Soaring into to the Fall Term!

With every Ravenclaw that comes through the door we change and grow a little...a new dormitory floor appears...new talents and stories are shared...there are more friendships and more ideas. I know it was just a few days ago I was welcoming new faces to the Tower but it already feels like everyone is right where they belong and part of what the Tower is going to become this term.

Those of you that were in Ravenclaw last term know that we worked hard. It paid off and we brought the Cup home. This term I'd like to challenge each and every one of you to play just as hard. Do you see the difference there? Play not work. When it turns into work you went just a bit too far.

We seem to be off to a great start. I can't wait to see the Alots brought to life and the Second Years keep saying something about penguins...

Can't wait to get started!

♥Isis

Diadem Day 7: Spiritual connection

Today, like every other day, we wake up empty
and frightened. Don't open the door to the study
and begin reading. Take down a musical instrument.
Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.
— Rumi

At the beginning of this week, I said that the diadem, a circular crown, would symbolize treating ourselves royally this week. And the 7th chakra, at the very top of the head, is called the crown chakra, for it symbolizes the highest state—regal and glorified, ruling everything within it. The key themes of the 7th chakra are enlightenment, bliss, conscious thought and intelligence, belief systems and worship, spirituality and the sacred, “divine” wisdom, nirvana.

Take some time to be at peace today. If you already meditate, devote some time to your practice. If you have not tried meditation, a short exercise is outlined in this post. Then stretch in child’s pose (and kiss the ground).

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For today:

1. Watch this video. If you have time (it’s Saturday but this runs 28 minutes), here’s a video about the chakra system. This is what one might call “trippy.” All week I’ve been using a book by Anodea Judith, Chakra Balancing, and I want to give credit to her for much of the information I’ve shared with you. But I also want to make a disclaimer: I learned about chakras from studying yoga, and even though I believe that energy travels through the body in ways we still have much to learn about (nervous system, metabolism, acupuncture channels, etc.), I use the chakras as metaphors. It’s my hope that no one has felt I was advocating a particular religious point of view; I value the wisdom from all faith traditions. But if anyone is interested in reading about the chakras from a Judeo-Christian interpretation, you might find the book Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss worth your time.


2. Meditate. Not that long ago, meditators were thought to be a little kooky; now Tibetan Buddhist monks with more than 40,000 hours of meditation under their belts are invited to laboratories to have their brains scanned; their shaved heads bloom with electrodes while university researchers study the influence of meditation on stress and health. And the findings prove that meditation actually changes the brain in measurable ways and can make us more resilient, more compassionate, and happier people.
   
   The purpose of meditation is to still the normal chatter of the mind and concentrate the attention on only the present moment. There are many techniques for meditation. You can regulate your breathe, visualize images, chant mantra, sit quietly and watch your thoughts go by, dance ecstatically, stare at the wall, watch a candle flame, walk a labyrinth…plus dozens more methods. And with meditation's wider acceptance, you'll find countless sources for learning; check the Internet and the public library for books and audio lessons and your community for classes. The book Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn is an excellent source of information about “mindfulness meditation," also called insight meditation or Vipassana. In this kind of meditation, one could say that you practice “non-doing.”
   
   To experience a little insight meditation technique, find a place where you can sit comfortably and not be disturbed, and set a kitchen timer for ten minutes. Draw your attention to your breath. Then just sit. Practice being completely open and receptive to whatever comes into the field of your awareness, letting it all come and go, watching, witnessing in silence. I've heard it described as watching clouds move across a vast blue sky. When your mind wanders (it will), just bring it back to the breath, without judging, with no attachment to an outcome or evaluation of whether you’re doing this “right.” Sink into just being.


3. Carry a token. To remind yourself how important self-nurturing is, find a small token that is meaningful to you alone, something that will remind you to care for yourself when things get crazy. It could be a smooth pebble you picked up at the beach, a feather, a special bead or button, an acorn, a ring or pendant, or a small toy. Carry it in your pocket, wear it on a chain or key ring, hang it from your rearview mirror, but somehow carry your token with you as a reminder. Change your token every once in a while, perhaps seasonally.


4. Connect with the truly awesome. Find the darkest place in your neighborhood and gaze up at the night sky. Observe the moon and see if you can spot some planets and the Milky Way galaxy. Then think about the billions of stars beyond that, light years above you, and contemplate your place in the universe. How awesome it is to be a sentient little speck, part of a cosmos too enormous to comprehend. It puts your ego in its place.


