Dear Moonscribers,
Thank you to everyone who filled out last week's survey (which was e-mailed to you if you were a subscriber as of the last posting...). As I said before, the first survey was sent out when I had about 50 moonscribers, this second one at 100... And I'm happy to say that the moonscribing has been fast and furious this past week (not really an apt metaphor for our subject, but...) and so reaching 150 could be sooner than we think!
In the survey responses, one reader wrote: "the things you post about eco psychology are really cool, but I can't find other places that have anything on it".
So, to that end, I'd like to offer you a list of resources...
Re-Connecting Tips: before I started posting the MoonLetters on this blog, I was collecting these segments here
Books: Andy Fisher's Radical Ecopsychology, a list of books
The International Community for Ecopsychology: this organization's website offers many resources. I am hosting (and contributing to) their new blog, which will be unveiled on Monday 6 February. So when I next write you, Wednesday of next week, I'll give you the URL. It should be a good blog: on Mondays, Linda Buzzell-Saltzman will write about EcoTherapy (I host her blog too); on Tuesdays, Amy Lenzo will write about Art and the Environment; on Wednesdays will be pieces on how The Personal Is Ecopsychological; Thursdays Robert Worcester will have Ecumenical Environmental Reflections; Fridays Ann Jarnet will discuss Environmental Learning (Hey, Teachers: pay attention!); Saturdays are mine, all mine, but the focus will be more on what I've found from the ICE website/journal and the ICE listserv; Sundays will be varied, with guest authors and themes. So hopefully something for everyone! :)
Now I do hope these resources will keep you busy with learning more about ecopsychology. If you ever run into something, please let us know about it! You can either leave a comment here or Moon Me... :)
*****
So... I've just spent a lovely day at a woman's house: a 'Re-creating Day'. Remember last time (it was only an evening then) I came away with the birthdays idea...
Here's what I have for you this time...
There were eight of us, all women. I was the only one not retired. (Not surprising, given that it was a Tuesday during the day.) The day began at 10am with coffee/tea/biscuits (cookies are called biscuits in the UK) and a chat in the big kitchen, which used to be a bakery. (The house is pre-Georgian.)
At 10:30 we went into the sitting room and gathered around the wood-burning stove that was, yes, burning wood. (It's quite cold here right now, mid-30sF.) Elizabeth, our host, read us a children's story about winter and then told us another one that was from Czechoslovakia. We were then free to go to any part of the house to do artwork (pastels, etc. were provided), or write, or read, or just meditate with candles.
At 1pm, we met in the kitchen for homemade soup, French bread, local brie and cheddar, homemade rhubarb chutney, and fruit. Afterwards we had chocolates.
At 2pm, we met in the sitting room again, around the fire. Elizabeth told us a story from Slovenia about winter and then we did a guided imagery exercise about being a seed that grows and develops.
At 2:30pm, we all went off to do our own thing again. I noticed a book called Earthtales: Storytelling in Times of Change and read the beginning. (Note to self: buy this book!) And an hour later we came back together to share what we had done for the day.
One woman read us three poems; I spoke of the letters and stories I wrote; another woman had been struggling through a T.S. Eliot poem; another wrote about seeds and our potential and our struggle to 'do' and not just 'be'; another had been reading an inspirational book called A Space for Silence; another did a collage; another had happily (she said) done nothing; and the last was just happy she'd been able to spend time with other women, as her house is filled with boys and men.
Then we went back to the kitchen for tea and cake. Yum.
I can't tell you how lovely it is to be in a peaceful, clean house. :) And how much I love being fed homemade food in someone's warm kitchen... It seems like such a luxury. Someone taking the time to make you a wholesome, hot meal. And serve it in lovely, hand thrown pottery. It really makes you feel cared for, don't you think? So here's your tip:
*****
The Reconnecting Tip: Make a Meal
I mean, not just some toast and cereal – nothing processed. Make a really nice, nutritional, homemade meal for someone who needs it. Someone who usually doesn't get that luxury.
Hey, and guess what? That someone might be YOU! You know, it really is okay to be really nice to yourself and take time to really cook and make a meal look nice. And set the table. And light a candle. And sit down with soft music and really enjoy and savor your food. There really is no law against it. Hopefully lots of you reading this will say: "This isn't a very good tip! I do this all the time!"
If you say that: wonderful! (And I'm envious...) I'm not nice to myself like that. Not very often. While I do cook homemade stuff quite a bit, I don't present it nicely and I tend to eat in front of the telly. :(
But days like today remind me that there's something very 'connecting', even 're-connecting', about doing this... Enjoy.
*****
As always, if something in this MoonLetter gave you an idea for a moonster, for you or someone else, let me know!
peace&love
heather of millstream-river severn-bristol channel-atlantic ocean
My Moonster
...uncover your connection to Nature's rhythms...
www.mymoonster.com
Oh I forgot to tell you, I tried the birthdays thing with my class for the first time this week.
I asked to class to think of something nice to say to the birthday girl (R), then she picked 3 people to say theirs out loud. They were:
'R is nice to play with'
'R is pretty'
'I like R'
Not too bad considering all class members are 5 years old or younger! And lots of them raised their hand to contribute, but weren't picked.
Posted by: Kirsty | 25 January 2005 at 19:51