On April Fool's Day we celebrate the Trickster, the Joker, or The Fool, who is beginning a journey - often wearing rose-colored glasses. On this day, meditate on your life's journey while gazing on the image of The Fool or a quartz crystal. Imagine a your life as a colorful, uncluttered existence. Traditionally, people took advantage of the warmer weather and longer daylight hours by performing walking meditations, often in mazes or labyrinths. If you are lucky enough to have a yard, you can create your own labyrinth out of large rocks or crystals. This is great project for the kids. Have them create circles and lines marked out with the rocks. Then the whole family can walk the maze together. Some churches and theme parks still groom mazes on their properties for people to walk through in quiet - or loud and fun - contemplation. Check out the website http://www.maze-world.com/usauncat.htm to find mazes in your area.

If sitting still is not conducive to quiet the mind (like us type A personalities), and the idea of a walking meditation is like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time, try gardening. Mark out a small area in your yard, deck, or even a windowsill. Place representatives of the four directions, such as a feather for the east, a crystal for the north, a candle for the south, and a seashell for the west. Buy a few small air plants if you have no green thumb at all - they only need air and an occasional spritz of water to stay alive. Or invite the kids to help by planting a few seeds in paper cups filled with dirt. Write their names on the cups. Then have each child water and care for its seedling. This is a great time to teach little ones that plants are living beings, and all living things should be respected. This said, don't forget April 22 is Earth Day, a great time to plant a tree or some flowers. Start a vegetable or flower garden. Or take the kids, or the dog, to a park. John McConnell started Earth Day in 1969 on the Vernal Equinox in San Francisco, named for St. Francis who is the patron saint of ecology. While it has since been moved to April 22, every one of us are still being called to wake up and become aware of how all our actions effect the Earth. So leave the car at home today, if you can, and take the bus to work, carpool, bicycle, or - dare I say - walk!