Halloween Blessings!

This picture comes from an email about all the different patterns that one can get for carving pumpkins.

Halloween has always been considered a “scary” night in North America for the last fifty years.  Imagine, however, that our Ancestors, who first migrated to Canada, worked to homestead the prairies.  They did not even think about Halloween.  October 31st was just another day for them.  In some belief systems, October 30 – 31 and November 1 are days for the celebration “Feast of the Dead”, to honour deceased relatives (ancestors). 

The “scariness” has come from the big corporate marketing plans to create a time to get people to buy costumes and candy.  The focus has turned away from the simplicity of going to have a meal at the tomb or graveside of those that have gone before.

Now, we do not say special prayers or blessings to the Ancestors to ask them, along with the Angels, to watch over us and our families.

My blessing for you is that this day is filled with memories of the wonderful things that those who have died, have done that have helped your journey.  

Judy@angelsandancestors.com   Watch for the November Magazine at www.angelsandancestors.com

Ascended Masters Speak – A Formula from Rhom

This formula is a gift from Rhom to a friend of ours.  He has asked Roger and I to share this formula with as many people as possible. 

 

MXY 23LZ = YZ4 01

 

Each person will either recognize the formula, or not.  For each person that recognizes the formula, you will have a slightly different understanding of the formula than the next person.

I would love to hear what your knowing of this formula is, and how you will use it.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Buddha Speaks - Tranquility’s Power

There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...

not going all the way and not starting.

Buddha

This is a Zen story about the power of calmness. 

 

A master of the tea ceremony in old Japan once accidentally slighted a soldier. He quickly apologized, but the rather impetuous soldier demanded that the matter be settled in a sword duel. The tea master, who had no experience with swords, asked the advice of a fellow Zen master who did possess such skill. As he was served by his friend, the Zen swordsman could not help but notice how the tea master performed his art with perfect concentration and tranquility. "Tomorrow," the Zen swordsman said, "when you duel the soldier, hold your weapon above your head, as if ready to strike, and face him with the same concentration and tranquility with which you perform the tea ceremony."  The next day, at the appointed time and place for the duel, the tea master followed this advice. The soldier, readying himself to strike, stared for a long time into the fully attentive but calm face of the tea master. Finally, the soldier lowered his sword, apologized for his arrogance, and left without a blow being struck.

After you read this story, gage your reaction to it.  Does your mind tell you that this is impossible?  Why do you think that?  Does your anger flare up and get you into trouble?  Have you ever experienced the power of tranquility?  What is the gift in this story?  Why did the soldier back down? 

May you find the first seeds of tranquility here.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com   Watch for the November magazine at www.angelsandancestors.com

Spirit Animal – Porcupine Baby

My friend, Roxanne, sent me the pictures, below.  The baby porcupine is just so cute!  I wondered why she showed up at this point in my life. 

 

She is here to tell me that all things start out small.  All things seem helpless and need a lot of work to get them to where they can be independent.  This truth applies to baby animals, humans, endeavours, projects, and businesses.  Adults find it hard to remember that a baby is small and does not have the same understanding of the world as someone who is seasoned.

However, the infant view of the world is that everything is big, beautiful and safe.  Everything is to be explored and tasted.  Everything is possible.  There are no limits!

When the infant is little, though, it is easy to exhaust it.  So, care must be taken to ensure that all things new are treated kindly and respectfully, and most of all, carefully. Pushing and pulling and impatience does not work with new things.  Like a stringed instrument, the new must be carefully tuned, and retuned, time and time again, until the perfect alignment of energy may be maintained.  Times of rest are necessary. 

When the “nursery” time is complete, the infant has become mature and is ready to take its place in this world.  And it happens, all in good time.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Angels Speak – Moon Energy

Picture from epath.wordpress.com

On October 22, 2010, the full moon was a portal for different frequencies to come to the planet. The frequencies are about:

• truth in our own lives,
• another layer of understanding and compassion (some call this Christ consciousness)
• understanding the connectedness of all things, and,
• clearing hopelessness.