5. Create sacred space. When you define something as sacred, you invest it with meaning and treat it with extra care. Choose an area in your home or garden that can be a sacred space or altar. It does not have to be any more elaborate than a tabletop with a flower in a small vase, maybe a photo of a loved one, a candle or a few sea shells. No one needs to know that the right side of your dresser in the bedroom is your sacred space. What makes it special is your intention and attention. Take care to keep it clean, maybe knit a special lace cloth for the area, let it reflect what you love—a special spirit animal for you, natural objects that change with the seasons, colors you love.
   
   “Attentiveness is the natural prayer of the soul.”—Malebranche

*******

Today’s prize is spinning fiber—4 ounces of alpaca combed top from Huacaya Moon (a natural golden camel color) and 2 ounces of Columbia/Border Leicester–cross roving, dyed in sunset colors.

Have a great term, Ravenclaws!

Diadem Day 6: Inner vision

I dwell in Possibility—
A fairer House than Prose—
More numerous of Windows—
Superior—for Doors—
Of Chambers as the Cedars—
Impregnable of Eye—
And for an Everlasting Roof—
The Gambrels of the Sky—
Of Visitors—the fairest—
For Occupation—This—
The spreading wide of narrow Hands
To gather Paradise—

Emily Dickinson

Poets like Emily Dickinson have entered the world of possibility and imagination. And you can, too, by exploring the 6th chakra, located between your brows. This is thought to be the center of illumination, the gateway to wisdom, the homeland of intuition, dreams, and visions. Even if you hadn’t heard of the chakra system before, you may have heard about the “third eye” or seen it in depictions of Buddhist and Hindu deities.

The name for this chakra, ajna, means both “to perceive” and “to command.” By learning how to focus the light of consciousness, you can see into the subtler realms of energy and spirit. By tuning into imagination, dreams, and intuition, you can explore your life purpose and goals and shape your future.

As a physical practice today, try palming your eyes. Rub your palms together briskly until you feel your hands become warm. When the heat feels sufficient, place your warmed palms over your eyelids, press gently, and let your eyes bask in the warmth and darkness. After the heat dissipates, you can repeat this, or give your temples and forehead a mini massage.

*******

For today:

1. Dharana: Concentration with your mind’s eye. This exercise is from Om: A Guide to Meditation and Inner Tranquility by Frank MacHovec (Peter Pauper Press, 1975). You become better at this visualization with practice, as with any meditative method.
   
   “Dharana is knowing, fully knowing. Dharana is one-pointed concentration. It is undistracted, intense involvement with something, putting it in extremely fine focus, being totally occupied with it….”
   
   “The ancients used flowers or fruits to develop dharana. It’s interesting to note that the world’s artists do much the same thing trying to bring to life flowers and fruits in a still-life painting. You can do the same with the oils and canvas of your mind. An apple, orange, banana, or pear will do nicely. Concentrate on it. Touch it, study it closely. Use your sharpened senses. Then close your eyes and duplicate the fruit in your mind as clearly as if your eyes were open and you were looking at it. Make it equally real with or without your eyes being focused on it. As a close to this part of the meditation, experience the fruit by eating it. But eat slowly, savoring it. ”
2. Color. This is the chakra where you get to play with color! Dress colorfully to stimulate your seeing. Take yourself to places that are visually stimulating, pleasing to the eye, or inspiring. Go to your LYS for a color-play day. *Anodea Judith says, “The seven colors associated with the rainbow have become associated with the seven chakras. This is a modern association, as the ancient texts didn't match these colors, yet it's a logical sequence of matching the seven colors in accordance with the natural spectrum, with the reds, oranges, and yellows vibrating at a slower frequency than the greens, blues, and violets of the higher chakras.” The color for the 6th chakra is deep indigo blue-violet. *Here's a website that's fun to explore, with a color for every day of the year. Look up your own color horoscope. Does the color assigned to your day feel right to you?
3. Dreams and imagination. People have been mentioning in the common room lately the vivid and unusual dreams they’ve been having. A journal comes in handy when trying to remember and interpret dreams. Write down as much of your dream as you can as soon as you awaken.You’ll find dream-interpretation resources at the library and online. Here’s one site; I found that many of them were full of intrusive ads. *Imaginative play and daydreaming are, I think, survival skills. Here’s a website that is colorful and fun. Be sure to investigate the menu at the top to explore all the areas.
4. Goals: Vision for the future. Through the power of imagination, you can envision what your life could be in the future. Even though you may have been discouraged from daydreaming, don't let anyone underestimate its importantance. To get what you want, you have to know what you want; you try out ideas in your daydreams and then plan. “Day planner” systems or books about life coaching can guide you through the process of exploring your values and goal setting. Here are some questions to think about: *Do you have a guiding vision for your life?
   *What do you want to have achieved within the next six months? One year? Five years?
   *What is “the larger good” that you are working for?
   *What possibilities do you see that do not yet exist?
   *What changes will need to happen to manifest your dreams?
5. Mandalas. Some of you said you enjoyed the coloring pages from several days ago, so here are some mandalas to color. They originally were used in Hindu and Buddhist art as a meditation device and tool for establishing sacred space. Wikipedia says, “In common use, mandala has become a generic term for any plan, chart or geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective.” Working with mandalas is a very “6th-chakra” activity.

