Monday, July 7th is the Tanabata Festival
I have been waiting to tell this story for 8 years! I kept an article from the military magazine called Okinawa. My Mom always brings me a magazine so I can check out what is going on on her side of the world. So this month we will be traveling to Japan for the Tanabata Festival.
Separated by the Milky Way, two star-crossed lovers are only able to meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month based on the lunisolar calendar. The legend of Hikoboshi (the star known as Alter) and Orihime (the star known as Vega) has roots in China but has been associated with Japan’s Tanabata festival since the sixth century.
Orihime, the daughter of Emperor Tentei, was a skilled weaver and made lovely clothes for her father. One day as she sat alongside the the river of heaven ( Amanogawa – the Milky Way) she was overcome with sadness as she had been so busy with her weaving that she hadn’t had time to fall in love. Tentei, believed to be the ruler of the heavens, witness her woeful state and arranged a marriage for her with Hikoboshi who lived across the river. The couple was very much in love and were very happy but Orihime was neglecting her weaving. This angered Tentei so much that he decided to separate the couple, putting them back on opposite sides of the river. (I mean really what a meanie pants, just because she wasn’t weaving enough!)
Tentei decreed that the couple would only be allowed to see each other on one night each year – on the seventh day of the seventh month. On that evening a boatman (the Moon) comes to ferry Orihime over the river to her beloved Hikoboshi. But if Orihime has not given her best to her weaving, Tentei may make it rain – causing the river to flood so the boatman cannot make the trip. In this case the kasasagi (a group of magpies) may still fly to the Milky Way to make a bridge for Orihime to cross.
The Tanabata festival (also know as the star festival) celebrates the reuniting of these lovers separated by the Milky Way and the word tanabata can be translated as “weaving with the loom (bata) placed on the shelf (tana).”
During the Tanabata festival sprigs of bamboo, sometimes small and sometimes the size of a tree, are hung with tanzuku, papers upon which people write their wishes. Traditionally people wish for improved technical skills and abilities in homage to the legend of Hikoboshi and Orihime.
http://www.nihonsun.com/2009/07/02/tanabata-festival-of-star-crossed-lovers/
I decided to have a Bamboo Arrangement at the shop – we’ll have colorful papers for you to write your wish on and hang on the tree. So be sure to write your wish, every little bit helps, right?
Enjoy,
Nicole
New Massage Therapist at the shop!
We are happy to announce we have a Massage Therapist, Deanna Parsons with Centered BodyWork, LLC. She specializes in deep tissue massage. This slow, broad technique is effective whether you prefer light, medium or firm pressure. Each massage is tailored to your needs to bring you better health and well-being.
Deanna offers an Introductory Massage for your first visit of $49 for an hour, $24 for 30 minutes, and $74 for a 90 minute massage.
Regular price for massage is $75 for an hour, $40 for 30 minutes, $110 for 90 minutes.
Self-care is so important! Call her today at 864-516-0680 to schedule your massage. She’s accepting appointments Tuesday – Saturday from 4:30 – 9:30pm. Her website is coming soon.
Powerful Writing from a Raspberry Moon Client
I learn so much from my clients. We have interesting conversations. I learn about neat movies or books I might not have read. Several clients and I trade around books so we can all enjoy something new. I have several clients that create beautiful pieces of art. I learn about being a Mom, jobs, relationships, travel, and all sorts of things. One of my clients is a writer and she shared this piece with me. I could relate and I love elephants. I asked her if I could share it with you, so here it is.
I was walking some paperwork across campus this morning for management signatures. And in the cool of the morning, under the shade of the massive oaks trees and the green lawns wafting sweet smelling, new cut grass, I glimpsed in my ‘minds eye’ a huge elephant, rocking back and forth while tethered to a stake to keep him from wandering.
In an instant, an old childhood story popped into my memory bank about the tale of a man who had tethered his elephant to keep it from roaming. But, after many months of this hostage action, the owner removed the tether. Weeks later, the elephant still stayed in the same tethered radius.
The elephant’s mind was conditioned to be tethered even after it was free, just like I have been. God has answered my prayers to remove images of many painful memories, pain from decisions made and later regretted, etc. But I have lived as if I still carried all of my life’s unpleasantness in a heavy box, lugging it around with me every day.
Personal perceptions can distort and we fool ourselves into believing what we want to believe, feel what we want to feel in so many circumstances within our present daily lives or from the past. Controlling minds are powerful and some of us are our worst jailers!
A dark curtain has been lifted and I can see so much clearer and farther, now. Liberating, simply liberating!
©June 2014, Pam Apple
I can relate to the elephant being tethered. It’s scary to go outside of our comfort zone or the area that we are familiar with. I know that my mind gets the best of me. You have no idea the kind of story that will play out in my head based on one small action. It’s kind of crazy.
I guess the first step is to realize that you are actually inhibiting your own personal growth and losing out on fabulous experiences. I know when I hiked Machu Picchu it was very emotional for me. Bless my friend Red for being so laid back and easy going. I had a terrible time being the last person in the group. I felt like I was holding people back or that I was not good enough and a reminder that I was alone. Now logically I know that is total crap, but like the elephant I had tethered myself to this small box thinking.
How do you break free from this mind set? Just one step at a time, I guess. And hopefully you have friends that help you grow along the way and push you past your preconditioned tethered area.
Fabulous Events Taking Place in September!
Last year we delved into forgiveness, this year Raspberry Moon is teaming up with Greenville Yoga again to create a month of healing and growing. We are going to have so many fun events going on the whole month with proceeds benefiting Safe Harbor.
We will be having special yoga classes (one specifically geared for those struggling with PTSD), and a writing class (if Heather Marshall is back from her European Book Tour for The Thorn Tree). Also a movie showing, a silent auction, art classes, a band, and belly dancing with Discordia Arts just to name a few.
Keep your eyes posted for all the info. If you would like to help us out by hanging posters, sharing on Facebook or your blog, donating or anything in between please let me know. We’ll take all the help we can get!
Anyone have an in with the media? We would love to spread the word throughout the community.
Detox Update
I finally managed to get in my 10 Day Detox. It was challenging, but I made it. I lost weight, have more energy, feel better, and know more what foods I can and can’t eat.
This newsletter would be 10 miles long if I included everything about my detox so I’ve got full details in a blog post all about my Detox experience. Thanks again to my support group!
Redeem Your Coupons, Explore Our New Online Booking System, and Sunday Appointments
Reminder if you purchased one of our Coupon Books that benefited Abby’s Animal Angels during the holidays, this month’s coupon is $10 off a Facial! July is booking up so schedule yours today.
Did you know that we now have an online booking system? Check it out at www.RaspberryMoonST.com (click the Book Your Appointment button on the right). We are slowly but surely moving everything over to this new system. The new system will enable us to send appointment confirmations, reminders, and allow you to change your appointment.
Out of the office:
- July 1-3 – Mom is here and I will be working a limited schedule.
- July 4th – closed
- July 23-28 – I will be in PA visiting with the Fam and celebrating my niece’s 8th birthday!
- Aug 2-4 – getting to visit with old friends who I haven’t seen in almost 20 years in Myrtle Beach! How crazy is that? He was like my brother growing up – his Mom and my Mom were best friends. Random email out of the blue on Facebook from my friend’s wife and wham – reunion time!
Other than that, work is on like usual!
Sundays I will be working:
- July 13 & 20
- August 10 & 17
