The Lesson From The Useless Eyebrows

Have you ever complained about something, and called it useless?  I know I have.  When I read this Buddhist teaching, I was cast into a place of asking forgiveness from all those “things” over the years which I labelled useless.  Just because I could not understand their place in the system of “things” did not give me the right to call them useless.  I felt quite humble after I finished this story, and, it stays with me. 

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The Useless Eyebrows                                                
(told by Ven. Master Hsing-Yun) 

Note:  rough drawings from Judy…

Once, a person's eyes, nose, and mouth had a meeting. First the  eyes said, "We, the eyes, are of utmost importance to the body. Everything must be seen by us to know whether it is beautiful or not, big or small, tall or short. Without eyes, walking around will be very difficult. So we, the eyes, are very important. But we have been improperly placed under the eyebrows, which are of no use. It is just not fair!" 

Next, the nose said, "I, the nose, am the most important. Only I can distinguish a good smell from a foul odor. The act of breathing is also dependent on me. If I do not let the breath pass through, everybody will die. So I am the most important. As important as I am, I have been unfairly placed beneath the useless eyebrows. I am most unhappy." 

Then the mouth said, "I am the most important part of the human body. I can speak; if not for me, there would not be any communication among people. I take in the food; if not for me, everybody would die of hunger. Such an important part as myself has been placed in the lowest part of the face. The useless eyebrows, however, have been put on the highest part of the face. This I cannot accept!" 

After the others had spoken, the eyebrows spoke slowly, "Please do not fight anymore. We, the eyebrows, are surely the most useless things; we admit defeat. We are willing to be placed below you." Having said this, the eyebrows settled down below the eyes. Unfortunately, the person no longer looked like a human being. Next, they eyebrows settled down below the nose. It was still horrible; it still did not look like a human being. Then the eyebrows settled down below the mouth. This looked even more ghastly! The eyes, nose, and mouth huddled to discuss the situation again. They concluded that it was best if the eyebrows returned to their original place on the face; it was the most appropriate spot for them. When the eyebrows returned to their original spot, the appearance was once again that of a human being. Thus, we can see that what appears to be the most useless thing can be indeed the most useful.

Many blessings,

Judy

Thoughts About Family

We are in the midst of summer vacation time.  Often, summer vacation means taking time to see family and friends.  Vacation for you is not at the top of the priority list.  The stress starts when we have to deal with family and friends who are family, and we are feeling the pressure to “do things just right”; “to have things perfect”; “to meet others expectations”; and, “to perform”.  Alas, vacation is just another form of stress for many.

The Angels have given me some thoughts around this.  Funnily enough, they come from others who have to deal with family, too.  

May your time with your family be healing and healthy, and provide you with the love and the guidance that carries you through your days with a song in your heart!  The quotes below from great authors will tell you that everyone has to deal with family/friends and their expectations.

Family quarrels have a total bitterness unmatched by others. Yet it sometimes happens that they also have a kind of tang, a pleasantness beneath the unpleasantness, based on the tacit understanding that this is not for keeps; that any limb you climb out on will still be there later for you to climb back.  
-- Mignon McLaughlin

Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible -- the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.  
-- Virginia Satir

I know why families were created with all their imperfections. They humanize you. They are made to make you forget yourself occasionally, so that the beautiful balance of life is not destroyed.  
-- Anais Nin 

Family life is full of major and minor crises -- the ups and downs of health, success and failure in career, marriage, and divorce -- and all kinds of characters. It is tied to places and events and histories. With all of these felt details, life etches itself into memory and personality. It's difficult to imagine anything more nourishing to the soul.  
-- Thomas Moore

 Whatever you choose to do on your summer vacation/time off, do what pleases you.

Many blessings,

Judy

 

 

Porcupine as a Spirit Animal

 Picture from a friend 

We live close to a provincial park and we have had several experiences with porcupines coming up into the neighbourhood to check out the gardens and the fruit trees.  They are beautiful in their laid back, quiet saunter.  Their ability to climb trees is awesome.  And, we know to stay clear of them.

If you grew up in the country or had a cottage at the lake, then you know that the porcupine is on the list of “beware of” animals.  One – it has quills that it can “throw” at you and they are very, very difficult to get out of either you or the dog! Two – don’t leave any tools on the ground because the porcupine will eat the handle – it likes salt! Well the first item is partially true – the quills are very difficult to remove. However, the porcupine cannot throw them. It can, however, back into either you or the dog, and do lots of damage. And, it really does like salt – possibly because it likes to be close to water and prefers willow and water lilies to eat – both with high water content.

The porcupine is a fascinating totem animal and spirit guide. Although it is a land animal, it spends most of its time in trees eating young buds, blossoms, and bark. As mentioned earlier, it loves water lilies and so spends time in the water where it maintains its buoyancy through its quills which are filled with air. Thus, porcupine has an affinity with three of the five Earth elements – wood, water, air, and metal. Porcupine is a reflection of a gentle nature that is joyful and full of innocence. Yes, it will defend itself. Yet, it never goes on the attack except in the protection of its young which the mother raises alone. Porcupines are very much loners and seem to exist in isolation. However, they do share their burrows or hollowed out trees with others if the occasion arises. Porcupine is also about communication – reflecting the “barbs” that hurt us and the barbs we hurl at others. 

If porcupine shows up for you, ask yourself if you are communicating offensively, particularly to loved ones. Also look at porcupine’s diet and determine if you are eating healthy foods, drinking lots of water, and getting lots of fresh air. Do you need to climb to a higher height to have a better view of the world? Do you need to allow others into your den in a move of generosity? Is your salt intake too high, too low, or adequate? Is it time to be alone?

Blessings,

Judy

Letting Folks Know About Pea Horsley Animal Communication Training

 

Hello everyone,

I am a fan of Pea Horsley's work with animals.  She is offering a free training for three days, starting tomorrow and for the two Mondays after that.  

Disclaimer - I am not an associate in Pea Horsley's work and I do not make any money or benefit from advertising her work.

I think that Horsley's work is essential in helping us move to being in harmony with animals instead of killing them off.

Read through the information below and decide for yourself.

Many Blessings,

Judy

It begins tomorrow, join us for my live virtual 3-part training! 7pm UK / 11am PT / 2pm ET Replays will be available for a limited time. A natural birthright of all beings is the ability to communicate across apparent species boundaries. This is at the heart of coexistence. Our true nature is one of kinship and connection. In this training, you’ll learn of the effectiveness of animal communication and how reaching out to the Animal Kingdom can make a meaningful difference to the animals, your own life, and the natural world. Experience is the only real teacher, you’ll experience a practice session in every workshop session. Receive TWO BONUS GIFTS when you SIGN UP! Click here for more information and to register free! If this resonates, I look forward to sharing this training with you.

With love, Pea x

Upcoming Events: Free Animal Communication Training, starting 23 January, learn more. Conversations with Nature World Summit, starting 12 April, join the waitlist here. UK Lake District Animal Communication and Nature Immersion, 5 - 8 May, booking open.