Gosh… where to start?

Hmmm… Well, I get on a plane very, very early tomorrow morning to fly to Seattle. And a bit of sleep deprivation is of the order these days.

Maybe I’ll start with saying that it was really fun to meet Bookman at the Baltimore Book Festival yesterday. And it was also very kind of the clouds to allow us a lovely day of no rain in B-more yesterday, as the festival has had some issues with wetness in past years. And books and wetness… a tough combination.

Then there could be stories here about beautiful guest blogs by very gifted writers such as Smoky Zeidel on my blog. Smoky sent me a powerful snake piece that I just posted early, early this am. (7:30am on a Sunday is mighty early for me. And I was up even earlier. The multitude of logistics for multiple workshops and travel details coming up are gosh-darned gnats in my brain that just won’t still in the early morn.)

In Smoky’s piece she shares about some of the trials and tribulations of being an author with unethical publishers, etc. There are so many horror stories out there. I have another friend whose very successful book has been stolen by a second publisher and this author does not have means to hire a good lawyer to get that book back presently. I’m very blessed to have had the resources to self-publish. Sigh. Mostly I pray that all these stories about unethical publishers come to happy endings.

Or perhaps there could be a story about Christ Consciousness and how we are all Change Agents, once we step through the portal into hope from that place of disempowered Fear. You can read about some of my musings about that here.

Oh, I don’t know.

Well… that’s not true. I do know that I have a plane to catch in less than 24 hrs. And I’m looking at another place to move to—in about 90 mins— (not moving in 90 mins, just looking at the house ;~) since the lifestyle of the lowly writer and Spirit (more Spirit) is pushing me to transition from the beloved woodstove and treehouse deck where I live to a simpler place with less rent, and maybe even more company. I might rent an in-law type space from a good friend. We’ll see. I understand she wants to start having Sacred Fire Circles on her property and I’m loving the sound of that. (And so is Spirit… from all I’ve been able to discern.)

Oh, right, and you can catch me at events in Washington State, North Carolina and New York State in October. Most of these events will be workshops on cultivating a more Sacred relationship with the Earth/Earth Mother. But I will be also leading a Sacred Gardening workshop just outside of Ithaca, New York (see below) - which will be similar but a bit different.

Here's a funny selfie video made here at my house, my first attempt ever, unedited, to promote one of my WA State events at a yoga center east of Seattle on 10/6/13 (details below). I never intended this to be public on YouTube, but it was the only way I could get it off my computer. Enjoy... ;~)

In Nov, I’m determined to stay in state… good ‘ole Maryland. Might be moving then anyway. Tough to move when you’re not in state to move, ya know?

And there is a Native American Festival in the Frederick area that I’m helping to coordinate (Nov. 16 -17). This will be with an Apache man and his sons who will be drumming on one of those beautiful huge Native drums (along with dancing). Native Americans believe that the drum is the heartbeat of Earth Mother. They are deeply powerful. Details will be posted online for that shortly. (For Frederick friends - at Stone Fence Gardens off Mountaindale.)

Oh… Yes! Also… we are planning another -

SACRED FEMININE PLAY DAY!

Yay!! On Jan 11th, 2014 at Blueberry Gardens plunk between DC and B-more. AND this workshop will be a prelude to Eve Ensler’s V-Day on Feb 14th, 2014—where the Sisterhood of Sacred Tutus or Society of Sacred Silliness or something along those lines (names keep on being strewn around quite stupendously) will gather to support V-Day. One Billion Women around the world, gathering to raise awareness to stop the physical abuse of women. We will be joining them… in tutus!

You might want to sign up for this workshop early… just might… Stay tuned! (Contact me directly in the short-term if you're very interested. I'll let you know when registration goes live.)

Okay, my capacity for stretching time is not so great yet, so must move on to some packing right now. Check out the events listing below… if you are so inclined. Order a book for an early holiday gift, if you'd like. Support your local author friend who will be embracing even more simplicity in a most Sacred way.

Consider joining me at my packing party too.. I try to have fun packing parties: part networking, silliness, good food and lots of good cardboard to go around. (Maybe this could be a workshop? Just kidding… )

Oh, there is one more thing… I will be initiating some sort of indie-gogo campaign for some events/projects coming up. A most interesting book project is starting to burn a little on that back burner and needs some more attentive stirring and simmering up front and center. And… I will be pulling together, by hook or by crook, with the assistance of whomever wishes to join (maybe stragglers from the Book packing party?) a Great Mother Wisdom Gathering in late spring 2014. Or Fall 2014. Timing depends on Spirit, really. Though, truth be told, Spirit would have loved the Wisdom Gathering on the Great Mother like… yesterday. Last year even?

