According to the “smart guys” in Washington to live a prosperous life, we have to have a job and pay taxes. According to the “wise men,” to live a happy life is to live simply. Hmmn… Now, why can’t we live simply, happy and prosperously? I don’t see a separation here, do you? I believe in working and being happy so prosperity comes easily.

Now, when we measure prosperity and happiness with cash on hand only it would be a different story and a sad one at that.

In the classic movie, “Fiddler on the Roof”, Tevye, a poor Jewish milkman, has a wife and five unmarried daughters to support. He constantly talks to God about his troubles. yet the feeling of lack did not deter his good disposition. His wife on the other hand is determined to find a good husband for each of the daughters in the hope of giving them a better life, so she consults a matchmaker. To make the story short, Tevya’s faith in God gave him the strength to overcome his obstacles. But one day, he finally came to ask God some justification of all his sacrifices. “God, if money is a curse, may you smite me with it, and may I never recover from it!”

I’m with Tevya. If I am not qualified for the full “curse” of being a full time  millionaireJ) I’d like to be considered at least for a part time one. I don’t know about you, I have this notion that “living simply” is overrated. Perhaps the true meaning of this phrase has not been explained thoroughly or explored well enough.

Cheers!

It was over three weeks that my normal activities I do in my backyard were disrupted by the bronchial virus had taken over. I normally do not get sick – I don’t permit it. Somehow, my body had found a way to remind me that I am no super woman after all – a real surprise to me. : )�

Finally, I am in better health and back to communing with my plants and herbs. A friend gave me a 3�? inch pot Lemon Cucumber last spring, and lo and behold, I was rewarded with at least a dozen golden vegetables. My Calamunding, a miniature Philippine Lime Tree, continues to bear fruits for many years now. I make use of my Bay, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Basil, and lots of others, in my cooking, in my bath, and in many other uses. I enjoy growing them, tending them and eating them – the cycle of plant life.� �

� � One thing I love the most is working with the soil and the awareness that I use the basic elements – water, sunlight, air and earth. I cannot help but honor Mother Nature for giving me such opportunity every day, and every time I touch every one of them, smell their delicate blossoms, and get rid of their withering leaves. I know that the plants don’t mind me eating them for my sustenance. Some day, I will be back to earth myself and become food for plants and other earthly insects - the way of all life and all very agreeable.� � � � � �

The celebration starts with a gathering or a picnic of the villagers during the day. There will be sacrificed pigs or carabao as offerings for a bountiful year and the safe return of the loved ones who frequently are an important source of monetary income for the family. Then the festival …http://www.marcelinaww.com/Whispers/Traditions.asp�

Different cultures, different tradition, different ways of celebrating the first harvest of the year. For instance, in the Celtic tradition this time of a year August 1^st and 2^nd is recognized as one of their larger Sabbats (Holy Days) of the year – this is called the Feast of Lughnasadh� (Loo-nahs-ah) in honor of the Irish Sun God, Lugh, “the shining one�? or the Harvest Lord.�

The Cotton Harvest in India was treated with the same respect and sacredness in honor of the Cotton Mother. This was the time of family gathering to offer prayers and gratitude. The first picked boll of the season was symbolically fed and preserved until the next harvest.�

� The Native Americans celebrate this time of the year to honor the Corn Grandmother.� Often times, several clans gather for the festivities that include games and skill competitions. The feasting usually lasts for several days; the celebration is part of their religious observance.�

I guess what I’m trying to illustrate is the common beliefs of honoring the Time of Harvest… more so now than ever. We hear the continuing price increases on food, gas or the lack of supplies, etc. (Mars and Saturn in Virgo) May we try a barter method as a temporary solution? Perhaps… Whatever reason we have, we should be grateful of the blessedness of life here in the US compared to other places in the world. Positive change is not through only one individual, or the President of the country, but through group consciousness, the Congress included.� (Chiron, Neptune, Moon Node in Aquarius) �

Keep Sharing the Light!

