Renewal and Crocus

 

On Monday morning, I walked with my dog Merlin and my friend Judy in Fish Creek Provincial Park..  It was early.  And the slope was dotted with purple and yellow.  The crocuses were out!  It was the perfect time for them to grace the hill top.  The colours of the crocus, and the surrounding landscape are a vivid reminder of the colours of the chakras.  As the crocus plant gathers strength to shoot out of the Earth, so does our kundalini rise up in us.  

Check out the Osho site for a great kundalini meditation—— https://www.osho.com/meditation/osho-active-meditations/osho-kundalini-meditation 

See more on nature through pictures  at this blog  “This is A Nature Blog” at https://woodendreams.tumblr.com/.

Blessings,

Judy

Parrot Circle

Australian Wreath.....is there anything more beautiful than nature at it's best!! This delightful circle was taken at Lamington National Park, west of the Gold Coast. They are native Australian mountain parrots; the red and blue kind are Crimson Rosella, and the red and green are King Parrots. They are feasting on sunflower seeds which were left for them.

How cool is it that the Parrots in the above picture have all the colours of the chakras?  I heard a quote the other day that zinged right through me.  It was, “All things are created perfectly in God’s world.  If it is not perfect now, it is still in the process of creation.”  I look at the animals in the world and know that quote is true.

Blessings,

Judy

What About Cardinal?

Picture of "Cardinal" from Wikipedia....

 

As I was writing Christmas cards, I noticed how many of the cards have a picture of the "Cardinal" on them.  I looked at the cards I had accumulated and realized that I had not really bought a box of cards on birds.  Yet, several cards in a row were showing me Cardinal.  Therefore, there must be a message for me.

First, the brilliant red Cardinal is usually found in through Ontario, Quebec, and some of the Maritimes, and then down into Maine and the eastern States.  In western Canada, the Cedar Waxwing is more orangey-red than red in colour.  When the early explorers and settlers saw this bird, the crest reminded the people of the red robes of Catholic Cardinals, hence the name.  Cardinal, then, does have significance for people on either a religious or spiritual journey - and often the two are exclusive of each other.  

My task is to figure out what Cardinal was trying to say to me.  The colours of Cardinal - black and red - are about the base chakra, and a reminder to be more in touch with Mother Earth and to stay grounded.  The base chakra is about survival - having food and shelter and feeling secure from harm - the very issues that our Ancestors faced when they ventured out from their cave or their village.  Cardinal is very much about survival and she knows which seeds to eat, summer or winter, that will benefit her.  At this time of year when over indulgence may become a habit, Cardinal reminds us to eat healthily and to avoid harmful foods.  I paid close attention to this information about food and eating because we have many social eating situations over the next several weeks.

Cardinal has a very high, loud whistle that echoes through the air.  Cardinal may be singing to its mate - male and female sound alike.  The message is to integrate our masculine and feminine traits and then use the combined skills of intuition and logic to achieve a very large goal.  Only by moving forward with our being totally integrated will we achieve the steps on our life mission.  This message is especially true for me right now as I am working on new workshop materials. I see the message that my communication must also be loud and clear!

As the colour of Cardinal is red, one often associates attributes of life with the colour.  So, Cardinal's message in this area is to live with assertiveness, courage, and to be pioneering in the areas of work/hobby that one does.  Cardinal may also imply that one is insecure, or fearful, or even self pitying or a victim, and urges the individual to be more like Cardinal - full of fun and life.

Again the message of courage and pioneering struck a chord with me as I am working on several things that go beyond the information that I have learned, and synthesizes ideas into something more - in fact, being a pioneer.  That message of pioneering felt good and right, and was affirming the steps that I am taking.  I am grateful for the message.

Blessings,

Judy

When?

Sun Circle... © S. Roger Joyeux and used with permission...

 

 

I am doing some reading on various teachings from Buddha, and I am finding that I enjoy the teachers as well as the various lessons from Buddha.  

One reading that strikes chords in me, at various chakras is the teaching "When".  Perhaps it will strike a chord in you as well.  

It makes me think of the the book "Outliers" which talks about the best performers of any work or art having to put in their "bootcamp" time of 10,000 hours before they can be great.  If we cannot determine even when to start, we will never be great.  In fact, we won't even make mediocre.  

When?

At this time, while you have all the opportunities, if you do not do your best to achieve the pure, stainless path to enlightenment when will you do it?

If you don't meditate, don't practise the graduated path to enlightenment, especially bodhicitta, in this life, then when?  
When will you practise? When will you have this realization?  
If, in this life, you don't achieve renunciation, bodhicitta and sunyata, as well as the two stages of tantra, when will you?

When will you have these attainments?  
When will you become enlightened?  
When will you perform perfect work for sentient beings?  ~~~~~~Lama Zopa Rinpoche~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blessings,

Judy

Pelican as a Spirit Messenger

"Pelican flock on the Bow River".    Copyright 2022 Judith Hirst

Calgary is unusual in that we do not have a large lake close to us and yet, every spring, a flock of pelicans (about forty of them) fly here at the beginning of May and stay until fall.  The flock is usually at the Bow River near where I live early morning or into the evening.

Pelicans are dedicated fishermen, and seem to have an unerring sense of where the fish are and how long they will be in that area.  When the fish have moved on, the pelican group will rise into the air in a flurry of white, and soar up the river (or down, as the case may be) looking for the next pocket of fish.

For several days now, I have been seeing the pelican on my walks or when I am driving to go shopping.  I have learned that this means Great Spirit has a message for me via the pelican.  Pelican is a Spirit Animal that is acting as a messenger.  Some days I think a phone call would be much simpler!  However, now that my attention is focused, Great Spirit knows that I will look for the guidance.  

At first, the message is not clear.  Black and white - all about mystery and magic.  Got that!  The black tips are on the wings - that is about flying into mystery and accepting the magic that appears in life.  As the pelican flies upwards, the black wing tips ground it even though it goes ever higher as depicted by the white representing the white lotus flower and the eighth chakra.  Part of the message then is to get in touch with my higher self, and sooner than later.  

The pelican has orange legs and an orange bill.  The legs are in the water which represents emotion.  The orange colour relates to the sacral chakra - the chakra of creativity and manifestation, relationships, and control.  Some of the issues that I often see connected with this chakra are about control, money, sexual issues, power, guilt and blame, and the duality of grace and joy along with fear and anger.  I remembered that black and white is also about duality. 

The thought that popped up was that I needed to wade into the emotions that I have been holding in my sacral around anger that I have around all the folks that are relinquishing their dogs, cats, and other animals to Calgary Humane and to SPCA.  I know that many are sacrificing because they can no longer afford them because of high cost of utilities here, the high gas prices, and the increasing property tax and insurance amounts.  The cost of food has risen ridiculously in the last year.  I am frustrated with our local and provincial government as well as the Federal government for raising gasoline taxes, not increasing pensions to seniors at the rate of inflation, paying out extraordinary amounts to countries outside of Canada without dealing with the high cost of housing and the increasing homelessness…. I am sure you can add to my list.  I am also frustrated because my writing and creating teachable modules of the work that I do is going so slowly.

The other part of the message was that  I needed to let go of "controlling so tightly" what the modules would look like.  I needed to let Spirit (the white is spirit) wade in and help me.  The orange bill indicates that I (we) will receive abundance, and like the pelican, I will always know where to look for it because I have that creative ability. 

When I finished translating the message, I felt pretty humble.  A phone call would not have been half as effective!

May Great Spirit fly a message your way,

Many Blessings,

Judy