Lion on Love

                

One of my friends sent me this picture.  I looked at it, and thought it was great, and then deleted it.  Then, when I was “Stumbling”, I came across the picture again.  Again, I thought it was great, and hit the button to move past it.  Everything moved, and then shifted back to the picture.  Ah!  I realized that I was being given this picture for a reason.

I sat with the picture and meditated.  I used the mantra, Loving Kindness, to relax and move into that place of peace and stillness.  I was hovering in that place where thoughts come up to you, and you simply wave them away, without really seeing them.  And then a much larger, dark figure walked into my meditation silence.  He coughed to draw attention to himself.  I looked at him, and said, “Can I help you?”

The Lion moved into my consciousness, fully, and said he had some information for me.  I settled back and said that I would be glad to hear it.  He began speaking.

“We often hear in the great whispers that go around through the air, that you two leggeds do not think that we love.  Love, as we understand it, is when you totally commit to protect and to honour those charges around you; that you realize that without them, you would feel lost and perhaps incomplete.  We lions love absolutely in the nature of our kind. 

We are different than two leggeds because we do not intentionally plan treachery – to hurt or to kill – the ones we love.  WE work to protect them. 

And, so it is that we are different.  We say to you, “judge us not as dumb beasts”.”

                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^

Blessings,

Judy

Allow Yourself Freedom

The poster reads, “From this day on, when I look back on the past, I will smile and say to myself “I never thought I could do it…but I did… I overcame all the people who tried to bring me down.” 

My friend Vivian sent this poster to me.  It made me think of all the times that people have said to me, “It can’t be done.” When I moved to Calgary for work, my friends said that I would not like living there.  They said that I would not have friends.  They also said that I would not succeed. 

When I mediated and checked with Spirit, I heard the words “do what you need to do to allow yourself freedom to choose.  I moved.  I prospered.  I have lots of friends.  I have succeeded! 

When people  believe that they are defeated, I feel sad!   There is nothing better than achieving a goal for self.

Blessings,

Judy

New Year’s Eve 2024

 Ahahah! New Year’s Eve.  Many of us get together with family and/or friends to celebrate the end of the year, and the start of the next year.  It is a tradition.

Some of us stay home, stay quiet, and watch movies, or play games, or meditate, or, work on a list of resolutions for the upcoming year.

Whatever method of welcoming the new year that you choose,  I wish you a very happy New Year’s Eve that is complete with joy, peace, and love.

Blessings,

Judy

I Can Not Meditate - A Buddhist Teaching

This is a story that we had to read about the common problems that come up for people new to meditation, and sometimes for those who have had to break their meditation practice for some reason.  

Perhaps you will find some wisdom that you, too, will be able to use.

  Picture of Elbow Falls in the Elbow Recreation Area - by J Hirst June 2024

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

Beginners with meditation often get the feeling that they can't meditate; "I meditate for a week now, and still see no change", "I can't control my mind", "My mind is only getting crazier, I cannot get rid of my problems and thoughts". 
To briefly comment on these in order: 

Meditation requires patience - a few sessions will not undo a lifetime of opposite habits of excitement and confusion. 

None of us can control our mind unless we train ourselves to do it - have you ever seen anyone playing the violin nicely without practice? 

If it seems that our mind is getting worse, it usually means we just see our 'madness' better than before - the first step towards success! 

 

A story by Master Shen-Yen (from Ch'an Newsletter July 1982):

"The purpose of cultivation is not to seek anything, but to discover the faults in our character and behavior. By opening ourselves to self-investigation, we hope to find out where our problems lie, and if, after searching within ourselves, we can see these faults and problems, this in itself is the fruit of the practice. 

A woman on the last retreat said that the more she tries to get away from her faults, the stronger they seem to become. And the more she thinks about it, and wonders why she can't get rid of them, the more she gets disgusted with herself. She said, "Probably I just don't have the ability to practice meditation. A good practitioner is able to throw out their problems while practicing, and I'm not." At that time, I was standing up, and the light above cast a shadow of my body on the wall. I asked: "When I am standing still, is the shadow moving?" She said, "No." Then I walked slowly away, and the shadow followed me along. I walked quickly and the shadow kept pace with me. No matter how I tried, I could not get rid of it. Only if you turn the light out, or make your body disappear, will your shadow go away. 

Just like the shadow, our problems stick to our "self." Wherever there is a self, there must also be problems. But if you were to say, then, "I want to throw away my 'self'," that "I" who wants to get rid of the self indicates that the self is still there. This would amount to the self trying to throw away the self, which is impossible to accomplish. It would be just like trying to get rid of the shadow if your body is still there. If there is a subject, there is definitely an object. This being the case, is cultivation of any use? Of course it is, since we cultivate to discover our problems. Recognizing your problems shows you have made progress. Desiring to rid yourself of these problems may he a good sign, but actually that is not how we should approach it. The method of practice does not consist in throwing them out, but rather in decreasing the sense of self until it becomes so light that the problems will naturally disappear."

Many blessings,

Judy 

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!

