual/mental hibernation is good.
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New Wolf Moon 2021
It’s amazing to me that I haven’t provided an update since last May. I believe it was one of those situations where there was so much happening, there wasn’t much time or energy to share it all.
2020 was a historical year across the world. I don’t believe I have anything especially poignant or special to say about what has happened – I only have a ton of gratitude and awe for those on the front lines of the pandemic. I am grateful that both me and my spouse are still employed, and have been trying to be at least moderately careful.
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Flower Moon & Summer Begins (Long)
The “Beginning of Summer (Li Xia)” – the Chinese calendar node for May 5th.
The Full Flower Moon will be on Thursday, May 7th.I have been doing quite a bit outdoors at our home since the New Flower Moon, and am hoping to finish at least my current projects by Thursday, when the moon will be full. Being attuned to the seasonal shifts is something important to me, particularly in such an unusual time. So I gardened by the moon cycles, too. It started right before the New Moon, with me cleaning up and weeding as much as I could ahead of time. I told myself to focus on one or two projects for now – and stay within a budget that had been doubled with the surprise sale of one of my old web domains.
The projects for this time were: Setting up some raised beds for vegetable gardening (even if I don’t start planting until fall), cleaning out and adding stepping stones to the path on the side of the house, adding some life to an unused, devoid area of the back deck, and planting some favorite shrubs. My days soon moved into a pattern of: morning Daoist recitations, working from home, then outdoors work for a few hours, followed by Daoist meditation, recitation and reading before bed.
