The other night, a friend invited me to go out to the prairie and watch the night sky. This is not something that I do regularly; in fact, I cannot remember the last time that I cast more than a passing glance upward after dark. I am usually staring straight ahead when I go from car to house, caught up in some mental minutiae. Then I am inside with the lights and the television and the computer. The artificial light never dims and the constant stimulation only ends when I finally turn off the lights to go to sleep. The thought of soaking in the quiescent night sky sounded incredibly delicious.

We struggled a bit over the uneven terrain as dusk dissolved into darkness but, finally, we reached a good spot and settled on the prairie floor. Immediately I was struck by the absolute quietness. The horizon was muddied by the lights of the city but directly overhead the night opened up like an immeasurable stage.

For every grain of sand on Earth they estimate that there are 10,000 stars in just our universe. On a clear night in the country you can only see about 2,500 of them, each one bigger than our sun. Isn’t it amazing that, with the naked eye, you can see up to 19,000,000,000,000,000 miles away very easily? In that vastness, I qA looking at stars the way they were long before I was born. I was looking back in time into the black belly of my own creation.

It made me feel astoundingly small. My existence is a momentary spark to the universe. Yet there is also a vastness inside me. According to Neil DeGrasse Tyson, there are as many atoms in a single molecule in my DNA as there are stars in a typical galaxy.  I am, we all are, a microcosm of the night sky. Those atoms were formed from the dust of an exploded star. Thus, we are each a private universe made of star dust.

These facts are the kind that inspire the awe that we felt as children. Look up at the night sky and you can feel that child well up inside of you. Why is that important to our busy lives? What practical purpose does wonderment hold? Perhaps none, which is why it is so vital to our well-being. For this retreat, look up at the night sky, preferably away from the light pollution of the city. Feel the immenseness, yet intimacy, of this umbrella over every living thing.

Carl Sagan said, “Cosmos is the Greek word for the order of the universe. It is, in a way, the opposite of Chaos. It implies the deep interconnection of all things. It conveys awe for the intricate and subtle way that the universe is put together.”

I think of this as I am sandwiched between the prairie floor, the home of my finite being, and the infinity of the sky. I am an alchemy of both. I realize that I will never understand either one. Still, I feel a deep sense of peace, something my usual evening of blaring television and a bright computer screen never brings. I hope this retreat brings you the same sense of peace and belonging.

Moon Journaling

The moon teaches us that darkness

can’t hide the beauty of life

if we know how to reflect beauty.

~Debasish Mridha

Life is full of energetic opposites: light and dark; male and female; action and repose. The moon and its counterpart, the sun, embrace all of the above. The sun, with its unflinching illumination, its life-giving potency and vigorous daytime activity is associated with yang or the male power. The moon is its feminine foil; softer, serene, and shimmering with a more reflective light.

This reflective light is why nighttime journaling is so powerful. The moon is considered a luminary, but she produces no light of her own accord. She is reliant upon the sun’s light to reflect (mirror) her image to our earthly eyes.

This method of projecting light makes the moon a symbol of subtlety. Clarity, reflection, and indirect deduction are gained by passive means. Where the sun will boldly bear down its blaze upon a given philosophical subject, the moon gently enfolds our attention, illuminating our psyche in a gossamer glow that is more open to contemplation. Thus, journaling under the power of the moon can lead to greater emotional clarity and mental epiphany.

Find a quiet place where you can see the moon; this might be near a window or outside under the moon. If the moon is obscured by cloud or your environment, just know that it is there regardless. Sense the moon above or around you, bathe in the light and the powerful moon energy.

Each phase of the moon has its own power for emotional transformation. So, before you begin, find out what is the current phase of the moon for you.

If the moon is waning, this is symbolic of letting go, surrender, release, quiet time, contemplation, and a time of incubation. As you journal, think about what you need to let go of in your life and what illusion of control you need to relinquish in order to move towards a richer, more fulfilling life.

A new moon is symbolic of new beginnings. Journal on what you would like a fresh start in or a goal you would like to consider for the next step in your life.

The waxing moon symbolizes growth and manifestation. This would be a great opportunity to journal on goals that you have and what steps you need to take in order to manifest them.

The full moon is symbolic of the height of power. Ask yourself in your journal, “what do you seek in life… and what is seeking you?

Evening Spa Detox Body Wrap Treatment

Sometimes it feels so good to just sit by yourself, relax, and talk to no one.  ~Kristen Bell

Evening is the perfect time to pamper yourself and set the mood for sleep. So set the stage for quiet unwinding and focused TLC.

For this treatment you will need an old sheet and somewhere private to recline while the body wrap is setting – maybe  as a lounge chair or bathtub where it won’t matter if the treatment soaks through the sheet. A new, inexpensive two-inch paintbrush is an optional, but lovely way to apply the mixture. For the ingredients, you will need two cups of plain yogurt, two tablespoons of defrosted pineapple juice concentrate, a half a cup of softened coconut oil, one cup of Epsom salts and around 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

The yogurt has exfoliating properties that transform your skin from being dry and dull to light and softer. Rich in vitamin B, yogurt comes packed with 20 to 30 percent of the daily-recommended value of riboflavin that keeps skin glowing and hydrated and aids in cell-growth and regeneration. Pineapple is a fantastic exfoliant and wrinkle reducer (however, be careful of the amount that you put in the mixture. Too much pineapple might burn). The coconut oil hydrates your skin, and the Epsom salts detoxify and relax tense muscles.

You will also want to stage your environment for luxurious relaxation. Get some candles lit, the more the merrier, and light the incense. Have some fluffy towels handy, a chilled glass of water, and some kind of light, indulgent treat. Play some soft music in the background. Have a few cucumbers ready to put on your eyes. Anything you can think of that will make this treatment a special treat for you, do it!

Once everything is set up, lay the sheet in the bathtub or lounge chair. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set it nearby. When you are ready, sit on the sheet, and begin to apply the mixture slowly to your skin – starting from the ankles and working your way up. When you are done, lay back and wrap yourself in the sheet. Put the cucumbers on your eyes and relax for at least ten minutes. Now would be a wonderful time to do a meditation.

When you are ready, rub the treatment off with the sheet and wash off the reminder with a nice warm shower.

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Torri’s book is available for purchase here.