The frequencies will super charge people’s experience with one another, and with animals.  All things in the past lives that have to do with truth, lack of compassion or even intolerance, the feeling of being alone and elite, and the hopelessness of life, are all going to jump up and hit people in the face so that these energies can be released and transmuted.  For some, this will be a releasing of karma.  For others, it will be closing a circle with those in their soul group.  However the work manifests, it will be powerful, and it will produce emotion.

Each person will need to find a way to ground the emotion and rebalance themselves for the next onslaught of events.  An easy way to ground is simply to go outside and dig your hands into the dirt or the sand.   If you have feelings that don’t seem to clear, soaking in a hot tub with 2 cups of Epsom salts will pull out the toxic emotion.  Then, go outside and ground.

Saying “thank-you” for each experience, and repeating that nine times will help balance out the energies very quickly as well. Meditating on the experience and energies moving through your body, and then dissolving in to purple light that whirls away, will also help release pent up energies. 

Take time to honour yourself and your journey, this week by spending some quiet time inside or outside.  You will feel better for the quiet.

Love and light,

Judy@angelsandancestors.com    To learn how to use crystals for bringing in specific light in your journey…

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here.

Spirit Animal – Dogging It!

Picture from farm3.static.flickr.com

One of the things that a dog knows how to do best is “sleep”.  I have read that a dog sleeps sixty to seventy percent of the time because the other thirty to forty percent is all that it needs to hunt for food.  Dog says, however, that sleeping is not just about resting – it is about healing and helping the body to use the food that Dog has eaten.  The proper digestion of food, and the clearing of toxins from Dog’s body, happens best when Dog is resting or sleeping. 

Dog says that the original expression “dogging it” meant that one followed the guidance of dog for eating.  This means eating only until you are full, eating that which is healthy for you, and drinking lots of water.  It also means resting after eating to allow the stomach to handle the food with all of the available energy of the body. 

Humans, according to Dog, eat far too much and do not allow enough time for digestion.  Having one big meal a day provides Dog with all the nourishment that Dog needs, and keeps Dog in trim shape.

Dog also says that by sleeping more, all dogs have a chance to be in dream time and have more time with their guides and to have experiences in different dimensions.  In dream time, Dog, like humans, spends time with the Higher Self to learn what lessons are needed or what work (service) needs to be done.  It is this guidance that has led Dog to become a “seer”, a “hearer”, and a guardian for humans.

Dog says that if you have a dog as a pet, that you should listen to it.  If the dog is over weight, it is taking on your problems and blockages, and that it is time for you to clear yourself, and that will clear your pet.

Better yet, take your dog for a walk!

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here.

Angels Speak – You Are More Than An Earth Bound Human!

"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security."

-- Albert Einstein

 

Wisdom Keepers – Mountain Ways

  

The mountain was imposing!

It called with force and dazzled with its light.

It showed me how I could climb up the path to converse with it.

“Come!” it said. “I have things to say to you.”

  

I felt the weight of all that it knew.

I wondered why it was calling me now, this hour.

What would be the benefit to me or to others if I climbed the mountain?

How many others has it called to?

I said, “No. Not today. I will not.

I have many purposes on this journey, and I travel home.

If you had called to me fifteen years ago, I would gladly meet you at the top.

Now, I have promises to keep.”

 

The mountain said, “You hear me!

Please come and converse with me so that I may speak.

Only the stars are here with me, and we speak almost every night about mystery.

I have so much to share, and stories to tell.”

“I love a good conversation,” said I.

“There are many who would climb and talk to you.

You, you are like the hermit on the mountain that knows the past and the future.

You have rock hard facts to prove your truth.”

And in dejection, the mountain moved away.

At first it was as though a cloud settled into the valley.

Then it seemed like the fog was rising up from the river and from the trees, and even the rocks.

A curtain was drawn so that I could not see.

 

Before my next breath, the mountain disappeared!

The veil that was so thin one moment before, was now gone.

I could not see the mountain and my heart yearned to be unfettered so that I could follow the pull.

I called for him, and he was gone.

I wept.

∞

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here.