� � � � � � � � � � � � �

Celebrating Independence

� Freedom! What a delicious concept! A thought or idea of liberation, and each and every one of us may have a different view of its meaning. But, really what is freedom to you?�

Being born in a third world country, I cannot count a day that I am not grateful for my life here in the United States. I have the freedom of speech through this blog, to practice my own beliefs or religion of choice, and also to vote for the people in the government who make up the laws – a million laws! And that’s where the idea of freedom gets thwarted.� This reminds me of Professor Umbridge (Harry Potter Series) who had all her laws nailed to the wall, all the way up to the ceiling of Hogwarts Castle – the students would have to climb on at least 20 ft tall ladder to read some of these posted laws. In our society, we all need to study law or have a personal lawyer just to decipher some of them. So, what should we do about it?�

Now, here’s my idea…remember, I don’t claim to be a Mensa candidate, so bear with me. All I know is that if we don’t continuously win our freedom, we’ll spend our whole life in prison.�

� I believe, We the People, must clearly define Freedom – personal freedom to simplify life. Most of us experience extremely restricted conditions in life – emotional, physical health, and the society we have created, etc., such as being cash challenged. So, everybody gets to tell you what to do and where to go. Because of the millions of laws being imposed on us, to regain a sense of our personal freedom, I’d say choose a couple or maybe three areas that you can have control over – in my case, my beliefs, my physical health, and my right to vote. I am still working on my fourth - my financial freedom. �

Happy Independence Day!

Ahh… Summer! What an affirmation of Life!� I remember the first time I held a Summer Solstice ceremony at Doheny Beach, Dana Point. Can you imagine doing it in the middle of the beach where everybody was going to witness this rather unusual gathering?� What was I thinking?� It did not matter… my friends and sisters of the path were enthused as I to show the community that we’re normal, mentally equipped, well adjusted citizens.� �

At noontime was the start of the ceremony. We wanted to feel the heat of the sun, honor its glory as it rises every morning and express gratitude as it rests at sunset. For its power that gives us warmth, vitality and richness of Life. About fifty people came. Dressed in brilliant summer colors, the women wore a wreath of flowers around their head while men wore light colored shirts. We formed the circle, a bonfire in the center was getting really hot. The ceremony had begun!� �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � “In the beginning, All is One…�? my opening on most ceremonies.� A few words were uttered, the whole crowd was quiet as they stood still waiting … contemplating… mesmerizing …� � � �

� A song was started, everyone sung along, the beating of the drums got louder, body movements were becoming fluid yet intense, we closed our eyes, we danced with the rhythms of the music. Then… We stopped. We acknowledged the presence of one another in the circle and expressed our gratitude to the power of the Sun God, and the Great Goddess. We prayed for their continuing guidance. We uttered self blessings.� A non-alcoholic red wine was tossed in honor of the Divine Presence.� � � �

A maiden carrying a basket of red roses for the females and small yellow candles for the males made her round to give the gift of Summer. Hugs were exchanged. A Pot luck of delicacies of fruit salads, baked oysters, and sun and moon shaped cookies perfected the gathering.

� Have a Blessed Summer Solstice!!� � Merry Meet!

� According to witnesses, there was an outer circle about 10 feet away from ours, formed by larger crowd who happened to be at the beach and watched the ceremony. I knew then that my community had accepted my beliefs.� � � � � � � Keep Sharing the Light !� �

Hail to all the courageous brave ones!

As I watched King Théoden (The Lord of the Rings) giving honor to the fallen fighters of his kingdom, I can’t help but reflect to our own fallen soldiers. I wonder if we have actually given them the honor and recognition they deserve for their sacrifices. I wonder, if we realize that most of them may have been like Sam and Frodo – their simple and peaceful lives were put in tremendous danger from the evil eye of the Dark Lord Sauron, eventually causing them to fall like Gandalf, the Grey. I wonder, if we can feel the same agony that the Lady Arwen was going through while waiting for the safe return of her beloved Aragorn. I wonder if we, the beloved ones being protected, left behind in the safety of our naivety and the innocence of the Shire really knew the last words uttered by the lips of the fallen brave ones, like Boromir? I wonder…� �

