Indulgence for Distraction

Today I will be hosting a birthday party for my dogs who just turned a year old.  Eccentric?...maybe, but I saw in this occasion the opportunity to provide much needed distraction and levity from a rather challenging year.  

So, planning began as well as the shopping (yes I know, it is Holiday season and shopping is already nuts) - banner, streamers, plates, party hats...and then there was the baking, yes, baking.  

My kitchen is frequently covered in oat flour and molasses due to the demands of a growing organic pet treat business however, somehow, this was different.  As much as I love baking pet treats this time I NEEDED to - I needed the creative challenge of "winging" a recipe, I needed the whir of the blender, I needed to knead the dough and carefully place the cut shapes onto the baking sheets.  I needed to disappear into the depth of a task and come out the other end, covered in flour and peanut butter and molasses and a huge smile.  

Can this personal indulgence really give my spirit the boost it needs?  Well, the doggy ice cream is setting, the cookies are attractively placed on platters, the decorations are up, and I am smiling.  You decide.

Pets Benefit from Reiki Treatments

What is reiki for animals?

Reiki translates as universal life energy and is an amazing energy healing method that originated in Japan. It is offered as an alternative treatment in hospitals such as M.D. Anderson. While it has mainly been used for healing people, in more recent years, those who have learned reiki have realized how beneficial this healing system could be to their own pets and other animals.

What are the benefits of reiki for pets?

Because reiki is healing energy, it will never harm you or your pet.

It can be given to any type of animal.

If your pet has emotional problems due to a traumatic situation such as abuse, neglect, or being hit by a car, reiki can help release and heal those emotions.

For behavioral issues such as nervousness or hyperactivity, reiki can help your pet relax and reduce their stress and anxiety.

If your pet is sick or injured, reiki can help your pet heal more quickly. If your pet is facing a serious illness, reiki can help bring comfort and be a great compliment to conventional treatment.

If your beloved pet is dying, reiki for animals can help bring peace and comfort to you and your pet during this difficult time. It really seems to help them relax so they are not afraid and struggling to stay a part of our lives.

For the Ancestors I Know by Name and Those I Do Not

Many cultures, primarily outside of the United States, believe that the invisible world plays such an enormous part in everyday life, it is custom and is extremely important to pay a great deal of attention to the dead and the ancestral family.  I think we all can agree that death is a universal fact and is the inevitable end of all human life.  Life does not just end there.  The soul continues on in another form (spirit) and in another world.  It is also believed by many that the dead are reborn into family members so that they can finish whatever business they were not able to finish while on earth for these reasons (and others) a great deal of concern, care, time, and money is spent on proper burial rites.  From the preparation of the body all the way through to the prayers, ceremonies, and sacrifices given to help ensure that the deceased is satisfied and appeased for an easy transition from the land of the living to the land of the dead.  It is believed by some that if proper funeral rites are not performed for the deceased, the spirit of the dead person will become a ghost to roam the world without peace, lost and confused with the abilities to harm and haunt people and relatives until it gains attention and proper acknowledgment of the proper burial rights, prayers, offerings, or ceremonies that will bring contentment to its soul.

“Ancestor veneration” or “ancestor worship” (meaning to maintain an ongoing relationship with those who have departed) exists through almost every known culture. In celebration of All Soul’s Day, many honor the dead by putting gifts, flowers and food on the graves of their family members.  Many cultures will honor the dead with festivals, drumming, singing, dancing, and drinking for it is believed that to honor our ancestors is to honor our lineage and our roots and is the first step to reclaiming our spiritual heritage.  The ancestors become spirit guides and are consulted for guidance, prayed to, venerated with rituals and are given offerings for their continued influence on the living by helping them to resolve their day-to-day problems.

There are numerous traditions that incorporate reverence for ancestors, which is indirectly a self-respecting measure.

Flower petals are placed on the bed of the dead to honor the life of the deceased. The custom of funerary flowers is an ancient tradition passed down from the Egyptians.

At The Oriental Institute of The University of Chicago, an Egyptian coffin shows a flower petal headress worn by high ranking women and floral necklaces that were pictograms of renewal. Egyptian funerary rituals used flowers and petals to create massive arrangements, floral staffs that symbolize fertility and floral headresses that symbolize a joyful afterlife.

