Kicking Off NaNoWriMo Season

Connecting with other like minded people is imperative in finding inspiration.  November marks the annual writing challenge, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which provides inspiration and resources for to writers to complete fifty thousand words in thirty days. Although NaNoWriMo is revered by aspiring authors across the globe, the raw and freeing act of writing--unedited--is not reserved for novelists alone. October helps us gear up for this event. The harvest season is when we pull together our resources and reflect, and there is no better time to ready ourselves for a writing challenge. Whether it’s by preparing a story outline or gathering ideas on how to gain more writing time, October comes at the perfect time.  

Mind Key member Tamara Rokicki shares her tips on how to prepare for next month.  In her blog post “Kicking Off NaNoWriMo Prep Season,” she highlights the benefits of finding a support network, getting ideas on what to write and getting any research started.

September is upon us and I’d like to take a moment to reach out to my fellow writers. Like me, you may be anxiously waiting for November, so that you can begin another NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge. But you may not be aware that September kicks off the NaNoWriMo Prep Season, a time when writers prepare for the upcoming word marathon.

The first few years I participated in NaNoWriMo, I did not plan very much at all. In fact, I simply waited for November 1st and then put everything together in my head—and on paper. I had to sort out through ideas, research, character building, scene breakdowns, and more. It was exhausting and definitely not productive. The entire goal of NaNoWriMo is to dedicate thirty days to writing—just writing! For this reason, preparing for November is imperative. (Continue reading here…)

Discover your untapped potential

Do you ever wonder about your true calling?  Do you yearn for something more but just don’t know what?  

Each of us is equipped with unique talents and skills.  Finding our true calling is a journey. It’s not always easy to realize what we’re meant to do in life.  In her blog post, “Untapped Potential: Finding Your Talent”, Mind Key member, Tamara Rokicki, shares her journey in pursuing her passion.  It doesn't have to be as complicated as we make it.  Life presents our talents in many ways, whether it’s a simple hobby that rescues us from the mundane or in the way we inspire others.

As the warmer weather winds down, and the days grow shorter, we naturally begin to harvest our skills and lessons from the experiences of the past year in preparation for the year ahead. In doing this, we have an opportunity to discover the untapped potential that can bring us one step closer to realizing our dreams.

I’m a firm believer that each of us is born with a particular talent. Many of us walk around with untapped potential, but I think it’s still there, hiding somewhere inside of us. For a long time I used to think that it was a treacherous journey to discover our true talent.  What a miracle it’d be to find out what we were meant to do and what our passion really was.

Then I realized it’s not as complicated as I thought.

Throughout my life I’ve experienced several ups and down, and each event has blatantly showed me my talent. It might’ve not presented itself with immense clarity, but it manifested in different forms each time.  The message was always the same: Tamara, use your imagination. Be creative. Go back to writing. Just create. And each time I followed that advice, I healed a painful experience, created opportunities, learned something new, met new people or discovered a new part of myself. Continue reading here…)

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Sometimes we all need a little nudge in the right direction.  Do you need help finding your untapped potential? Contact Danielle@mindkey.me for a discovery consult where she will help you discover the next step on your journey to the life and career of your dreams.

Working with intuition, not fear

By Carlie Currier

October is a time for harvesting. Nourished by the warmth of the sun, summer was a time for growth within. While sowing the seeds of our goals, we thought deeply about what we wanted to manifest within our lives. Now the season of fall calls for a new phase in our growth--the fruition of our dreams into reality.

However, we need to be aware of exactly what we’re harvesting. Ghosts and demons also come out in October. Are  we allowing our higher selves to shine through so we can reach our full potential, or, are we letting the superstitions and phobias of our past dictate us? Maybe some of us are still allowing skeletons to hide inside the closets of our comfort zones. Is fear a good or bad thing? In what ways does it guide us or hinder us? And most importantly, how can we determine when our intuition is speaking over the limiting voices of paranoia, anxiety, and worry?
   



Photo courtesy of Feng Shui Dana



Fear can be a warning that protects us from unwanted events, keeping us from feeling awkward, anxious, incapable, and embarrassed. In other words, if something feels scary, then maybe we’re just better off not doing it. We classify irrational fear with ideas like superstitions, phobias, and paranoia. But what exactly makes a fear “rational” anyway? Those must be the helpful kind that keep us out of trouble.