See the October Magazine on line atwww.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Angels Speak – Abundance is Abounding

My friend, Diana, sent me an email with this wonderful picture in it.  I love the imagery of all the white, happy animals together, watching the star dust fall down, into the lady’s hands.

The Angels tell me that this is really happening now on the planet.  However, many people simply are not seeing the riches that are happening. They are focusing instead on all the things that seem to be going wrong.  The Angels say that when change happens, chaos seems like it has descended.  When a star is born, it comes from chaos and the density of a black hole.  When the birthing is finished, a beautiful, bright, shiny light shines from the heavens.

So it is with the changes on Earth.  The changes that we see in Canada are a stable interest rate, a dollar almost equal to the US currency, and many small businesses filling in the gaps in commerce by providing new products and new jobs.

The chaos that is apparent in some areas of the world are energies of “being led into balance”.  This means that for some people, the extreme must be reached before shift can happen.  The animals already are shifting.  Species are disappearing and new species are arriving.  More new star systems are coming into being as the harmonies (magnetism) of the galaxies changes.  “As above, so below.”

NGC 4414, a typical spiral galaxy in the constellation Coma Berenices, is about 17,000 parsecs in diameter and approximately 20 million parsecs distant. – from Wikipedia

The advice from the Angels – go looking for the abundance and grace that surrounds you.  If you find scarcity, trace it to the other end of the spectrum because it balances bountiful.  Meditate on what abundance exists in your life and where you can expand it.  Do not be afraid of your power. You too, have the “I AM” presence in you, and you can create what you need.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Goddess Energy - Eve

(Picture: Susan Boulet, from the Goddess Knowledge Cards)

One of the energies that surrounds us now, is the energy of beginnings.  And so it is that the energy of the goddess, Eve, is now here on the planet.  Eve is the keeper of knowledge on Earth – a job given to her, according to the story in the bible, by the Serpent.   With this knowledge, Eve was asked to become caretaker of the planet.  She accepted the task.

Over time, as she shared the knowledge with others, the others thought that their knowledge gave them more power than those people that did not have the knowledge.  So, instead of sharing what they knew, those with knowledge withheld the knowledge, and became secretive.  They became greedy and would not share their knowledge without charging some price for what they knew.  This was the beginning of “free” trade, and commerce was born. 

Eve had never intended for this to happen.  She intended that everyone would be kind and generous.  She has now returned to set things back in balance, and to undo the control and greed consciousness.

Meditate with her to see where your personal power lies, and who is trying to control you.  Then ask her for guidance on how to change this dynamic in a kind and loving way, with harm to none.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here.

See the October Magazine on line atwww.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Spirit Animal – Serpent/Dragon Blessing

 

Everyday for the last three days, Serpent/Dragon has shown up in my day.  She comes in as a picture, a rock, a story that someone shares, or simply in meditation.  Today, as I was working on my exercises in the course that I am taking, the rock with a serpent painted on it, slid down beside my computer. I swear the serpent winked!

The classification of serpent includes large snakes, dragons, and large lizards.  In most folk lore, snakes or serpents as the Ancestors called them, are about healing and changing.  If you remember the story written by Rudyard Kipling called “The Jungle Book”, one of the main teachers of Mowgli is the python, Kaa. In ancient tales, dragons and very large snakes are considered to be teachers, and strict disciplinarians.   The Egyptians called the etheric body, (or the light body, depending on your version of teachings) the “ka” or the light of the physical body.

I sat in meditation after my class for the day ended. ( I am taking an online class that started Monday and ends today – Friday.)  In the meditation, I learned that Serpent will be my new teacher and guide, and that Serpent will take various forms depending on the lessons that are in process.  

The first lesson is about being quiet and still.  Serpent knows how to remain very still for long periods of time so that it appears part of the environment.  This makes it easy to induce prey to move close to it.  It also allows Serpent long periods of rest where its body takes over on automatic pilot and the Serpent does not have to “do” anything.  Serpent tells me that I am too active and that I do not know how to be still, even when I am sleeping.  She asks me to cultivate stillness.  In stillness, one can hear the Universe and all the harmonies of life. 

