Ancestors Speak - About Halloween

  This picture is from Microsoft Clip Art

 

 

 

The information in this article comes from The Information about Ireland Site Newsletter, The Newsletter for people interested in Ireland (http://www.ireland-information.com).  We thank them for putting out such detailed information to share with all of us.

 The Celts celebrated Halloween as Samhain, "All Hallowtide"  (the "Feast of the Dead," when the dead revisited the mortal world. The celebration marked the end of summer and the start of the winter months, and 1 November began the Celtic New Year. 

During the eighth century, the Catholic Church designated the first day of November as "All Saints Day" ("All Hallows'" -- a day of commemoration for those Saints that did not have a specific day of remembrance. The night before was known as "All Hallows Eve," which, over time, became known as Halloween.

Here are the most notable Irish Halloween Traditions:
Colcannon for Dinner:  Boiled Potato, Curly Kale (a cabbage) and raw Onions are provided as the traditional Irish Halloween dinner. Clean coins are wrapped in baking paper and placed in the potato for children to find and keep.

The Barnbrack Cake:  The traditional Halloween cake in Ireland is the barnbrack,  which is a fruit bread. Each member of the family gets a slice. Great interest is taken in the outcome as there is a piece of rag, a coin and a ring in each cake. If you get the rag then your financial future is doubtful. If you get the coin then you can look forward to a prosperous year. Getting the ring is a sure sign of impending romance or continued happiness.

The Ivy Leaf:   Each member of the family places a perfect ivy leaf into a cup of water and it is then left undisturbed overnight. If, in the morning, a leaf is still perfect and has not developed any spots then the person who placed the leaf in the cup can be sure of 12 months health until the following Halloween. If not. . . .

The Pumpkin:  Carving Pumpkins dates back to the eighteenth century and to an Irish blacksmith named Jack who colluded with the Devil and was denied entry to Heaven. He was condemned to wander the earth but asked the Devil for some
light. He was given a burning coal ember, which he placed inside a turnip that he had gouged out.  Thus, the tradition of Jack O'Lanterns was born -- the bearer being the wandering blacksmith -- a damned soul. Villagers in Ireland hoped that the lantern in their window would keep the wanderer away. When the Irish emigrated in their millions to America, there was not a great supply of turnips so pumpkins were used instead.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Judith

Shaman Speak - The Way of Peace

Picture from Microsoft Clip Art

“One day, the people of the world will want peace so much that the governments are going to have to get out of their way and let them have it.” ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

The world is changing rapidly.  A new short movie called "Technology" says that the New York Times has as much information in it in one week as there was in several hundred years during 1000 to 1800 AD.  With this much information, it is hard to know what is right, good, and true.  What we are all seeing is that more and more, people want peace.  People do not want their money to go to build weapons that may be used against us, nor, do we want them to be used against anyone else. 

The spirit of peace is wrapped in these words of a great chief of the American People.

"If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace.....Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow. All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers. The Earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it.......Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade....where I choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself, and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty." Chief Joseph, Nez Perce

May you walk in peace!

Judith

Karma Files - Karma Needs To Be Cleared Quickly - Archangel Michael's comments included

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Pelican and White Seagulls in Sunlight on the Bow River - picture by Judith Hirst, July 2008

I was reading an article that was a channelled message from Archangel Michael, when I was struck by the following passage....

“I would say to you it is so and karma is working itself out. Still, when this is occurring, I am aware of what is happening and doing my part to assist in that karmic balance, which is so important at this time.

Karma is Balancing

You know and you feel how severely the karmic balance is working itself out, now that you have passed the millennium change. You expected this but perhaps you did not realize how very strong the karmic underlying energy would flow on your planet. It is very true that those who are not of the Light but as you would say are of the lesser Light, are deepening their energies to solidify that which is evil for their own selfish means, their own selfish greed. Because of that, you are noticing evil things occurring on a daily basis. The thoughts of those who are evil and greedy are in your newspapers; they are on your radio and on your television. You are hearing them on a daily basis; you are seeing them and you are realizing the results of their conniving efforts.

On the other hand, you have those of Light, that balance of energies between the lesser Light versus the Light. Those of the Light are bringing in more and more energies from the Great Central Sun and from the finer dimensions. That Light is gathering energy and is strengthening those people who are on the edge perhaps, wondering what is occurring on Earth. Many are coming towards the Light rather than towards the evil ways and so the Light is strengthening and the love is pouring upon the planet. Therefore, we have a great spiritual war happening on all levels. ...” ----- from "The Golden Age Beckons As We Prepare" - Archangel Lord Michael Speaks of Earth's Miraculous Transformation as channelled by Ariana Sheran of Cloverleaf Connection. See www.cloverleafconnection.ca for more information from Archangel Michael and Ariana.  Note: check www.angelsandancestors.com for a full copy of this channelling.

This passage confirms that karma is indeed coming up for balancing, and we, this generation moving into 2013 and beyond, is being asked to clear it as quickly as we can. Our Ancestors are asking to have their “unfinished movies” produced and filed so they may move on to their next assignment.

How does the karma show up for us? It may first come up as an injury. If we don’t pay any attention to it, it then goes away, and reseats itself as a more permanent body pain. Again, if we ignore it, the karma may move into emotional or mental instability, and when it begs release, it shows up in our bodies as a long term illness that may be come terminal quite quickly.