*******
Today’s prize is especially suited to Ravenclaws: it’s a three-strand bracelet of deep blue sodalite chips and blue crystal beads, made by an artist in Wisconsin. Sodalite is supposed to help one “cultivate detachment from the concerns and worries of everyday life. It can reduce stress and anxiety by allowing one to see one’s reality from a higher, more serene perspective.”

Hope you have a great day, Ravenclaws. Fondoo party tonight, merry beasts!

Diadem Day 5: Expression

"The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life."
B.K.S. Iyengar

On Diadem Day Five, we consider the power of expressing yourself. Here is a quote from Chakra Balancing:

“Sound, vibration, rhythm, music, voice, words, communication—these are all aspects of the fifth chakra, located in the throat…If you can imagine that there is a string of energy running through your core, the chakras are like beads on that string. If the string is pulled taut, meaning that it is connected to the earth at your ground and pulled up into spirit at your crown, then the beads line up and the chakras naturally come into alignment. When life plucks that string, as it most certainly does for all of us, it vibrates with our core truths. To speak and live these truths authentically is to vibrate in resonance with your core.”

I can barely scratch the surface of the many themes one can explore around the 5th-chakra topics: finding harmony, speaking and listening, nonverbal messages, expressing truth, singing, moving and dancing, communing with others—and screaming and yelling and letting off steam, too!

Sometime today, massage your jaw, throat, and neck, and to ease tension, do gentle neck and shoulder rolls. I’m not sure about yoga poses for this chakra, but I think the lion pose would be great. Toning, chanting mantras, and saying prayers are all appropriate.

*******
For today:

1. Morning Pages. Remember on Day 2 when I told you about the Artist Date from the book The Artist’s Way? Well, a Day 5 activity would be to try doing the Morning Pages, which author Julia Cameron calls a “brain drain.” You journal in a stream-of-consciousness style (and this is done with a pen to paper, not at a keyboard), letting the ideas flow until you’ve covered at least three sheets of paper. Do it first thing every morning. It’s supposed to release things from your unconscious that bring you in touch with yourself, and also to get rid of the worries and angst that gunk up your life. It’s a mini catharsis every day.
2. Music. The problem with background music is that it allows us to ignore one of the best forms of creative expression on earth. Take some time this week to listen to music without doing anything else. Just listen, hear the melodies and harmonies and rhythms, pay attention to what happens in your body, and notice what emotions you feel. But let yourself move as you want to, and feel free to sing or hum. Be engaged with the music; just don’t drive or do chores to it.
   
   By the way, I’m not one to watch much television, but a show I saw last year thrilled me. “The Music Instinct: Science & Song” explores the power of music and its connection with the brain, evolution, healing, physics, so much fascinating stuff. Check it out it see Yo-Yo Ma, Bobby McFerrin, Daniel Barenboim, Oliver Sacks, and others.


3. Body dialogue exercise. Do you think that sometimes your body is talking to you? Have you ever had a deep conversation with it? Anodea Judith, who’s my chakra-information resource, suggests that if you have aches and pains or chronic illnesses, your body is trying to tell you something.
   
   Use journaling as a format for asking questions, and then imagine answers from the point of view of the particular part of your body that’s getting your attention. For example, ask what that pain in the neck is about, or how you can be expected to stomach what you put up at work; ask your feet what it’s like to carry your responsibilities. Does someone really get under your skin? Ask your throat why you’re choked with emotion or find something hard to swallow.


4. Your body as instrument. For some of you, this invitation will be harder to accept than for others, but whatever your level of reticence or exuberance, I invite you to do something soon that uses your body as an expressive instrument. Put on some drumming music or any other music you’d like to move to, and then let yourself dance and let out sounds as they come up. Be as silly or as free or as noisy as you want. Laugh, whoop it up, whisper and hiss and roar. This feels good and can be fun to do with kids or friends.