           

Spiritual teacher, Teal Swan, describes intuition as “an immediate insight or understanding without conscious reasoning”. She explains that the sensation of a sign from our higher self feels much different than a message from ego-based fear.  Fear is filled with strong emotional charges, whereas intuition feels neutral, even when receiving “bad” news.



Although some think that being intuitive is reserved for psychics and other spiritual types, Swan states, “Though we may shut out the messages we receive from the higher self, the higher self continues to give them, so it is impossible to completely lose the ability to be intuitive.”
    

Gut reactions, those messages from our inner voice, are opportunities for growth. They are blessings in disguise that work on the potential shadows within ourselves. In her Youtube video, “Intuition vs. Fear”, Swan includes instructions on how to determine the difference between ego-based fear and our intuition. If we need to make a decision, she encourages us to act as if we’re being guided solely by our fear centers. In other words, if we’re developing negative feelings like anxiety and dread, we should assume that the emotional charges indicate ego-based fear. As the saying goes, “Whatever resists, persists.” Being unconscious of our motives for being afraid, will allow fear to continue. But the more aware we become, the less power it has over us. When we’re able to accept and embrace the ego, fear dissipates and gives way to our higher self. True intuition will reveal itself.
   

For example, if someone is trying to make a decision about whether they should pursue graduate school, there may be many fears attached that have been deemed rational by society, such as financial concerns, worries about being too old, and how it would affect career or family life. When they think about it they may experience physical symptoms, like a tightness in the chest, or an upset stomach. If they are aware of these sensations, they can be labeled as fear. However, sitting with that anxiety for some time provides the proper energy for intuition to shine through. After the emotions have calmed, a still, strong voice tells them that they’re meant to pursue graduate school after all. This shift would prove that the negative emotions were self-sabotage, a protection of the comfort zone. Swan said that sometimes our intuition will remain aligned with the original fear-based thoughts, and that is ok, too. What matters is that we’re able to make that distinction.

October chills in the air come with chances for transformation and growth. We’ve spent the summer planting seeds of possibilities for the future, and now’s the time to harvest the fruits of our visualizations. Instead of hiding from the ghosts, ghouls, and skeletons of our past, we need to embrace fear as a tool. In order to escape our comfort zones, we must shift old thinking patterns and habits that are motivated by ego to protect from imaginary threats. So here’s to fall, a season that’s bound to bring not only changes in the color of the leaves, but huge transitions in our lives.



Photo courtesy of One Bold Move

Halloween as a harvest tradition

By Danielle Rose

Halloween is the ultimate harvest tradition--one that touches upon many cultures and traditions.  But where do our Halloween traditions come from?  Did the holiday ever have spiritual connotations?  Does it still? Whether trick or treating, carving jack o' lanterns or bobbing for apples, Halloween, like many holidays, comes with its own set of traditions. Learning the roots of these traditions can allow for a better understanding of self, and a stronger connection to a holiday that ranks as one of the best loved.

Photo courtesy of North Jersey Media Group

                                           

Samhain, which occurs on the same date as Halloween, was an ancient celebration centered around the last harvest of the year. The day marked the beginning of winter, a time associated with death. On this night, the boundary between the land of the living and the dead became blurred and it became easier for the Celtic priests, or druids, to practice divination, or fortune telling.

               

During Samhain it was believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin, allowing spirits to pass through (continue reading...)

From bobbing apples, to telling scary ghost tales, Halloween embraces many activities and legends. What are your Halloween traditions?

Photo courtesy of Valley Coop

 Colcannon Recipe for Samhain

 Because the potato harvest lasted through October, this potato-based dish was part of the Samhain feasts in Ireland, and is still served on All Saints Day. According to the Irish news outlet, IrishCentral, colcannon was traditionally mixed with charms. The charm found in your serving would foretell the coming year (ie: a ring for marriage and a coin for wealth).*     


4 pounds (about 7-8 large) russet potatoes* 

1 head of cabbage*

1 stick of butter, divided*

1 cup milk or cream*

4-5 scallions, chopped (optional)*

Salt and white pepper to taste*

Chives or parsley, to garnish

Peel the potatoes and put them to boil. Core the cabbage, slice thinly, and cook for 3-5 minutes in boiling water until they just begin to wilt, but still have bite. Drain the cabbage and squeeze out any remaining water. Return to saucepan, and add ⅓ of the butter. Cover and allow the butter to melt in the hot cabbage.

