Epiphany

Epiphany from O.Fr. epiphanie, from Gk. epiphaneia “manifestation, striking appearance”

1. A Christian feast celebrating the manifestation of the divine nature of Jesus to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.  January 6, the day on which this feast is traditionally observed.

2. A revelatory manifestation of a divine being.

3. A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.

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I am at the beginning of a 6 week online course ‘Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist‘ taught by Christine Valters Paintner.  I don’t know how to express just how wonderful, exciting and challenging it already is.  I have been longing to explore contemplative prayer, the confluence of the sacred and creativity in my own art making and how to have a daily relationship with the Divine in a way which is meaningful to me.  Way of the Monk pretty much sums all of this up.

First of all, the format of the course is amazing!  It’s all online!  Christine sends weekly materials via pdf and mp3 and we have an online forum to meet and interact with our fellow student/monk/artists from all over the world and where we can upload our art work. Besides being very organised and professional as a teacher/guide, Christine is mindful that this journey can be challenging and invites us to be gentle with our selves and to practise self-care.

One of my Christmas presents from Steve was a Sony Walkman and I’ve put this week’s exercise/meditation on it and took it into work with me so I could listen to it in the medieval chapel at lunchtime.  While I was in there, I took a photo of the nativity scene and the magi, who are on their way to the manger to meet the Divine as represented by baby Jesus.

It was my day off yesterday and we had snow!  Steve and I went for a walk in the countryside, just outside of our town. My personal image of the Epiphany is the catkins growing from the bare winter branches.  What a miraclulous manifestation of the Divine!

I loved these invitations to journey on new paths, one through an archway of winter trees

and the river flowing through the frozen landscape.  Even if we can’t actually travel down a river in a vessel or walk along it, just being next to one can take us on a journey if we listen to where it has been and where it is going.

When we returned home, I took a hot bath while Steve prepared soul food for dinner.  We had slow roasted ham hock with carmelised onions and Southern-style collard greens, cooked with another ham hock and seasoned with cayenne pepper and vinegar, swimming in lots of delicious, soul-nourishing pot likker.

After we took the rest of our Christmas decorations down, I went into my studio and completed my first visual art project for Way of the Monk.  We were asked to make three Wisdom cards, each asking a soul question to our inner monk, artist and both of them together.

Here are mine and I may go into one or all of them more in depth at a later time as I reflect on them.

Inner Artist

Inner Monk

Both

Flowing with gratitude

Over the past few days, we’ve been taking our Christmas decorations down.  I realise that as well as putting away tinsel, fairy lights and baubles, I am gathering up and storing the shining memories of my first Solstice and Christmas and New Year’s Eve & Day celebrations with Steve in our home.

The other night, I gathered up a handful of golden stars that we had scattered over our dining table.  They are too great to throw away, so I’ve sprinkled them all over the house!

I feel such gratitude for all of the abundance in my life.  I just went on a very interesting etymological walk with abundance.  I found these definitions here.
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abundance – mid-14c., from O.Fr. abundance (Mod.Fr. abondance), from L. abundantia “fullness,” noun of state from abundans (gen. abundantis), prp. of abundare “to overflow” (see abound)
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abound – late 14c., from O.Fr. abunder, from L. abundare “overflow, run over,” from L. ab- “off” + undare “rise in a wave,” from unda “water, wave” (see water)
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water (n. 1) – O.E. wæter, from P.Gmc. *watar , from PIE *wodor/*wedor/*uder-, from root *wed- (cf. Hittite watar, Skt. udnah, Gk. hydor, O.C.S., Rus. voda, Lith. vanduo, O.Prus. wundan, Gael. uisge “water;” L. unda “wave”)
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There was another definition of water (n.2) – measure of quality of a diamond, 1607, from water (n.1), perhaps as a transl. of Arabic ma’ “water,” which also is used in the sense “lustre, splendor.”
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I think that is so cool, that the delicious, juicy word abundance flows back to water, and not just trickling on back in dribbles, but overflowing and abounding, filling – (My cup runneth over, Psalm 23:5).
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And look at where it ends up!  Lustrous, splendid, a measurer of a precious jewel – the diamond.  On a spiritual level, the diamond motif expresses itself in terms of clarity, ascension and wisdom. And when a diamond melts, it flows and becomes the most amazing water.  This is what being filled with gratitude is  – diamond waters and golden stars flowing through me and over me and out to everyone in my world, I hope.
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We receive with our open hands and gently cup what has been given –

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and let our jewels flow out into the world, into the heavens, everywhere – to create a universe.