5. Letting off steam. Not all expression is lovely and positive. Here’s something to do when you are pissed off and fed up. It’s another idea from Jennifer Louden (maybe everyone should just go out and buy a copy of The Women’s Comfort Book):
   
   For this activity, you need what Louden calls “an anger tool.” She suggests a tennis racket or baseball bat wrapped in a towel (fastened with duct tape). Set aside some time when you won’t be interrupted and go to a room where you can makes as much noise as possible. It’s best to have a bed or couch nearby, but if you’re out in the garage or garden, fill a big box with blankets and pillows.
   
   “Close your eyes and let the power of your anger invade you and stir you up. Let that wild and disturbing emotion flow from your mind’s eye and down to your hands... Stomp over to the bed. Grab your anger tool with both hands. Sink to your knees. Close your eyes. Hold your anger tool over your head, arching back as far as you can. Take a deep breath and bring it forward, slamming the bed with all your might. Exhale sharply with each impact. Exaggerate your movements. Put all the force into it that you can, even if you feel silly.”
   
   Loudon has you go on with the bashing and raging—shouting out your anger, specifically saying what has made you so upset or just shouting, “I’m angry! I’m angry!” You may end up punching the bed with your fists or sighing or screaming. After the emotion is spent, she suggests a transitional activity, such as a walk, some journaling, or something else that will give you time to calm down.

*******

Today’s prize is the book is Knitting Circles around Socks: Knit Two at a Time on Circular Needles by Antje Gillingham. And just a reminder—comment freely; to be eligible for the prize, you were in Ravenclaw house last term.

Have a great day!

Diadem Day 4: Opening your heart

The bud

stands for all things,

even those things that don't flower,

for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing;

though sometimes it is necessary

to reteach a thing its loveliness,

to put a hand on its brow

of the flower

and retell it in words and in touch

it is lovely

until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing…
— Galway Kinnell

Welcome to Diadem Day 4, dear Ravenclaws. Pretend it’s Valentine’s Day in August, because today we’re going to be guided by our hearts. Place a hand over the center of your chest and picture a beautiful lotus blossoming in your heart. When your fourth chakra is balanced, you feel loving, peaceful, content, compassionate, and centered.

It’s a great day to show some love—to special adults and children in your life, to a beloved pet, to your community or the world. Reach out with words, touch, and deeds to affirm your caring relationships. And also remember that your relationship with yourself needs some love, too.

Without self-care, how can you open your heart to others? Actively give your body the right diet, exercise, rest, and comfort. You don’t have to wait for your body to be perfect in order for it to earn your love.

Do some physical activity today that gets your heart pumping. When you’ve cooled off, give yourself a hug—it’s a good stretch. For those doing yoga, the poses for the fourth chakra are cobra pose, fish pose, standing yoga mudra, and gentle backbends.

*******

For today:

1. Offer gratitude. In her book Simple Abundance, author Sarah Ban Breathnach suggests using “a tool that will change the quality of you life beyond belief”—a daily gratitude journal. In it, she says, write down five things for which you are grateful this day. It’s a simple practice that, over time, you may find yourself really look forward to doing. This author suggests getting a special journal, the prettiest, most inviting blank book you can find. Do this if you’d like, but don’t let it stop you from this simple practice. Start with whatever notebook you have today. You’ll find yourself going through your day noticing more things to be grateful for.


2. Pamper yourself. Do something special for yourself today, and try to have it be pleasing to at least one of your senses. Eat something spicy or wear something silky. Listen to music that thrills you. Run down the beach or linger to watch a sunset. Sample a couple scents at a perfume counter. Take a bath or shower by candlelight. Go to an art museum. Whatever you do, enjoy!


3. Practice loving-kindness. In the Buddhist tradition, there’s a practice called metta, a word that translates as “loving-kindness.” You practice sending kindness by saying phrases that offer good wishes for health and happiness, first to yourself, and then to a widening circle of acquaintances. This practice transcends religion and is suitable for anyone to do, regardless of faith tradition.
   
   Starting with yourself, here are some phrases to say (these can be spoken aloud or silently said in your mind):
   
   May I be safe.
   May I be happy.
   May I be healthy.
   May I be filled with loving-kindness.
   May I live with ease.
   
   Almost any phrase of goodwill can be used in metta practice; play around with words until you find the ones that suit you. They usually should have something to do with being free from danger, having mental and physical well-being, and living without suffering. They should be general, though, and not something like “May I get a promotion at work.” And you say these, truly cherish yourself. By practicing metta, you cultivate compassion, generosity, and forgiveness.
   
