Prayer of the March Wind

By Marianne Bickett, copyright 2011

"Buddha Has Tulip," photo by Brian Belet, copyright 2011

March has arrived

Not softly nor meekly

But hollering and blustering

Plopped down upon the seaside mountains

She sits as clouds, giant cotton balls gathering on the horizon

Tumbling over the crests with gray pants and a pure white woolen scarf

Flung about her broad shoulders

She arrives like a queen,

Clearing everything in her path

March sweeps her wide arms about in front of her

Throttling the bows of trees as she announces her presence

Loosening any hesitant thought of winter

For hers is the coming of buds and blossoms

Now peeking out from vacant branches

Peep by peep they come, a sprout here, a sprig there

Until one morning, as if surprised, every color bursts

Every leaf opens and one cannot give but any notion

Of what was once bare and empty

She comes along and fills us

Awakens us bereft of subtly

Leaving little doubt that she is Change

We can stand and face her

Or run for cover

From the winds that blow into our lives

And leave very little else behind

Persephone’s Child

by Janet Crawford Trenchard

copyright 2011

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A refugee of time,

I wander knee deep

over and through

used broken things,

scanning left to right,

pulling myself forward,

between crumbling pillars

as the debris begins to thin out.

Stepping lightly now

over splintered boards, dirt,

old mattresses.

I have survived,

drawn to the orange-red horizon,

longing to sink my hands

into the glowing fruit

floating ripely there,

to read with hungry fingers

Demeter’s code;

the mystery of the seeds

that refresh the world.

Works March 19, 2011 Benefit Auction

Exhibition: March 4 through March 19

Auction: Saturday, March 19

with final preview starting at 5:00 pm

and Auction at 7:00 pm

Works Gallery: 451 South First, San Jose, CA 95113

This year’s Benefit Auction is to help Works move to a new home, and will be the FINAL EXHIBITION at 451 South First.
Please be a part of it!

Editorial Note:  San Jose’s Works Art Gallery needs to move to another site after this show ends. They have two wonderful possible downtown locations that should be more economically feasible. We the artists and art loving public now have the opportunity to help give this unique gallery the boost it needs in these hard economic times. Certainly the high quality of art work in the auction justifies it. Consider adding something to your collection. You can get great deals for fantastic art while supporting a worthy cause–and have a great time doing it.

contact No.: 520 245-7821

www.workssanjose.org

Over 100 Artists Donated art-work to the Auction!

Confirmed auction artists:
Barbara Allie, Shannon Amidon, Craig Anthony, Kathryn Arnold, Richard James Arredondo, Brande Barrett, Theta Belcher, Laura Callin Bennett, Teya Beradze, Brenda Berg, Lydia Rae Black, Carla Bohnett, Jeff Bramschreiber, Daniel Brunk, Lacey Bryant, Ryan Carrington, Diane Cassidy, Antonio Castro, Vivian Chen, Steve Cooley, Tim Cottengim, Binh Danh, Kathryn Dunlevie, Jared Duran, Karen Fleming, Michael Foley, Kay Fontana, Gloria Gardner, Bea Garth, Waitman Gobble, Karen Haas, Emanuela Harris-Sintamarian, Annelise Hartley, Hedwig M. Heerschop, Pat Huboi, Erikka Hugger, Jai, Will Johnson, Dave Kempken, Sandra Khoury, Robert Knight, Nina Koepcke, Derrick Koh, Anna Koster, Susan (SZN) Kraft, John Kurtyka, Bob Lamp, Katherine Levin Lau, Rita Lewis, Mark A. Lightfoot, David Lippenberger, Francesca Lovecchio, Sheila Malone, Kent Manske, Joshua Marlotte, Kimy Martinez, Ken Matsumoto, Tony May, Darla McKenna, Stephanie Metz, Joe Miller, Jesse N. Molina, Clayton Moraga, Andy Muonio, Maya Munoz, Angelica Muro, Vanessa O’Hanlon, Alajandro A. Olim, Gianfranco Paolozzi, Leroy Parker, Jane Peterman, James Pollard, Carol Ponsaran, Al Preciado, Deva Priya, Grace Purpura, Melina Alexa Ramirez, Valerie Raps, Elke Reis, Rueben Reyes, Jeff Richards, Ally Richter, Steven Rubalcaba, Victoria Ruff, Rueben Rutledge, Ann Ryals, Tim Ryan, Karen Carlo Salinger, Victoria A. Sasselli, Joe Saxe, Matthew Seigel, Troy Sims, Jean Skamra, Keith Southern, Becca Smidt, Sam Smidt, Bonnie J. Smith, Shana Sundstrom, Deborah Mills Thackrey, Lynne Todaro, Gary Tolomei, Jack Toolin, Timothy Tsun, Tom Walsh, Julia Weber, Barbara Weiss, Stan Welsh, Flo Oy Wong, Nanette Wylde, JoAnne Yada, and Karel Youssefi.

