Jupiter turns retrograde, November 6, 2013

"When Jupiter turns retrograde [in Cancer on November 6, 2013], he’ll close trines with the Sun, Saturn and eventually Mercury in Scorpio.  He’ll also close a trine with Chiron in Pisces.
Further, he’ll support Mars in Virgo and Venus and Pluto in Capricorn, by sextile aspect.
Do you feel lucky yet? I do!
Jupiter expands whatever he touches. The more you give, the more you get!
This [is] excellent for families (Cancer).
We, women and mothers and anyone else who nurtures others, can really buoy people over these next couple of months, so hey!  Let’s do it!" Read the rest from Elsa P.

Every planet 'turns retrograde' but it's usually Mercury that gets the most attention mainly because it happens so many times during a year. Mercury's retrogrades are frequent and last three weeks. When Jupiter turns retrograde the reversals and ground to be recovered lasts longer ... the opportunities are there over time. Elsa's post quoted above had me thinking about family this morning. I called my brother after reading that post, he wasn't at home but returned my call a couple hours ago. We talked (he talked, I listened) for almost two hours. When I lived near him he called often and I'd listen more than talk, just as I did tonight. We don't do that as much these days -- I get to do a lot more talking these days -- but tonight he needed time. I needed to hear his voice and listened with my heart. He's been through a lot in his 64 years, much of it brought on himself because he is Sagittarius with a full quiver of arrows he shots off in all directions. A sense of humor and bravado is putting it mildly when describing my brother. It's always been just the two of us. I'm the older sister, but only older by two years.

I listened to my storytelling brother and laughed full belly laughs that only he can bring up for me. His antics and his predicaments are classic, the characters and situations change, but he remains constant. Jupiter's retrograde and Elsa's thoughts gave me a perspective to ground me in the joy of being there to nurture my only brother. "I wish you were here," he said after talking for ninety minutes nonstop. "I miss you." "I miss you too," I said and I meant it. We're older now but the years enfold every other time and his current challenges and those I didn't have a chance to express made for that expanding Jupiter energy that will be with us through the rest of the year. My brother returned that phone call while I was sleeping, I woke up and answered it. I rarely answer a call once I'm in bed. Am I glad I did? Without a doubt!

The Legend of Ko'olau

A couple days ago my son sent me this photo of the Ko'olau Mountain Range. Taken from Maunawili, Oahu on the Windward side of the island, he knows these are the mountains that live easily in my dreams and in my soul. I went searching for something to add to this 'soul candy' and found the following:

" In 1893, the cowboy Ko'olau fought a rebel militia that had overthrown the Hawaiian monarchy and now wanted to enforce leprosy laws that would have forced him and his son to the leper settlement at Kalaupapa called "the Living Grave." With more than 50 soldiers and deputies and a Krupp cannon, the militia was confident it could capture Ko'olau who had killed a deputy sheriff. But they hadn’t taken into account Ko'olau’s expertise as a marksman, nor the resolve of his wife Piilani to keep the family together, nor the vast wilderness of Kalalau Valley on Kauai...- from The Legend of Koolau blog by writer Gary T. Kubota 

This Hawaii-based play based on the story of the Hawaiian cowboy Ko'olau and his family began touring the Hawaiian Islands in October, 2012. A year later, the production company has a vision to expand the awareness of Hawaiian history, train aspiring young Hawaiian actors and allow the touring company to travel to the continental US. CLICK here to listen to Hawaiian actor Ed Kaahea pitch you and encourage your donation. Ed is an old friend from Kauai. What a grand bit of serendipity to find him, and this project. Makua o'o readers who love Hawaii, here's something worth spreading around: Support Hawaiian actors telling the truth about their history. The project is half-way there with a week to go. Kokua, help, if you can.

Notice: the first of the makua o'o's tools

a handful of blueberry leaves captured my attention: i noticed and appreciate a year of magic

Thanks to Mercury (in retrograde) as Scorpio Season prepares to kicks in

"Astrology is one of my constant navigational tools; I check my bearings regularly. Pete has come along for the astrological ride over the years and like me appreciating how he uses his box of tools and his beast-of-a-truck, my husband has an appreciation for the planetary alignments. We were chatting yesterday and he shared stories with me about his day out in the public..." Link to the rest of the story on my other blog.