   Metta practice traditional goes from oneself to a mentor, a good friend or family member, a neutral person, a difficult person, and then all beings everywhere. Explore as you’d like, but if you try this out, have your first 10-minute session be focused only on sending metta to yourself. (I use this practice with my Ravenclaw candle and send loving-kindness to the people on our candle list.)


4. Try alternate-nostril breathing. The heart chakra is related to the element air and is thought to be ruled by the breath. Working with the breath is a way to cleanse the body and quiet the mind. A calming technique that might be great to try if you’re stressed or having trouble sleeping is alternate-nostril breathing. Rather than writing out a long description of the method, here’s a video that demonstrates it simply.


5. Here’s a fun assignment from Jennifer Louden’s book: make a Joy List of 100 things that make you happy—warm, peaceful things that create a sense of joy and well-being in your life. Record tangible items, like five dollars found in your pocket, and intangible things, like a smile from a stranger. Include sensuous treats, like toasted marshmallows, and personal favorites, like a Bach cello concerto. Add to the list weekly, and read it when you’re feeling sad.

*******

Today’s prize is two skeins of Knit Picks’ Alpaca Cloud laceweight yarn (100 grams, 880 yards). The color is Midnight, which is “an intense dark blue color with black undertones. Reminiscent of the dark night sky, Midnight intrigues us with the flecks of blues and blue greens that add visual interest to this usually rich color.”

And just a reminder—comment freely; to be eligible for the prize, you were in Ravenclaw house last term.

Have a great day!

Diadem Day 3: Being powerful

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure—which is: Try to please everybody.
— Herbert B. Swope

Welcome to Diadem Day 3, which, I think appropriately, is occurring at the high-energy point of the full moon. I hope Day 1 made you feel grounded, earthy, and in touch with your roots, and Day 2 left you feeling juicy—bursting with creative energy and floating on the high tide. Because today you’re going to play with fire.

Let me introduce this chakra by telling you what it governs: the ego; power; self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-respect; care of oneself and others; trust; risk-taking; sensitivity to criticism; responsibility for making decisions; personal honor; the digestive system and metabolism. Has anyone said “Yikes!” yet? If the key phrase for the 2nd chakra is “go with the flow,” the phrase for the 3rd chakra is “Just do it.”

In addition to The Women’s Comfort Book by Jennifer Louden, which I’ve used all week, some of these ideas come from Anodea Judith’s Chakra Balancing. I especially like her description of the ego: “The ego is like a house. It’s important to have a consistent home base, but you wouldn’t want to be confined there. You need to have a healthy ego identity to make your way through life’s challenges. You need to have enough self-worth to stick to your goals, defend yourself, and take risks.”

Physical exercises to stimulate the third chakra work your core. Abdominal crunches are classic. Yoga poses include plank pose, boat pose, and the warrior series. And I’m very fond of the moon salutation. Many of you may know sun salutations, but since this is the full moon night, try this moon series.

*******

For today (and the rest of your life):

1. Set a reasonable intention at the beginning of the day, and exercise your will to accomplish it. Make a list of daily goals and cross out each one as it is done. Budget your time, money, energy, and calories. Set your will toward completing a specific practice each day for a week or month, and stick to it! (The SadieLou plan?) All of these various exercises strengthen the will.


2. Your solar plexus (3rd chakra) is located in the center of your trunk, a few inches above your naval and just about at the level of the bottom of your ribs. What happens when you sit? Does it collapse into your belly? Make a point of sitting up straight, aligning your spine and opening your chest. You can breathe easier. Now notice how you stand. Does your 3rd chakra collapse then, too? Anytime you notice your energy slumping, practice good posture and see if it lifts your spirits, too.


3. (This point is directly from Jennifer Louden’s book) Eliminate guilt. Learning to be assertive is invaluable in helping you escape the trap of taking care of others’ needs before your own. You are the only caretaker of your self-esteem. This means, if you don’t assert yourself, if you don’t champion your rights, who is going to?
   
   Acknowledge aloud and often that you are not responsible for everyone’s feelings. This does not mean that you don’t care. To be empathetic is wonderful, but you need not feel guilty, ashamed, or responsible for another person’s feelings. But what if you still feel guilty?
   * Stop taking the blame for things that are not your fault. To accomplish this, before you say “I’m sorry” to someone, check to see if you had any control of what happened.
   * Ask yourself, “What am I getting out of feeling guilty?”
   * Acknowledge that you feel guilty, but don’t let it stop you.