What can we do? There are various ways to clear karma. One can use Reiki, Energy Medicine, BodyTalk, Quantum Touch, EFT – all of which are energy healing modalities, and, this is just a partial list. Or, one can do meditations, of various types that will also clear karma.

How I can help…I am teaching various types of karma clearing and I have taught a workshop called “Karma Therapy Practitioner, Level 1”. I will be putting this up as a telecast and possibly a video. Please let me know if you are interested in participating in an internet workshop… Judy@angelsandancestors.com.

Spirit Animal - Animal Volunteer

I love the email that I receive from my family and friends and from all the folks around the world that read my blog.  Many send me great stories that I love to read and to share.  This story is one of my favourites because it is about animals imitating humans.....

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1076572/Pictured-Two-white-tiger-cubs-surrogate-mum--Anjana-chimpanzee.html

 

This young white tiger is getting a helping had and a bottle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If a chimpanzee can be this nurturing, it makes one wonder why the rest of the world can not get along!

Judith

Spirit Animal - Chinchilla

This picture of a grey chinchilla comes from Wikipedia....

 

Last night, in my dreams, a grey chinchilla climbed up on the table and gently bit my finger, and then sat back and looked at me.  He definitely was saying that he wanted me to pay attention to something.  I was so startled that this little animal would do that.  My first thought was that he was hungry, and I was trying to determine what he would eat, and I fell asleep again. 

The first thing on my mind this morning was the visit from this wonderful little fellow, and I knew that he had a big message for me.   I looked up Chinchilla in Wikipedia and found that they come from the ANDES which is where the Munay-Ki Rites that I teach also originate.  The explanation of the naming of Chinchilla says that they are named after the Chincha people who live high in the Andes.

Chinchilla has big eyes, round ears and thick silky fur.  It is watchful, playful, and not afraid to explore the world around it.  Chinchilla instinctively knows when to advance and to retreat by using their acute observation skills.  Their species survives because they understand timing.  The message to me is that I must choose the right time to act, and intuitively I will know the right type of action to take.  The acting is to be more instinctive than analytical.  Everything right now is about balance.  We are now in the time of change. 

Chinchilla knows what it is like to have the world change drastically around you.  For thousands of years, Chinchilla played high in the Andes, providing clothes to the natives in the area.  Then the white man came, and tried to capture them and to decimate the population.  Chinchilla makes a variety of clicks and chitters.  Each sound is a specific message.  Some of this language was developed while it was under siege.  One of its lessons, then, is about finding efficient communication to alert others and to exchange information.

Chinchillas make very loving pets.  They are very alert, and serve as a "watch dog" for families where a much larger animal does not fit.  The life span of a Chinchilla averages twelve years, but some live as long as twenty plus years.  The key to this longevity is that the Chinchilla eats mostly a vegetarian diet, absorbs nutrients efficiently, and does not regurgitate food.  It effectively works toxins out of its system over time.  Because Chinchilla is very food sensitive, it may be bringing messages that one must watch their food intake and avoid toxic items such as alcohol and nicotine, and over the counter drugs.  Chinchilla is about being in balance.  It comes when one is out of balance.

May your life return to balance and be filled with grace!

Judith

Ancestors Speak - About Death

A typical graveyard, located adjacent to a church from Wikipedia.....

 

 

 

Earlier this year, my father passed away and then I found this beautiful poem that describes how death looks....Right now the world is looking at death almost daily and it seems that this poem fits for that as well.....

DEATH IS NOTHING

Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped away into the next room.
Whatever we were to each, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me. Pray for me.
Let my name be the household word it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was;
there is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of your mind
because I am out of your sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near just around the corner...
All is well. Nothing is past, nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before,
only better, infinitely happier
and forever we will be one together.  ~~~Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)~~~~

May all in your life be gentle!

Judith

Ancestors Speak - A Parable of Two Wolves

This picture of wolves is from Microsoft Clipart....

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life...

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

"One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.

"The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

"This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather,

"Which wolf will win?"

The old chief simply replied,

"The one you feed."

Author Unknown

I love this parable and I am grateful that the Cherokee have shared this with the rest of the world.   Blessings on your journey,

Judith

Buddha Speaks - Daily Necessities

A Statue of the Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India  From Wikipedia

 

 

 

I enjoy the teachings of Buddha and all of the various advices from Buddhist teachers.... the following daily advice is something that "zinged" through me and made me feel like I had discovered a hunk of gold in a cold stream. 