In his turn of the 20th century "Dictionary of Phrase and Fable," Ebenezer Cobham Brewer states that, "The Greeks crowned the dead body with flowers, and placed flowers on the tomb also."

Romans also covered their tombs and funeral couches with wreaths, flowers and petals to honor the dead.

In the Aztec tradition, marigold petals were used on the deceased and on funeral altars to celebrate life and provide a means for the deceased to find their way back to this world. To the Aztecs, death was a cycle of life that was completed by returning to this life with the aid of flowers offered by the living.

Wondering how you can honor your ancestors or looking for an addition to your existing practice?  Here are a few ideas to get your creativity flowing:

Make Halloween More than Fear: Traditionally Samhain is about honoring returning (good) spirits who came back for these few nights, and of course, keeping out the bad ones who also might show up.   We tend to focus on the bad ones now and dwell on the frightening aspect of death.   However, how often do you talk with each other or your children about welcoming back grandpa or Aunt Myrtle?   

Have a Home Altar: decorate it with family photos, as many as you can dig up, candles and incense.  Visit once a day or once a week.   Try to visit longer on the anniversary of a loved one's demise.   Stop by your family altar and talk to the spirits once in a while about hard things in your life and ask for advice and meditate there.   If you have children, you might assign one child to maintain the shrine by dusting it, replacing candles, etc.  

The Empty Plate: This charming tradition, for some, is known as the plate for Ezekiel.   POW-MIA Associations often host a missing-man service, where a table is set once a year with symbolic plates, flowers, salt, lemon, etc.   I recall my own parents setting an empty place at holiday meals.  Set the table for one extra person and come-who-may will be able to join you.  

Visit Graves:  Flags line graveyards on Memorial and Veteran's Day in the United States with flowers brightening the grounds on Mother’s and Father’s Day.   In Latin America and some parts of the United States, on Dia de Los Muertos, families will have a picnic and set up an ofrido (altar) at the family grave site, sometimes for a day or two.  Check your local cemetery to see if this is permissible, and what the proper rules are.  

Carry a Memento: Your dad’s lucky coin tucked safely in your wallet, grandma’s pearl earrings worn lovingly or your dog’s nametag hanging on your keychain, keep memories of our loved ones close and alive.

Take Care of Yourself: Strive to remain healthy, happy and balanced.  Your life, after all, is a gift from and part of, them.

Sharing insight from a seasoned and trusted professional

The following entry comes via a post by gifted psychic and medium, Chip Coffey. I, in no way, lay claim to the writing of it. By sharing it, I extend honor to this man. Chip puts into a succinct manner, my position on the subject of crossing over entities. Lines appearing in bold face font, are points I chose to emphasize.

I do, strongly, encourage you to attend one of his "Coffey Talk" events. For more information about Chip's schedule and to purchase tickets, visit www.behindtheicon.net

If you plan to attend Seattle's October 20th date, let me know! I will be there and would enjoy meeting you.


From a note by Chip Coffey, on his Facebook page:


"I have noticed that there seems to be a disturbing trend developing within the paranormal community.

I attend quite a few conventions and conferences. Quite often, paranormal investigations/ghost hunts are offered as a part of these events. Those who participate in event investigations range from individuals with a significant amount of investigative experience to those who are first time investigators.

Allow me to set p the scene for you" a crowd of people are gathered together in a dark or dimly lit space. Suddenly, possible communication with a disembodied entity is somehow established. More often than not, someone in the group will ask this question: "Do you need us to help you corss over/"

The moment I hear those words spoken, I close my eyes, shake my head and utter a sigh of "O.M.G. Not again!"

As living, breathing human beings, we know nothing, nada, zilch about what happens after death. Certainly, most of us have read or viewed accounts provided by those who have either had near death experiences or recounted, under hypnosis, details about the afterlife. there are numerous theories regarding what occurs post mortem. But in reality, what happens after death is a secret known only to those who are dead.

I never try to convince anyone to accept my beliefs, but here is what i believe: not every disembodied being that we might happen to encounter is aimlessly wandering the earth plane in desperate search of "The Light".

I believe there is a difference between ghosts and spirits. to me, ghosts are disincarnate entities who, for whatever reason, have not fully transitioned from the land of the living to the realm of the dead. Perhaps tey still feel some strong attachment to the living world. Or have unfinished business here. Or choose not to complete the transition because they frear judgment and retribution. These energies are commonly referred to as "earthbound spirits."

