Once you have studied the overview of CUSP that is laid out in the section called Spiral of the Year and invested time in what CUSP is all about, you are ready, if you desire, to begin the CUSP process.  Your own traditions and rituals of your preferred religion onto the CUSP practices or you can use it by itself as a “stand alone” spirirtual path. 

The basic idea is that 8 specific “touchpoints,” drawn from traditional “holidays” celebrated by the agricultural people to delineate specific times in the harvest process, provide the focus to progress the year into a cohesive project to manifest what we need and want in our lives. 

Although the preferred progression would begin in December with “The Spark” at Winter Solstice, technically, you could pick up the cycle at any point.  You have to “start where you are” and work from there.  The Moons, of course, could be initiated at any time, using the energy of that time to manifest or to simply celebrate the theme of the Moon. 

Working the Spiral typically involves preparing an interactive or meditative experience relevant to the theme of the touchpoint (the special days on the Spiral of the Year) and to take time to honor the touchpoint by enacting that experience. 

There are endless ways to celebrate the touchpoints and none is more or less valid that the next.  The key is what impact the expression of the touchpoint has on you.  It is important that you feel that the day has been honored and given expression in your life and that is what will turn the spiral ever upward.

Although we will post, prior to each touchpoint’s arrival, a sample expression of that day, you are free to come up with your own and honor the day as you choose.  You do not have to honor the touchpoint on the exact day given if your schedule does not allow you to do so.  It is usually preferable that you do as the energy tends to be stronger on that day, however, we have allowed up to a week’s leeway from the actual date if that is what felt right at the time.

Overall, here is how you would tie the progression together over the coiled up spiral of a linear human agricultural year:

Winter Solstice (December 22): 

“The Spark.”  The action we would take to “activate” the harvest year is to clear our minds and create a situation whereby we can receive insight as to what we should plant.  This could involve activities such as free writing where we begin writing (without thinking much about it) how we would like our life to be different when harvest ends.  This can be a list or a narrative form.  Another idea, if the person is experienced with meditation, is to light a single candle in darkness and meditate on “The Spark” of light in the darkness.  We have also done an exercise where we gather together a group of CUSP folks and have everyone write out 7-8 basic ideas for manifestation such as “friendship,” “love,” “prosperity,” “health,” then put them into a hat and had everyone draw out 3 things they will manifest that year.  This way, what we manifest is even more God-driven.  The goal of Winter Solstice is to come up with a basic idea for what you are going to plant in the coming harvest season and to begin the process of *thinking* about those things and imagining the end result as reality.  Our ability to “see” the final harvest in our mind’s eye as a reality is vital to its unfolding.

Imbolc (February 2):

The name “Imbolc” comes from the Gaelic/Irish culture and literally translates out to “in the belly,” referring to the moment in a pregnancy when quickening occurs and the mother can feel the baby move.  It is very apt in describing this time in the CUSP calendar.  Having set up our goals at Winter Solstice, we have had 6 weeks to get used to the idea and to get excited at the prospect of it actually happening.  Imbolc is called “The Plan” because it is during this plan that we begin to understand that what we want can come to us and, in fact, wants us as much as we want it.  That being the case, the quickening of anticipation urges us to begin coming up with doors we can open ourselves to invite the success of the harvest we are seeking.  A vital part of this particular touchpoint is that we will begin to see, if we are alert and payingattention, subtle – or sometimes profound – indicators as to whether or not what we are planting is appropriate.   Sometimes, the guidance we receive is quite literal and other times, it’s gentle and we have to be on our toes to catch it.  To honor Imbolc, since we are still in the dark of the year, it is often good to work internally, maybe writing out all of the ideas you can think of, no matter how outlandish, to bring your proposed harvest into being.  Do not impose financial or time limitations on your plans.  Allow those areas to take care of themselves.  Just start writing about what you will do and how you will do it from 2 or 5 or 10 different scenarios.  During this time of a pregnancy, as the name addresses, the mother is able to feel excited about the movement of the baby and the baby feels more “real,” however it is still vulnerable and unseen, just like your harvest.  That doesn’t keep the prospective mother from dreaming about and imagining what the child will look like and what it will be like to be a mother. 