I am endeavouring to find that stillness in myself. 

May you too, know stillness.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

 

The Story of Light: Through Heaven's Gates (Volume 2) [Paperback]

S. Roger Joyeux (Author), Judith L. Hirst (Editor)

Earth Keepers – The Earth Protects

I visited a wonderful spot close to Sorrento, BC, that has an old kiva, and one that is still used for gatherings today. 

A kiva is a house built into the earth – much like the fantastical hobbit house from Lord Of The Rings.  Construction varies, however, from place to place.  Generally, a pit is dug to the appropriate depth, and then logs are used to create a support structure which is then covered with earth.  On the traditional houses, the access was via a hole in the roof, down a ladder, to the floor of the kiva.  In the picture below, an access door has been built into the side of the kiva.

 

    

                      1                                                       2

  

            3                                                           4

1.  Old kiva that has not been used for a while.      2.  More recently built kiva, with easy access.  Unless you know where the kiva is, it is difficult to find because it blends with the Earth.   3.  Firepit in the kiva.  Along the sides of the kiva are storage areas and sleeping bunks. 4.  Inside of an old smoking house.   Pictures by J Hirst.

Being inside the Earth is a wonderful way to stay grounded and protected.  The Earth sends out warmth, even in the coldest times, and protects the inhabitants from the elements.  Living this close to the Earth makes it easy to understand why the people that lived here were great Earth Keepers.  They did, indeed, protect their home.

And, the grounding of Mother Earth helps the Spirit in each human body to remember that the job it has is to experience the 3D experience.  When one sleeps in the Earth, dreams are often more “earthy”, and will deal with the daily, physical interactions with the four elements, or with the six directions – east, south, west, north, below, and above.

When one sleeps on the earth or in the earth, the feeling or pulsing of the Earth becomes very noticeable.  Yes, the Earth breathes, sighs, groans, and laughs. 

I wish you Earth magic.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here.

See the October Magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

 

Angels Speak – The Wonder of Heaven’s Nursery

Several weeks ago, Roger and I were lucky enough to be part of a group that visited the The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory which is the principal astrophysical teaching and research facility of the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Calgary. It is situated south of Calgary, and was completed in 1972. 

One of the speakers that we heard talked about his specialty, the way a star dies.  In his discussion, he talked about nebulas, neutron stars, and black holes.  I now find that I go looking for interesting pictures of stars, planets, and all related discoveries, like the picture below.

The Eagle Nebula is a billowing tower of gas and dust that rises up from a heavenly nursery. This small piece of the Eagle Nebula is 57 trillion miles long!

From the site hauntinglybeautifulhubbleimages.blogspot.com

The night at the observatory was quite magical as you can see from the rainbows that seem to end over the large telescope building.

          

Picture by Judy Hirst, September 2010 of Rothenay Observatory large telescope building

The Angels say that by looking upwards, we can understand that most of what we do everyday is very insignificant in the way the Universe works.  Stars and planets and galaxies are born, live, and die, as humans do.  What makes humans so special, is that by living love, and directing love to what ever they are looking at, or that they are with, the human enhances the object.  As scientists have observed, whenever attention is focused on “something”, the nature of the “something” is changed. 

I think that perhaps it is not the object that is changed, but we who are changed simply by gazing at an object, like the Moon or the Sun or a nebula.

I wish you many happy moments of gazing at objects.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

From Judy – Happy Thanksgiving Canada

 

This year, we can be thankful for our family, our friends, our pets, our home, the work that we get to do, the fun that we get to have, and the experiences that family, friends, pets, home, and work provide for us – experiences that help us grow.

We can be thankful for having good water to drink and good food to eat and clothes that we can buy in the style that we choose.  We thank everyone that is involved in making good running vehicles and keeping the roads maintained so that we can move from place to place and that our water, food, and clothing is able to travel to us, if it is coming from far away.

We can be thankful that we have a vast array of services that make our lives easier than the lives that our Ancestors lead. 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  PS – I am thankful for all of the readers of this blog and for all of the wonderful comments and emails that people take the time to write! Thank you! J

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here.

