Month: December 2022

Winter Solstice – Yule

by Tara Sutphen, posted in spiritual

Winter Solstice & Yule

By Tara Sutphen

Dec 21: The Winter Solstice is a celebration of the heart, vessel of our dreams. Through the darkest time on the planet we are to find solace once again, returning to our inner resting place. Gallantly gazing upon our life’s daily uncertainty and unknowing future. May the earth fold us in comfort away from any harshness. As the light dims we are to harmonize and begin to sincerely replenish our hearts and minds. The pagans called this holiday Yule, where the people of Europe and Scandinavia made festive. It is not considered religious. The pagans were naturalists, such as the Native Americans and other indigenous communities around the world. They followed the course of the sun, the moon and cycles of the seasons for planting food and generally planning survival strategy. As winter comes we recognize our need to rest our minds, hearts and bodies while warming at the hearth. And as we come back out of the darkest day-night of the year and begin to gain more minutes of sunlight and replenishment each day. We linger for a glimmer of light to awaken, reconnecting our spark to life, to the sun and the conviviality of our own beating heart.

Recipes for Winter Solstice & Yule

Hot Apple Cider

Juice Apples or Buy Apple Cider

6 cups Apple Cider

½ tsp whole cloves

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

3 cinnamon sticks

Heat ingredients, simmer, strain & serve hot

Hearty or Veggie Stew

1 ½ pounds Beef stew meat

water (optional)

Vegetable Broth (for Vegetable stew)

¼ c. flour

Add tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onion

1 tsp thyme

2 tbsp mustard

Salt/pepper

Cook until meat is cooked and vegetables are tender

This can be a vegetarian dish if you prefer

Carrot Casserole

1-1/2 pounds carrots, sliced or 1 package (20 ounces) frozen sliced        carrots, thawed

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon grated onion

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/4 cupshredded cheddar cheese (optional)

2 tablespoons crushed crackers (rice optional)

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Place 1 in. of water in a large saucepan; add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until crisp-tender, 7-9 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Transfer carrots to a 1-1/2-qt. baking dish.
    In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, onion, horseradish and reserved cooking liquid; spread evenly over carrots. Sprinkle with cheese; top with cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Turkey-spinach Casserole

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups stuffing mix

3 cups cubed cooked turkey

2 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bake

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, bring broth and butter to a boil.     Remove from heat. Add stuffing mix; stir until moistened. Stir in turkey, spinach and cranberries.
Transfer to a greased 11×7-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Squash Casserole

6 c. diced yellow squash or zucchini

Onion

Garlic

Salt/pepper

Butter or oil

Add into casserole dish

Bake 325* bake until squash is tender 20-45 mins

Alternative added ingredients into squash casserole

Crushed crackers

Cheese

Sour cream

Yule Log Cake

10×15 inch jelly roll pan – line with parchment paper & butter the paper.

Pre-heat oven 400*

4 eggs room temperature

2/3 c. sugar — 7 minutes beat eggs while adding sugar 1 tbsp at a time

Add sifted flour ½ c, to batter – stir don’t beat

Add other ½ c. of flour – stir

Pour into pan – BAKE 10 min. Do not overcook

While hot- put cake into clean dish towel sprinkled with powdered sugar so it doesn’t stick.

Remove parchment paper, still warm – roll the cake with the dishtowel in. Let cake cake cool.

Unroll cake – spread desired filling, jam, or frosting onto cake and re-roll cake.

Frost outside & decorate, Refrigerate to set overnight

Full Cold Moon

by Tara Sutphen, posted in spiritual

Full Cold Moon

By Tara Sutphen

The Full Cold Moon (Native American) at 16* Gemini will culminate, December 7, 2022 8:08pm PST/11:08pm EST (Farmers Almanac). 

Even when your temper could flare, there seems to be something more illuminating and charming going on.  The Moon is asking you to once again find your center and create passion and connectedness. Open your eyes and take in all the good and feel yourself shining bright and/or even glistening. No need to be in deep chaos or depression, especially for things that no longer serve you. The past is put to rest as you burn through any left over frustration or self pity. You are to recapture the essence of your soul goals. While dusting yourself off and breathing in some fresh air, you are now rebalancing your intensity to create new passion, new undertakings, new plans, new hopes and new dreams.  Taking life seriously again for inner satiation. Looking at the redeeming qualities of everything. You no longer need to process the why’s; after all, you’re now getting ready to leave unfinished business and whatever else you accrued… behind. 

You’ve been pondering your life lessons, and sometimes you weren’t communicating. But you’re feeling the surge to purge, you’ve finally started talking and researching where you can evolve and change. Creating more money or a satisfactory life. All you needed to do is reset your mind. Easy you used to say, but what takes us so long. Maybe you need to know how you can tap more deeply into yourself. 

Here’s a list to help steer us toward inner wisdom. 

  1. Are your Values out of sync –

There are about 50 values but 5 core values:

  • Love
  • Peace 
  • Truth
  • Respect
  • Self-control
  1. What is your philosophy of life:

Your philosophy would be your inner wisdom and conduct

  1. What are your desires, what do you really want:

Do you harbor secret desires, what are they?

  1. What are your fears:

What are you afraid might happen, good or bad.

  1. Who in your life, matters 

Who is important to you in the past and present

Everyone knows what’s wrong to do…bad habits, addictions, procrastination or rebelliousness. Bad tempers or isolation, release misfortune and start by being resourceful, capable and enterprising. Learning to listen again. Drinking plenty of water, and meditate. Resonating with the earth and expecting the very best instead of the very worst.

Journal Questions:

Write down what has changed and are you happy with these changes, if not why:

  • yourself
  • others
  • Family
  • Friends
  • Work arena
  • Neighborhood
  • City
  • State
  • Country
  • World

What do you have, used to have or want to have:

  • House
  • Love
  • Family
  • Parents
  • Mate
  • Children

Have you become jaded or lack charisma in:

  • Love
  • Career
  • Job
  • Health
  • Relationships
  • Friendships
  • Happiness
  • Exercise

What needs to be left behind in your personal life or work life: List 3 things if not 3 sentences

  • Love
  • Career
  • Job
  • Health
  • Relationships
  • Friendships
  • Happiness
  • Exercise

 What could be your new Aspirations:

  • Spiritually
  • Emotionally
  • Intellectually
  • Materially
  • Physically

What Inspires you and if no one, why:

(5 sentences or more)

Do you only complain and/or no longer show interest:

(5 people and why)

Are you needing to change a few things about yourself

Write down how you’d like to change. 

———-Are you feeling your very best? How’s your health at this time. Are you talking about it, take time to list what you need to do to make yourself feel emotionally better and physically better. Don’t get stuck in a loop or old ways of thinking. What hasn’t been working, truly is a big sign and it’s time to listen and learn again.  

The first step is your mind is in synch with your conversations that match your actions. When you succeed to align this, you will notice your life works in miraculous ways. You must trust the process, no matter if your life is moving as slow as a turtle or as fast as a hare. It’s our present moment that counts and how you conduct yourself each and every moment. It’s important, Make an effort to encourage and inspire others. Encouragement is useful. Reassuring another person of the effort they make, not only makes them feel validated but it also makes you feel satisfied.

—— “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” —Woodrow Wilson

Repost 🙂