Groundhog Day 2012

"Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cold out there today." -- Radio DJ, Groundhog Day

Today is Groundhog Day! My favorite holiday's favorite rodent prognosticator, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow and foretold six more weeks of Winter. If you've been a long-time reader, you'll remember a previous Groundhog Day article in which I explained the significance of cross-quarter days. While Phil may tell us that Winter will stick around until the equinox this year, we know that today really is the seasonal (not astronomical) start of Spring.

Having recently written an article on "Silly Superstition", you may find it odd that I enjoy the foolhardy festivities of Groundhog Day. However, as I said in that in that very same article, "so long as we recognize a superstition as silliness and not seriousness, we can continue on a path toward understanding".

So, in my usual practice of Groundhog Day reflections, I hope to look forward to these next seasons with a smile. Embrace the fun and adventure of each day and strive not to take things too seriously. Otherwise, some may find themselves caught in an infinite time-loop of Winter until Punxsutawney Phil is satisfied that they've "chilled out".

Perhaps C.G.P. Grey explains things better in his YouTube about Groundhog Day:

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Nl4JFDLOU

Happy Groundhog Day, everyone!

Survival Guide series

I am launching a new series of blog entries intended to guide readers in a variety of survival techniques. This, so called, "Survival Guide" series is my attempt at providing readers with the type of knowledge I think is fundamental to the survival of the independent human animal when facing "extreme" situations.

Beginning tomorrow (the day of the June solstice), I will publish a new "Survival Guide" on the INDY Blog every four days until July 31st, the day before the cross-quarter day of Northern Hemisphere Autumn (Southern Hemisphere Spring). The subjects covered will range from interesting "tricks" useful anywhere to skills necessary in obtaining basic needs in challenging situations.

My knowledge of these subjects has come from various sources. I credit the most impact to my lifelong involvement with the Boy Scouts of America (from Tiger Cub all the way through to Eagle Scout and Venture Scouts). I've also always been interested in testing the limits of the human body and mind; a study of the basic needs is essential to that understanding. I will be cross-checking my techniques in the various manuals I have and with some internet resources, if I find any that offer good visuals or more detail I'll be sure to link to them in the related article.

At the least, I hope you will tuck these tips away in the back of your mind, so that you can have them should you need them.

Groundhog Day 2011

It's hard to agree that Spring has arrived when the temperature is currently -20°C (4°F) in my town of Fort Collins, Colorado, but today both fact and tradition say it is so. Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today which confirms the fact that today is a cross-quarter day¹ and therefore the start of Spring.

This year, I encourage you to shed the burden of your fears and journey forward toward your goals in the adventure of Life. We often weigh ourselves down with trepidation about the decisions we make. Today, challenge the root of those fears, whether they are minor doubts or massive phobias.

Don't expect yourself to overcome fear with one thought or intention; recognize the challenge that you must face every time you feel the angst set in. Slowly, every time you "face your demon", the fear will dissipate.

Now, let me offer you some tools with which to defy your misgivings:

- Introspection: Identify the root fear(s). The root fear is the one on which you should focus your attention.
Is it truly a fear of heights (vertigo) or the fear of falling? What, specifically, does and doesn't scare you about spiders? What causes the nervousness you feel in front of "crowds"?

- Acceptance: Once you identify the root fear, teach yourself to accept and acknowledge that you currently have this fear. Do not give power to the fear by pretending it doesn't exist. We all have fears, true strength will come from owning yours.

- Understanding: Delve into the root fear. During (or after) an experience causing fear, feel the symptoms of the fear on your mind. Understand what happens to you when your fear takes hold. (e.g. tightness of the chest, dizziness, weak knees, sweaty palms, blurred vision, etc.)

- Treat the symptoms: Begin by counter-acting the symptoms. For example: take a deep breath when you feel your chest tighten (recognize you can breathe); steady yourself on a stationary object (get your balance); bend your knees slightly and straighten your spine (acknowledge your posture); dry your hands with a cloth or chalk; close your eyes briefly and think of the next object you will look at.

- Knowledge: Learn all you can about your fear; study the facts, determine the reality. Knowing the truth will completely eliminate in fears based on false or misunderstood concerns.

- Anticipate: Take steps to prevent any cause of the root fear; "safety first". For example, if you fear falling, secure your footing, grip, or attach yourself to safety rigging (harness, ropes, etc.). Double check your prevention, to put your mind at ease; show yourself that "it works".

- Trust: Have faith in the steps you have taken to protect yourself from your fear. (Self-doubt is sometimes attributed to "[c]hildhood experiences, these traditions maintain, [and] can plant doubt about one's abilities and even about one's very identity." ["Doubt" - Wikipedia].)

- Engage: Actively address your fear when you experience it. Using all that you have learned and the precautions you have taken, directly challenge your fear. Mentally process and counter any thoughts with the facts you have learned. Treat any symptoms and assure yourself of your safety.

It is natural to feel fear, but some fears are unnatural. Set your goals, challenge your world-view, but respect your limits.

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¹ Reference "Cross-quarter day" [wikipedia], previously discussed on "Groundhog Day 2008" [INDY Blog].

Groundhog Day 2008

Another Groundhog Day is drawing to a close. As is tradition, I have again watched the "Groundhog Day" film to remind myself to value and consider the impact I might have on the lives of others.

The fact is that Groundhog Day is celebrated on the Celtic holiday Imbolic. Feburary 2nd, in fact, is one of the cross-quarter days. Meaning, this is when a season actually begin. You see, solstices and equinoxes (quarter days) are actually the mid-points of the seasons. (Hence the reason days begin to get longer after the winter solstice and shorter after the summer solstice.)

What's interesting is that cross-quarter days and quarter days are still recognized - though somewhat obscurely - here in the United States of America. See if you can think of the well-know holidays that happen to fall on or around these dates....

2-7 February
25 March
4-10 May
24 June
3-10 August
29 September
5-10 November
25 December

Pretty cool, huh? Well, no matter what your reason is for celebrating during those times, remember to cherish the people around you.

As I know I have mentioned before, Groundhog Day holds a special place in my heart. Thought of very little at the beginning of February, it reminds me that Life can be treated like a time-bomb counting down toward the inevitable detonation of death, or it can be thought of as an exciting journey of shared and exchanged with the world around us. For Time is not our enemy, it is the essential part of Life that gives thrill to each and every moment.

Good night!