Thanks to all the donating artists!

March 20, 2011 Spring Equinox Ritual & Celebration

A shamanic Spring Equinox ritual and celebration will  be held

Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 3:00  to 4:45 PM at the Ananda Yoga Center – - 75 Mount Hermon Road Scotts Valley, CA. Steve Serr is hosting this “Meetup.”

Price: $5.00 per person.  To find out more go to Meetup.com at: http://www.meetup.com/Santa-Cruz-Shamanism-and-Nature-Based-Spirituality/

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This is a gathering to practice shamanism, natural spirituality, and bring back our connection with the sacred Earth. This is an open-hearted group of folks who perhaps already know about shamanism and have heard the Earth’s original spiritual call, or perhaps have had training and seek to gather with others who also know this extraordinary path. It is equally for those who come because of a nagging curiosity, and want to learn more.

This ’age of separation’ that we are currently living in has severely fragmented us from each other, from our planet, and even from ourselves. Much of humanity has become distanced from the Whole of which it was once connected. Both time and change have led to widespread forgetting of our original connection with our full true self, our human community, and the planet upon which we live. We suffer as individuals, as societies, and as a biosphere. Let’s connect!

To learn more about Steve and his work, you can visit http://www.shamanism-101.com.

The Calendar Remembers

by Chris Arcus

copyright 2011

The calendar remembers your guilt
Your diary remembers the fight you had
The day the robin died
That sniffle that broke into a cough
The itch around your ankles
From too much sun
The way your hair keeps flopping over
Until you had your haircut done
That feeling in your eyes and nose
In spring the pollens and the roses
So many times before
This seems like somebody else’s life
Not my own.
Its not the first time anymore
But everything is new
As I struggle against it all
To make a dream come true.

"Miss Madeline In The Bedroom," by Chris Arcus, copyright 2011

The Definition of the Maya

Editorial Note: I am republishing Graeme Jones’ article first published here last spring. It clearly has more relevance now than ever, given the recent events in Japan, the Middle East,  Wisconsin and to Julian Assange of Wikileaks.  The social and political contradictions revealed in these events display a common theme:  one  of clarification and definition around the  all important relationship between world capitalism’s ego drive for control and domination – and – the awakening of humanity to a deeper understanding of its true spiritual needs.   This, according to the Maya, is the essential “definition.”

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By Graeme Jones

copyright 2010, 2011

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"High Priest" ceramic sculpture by Bea Garth, copyright 2011.

The final Mayan small cycle prior to the close of their great cycle, and its corresponding world change in 2012, is due to run for two years from September 23, 2010 until it finally closes at the winter solstice on Dec 21^st 2012.  Carlos Barrios, a Mayan elder and priest, identifies this final two years as a Cycle of Definition.  In his The Book of Destiny Barrios identifies it as  “a time of cleansing, when all of the garbage in our minds, all of our consumerism will be cleared away, and replaced with a resurgence of true spirituality and a renewed respect for ourselves and everyone else on this planet.” The function of this cycle of definition is to clarify distinctions between truth and illusion. This is needed to prepare the mass mind to open and receive the first rays of dawn of the great new Mayan Fifth Sun.

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Mayan cosmologists use the concept of a Sun to characterize a 5,200 yearlong cosmic cycle in planetary evolution.  Their “suns” describe the central cosmic agenda which is unfolding within humanity during that particular cycle. 

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We shall see that when it comes to the new Mayan Fifth Sun, which dawns in 2012, the nomenclature “Sun” enjoys a qualitatively deeper meaning.   For in an as yet unknown and very unfamiliar way the Mayan Fifth Sun promises to be what is known as a “spiritual sun.” As such it is will come to be felt to be even closer to us than the physical sun.  Just as our physical sun has a solar wind, a spiritual sun has a divine wind.  Perhaps the most noteworthy quality of a spiritual sun is what we can call its esoteric self-awareness.  Its self-knowing subjectivity lends both vivacity and authority to the wind that blows inside our spirits. As it births itself inside us it seduces us into harmony with itself. This sun is expected to form the internal organizing principle of a major new cosmic cycle in human culture.  In so doing it will manifest its own spiritual cosmology and become the fountainhead of all living poetry and culture.

To read more of this article go to the “Pages” and then the “Commentary” section off to the right and click “Graeme Jones on Mayan World; Surrealism” .

Nuclear disaster in Japan

Editorial Note:
I am saddened by the recent events in Japan. However with the earthquakes, tsunami and the very real possibility of horrific nuclear plant meltdowns comes a necessary realization–we need to pay more attention to the power of Mother Nature.  It serves no one to think that our Egos can control everything. Instead we need to learn to live in balance with the Earth or create the real possibility of uncontrolled havoc and destruction. A difficult but necessary lesson–but one that seems to be reaching the hearts and minds of many.

The disaster unfolding in Fukushima, Japan is a terrible reminder of the dangers of nuclear power.