Tips & pointers for building a spiritual life from scratch

Pray
Meditate
Be aware/Stay awake
Bow
Practise yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
Create/Envision
Let Go/Forgive/Accept
Walk/Exercise/Move
Work/Serve/Contribute
Listen/Learn/Enquire
Consider/Reflect
Cultivate oneself/Enhance competencies
Cultivate contentment
Cultivate flexibility
Cultivate friendship and collaboration
Lighten up
Celebrate and appreciate
Dream
Give thanks
Evolve
Love
Share/Give/Receive
Walk softly/Live gently
Expand/Radiate/Dissolve
Simplify
Surrender/Trust
Be born anew
~~~~~from Awakening The Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das

Feel the peace and enjoy the journey!

Judith

Buddha Speaks - About Teachers

Image from Microsoft Clipart.....

I was talking with a young lady that was interested in taking some training with me.  Our discussion was about teachers and why one needs to be careful about the teacher, for, some teachers seem to get into a 'control' mode that creates a rift between the student and teacher that never heals.  I explained that I was a student who experienced this type of pressure from a teacher, and how it really put me off of training with anyone.  I also explained that it is a good idea to test to see whether one should go to a workshop or go to work with a certain teacher. 

I have learned that the Buddha wisdom of the Four Reliances is great advice when it comes to learning and teaching.

The Four Reliances
First, rely on the spirit and meaning of the teachings, not on the words;
Second, rely on the teachings, not on the personality of the teacher;
Third, rely on real wisdom, not superficial interpretation;
And fourth, rely on the essence of your pure Wisdom Mind, not on judgmental perceptions.  ~~Buddha~~

May all your teachers be wise and loving,

Judith

Tarot Discussion - How To Understand "The Fool" - Card Zero

Image from the Osho Zen Transformation Tarot

 

 

When people come to me to learn how to read the Tarot cards, I tell them that they must find a deck or two that feel right to them.  If they do not already have a sense of a deck, I usually start them out on two of my favourite decks - either the Universal Tarot by Maxwell Miller or the Zen Transformational Tarot by Osho.  Although the Zen deck reflects a Buddhist path, the journey depicted in the cards is true of most people's lives.

The first card in any Tarot deck is "The Fool".  I love this card because it is a happy card.  It speaks of innocence and joy!  Who of us does not want to achieve a state of joy that provides harmony in all that we do?

The first step in understanding any card is to look at the picture , at the central figure or item, and then look at all the supporting pictures or symbols as we move out from the central picture.  In this card, the picture of a young man or woman - possibly in their late teens or early twenties - is looking expectantly into the sky, and offering a charming bouquet of flowers to whomever they seem to see.  The uncomfortable part of this figure, for us, is that the person is dressed unusually colourful and is stepping off a cliff into space.  We say that this person is not acting normally and must be a fool to do something so dangerous. 

The opposite interpretation is probably more accurate and begins the message of this card.  The person stepping off the cliff does so with absolute trust, and shows their trust to the heavens - what we would call The Universe, Great Spirit, or Mother/Father God - by offering a gift, and showing no hesitation in taking this BIG step.  We may even feel some jealousy that someone is able to take that big a risk without any fear.  Fear is so pervasive in our lives that we believe all people should feel fear.

As we move out to examine the rest of the picture, it becomes clear that even if the Fool falls from the cliff, the river below will cushion the fall and carry the person on a great adventure.  The clouds lie below the person and give the impression of big, pillowy cushions that will soften any fall or journey the person may take.  Indeed, the individual will step off into LOVE and experience the ONENESS of all.  This card shows how we may depend on NATURE to carry us just as the ANGELS carry us.

Osho says: "A fool is one who goes on trusting; a fool is one who goes on trusting against all his experience. You deceive him, and he trusts you; and you deceive him again, and he trusts you; and you deceive him again, and he trusts you. Then you will say that he is a fool, he does not learn. His trust is tremendous; his trust is so pure that nobody can corrupt it……………In the beginning it is going to be very difficult. The world will start taking advantage of you...let them. They are poor fellows. Even if you are cheated and deceived and robbed, let it happen, because that which is really yours cannot be robbed from you, that which is really yours nobody can steal from you." Osho Dang Dang Doko Dang Chapter 2

If this card turns up in a reading, the querent is being asked to return to their natural state and to trust their instinct.  It is about knowing that the message from The Universe is true, and that any action taken is fully supported by the ONENESS of all things.  You may ANGER some by your actions, however, this card is about TRUST.

May your journey be an adventure unhindered by your family and friends.

--Judith--   I love to hear your comments, so email me at judy@angelsandancestors.com.

Karma Yoga Thoughts... A Meditation

Picture from Microsoft Clipart...

 

If anyone speaks ill of you,  Praise him always.

If anyone injures you,  Serve him nicely.

If anyone persecutes you,  Help him in all possible ways.  

You will attain immense strength. 

You will control anger and pride.

You will enjoy peace, poise and serenity.

You will become divine               ~~Swami Sivananda ~~

 

To learn more about Swami Sivananda, see   http://www.poetseers.org/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/india/swami_sivananda/

May this poem that has become a meditation provide you with much to think upon...

Judith

Ancestors Speak - Holding Objects Sacred

Picture by  S. Roger Joyeux

Medicine Bag for Fetishes, Crystals, Feathers, Herbs, power items...

When our Ancestors began to understand and show respect for the wonderful world around them, they began to gather the items that represented "great magic" and to store them in their caves or huts.  As time went on, these items became altars or shrines, depending on the locale of the people. 

