Grandmother Moon and You

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Have you heard the story of Grandmother Moon? How her sister, Grandmother Ocean, offered to cleanse the excessive energy we take in through out the month and in doing so, Grandmother Moon brings her sister's waters to use once a month. (If not, you can read the story here.)

The moon controls the flow of the tides and electromagnetic fields. We hold inside our wombs, in our souls a small replica of her power. From our journey through the maiden to the mother to the wise old crone, or the process of releasing an egg to provide a fertile place where the seed of life can continue to grow, the power of the moon is inside of us. A woman on her menses used to be referred to being "on her moon" and was revered as sacred and honored by everyone in her tribe or community. 

We need to remember the times when being on "on the moon" meant we were more like the moon. She is our life cycle and our life source. She is like a young fair maiden at the beginning of her cycle. Growing with experience and gaining confidence until she shines at her fullest. Full like a mother pregnant with her own maiden, an embodiment of the fullest part of our cycles, when we can carry the life force in us at the highest. She shimmers like the old crone with her sage wisdom at the end of her cycle, preparing to pass her secret on to the next maiden before her light releases into the next plane. 

We have long forgotten the power that the moon lends us. Instead we rush her, push her and ignore her natural call. Like a great mother keeping watch over us as we sleep, we've given our trust to her, but no longer in return to we acknowledge her strength and wisdom in our hearts, souls and wombs. She is not only a reminder of being watched, she is a reminder of how our cycle should be. Empty, yearning for fulfillment, plump with expectancy and then passing every so beautiful with a rush of glory.  

This forgetfulness has come at a risk. We no longer know how to handle the energy lent to use during our moon period. The consequences of this are great. We suffer from mood disorders, PMS, PMDD, lack of energy extreme bleeding and cramps. We do not use her light and a beacon to remember our cycles. We are not in sync as women anymore. (And I'd wager this has A LOT to do with the "mommy wars".) We have been deprogrammed to know the strength in our menses and programmed to think of them as an inconvenience.

But the beauty is we can regain this. We can tune back into Grandmother Moon. We can meditate, sit in the moonlight and removed stress and toxins from our diet to get us back to Mother Earth and Grandmother Moon. The most beneficial and productive way to get our cycles back on, well, cycle is to enjoy our menses. Rest, meditate, avoid things that pull your energy, feed yourself quality food during your menses and honor the inner goddess in you. Yoga is great during your menses because it forces you to focus and breathe while allowing tension to be released.

So the next time you're tempted to moan about your menses to your fellow sage sister, take a moment, breathe and enjoy a cup of tea (I recommend some Red Raspberry Leaf Tea for it's amazing properties.) and share with you sage sister the beauty of the power you hold inside your womb. 

Namaste

(To join a group of women who are dedicated to tracking their cycles and taking charge of their fertility and harnessing the moon, please look up "Moon Daughters" on Facebook.)

Who I Am

So I've talked before about being on my path. Knowing things that shape who I am and who I want to be on my journey. And the longer I listen to myself, the more I find out who I really am. The only problem with finding who I am is finding I'm nowhere near who I thought I was and nowhere near what society and other people would consider “acceptable”. Now though, I am okay with that. I have finally made my peace with who I am and it is more freeing than I ever thought possible.

So who I am, you ask? Well, grab a mug of coffee or tea and a comfy seat and I will share who I am and how I managed my journey. Because life may be a highway, but all highways have on and off ramps for amazing, sometimes challenging detours. Sometimes they are beautiful, sometimes mournful and then sometimes they are so awe-inspiring that you feel goosebumps when you mention something that resonates with your heart?

Religion is often something that makes up the majority of people. Following God, being a Buddhist, Taoist, Christian, Pagan or Gnostic. It's such a variety and there is a war with all of them. We're too worried about the terms to worry about the bigger picture. For me, I identify myself as a God and Goddess loving, Jesus following, nature loving, tree hugging hippie Kitchen Witch. Why all these things? Because I believe in the duality. I don't feel that God would be just male. I really believe that everything on Earth is made in “Their” image so it would have to be a duality. I believe in Jesus and His teachings, yet I believe He was our Earth-bound teacher. He respected the land, the people of different faiths and especially those who were different or not considered equal to other people. His teachings are basic life lessons that teach you how to be a good person. And yes, He did say that you should love your God with all your heart. But I feel my God is both a God and a Goddess. Two entities who form one.

