It's a special Top Ten + Five for International Dark Sky Week. Enjoy some starry tunes while host Cynthia Jaye discusses the importance of Dark Skys and reveals the wonders of Michigan's only Dark Sky Sanctuary right here on Beaver Island. (This show will be available for listening for two weeks.)

Community Calendar for Friday, April 25, 2025 by WVBI

Island Reflections 2025-04-24 (2023-2021- 2016-09-23 Dancing on the Lawn of Distraction) by WVBI

Community Calendar for Thursday, April 24, 2025 by WVBI

On Sunday, April 27th the Moon is New, which means that the around the world people everywhere are celebrating international dark sky week, to raise awareness about light pollution and its effect on habitat, and in how we use the earth’s resources, and in its effect on human circadian rhythms, the patterns in our wake-sleep cycle. Over-exposure to artificial light, or, rather, never knowing natural darkness has measurable effect on human sleep patterns, and because sound sleep is essential to good health, this pattern matters a great deal. And then, of course, there’s the majestic beauty of the stars.

This year the week of the April New Moon also includes the peak of the Lyrid Meteor Shower and a lovely apparition of Moon together with Venus and Saturn. Here are the details:

On Thursday morning, about an hour before sunrise, the crescent Moon will be to the right of Venus and Saturn, in the East. On Friday, the Moon, now an even thinner sliver of itself, will be to the left of Venus and Saturn. When it gets to New Phase on Sunday, the Moon will also be near its perigee, so it’ll be very close, like it’s leaning in. At the same time, Venus is at its brightest, so it’s as though the Moon is leaning in to take a closer look, using Venus as a flashlight to see what’s what. And there’s Saturn, steadying the scene and offering us the timeless opportunity to contemplate what we hold in loving memory.

Also on Friday, the Moon enters what’s called its “dark phase,” which means we don’t see it, and also, that it is covering new territory before it catches up with Sun and earth on Sunday to arrive officially at new phase. I love these few days of dark phase each month, because it’s a natural time for reflecting on where we’ve been, in preparation for where we’re going, and with a loving Venus flashlight and Saturn there to steady things, there’s something we can do:

Starting Thursday night, recall an experience you had during the last month. Recreate it in all its details in your mind’s eye, not with judgement, but with loving kindness ~ remember, Venus is tuned in. This is an exercise in developing the power of perception, which can help resolve chaos. On Friday, when the Moon enters its dark phase, recreate the image again, and then again on Saturday, and notice whether it changes. Then on Sunday, hand it off to the New Moon and let it go.

It doesn’t need to be a challenging situation that you recall, it can be an insignificant event. This is a way to attune our listening ~ to our lives, and to the celestial rhythms, without burden of expectation or causality.

I like these words of Hafez for such an exercise at such a time: Awake, my dear, and be kind to your sleeping heart. Take it out into the vast fields of light and let it breathe.

Community Calendar for Wednesday, April 23, 2025 by WVBI

Island Reflections 2025-04-22 (02-27-23 1st of Feb-Fox Lake Rd) by WVBI

Community Calendar for Tuesday, April 22, 2025 by WVBI

Island Reflections 2025-04-23 (07-29-22 Memories) by WVBI

Island Reflections 2025-04-21 (02-28-23 Rules of My House) by WVBI