As hunters realized that some sort of luck was required to hunt their prey, they began to carry the symbol or fetish of the animal that they were hunting.  Sometimes they tied it around their neck.  Soon, if they were carrying several sacred items, they realized that they needed something more efficient then the haphazard way they had been carrying the objects.  The Shaman of the tribe created a sacred medicine bag or pouch for each person to carry their sacred objects in. 

This jade bear is one example of a fetish.

Picture credit to S. Roger Joyeux.

 

 

 

At Angels And Ancestors, we have a variety of tools used by shaman.   Send an email to judy@angelsandancestors.com to get a small catalogue of the items available such as sweetgrass, sage, and medicine bags.

May all your sacred objects carry much power!

Judith

Angels Speak - Abundance and Grace

The following two slides from Mary Robinson Reynolds movie entitled, "You are the Light", struck such a chord within me, I wanted to direct everyone's attention to this marvellous movie at www.youarethelightmovie.com which is linked to www.makeadifference.com.   Ms. Reynolds clearly is channelling a message from the Angels that talks about the movement from greed and corruption and scarcity, to a beautiful world filled with abundance, grace, and integrity.   When we walk the path that speaks to us, and we follow our true life purpose, everything happens so easily that we know --- THY WILL BE DONE --- not my will be done.  I don't mean Thy in terms of a Christian God or any other God/Goddess.  I mean THY - the Universe, the great consciousness that links us all together - be done. 

May you be peaceful and at ease!

Judith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ancestors Speak - Following in the Footsteps..

Devils' Trails Are The Worlds Oldest Human Footprints from ItvNews.tv  London: Scientists have confirmed that the oldest human footprints ever found, the Devils Trails in Italy, are 345,000 years old.

 

 

 

 

The Ancestors have been hovering around for a week now, and the feeling of excitement that their energy generates causes the dogs to bark, to play, and causes a truly uplifting and hopeful feeling in me!  Then today, a headline caught my eye, and I could see why some Ancestors are feeling quite energetic.  Once again, part of their mystery is being unravelled!  The article noted above talks about some of our Ancestors walking on the planet at least 345,000 years ago!  We have much cellular memory in us that we simply were not aware of. 

I was curious to see who the Homo Heidelbergenis man was, according to the archeologists.  Here is what Wikipedia says:

"Homo heidelbergensis ("Heidelberg Man") is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of Homo neanderthalensis in Europe. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H. heidelbergensis stone tool technology was considerably close to that of the Acheulean tools used by Homo erectus."

The article goes on to discuss that "heidelberg man" may also be one of the first beings in our history to have ceremony, and to bury their dead.  For too long, we have dismissed man kind that does not have our level of technology as "primitive".  Yet, it may be that what our Ancestors (and many aboriginals) can do with their minds, we humans in the twenty first century must do with created technology and machines.  Who is further ahead?  We have more fear in our lives now, in the generations after the atomic bomb, then our Ancestors could dream of.  They were respectful of the land.  Man, in our time, is a desecrater of the land. 

I honour the Ancestors that left the footprints in the rock, that showed their trek up and down the volcano. 

May you enjoy stories of the Ancestors!

Judith

Spirit Animal - How to Understand Moth

 Image of Moth and The Moon from Microsoft Clipart.

Today, as I work at my computer, a small moth has appeared and is sitting on the wall, looking at me, so that every time that I glance up, I must see her.   I did not pay any attention to the moth, at first, and then, as I could feel its presence more and more strongly, I started to listen.  I heard nothing!  Then I started to feel, and my transformation began.

Just as the butterfly is the image of transformation for Father God Sun, the Moth is the image of transformation and metamorphosis for the Mother Goddess Moon.  As October 14th is the next full moon, I could feel that the Goddess was sending me a powerful message. 

Atlas Moth from Wikipedia.  Note that Moths may be as colourful as butterflies!

 

Our Ancestors tell us that the "Moth" was so named because it brought information from the Goddess-Mother and carried back our requests and prayers.  In the movie "Lord of the Rings", Gandolf used a Moth to carry word of his plight to the Eagles.  Moth has always been able to travel between the darkness and the light with protection.  For those that believe the moth is attracted to the light, and then is destroyed by flame, consider the nature of the phoenix which must be consumed by flame before it can be released to the light.

One aspect of Moth that is a good message for those that Moth works with is - pay attention to what is being said, and not said.  Moth has ultra sonic hearing sensors on its legs and can hear noise that does not appear to exist (quite similar to the acute hearing skills of a Mother with her children when they are getting into mischief). 

Moth is also sensitive to environment - sound vibration, light, hot, and cold.  Moth asks that you pay attention to how sensitive you are/are not to the world around you.  The best question one can ask is, "Does the current situation need to be re-evaluated?  Is my integrity or other's integrity being compromised? 

Let Moth lead you to the light!

Judith

How To Interpret the Financial Decline of October 2008

This is the Thunderbolt (Major Arcana #16) card from the Osho Zen Transformational Deck. 

It is a great pictorial of what is happening to the financial world and the impact on most people.

In the Tarot decks, the Tower card is usually about change.  In this picture, you can see what looks like a tower inside the meditating person.  The Tower is struck by lightening and the resulting fire sweeps through the building causing men and women to leap out of the buildings. 

Osho's interpretation of the card describes the process that is now going on world wide in the financial institutions - with stocks, futures, and money.  See if you agree.

" The card shows a tower being burned, destroyed, blown apart. A man and a woman are leaping from it not because they want to, but because they have no choice. In the background is a transparent, meditating figure representing the witnessing consciousness.

