February 13/Third Quarter Moon

Metaphors for Practice: planes, trains and barges.

Once again we are halfway in between the Full Moon and the New Moon. On our way to both the end of our current lunation and the beginning of the next. The energy is waning. Can you feel it?

It was at the New Moon that I posted my note to you while away on retreat. Just a few weeks ago when this lunation began. My life is like a big barge on the river, and I do well to stop and check my trajectory. It takes so long to see results when you do adjust, let alone turn the ship if you want to change course. Below are some photos from the retreat center.

The foundress of the Christine Center, Sister Virginia Mary Barta, is said to have closed her eyes and waved her finger above a map of the US. When it landed on Willard, Wisconsin, that was where the center would be established. The Franciscan nuns who created this place welcome people of all spiritual traditions and offer a space for contemplitive practice.

The retreat center is a unique building with three round spaces connected together. On one end is the Chapel, pictured above, on the other is a gorgeous round Meditation Hall, and the third is the original silo from the farm where the center now stands. It acts as entry way to the center.

I started this new year, Gregorian Time, with an intention of reflection. I have already shared some of the results here. There is still more to report. A summary of some personal growth via insights over the year is in the works and a money report is forthcoming.

But there is a lag time for me, as I gather the data, prepare it, and then digest it before I am even able to decide what it means.

And there’s more to share about Mom, of course, but not because there are changes now. Things remain the same for her, for us. And we remain in a holding pattern, continuing with life as we can, as does she. I intend to gather Mom posts together, for now you can look through last years Table of Contents if you want to find something.

Here is my humble hermitage called Wisdom. Front door view.

Yes it is rustic. Which means, no bathroom. The bathhouse is just down the road, and in the middle of the night I was peeing in the snow. The Christine Center has many lodging options, so yes, I choose to do that.

View out the window. Just ‘cause.

While I was on retreat, Nancy, my teacher, who regularly brings an amazing and necessary sense of humor into the practice, gave us the assignment to bring it too. We were to gather jokes and tell them to each other. And to my surprise, I did find one to share. It was eccentric, like me, where I took a part of it from here and another part of it from there and I fused it together. I was channeling my jokester Dad when I wrote it. Here it is:

Why did the pilot go on a yoga retreat?

She realized it was time when she contacted the control tower, and told them,

“I’m lost, but making good time.”

So I got the barge metaphor in here and the plane one above in the post, the train one I will save for another day. Perhaps they will be in the post where I lay out some plans for the year ahead. Dear fellow pilot, barge captain, how is your year looking? Do you find you work like this too?

Much love, Tina