Religion and Spirituality Are Different

To me, religion is an agreement between a group of people about what God is. Spirituality is a one-on-one relationship. —-Steve Earle

I am interested that several times, lately, someone comes up to me and tells me that they are spiritual, and then proceeds to describe their religion to me.  Their religion seems to have so many rules and “must do” and “must not do”, I wonder how they can possibly enjoy life. 

I enjoy Steve Earle’s comment.  Steve Earle is a singer and song writer who has written hits for movies including Dead Man Walkingand Brokeback Mountain, to name two.  His quote talks about spirit and it’s relationship with God or Great Spirit.  

Blessings, 

Judy

Expanding One’s Self

The poster says:  I love people who make big dreams feel normal.  Who remind you that nothing is too much.  Who expand your vision just by being themselves.

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Some say that we should learn nothing new, that all learning is the source of discontent!  I see that those who expand, like the flower, grow and live life to the fullest.  I see those who are conservative, and who disavow that which is new, begin to shrivel.  They dry up and life leaves them.

Expanding is the art of moving forward and upward.  It is the movement of connecting deeply with one’s highest self or highest spirit.  It is a challenge.  It is rewarding.  It is renewing.

Blessings,

Judy

Mother’s Day May 10 2026

 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day rolls around and we all feel that urge to connect to that Mother figure in our life.  It may be our birth mother, adopted mother, aunt, grandmother, special person, sister, that is, anyone who took care of us and “mothered” us with love and/or affection, and pride, and sufferance.  

We all have stories to share.  Today, however, send out loving thoughts to that person and bless them, and let them go.  

Blessings,

Judy

More on Effort

This poster says: On this path no effort is wasted.

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I saw this sign, and it made me smile!  It confirms what I believe – that is – that each of us walks a path that is so unique that it carries great importance for the rest of the Universe.  This means that one should never let the influence of another person’s agenda change what a person must do.

If we were all gifted with foresight, perhaps we could say to another person, “You should do this or that!”  

However, most people are quick to offer the “shoulds”, especially when it suits that person’s agenda to get something done.  More and more, I am noticing that so many people who seem to have their life in shambles, want to tell me what I am doing wrong – not right – but wrong, in my life.  

I find their concern quite funny!  Their comments come unsolicited, and are quite different areas of concern than what I generally have.  I wonder why they are even thinking about some of the stuff that I get feedback on.  

If you have friends and family that are giving you too much advice, try laughing over it.  

Blessings,

Judy

You Are Here To FULLY Live Life

(Note:  the original picture used here has disappeared. I replaced it with this one.)

The poster says:  Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

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As I watch people aging around me, I notice that the biggest difference between happy people and sad or angry people, is the amount of change that each individual allows in their own life. 

What do I mean?  The happy people are always going and growing.  They learn new things.  They participate in groups or volunteer.  They go beyond what they can or what they have to do to look after themselves.  Many of them are quite active physically in walking, biking, hiking, playing pickle ball or swimming.  The physical activity allows them additional energy to do other things.  When chatting with some of them, they all say that they will give up other things to continue to do the physical activity.  

I think that there is a lot going on about aging that we do not understand and that we can possibly change.  One of the things is going beyond the comfort zone.  What do you think? 

Blessings,

Judy

Visible Or Not - It Is Achievable

The poster says:  Success is possible and achievable.

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So often the life you lead is because you see things in the mirror of failure.  Try positive thinking.  See things in the mirror as though you do them with zest.  Make the intangible real to your mind, and you have already achieved it.   Success is always available to us, even though it may be in a different route than you imagined.

The biggest mystery is that thoughts are energy.  And, therefore, you are what you create.  This is not new, and it is not either good or bad.  It is a state of being.

The question becomes, would you rather be stuck or rolling?

Blessings,

Judy 

Donkey on Life

Donkey talks about being the guide that leads you safely over rough ground, through dry terrain, and up the side of mountains.  Donkey teams with you so that you have guidance on:

• Being surefooted
• Being able to go the distance, no matter how hard the struggle
• Being able to push or to pull you up a steep hill
• Being able to survive on just about any food

If Donkey is now coming in to your life, you are very lucky.

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To see more information on Donkey, check out this post - https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2025/03/donkeys-thoughts-for-you.html.

Blessings,

Judy

Mandala

 

   This image comes from Unsplash.com 

What is a mandala?  Wikipedia says: “ A mandala (Sanskrit for "circle") is a geometric, usually circular, symbolic pattern representing the universe, wholeness, and the cosmos in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Shinto. They act as spiritual, meditation, and, or ritual tools, with intricate, symmetrical designs organized around a central point to aid, focusing attention and promoting, inner, peace.”