You might be feeling pretty shaky right now, as if the earth is rocking beneath your feet. Your sense of security is being challenged, and the natural tendency is to try to hold on to whatever you can. But this inner earthquake is both necessary and tremendously important - if you allow it, you will emerge from the wreckage stronger and more available for new experiences.

After the fire, the earth is replenished; after the storm the air is clear. Try to watch the destruction with detachment, almost as if it were happening to somebody else. Say yes to the process by meeting it halfway."

    ---- Osho----

This shakedown of what we believe in financially, is now headed for change.  It is what is needed.

Karen Bishop in this weeks Energy Alert from What's Up On Planet Earth, describes it this way:

"Another common scenario of moving from one vibrational level to another, is having an experience of seemingly everything breaking and needing to be repaired or fixed. What is occurring here, is that there is now a vibrational mis-match, and things need to be adjusted, or “fixed.” We have to set up new alignments for the new, and this is simply part of the process." - Karen Bishop

We are in the process of the Thunderbolt of change hitting us all in the pocket book because the way the economy works now needs to change....

Have a wonderful ride for the next several weeks as we go through the rollercoaster/tower ride!

Judith

Tarot Discussion - How To Read Eight of Cups in a deck called "Tarot"

                                                                       This picture of the Eight of Cups comes from a deck called simply, "Tarot".  The illustrations are by Gwen Galeone, published by Running Press.

 

 

 

 

The backside of each deck is beautifully illustrated with a colourful display of Sun, Flowers, clowns or fools juggling objects, and the offsetting weight of a quarter moon.

 

 

 

When a card shows up as an answer to a specific question, it usually raises the question of "how do I interpret this card?"  This deck is a very easy deck to learn to use to understand the basic Tarot .  Even if you don't have a guide book handy, you can use the pictures on the card to give you meaning, and, usually one will get some instant words in their mind - claircognizance or clear knowing - that will aid the interpretation.

So, let's start this process by looking at the card.

1.  There are two ways to analyse a card, either from the outside in, or from the inside frame to the outside.  Let's begin from the inside frame.

2.  The picture is of a youngish man in a tea cup (the suit of cups).  The first thought should be to identify what "cups" means.  It usually means emotions, or love, or happiness.  We are therefore, working with emotions.

3.  He wears a hat that has an upside down heart on it, and the cup is ringed with hearts, alternating right side up and upside down.  This is close to the saying, "He/She loves me, He/She loves me not!"  This confirms that we are working with emotions, and probably with love or a love relationship.

4.  The young man is sitting in the cup which sits on the water.  Water is also the symbol for emotions, and may define any emotion.  As the cup is sitting high on the water, we can interpret that "emotions are riding high".

5.  Instead of enjoying the ride, the young man is introspective and sad as his knees are drawn up to his chest (protecting his heart) and he looks into the cup.  If he was enjoying the ride, he would be at the edge of the cup, most likely dangling his fingers in the water.  We may interpret this as "thinking deeply about the relationship".

6.  Additionally, when one has their arms crossed over their heart, or some protection over their heart, such as his knees are protectively covering his heart, we may interpret that he is concerned about the love he his pondering.  He is worried that it might hurt him.

7.  If we look at the big picture, we see a lone male in an unsuitable boat, floating on the water.  This picture of being out on the water looks fool hardy, and may show that much courage and some self sacrifice will be required for the relationship to move forward. 

8.  The overall interpretation of the card then becomes....... in this situation about love and/or emotions (whether an affair of the heart or a new position at the office), the querent is uncertain, and may need to be content with the way things are unless they are willing to put themselves out front and make some unique sacrifice to move the situation forward.  If they are willing to move forward, they must be a bit thick skinned because most often, risky behaviour draws negative comments before it wins others over.

May all your cards be happy, successful cards!

Judith

Spirit Animal - How To Display Trust - Mother Duck

In earlier blogs, I have featured the intelligence of animals, and how they now use human knowledge to navigate their world - specifically I featured a Mallard Duck's story in http://angelsandancestors.blogspot.com/2008/07/celebrating-new-family-of-ducks-man.html

and the story of a very smart sheep in http://angelsandancestors.blogspot.com/2008/09/imitation-is-sincerest-form-of-flattery.html

Yesterday, one of my friends sent me the coolest story of a duck trusting her instincts and going to a policeman for help to save her babies.  This Mother is a shining example of faith, of extreme love for her young, of the way Nature is changing with all of her children, and it is simply a great story about having the spirit to survive regardless of the obstacles.  Animals and birds are like humans, our future survival depends on the survival of our children.  And this Mother Duck has it right!

May all your instincts be for the greatest and highest good!

Judy  (Send me any interesting animal stories and I will include them!  judy@angelsandancestors.com)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mother duck's 'bird brain' saves ducklings
She grabs police officer by pant leg to lead him to her brood trapped under grate
Nicholas Read Vancouver Sun

Ray Peterson, Special to the Sun / Mother duck shows police officer where her ducklings fell through a grate into a sewer underneath the Granville Street Bridge.

Don't mention 'bird brains' to Ray Petersen, because after what happened this week, he won't hear a word of it.

Petersen, a community police officer for Granville Downtown South, was walking in the 1500-block Granville Street (directly under the Granville Bridge) Wednesday morning when a duck came up and grabbed him by the pant leg. Then it started waddling around him and quacking.

'I thought it was a bit goofy, so I shoved it away,' Petersen said in an interview.

