This Spring, Terry Tempest Williams Says: Flood with Integrity of Purpose, Patience, Persistence Capable of Cracking Stone

Let us pause and listen and gather our strength with grace
and move forward like water in all its manifestation:
flat water, white water, rapids and eddies,
and flood this country with an integrity of purpose
and patience and persistence capable of cracking stone.
— Terry Tempest Williams, Erosion, 11/2016

Today is Ostara, the first day of Spring for us in the Northern Hemisphere.

The 2017 March equinox occurred early this morning March 20th (3:29 am PDT): the Vernal or Spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, and the Fall or Autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere. The March equinox marks that special moment when day becomes longer than night in the north, and everything is growing, while it’s harvest in the south. The Sun enters the sign of Aries, while crossing the celestial equator from south to north.

So Happy Nowruz! That’s the Persian work for New Year because in their calendar the first day of spring is the first day of the new year! “Although having Iranian and religious Zoroastrian origins,” Wikipedia says “Nowruz has been celebrated by people from diverse ethno-linguistic communities for thousands of years. It is a secular holiday for most celebrants that is enjoyed by people of several different faiths, but remains a holy day for Zoroastrians.”

So what are your New Years Resolutions? How about to be happier? Today would be a great day to start because it’s the International Day of Happiness 2017!

Plus today  is World Storytelling Day with a 2017 theme of Transformation.

(PS It’s also National Ravioli Day! Read about some great ravioli here!)

This spring, for what purpose are you gathering your strength? To create happiness? What stones do you intend to crack? What stories are you telling? What stories are you helping to transform? What part of your life or our world would you like to reimagine? (Thanks Tea Silvestre Godfrey for this story telling prompting!)

Pablo Neruda: You can cut down all the flowers but you cannot stop the spring.

(If anyone has an actual source for this phrase, I’d appreciate it. While Neruda was radical enough to have said it, and it is attributed to him, it is a popular Chilean slogan that may or may not have originated with Neruda).

Like last year, my students and I will be celebrating the day at Art City, 197 Dubbers Ventura CA 93001 (near the Vons on Ventura Avenue, Main and Olive; turn left on Rex just after the Olive and Highway 33 entrance and look for parking). Celebrate the Vernal Equinox with us as we enjoy the wonders of the elements working together! Balance your monday with Yoga, Music, Creative expression, Dance, Food (Potluck!). Invite your friends to the magical stone (and food) garden of Art City! Read more about the event here.

Among the speakers and performers tonight will be Fantuzzi who has a new book out Love at First Bite (2017) that tells his amazing life story  and the story of Fantuzzi’s music.  Love At First Bite gives readers an insider’s view of his 50 year career, his travels as a musician, and his work as a spiritual teacher; he shares the inspiration that drives his mission of bringing spiritual transformation through his music and teaching to fans worldwide.

Finally: here’s a spring desert poem I wrote. See spring desert wildflowers along the PCT here.