How do you relate, if you do, to Mercury in retrograde?

Lunar Eclipse in Aries today

Here's the whole of my astrologer Elsa Panizzon's newsletter. I opened it up this morning. It's great news for a full moon, lunar eclipse and weekend coming up. I'm re-posting it here because it is great news, and Elsa is a source worth supporting. (If you like it, go here, look at the sidebar on the right and subscribe to it yourself.)

"There is a lunar eclipse in Aries today - I don't think it's fierce or scary!  Jupiter (exalted) in Cancer is involved.  This sounds like a fresh (Aries) storyline (Jupiter) to me!

In the new story, you should be a hero or a winner or some such thing. Wimps and losers not in vogue today - sorry! More info here.

The weekend is going to be quite pleasant. Saturday gives us a Grand Trine in Earth. This always has a calming effect on people.

It features the moon, Mars and Pluto. Think in terms of making an effort (Mars) to renovate (Pluto) the home (moon).

Er...tell your kids to clean their rooms! 

You may also want to get rid of some emotional (moon) garbage (Pluto). Either way, things should go well.

There is an enormous emphasis on the Earth and Water signs on both Saturday and Sunday. No joke! The moon, Mercury, Mars, Chiron, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto are all in either Earth or Water signs.

These elements get along. As above, so below!

Sunday, the Moon in Taurus will oppose Saturn.  You might have to come to terms with something at that time, but I still think that overall, it's looking very good.

If you want to see something scary - check out the Astrology of Halloween

If you like this letter, please pass it along. Thanks for your support!"

Another story of Ka'ala Farm and Cultural Kipuka

Yesterday I posted a YouTube interview with Eric Enos. The magic of the message was clear to me, but the language was missing something. The voice and texture of Eric's message was layered. In part, that sort of communication happens every where, every day. We adapt language to fit the 'package' or the interview. I know I do it. Adapt. There is a price and a value to adaptation: the value is many survive because we adapt or make ourselves available to the prevailing culture -- the dominant culture. The price of adaptation can be a lifetime or generations of lifetimes where true value is invisible, hidden or misrepresented. No way do I hear a misrepresentation of the message on Eric Enos's part. But in a different venue I knew his language would be different. I sought it out.

Using the example of Eric Enos' interview I found something more to listen to and consider. Using the tools of the Makua o'o today's post involves 'listening for the heartbeat of the culture.' Going deeper the link here takes another listen at the story of working with and caring for the land... malama 'aina in a talk at AHA KANE, 2012. 

AHA KANE's mission and vision in their own words is:

Our Mission and Vision

Ke Kuhi Hopena (Vision)
To nurture a healthier Native Hawaiian male population by eliminating psychosocial, health, and educational disparities founded on traditional cultural practices and building sustainability in the community.
Ka Mākia (Purpose)
To increase our awareness and empower Native Hawaiian males to fulfill our roles and responsibilities amongst ourselves, as well as within our families and our respective communities.

Ka Huakaʻi (Mission)
To strengthen the Native Hawaiian community through nurturing and perpetuating the traditional male roles and responsibilities that contribute to the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of Hawaiian males, their families and communities.

LINK BELOW to a video with Eric Enos as he talks with Hawaiian men at AHA KANE 2012 about the discovery and restoration of traditional and cultural practices; the establishment of Ka'ala Farm.

http://www.oiwi.tv/channels/culture/working-and-caring-the-aina/

Was there a difference in the message in the two stories about cultural kipuka? Consider it for yourself. 

Cultural Kipuka

"Cultural kipuka were calm and safe traditional centers of spiritual power where Native Hawaiian beliefs and practices were able to develop long before Western and Christian influences."- McGregor, 2007

Our son is living on O'ahu. A couple days ago we chatted and he told me about a recent study completed in Hawaii focused on Hawaiian (and Pacific Islanders) health. I've read the report and begun to sift through the details sniffing in my fashion as woman with stick (makua o'o) for the magic in the message. I found it! For me, as I wrote back to my son yesterday, the "cultural kipuka" was something to chew on and digest. This morning I used the cybernetic portals available through these keys and screen and found the YouTube filmed in the Waianae Valley at Ka'ala Farm on the Leeward coast of O'ahu. This is a film and conversation with Eric Enos and here I listened with my whole body and felt the heartbeart of my culture. (Press that arrow above now if you have thirty minutes to feel with your whole body.) Listen carefully for Eric Enos' definition of "kipuka" using the beauty of Hawaiian metaphor and the concept that is the papaku (foundation) upon which Ka'ala Farm restores and reminds Hawaiians of our true inheritance.