Many Blessings,

Judy

The Power of Takkakaw Falls

 Over the years, a favourite place for us to go is to a place called Takkakaw Falls.  The setting for these magnificent Falls is in Yoho National Park.  The falls are only accessible between June and October.  The road to the falls can be daunting.  The place radiates energy and cleansing and healing.  The water is icy cold, always.

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.

  

 

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.  

We have like to take pictures and do some ceremony at the Falls.  We sit on the rocks just below the falls and meditate. Each visit is intense and satisfying!

Many blessings,

Judy

Affirmation to Turn Thinking Around

 

Elbow River Boat Launch Turn Out in Elbow Falls Recreation Area July 2023 - J Hirst

All is well. Everything is working out for my highest good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe. - Louise Hay 

We all have days where we feel that everything is going wrong.  It is on these days that we can create more problems for ourselves simply by reinforcing our very bad mood.  The challenge always is - how do we change this feeling of doom and gloom around?

There are several different ways to change your mood.  Method one is to think of happy things and to think about funny situations that have occurred in your life.  You can think about a place that it happened or you can think about the person or people that it happened with.  I usually think about a person that I have had an adventure with that resulted in some funny stories.

Method two is to take a few minutes to meditate and go to your happy place and meditate yourself calm knowing that nothing is permanent, and all will change.

Method three is to use Louise Hay’s affirmation or mantra, and repeat it to yourself until you feel your body shift.  The first part - All is well - tells you that nothing is forever and that whatever is happening to you is a blip on life.  Every thing is working out for my highest good - tells you that although you cannot see it, the outcome from this situation will surprise you and the results will be very helpful to you.  The last part - I am safe - has the most significance because when we move into an unhappy thinking place, we tend to feel not safe.  So we become defensive to anyone who approaches us, and that often makes a bad situation worse.  We need to remember that we are safe.  

Many blessings,

Judy

Silence and Meditation

Over the last twenty years, we have been lucky enough to have a friend named Al who lives far away from us but who visits when he can.  We three enjoy one another’s company, and the lively discussions we have on enlightenment, choice, healing tools, and the books that we are reading. 

Our time together also has moments of silence when we contemplate the words that have just been spoken. There is a courtesy and thoughtfulness that goes with our “silences”. 

In light of many of our conversations, I found this little Zen teaching on silence very funny.

Sounds of Silence

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out. The first monk said, "Oh, no! The candle is out." The second monk said, "Aren't we not suppose to talk?" The third monk said, "Why must you two break the silence?" The fourth monk laughed and said, "Ha! I'm the only one who didn't speak."

The teaching around this little story varies. Generally, the story reflects the challenges of sitting in meditation. Each of the monks experiences a block that affects their practice.

I was thinking about this and realized that this little story is also a reflection of our lives and the situations that block us from attaining our true goals.

What are your thoughts?

Blessings,

Judy

Relaxing by Stressing

Meditation picture from www.ehow.com

 

 

 

One of the things that I have learned about meditation is – there are many more ways to meditate than one could practice in this lifetime.  I quite enjoy the Buddhist meditations.  Here is one that I thought would be a good one for these times that seem to be creating a lot of stress for people.

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

RELAXING BY STRESSING 

A very effective method to relax the body by stressing all the muscles, holding that 5 to 10 seconds, and then releasing the tension.

1.  Sit or lie in a relaxed way.  
2.  Put an extremely tense expression on the face, straining as many face muscles as possible. (If you practise Yoga, then you might use the Lion’s Pose here.)

3. Take a deep breath and forcefully hold it. (Use a count of three to start with, and then, as you practice, increase the count for holding the breath to ten.)  
4. Now slowly release the breath and the tension of all the face muscles, feel as if you breathe out all stress.  
5.  Inhale deeply again and stress all neck and shoulder muscles, and then let go. (If you feel slightly dizzy, simply keep breathing until the feeling passes.)  
6. Inhale, make fists and stress the arms, and then let go.  
7.  Inhale, stress chest, belly and back and then let go. 

8.  Inhale, stress buttocks, legs and feet and then let go.  
9.  If you still feel tension at some places, just stay relaxed. Don't hold the breath now and slowly breath out, and release all the tension while breathing out. 

Now, sit in this moment of relaxation, and ask your body to enjoy the feeling, and to remember the feeling, so that your body can recall it at will. Note that this will take some practice.  

Let me know how this meditation worked for you! 

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

Wolverine Power - Spirit Animal

When I watched the movie “Wolverine”, I realized the significance of the warrior adapting animal characteristics.  Certainly, Logan was a warrior by the nature of his upbringing – parentless and on his own since he was very young.  However, combining Wolverine’s power with his morality and hero complex, a new type of evolution of man is portrayed.  Perhaps this is not so fictional as it seems.  The indigenous people have always believed that one may call on their power animal or spirit animal for help in any situation.

Picture of wolverine from email




Wolverine, a member of the weasel family, was once found through out Europe, Russia, and North America.  It is now only in sparsely populated areas. (The wolverine is distributed primarily in remote reaches of the Northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra of the Northern hemisphere, with the greatest numbers in Alaska, Canada, the Nordic countries of Europe and throughout western Russia and Siberia. – from Wikipedia)

Although it looks bearish, it has the cunning and speed of the weasel, and, it is extremely strong so it can vanquish animals several times its size.  Its ability to survive comes from its ability to adapt.  Wolverine has been appearing to people in dreams and in pictures with a very clear message.