So the nature loving, tree hugging hippie Kitchen Witch part. I really feel like a God/Goddess who put us on this Earth and talks so much about it in the beginning that They wanted us to have everything we need to take care of ourselves. Herbalism, Divination, Respect, enjoyment in the daily tasks are parts of me that are most important. Healthy living. Living out the role of a mom, healer and care provider for my family is best done in my Kitchen. Growing nutrition {aka a garden/herbs} and using that to heal my family. Using my energy and praying for guidance in my kitchen while I prepare things to nourish my families bodies and souls. Respecting nature. Giving back to it when I can by recycling and composting. Loving Earth by treating her with respect and teaching my children to respect and love it. Leaving a better Earth for my children and leaving better children for the Earth.

So we've covered the religion part. The next part is where I have finally have come to realize anyone who has a problem with who I am, really isn't accepting of themselves. When we finally accept ourselves as a whole and no longer worry about what others think of us, then we can do the same for other people. To find acceptance for other people, we have to look deep inside ourselves and find out who we really are. Admit our flaws {I'm horrible at follow through, talk a lot and might need to tone my arms and belly.} and acknowledge our strengths without feeling like we shouldn't brag {I'm a great doula, an awesome researcher and a fun mom.} then we can look at others and only see their strengths. When we knit-pick others we are doing it because we are projecting our thoughts onto them. Sometimes this can be a good thing. It gives us a chance to really see what we need to work on or let go off. Where we can further grow in our lives and where it is time to let the plant die so that we can make room for a new one. For a long time I have projected my problems and flaws onto other people. I never stop to consider that it was something I need to work on. Finally realizing that has set me free.

I don't like wearing makeup. But I look really amazing in it. So I do it to make myself feel beautiful when I want to. And only when I want to. Never more, never less. I do however, like wearing dresses and skirts all the time. I feel more like myself when wearing them. I went all through high school wearing pants and really was never comfortable. If I had known that I would feel a million times more comfortable in my own skin wearing dresses I would have done it ages ago.

And I like to make things, but my follow through sucks. I keep saying I want to open an Etsy shop, but I'm afraid that if I did I wouldn't keep up with everything. I'd forget to mail stuff or I'd suck at it. Honestly, I'd really love to open a shop up like the one in Practical Magic. Maybe I should work on that next. Add it in with my doula and midwife work. We'll see.

So I've shared who I am and where I am considering going, so sound off in the comments who you are and where you are going. Have you found out who you are? Are you working on it?


-The Anti-Mainstream Mom

Simplifying our Wardrobe: The Purge (Pt 1)

We are getting ready for a big change. A change that involves less closet space. And we are very excited about the prospect that it brings. But there is one little hitch. There will not be enough room to keep what is considered a full wardrobe for all of us. Which is okay, I'm tired of all the laundry anyway. So we are downsizing. 

"The Purge" as you've noticed it being called has started. I've sorted about 10 baskets full of laundry already. (See, told you we have a lot of clothes.) I probably have about 10 more to do as well. Plus bedding. This is getting fun.

Fun? Yes fun. Because we are making it fun. I ask my son if he wants to keep something or send it off into the Universe. We aren't just purging and throwing away. Or even selling. We are going to be giving all our kids clothes to a great inner city organization. Because coming from our homeless and in desperate need background, we know the value simple things hold. And I don't even want my kids to forget that! 

This is proving to be an exercise in learning what are wants and needs. Because we may want to keep all our favorite t'shirts, but we don't need too. And any that are stained and are not going to be able to be used my the groups we are donating to, I plan to turn them into fun little blankets. It will be a great memory and have a practical, new use in our home. 

Now on to what are we keeping.
Each family member will have their wardrobe. I will have 2. (One is a set of work clothes, the rest are home/daily clothes.) 

3 pairs of short
3 pairs of jeans/khaki's/etc.
10 t'shirts-6 short sleeve/3 long sleeve
3 pairs of sweats/house pants
3 pajamas
1 dress up outfit (for church, weddings, etc.)
1 jacket
1 sweater
1 winter coat

for the girls only
3 skirts
3 dresses
3 pairs of tights


I will not be getting rid of any socks or under wear or under shirts. We will be keeping all of those. Because with little kids, sometimes you go through lots of socks and underwear!

This is going to be an exercise in frugality. And picking our favorites to keep. I plan on keeping some extras in storage in case we need them. But for the most part we plan on relying on just what I will have on hand.  This is going to end up being an exercise in patience and all of us picking what we really love most. All clothes have to be versatile, strong, clean and  practical.

Do you think you could slim your wardrobe down? Would it be easy or hard? 

Hugs & Coffee, 
-The Anti-Mainstream Mom
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