October is yellow

Yellow is the color ... sometimes mellow and sometimes mixed with the flames of orange or piney stems of falling needles surrounding flocks of mushrooms popping up beside the golden wagon between the gravel paths. It's the season that fuels the Silver-haired Raven with pre-winter energy for cleaning roofs of moss and mold and standing on ladders surveying the woods ... it's home.

The inaugural event: a makua spreads her wings at The Safety Pin Cafe

Mahalo Rumz for the video!

A morning gift of a video on YouTube came to me and I pass it along ...

A life of stitches

"For centuries women have done needlework. It was a necessary skill, it was an accomplishment, and it was a chance to appear to be active while giving one’s mind free reign to consider, to think..."
Read more ... 

"It makes no never mind!" We did it

 "Feel the possibilities
The soaring fantasy of your dreams
And
The solid support of your reality!"
-Satori

From the imaginary and virtual reality of a cozy place painted by one artist and written about by another. The Safety Pin Cafe became, with lots of hard work, hours of meditative cutting, pinning and stitching and application of the tools of a Makua O'o ... the real deal. "It makes no never mind, the work is hard. So?"

 Yesterday we pitched tents, said prayers, chanted over and over again and let the stories fly under a sunlit Sunday sky. It was the real deal. We kept a promise to give thanks to the people and place:The South Whidbey Tilth.

 Link to a bit more over at The Safety Pin Cafe blog.

Thank you to our friend Michael Seraphinoff for taking the photo at the cafe opening!

Moku to Moku ... island to island

Five men and three women (one of those women is taking the picture) hook up on O'ahu's Windward side. From that moku we connect to know the Hawaii Universe is moku to moku on this island earth. That's my brother, his wife, their son with his daughter, son #2 and our son #1: Kawika Jr., Jen, Kawika III, Kiki I, Kalani and Christopher Kawika and Richie at the lense. Ea no Kawika e.

Practicing the art of living (be flexible)

"This is a week of weather: all sorts of weather. On Friday a handful of friends came out to the South Whidbey Tilth to practice. What a day it was. BLUSTERY! The wind made itself present, and made some decisions about where and how to set the tents for The Safety Pin Cafe. Fiber Artist Pam Winstanley has helped with designs and support for this project since I first dreamed up the possibility of 'an event.' Jo Stevens, South Whidbey Tilth's Land Steward and Farmers' Market Manager was with us to choose a location for the setup and hold the tent down when the wind became bombastic. Pete made sure the chicken stew was hot and slices of whole wheat bread and butter were ready when we were too wind-blown to keep practicing. I cooked up the stew, made a batch of cinnamon toast and chanted a prayer of permission to be in this place...

Click here to read more about setting the table for The Safety Pin Cafe.

Pete in the Orchard ... practicing

Astrologically, Elsa P. my favorite astrologer said this about this week:

Her newsletter described the week as: "Why It's Not A Good Idea To Get Whipped Into A Frenzy This Week"

"We've got a potent week on tap. I know a lot of people are afraid of the new moon on Friday. I don't think this makes a lot of sense so I want to come in with another perspective. The week is dominated by a cardinal T-square involving the Sun, Uranus and Pluto... Is is hard-core?  Yes. 

 

But we are going to be dealing with a cardinal t-square well into 2014.  See Year-long Cardinal T-Square)

 

Considering this, a person would be well-advised to learn all they can about this energy, embrace it and learn to work with it. This week provides an excellent opportunity to do this, because there are so few distractions.

 

As an example of what I mean, my husband speaks a lot of languages. He says they are easy to learn if you're immersed in the culture where the particular language is spoken.  So this is like that. We're all going to be wrapped up with energy. Why not make it pay?

Practicing the art of living is all about (for me) learning to be flexible. The weather? I cannot do much about it, but I can attend to it, have Plan B, and immerse myself in the culture of where we live now. That place is the Pacific Northwest and the season is the beginning of the wet time. One of the many things living with MCS teaches us is to see life as art and make the best art possible. Rain or shine.

And your art of living?