Spirits, on the other hand, are beings who have completed the transition between life and death. they have "crossed over" or "gone to The Light" and elect to return to the earth plane for some reason or another. Perhaps to visit a loved one or a location that hols special meaning to them.

How, then, did some individuals come to the conclusion that we mere mortals have the obligation or responsibility or right to assist "lost souls" with crossing over? ...We should not assume that every soul that we encounter is a lost soul. We should not assume that we must assist every soul that we encounter with its jouney onward onto spirit. Some entities may be fulfilling a part of their soul's evolution by remaining on the earth plane.

Certainly, there may be some entities who need to be reminded or encouraged to complete the transition into spirit. But let's not assume that EVERY soul is a non-corporal nomad!

We, the living, should not randomly assume that we must become the ghost whisperer (or spirit GPS) and help every soul that we happen to meet, to cross over."

Equinox Power

Equinoxes are power times, opening energetic gateways and revealing new options. All of the seasonal ingresses (the first day of spring, summer, fall and winter) are important transitions, and excellent times for prayers, ceremony, and setting new intentions. The fact that a full moon peaks on September 23 at 2:17 AM PDT, a mere six hours after the equinox, indicates that we have come to yet another major turning point-- a time to think out of the box and jettison whatever is not in support of bringing greater peace, equality, and authenticity into our lives. The old rules and formulas no longer apply. We are rewriting the archetypes of reality; redefining what it means to be human.

A number of other celestial alignments add to the impetus for evolution, making it easier for us to transcend our fears and limiting beliefs. This full moon highlights the intense, ongoing cardinal T-square involving Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto, which has been in close configuration since last spring. If we include the lunar nodes, the divine geometry becomes even more complex and compelling: a cardinal grand cross with eight oppositions and fifteen squares. Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) mark new phases of development. Oppositions require consideration and cooperation; squares demand that we shift our perspective and direction. The lunar nodes in Capricorn and Cancer signify that we are dealing with releasing deeply entrenched views, especially around patriarchy, materialism, and inequality between the masculine and feminine.

Libra is symbolized by the Scales of justice and ruled by Venus, the mythic goddess of love and beauty. Where do you need to create more balance and harmony in your life? The Sun in Libra, in concert with Saturn in Libra, spotlights our current relationships and responsibilities, as well as where we are seeking greater intimacy and integrity. Aries is represented by the Ram and ruled by Mars, the mythic god of war. Where do you need to be more assertive and take a stand? The Aries Moon’s proximity to Jupiter–Uranus at 28° Pisces helps us to detach from codependent or addictive patterns. Pluto conjoins the North Node in Capricorn and squares the Sun and Moon, as well as Saturn, Jupiter, and Uranus, holding the cosmic key: that we must evolve from living in fear to living in love. Because of these many aspects, the influence of this Full Moon is extended to at least a ten-day period, from the Sun’s exact opposition to Jupiter and Uranus on September 21 through the end of the month, when the Sun forms an exact square to the lunar nodes and a precise conjunction with Saturn. Venus in Scorpio intensifies the cosmic focus on lessons of love and truth, remaining within 10 degrees of Mars until mid- October, clarifying our values, sparking new unions, and resurrecting old ones for healing and resolution.

Autumnal Equinox

The autumnal equinox, or Mabon, is the Wiccan's Thanksgiving. 
Also called Harvest Home, this holiday is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the Earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and God during the winter months.
Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three harvest festivals, preceded by Lammas and followed by Samhain.

Altar Dressings
* candles should be brown or cinnamon. * decorate circle with autumn flowers.
 acorns, gourds, corn sheaves and fall leaves.
Mabon Magickal Herbs  
Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, walnut  leaves and husks, 
saffron, chamomile, almond leaves, passionflower, frankincense,  
rose hips, bittersweet, sunflower, wheat, oak  leaves, dried apple or apple seeds.  
Incense  
Frankincense, sage, sweetgrass or myrhh. 
Mabon Magickal Stones  
Stones ruled by the Sun will bring the Sun's energy to you.
clear quartz, amber, peridot, diamond, gold, citrine, yellow  topaz, 
cat's-eye, adventurine.  
Mabon is a good time to cast spells of balance  and harmony. 
It's also a time of change.  Protection, wealth and prosperity spells are  
appropriate as well. 

