OmBase

OmBase‘s own in-house Astrologer, Emily Trinkaus shares some writing from participants of the recent Riding the Eclipse Wave event . . .

For five Wednesday evenings, Todd and I gathered with a group of adventurous participants to explore the meaning of this summer’s three Eclipses — and to offer support for navigating the intense and transformational energies.

Todd led us through blissful meditation and yoga practices, and I talked about the astrological influences and offered related writing exercises. We all wrote and shared our writing out loud, and also did some rituals to release the old and call in our intentions for the future.

Every week – no matter how cranky I was feeling when I came in– I left class feeling inspired, relaxed and deeply grateful for our OmBase community. I was moved by everyone’s willingness to write from their hearts, and to share their words with the group. Together we created a web of support that held and sustained me through some challenging times.

Below are some of the pieces that were written in the group. 

Enjoy!

- Emily

Riding the Eclipse Wave

Riding The Eclipse Wave

Mazel Tov

Funny that I should remember in practice, seemingly out of the blue, my little pirate spirit.  He was the ghost who would visit me in the night during my desperate teen years, sleep-walking through the house with me, making jokes while I wept my profound sadness.   He was a tiny spirit with a big personality, squat and opaque-white, with an eye patch on one eye and a twinkle in the other.  He would tease and bully me until I’d agree to climb onto that little Frisbee saucer of his, and we’d fly through the dark house in a crazy pattern singing “Mazel Tov” while everyone slept.

Why would this odd memory come up in practice?  Maybe because “Mazel Tov” is a celebration of life, sung in the face of hardship.  It’s a challenge to find the light when scary things are all around.  This pirate scared me as a child; he was loud, he was unruly, uncouth and not well-mannered.  Finally one night, I climbed out of his silly Frisbee saucer and in a stern voice was to stay with me for years, I banned him from those night-time visits.

Now, here it is decades later, and I’d like to welcome back that little outlaw.  I’d like to welcome back the celebration and song sung in the face of chaos and pain.  But this time, not fear it so much.  This time I challenge myself not to banish what seems imaginary, untamed and unknown.  This time I want to fly in the crazy little saucer in the dead of night and sing at the top of my lungs.  No matter that it’s all off key; it’s done in joy.

- Tia

Freedom Feels Like…

Freedom feels like:
a smile from a child.
an open window.
the light from within.
a smile.
a new car.
coffee with my best friend.
new clothes.
angels on my shoulder.
money in the bank.
a green light.
tears.

I have resolved to make my children my meditation.  Since I have no or little time for other forms, and they are ALWAYS there, my heart has said they are my meditation – my angels, my guiding lights.

My eldest son (age 7) can quote to me from movies and TV shows, a fact that I often let pain me as I worry about the influence of mass media on him.  But last night, his wisdom to me was to quote from a Yu-Gi-Oh episode (a show that I have particularly banned him from watching, by the way), in which someone said, “Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little to gain a lot.”

My husband and I have started a food business and it’s pretty scary.  Sometimes I feel like we must be crazy, and this week in particular, I was crazy with it: “What am I doing?  How is this going to work? I have no time for my children…” and so on.  But then my son comes up with this.

And then, this morning, as we were walking to the car, he corrected a mis-quote on a video game that came from the movie, Ratatouille:  “The video game just says ‘Anyone can cook,’ Mama.  But in the movie they say, ‘Anyone can cook, but only the fearless can be great.’ ”

Thank you, Son, for reminding me.

- Anna

Focus

You are still in shallow water. You need to go deeper, deeper, and listen.
In order to reach the sacred mountains, you need to cross the deep waters and listen.

Go within more.
Go within more.

Don’t be distracted by daily routines, unusual weather patterns, by the dramas and tragedies of life.
Stay focused and don’t lose sight of your goal.

The sacred mountains are within reach. You can always see them.

The waters are still.
The moon is full.
The sky is clear.

Earth, water, air. Fire in your heart.

Put up your antenna,
and listen within.

- Dagmar

My Body Says

My body says, Rest. My body says, Sleep. My body says, More sleep, please, more rest. My body says, Relax. My body says, Earth — more earth, please, more ground to lie on more trees to lean against more flowers to smell and grass to roll around in and more blackberries to pick.

My body says, Gently, slowly. Notice me. Feel me. Remember me.

My body says, Vacation. My body says, Hawaii. Sun, warmth, sand, ocean, swim, float, be. My body says, I’m tired. Take care of me, love me, let me rest and heal.

Who is speaking when my body is speaking? Where does that voice come from? I want to listen even if I don’t understand. I want to honor the needs of my body.

Supporting me is my body – and I want to support her too – she puts up with so much. The coffee I drink to keep going instead of taking a nap. The days I don’t go for a walk because I tell myself I don’t have time.

In the end, it’s all body – she’s what keeps me here. Maybe sometimes I resent her for that, keeping me here on earth instead of letting my soul float off to whatever star system it came from. I forget the beauty of my body, the beauty of this planet, this here and now. I take this time to remember.

- Emily

What if I was innocent
And beautiful?

But you are!

And you are brave,
Braver than you can know
a wise woman has said.

It is a good road
to wander down . . . to meander.

You are stronger than you know.
You are the beautiful, innocent
child of light!

- Elizabeth

I am taking with me…I want to remember…

I am taking with me…WOW…
Calm-peace-Restorative
energy. Energy.
I never seem to have enough energy….
but I do.
Faith. Still shaky but more solid. Moments
where energy swept me.
moments where energy
renewed -
deep sadness -
lots of upliftment,
each of you -
I want to remember
to LISTEN & to ALLOW
Goddess and Goodness to work
through ME -
Remember to allow -
to step aside -
to laugh!

- Marion Mae Moon Warfield

I am taking with me…

I am taking with me…
a new way into…
something within
that has wrapped
too tightly
around my being
for all the time
that I can remember.

A new way in, a small
break in the ice,
a way through,
not around…tempting as it may be…
these dark forces
that I have kept
pushing away.

But there is time
and new belief…
building…
for this new growth
I have been forging….

The way is softer than
what I have known,
a surrender
that I have misunderstood,
But I know this now–
that I will not be dimmed
by these heavier things,
but brought to life.

My understanding grows
from two dimensions
to a space for more….
a strong current of life
force to be set free…
a deeper, more steady
relationship to healing
and to listening.
To myself.

- Nikki

I am taking with me…

I am taking with me
bits and pieces- feelings shared through words expressed
so easily- effortlessly – from the heart
the feeling of coming together
the feeling of come-union
the experience of people, together,
making the choice for change
really choosing to honor and to embrace
to wear and so share something which seems to be
outside
so many of our daily experiences -
something outside
business as usual
and for all of these choices
each one of you made, again and again
to muster the courage to dare
to be brave
i am grateful
because it makes everything else so much easier
and serves
as an eloquent, gentle, yet palpable  reminder
that we do have a choice and that we can make it!

- Todd

For our final writing, we collectively wrote a poem for each participant, everyone adding one line. Here is the one written for Sandra:

Send us their light
In the deepest quiet of night
And the blue and grey sky
What if I chose colors to please me?
I am happy
I am light and free
Whopee!!
Summer, winter, fall and spring
There is always another opening

Emily Trinkaus is a writer and astrologer with nearly a decade of experience facilitating workshops. She founded Portland Women Writers and writes for Tarot.com and other astrology websites. See Portland Astrology to learn more about her work. At OmBase she teaches Writing and Yoga classes along with Todd.