Spring Equinox (March 22):

Having received confirmations or redirects for the past 6 weeks, we are now ready to “plant” our goals.   Most CUSP folks I know do a literal “Planting” of some kind.  We may take dried beans and hold them in our hands, impressing our desires into the beans and then plant them into a flower pot of planting soil.  We have written our desire on the shells of raw eggs using a sharpie and then planted them in the earth.  One year, we put our goals into jelly beans and ate them to internalize our goals, planting them inside of us.  Our CUSP group once wrote each of their goals on an egg and then we planted a “group plant” on top of the egg.  That was around 8-9 years ago and the plant is still on my kitchen window sill, growing strong.  As with all of these principles, there are many ways you can enact the planting.  When we plant the beans or other literal seeds, we cultivate the plant all through the harvest season and watch it grow, allowing it to symbolize our own goals and reminding us to care for our goals on a daily basis as we do the plant that grows.  The plant has also been a good indicator of how our goals are progressing.  Sometimes, a bean/seed does not grow.  That tells us it was not meant to be.  Sometimes, the bean will split off into 2 plants or will grow fast and heard or at a slow and determined pace.  We take all of this in as divine information relevant to the growth of our goals.  As the plant bears fruit, we pick it and save it to plant the next Spring.

May Day (May 2):

May Day is celebrated on May 1st in some cultures. May Day is the feast of Spring and the time of fertility and warmth in most places.  In CUSP, this is a time of great “Faith,” because we may not yet be able to see any results from our planting done 6 weeks earlier.  Tiny sprouts may be pushing forth, but it can be hard for us to imagine that from this tiny, green plant, a full harvest can grow.  Doubts may begin to creep in and we may begin to feel as though what we want is not possible.  That is when we tap into the energy of this day that has been expressed cross-culturally for centuries:  joy, passion, a celebration of life and a trust that what is fertilized and now growing will come to fruition successfully.  This is a time to dance and laugh and play and now allow the darkness of doubt to disarm us.   ”Do not dig up in doubt what you planted in Faith,” is one of our CUSP tenets.  For May Day, plan a party or go out on the town.  Find some way to do something frivolous and light-hearted to honor the Faith that drives this particular touchstone.  Soon enough, the heavy work of harvest will be upon us, so now is the time to enjoy the free time we have and “make merry.”

Summer Solstice (June 22):

Summer Solstice is called “The Promise” because the new crops are now able to be seen in the field and in our own lives, we begin to see evidence of how our goals will be made manifest in the coming months of Harvest.  It is not completely within our grasp yet, just as the vegetables in the garden are there and healthy and full, but not yet ready to eat.  Summer Solstice is a time of generalized assurances that the harvest will be bountiful.  There are no absolutes.  Locusts or hail storms or fire or any matter of disaster could still intervene, so this is a very protective time as well.  The Sun is at its zenith and is representative of masculine energy, so your activities to honor this day should focus on male themes.  The aspects of male life are Creator, Protector, Destroyer and Sage.  Fix something and dedicate its successful completion to honor the day.  Meditate on seeing your crops out in the field and envision yourself standing guard over them, keeping them safe.  Literally work in a garden if you have access to one, weeding and aerating the soil and tending to its care. 

Lammas (August 2):

Traditionally, Lammas is the feast of the first grain and it was tradition for villagers to bring to church a loaf of bread made from the first grains they took from their fields.  In CUSP, this is called “First Harvest” and is the time when the earliest results of our efforts begin to manifest.  Lammas, as with a literal harvest, represents the results of our own efforts; what we have worked to bring into being.  You may or may not see your goal manifest right on August 2nd.  Typically, it will show up anywhere from that day through the last seconds of the harvest process (which can be very frustrating, let me tell you!).  Depending on what you have planted, it may trickle in or come in all at once.  If you are not seeing your harvest yet, do not despair.  Instead, continue to have faith and trust that it’s coming!  Lammas is a time of sacrifice as well.  As mentioned above, tradition was that the first loaf of bread from the first harvest of grains was given away.  Sometimes, it was buried in the earth to return it to the earth from which it came as a libation.  Sometimes, it was given to the poor.  Children would make corn dollies or wheat dollies from the first bits of grains and burn them to return them to The Universe.  To celebrate Lammas, take something you have made from your own hands and give it to another person.  It is said that you cannot receive in a cup that is already full, so spill a little out of your cup to make room for the coming harvest!