My Lammas Blessing

On this first day of August, I light a candle to honor and celebrate the harvest.

As the Great Wheel turns, I honor the Universe and give thanks for all it has blessed me with this year.

I honor my ancestors, my family, my friends, and all living things.

HO-TAY!

"I think Lammas is a particularly fitting time where we, like the earth, can give our our own fruitfulness in whatever way it seems best to us. And since Yule is when we give to other people, perhaps this is the time when we most apporpriatlely give to the earth which sustains us, and which receives so very little in return." ~ Gus diZerega, Beliefnet

"It is a season of endings and completion, a point between the free and easy times of summer, and the restrictions of winter. The first harvest brings the awareness of the coming winter. Bonfires are lit. Grain dollies made from sheaves of wheat are popular, too. Streamers are woven with the fall colrs of red and orange, and hung on poles...So make a toast to the passing of summer. Celebrate a happy Lammas with family and friends, then begin the work to stock the shelves for the long winter ahead." ~Terry Smith, The Town Talk, Louisiana

Lammas 2010

The Evergreen State College radio station, KAOS, hosts a Sunday morning show called Wheel of Wonder. While I am not a regular listener of this program, when I do play it, I am not disappointed. Often the programming contains gems of thought and reminds me of the importance of shedding light upon subjects that are important, however, not necessarily mainstream news.

This morning I heard the host read from an essay on the topic of modern witch hunts. I am not talking about the generalized application of that term. I am referring to the actual attack (and often murder) of women and children believed to be magical beings and the destruction of cultures that embrace learning and healing from natural sources.

I tutor two Catholic nuns from Tanzania. One readily shares stories of how Christian missionaries and the existing Catholic churches, do not allow them to use natural healing methods learned in their villages. These nuns maintain an orphanage and school. When the children become ill from malaria, dissentary, are stricken with headaches or parasites, the nuns must only treat them with Western medicine. Often these supplies are hours and days away. They and the children suffer needlessly. The nuns who remember their ancestors wisdom, put their lives at risk by going into the jungle to retrieve the roots and leaves hundreds of years prove will alleviate and cure the condition. She herself, is the daughter of a village king, her grandmother a gifter seer and healer. I pray that the Universe protects her memories, her spirit and her life.
The other, slightly younger, nun will not even speak about the medicine people of her village. She blesses herself at my inquiry. I do know her hand was saved by a Tanzanian medicine woman. When she was young, she was falsly accused of eating the bananas her aunt was saving for dinner. Her aunt held her hand in the dinner fire then kicked her out of the home into the jungle. Exposed to the heat of the jungle and its insects, the third and fourth degree burns became severly infected. It took her a week to walk to her brothers home. He immediately brought her to a small hut at the edge of the village. She doesn't remember exactly what was given to her to drink, or what the old woman helping her soaked pieces of fabric in before washing and wrapping her injured hand. She only remembers the pain stopping and the blisters disappearing. Some scarring remains today and she has reduced feeling in the fingertips of that hand, but she has full use of it. When she entered the convent, the Mother Superior heard her story and performed a blessing to rid her body of the evil that enetered it due to "the witch's work". Thus began her enculturalization to believe that such things are the work of evil spirits. My heart cries when I see the fear in her eyes.

The following is an excerpt from the essay, The Timeless Allure of Witch Hunting, by Johann Hari.
"Across Africa, I have witnessed witch hunts. I have stood in a hut deep in the Tanzanian bush where the blood of and 80 year old woman was still wet on the walls, after her "evil" had been hacked out of her with a machete. I have been lectured in the Central African Republic by men who explain the collapse of their country is die to "there wicked women." I have played with rejected child witches livingon the streets in Congo and been told by anxious locals that I would soon die from their curses."

I wrote this entry, not to shock, appaul or bring the reader down. I wrote it to shed light on a dark piece of our common, human family, condition. We are all connected. Let us each shed healing light on these autrocities and thus heal a part of ourselves.
So mote it be.

For Reflection

In the book Heart Yoga, mystic Andrew Harvey describes how he once met the Dalai Lama and had the courage to ask him spontaneously, "What is the meaning of Life?" The Dalai Lama replied, "The meaning of life is to embody the Transcendent."

