Sophia Bonnie Wodin

“Enlightenment is like the moon reflected in the water. The moon does not get wet, nor is the water broken. Although the light is wide and great, the moon is reflected even in a puddle an inch wide. The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.”                             -Dogen, Zen Buddhist teacher (1200-1253) The Full Moon is with us at Christmas!  What an unusual treat.  Whatever holiday(s) you celebrate take a bit of time away from your life and spend a few moments basking in Her shine.  Open your heart to wonder and honor the Moon in Her glory. Let Her into your heart.   Invite Her light to up your soul as you reflect her beauty.  And call in that which fulfills you and brings purpose to your life. What boon do you ask of this Moon-tide? Will you call...

Here we stand in the darkness of the year.     The Wheel of Life turns bringing us to a new birth of the Sun.   But the darkness is more a season than a moment; a season offering us the opportunity to turn within. There is something about darkness that makes us feel uncomfortable.   Is it the unknown? Or the sense of being alone?   Alone rather than lonely.   But in our alone-ness we can call on our allies.   Perhaps your allies are your ancestors; those whose stories you unfold as you live your life.   Or a descendent who will hold the story you are now spinning.   Perhaps your ally is a Goddess or God or spirit.   Do you have an animal guide or angel who sits on your shoulder?   Call upon them during this dark time.   Invite them to hold this space with you. For in truth, I believe in the gifts of Darkness.   I believe that all of life begins in darkness.   Animals of all sorts, if they are...

illusive yet desirable,  happiness dances,  capricious partner to spring-time breezes;  growing luscious with summer's peaches;  flames in autumn's trees,   hunkers down to the silence of winter. It plays hide-and-seek with our lives.   Today looking like a steaming pot of stew,  tomorrow like a call from an old friend. Awaken to its call.   Open wide to great round portal in the middle of your chest. Sprout wings and soar. Remember patience. For when happiness hides it's bright face,  patience holds the time breath by precious  breath until happiness returns.

In a weekly meditation group that I go to we are reading Pema Chodron’s slim but potent volume called Fail, Fail Again, Fail Better , a wonderful and humbling experience. While gathering early holiday gifts I decided to make bees wax candles.   A combined gift from the bees and from me.   This has been a very long process. It began last spring when I discovered that my bees hadn’t make it through the winter.   Very sad, but true of many a novice bee keeper. Slowly I worked through the failure to bring my very first bees through a very long cold winter. Cleaning the winter debris I re-connected with compassion, recognizing that I am on a steep learning curve.   I got sturdier hives with water-tight roofs.   New colonies of bees arrived by early summer.   And we set about making friends. I harvested the honey and wax that that last year’s bees hadn’t used.   Always look for that silver lining. The new bees also gave me some honey and a...

“Can you see the seeds of darkness   in the brightness of the day and the promise of renewal in the process of decay…..”                            author unknown These words have stuck in my mind since doing ritual a short while ago.   To me, they speak of the cycle of life.   They remind us to recognize where we are in that cycle. To breathe into wherever we are in this moment.   And to await change with as much patience and grace as we can muster.   For change will inevitably come. Before cutting down this past season’s peony foliage, I scratched around in the soil at the roots to find Fall Peony the tiniest pink nubbins of next year’s shoots.   The seeds of tomorrow.   Then I got down even closer to the soil and inhaled the fragrant thyme plants, a mere 6 inches tall.   Brushing my hand o...