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I love this video about receiving each day as a gift and living gratefully.  Check out gratefulness.org and be inspired.

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http://www.uta.fi/~tapani.aulu/fastshow.htm

Happy New Year of the Blue Moon

Steve and I had a magical New Year’s Eve.

I have to start with dinner which was Beef Wellington as the main course (actually it was the only course – we saved our appetite all day long for this and didn’t want or need to be distracted by appetisers!).  It was a team effort, as is much of what we do.  Steve made a beautiful red wine sauce from oxtails, onions, carrots and celery.  It simmered for about 4 hours and reduced from three quarts of liquid to 2 cups.  I made puff pastry and duxelles, a finely chopped (minced) mixture of mushrooms, onions, shallots and herbs sautéed in butter, and reduced to a paste with cream and Amontillado added at the end.  We got a perfect piece of filet beef which we seared, wrapped in prosciutto, then duxelles, finally in the puff pastry and baked it until the beef was medium-rare.  The accompaniments were pommes Anna and haricot vert.  And, I made a very special dessert for a man who loves dark chocolate – pots de crème au chocolat.

It was a very special meal.  Besides celebrating the passing of the old year and coming of the new one, we celebrated our first full year together and our first New Year’s Eve in our home.  After our late dinner, we sat on the sofa, talked, listened to music, danced, had our luscious dessert with a goblet of Australian Merlot, called a couple of friends after midnight and stayed up until 3 o’clock; just so happy to be here and with each other.

Last night was also magical with the blue moon illuminating the heavens.  The old expression “once in a blue moon” has to do with something that is rare, special, uncommon, even absurd – but not impossible.  The most popular current definition of a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month.  The New Year’s Eve blue moon is more exceptional, happening only once every 19 years.

This New Year’s Eve and Day feel ‘everyday magical’ and it already seems as though 2010 will be filled with everyday rare, special, uncommon and – why not – absurd happenings.

Speaking of magic, I don’t think I’ve said but Steve and I are writing a blog together called ‘On the Way to the Wedding‘.  This link goes straight to his take on our New Year’s Eve.

Blue Moon image from Tamilshavai.com

Hoppin’ John

When I was growing up, we always had ham for Christmas dinner.  We’d eat off of the ham for the next week and save the hock for our New Year’s meal.  My dad Frank always made a big pot of Hoppin’ John – black-eyed peas, onions, green pepper and greens seasoned with the ham hock.

Tradition holds that when eaten on New Year’s Day, Hoppin’ John brings good luck. The rice signifies abundance for the coming year, while peas – specifically black-eyed peas – are thought to bring wealth in the form of coins. Collard greens, a classic Hoppin’ John partner, represent dollar bills. Pork also plays an important role in the dish, and it’s for more than just flavor. Hogs can’t look back, so pork represents the future.

Most food historians generally agree that “Hopping John” is an American dish with African/French/Caribbean roots. There are many tales or legends that explain how Hoppin’ John got its name:

• It was the custom for children to gather in the dining room as the dish was brought forth and hop around the table before sitting down to eat.
• A man named John came “a-hoppin” when his wife took the dish from the stove.
• An obscure South Carolina custom was inviting a guest to eat by saying, “Hop in, John”
• The dish goes back at least as far as 1841, when, according to tradition, it was hawked in the streets of Charleston, South Carolina by a crippled black man who was know as Hoppin’ John.

We usually omitted the rice and had a side of cornbead with our meal.  It sure is good and even better the next day!

Hoppin’ John

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large ham hock
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 pound black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
• 1 quart water
• Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
• Salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and cayenne pepper
• Collards, chard, kale or other greens
• 3 cups steamed white rice or cornbread

Heat oil in a large soup pot, add the ham hock and sear on all sides for 4 minutes. Add the onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, chopped greens, water, bay leaf, thyme, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the peas are creamy and tender, stirring occasionally. If the liquid evaporates, add more water or stock. Adjust seasonings. Serve over rice or with cornbread on the side.

Cornbread

• One cup flour
• ¾ cup cornmeal
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• One cup milk
• One egg, beaten
• Two tablespoons melted vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Stir together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix the milk, egg and shortening together and add to the dry ingredients, blend well.  Pour into a greased 8″ square pan and bake for about 20 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.

Eat poor on New Year’s Day, eat rich the rest of the year.