See the October Magazine on line atwww.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Earth Keepers – The Power Of Takkakaw Falls

One of the places that we stopped on our trip home was Takkakaw Falls.  The setting for these magnificent falls is in Yoho National Park.  The falls are only accessible between June and October. 

Some details: Height: 1248 feet  Width: 100 feet  The Daly Glacier which feeds Takkakaw Falls is 3152 m (10,345 ft).

The pictures below were taken by S. Roger Joyeux and all copyrights remain with him, and these pictures are used with his permission.

 

 

Copyright 2010 S. Roger Joyeux and all copyrights remain with him, and these pictures are used with his permission

The power of the Falls is that it pulls down light frequencies and disburses them into frequencies that may be used by humans.  This is part of the awe that one feels at the foot of the falls.  You can take a hiking trail that leads you to the bottom of the falls and there you can be splashed with the spray and the extremely cold water.

The power of the Falls makes you feel humble and pushes ego to the side.  Some people have said that it is like sitting at the feet of God and feeling his strength.  For me, it was feeling the power of the Earth and the Universe combined into one message.  That message is to recognize our own power, and to act for the greater good. 

The falls calls to our true, high light, pure love selves. Indigenous people have gone to the Falls on vision quests.  Couples have made their vows at the Falls.  The peace that exists even with the roaring of the water in the falls and in the river, makes the place feel unearthly. 

Roger and I stayed and took pictures and did some ceremony.  We sat on the rocks just below the falls and meditated until we were interrupted by other hikers. Still, it was intense and satisfying. 

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here.

See the October Magazine on line atwww.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Spirit Animal – Grandmother Spider’s Words In New Moon Meditation

“Spider Woman is an important goddess among many south-western Native American tribes. Though occasionally destructive, she is nearly always portrayed as beneficent. The Keresan Spider Woman created everything there is by thinking, dreaming, or naming; she taught the people how to plant seeds.

Cherokee Grandmother spider brought people the sun and fire. She taught them pottery, weaving, and how to make ceremonial blessings. Spider Woman is responsible for bringing fire among the Pueblo, Tewa and Kiwa tribes. A spider woman called Biliku, found in the Indian subcontinent, also brought fire and light.

For the Hopi, Spider Woman is a creator who helped the people during their emergence, created the moon, has the power to give and take life, and is connected to hunting and agriculture.”
(Text: Michael Babcock, Picture: Susan Boulet, from the Goddess Knowledge Cards)

Great Spirit has many helpers who work tirelessly to spread love, light, and joy.  One of these helpers is Grandmother Spider. 

Grandmother Spider was our guide last night in the new moon meditation circle. She walked us through three meditations.  It is the first one which I would like to share with you.

Meditation of Words

Find a quiet place to sit. Ask the Archangels from the highest levels and planes to come and surround you and keep you safe while you do your meditation. Ask them to be above you and below you as you meditate.

Then, visualize a path before you that goes through a small meadow towards a grove of trees. 

Follow the path through the meadow and smell the fresh green grass and the deep mellow smell of the Earth.  These smells are so different than the smells in the city. 

As you get closer to the grove, see that this is a small grouping of trees – some pine, and cedar, some oak, some poplar, some mountain ash or rowan trees with their bright, red berries, and some saplings of poplar and maple with a few cranberry and saskatoon bushes to complete the grove. 

You can smell the pine and cedar, and they refresh you.

Now you enter the grove, and you see that it is actually a ring of trees around an open space.  In this space are five flat stones which are perfect for sitting on and meditating.

You go and sit on one of them.  You notice activity and you see that your guardian angels from the highest realms have also come to sit with you.  You feel safe and protected.

You close your eyes, and wait.

Soon Grandmother Spider comes into the circle and touches your shoulder.  You open your eyes.

She smiles at you and she gives you the gift of your words that you need to hear – words that are important for your life and your action right now.

Listen to them.

Repeat them so you can write them down later.