4. Try out some affirmations. These are positive statements that you say to yourself until they actually become true. Here are some to try; you can say them to yourself in the mirror, sing them in the car, or write them down in your journal.
   * I deserve to nurture myself.
   * I now have the courage to live my life my way.
   * I am a wonderful person and deserve some time off.
   * Today I feel renewed and ready for any challenge.
   * My experiences have made me wise and strong.


5. Consciously set your boundaries. Define your limits to yourself. Write down what you will and won’t accept. Does someone in your family borrow things without asking? Does someone standing too close to you drive you crazy? Your limits exist naturally. You know that your boundaries are being invaded when you feel taken advantage of. (And remember where your 3rd chakra is: you feel this in your gut.) Begin to gently but clearly tell people in your life what your limits are. Visualize yourself saying “No.” Practice saying the word aloud (perhaps try it while looking in the mirror).
   
   In the next week, say no to four things you would normally agree to. At the same time, say yes to four things you would not normally allow yourself to have or do. Try to pay attention to how you feel about these changes.

*******

Being powerful is a lot of work! How about a prize? Today it is a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Thin (450 yards of superwash merino) in the colorway Raspberry Smoothie.

Have a great day, Ravenclaw!

Diadem Day 2: Creativity

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once

he grows up.
— Pablo Picasso

You have an advantage over those in the muggle world. By being involved with the House Cup, you probably recognize how creative you are, and you have regular opportunities to let your inner artist shine. Let that creativity spill into your "everyday" life.

Explore the energy of the second chakra today, which is associated with emotions, sensuality, fluidity, enjoyment, sex and fertility, and all things creative. I love that the Sanskrit name for the second chakra, Svadhisthana, translates as “one’s own place.” We all need our own place, a “room of one’s own,” as Virginia Woolf called it. Today be mindful to move and stretch, especially if you’ve been sitting for long periods, and drink lots of water. Good yoga poses for 2nd chakra are the bridge pose and reclined cobbler’s pose. Or rest with your legs up the wall, a restorative thing to do after your workday.

*******

For today:

1. Schedule into your calendar an Artist’s Date—about two hours per week (or month if that’s all you can do) set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness. Have you read Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way? It has become a classic reference on creativity, and you can find much of it online now. http://www.theartistsway.com/pdfs/basictools.pdf. Cameron’s two basic tools are the Morning Pages (a stream-of-consciousness daily journaling exercise) and the Artist’s Date (go to page 18 on the PDF). She calls this “Filling the well, stocking the pond.” You really need to do this.
2. It’s back-to-school time. Do you have your new box of crayons? Get some! Whether you get just the classic 8-pack or the big box with the built-in sharpener, nothing smells quite like a new box of crayons. And for coloring fun, here are some printable coloring pages, including Greek muses, mandalas, goddess figures, and more.
   http://www.milliande.com/Free-Printable-Adult-Coloring-Pages.html
3. The designer Isaac Mizrahi and knit designer Michele Rose Orne both suggest this idea: create an inspiration board. Mizrahi uses a corkboard with pushpins; Orne arranges her objects on a tabletop. Over the next several weeks collect photos, scraps of pretty paper or fabric, bits of lace, feathers, leaves, pictures from magazines, found objects, postcards —anything that appeals to your eye. You may want to choose a theme—the current season, a place, a mood or flavor. Or you may just want to explore your own taste and style. Make an inspiration board to help you plan a specific project, or keep one going perpetually, adding and subtracting objects as you wish.
4. Go on a color walk. It would be lovely to do this outdoors, but you can also walk around your home or office, in the grocery store, at your local yarn shop, anywhere! Bring along a small notepad and, if possible, a digital camera. Your task is to look only at color. Do not focus on an object’s or person’s form or features. Don't apply critical judgment (a flower is not more pleasing than a toothpaste box) or give any kind of meaning to what you see. Just look at planes of color and the combinations in which you find them. Write down the color combinations you love, describing them as completely as you can, and take a picture to remind yourself later. Return to this exercise when planning knitting or crochet projects, or for sewing, beading, painting, or any other colorful art pursuit.
5. Allow yourself to have an artist studio. You may be able to take over a whole room in your house or apartment, but more likely it will be a smaller space. It could be a desk or table, or a comfortable chair with a window or good light nearby. Your studio does not have to be where your stash lives; it’s where you do your creative thinking and crafting.
   This may amuse members of your family when you say, “I’m going to work in my studio now,” and someone responds, “Wait; you’re just sitting in the chair by the fireplace with your knitting bag.” You can tell the person that as far as you’re concerned, when you’re in that spot, you’re in your studio. Feel free to post a sign: Artist at Work.

