Between Patriot's Day and Patria Day

Patria's bicentennial is coming! What are you doing for 2018?

The ten weeks between Patriot's Day (third Monday in April) and Patria Day (June 30, Patria's birthday in 1818, celebrated as both Independence and Inauguration Day) are a special time in Patria. Every fourth year, in a World Cup year (e.g. 2010, 2014, 2018) Patria elects a new Congressus Patriaë on Patriot's Day weekend and the new Congress takes office on June 30. But even in non-election mid-term years such as 2016, when there is no lame-duck session of an administration counting down the days in office and attempting to cement its legacy or seek its crown-jewel achievement, there is nonetheless still a flurry of activity at the Capitol in Castoropolis - a "race to the gavel", until the day in late June when Patria's fiscal 2017 budget is ratified, the annual Message to Congress is delivered, and the Speaker of the House whacks his or her gavel to adjourn the Second Session of the 50th Congress for the northern hemisphere summer recess.

Citizens of Patria are enjoined to devote these two and a half months, as spring takes root and winter is gone and hopefully forgotten, to reinforcing and recommitting to one's sadhana (spiritual practices such as yoga, mantra recitation and meditation), self-care and seeking out gentle, nurturing daily activities that are vital, rooted and expansive (or that bring about feelings of same). One such activity is getting the blessings of both Amma Amritanandamayi and Amma Karunamayi during their summer tours, and doing seva in preparation for and during the Divine Mother's retreats and public programs.

With Patria's bicentennial celebration less than two years away, this is also a time to consider and begin planning a special project or "scratch off the bucket list" event for 2018.

Finally, for the Jungle Party and Jim Rome's loyal army of Clones in Patria who listen on PMBC-1152, this is the season for the Smack-Off, an annual competition in which select listeners are invited to provide their best “Smack Talk.” The contest is a way to recognize the best callers to the show, as well as a means of determining the best caller of the year. Smack Off XXII will be held on Canada Day, July 1.