Grandmother Spider might then give you a little vision around the words.  Or, she might give you more information tonight in dream time.  Either way is perfect.

Thank Grandmother Spider for her words.

Sit quietly and meditate on the words.

When you are ready, thank your guardian angels for being present, and then take the path and follow it back to where you started.

When you are ready, return to the now moment.

Thank your Archangels for being present and protecting the space.

Sit quietly for a few minutes before going back to your regular routine.

Remember to write down your words!

*******************

Have a wonderful day!

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Join Roger for  CRYSTALS’ LIGHT WORKSHOP
Saturday/Sunday, November 20-21, 2010, 9:30am to 4:30pm both days
This is a comprehensive workshop that goes to the heart of how crystals work with light and our bodies for healing, balancing, and much more. See more about the workshop here. 

See the October Magazine on line atwww.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Spirit Animal – Bear Comfort

 

Picture from notesfromthebartender.wordpress.com

We give babies a teddy bear for comfort.  And, baby snuggles up to the teddy bear, and even cries if the bear is not present.  What is it that gives us comfort in this “bear” image?  Why are we not frightened, instead, of this representation of a large, fierce animal?

Well, Bear looks big and cuddly.  Bear is chubby and that says comfort and safety.  Bear hibernates through the winter so Bear is about sleeping through the tough times.  Bear eats honey so Bear is about sweetness.  Bear is a fisherman.  We all identify with the fisherman. Bear’s ears are just so darn cute!  And, Bear eats berries and grubs and roots and shoots.  All of these characteristics simply support the idea that Bear is not that scary.

When Bear comes to us as a power animal, do not be lulled into thinking that Bear is simply “of the Earth”.  The Greeks and Romans revered Bear so much that they named a constellation of stars after her. A different version of the story says that Zeus was so angry at the mother bear and her cub that he threw them up into the night sky to forever roam around the North Star.  

from www.nmm.ac.uk

So why does Bear come to us in times when we need comfort?  Well, when we need comfort, we are feeling weak or insecure.  Bear is a universal symbol of big and of power.  At our weakest, we need to be reminded that we have all the power that we require within us.  Bear, who hibernates, and who sleeps easily, reminds us to go in and reflect on what we do know and to honour our strengths.  Bear is about teaching the cub (often each of us) how to be a “big bear”.

I wish you a “bear” encounter.

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Buddha Speaks – The Goal of Spiritual Practice

Buddha picture from email

“…..Three stages of spiritual perspective…..initial, because it is divided into three levels of training: initial, in which the mind is turned away from ordinary concerns and inspired to turn to the spiritual path; intermediate, in which it is caused to turn from the pleasures of spirituality and meditation, and instead inspired to seek true freedom; and, thirdly, advanced, where it is inspired to turn from the delights of personal freedom and inner peace to the greater goal of universal consciousness.” from the book “Meditations To Transform The Mind” by the Seventh Dalai Lama; translated by Glenn H. Mullin.

Although the conference that I was at last weekend was not dealing with Buddhist teachings, the theme in each workshop certainly emphasized the process of spiritual growth, more or less in the three steps detailed above. 

The emphasis on letting go of the ordinary, the finding fault with every little thing in our lives, was the pervading theme.  We all have so much in our lives – family, friends, food, money, homes/houses, and lots of “stuff”.  Yet, we are constantly complaining about little things.  As an example, I do not like skins on my fruit.  The texture of peach or kiwi or even some apple skins bothers my mouth.  However, in the scheme of all that is this Earth, skins on fruit is insignificant. 

So why do we focus on these little things?  Well, if we keep our minds busy looking at these small distractions, then we do not have to focus on the big things that are going on.  Or, we do not have to look too deeply into self. 

Over the last year, every time I have resistance to eating a skin on a fruit, I ask myself, “Why?” and go deeper into the cause of my dislike.  I am finding that in past lives, I have had misadventures in eating fruit, and that somehow, my mind has coded that into the idea that the skins are a problem.  Well, that issue with skins is a work in progress for me.  I am trying to make it less significant in my life.  A fun thing has happened though, and that is that a new type of peach that does not have fuzzy skin, has been developed.  And, I can eat that peach, skin and all without difficulty.

