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| The 'Gifting Apple Tree' on the Prairie Front in December, 2018 |
We were at a party the other night. A dark and stormy night for a party, but this is the Pacific Northwest and rain is a usual and natural player when it comes to winter. I cooked up a big pot of rice and nettles sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds a little salt and more dried nettles. I carried the blue enamel pot and Pete carried the brand new stainless steel shovel he'd bought. The enamel pot joined a table of potluck, the shovel would be raffled off after dinner.
When we arrived on Whidbey Island almost nine years ago, joining folks in a house for a party was not a doable activity. MCS makes adjusting to the many fragrances, scents and products worn on people or used in a normal house a very tricky situation if you take on the challenge at all. Over the years my health and tolerance as well as my yearning to be with people has changed. I have learned to ask for what I need; learned that sometimes my requests are received with understanding and accommodation; and equally as often find people cannot or will not see the need to change and don't.
The holiday gathering had some history for us, we'd been to this house before and the hosts Marc and Anza accommodate my health needs by not burning a fire or candles for the occasion. Their choices are much appreciated, and truly we don't take those actions for granted.
We were in the company of the latest "envisioned community" who have allowed us to experiment with their culture. For the past year we have plugged into a power source for the golden wagon and use the kitchen and one of the two South Whidbey Tilth rest rooms. It has been a steep learning curve of thirteen months and just a few days ago we received a letter saying the present Volunteers-In-Resident agreement is not working out. The shared kitchen and bathroom has become a sore spot for some members. Change is afoot."We built our Vardo for Two -- a safe bedroom with electricity, but no plumbing or cooking space -- to be part of an envisioned community where our way of life and our disabilities and sensitivities become understood and embraced; by befriending time, we have found how long it takes to give-and-take and create understanding and shared resources..."
So that shared vision for our lives from a golden wagon began in 2008? It needs an upgrade. Pete and I have begun looking at our next moves. Here's something that has been tickling my imagination and sense of unfolding possibilities. It's this week's astrological navigation for Scorpio (that would be me) from Freewill Astrology by Rob Brezsny.
"The body of the violin has two f-shaped holes on either side of the strings. They enable the sound that resonates inside the instrument to be projected outwardly. A thousand years ago, the earliest ancestor of the modern violin had round holes. Later they became half-moons, then c-shaped, and finally evolved into the f-shape. Why the change? Scientific analysis reveals that the modern form allows more air to be pushed out from inside the instrument, thereby producing a more powerful sound. My analysis of your life in 2019 suggests it will be a time to make an upgrade from your metaphorical equivalent of the c-shaped holes to the f-shaped holes. A small shift like that will enable you to generate more power and resonance."
Do you see how Brezsny's analysis would tickle my imagination given the timing of recent events in our lives?
When we built Vardo for Two in 2008, the shape and the vision for a life was truly the earliest ancestor of 'a new kind of home' for us based on our understanding of how a mysterious illness would make our life different. Who I was before I became chemical sensitive changes over time, one day at a time one experience at a time, time and again. This was the violin with round holes experience.
We have moved and lived with old friends. We have moved from that arrangement. Those friendships have changed and aren't the same since we moved into their settled cultures. I consider the Violin Metaphor and see the metaphor playing itself out, our Violin playing out through those half-moon holes. 'Ole Phase Moons. Folding in our growing familiarity with the Hawaiian Moon Calendar, the 'Ole Phases of the Moon (those that appear as near half moons) are times to reconnoiter: weeding a garden that needs to be tended, repair nets if you are fisherfolk, and considering the shape of our puka (holes) in the instrument that is ... our life.
At this point, as 2018 by the Gregorian Calendar closes down, and the Hawaiian Moon Calendar moves into a new malama or month, but already into the New Year, I see the shape of the sound- producing puka in need of the f-shaped holes. Two of them!
Back to the party ... one conversation I had brought up meaningful and thought-provoking exchanges. I'm just beginning to know this woman. She is relatively new to the South Whidbey Tilth community and a very active and participatory gal. I began the conversation by asking about her sister. She is on a trip. Australia. Visiting family there. "She travels a lot," she said about her sister.
"I used to travel a lot, too. But now I don't," that was enough to fuel more conversation. It eventually led to talk about my son, and her daughter.
"I never knew you had a son."
"He's forty-five," I said. He's actually forty-six, but close enough.
Her daughter is much younger and there was room for learning more stuff about a new-to-me acquaintance.
Eventually the subject of past careers came up and my former career of twenty years in the corporate world surprised her. She reads this blog, and it is far from being a corporate culture I describe here or anywhere I blog. When I made the change of career direction it was a Uranus-infused revolution of 'work'. It has not been quick, but it has been interesting and broadly transformative. An f-shape to a once circular life. A living example of the Violin Metaphor!