Autumn Equinox (September 22):

This is a tremendously exciting time of the harvest year because absolutely anything can happen.  It is a time of great blessing and unexpected surprises.  During the traditional harvest year, the crops from the field represented an assured sustenance through the Winter.  If the harvest was sparse, many could die.  If it was bountiful, the village could rest assured that there would be ample food for the Winter.  They could supplement with meat from the hunt, but this was an unknown factor and not completely under their control.  During the Fall, food grew in the woods without their own efforts being invested into its production.  Apples and other fruits grew on trees unbidden.  Nuts and berries came seemingly out of nowhere and was looked upon as a gift from God.  Sometimes, the “Boon” received from the “Second Harvest” would be sufficient to supplement the first harvest for the Winter’s food needs.  The Boon can literally be what saves us.  During the next 6 weeks, expect blessings and surprises to rain in from all directions.  The Boon represents God’s assistance in reaching your goals, we well as unexpected harvests you may not have known were coming.  The Boon is a time of Thanksgiving and gratitude.  Make a list for all that you are grateful for in your life, including the harvest that you have faith will come into being.

Samhain (November 2):

Samhain represents endings and release.  “The Surrender” is our time to let go of expectations and release the Harvest for the year.  It is traditionally a “time between the worlds” because the harvest had ended and for the next 6 weeks, The Spark of Light has not yet been lit.  It is a very quiet time of the year when the focus is on burning off the plant beds and putting the fields to bed for the Winter.  It is a time of cleansing and purging to ready ourselves for the descent into the darkness of the year and delineates an end to the active time of the harvest.  Now, we prepare to return to the planning stages again, but for the 6 weeks following Samhain, we surrender, let go and rest.  In Gaelic tradition, this was the time to take inventory of the harvest, of livestock and of ourselves.  To celebrate Samhain, we evaluate what in our lives no longer serves us and we release them into the darkness of the year, so that we slip into this introspective time clean and unhindered.  To do so, write down what is in your life and no longer works for you or what is extraneous and outmoded.  Hold the paper in your hand and experience in your mind all of those situations for the last time, then burn the paper and feel them slip away.  Prepare for a much needed rest before beginning the harvest year again in December.

A Case Study:

John begins his harvest year at Winter Solstice with a meditation.  He chooses a time when he is not likely to be disturbed and when he can focus well on honoring the touchpoint.  He relaxes into a comfortable chair and takes a few minutes to clear his mind, letting his racing thoughts gradually slow down as his body begins to relax.  Although his body is releasing more and more tension built up from the day, his mind is focused and alert, even though his extraneous thoughts are becoming more and more still.

He creates in his mind the vision of a single candle flame in the darkness, held aloft by a hand unseen.  The light from the candle illuminates forms in his vision.  He sees himself at work and reviewssome of the events of the past months.  He has felt a growing restlessness with his job, but nothing has been overt enough to send him packing.  There has just been a general unease and dissatisfaction.  As his mind moves through several different instances of unhappiness in his job, he realizes that although his job fits his needs, it is not challenging enough for him and hewants to be able to spend the active hours of his days in a more personally rewarding way.  He makes a mental note that although he does like his job, it no longer serves him and that he will plant a new job for the coming harvest.

As he accepts that idea, he again clears his mind andwaits to see what comes into his thoughts.  He sees a man on a horse, riding and then the vision changes so that the man is in traffic riding.  This image takes him back to a desire he had as a teenager to own a Mustang convertible.  He smiles as he remembers the determination he once had to own that particular car and thinks about how that dream slipped away with others he’d had over the year.  He makes a mental note that this year, he will plant the goal for that car to come to him.

He again clears his mind of that vision and reaches out to connect with God.  Is there any final idea for what he should plant?  Anything not immediately coming to mind?  Unbidden, he sees his father in a hospital bed, a memory from 8 years prior when his father had suffered a massive heart attack.  Although he had survived, his health had been compromised ever since due to the damage that had occurred.  John immediate accepted this as a nudge that he needed to take better care of himself, to lose weight, exercise and eat better.  As he relaxed more and more, his mind began to wander and he no longer felt any impact from the thoughts that went through his mind.