What are some of the distractions that are keeping you from moving along your spiritual growth path? 

Yours in progress,

Judy@angelsandancestors.com     See the October Magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Spirit Animal – Sockeye Salmon Run And Life Purpose

One of the things that I have had on my bucket list, is to see the salmon run in the fall, as they go up river to spawn. I was able to do this last week, on Tuesday, along the Adams River, BC, where I watched the Sockeye Salmon run. We were there for about an hour and a half.

15 million Fraser River sockeye salmon will return home to BC after two years roaming the broad Pacific. Those adult sockeye that manage to avoid a host of predators (including fishermen) will battle the turbulent Fraser River and Thompson River 500 km into the heart of southern British Columbia. They will fight everything in their search for the streams that gave them life almost four years earlier.

Traveling at an average speed of 30 kilometres a day, the salmon do not slow to feed. Instead, they live off the fat stored during their two years in the salt waters of the Pacific. As their upstream battle consumes their body fat and tissue, they undergo a remarkable transformation. Their deep-sea blue-gray bodies gradually change to a brilliant crimson in their battle against such well-known obstacles as Hell's Gate Rapids on the Fraser and the many whitewater rapids on the Thompson.~~~from www.bcadventure.com/murphys/adamsriver/salute.htm

The pictures below give you a very small picture of the enormity of the run. The biggest part of the run hits on October 3, and we were there about five days earlier.

This is a picture of five Sockeye salmon who have managed to get up the Adams River and have entered the mouth of a quiet feeder stream. The fish are taking a breather before the actual spawning begins.

The Sockeye were coming in on the end of the Chinook salmon run so in some of the shallows, we could see very large, dark looking salmon that were the tale end of the Chinook spawn.

Here, you can see that although the body is quite pink or scarlet, the head of the Sockeye is green, and looks more like a pike head.

In this picture, a female is getting ready to deposit her eggs. The male is off on the side, waiting for her to begin her “dance”, and, at the same time, he is guarding against other males. The stream is shallow and his fin and back often breaks through the surface of the water.

We walked down stream to see the salmon along the side of the river bank. At times, the water at the bank looked quite reddish.

In this picture, the Sockeye have come up stream a long way from the Shuswap Lake. They have been battling rapids and they gather along the bank in the relatively quiet water to rest, before they continue their journey. The Adams River is about twelve kilometres long, and provides a huge nursery in the spring for the baby Sockeye.

The salmon are visibly tired when they move into the quiet water. However, as you watch them, you can see them gather up their resources to make the next leg of their journey.

This is another shot of a bank side resting place where the Sockeye are resting, or are coming in to the quieter waters to rest. The fish have nicks on their backs, and overly aggressive fish are already snapping at other salmon, and jockeying for a place close to a female.

(All pictures were taken by Judy Hirst in September 2010)

The salmon provide an extraordinary example of a life mission, one that they are willing to die for, rather than give up the quest. The need to keep the species going is a very powerful blueprint in their genes. If the salmon does not have the will power and the courage or destiny to make this run, the salmon population will decrease very rapidly.

The lesson to humans is to never give up. One of the teachings in success education is that too many people stop and give up their dream because they think it is too hard. People quit just before the success.

What is it that you need to complete?

judy@angelsandancestors.com

See the October Magazine on line at www.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Spirit Animal – Hummingbird in Action

I have received a wonderful hummingbird story from Susanne, and she has given me permission to share it on my blog. 

Thanks, Susanne!

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

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Dear Judy,
I have been fascinated by Hummingbirds for a long time, love watching and interacting with them and taking photos of them.

Recently, my husband and I were visiting our small rustic cabin in the mountains near San Diego. On a hot September day around noon I kept the front door open and  was sitting at the table in front of the open window looking out, enjoying the view into the forest.