So much fun…
And not enough sleep.

It is all good… very, very good…
Big Love to all of you,
And blessings, blessings,
Mare

Ps. For any feeling very tested these days and getting super rattled about just too many things and tensions between you and another person… or whatever, I highly recommend experimenting with Ho’oponopono. There is even a song here you can listen to. Extremely powerful. For me, at least.

Pps. If you make it all the way to the bottom of the newsletter, there is a surprise for you. ;~)

Come find me at the upcoming workshops & events through the rest of the fall.

Among other events, I will be leading a series of workshops on -
Our Earth/ Earth Mother: Towards a More Sacred Relationship

Earth Mother or Pachamama goes by many names around the world depending on the culture one is in. While many raised in the Western culture don’t recognize Her existence, many believe in the sacred energy of our planet. This workshop will discuss who Earth Mother is and different spiritual practices to develop a closer relationship with Her. We’ll go over what it means to claim our relationship with Her and how to do it, building an altar to Her, connecting with Her outside, and honoring Her through the month. We are all Her children and we are being called to reconnect with Her to help birth the New World ahead. This introductory workshop will provide spiritual tools to benefit Earth Mother and ourselves.

Fri, Oct 4th, 5:30pm – 9pm, Bodhi Creek Farm, Maple Falls (East of Bellingham), WA. Evening Ceremony and Workshop with Robin Youngblood – Earth Mother: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. Sliding scale: $25 – $30. Register in advance.

Sat, Oct 5th, 4:30 – 7pm, Olympia, WA. Workshop – Earth Mother: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. At Frog Hollow Healing Arts Center. Sliding Scale – $25 – $35. Register at: https://olympiaearthmother.eventbrite.com/

Sunday, Oct 6th, 1 – 4pm, Carnation, WA (East of Seattle). Workshop infused with Yoga led by Kelley Rush – Earth Mother: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. At Two Rivers Yoga Center. $40 – Early Bird, $45 at door. Register under ‘workshops’ at: http://www.tworiversyoga.com/

Sat, Oct 12th, 1pm – 3pm, Greensboro, NC. Workshop – Earth Mother: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. At Eclectic by Nature. $25. To Register – call Eclectic by Nature: 336-373-0733.

Sun, Oct 13th, 3:00 – 5:30pm, Raleigh, NC. Workshop – Our Earth: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. At a Private Residence in Downtown Raleigh – Directions will be sent upon Registration. $20 in advance. Books will be available to purchase also. Register here.

Mon, Oct 14th, 6:30 – 8:30pm, Asheville, NC. Workshop – Earth Mother: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. At Crystal Visions. Cost: $25 cash/check at the door. Register by emailing: mcrom @ safe-mail.net.

Sat, Oct 19th, 10am – 4:30pm, Ithaca (Willseyville), NY. Workshop – Sacred Gardening (details see below). At Nature Song Center, 217 Peter Rd, Willseyville, N.Y. 13864. Cost: sliding scale – $55 – $75. Register here.

Sun, Oct 20th, 3pm – 5pm, Buffalo (Tonawanda), NY. Workshop – Earth Mother: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. At Spiritually Rooted. Cost: $25 at the door. To Register – call Spiritually Rooted: (716) 262-2897.

Sat - Sun, Nov 9th & 10, Festival of Light, Berkeley Springs, WV. Short talk on Sacred Connections with Earth Mother and vendor table.

Sat, Nov 16th, 1pm– 3:30pm, Clarksburg, MD. Workshop – Our Earth: Towards a More Sacred Relationship. With yoga led by Kandi Austin. Body Balance Healing Arts. $40 - Register at: www.kandiaustinyoga.com

Sun, Nov 17th, 10-4pm, Frederick/Thurmont, MD. Native American Festival at Stone Fence Gardens. Vendor table. (Website not updated yet.)

2014

Sat, Jan 11th - Sacred Feminine Play Day -- see below.

On Cows and Limericks and More Silliness

Ah... many people don't know I'm a closet Cow Limerick Creator. There is a series of clean limericks I've started of ...ah... pertaining to cows of different nationalities and states of the USA. It's not finished yet... This is where that cloning machine would be helpful in allowing me that extra time. Or the fine art of Time Stretching.

To share:

There once was a cow from Hungary.
Oh, the hay that she ate, she was hungry!
Yet the milk she produced
Could have fed forty moose,
And clothed the whole village with new dungarees.