Spring Equinox at Marshall Creek Center

Last night marked the end of an old season and the beginning of a new one. At the Marshall Creek Center, we held a Spring Equinox Ceremony (I guess is the closest word for it). It was the first experience of this kind for me, so I found myself initially easing my way into "feeling" and being with what the event was about.

Spring equinox to me signified the end of winter and the beginning of spring - a season that signifies a rebirth of sorts, a time of growing anew, and new beginnings. This of course doesn't mean that one cuts one's self off with the old. I've definitely been guilty of, in some ways, disconnecting from my old life in NJ upon moving to out here to Cali. It certainly hasn't been easy transitioning into a totally new environment: a) in CA away from all of my comfort zones and b) moving here to Marshall Creek in the middle of the Redwoods near the Santa Cruz Mountains nearly an hour and a half south of San Fran. Trying to grapple with the transitions of moving, a tight schedule, managing all of my accountabilities, and most of all with networking breakdown after breakdown. It's been a hard transition to make not only being grounded in a new place, but also following my internal call of engaging in a community which stands for global unity and the upliftment of consciousness. One of the biggest reasons for this long transition was all the traveling I was doing up until about a week ago....I feel like I'm finally getting settled. Not only did this turbulence affect me, but also many of my most cherished friendships. It's true, if something matters enough to you you'll make time for it - I guess what's mattered most to me these past near two months has been getting grounded, in myself and in a clear sense of purpose. This week having been the longest I've actually been at my new place (about a week and a half now), has been the longest I've been here and I find myself still struggling to manage it all, f/t classes, f/t work, 2 internet businesses, and YJA ....

I guess for me, last night marked the time of letting go of all the "stuff" from this past period of transitioning and getting back to basics. An event like this is certainly not necessary for that, but it was nice to relate to the event in that way. From a little after 9p till about 10:30p, we (the 5 of us who're permanently living here - Steve, April, Gillian, Maja, and me - and 2 other folks who came), walked up and down the Creek being in our own space - whether it was drumming, humming, or just being still and acknowledging the moment - we enjoyed the last cold crisp evening of winter. Then from 10:45 until a little after midnight, we sat in circle in the healing center and simply gave thanks, gave thanks for what this past winter brought.

It's interesting in Hindu mythology, Shiva is the god of dissolution. While some believe that Shiva is the god of destruction on a basic level, on a more metaphorical level, he is the god of dissolution signifying the process of things coming to a close in order to create space for a new beginning. The latter is contingent upon the former.

So we spent those initial moments while sitting, bringing winter to a close until the countdown - until about 10:57p when the tides officially turned - Spring was now here. We sat, gave thanks and just celebrated. In the normal humdrum of the "doings" of life, of running around doing this and doing that, it was really nice to take the time to simply be grateful, appreciative of who we are, of each other, of the forces that brought us all together there through some cosmic collaboration and to give thanks for the pple in our lives - especially those I haven't been able to connect with in a long time but still being present to them, to who they really are, to what they're about, and to how much they mean to me.

Being together in a space of partnership and building community, and simply connecting inside of the shared commitment to have this place be a place where people can come, experience, share, be understood, and then contribute - be it take what new opennings they now have and make a difference for the people in there lives, or make a difference in their physical environments, or to support community building efforts at Marshall Creek.

I'm am truly blessed to have finally resonated with an arena to practice community building and to prepare for what's to come. ...