Breathe and step through the veil.

Living in a place where the veil is thin is a wonderous blessing. Each day I am witness to the shadows and light of a magical world. When these things happen, they are so tremendously powerful and clear that part of me wants to shout the expereince, yet, I often do not speak of them for fear that setting my visions to words will somehow alter and disempower them. Often these moments surpirse me by how they are able to cross into the business of my day and make themselves known. It is as though the world and the routine activities around me stop. I feel as though I am hovering between time - between worlds. I is then that I become fully aware of "now". I stongly feel my connection with the Universe and its energies. I am not, one with the moment. I am the moment. My breath is the wind through the trees, my eyes the sky, my heart the earth, and my blood the waters that run through it.

Ostara is a time of balance, or equal amounts of light and dark. Light is returning and Spring has arrived bringing warmth and hope. Deep within the yet cold earth, seeds are beginning to sprout. The livestock prepare to give birth in damp fields and beneath the forest canopy of trees, wildlife prepare their dens and nests for the arrival of their young.

May the new energy during this turn of the sacred Wheel provide us many blessed opportunities for our own regeneration. What newness will you lay the groundwork for and welcome into your life?

More Thoughts on Empowering Women

We have slowly and over a long course of history, been cultured away from fully remembering and embracing our power. Unfortunately, due to the current patriarchal society, we have not been part of the process for some time. Yes, there have been certain key women throughout history whom certainly impressed their mark upon it. It seems, however, when groups of women became seemingly "too" influential or powerful, society found a convenient way to stop them and dissuade others from continuing their work (i.e. the infamous witch hunts, Henry the VIII, Joan of Arc, and various organized religions). As a result, the world is in the state it is.

Perhaps we may begin counteracting this by more fully integrating and sharing our experiences. We are always in a position of power to create change in ourselves and countless others. Let us acknowledge ourselves as women who are receptive, intuitive, and creative. Remember to look at life not as lineal, look at life as a spiral - expanding and growing with continuity and flow. By looking at our lives as a spiral, we are able to build upward and outward - buidling upon what we have done and applying it to the present moment, then bringing it to the future. Nothing is lost, it is built upon from the past. Ignoring the cycles of the spiral can make us sick.

The Earth, nature, is our first and greatest teacher, always providing information and interacting with us. The Earth progresses in cycles - spirals. It is very important that we, as women, take time to connect with those cycles, remembering we are part of 15 billion years of life cycles. Remembering is not just of how powerful we are, it is also that we are part of everything.

Words can Hurt. Words can Heal.

As a woman, I feel it is very important to help empower other women. One way we each can begin is by watching the words we choose to use. There was a university study completed a few years ago, focusing on the communication centers of the human brain. The results of the study were that the average woman uses 20,000 (no, that is not a typo) words a day, the average man uses only 7,000. Although a man's brain weighs more and is slightly larger than a woman's, the parts of the brain controlling communication, emotion, healing, nuturing and integration, are larger in a woman's. (That's one of the reasons we are able to multi-task so well! ) Ladies, with that much inherent power, we have a great responsibility to support each other, not tear one another apart. Think of the amazing impact, women, choosing their words with great intention, will have on our world. wow!
In effort to spread that strength and wisdom, here are two sets of words for your reflection. How often do these appear in your daily speech and interactions?
The 7 most disempowering words for women to use -
"sorry", "but", "because", "maybe", "think", "always", "never"
The 7 most empowering words for women to use -
"I", "and", "feel", "request", "choose", "thank", "acknowledge"
Thank you for reading my blog, I wish you a day of strength and courage!

Puppies just make the world right.

On December 15th, our Australian Shepherd blessed us with five amazing, half border collie puppies. It may sound a tad trite, however, our lives have not been the same. Their presence has brought us into the moment. Though we strive to live in the present, life's ride often distracts us. These five little souls remind us daily to be present. Present to each other, present to others, present to them, and importantly...present to ourselves.

Each day they amaze us with their growth and development. Each day I am amazed by own ability to bend and adapt to their changes and needs. Each day I am amazed by how they accept and trust me.

We now have daily reminders to appreciate the small things in life and how to gently embrace and understand the cylicular nature of the Universe.

Blessed Be.