He stretched out his legs and arms, open his eye and returned to “the real world.”  Taking out a pen and paper, he jotted down three things:  “New job,” “Mustang” and “Better health.”  He folded the paper and slipped it into a small, carved wooden box on his dresser and gave thanks to God for the Spark he had been provided.

At Imbolc, after having thought about the three goals he’d developed at Winter Solstice, he felt eager to get the process underway.  He had not seriously thought about changing jobs before that meditation, although he had played with the idea from time to time. He’d been in this job for so long, it was second nature and part of him felt nervous about stepping outside of his comfort zone into the unknown.  The idea of the Mustang was delicous and exciting and almost too good to imagine as reality.  He was 52-years-old and although he made a comfortable living, he was not given to extraneous spending and certainly not to such extravagances.  He thought of the practical cars he and his wife owned.  Would she think he was behaving foolishly to entertain himself in such a way?  In such an expensive way?  Was it impractical for him to think of changing jobs so late in life?  The idea of working toward better health felt daunting to him.  He did not feel as though he was in poor health currently and had never given particular thought to what he ate or whether or not he exercised.

All of those thoughts tumbled through his mind during the 6 weeks between Winter Solstice and Imbolc.  He thought of the true meaning of “Imbolc” as being “in the belly” and decided that the quickening of these ideas was something he was willing to entertain and court through the harvest year, just to see what happened.

By Imbolc, he was actually starting to imagine what life would be like if they really did happen.  How it would feel to drive that car of his young dreams, to be healthier and more fit and to be working at a job that stimulated and challenged him intellectually.  As he considered these things, he realized what a rut he’d been in and that he was not ready to fall into complacency and inactivity just yet.  He wanted some spark in his life and to feel vital and alive again.  He felt the visions he’d been given would do just that.  Since it was still the dark of the year and a time of introspection, he decided to celebrate the touchpoint with another medication, this time directed and focused rather than open and seeking. 

He again relaxed in his comfortable chair and let his body release tension as his mind quieted and readied itself for spiritual work.  He pictured the car he wanted to own.  In his mind’s eye, the car was parked in his driveway.  He walked out to it and opened the hood, marveling at the good condition of the motor and other parts.  They were clean and shiny and perfectly intact.  He walked around the car and ran his hand across the smooth finish, touching the cool chrome and feeling the strength of the metal under his hands.  The car changed color every time he looked at it, from dark blue to black to fire engine red.  He looked at the back of the car, taking in the unique taillights and trunk emblem.  As he reached the driver’s door, he opened it, got in and drove to work.

He drove to a different office building and parked in his own parking slot.  As he got out, he locked the car and moved toward the door of the building at a brisk pace, noting that he had not become winded and tired during the jaunt.  Other workers greeted him with a smile as he walked into his own office with his name on the door.  He took in the stack of purchase orders on his desk and felt excited to get to the day’s work and see what was in store for him.  In his vision, he felt proud and healthy, dynamic and happy to be alive.  It was a far cry from the day to day drudgery he’d been living for several years. 

In his vision, he telephoned his wife and shared with her how happy and vibrant he felt.  She told him she couldn’t wait for him to get home so they could go for a drive together.  As he meditated on these goals and saw them as realities, his skin practically tingled with excitement over the prospect.  The vision closed and he became more dedicated to his goals.  When he opened his eyes, he took out his pen and paper and wrote down the feelings he associated with the completion of his goals.  “Satisfaction.”  “Elation.”  “Vibrance.”  “Excitement.”  “Fulfillment.”  “New life.”  “Joy.”  He folded that paper and put it into the wooden box with the paper from Winter Solstice.

Over the next six weeks, he noticed several indicators that spoke to him of how he should manage Harvest.  Rumors began to move through his company of budget cuts that would result in layoffs.  Although his job had not been specifically identified as targeted for layoff, he still felt uneasy whereas before, he’d been comfortable with the idea that he could retire from this position in a little over 10 years.  There was further talk of a merger with another company that could bring further changes.