Politics is way out of my league in my thinking process. I try to avoid listening to the news to escape from what is really happening to this beautiful country… to Frodo’s beloved Shire. The only thing I can do is to relate it with something I’ve read in the books or watched in a movie. Like Tree Beard, I want to believe that the green lush of the forest will continue to flourish. But in my psyche, can I really avoid the malice and vindictive forces of the Dark Lord Sauron and the power hungry Saruman? Am I sensing my own dangerous denial mode? Their combined powers reinforced through the� blood thirsty� Orcs are ready to destroy everything in sight to restore the Ring of Power.�

I wish things were different…Tibet was a peaceful place, a sanctuary for monks who did not wish to participate in any violent act. I wonder why they became victims of hatred and atrocities?� Could it be that we all wish that all people believe or think the same way we do? What would be the use of our birthright to make choices, to choose what to think, how to act?� Lord in Heaven, help my simple brain!!� �

� Aragorn, made the choice to claim his birthright as heir to the throne of Gondor. So he fought to obtain his birthright. Sam and Frodo, after all the dangers and nerve-raking confrontations with the Orcs, of losing the Ring of Power to Gollum, finally went back home to the Shire. Their disappearance seemingly unnoticed by the villagers; some had somewhat a smirk on their face as Frodo and Sam passed them by. I hope, today, even for just� one day, we’d give honor to all the Aragorns, the Frodos and the Sams, of our country, of our time.�

Today, I honor all the service men and women who gave their lives for the safety of my family and me. I give honor to the families of those who sacrificed their lives in place far away from their loved ones, who answered their duty to our country.�

Hail the victorious dead!� Hail to all the courageous brave ones!�

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling, which thinks that nothing is worth war, is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.�?� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � -John Stuart Mill

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May is one month of the year that women celebrate themselves being a woman. No, I am not talking about clothes shopping or getting a pedicure etc. I am talking about YOU, a woman, female, a vehicle of life.�

� As women, we learned to be nurturers, caretakers, and accommodators. So, time goes by, day by day, month by month and for some even their whole life without understanding their place in the world, or asking simple questions such as “Who am I, or what am I?� I have no answer for that either - now that I’m older. If you would have asked me these questions when I was much younger say, 35 – 40, I would have had all the answers for you.�

So lady readers, let’s make this a year to start honoring ourselves during the month of May. Down below is my list, thoughts of celebrating self-kindness, and please free to add yours.� If you wish, I’ll be happy to post them with your name on Moonweaver’s Dance blog.�

Celebrating M’Self list: May 2008:�

*Eat a big bowl of Sundae Fudge without guilt.�

*Surround myself with lit candles in the dark, turn on my favorite music and start dancing.

*Soak in the bathtub with a candle lit, hang a “Do Not Disturb�? sign at the door.

*Wrap a present with the most beautiful paper and ribbon I can find, place it next to my bed and open it the next morning. Oh, I should include a greeting card.

*Ask a handsome stranger for help instead of struggling to reach the highest shelf at the grocery. �

*Thank wholeheartedly those who think I am old and let them carry the grocery bags to the car.� �

*Write humorous affirmations for women’s dilemmas.

*Look in the mirror and say aloud, “I am Beautiful and Mysterious!�? for everybody in the neighborhood to hear.

*Plant a blooming plant to remind me how magnificent life is.

Have a Blessed Celebrating� M’Self � Month!

� Whether it is about politics, religion, terrorism, ecology, or the economy, we hear the cry for, Change! As I said in one of my postings (see Changes) Life, is all about changes. Unfortunately, we want people around us to change into what we want them to be, we want the government to accommodate our needs for security, we want the clergies to denounce their spiritual beliefs, and we even want Mother Nature to change the process of her cycles. My goodness! This is a very tall order, don’t you think? I can’t help but wonder whether the reasons for these changes are other than to find faults on others. What can be gained from it? - a sense of purpose in life, a feeling of belonging, or simply an attempt to exert superiority over another?� Here are my thoughts …� � �

