Welcome….You have discovered your dharma. You are on your path. Inside, find some tools to help you on your way!
For the second issue of ‘DharmAwaken’, the theme is mindfulness. As a practice of Buddhism, mindfulness finds it’s way into our lives when we take time to focus on the now, here.
In these stressful times it is useful to have a means of stepping back in order to respond instead of instantly reacting. The Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh has a beautiful way of teaching mindfulness, using breathing techniques in a variety of modalities including meditation and walking meditation. Many of Thay’s writings, as well as audio and visual materials are available on the website for Plum Village, the community he established in 1982.
"What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life.
To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing"
Find out about Thich Nhat Hanh here:
http://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/
In mindfulness we also have the advantage of observation which is one of the core principles of Permaculture. It is through careful observation that we are able to reach a level of understanding about a subject which then allows us to design a garden, a structure, a community, or anything our hearts desire in a wholistic way, taking all things into consideration. David Holmgren treats the subject of observation, and many other Permaculture principals on his website, ‘Temperate Climate Permaculture’: http://tcpermaculture.com/site/2013/04/29/practicing-permaculture-principle-one-observation/
"The only way to use nature as our guide is to actually observe what nature is doing. Take the time to sit and observe! It is not wasted time..." -David Holmgren
http://http://www.tcpermaculture.blogspot.com/2011/07/principles-of-permaculture-principle.html
February Moon Planting Guide
In the Northern Hemisphere, February is a month of planning and seed ordering, but there are still a few things that can be planted, such as tree nuts. Many of these require a period of cold before sprouting, and it is a good idea to research the tree you wish to grow from their seed to find out the optimal cold time required and how that relates to where you live.
For an explanation on planting and sowing according to the Moon, see ‘The Gardeners Calendar’ website:
http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk/Moon_Planting.asp
The best days for planting this moon are February 2 and 3 (Pisces), February 7 and 8 (Taurus), and February 12 and 13 (Cancer).
Observe and Interact
After the Ethos of earth, people and future care, the next level in the application of Permaculture design is consideration of its Principals. There are many of them, but one of the first is to observe and then to interact. The Principle of Observation and Interaction is easily remembered when correlated with the classical Trivium method of Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric. The action of observation correlates most with the collection of information that is classical grammar. In fact, it is in careful observation over the course of a year’s worth of seasons, that we are better able to plan a garden, or design an addition to our home, for instance.
In the sweet children’s story, ‘The Secret Garden’, a young girl who is newly orphaned, is sent to live in the multi-roomed mansion of her Uncle on the moorlands of Northern England. Through a chain of coincidences, she finds a neglected and locked up garden. Over the course of winter, then spring and summer, in the enthusiasm and excitement she brings to the daily observations of plants and animals in that garden, she regains her physical and emotional health. She is even able to help another child, her cousin. Together they call the spiritual strength they derive from their interactions with nature ‘magic’.
What makes this story most interesting is the time period in which it was written, approximately 120 years ago during the time Queen Victoria ruled England. The viewpoints of the people living indigenously in Yorkshire, as presented by the author, and the influence of eastern philosophy come together in a wonderful synthesis in which observation of nature is paramount for the optimal way of right living in a particular place.
Interaction can made to be understood in the context of Rhetoric, which is the art of discourse. A relationship must be struck, after the understanding one gleans from knowing the particulars of something, and logical correlations made. From interactions within relationships on all levels of existence, new observations can be made.
“ The power of good observation is something not many of us have, and detailed observations of where we are will underpin any actions we undertake. A post-peak world will depend on detailed observation and good design rather than energy-intensive solutions.” ~Rob Hopkins, The Transitions Handbook
Mayan Calendar for the February Moon, 2014
Iggy and Fiona staying warm by the fire….
Have a Warm and Happy February Moon!
In Lak’ech,
Lauren
Dharmawaken is an Art and Permaculture ‘ezine’ published monthly by Lauren Blair Churchill