For the first time in years, he stepped on a scale and found to his surprise that he weight 15 pounds heavier than what he thought he weighed.  He made an appointment with his physician and found that his blood pressure and cholesterol were both high and that his blood sugar was dangerously close to diabetic levels.  He had not considered his health to be compromised before the visions and resolved to get busy correcting these situations right away.

The same week, he read in the paper that a local gym was hosting a membership drive and their special prices were extremely competitive and affordable.  The gym was also on his way to and from work, which would allow for easy access.

Nothing on the car.  Nothing, nothing, nothing, much to his dismay.

Spring Equinox brought the time for planting.  He looked in the cabinet and pulled out 3 navy beans from a bag his wife kept.  He brought a peat pot from the garden shed and filled it with potting soil.  He sat this with the three beans on the picnic table in his back yard and then sat himself down on the bench of the table.  He closed his eyes and felt the Spring sun on his face.  There was still a briskness in the air, but at this moment, the sun was warm and inviting.  He welcomed the new warmth and the new life that it would bring.  He took the beans in his hands and held them between his palms and again called to mind the vision from Imbolc.  Even though he received no confirmation or redirect regarding the Mustang, he included it as part of his vision, duplicating the vision from before.  As he did so, he gave one bean the task of generating the Mustang, one for improved health and one for a new job.  After having instilled those goals into the beans, he planted them and gave them water, placing the peat pot on the kitchen window sill where it would receive good sunlight.

Over the next 6 weeks, he began putting his plans into motion.  He prepared an updated resume, rewriting several entries in such a way that his previous humility was erased and his accomplishments were stated with pride.  He began to seek out job opportunities throughout his town, even ones he would not have previously thought he was qualified to work, and applied for them.  He joined the gym and received advise on the best exercise program for his goals and his age.  He also visited a dietitian through his doctor and was given a healthy diet to follow.  Just as he planted the literal seeds of success into the peat pot, he began planting seeds in his life for the fulfillment of his goals.  He even began to scout out the classified ads and classic car lots just in case…

Because you never do know.

By Summer Solstice, he could see his crops in the field.  He felt a little stronger and had lost 5 pounds.  It wasn’t a dramatic change, but he could feel the difference and the promise of what was to come.  By this time, he’d been to several interviews and was surprised by how receptive the business world was to his experience and work history.  Although he had not been hired to any of the jobs so far, he had learned new interviewing techniques and felt validated by the interest the interviewers had shown.  He continued to submit applications and work out at the gym…and check the classified ads just in case…

Because you never do know.

To celebrate Summer Solstice, he spent the weekend re-landscaping his front yard, decorating it and grooming it, and dedicated the energy invested in the effort toward the celebration of The Promise of what he was to receive.

By Lammas, he had lost 15 pounds and could not help but notice how much stronger and physically fit he felt.  His skin had a healthy glow and his doctor was very pleased with the change in his lab results and his blood pressure.  As a result of his weight loss, he began investing in new clothes, replacing out the clothing he’d worn for years that now was hanging on his frame.  His wife commented on how wonderful he looked and he was pleased to see a gleam in her eye that had not been there for a longtime.  He felt invigorated and to celebrate the coming harvest, decided to take her out for a night of dinner and dancing, which thrilled and surprised her.  Together, they laughed and for the first time in ages, talked about new plans for the future.  The next day, he used his father’s pocket knife and carved a wooden bird from a piece of wood and left it in the mailbox of their next door neighbor as a gift.  To him, the bird represented freedom from the rut in which he’d been mired and not even known it.

On September 30, he received a call from a company who had interviewed him twice.  They did not want him for the position for which he’d applied.  They wanted him for the supervisor position above it.  He felt nervous and uneasy,  unsure if he was ready for this particular step, which was a big one.  Sure, he’d been a supervisor for years with his current company, but this would entail stepping into a new environment, learning new systems and techniques, plus being responsible for others right away…others who were already accustomed to the company.  He told his prospective employer that he needed some time to think about it and would call him back in an hour.  During that time, he spoke with his wife, who voiced her confidence and worked to cope with his insecurities.  He was afraid, plain and simple.  He was now 53-years-old and he was afraid.  He looked back over the successes he’d already accomplished that year, stilled his mind and asked for guidance.  The words that came to him were ones he’d read some time back regarding CUSP.  “Nothing that happens at harvest time is a bad thing and all that happens at harvest time is directly associated with what you planted.”  He picked up the phone, made the call and accepted the job.