For those of us that do not have an Eastern belief system background, we recognize the circle, the design of the circle, as the circle of life, or of the Universe design of completeness.  It resonates with us.

Sometimes, you find a mandala (a spiritual symbol) that resonates for you so loudly that you can hardly hear.  The symbol may be quite specific or it may be filled with indefinite shapes.  Whatever the layout, there is “something” in it that helps you focus and to become balanced.

A mandala may be used to set and hold sacred space for something, or, for clearing, if the mandala is highly regarded.  It may be what helps you find your center in meditation.

This is the day that you start looking for your mandala, if you do not have one.

Blessings,

Judy

Growing Pains

On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.  -Buddha

We often complain about our lives and how hard they are.  One of the lessons in this short quote is – lead a good, pure life, and the way is not so hard.  

If life is hard, then it is growing pains. The person is moving away from faith and being good and kind and industrious.  When we move off the path of doing things that are right, we grow and stretch our learning, and we hurt our selves and others along the way.  There are not any shortcuts.  It is life.

Blessings,

Judy

Holding The Light

One of the most difficult things to do, I think, is to hold the light every minute of the day, especially when you have to work at a job where this may be difficult.  

Light in this case is defined as goodness, kindness, respect, integrity, unconditional love, and compassion.  The person is without ego, goes with the flow, and lives in gracefulness, without judgement and criticism of others.  Some folks are lucky to be born in this state and to hold it through out life.  Others of us have to work at it.

How do you find ways to keep your light present when people are arguing, or back stabbing, or even crying?

Blessings,

Judy

King Penguin Talks of Old Friends

The penguins at the Calgary Zoo are now doing their penguin walk daily at 10:30am, weather permitting.  Watching the penguins is a joyful activity and brings smiles to most everyone.  I received my reminder to go to watch the penguins and it made me think of their activities.

King Penguins live in the Antarctic and the very southern tips of countries close to the Antarctic.  Their numbers are huge – in the millions – and their colonies are very large.  It is easy to become parted from your friends – those chicks that you grew up with in the crèche.  Finding a friend after several years is an unusual occurrence and one that has some of the same ceremony that human reunions have.

King Penguin shows us that:

• there is nothing quite like an old friend
• affection should be displayed
• life can be full of surprises
• everyone loves to be appreciated

Blessings,

Judy

Otter Water Play

 

Otters are such beautiful creatures.  I think it is because of their playfulness and their loving personality.  This picture grabbed me because it reflects what Otter wants to show us.

• Love and affection are a way of life, and should not be withheld, even from one’s self.
• Water is about emotion.  What better place to practice love and kindness.
• Being of the light and being buoyant seem to go hand in hand.  Buoyancy is associated with water.
• Whiskers are little antennae that help us pick up the information around us.  Otter whiskers pick up love and playfulness.
• Otter tells us to dive deeply into what is holding us back from being utterly loving.

May Otter appear in your life today – in the flesh, in pictures, on billboards, or on TV.

Blessings,

Judy

Love, Love!

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.

Mother Teresa

One of the things that makes me the happiest in life, is when people come to our house and tell me that they love the feeling in our house; that they feel sad to leave our house.   I saw this quote from Mother Theresa and I believe that many people feel this way when they leave our house.

May you find people that feel this way in your life.

Blessings,

Judy

Miracle of Life

Picture of the fountain at The Saskatoon Farm in Alberta - taken by J Hirst

‘Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.’ ~Thich Nhat Hanh

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I read this quote several times.  It triggered so many questions in my mind. Why would we not touch the miracle of being alive?

As I contemplated and quested in my mind, I realized that several things come in to play in each of our lives.

• Some of us come with a contract to Earth to do the bare minimum of living.
• Some come to experience a variety of things - drugs, alcoholism, debilitating disease, rejection, becoming a cleric or monk, being a hero, and the list goes on.
• Some come with the ability to enjoy Nature and the little miracles that happen each day but are ignored by many.
• Some come to change the world.

Some are on a continuum of the above that lets them see the miracle of life as they become seniors.  How we live is perfect for why we are here.

Blessings,

Judy

Life Is Balanced

The poster says:

For everything you have missed, you have gained something else; And for everything you gain, you lose something else.  It is about your outlook towards life.  You can either regret or rejoice.  - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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You choose the pace of the balance in your life.  Choose wisely. 