When the potatoes are tender, drain, return them to the pot, and leave the burner on low to allow any excess water to evaporate. Once dry, add 1/3rd of the butter, the milk, and scallions if using. When the milk is warm (but not boiling) and the butter is melted use a potato masher or fork (NOT an electric mixer) to mash the potatoes into the milk mixture.

Mix the cabbage into the mashed potatoes. Mound onto a serving plate, create a well in the center, and place the last third of the butter into it. Garnish with salt, pepper, and chopped chives or parsley.

Recipe courtesy of DoChara.com via IrishCentral. 

Oktoberfest: Not just for Germans

Although not technically a harvest festival, Oktoberfest is one of the most well-known fall festivals worldwide, and represents the basic human need for community and celebration. 

Today, Oktoberfest smacks of fall, with seasonal beverages and attractions to connect and recharge.

The City of Munich’s website claims the origin of Oktoberfest, goes back to October 12, 1810.  It was on that day that the future King Ludwig I married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, giving all of Munich a reason to celebrate.  The festivity brought inspiration to celebrate yet again the following year, beginning the massive tradition of Oktoberfest. Each year since that famous wedding, new attractions, agricultural shows, contests, and beer tasting stations have been added to the festivity.

Like many harvest celebrations, Paige Villiard of The Black Label, writes that Oktoberfests were moved earlier in the season to accommodate better weather. Today many Oktoberfests begin the third week of September.

The Black Label notes other noteworthy festivals that begin in September and span through October, such as the Leavenworth Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, WA, a small town modeled after a Bavarian village, which celebrates the Bavarian heritage with  authentic German bands. There is even an Oktoberfest celebration specifically held in November. The Wurstfest is a ten day Bavarian festival held near San Antonio, TX in a town called New Braunfels, from November 4-13.  Here, German culture mixes with Texan traditions, including a polka competition.

To this day, the popularity of Oktoberfest brings many visitors to Munich, with hotels booking as far as one year in advance. The City of Munich regards Oktoberfest as the largest festival in the world, one that inspired many other cities to follow the same tradition in their own neck of the woods.  

The celebration starts as early as September, such as the Oktoberfest in Vernon, NJ which was held at Mountain Creek on September 24th and 25th.  The Great Lawn was home to pony rides and sack races, while participants enjoyed the Lederhosen 5K race.

Looking to celebrate the harvest with traditional German food and brew? Florida isn’t behind on the 8-ball… the weather there is nice enough to celebrate during the month from which it’s named.  Check out some of these Okotberfests, and please, share your favorite stories and photos from those that you’ve attended, and how they helped you recharge before the cold snap of fall.

Oktoberfest Tampa, held at Curtis Hixon Park, is filled with fun challenges like chicken dancing and stein hoisting.  Not to miss is the Mr. and Mrs. Oktoberfest competition, fun to watch or to participate!

Hosted at Tampa Bay Down, this three-day celebration features German culture with authentic sausage and brats, steins of beer, traditional and contemporary music from local bands, log-sawing contests, carnival attractions, and many hands-on activities for the entire family.   

Hosted by the German American Society of Central Florida, this authentic Oktoberfest celebration is held in the Orlando area.  The society hosts two Oktoberfests each year, both open to the public.  Highlights of this festival include two authentic German bands, real Bavarian beer on tap, home cooked German food, and entertainment from the Alpenrose Schuhplattler Dancers.

NJ Harvest Festival at Glenwild Gardens

Our favorite New Jersey garden center appreciates the harvest as much as we do.  Join in the season's favorite traditions of hayrides, pumpkin painting, as well as support for our veterans and food collections for those in need.

Not in NJ?
Mind Key Rhody fans should check out the harvest festival at Clements Market in Portsmouth this weekend: http://mindkeyblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/ri-event-harvest-festival-at-clements.html

Harvesting wisdom from people we've lost

The display on the table at the ceremony
to scatter Kim's ashes on her favorite
mountain pass.

Recently, my husband’s great aunt passed away after a long bout with a painful cancer. Kim was a wonderful woman and her wry wit and comforting presence will be missed at every family gathering.  Her love and pride in our family was something that I cherished.  Kim had been part of my life for almost thirty years and her presence in our lives taught me many things.  

Kim devoted her life to supporting the mental and emotional health of troubled teens across the nation.  A spiritual person from a young age, Kim gravitated toward spiritual people from all faiths. She eventually settled in southern Colorado, cultivating a close connection to the Native American community. While working with teenagers on the reservation there, Kim’s faith was deepened to include many Native American teachings of the Great Spirit and the sharing of wisdom from generation to generation.
 