He thought back to his Autumn Equinox celebration a week before and how he’d felt silly honoring a boon that had not yet happened.  He had the harvest that resulted from his own efforts.  His health was now considerably better than when he’d started the harvest year and he had worked hard to achieve those results.  It was a wonderful benefit that he had not even thought of exploring before The Spark had guided him to do so.  The job had not yet manifested at that time, but he remembered that Harvest is not always a linear process and we give thanks for what is to come rather than only celebrating what we receive.  So he did.  He poured himself a glass of sparkling apple cider and made a slice of toast covered with creamy butter and sweet cinnamon sugar.  Not in his diet, that was for certain, but it was his celebration of The Boon that was to come.  He sat in the same place where he’d planted his beans, which had since grown, all three of them, into a climbing vine of greenery with little beans popping up here and there.  He tasted the toast and reflected on the sweetness of life and the Boon to come.  He drank the cider, feeling it quench his thirst and bubble in his mouth and rejoiced in the flow of life through all things.  He gave thanks for what he had received and what was to come.

John did not realize until after he started the job two weeks later that it carried with it a $5000 signing bonus to cover any needed new clothing or job supplies.  His first paycheck was not only for considerably more than he’d made at his old job, but contained the bonus with it as well.  This was a wonderful boon because he had been purchasing new clothing all along as his body had changed and the clothes were very suitable for his new position.  He already had a nice briefcase, a gift from his wife as a token of her confidence in his abilities.  As was now his tradition, he opened the paper during his lunch break andturned to the classifieds.  He couldn’t believe his eyes.  There was a classic Mustang convertible, great condition, must sell, $4000.  His hands shook as he made the phone call.  Yes, it was still available.  He drove quickly to the house of the lady who was selling her late husband’s car.  She told him how much her husband had loved the car, but she was going to live with a daughter in another town and could not take it with her.  He barely heard her speaking as he touched the chrome of the car that had been in his Imbolc vision.  He paid her cash for the car; cash he had not even know existed two weeks before, and drove the car back to work, promising to return to collect his old car later that evening. 

As he drove back to his new office, with his name on the door, his eyes brimmed with tears at the wonder of what had happened.

By Samhain, John had lost 25 pounds and was stronger andhealthier than he had been in years.  There was a quickness to his step that made him happy to be alive.  By this time, he had found his way in his new job and was performing well, although each day brought with it something new to learn and experience.  He quickly found confidence in his own abilities and was excited by the prospect of the coming years and what he could do in this new position.  To celebrate Samhain, he packed up all of his old clothes and took them to a homeless shelter, knowing they still had good use in them for someone else.  He lit a single candle and sat in the quiet of the night and took out the pieces of paper he had placed in the wooden box on Winter Solstice and Imbolc.  They read, “New job,” “Mustang” and “Better health.”  He still had to marvel that all of this had actually transpired through his own efforts and the blessings of God.  It was real.  The Imbolc papers, written back when the harvest was nothing more than an idea in his mind, read,  “Satisfaction.”  “Elation.”  “Vibrance.”  “Excitement.”  “Fulfillment.”  “New life.”  “Joy.”  He had all of those things now.  He carried the candle and the papers to the fireplace and one at a time, lit them from the flame of the candle and placed them on the grill to burn away.  The harvest year was completed andthe bounty was beyond his own expectations.

He settled back into his comfortable chair and wondered what he would even have to put on his list to manifest in the next year’s harvest.  In this moment, he felt so complete and joyful, he wanted for nothing.  He realized that it was not for him to know at this time what the coming harvest would bring.  That was a meditation for next Winter Solstice.  For now, he could rest, knowing the harvest was bountiful and completed.  He took a moment to recognize the losses.  He missed his friends at the old job, but he knew he could see them when he chose to do so.  He missed being able to eat what he wanted when he wanted, but the way it felt to be healthy was a benefit he was not willing to sacrifice for the few moments of indiscriminate eating.  In his mind, he released those feelings into the night, determined not to carry them with him into the dark of the year.