That conversation brought up unexpected tendrils of next options. Hearing myself tell that corporate life story again, one that I lived, fills me with excitement to know change has a very surprising shape to it. Being open to be surprised helps a lot.
We have moved and lived with people we had never known, and stayed to learn a lot about MCS, shared space, willingness to change, and honing the quality of a kind and authentic life. Another astrologer, Elsa Panizzon poses a few questions to consider. I like the structure the questions as she frames it in the context of long-term plans, the planet Saturn and maturation.Saturn plays a big part in the way I ponder and plan.
When we built Vardo for Two in 2008, the shape and the vision for a life was truly the earliest ancestor of 'a new kind of home' for us based on our understanding of how a mysterious illness would make our life different. Who I was before I became chemical sensitive changes over time, one day at a time one experience at a time, time and again. This was the violin with round holes experience.
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| Vardo for Two in the early stages, November, 2008 |
We have moved and lived with old friends. We have moved from that arrangement. Those friendships have changed and aren't the same since we moved into their settled cultures. I consider the Violin Metaphor and see the metaphor playing itself out, our Violin playing out through those half-moon holes. 'Ole Phase Moons. Folding in our growing familiarity with the Hawaiian Moon Calendar, the 'Ole Phases of the Moon (those that appear as near half moons) are times to reconnoiter: weeding a garden that needs to be tended, repair nets if you are fisherfolk, and considering the shape of our puka (holes) in the instrument that is ... our life.
At this point, as 2018 by the Gregorian Calendar closes down, and the Hawaiian Moon Calendar moves into a new malama or month, but already into the New Year, I see the shape of the sound- producing puka in need of the f-shaped holes. Two of them!
Back to the party ... one conversation I had brought up meaningful and thought-provoking exchanges. I'm just beginning to know this woman. She is relatively new to the South Whidbey Tilth community and a very active and participatory gal. I began the conversation by asking about her sister. She is on a trip. Australia. Visiting family there. "She travels a lot," she said about her sister.
"I used to travel a lot, too. But now I don't," that was enough to fuel more conversation. It eventually led to talk about my son, and her daughter.
"I never knew you had a son."
"He's forty-five," I said. He's actually forty-six, but close enough.
Her daughter is much younger and there was room for learning more stuff about a new-to-me acquaintance.
Eventually the subject of past careers came up and my former career of twenty years in the corporate world surprised her. She reads this blog, and it is far from being a corporate culture I describe here or anywhere I blog. When I made the change of career direction it was a Uranus-infused revolution of 'work'. It has not been quick, but it has been interesting and broadly transformative. An f-shape to a once circular life. A living example of the Violin Metaphor!
That conversation brought up unexpected tendrils of next options. Hearing myself tell that corporate life story again, one that I lived, fills me with excitement to know change has a very surprising shape to it. Being open to be surprised helps a lot.
We have moved and lived with people we had never known, and stayed to learn a lot about MCS, shared space, willingness to change, and honing the quality of a kind and authentic life. Another astrologer, Elsa Panizzon poses a few questions to consider. I like the structure the questions as she frames it in the context of long-term plans, the planet Saturn and maturation.Saturn plays a big part in the way I ponder and plan.
"When Saturn transits natal Saturn, invariably a person feels pressured. It’s a reality check. How are you doing in your life? More specifically, how are you maturing?
(Update 1/8/2019: I have removed those questions from the blog post as Pete and I answer them behind the scenes and will begin meeting with others to see what options show up.)
The next few weeks will be a time of continued change. Our vision and our actions are in process ... reshaping. I'm following an impulse to gather open-minded collaborators for LUNCH @ the Safety Pin Cafe with folks who have thoughts and ideas for helping with those F-shaped holes.
P.S. I'm adding another astrological nudge from one of my favorite Star Sista, Satori, who had this to say for the week beginning today:
"Let a little magic simmer. Don’t be too quick to examine everything for flaws. Mercury moves into square with Chiron and trine to Uranus (exact Thursday night). Don’t rush to judgement on the details that jangle if they’re not a current problem. Don’t get bogged down in minutia. Brainstorm and communicate. Perhaps these details are ripe for rearrangement into something greater, something not yet considered"I'm reading a great new book The Magicians by Lev Grossman which fuels this "let a little magic simmer". Every little bit counts. The magic, I mean! Oh I believe.
Any thoughts; would you like to join us for LUNCH?
Happy New Adventurous Year 2019!
Count me in for a lunch conversation. This post is infused with wisdom. You and Pete are treasures. Thank you for sharing, That shovel was a big hit at the party.
ReplyDeleteThis post was very wonderfully written and expressed. I may be traveling up your way, and would love to be able to stop by! Please let me know.
ReplyDeleteLet us know your plans, we'd appreciate your view and thoughts being another who has been the route of MCSer navigating shareable space, in your fashion.
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