� Changes will soon be delivered indeed, in unpredicted and multiple ways. Astrologers believe these changes will introduce themselves by the late part of this year, 2008. Right around April 2009, there will be a “great meeting�? of two planets, Jupiter and Neptune, and Chiron an asteroid, in the sign of Aquarius, the sign that is unafraid to make waves, to act in rebellion for the greater good of all. As the sign that strongly promotes equality and liberty, Aquarius urges humankind to become whole in morality (Jupiter), in spirit (Neptune), that we may become healers to our wounded self (Chiron). This energy will magnify throughout 2009 and early 2010. For better or worse, a new era will start to build thru 2014. So how does one individual make a difference??�

I speak only for myself for what I can contribute to humanity. What I have noticed is that the predominant perception of the people in the US is that everything is going downhill, and will become even worse. I’m sorry but I don’t buy that!� We have become pessimistic almost to the point of being inspired by the thought that “the world is coming to an end�? - a common belief in the new age community.� Two of the topics frequently discussed in our community, The Mayan Calendar and the faith in global warming, are indications of this belief in imminent worldly annihilation.� Such a convenient excuse for not taking personal responsibility, I’d say.�

My responsibility is to be a little kinder, be a little forgiving, be a little giving to myself and to my own family and extend these to my friends and community. I cannot blame others for my losses, pains and sufferings. When feeling unwell, I take an inventory of my attitude and habits and make an effort to make some changes.� If money is tight, there’s always a job waiting for me when I need it because I’m willing to work. HOPE doesn’t do anything for me – by itself it makes one lazy and subject to be dominated by others.� �

� � Now, would you like to share your opinion on how to better the world?� Others would love to hear it and perhaps, in our little ways, we can help the new era ‘As the Wheel of Evolution Turns… � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

“Sun and Moon divide the sky,
Fragrance blooms on pear wood bones;
Earth awakens with a sigh.
Wanderer revels on the path alone�?.� � -Tao Meditation

As one born in springtime, and like most Aries are, I believe in initiating new projects planting new seeds, doing things alone, making my own decision, and not waiting for others to give me a hand. It’s not always easy for an Aries woman to be married or be in a relationship. They can be too independent, self-directed for their own good. An equally strong-minded man is one and only solution if a relationship is to survive. So… far so good - just have celebrated my 32^nd year wedding anniversary two days ago, March 16^th along with my husband, John J - and we’re actually thinking of, maybe, getting senile together. We’ll see…

I love the month of March besides being spring. There’s so much to celebrate in my life during this month –I feel so alive! My late father’s birthday is March 17^th, my mother in law’s March 15th, my wedding was March 16^th, and my first business in the US, a tailoring shop was opened in March of 1983 and so much more I prefer not to share with you. But one thing I’d like to share was my personal journey during� Spring.

I was about to turn 21 years old. A friend and I were sponsored to join a four-day religious retreat to be held in a nunnery or convent along with 10 other young women. (We had no idea and were not informed prior to the event). Away from the city, the site was up on a hill. As we entered the convent, we were required to check in all our material belongings except the clothing for sleeping, like a nightgown. Days and nights were dedicated to prayers, novenas and some very, very long silences in the Chapel. The only sound we heard were the grumbling sounds of our empty stomachs. Whenever the food was provided, we were fed very lightly. There was no clock in sight, nor did we see anything outside of the convent to remind us of the time. No one dare to asked. The instruction was clear. NO TALKING even to your ‘cot’ mate. By the third night, food and drink did not matter to me anymore, I felt so light my feet did not seem to touch the ground anymore. The following morning, at dawn, we were awoken by one of the nuns. She instructed us to look out the window and down the hill. And, I saw ……… tears started pouring down my face, a magnificent sight I will never, ever forget as long as I lived. The memory is so precious and so dear to share just yet. That morning was the mark of Spring . �

May you all remember…Sunshine and Rainbows in your life!

Inspiration:

In life, ‘Change is the only thing that is constant’. We hear this saying over and over again but what are we truly talking about? Does the change have to do with changing the location where you reside to another, a new occupation, a change of relationship from one person to another, a different religion or, how about a new political affiliation? The majority of us believe it to be so, for it’s what the society tells us is true. What’s the purpose?� Here’s what an author/educator I admire had to say on the subject: