La'au Po: good time for collecting medicine

Mahina has been hiding from us here in the woods. When she was very fat on Mahealani and Hoku I saw her light blazing through the trees. But could only imagine her shape. This morning the clouds were in a marathon crossing in front of her dressed in her La'au Holoku (gown like Lili'uokalani favored). How fun to see her in her waning yet beautifully globe like shape. It remains me that Clarrissa Pinkola Estes is so right when she said in How to Be an Elder "The Moon is an action verb!" 

I have been enjoying listening (with my one good ear) to Estes' spoken word lessons. First, Mother Night and then How to Be an Elder. Good medicine.

Estes speaks of the Moon as an action verb late in the series ... it's a great series for elders at any age.

Holo on a Hua Moon

We went on a road trip up the island yesterday. Someone spent time stacking a hua of beautiful pohaku. I see bananas hanging ripe and ready to eat... 

One of our favorite 'ohana pokahu (stone family) on Libby Beach on the west-side of Whidbey, Island.


And, hei, nets, spider webs and web patterns ... I see them everywhere.

Anahulu Ho'emi: Spider Season and Pine Dunes

Every where and in many places, Spider sets her nets for something good to eat. Known by many names 'spider' can be Lanalana, lalana, nananana; ku'uku'u. Spinning spider, punawelele. Large house spider, pe'epe-e-makawalu.

Click on the image to see up close!

 As the Anahulu of phases that decease in light on Mahina, the rains came. Dumping waves of fresh water all during the day and night.

Leaving the forest floor like sand dunes after high tide, the long golden Pine needles pile. At the water's edge ma kai, my friend on West Beach said, "Yes, it has been windy!" The wind plays with the ocean. The 'ua ka lani (the rains) play with the Pine needles.

We live life forward, and understand it backwards.

New Moon in Libra comes Tuesday!

'Ole Pau Moon ... Hina half-way to Dark Moon

Mahina rose at midnight in a sky that is clear and dry, absent of clouds the heavens glitter with stars and planets. I am not positive, but as Ka La the sun readies himself for another day I think I saw Scorpio heading west. Soon Makali'i will bring the new year Makahiki.

Mahina is in her half-lit face, the other half lit now as she moves toward the Dark Moon. Among other indicators of the Fall season  Spiders make webs here and there and everywhere. Some long time tradition of relationship continues between the Equinox and Spider Season. Spider spins the hei ensnaring food and making story. Haumea throws her net into the sky to plot things. Make net, throw net, make story, tie things together.

Do you spot Spider and her hei? (click on the image for a larger look)

There is a new medicine story being spun for Equinox, it may be something that interests you, as one story ties to another, and another and another. I am tying stories, making story about Spider Season here.  That link will start you off.

La'au Pau good time for gathering and making medicine

Beautiful fall la'au pau day for gathering medicine plants. This year I am becoming more familiar and respectful of the many medicine plants that live where we live. Because my life depends upon learning how they live, survive and thrive in this place (where I live, too) my personal kilo practice becomes stronger and specific.  Over and over again this past weekend we heard kilo practitioners from across the Pacific say just that, "when your life depends on it, kaulana mahina (the Hawaiian Moon Calendar) becomes more important to you!"

I found a site called 'Safe and Ethical Guidelines for Wildcrafting.' Another way to practice Malama 'Aina and the Honorable Harvest.

These look like cherry tomatoes, but they are Wild Rosehips I gathered out at the South Whidbey Tilth this afternoon. I'll be researching over the 'ole moons to learn how to use the rosehips. 

Usnea or 'Old Man's Beard' grows on old limbs and trees near our tiny houses. I started gathering at the start of La'au po, and filled a pint glass jar of the lichen (part algae and part fungus) today.

Early in September I started looking for Mullein as la'au lapa'au for lungs and asthma after the long burning season of forest fires. Today the dried Mullein leaves were dried enough to make my first quart infusion.

An ounce of home-dried Mullein in a quart jar filled with filtered water and tightly capped overnight. Tomorrow I'll stain the infusion (because Mullein has lots of hair that can irritate the throat). 

The Usnea I gathered in a pint jar and filled with vodka. In 6 weeks I will have a tincture

Our 'ohana and community of the South Whidbey Tilth went to the three-day 'Aimalama Lunar Calendar Conference. Via 'live stream' we were in such great company. Today I wrote a summary and submitted it to the organizers of 'Aimalama  including our mana'o and feedback after having the first-time exposure to kilo in action. Like making and gathering la'au lapa'au the process of noticing and recording what you see and how you see plants, birds, water, winds, weather where you are is slow and steady, and cumulative.

While we root ourselves here on this island, Whidbey Island, we envisioned 'being there' in Hawaii while living here. It was a dream to dream together with the teachers, heroines and 'aina that are so dear to us. We did it, and if you're interested the summary of our experience will be posted on our HO'OMOKU site soon.