Most cultures contain some tradition of harvesting the knowledge of those who have gone before us.  For many, those traditions are rooted in storytelling.

“Storytelling is writing the past, living the present and preserving the future,” Shannon Smith writes in her article “Native storytellers connect the past and the future,” published in Native Daughters, a publication of The College of Journalism and Mass Communications.   

“Storytellers, in many Native cultures, carry lessons across generational lines. The women who tell these stories preserve traditional customs and confront contemporary problems.”

Like the Native sages she worked with, Kim became the storyteller of our family and tribe. During her last few months, we heard of her trials at the teenage group homes where she was a firm voice of reason.  We heard stories of her travels across the country to both visit and support her family and life-long friends.  We heard tales of her many foster dogs, and the passion and support Kim had for their care.  We relived times of strife within the family, fights and arguments, both great and small.  We shared stories of love and pride and she made sure that we knew that she loved us.

Through her lifelong actions, Kim taught us that there is no end to the kindness and patience of those who love with all their being.  She taught us that children and animals are wonderful and fragile things that should be handled with the utmost care. Kim’s experience and wisdom with teens was apparent during times the younger generation needed her steady hand, but she also never shied from teaching the hard lesson that tough love is still love by holding us accountable for our actions.

While this wasn’t my first brush with death, I’m reminded time and again that death is hardest on the living who are left behind.

What wisdom have you taken from a loved one who has passed from this life?

Source:  http://cojmc.unl.edu/nativedaughters/storytellers/native-storytellers-connect-the-past-and-the-future

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Charla Dury

 

 

 

The Grounding Rod - Focusing your energy in the present moment

 

 



Sukkot: A Spiritual Harvest

By Tamara Rokicki

Harvest festivals represent renewal of body and mind--a harvesting of past mistakes, experiences, and relationships that is essential to personal development and growth. We are created to gather the balance of life and learn from its intricate patterns—the good and the bad. Connecting with Spirit helps identify with the seemingly mystical and distant aspects of life.

This balance and harvesting of life experience is reflected in ancient traditions.  That many of them are still practiced today proves their importance in daily life and the human need for inspiration to start anew. The ancient Jewish Festival of Sukkot, like many harvest celebrations, reflects the spiritual side of reaping the fruit of our labors.  Beginning the seventh month of the Jewish calendar and ending on Yom Kippur (which this year ends on October 12th), this seven-day festivity is a spiritual reconnection that harvests the good and the bad.

John Parsons, Hebrew historian and founder of the site Hebrew4Christians.com, writes that during this period, families construct a sukkah, or small tent, in which to consume the food prepared for the festival.  It is a reminder of the forty-year sojourn in the desert where the Israelites lived in huts before transitioning to the new land.

Upon reaching their destination, Parsons writes that the Israelites continued observing Sukkot as a way to celebrate the fall harvest. As Sukkot ended the agricultural year, the Israelites decorated their huts in colorful displays. 

Today, Sukkot is celebrated by eating harvest-inspired food, which includes fruit and vegetables in season. Jewish food and lifestyle blogger, Tori Avey, writes that kreplach, or stuffed dumplings, are also consumed during this time.  It is very common to not only eat, but also sleep, in the makeshift sukkah for seven days.

Like many harvest festivals, Sukkot strongly represents the social connection between people.  This origin of this festivity is deeply rooted in the thankfulness of the Jews being restored as People of God, and brought out of slavery into a new land.  Sukkot is relatable because it represents a fresh start, a new way to harvest the past events and move forward with a clean slate.  As the Israelites were granted freedom from slavery—and from sin—harvest festivals such as Sukkot offer that same spiritual renewal today by allowing a fresh start to harvest the fruit of our labors.

When in your life have you started anew? Did the spiritual or energetic implications of that renewal affect your career or life path? Did you take the time to reflect upon and harvest the lessons and tools learned from the experience?

Harvest: A Human Connection

By Tamara Rockiki

Harvest festivals are representative of our own personal growth, and the need to share our successes. They center around abundance and community, and in this day and age of limited face-to-face connection, they remind us of the importance of celebrating that which we’ve done to get us where we are. This week, as an inspiration to share and grow from our personal harvests, we will be sharing stories of harvest traditions around the world, such as the olive harvest festival which has been celebrated in the township of Magione, Italy, since 2001.  

