This post is the finale post. Included here is the whole passage, number 48, with links from the Tao Te Ching passage (citation below). Also included is the rest of the passage, because there were more words than I had title space for (more than 30). Ah, the spirit of a challenge. It’s like a brisk walk through the days, an autumn season delight. A way to hold the light gently. There’s the gathering, and the spirits, and the gathering of the spirits. So much to appreciate and be thankful for. The cuppeth overruneth.

In the pursuit of knowledge,

every day something is added.

In the practice of the Tao,

every day something is dropped.

Less and less do you need to force things,*

until finally you arrive at non-action.

When nothing is done,

nothing is left undone.

True mastery can be gained

by letting things go their own way.

It can’t be gained by interfering.

Each year, this Nano Poblano is a *certain* challenge. We all face different circumstances and event-filled lives for many of us. For others, it might be lonely. Nevertheless, my WP blog (and yours) is one of my most special homes. You all who gather here and interact really touch my heart and make my season. I get excited to do NanoPoblano, it puts me in a festive mood and sets the tone for “unofficially official” in a way that really appeals to me: a ‘no pressure’ challenge. What could be more than a gift but a gentle push and nudge that is mostly self-governed, with group support and group consciousness? Thank you, Rara, Bill Friday, Matt, Dinah, and all of you. You all have last names, but Bill’s is Friday, so I had to list that. Seeing you year after year, in whatever capacity, is part of my festivities. You may not realize how much you impact me with your presence, just living your own lives, writing through it all–or flustering through it. It doesn’t matter how we get to the other end; we are together.

To all of you who have been with me almost every day: Eddie, Mark, Sue, Tania, my dear Yassy, Joanna, Karen, Debra, Dani, and so many others… I cannot thank you enough for your presence and helping me to get through this challenge. I hope it has fulfilled you to be a part of it as much as it has fulfilled me to have you be a part of this month-long blog challenge, and just blogging together, in general ❤ You are all loved. There are countless others who I did not name but you know who you are. Thank you for being here. Your comments have helped me in my own transformation and levity.

As for my more reflective space and self-discussion: The Tao Te Ching has been with me since I was a pre-teen. It was my answer to what didn’t make sense in religion, and has been with me in some capacity ever since. I highly regard the Tao Te Ching, which is why I am a doctor of acupuncture, East Asian medicine and practice holistic, integrative, and functional medicine. Yes, those are a lot of words for I educate myself a lot and I’m always busy learning. My blog has mostly been the space where I share my astrological insights (since my astrology tutelage began as a pre-teen as well). I also share my art in writing, drawing, whimsy, shamanic practicing, meditation, photography, poetry, and whatever is new and transformative for me to bring out of myself and into the world.

Kauai is a most wonderful place in the world, who is the heart of the mother who speaks to me. Almost all of my photographs displayed here are of this beautiful island.

For those of you who just met me: Welcome. Get cozy. Please take something from your time here with me. Please make your time meaningful, delightful, and/or full of wonder. Please leave with a renewed sense of purpose. Open your mind to questions with ease and grace. Please be as you are, and come and go with your own joy, tenderness, vulnerability, grief, openness, perception, wisdom, and embrace. However you are.

Happy Holidays! From my heart to yours!

Source:

Laozi., & Mitchell, S. (2009). Tao te ching. London, Frances Lincoln Limited.

Marveling at little things, energy, forces of nature. Is a force a power? Or just a way to look at focused energy? Use the force for the good 🙂

to

live in green

as hill or a seam

as a speed bump on

a mountain

or a thread

pointed to the stream

to be woven into nature’s

tapestry,

as an aspect of color,

a surrendering ribbon to gravity,

is to relax,

is to hang…

This Full Moon, today, in Gemini is interesting because its got the Sun very close to Mars. So there could be more urgency, a sense of motivation, or even a “loose canon” experience. So moderation and temperance is extra advised. One additional reason this experience is “pressurized” is because the Sun and Moon (in opposition as with a full moon) are in a T-square with the planet Saturn at 0 degree of Pisces. Spiritual experiences may intermingle with your sense of reality in a new way that reveals that ‘reality’ is either more ‘fluid’ and inconsistent than originally thought–or, conversely one can experience a solidification of what was otherwise seen as only etheric or of the “mind” (Gemini). Please feel free to share how you are feeling in the 3 days around the Full Moon. We are all so curious for your feedback.

Just a few more days of the Nano Poblano challenge! Happy Blogging during the Holiday season. Get your cozy on!

The Eucalyptus (Rainbow) Deglupta is my favorite tree.

A rainbow tree has to be literally the coolest thing that exists on the planet. I mean, especially that it’s a eucalyptus!

This is my Thanksgiving post. The fact that we get to live such a magical life, and to share it with you, with each other ❤

Go ahead and click on the pepper. There’s a whole team here.

I’m hoping I didn’t lose the theme to this Nanopoblano 2023, and it all got carried away with me. I think I also just trust that it’s all gonna come together on the 30th, when I put it all together. There will be some reflection, some wisdom–something to glean. I believe you can make something out of nothing. The nothing is the less. There is a less, even when there looks like there’s more. That’s the beauty of the illusions of life. (Yesterday’s post is Dropped.). I am allowing the process to be its own thing. I am at the temple, tenderly, openly, readily allowing…

Thanks for being here! Thanks for reading! Thanks for liking! Thanks for commenting! Thanks for being with me on my *very* busy day. I’ll be around a lot more tomorrow.

Okay some weird things about me.

I just put this image up because my inertia of not doing any artwork — at all — for years, it’s starting to get cracking. There’s a crackling. The push from inside was “make a mark” “start a spark.” So there you have it. An unplanned, unscheduled post (that does not fit with my theme of this month). But line, color and spirit really want to be made time for. It’s something I’ve been grappling with for some time. This is even despite that I read one whole book and am halfway through another! Productivity is my middle name. Haha. Let it flow forth and outward. It’s time to flow. In all the ways… like rays.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for being here.

Let the image activate you!