Count on the Moon ... Learning from Mahina

This is a new post from Count on the Moon the on-line workshop and blog my husband and I created four years ago on March 27, 2011. The new venture of teaching and learning from the Hawaiian Moon Calendar opened up deep and unexpected sources of connectivity with Mahina. We have re-opened that on-line space and blog and here is what motivates me:

"... Contemporary life has distracted us, most of us, from the values and practices that are foundational -- that is, some things are greater than ourselves, our believed entitlements. In 2007 those distractions and beliefs that were my world washed out with the tide. Homeless. Health bereft. Humbled. While we relearned what was sustainable, Mahina the Hawaiian Moon rose from the ocean over the horizon off the Eastern shore of O'ahu as we made our bed for the night. From our car which was our home for many months at that time, Pete and I literally began our journey of counting on the moon. We have rebuilt a life, and rooted ourselves in a new island-based community in South Whidbey Island in the Salish Sea (Pacific Northwest America/Washington state). Our practices as elders in training (Makua o'o) are magic made manifest like the braided cord..."

Count on the Moon is a public blog/and sharing space which we hope will expand peoples' awareness and relationship with moon-time; a tool to become more attuned to Nature, and specifically the changing climate on Earth. Wherever you are on the planet there are simple and valuable things you (and we) can notice, and record.

The following Lunar Observation Sheet was modified(expanded to include areas beyond Hawaii) from Kalei Nu'uhiwa's website. This woman has influenced my husband and me with her research and teaching of Kaulana Mahina The Hawaiian Moon Calendar. This sheet is available on her website as a free downloadable pdf.

Lunar Observation Sheet

Date: ______________________         Time of observation: _____________________________

1. Location of observation: Where were you when you saw the moon?
2. Where was the moon located in the sky at the time of the observation?
3. Weather observations: Is it windy? Is it hot? Is it cold? Is it raining? What kind of rain? What kind of wind? How hot? Record anything you noticed about that particular day or night.
4. Daily tidal report: There are two sets of tides that usually happen daily. Record both. Notice what time the moon rises and sets in conjunction with the high and low tides. Daily tide reports can be gotten from many resources. The newspaper gives daily tide reports. Online: United States Geological Service, NASA, or simply Google Tide chart for the area where you live.
5. Record blooming, fruiting or leaf growing stages of plants.
6. What plants are prevalent?
7. Note fish/marine species spawning, migration, aggregation or appearance. What types of fish/marine species are prevalent?
8. Record ocean activities. Is it rough? Is it calm? Are there swells? Do the waves barrel?
9. Record bird activities. Migration, nesting, flocking and other activities.
10. Record weather or climate season activities.
11. *Any other natural growth or parallel form activities.
12. Plants planted on his phase. Followed by noted growth patterns and activities.

Shape of the moon observed: Draw the shape of the moon you observed.

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A Pacific wide lunar calendar conference is scheduled for September 24-27, 2015 at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, on the island of O'ahu. Travel to O'ahu is not within my scope of doable at this stage of life. Pete and I fantasized about the possibility and then messages and messengers arrived telling me to imagine something different instead. That is what we're doing. If we are not able to board a plane and be in safe quarters in the islands, we can open the possibilities for being part of the process WHERE WE ARE. That's one reason I have decided to re-open the Count on the Moon blog. STAY TUNED FOR MORE AS IT UNFURLED.