Right now the President has $36 billion in taxpayer giveaways to the nuclear industry to build more plants here in the US in his proposed budget. Join me and tell the President and your members of Congress that there is no place for taxpayer giveaways for nuclear energy in this year’s budget. Just click the link below…

http://us.greenpeace.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=801&s_src=taf

Letter from Erik Kaye: Earthquake in Japan

Editor’s Note: The following is a letter just sent to me from Japan on May 11th, 2011 by my friend Erik Sutter-Kaye.  He found himself in the middle of the initial earthquake while attending to business for his work teaching English. He has been living in Japan with his wife Corinne for several years now. To see some of his paintings of Japan, see “Erik Kaye (Japan Paintings)” listed on the right under the “Pages” section and then under “Art“.

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Hi,  Bea.

Now’s not the time for a long letter.  I got 5 hours of sleep and am now preparing to try to take the train to Chiba to be with Corinne.  If I can trust the Japan Railway site, the most crucial trains will be resumed in an hour.  I guess they shut down after the initial quake, which was the worst, yesterday at 2pm.

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I was at Funabashi City Hall taking care of business– tax day is next Tuesday.

I was on the balcony on the second floor overlooking the main hall with all the service windows and waiting sofas, at the National Health service myself with two interpreters when the heaving began to start.  I could see people on the bottom floor running out the door, but people on my floor stayed where they were.  stairs are a dangerous place to be.

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I thought about Christchurch last week.  the floor rippled and shook and I wondered how bad it was going to get.  I heard things pop and break and fall, but no glass.  books fell off shelves, filing drawers opened, folders fell to the floor, florescent light fixtures fell.  then it subsided.  the bureaucrats I was talking to all looked at me and each other with amazement.  One of the translators said simply, “I’m from Kobe.  We’re used to this.”

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I didn’t have any idea of the magnitude of the quake for a couple of hours until I got home to my Guest House at about 6.  I had spent 2 or 3 hours doing class notes at a coffee shop and notice the overhead hanging lamps frequently swinging, while the patrons acted like nothing happened.

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I bicycled home and didn’t think about the condition of trains.  When I got near home, I saw a train just sitting on the track, and railroad staff directing traffic through a crossing next to the station, but didn’t think anything of it, because of the stoicism I encountered earlier, I guess.  It wasn’t until I saw my friend Otis in the common room watching TV showing footage of huge oil refineries blowing up, and a whole parking lot of cars being carried away …. another mild tremor right now; my bags hanging on the closet door tapping…

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I had been trying to reach Corinne for hours on cell phone and thought she was blowing me off.  Then I found out all the phones were down.  The gas in our building was cut off.

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Finally, I got on the internet and everything was buzzing.  Corinne had been trying to get through to me for hours.  Throughout the night there were frequent tremors.  The FEMA site said there will be aftershocks for 2 weeks.  corinne sent me links and I sent her links.  Most friends in America were apparently still asleep.

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Later, Otis and I walked to the nearby JR station.  All the gateways were shuttered, and hundreds of commuters were sitting against the walls of the halls like they were waiting for morning.  There were lines at the taxi stands but no taxis.  the 24 hour grocery stores and convenient stores and MacDonalds were closed.  We heard about people walking 40 miles to get home.  It was cold out.  It had just snowed a couple of days ago.

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I slept soundly and comfortably through the tremors that still happen.

Now I’m going to do a few things, and leave to be with Corinne.

As I write this, I just saw a note from you on Facebook chatline.  But you’re offline again now.

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Keep trying and I’ll be in touch with you soon.

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And yeah, I’d like to know whats going on astrologically.  This is the dawning of the Age of Ophiacus!

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Love Erik

P.S. I send my love and wishes to the people on the Pacific Coast of America.

Tides

"Ocean Holiday" photo by Bea Garth, copyright 2011

by Bea Garth

copyright 2011

You unravel me

with  your sweet

persistent

touch,

I am swept up

in the tides

of the Universe

there being no shore

like the sands

of the Moment

to lose myself into

guided by the deep

ocean waters breaking

beneath the depths

of your  tear stained eyes.

Carob Brownies

CAROB Egg BROWNIES

(banana, squash or yam)

gluten free

by Bea Garth, copyright 2011

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly in a bowl:

1 cup sorghum flour

2 cups brown or white rice flour

½ cup tapioca flour

½ cub powdered carob (pulverize or sift if it has gotten clumpy)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. xanthum gum

2 ½ tsp. pure dry powdered stevia

optional: 2 tablespoons of cane sugar

In a separate bowl whisk (with a wire whisk) well together:

3 mashed bananas (or 1 cup of either mashed cooked squash or yam)

2 eggs

½ cup oil

1 cup water

Mix together wet and dry ingredients thoroughly.

Optional: 1 cup Nuts or seeds can be added if desired.

Oil a square baking pan. Spoon batter into it and then bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until your serrated knife comes out clean. Let cool and eat.

Nice with plain yogurt or a glass of milk on the side.