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.
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.
Fiesta Estrellas 
Hooray. Congrats on making it through the month. Thank you for all the words and pictures and reflections.
Really grateful for your support. Being among other creative souls encourages more creativity for everyone! 🌈
👌😘🤗
Thank you, Yassy, for all the ways you inspire me! Sister of my heart! 💜
You welcome , sister dearest ❣️ you inspire me in many ways .. thank you 🤗
Kudos on completing the 30 day challenge Ka. I like how you wove everything together with wisdom from the Tao. I like the idea of Tao mastery to where we accomplish by non-doing. To a season of peace, love, and mastery.
Thank you, Brad! My soul is already calling me to a different kind of blog challenge, one that it is likely I will miss days, and that will be okay. I’m going to begin preparing. After that one, I probably ought to try some of the poetry ones and team up with some of the others doing that (including you!) Learning how to celebrate is why my blog is called “Fiestaestrellas”. A stellar celebration.. a celebration of the journey. While in it. 💗🪷. I am grateful for your encouragement, support and also joining in with me on the things we connect with! Hugs and love 💗 🤗
Thank you Ka. I’m glad to share the journey with you. And I’m enjoying posting and following less. 🙂
The rhythms and the ebbs and flows of how we are guided and our awareness of what we experience as a result matters so much in the feedback loop process. After all, you are writing to freedom. Again, your title of your blog means a lot to me too. 💗 Glad to know you are finding enjoyment 😌
Also Brad, I really hope you can feel me working with you here! 😆 to this season we are in! 💗
Love those chicks Ka… and well done you for the challenge…. Kudos to you… Loved the photos and the quote….
Wishing you a Wonderful weekend to come and December ..
Much love Ka…. xx
Loved your poem, Sue and working my way back to it again. 💗 Thank you 🙏🏼 Yes, those baby chicks… 💕
🙂 Glad you liked it Ka.. and no worries…. Enjoy your Weekend to come xx
Thank you my friend, your poem “Be One With Yourself,” is exactly the tone I am setting 💕🪷
So much love your way Sue
Keep that nurturing yourself going it’s important 🥰
Tomorrow I am teaching yoga to the kids at my daughter’s school. I’m quite excited about it (and a bit nervous!). Have a wonderful weekend , too! 🪷
Oh how fabulous .. What Joy.. Just be you and they will love it.. and you xx 😘
Thanks 🙏🏼 Sue! That means a lot 🥹🥰
Congratulations for a challenge well done! I did enjoy following along with your words and photos this month, and the passage here all together is wonderful. Best wishes for the upcoming month, and all challenges that present themselves. 🙂
Thank you so much! It was a lot of fun to do this with you; and it was definitely still a big challenge, even if I did mostly pictures. Thank you kindly for your wishes for the challenges ahead. 💗🙂 Grateful to have you alongside! Thank you very much!
THINGS are indeed all together kind lady, and it all did indeed open to lovely words to make a beautiful writing. And for that, thank you for sharing. And especially today’s cute chickens, light a glow inside us to see ‘life’ indeed open and be free as they are…and as you have given 😀❤️🙏
Well, THIS was timely! 🙋✨
The Tao is such a beautiful guide for living peacefully, Ka. I can understand why you always seem so serene. And lovely photos from your lovely island. I especially enjoyed all the thankfulness expressed toward the end. It’s uplifting and may it usher in a wonderful holiday season. ❤
Thank you, Diana! This is all very sincerely from my heart. Thank you for being here! 🪷💗🪷
I appreciate your letting me know what spoke most to you and your words on the Tao. It’s a sacred text for me. Peace and love, Diana! I also just got your newest book. 💗 Happiest Holidays to you and your family!
Yay! I’m excited to hear what you think. Hugs, my friend. I’m grateful for you too. ❤ ❤
For me the only limiting factor here is getting the time to read. So far I love the books of yours that I’ve read! I know I will appreciate the humor and so much else, the detail, and it will likely have me on the edge of my seat.
❤ ❤ ❤
Fantastic. I really like the pictures.
Thank you so much! 😃