But the duck, a female (he thinks it was a mallard), wasn't about to give up that easily. Making sure she still had Petersen's eye, she waddled up the road about 20 metres and lay on a storm sewer grate.

Petersen watched and thought nothing of it.

'But when I started walking again, she did the same thing. She ran around and grabbed me again.'

It became obvious to him then that something was up.

So when she waddled off to the sewer grate a second time, Petersen decided to follow.

'I went up to where the duck was lying and saw eight little babies in the water below. They had fallen down between the grates.'

So Petersen took action. He phoned police Sergeant Randy Kellens, who arrived at the scene and, in turn, got in touch with two more constables.

'When they came down, the duck ran around them as well, quacking. Then she lay down on the grate,' Petersen said.

While Kellens looked over into the grate, the duck sat on the curb and watched.

Then the two constables, John Schilling and Allison Hill, marshalled a tow truck that lifted the grate out of position, allowing the eight ducklings to be rescued one by one with a vegetable strainer.

'While we were doing this, the mother duck just lay there and watched,' Petersen says.

Once the ducklings were safe, however, she set about marching them down to False Creek, where they jumped into the water.

Kellens followed them to make sure they were all right, but elected to remain on shore.

The experience has changed Petersen's mind about ducks. He thinks they're a lot smarter than he used to.

And while he never ate duck before, he says he wouldn't dream of it now.

Spirit Animal - Faith

Sometimes a story comes to me that is just the lesson that I need at the moment.  This morning, I was wondering what would happen if I had to change my lifestyle and my teaching because of stuff that is coming up which I simply need to deal with.  The word that I heard as I was walking was "Faith".  I said, "I know I have to have faith.  I just don't see how that will move me forward at the moment.  When I got back into my office and checked my email, the following story was one of the first emails that I opened.  I realized that my problems were very small, and that all I need to do is look at them in a different way.

I hope that this story inspires you as it did me.  And, I thank the original author that sent this story out, knowing the world needs this lesson.

Judy

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This is ' Faith '
This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002.  He was born with 3 legs - 2 healthy hind legs and 1 abnormal front leg which need to be amputated.  He of course could not walk when he was born.  Even his mother did not want him.


His first owner also did not think that he can survive.  Therefore, he was thinking of ' putting him to sleep ' .  
By this time, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted to take care of him.  
She is determined to teach and train this dog to walk by himself. 

Therefore she named him ' Faith ' .


In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfing board to let him feel the movements.  Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and reward for him to stand up and jump around.  Even the other dog at home also helped to
encourage him to walk.  Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on his 2 hind legs and jumped to move forward.  After further training in the snow, he now can walk like a human being.


Faith loves to walk around now.  No matter where he goes, he just attracts all the people around him. He is now becoming famous on the international scene.  He has appeared on various news-papers and TV shows.  There is even one book entitled ' With a little faith ' being published about him.  He was even considered to appear in one of the Harry Potter movies.


His present owner Jude Stringfellew has given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to preach that even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul ' .

In life there are always undesirable things.  Perhaps we would feel better if we changed our point of view to see things from another direction.
I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone can appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day that follows.  Faith is the continual demonstration of the Strength of Life!!

Spirit Animal - Hummingbird

Hummingbird known as Green Violet-ear as shown in Wikipedia

Hummingbirds are one of the most fascinating little creatures because they can fly backwards and forwards and they are able to hover, like a helicopter for periods of time. 

In the Munay-Ki Rites, the hummingbird is the archetype of the third chakra in the Harmony Rites.  Hummingbird also represents the "winds of the north" in the Inca Shamanic tradition.  One of the reasons is that the Hummingbird makes a journey north each year to North America, and then returns from the North, in the fall to the warm, flowery climates of Central and South America. 

Hummingbird is about understanding the sweetness of life, about being able to go long distances on little food, and using great courage.  Hummingbird also represents the pioneer spirit of finding new lands and moving between worlds.  When working with Hummingbird, we may ask it to bring in our Ancestors or the Old Ones who may come from their spirit place and share knowledge with us.

Hummingbirds bring the message that stamina and perseverance is important in one's life.  One must build themselves up to be strong so that their life force is not depleted by those drawing on them for energy.  Another message that hummingbird brings to those that it appears to, is that the human must watch his or her digestive system, and that they must not take in too much sugar.

May you all find sweetness in your life as hummingbird does!

Judith        Do you have a good hummingbird story?  Will you share it?  Please send it to me at judy@angelsandancestors.com.

Angels Speak - Anger

  Volcano erupting from Microsoft Clipart

 

One of the things that is happening in this quickening time as the Earth changes and as energy changes, is that people who have control and anger issues are feeling more and more out of control, and their anger is erupting more frequently.  These people are like an active volcano ready to explode and spew lava all over. 

The Angels tell us to give our anger away to them and let them transmute it since the anger is like a huge anchor that keeps us from a higher vibration.

Karen Bishop in www.whatsuponplanetearth.com talks about the old energies fighting to retain control in here newest Energy Alert of October 6th. She says..