All of a sudden I heard a humming noise inside the cabin and was surprised by a hummingbird flying right by me out of the window. That same same thing happened two more times, a hummingbird flew into the cabin through the open door, inspected everything red or orange inside the cabin and left through the open window, flying right by me. Then it came in again and I called my husband to come and see, what was happening. The moment he entered the room, the hummingbird flew towards the ceiling, pecked against the ceiling and the beams, appeared to be confused and could not find his way out. We tried for almost an hour in various ways to direct the hummingbird towards the open window,, tried to attract it with a hummingbird feeder. Nothing worked.  We started worrying, the little bird would die from exhaustion. Then I thought, I am going to try something else. I hang the feeder right outside the window, went inside and talked to the still confused hummingbird in a soft voice. Slowly and calmly I raised both hands and directed my energy towards the little bird. In an instant it appeared to calm down, flew down and sat down on the hummingbird feeder outside the window. It started drinking a little of the sugar solution I had prepared. I called my husband to come see this happening. There was enough time for him to come and be my witness, then the little hummingbird opened his/her wings and flew out back into his world.

I was really touched by this event. It appeared to me as if we were clearly communicating, the hummingbird and I. The following day it allowed me to take lots of nice photos of him. Then, when we packed up and got ready for our drive home, I saw the hummingbird sitting on a branch right above the door for quite some time. I said good bye to him, thanking him for his visit, wishing him well for his long trip to Mexico, which will be coming up, soon.

This was a very powerful experience, I thought to share with you. You are very welcome to post this story or a shorter version of it on your nice blog. I found it while looking for 'hummingbird and spirit 'on Google. I will visit your blog again, when I find some time. You are sharing wonderful stories and poems there.

Thank you for that,
With kind regards,
Susanne

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Again, thanks to Susanne for sharing this moment with Hummingbird!

See the October Magazine on line at

http://www.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf

Spirit Animal – Wolverine’s Power

During the week before our travels, and the week and half that Roger and I were travelling through the mountains, and visiting different places, I had a recurring vision where I was walking along a dirt path.  After walking about ten minutes (the time in my vision), a Wolverine walks out of the forest and stands and waits for me.  He sits up on his hind legs as I come closer, and then as I come close to him, he swipes my right arm, between the shoulder and elbow, and leaves three long claw marks.  The claw marks don’t bleed, and they close right over.  However, my arm hurts as though it was seriously wounded.  That hurt lasts for about five to ten minutes, and then disappears.

Not knowing what was going on, I repeatedly asked to see Wolverine in meditation so that I could ask some questions.  I simply received a grin and a wave from Wolverine.

Wolverine has many physical features that we recognize.  “The wolverine is a stocky and muscular animal. With short legs, broad and rounded head, and small eyes with short rounded ears, it resembles a bear more than other members of the weasel family. Its legs are short, while its large five-toed paws and posture facilitate movement through deep snow.  The adult wolverine is about the size of a medium dog, with a length usually ranging from 65–87 cm (25–34 inches), a tail of 17–26 cm (7–10 inches), and a weight of 10–25 kg (22–55 lb), though exceptionally large males can weigh over 31 kg (70 lb). ~~ from Wikipedia~~

 

Wolverine picture from Wiki Commons

As I looked at the physical description of Wolverine, I realized that in many ways, Wolverine was very much like a small, stocky human.  Wolverine’s range is northern Canada, Northern Siberia and Northern Asia.  Indeed, he could be one of the indigenous peoples of long ago.  In other words, he could be an Ancestor.  The warmth that I felt around this thought indicates that there is some truth to this.  Legends indicate that Wolverine is a master teacher in Northern lore, and that Wolverine teaches about getting in touch with, and in using one’s power to do the greater good.  He is what Buddhists call “the Universal Hero”. 

I realized then that I was in for some big lessons and big teaching.  I suspect that I will see a lot of Wolverine over the next several months.

Have a wonderful adventure today,

Judy@angelsandancestors.com

Links

http://angelsandancestors.blogspot.com/2010/04/spirit-animal-wolverine-power.html 

http://angelsandancestors.blogspot.com/2009/05/spirit-animal-wolverine.html#links

See the October magazine at http://www.angelsandancestors.com/newsletter/mag1010.pdf