Stephanie Spavento of the The Perpetual Explorer writes that this festival takes place on November 23rd, in conjunction with the feast of St. Clement, the patron saint of metalworkers and blacksmiths.  It celebrates the production and consumption of the local oil, which happens to be some of the world’s best. The entire town is invited to enjoy the festivity.  Dotting the streets are several workshops, food markets, art contests, wine tasting, and various entertainment.  

The National Geographic book, “Sacred Places of a Lifetime” shares that the climax of this festival is a special Mass where the priest blesses the newly produced oil.  Afterward, an extravagant banquet is held in the town’s 12th century medieval castle.

This festival, like many others around the world, is an example of how agricultural harvests have impacted social structure.  What was born out of bare necessity for survival, forged a human connection still felt to this day.  Around the world, harvests like the one in Magione bring together the best of humanity.  Agricultural harvest has always been the staple of existence, since the first Mesopotamian harvests.  With it, human interaction was created in order to work together for the common goal of survival.  When the harvest yielded fruitful rewards, that same human collaboration turned into gratefulness and serenity.  From it spawned the tradition of thanksgiving, of togetherness, and of unity. 

As the twenty-first century marks the peak of modernization and instant results, the importance of harvest is something that goes beyond supporting local agriculture and healthier living.  It is a staple human connection we must not lose.  Forgetting the importance of harvest celebrations means losing a part of our history, a way to connect with others in a more personal way, and the humility of hard work and dedication. 

The article Social Relationships and Health, published by American Association for the Advancement of Science, states that lack of social connection can lead to obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure.  It seems that the same social connection that helped shape early societies through the necessity of farming, is equally important in the way it affects us to this day. 

The ancient harvest traditions were crucial in ensuring human survival.  Growing and thriving is a recurring theme for those communities that flourished into major cities.  As agrarian societies were formed, so were the cultural guidelines and connection that would enable their prosperity.

Like the harvest celebration in Magione, our own local celebrations carry the human connection to be passed down to future generations. 

How has your local or personal harvest brought you closer to others? How do you harvest a connection with society, and how will it inspire your future and future communities?

RI Event - Harvest Festival at Clements' Marketplace 10/22

Doesn't Clements' Marketplace have great timing?  To hold their Harvest Festival in the middle of our Harvest Month?  They're so wonderful!  Harvest Festivals bring us together as a community and allow so many opportunities to connect with others as we transition the seasons.

Controlled Environment Agriculture at Fresh Box Farms

As we talk about the annual harvest within environment week, we don't want to forget or discount farms that use Controlled Environment Agriculture who harvest all year long.  Many farms use this technique to monitor both the quality and organic content of the food that they produce.  Check out the local offerings at Clements' Marketplace.

NaNoWriMo: Letting your vision glow

October is a month of traditions, whether it’s celebrating a harvest festival or Halloween activities.  But Harvesting is also another way to reap the seeds we sow in our own journey, honing the talents and skills that make us who we are.  Writers all over the world look at November, also known in the noveling world as National Novel Writing Month (or the otherwise cryptic, NaNoWriMo) with anticipation, using October as a chance to gear up for one of the greatest writing challenges of all.

NaNoWriMo.org writes: National November Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun and creative writing challenge starting on November 1st and ending November 30th.  The goal is to write 50,000 words in just one month.  Sounds fun, crazy, intensive, and highly rewarding?  Well, it is.  The point is to hide our inner critic and simply...write.  NaNoWriMo connects writers from all over the world, inspiring them to look ahead at the finish line, and not worry about the quality of the work--at least not at first.  It’s easy to get sidetracked into editing, research, and rewriting, but that can warp the creative process, making the writing experience a burden instead of a fun and exhilarating adventure.  

NaNoWriMo is a tool used to harvest our writing skills.  It provides structure, a community, and support to achieve a creative goal.  Equipped with motivational emails all month long, tips from published authors and a forum where participants swap ideas, critique, and resources, NaNoWriMo is a writer’s best friend.

Take this month to familiarize yourself with NaNoWriMo.  Browse the website, gather ideas, and look ahead to a month full of creative madness.  

Want to manifest success this November?  No better way to do it than to visualize having those 50,000 words already written.

Don’t forget to check out the NaNoWriMo 2016 Winner Shirt Pre-sale.  

 To learn more about NaNoWriMo and how it can help you grow as a writer, and as an entrepreneur of business and of life, visit Mind Key the Blog weekly throughout the months of October and November for insight and tips on how writing, particularly for NaNoWriMo, can help you focus, heal, ease your inner critic, and bring your personal insight to light.

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