"The energies of the old are frightened now. They know at some level that they are leaving. In this way, they are becoming ever more difficult to interact with, as fighting, fear, nastiness, and an extreme effort to maintain some kind of control has the lower vibrating energies by the coattails. When those of us embodying more light begin our attempt at departing into the higher realms, our departure can be met with grasping and holding on by the old. Like a swimmer attempting to rescue someone who is drowning, the rescuer can easily be forced under and dragged down by the one who is drowning."

When anger erupts, know that the person who is very angry is drowning!  He or she has not kept up with their work, and they are now out of control.  If they do not ask for help, no one can help them.  We must let them go through their own lesson and let them go.

May your days be peaceful!

Judith  (judy@angelsandancestors.com)  See a previous blog on anger at http://angelsandancestors.blogspot.com/2007/11/about-anger-and-releasing-it.html

Spirit Animal - Ostrich

This wonderful picture of a giraffe and an ostrich having a chat, came in a slide show in an email. I don't know who to give photo credit to, however, Bravo! for a great picture.

Ostrich walks the Mother Earth because it cannot fly. It therefore, must gather all of its wisdom from the Earth. By walking all the time, Ostrich is totally grounded even though its neck, which is about truth and spiritual truth, is very long and reaches to the Heavens to bring down Divine information, just as Giraffe does. Ostrich has very large eyes and tends to appear dreamy and unfocused, often fooling those who would steal up on it kill it for its skin and feathers. Ostrich will either flee on its incredibly long, speedy legs, or will turn and fight with death dealing kicks. The very young birds or injured birds camouflage by lying flat on the ground and burying their heads in the sand.

If Ostrich appears to you, it brings messages such as:

-check to see if you are grounded, and if not, walk the Earth with bare feet, if possible.

-are you too dreamy with your thoughts and eyes sky ward instead of paying attention to what is around you on the Earth?

-is it time to be a little less visible? Have you been attracting those energies that do not agree with you?

-do you need to take a look at those around you to determine if they are true friends? Perhaps it is time to “kick” some of them out of your space.

-is it time to work on your clairvoyance so that you truly “see” what is really going on around you?

Ostrich feathers have long been considered a valuable possession. The feathers are used by the Egyptian Goddesses, especially the Goddess Maat, to symbolize truth and justice. If Ostrich is appearing to you now, perhaps it is time to take a look at any injustices you are feeling around you. Are you the cause or the recipient of injustice? Perhaps it is time to let truth prevail.

May you see each moment clearly!

Judith (Send me your ostrich stories to judy@angelsandancestors.com)

Ancestors Speak - Remembering October

 

Mountain Ash in our backyard in October 2008 -- picture by Judith Hirst-Joyeux.

October, and fall in general, is my favorite time of the year.  All my life, very good things have happened to me in the fall and particularly in October.  In fact, several of my changes of employment have occurred in October, between the 20th of the month and the 31st, All Hallow's Eve, or Samhain, and also the end of the summer.

I was researching October unsatisfactorily until I found Zsuzsanna Budapest's book, "The Grandmother of Time".  She has amazing information about the month.  One of the facts that I found interesting is that in the Roman Calendar, October is the eighth month --- the month of infinity when using sacred numbers.  Under the Gregorian calendar, October became the tenth month.

October's message, per Z. Budapest, is "to let go, to clean, and to remember".  This resonates for me with remembering the Ancestors, particularly at October 31. 

The big activity, and no surprise to anyone who lives north of the fortieth parallel, is to prepare for winter. 

The manifestation is the IVY.  The synchronicity of this is that one of my clients brought me a gift yesterday - a potted red dragon plant surrounded by three small ivy plants, together with a plant decoration in the form of a large black dragonfly.

Did I mention that the full moon of October is called the Blood Moon?

Enjoy the crunch of the leaves and the promise of renewal of October.

Judith

Spirit Speaks - Listening to your body

 Ballerina from Microsoft Clipart

Each of us is unique - in our height, weight, colouring, and in what we enjoy doing.  We do the things that speak to us, as the ballerina in the picture does.  Not many of us can be dancers because we do not have the body or the desire to to dance in the fashion of ballet.  However, sometimes our bodies cry out just to dance for joy, or to sing because we are happy and love life!  How often do you suppress these joys?  How often do you dishonour your body?  It is a living organism that will survive without our working mind, as science has proven.

As I move further into the journey of Angels And Ancestors, I find it easier and easier to listen and really hear my body.  I was looking for a way to explain this to my students, when I came across this quote from OSHO.  I believe this is more eloquent than any phrasing I may use.

"Your body has its own wisdom — it carries the wisdom of the centuries in its cells.

Your body is feeling hungry and you are on a fast, because your religion says that this day you have to fast — and your body is feeling hungry. You don’t trust your organism, you trust a dead scripture, because in some book somebody has written that this day you have to go on a fast, so you go on a fast.

Listen to your body. Yes, there are days when the body says, “Go on a fast!” — then go. But there is no need to listen to the scriptures. The man who wrote that scripture has not written it with you in his mind, not at all. He could not have conceived of you. You were not present to him, he was not writing about you. It is as if you fall ill and you go to a dead doctor’s house and look into his prescriptions, and find a prescription and start following the prescription. That prescription was made for somebody else, for some other disease, in some other situation.

Remember to trust your own organism. When you feel that the body is saying don’t eat, stop immediately. When the body is saying eat, then don’t bother whether the scriptures say to fast or not. If your body says eat three times a day, perfectly good. If it says eat one time a day, perfectly good."  ~~Osho~~

