Earth & Us:
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Dear friend,

This is the second part of the fifth issue of my free newsletter. Your feedback is most welcome!                   

In The Spiral Dance, Starhawk describes a ceremony: The High Priestess says, "This is the time of spring's return, the joyful time, the seed time, when life bursts forth from the earth and the chains of winter are broken. Light and dark are equal; it is a time of balance, when all the elements within us must be brought into a new harmony. . . May our hearts open with the spring!"

People symbolically throw off a binding (black wool yarn wrapped around their wrists), after telling the High Priest what binds them. They chant to the Goddess and then all at once throw off their bindings, and dance or sing for joy.

What binds me? Self-doubt, judgments, narrow and selfish thinking bind me. I now intend to throw off those constraints. Ego binds me! Please free me from the bondage of ego! I will free myself from bondage to a computer, to the manmade world. I intend to clear up unfinished business (a lot of it!) in my relationships, and study nonviolent communication.

What's out of balance in my life? My work and play or leisure are out of balance. Our society suffers from Repetitive Strain Injury. It's workaholism! I've even seen it in members of intentional communities. I now choose to live closer to nature. I'm taking a little time off to rejuvenate. I'm taking time to be the student, not the teacher. And to heal myself, and perhaps hire a coach and a computer wizard. Be the employer, not the employee, for a while. And do some volunteer work, some giving back to my community. I'd offer some biofeedback and imagery sessions, some classes, some books, and mostly do more environmental work (restoration, classes with kids, etc.)

Perhaps I'll get a veggie oil van and go across country in it, stopping to give talks and offer my books, and visit intentional communities on my way. Anyone want to come with me?

It's T-shirt weather in Berkeley, though it snowed a couple of days ago up in Tilden. Here in the hills I walked to, an orange and black butterfly flutters from wild pea to wild pea. The flowers' glorious orchid-purple glows amid such fresh green leaves and grass! The air is filled with the scent of French broom's delicate yellow blossoms. Along the trail I pick some deep green miners' lettuce and curly dock, tasting them in joyous communion with the earth.

Remembering the ABUNDANCE of the universe, shining forth in the unlimited energy of the sun-- if we just return to living more naturally, growing our own food, organically, and living with respect for the Earth. And remembering all my choices for joy!

Cathy Holt