*******

Today’s prize is spinning fiber—3.5 ounces (99 grams) of Summer Garden (purple) and 3.6 ounces (103 grams) of Fresh Greens (greens, but a little bit of blue, too), hand-dyed by my friendly local shepherd at Four Crows Farm. The wool is Corriedale carded roving, pleasant to spin but still a tiny bit rustic.

Have a great day, Ravenclaws!

Diadem Day 1: Grounding

The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you.
— Robert Louis Stevenson

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Today your task is to check in with yourself and assess your basic needs. You probably know what they are. But do you get so caught up in daily life that you forget? Think how you’d answer these questions:

• Do you get enough sleep?
• Do you drink enough water?
• Do you eat some fresh and unprocessed foods every day?
• Do you get some exercise regularly that you enjoy?
• Do you feel safe?
• Do you allow time in your week to be in touch with nature and sunlight?
• Do you make time for and nurture your caring relationships & friendships?
• Is there abundant beauty in your life?
• Do you do things that give you a sense of joy, fulfillment, or purpose?
• Do you get daily or weekly spiritual nourishment or solitude?

Jennifer Louden* suggests asking yourself the following question regularly, especially when you feel tense, overloaded, or crummy:

“What do I need to help me better care for myself right now?”

Write this on a Post-it or slip of paper, and put it on your bathroom mirror, refrigerator, computer screen, or steering wheel. All day, check in with yourself and think about how you’d answer the question at this moment.

*The Women’s Comfort Book by Jennifer Louden (Harper, 1992) inspired many of this week’s ideas.

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For today:

1. Eat something natural and raw, like a ripe peach or a luscious strawberry. Eat as slowly as you can, concentrating on the taste, texture, and color. Sense this food’s life energy. Be grateful.


2. Sit or lie someplace quiet (even if you have to shut yourself in the bathroom). Close your eyes. Inhale and hold your breath for a moment. Exhale completely. When you inhale again, imagine you are breathing in pure relaxation. Exhale and imagine you are breathing out all the tension of your day or week. Do this a few more times.


3. Try to spend some time today in an outdoor place you enjoy. Go to a public garden, walking trail, or body of water. If it’s your own garden, don’t think about the weeding you need to do. If you don’t live near green places, at least stand under a tree and look into the leaf canopy.


4. Stand barefoot (you can do this indoors or out). With your feet shoulder length apart, bend your knees slightly and sink your attention to your solar plexus (the area around and above your naval). This is a basic t'ai chi stance. Feel the four corners of your feet connecting with the ground. Imagine roots growing down into the earth. Draw energy through your legs, up and through your body, all the way to the top of your head. This energy makes a shining crown. Picture it; wear it all day.


5. Do some stretching. Lying on your back, hug your knees into your chest and stay there for at least five breaths. Or from a standing position, bend forward and hang loose like a rag doll for a minute or two. If you like yoga, do child’s pose and forward folds.

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Today’s prize is the book Lavish Lace: Knitting with Hand-Painted Yarns by Carol Rasmussen Noble and Cheryl Potter. The yarns used in the projects aren’t necessarily laceweight, and the projects start with simple patterns and progress to more complex ones.

Have a great day, Ravenclaws!

Diadem Days: The Overview

The idea for Diadem Days came from a chat last month among several people who realized that their birthdays were all in the same week. As the talked, they recognized that they shared some traits: they were responsible, nurturing people who were skilled at taking care of their friends, family, and workmates, but sometimes, meeting so many demands left them little time to care for themselves. Doesn't that sound familiar?

We Ravenclaws are diverse in many ways, but we have very full lives and then must try to fit in time for the crafts we love. So before the new term, let’s take a week to think about how to balance our energies and take care of ourselves.

As a way to organize the discussion, I’m linking two metaphors, and it’s a bit of a stretch. The first is the diadem, a circular jeweled crown, associated with Rowena Ravenclaw. It’s our entry point for treating ourselves royally. The second metaphor is the system of the seven chakras, the energy centers that run the length of the spine (their locations correspond to the seven central nerve ganglia branching out from the spinal column). Some people picture chakras as vortices or spinning wheels (no, not that kind of spinning wheels), but for this week, I’m thinking of them as jewels—a rainbow of shining jewels that symbolize different aspects of your life energy.