What Osho says is that our body, with all the past knowledge it carries, is both our Ancestor and our self in one.  We need to listen to the wisdom or our Ancestors.

In loving kindness,

Judith

Karma Files - Skills of the Mind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orbs in our fir tree off the deck - Picture by Judith Hirst-Joyeux on July 25th.

There are four orbs in this picture. However, several of them are difficult to see.  They are almost hidden in that they blend in so well.  Some of us, however, are now able to see orbs without the aid of digital cameras.  Our mind now recognizes them and has translated this image into one that our physical eyes should recognize.  Humans are very gifted in this way - we can take images that we see over time, or in dream time, and we can bring them in to reality.

I did not really understand the significance of this ability until I worked through a karma clearing session triggered by receiving a deep cut to the forehead over my left eye.  I wrote about this incident in  http://angelsandancestors.blogspot.com/2008/09/struck-by-light.html.

I had the stitches taken out of my head on Sunday, and although the cut looked quite healed, the wound opened up when the last stitch was out.  The obvious question then becomes "What's that all about?"  I took the question to Great Spirit, and found that indeed, I did need to work through a karma clearing meditation about the wound to the head.

When I asked to be taken back to see the movie that would relate to the wound on my head and the subsequent bumps that I was receiving, I popped back to a time about one million years ago.  The scene that I saw was a prehistoric or cave man strapped into a chair of some sort.  There were beings draped in white gathered around him.  The cave man had some sort of gadget cap strapped to his head.  He was deathly afraid.  It appeared that this cave man - he was small at about four and a half feet - could use his mind to lift things out of his way, such as boulders or fallen trees.  He could also "sing" the animals to be peaceful, if they were ferocious, and he could communicate with his pack without sound. 

The beings were trying to pull the way that he did these things from his mind so that they could duplicate the thought wave patterns.  In their quest to learn his abilities, they did not pay attention to what was required to keep the cave man alive - a good source of oxygen and the right atmospheric pressure.   The short story is that the cave man died with high emotion because of the situation and the contraption around his head.  His pack felt his trauma and they hid their mind skills and learned sound communication. 

When I watched this to completion and asked for healing of this lifetime, I felt the pressure around my head lessen.  I felt some sadness and asked for a blessing for the Ancestors.

Judith

Ancestors Speak - The Age of Reason

                                                              Transformation tree in Fishcreek Park - photo by Judith Hirst-Joyeux, September 2007

More and more the ancestors are coming through to talk to those of us in the third dimension.  Some of what they talk about is remembering the old ways - the ways of living in harmony with Mother Earth, and where everything is done with a prayer or a request for blessing of the work. 

In South Africa, the Zulu Sangoma, the traditional Shaman, believe that all that manifests in the physical as illness or injury, whether emotional, mental, or spiritual, is about the Ancestors coming in to one's body to fulfil a story.  Sangoma also believe that the Ancestors may be warning us to pay more attention to the details.

The following story was emailed to me by my friend, Sandra.  It makes me think  that perhaps the Ancestors are right in their thinking that reason is an innate skill that is disappearing.  This story is a true story.  Here is how it appeared in my email.

Sometimes it DOES take a Rocket Scientist!! (true story)

Scientists at Roll Royce built a gun specifically to launch dead chickens at the windshields of airliners and military jets, all traveling at maximum velocity. The idea was to simulate the frequent incidents of collisions with airborne fowl to test the strength of the windshields. American engineers heard about the gun and were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high-speed trains.

Arrangements were made and a gun was sent to the American engineers. When the gun was fired, the engineers watched in shock as the chicken hurled out of the barrel, crashed into the shatterproof shield, smashed it to smithereens, blasted through the control console, snapped the engineer's back-rest in two and embedded itself in the back wall of the cabin.

The horrified engineers sent Rolls Royce the film of the disastrous results of the experiment, along with the designs of the windshield and begged the British scientists for suggestions.
You're going to love this...... Rolls Royce responded with a one  line memo…………………………

Defrost the chicken  !!! 

May you have an eye for detail, and may it serve you well.

Judith

Angels Guidance - Listen, Know, See, Feel

Picture of a picture of angels with roses in the foreground by Roger Joyeux.  Joytography

All my life, I have had angels and I have been able to hear them.  Many people say having this skill or ability, makes me a clairaudient.  I have a different take.  I think that this skill is available to anyone who is sitting in prayer or in meditation.  I think that the knowledge that comes during these times is in the forms of hearing, knowing, seeing, and feeling.  I think that sometimes these four items are so interconnected that we cannot tell them apart. 

Hear what is in the silence.  I ask that each of you be silent - that is - do not talk for an hour as you do various things at work or at home.  Simply listen to all the information that comes in as you ask questions about why something is the way that it is.  Ask for a sign that the information is coming from the Divine.  The sign is a symbol so the symbol may be a feather, a song, a picture, a penny, or any thing that resonates for you.

Know that we all are cared for by our guardian angels, and the lineage of angels that agreed to our soul contract which was put together before we came to earth.

See the difference in your life when you talk with the angels.  You will feel calmer, happier, and fear will disappear.

Feel the presence of warmth around you when there is no cause for warmth.  Feel the peace around you when others seem to be in chaos.  Feel the grace that is available when you concentrate on the present, and forget the past.

Blessed be!

Judith