Blessings,

Judy

A Full Life

 

The poster says:

Eat better. Run more. Lift more. Sleep earlier. Wake up earlier.  Make a good breakfast.  drink water. Read books.  Talk less. Listen more.  Open your eyes.  Love better.  Feel deeper. Be happy.  Experience life.  - Author not known.

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As we move closer to the start of 2026, many of us will begin to make lists of New Year’s resolutions or wishes for the New Year.  The poster above is a wonderful list to start your resolutions. 

Each year, I do a list… 101 wishes for the upcoming year.  You can read my post about it from 2023 at https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/01/101-wishes-for-new-years-day-2023.html.

This year, I started early and so far, I have 61 items on my list.  I will add some of these ideas from the poster.  I really like:  open your eyes, and love better.

Many blessings,

Judy

Merry Christmas 2025

Merry Christmas to each of you!  May today be filled with peace, love, and humour.  This Christmas is a bit different for us as our dog who turned fourteen years old a short time ago, is now in his final days.  He has taught us so much over the years.  And, he has taught others too, about loving and accepting new people to your life.

I think that dogs are the only beings that interact with humans that know that Christmas, and every other day of the year, is about love.  

The message that came through my meditation was all around love, and especially love with compassion and without limits.  All dogs seem to have that unbelievable ability to love unconditionally and with a sense of compassion that I marvel at.

This Christmas, I noticed that the number of people walking dogs in our off leash park has increased.   I look at the faces of the people with dogs, and those without, and I see that dog owners seem to be more relaxed, and they seem to be happier with what they are doing.

I chatted with several new comers to the dog walking trail, and found that they had decided that rather than give a lot of presents, that they would adopt a dog for Christmas.  They were finding it challenging to fit in many activities plus a new dog, however, all were happy with their choices.

I wonder, sometimes, how the Universe lines up these pairings of people and dogs.  I wonder how long it takes to get to that place where the right dog and the right people are finally able to live out their contract.  I wonder what happens when a matching does not happen.  

I am so very glad that dogs are working with humans.  We are all better off, I think.

 Blessings,

Judy

How To Accomplish Change

 The poster says:

The three C’s of life:  Choices, Chances, Changes.

You must make a Choice to take a Chance if you want anything in life to Change.

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We are in December, the time of year when many folks start looking at their life and wishing it was different.  It may be the unhappiness of family and friends and their dramas.  Or, it may be a dis-satisfaction with the work or career.  Sometimes, it is a general depression that one is not where they thought they would be at this time.  This is a time to look at the three C’s of life.

If life isn’t going the way that you imagined that it would, then life is telling you that you need to change something.  For each of us, that “something” is different.  Yes, it is because we are unique.  Our differences mean that our choices must be different.  

If someone is telling you and one hundred others that you must make a choice to do “something”, then recognize that all one hundred and one of you are being treated the same, and your differences are not being accounted for.

If you keep making the same choices over and over, you are not only in a pattern, you are in a rut!  The only way that you can get out of the rut is to choose to climb out of it.

If you want to make changes, ask the Angels for help.  They will stand with you and help you shift.

Blessings,

Judy

Self Care at Christmas

 

Over the last several years, I have published several articles about self care.  Today, as we are nine days away from Christmas, please take to heart the idea of making your life easier, especially in the kitchen.  Look at “Load the Dishwasher Twice” about the idea of making dishwashing easier….. https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2025/08/run-dishwasher-twice.ht…

If you are stressing about how you look for Christmas, check out this post… https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/01/self-needs-care.html

Lacking energy?  Check out Stretching for More Energy…. https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/01/stretching-for-self-care-and-more-energy.html

Here is my favourite post… Self Care at Christmas …. https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2022/12/self-care-at-christmas.html

Remember, only we can truly care for our self.  This post about Responsibility for Self talks about what you can do…. https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2025/01/responsibility-for-our-self.html

Blessings,

Judy

No Arguments

 

The poster says:

For your own sanity, let people think whatever they want.

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Have you noticed that so many people seem to have only half of the information about a subject and then they want to press their understanding of the subject on you.  

As we listen, we know that their knowledge is lacking and that often, they quote an unreliable source.  We can share with them and point out the facts that they are missing.  This will usually lead to an argument.  

Is it worth your time to argue with someone who obviously does not want to admit to all the facts, and, who may have an emotional attachment to their current belief? 

I have accepted that it is far more important for my time and my energy to let people believe what they will.  It is not my job to correct them.  Part of their life journey is to learn what beliefs and values they hold are true and what beliefs and values are not true.  That is the journey of self discovery.  Who are we to create road blocks on the journey.

Many blessings,

Judy