Each day’s theme relates to one of the chakras, as follows:

Sunday (Aug. 22): Getting grounded—basics
Monday (Aug. 23): Creativity—honoring the artist
Tuesday (Aug. 24): Standing strong—setting boundaries
Wednesday (Aug. 25): Opening your heart—loving-kindness
Thursday (Aug. 26): Communication & truth
Friday (Aug. 27): Insight & vision
Saturday (Aug. 28): Spiritual connections

Five activities will be suggested each day, and your ideas are welcome as well.

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Each morning, the prize of the day will be described, and if you’d like to be included in the drawing that day, simply leave a comment on the blog before 9:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time (U.S.); selection of the winner will be by random-number generation. Anyone who was in Ravenclaw house last term is eligible to enter. All you have to do is leave your Ravelry name, but feel free to share thoughts either about the day’s theme or what you did to take care of yourself with kindness and self-nurturing. And if you’re not interested in the prize but want to comment, just say so.

Mama Eagle Wants You!

Mama Eagle Needs You!
Dear fellow Ravenclaws,

Now that we’re in our new Tower and halfway through August, I’m going to put out the official call: Mama Eagle needs YOU to be a mentor in our Flying Lessons program.

Mentors help a small group of brand-new First Year Ravenclaws (3 - 4 depending on the size of our First Year class) learn their way around the Tower - how to get to classes on time, decipher the Tower’s puzzles, and practice their Avifors charms. You can introduce them to the Merry Beasts at a fondue party, show them the Sky Chairs after a long, hard day, and even the mutation table in the lab.

I’ll need you to pass messages from me and our wonderful Head of House Isisonearth, stay in contact with your First Years to make sure they know about deadlines and all the activities of the Tower and the Cup, and answer any questions they have. We love to know all the wonderful things the First Years do, so please keep an eye on everything they do and let all of us know how well they are doing!

It’s a fun job and one of my favorite things about Ravenclaw Tower. If you are a Second-Year or higher (Second-Year as of September term) and want to join me in the Mama Eagle’s nest, please send me a PM to let me know you are interested! Once the Sorting Hat does its work, I’ll post a list of the Mentors and their Little Eagles.

Thank you!

TriGirlJ - Ravenclaw’s Mama Eage

Diadem Days, August 22nd through 28th

Last term, as always, Ravenclaws went all out to compete, create, and do their best for the house. They knit and crocheted for hours to produce beautiful projects, but sometimes they forgot to rest. They worked on their OWLs and class work while also holding down jobs, attending school, and caring for families. Sometimes real life brought unexpected stresses and sad events, or the lofty goals that had been set seemed no longer in reach, but still they carried on. And at the end of term, many people felt triumphant—and also a bit exhausted. This is all supposed to be fun, right?

Before the start of the next term, we want to pause to bring you Diadem Days—a week-long feature on the blog that’s meant to remind you to treat yourself royally. Each day’s post will bring you ideas for self-nurturing, plus any Ravenclaw who was enrolled last term will be eligible for the daily prize drawing by leaving a comment on the blog. We hope Diadem Days will help you feel appreciated, loved, and ready to face the fall term with energy and balance.

LOTW

I went on hiatus there for a little while. Sorry about that 'Claws. Let's get a sparkly new library for the week up, shall we?



Here we have The Grolier Club Library, NY, NY, USA.

The object of the Grolier Club (to quote from its Constitution) is "to foster the study, collecting, and appreciation of books and works on paper, their art, history, production, and commerce. It shall pursue this mission through the maintenance of a library devoted to all aspects of the book and graphic arts and especially bibliography; through the occasional publication of books designed to illustrate, promote and encourage the book and graphic arts; through exhibitions and educational programs for its members and the general public; and through the maintenance of a Club building for the safekeeping of its property, and otherwise suitable for the purposes of the Club."

More information can be found here.

July Bugspray Event

Silverwing26 walks into the center of the common room and waves her wand. A magical trumpet does a little toot and blue and bronze sparklies float down into the room!

Claws! I have here all of the entrants into the July Bigspray Event. Thanks to all our participants, our common room should now be free of insects! And the occasional snail….

Thank you to all everyone who participated.
1.akasha111182
2.Drake
3.fuddles
4.greenheron
5.Kethrim
6.KnitWit685
7.kountingsheep
8.lavenderblueskies
9.OneNeedleKnitting
10.rchrispy
11.SadieLou
12.Silverwing26
13.TriGirlJ

And the winner as generated by Random.org is….

5.Kethrim !!! Congratulations. You’ve won some handspun donated by drake. Please be in contact with each other to arrange the details. :)