“It is time to retreat from the mass population of humans.  Seek the quieter, wilder places because this is where you will find the abundance of nature to clear the air of pollution and to purify the water that runs with pesticides and fertilizer.  The chemicals change us all.  It is not the way of the Circle (Great Spirit).  The Circle gives us the gift of our strength, speed, and knowing to use to keep our species going (natural selection).  We gladly lend our strength and knowing to those who call on us because we would like to see humans shed the unnatural ways that man has become.  
Once, the wise ones of the tribes, the Ancestors of us all, spoke together and exchanged information.  They taught one another and helped each other keep the balance.  Man has now broken the balance of the Circle.  When that happens, then the Breaker is punished.  In the case of man, who can tell who the Breaker is?  Each thing that man does causes harm.  We say to you, “Dig in!”  Dig into the earth and see how beautiful it is.  See too, how damaged it is in places.  Fix this!  When others try to force you to bend to their will, call on us.  We will gladly come!  We will share our power, unlike the humans who covet power so much.  We will stand with you.
To find your link to us, meditate on the nature of Wolverine. We are not filled with anger.  We are filled with love.  We will fight though, for what is ours by Nature’s law.  We follow the wisdom of the moon, of nature, of the laws of life.  We feel the pulse of the changes coming.  We will help you.”

Many Blessings,

Judy

Listening To The Guidance

  

One of my teachers said to our group that when we pray, we are talking to God (or the Universe or Great Spirit, or whatever you want to call the Energy that you talk to. And, when we meditate, God talks to us.  I find that my guidance comes through meditation, through Nature, through random messages from different people, or, from very specific words that seem to just show up.  However, there have been times where the Angels or Guides had to go through different people to get to me because I was not listening.  Sometimes, we get so caught up in doing that we forget to listen.

Quite a while ago, I was caught up in my own little drama of work and getting things done, and, I was not listening or meditating or really doing much spiritually.  One day I got a phone call from a lady.  She identified herself and then told me that I did not know her.  However, my Guides were not able to get through to me with a message so they asked her to deliver it.  The message was that it was time for me to pick up the book that my friend Ruth gave me about a year earlier.  I was to read the book, cover to cover, and then act on it.  The message included a notice that I really needed to start meditating for at least 15 minutes a day. 

I was stunned!  This lady could not know about my friend Ruth, or the book, and that I hadn’t read it.  I thanked the caller, went and found the book, and read it.  The reading of the book and practising what it said set me on a new path of spiritual work.  I am grateful for that day.

Blessings.

Judy

Creating Sacred Space

 Over the years, I have been taught that sacred space is to be created in very specific ways.  If you look up "creating sacred space", you will find long articles on creating an alter with specifics on what needs to be on the altar.  As well, there may be some long chants for creating the space and keeping it secure.  

I do have an altar.  It holds the items that are important to me.  I am not saying that an altar is not needed.  What I am saying is that you can carry sacred space to any place that you wish to be... to meditate, to be part of an activity, even to work.  

When I need to create a safe, sacred space, then I call in the angels... in my case, the Archangels that I work with, asking them to create a safe, sacred space all around me and above and below me that will keep out all energies and entities that are not for my greatest and highest good.  

This process has worked well for me when I am walking in an area that is unfamiliar. I have used it at work to help keep out the negative energies that some people may carry into my office.  I love using this when I am out in nature, by a pond, meditating.  

I want to say again that there is a place for a formal alter and there is a place for formal ceremony to create sacred space.  This is usually required for gatherings of more than three people.  There are lovely ceremonies to use for gatherings and even for a solitary practice.  Explore them.  Use them.  Know that there are alternatives.

You can figure out what method works for you and practice it in different places.

Blessings.

Judy

You Get What You Need

 

Picture of mountain top from Elbow Falls Recreation Area - by Judy Hirst 2022

I believe that the Universe looks after us.  Time after time I have great stories of how the Universe made sure that my husband and I were looked after.  A funny story takes place this past week.

For the last two months I have been to the grocery store and as I shop, I look at different foods and different granola cereals.  I end up not buying them because the brand is too sugary or too little protein. A lot of time, it is because I do not like the combination of grains, nuts, and fruits.  And yet, I keep feeling that I need granola.

I have learned that when I get a push to eat something that my body is trying to tell me that I need the food to move to balance in my body.  Some days I need more water than other days.  Some days I need more rest. Some days I need more exercise.  When I meditate on this, I find that some days the need for more of  “something” is a feeling that many people are getting at the same time.  The feeling is an energetic wave that is sweeping an area.

I digress.  Back to my story.  On Wednesday evening about supper time, the doorbell rang.  It was our neighbour who had a bagful of food that he could no longer eat.  He handed it to us and asked us to use it.  In the bag was a big box of  the perfect granola for me!  

The Universe delivered what I needed right to the door!  How cool is that?

Many blessings,

Judy

You Are A Child Of The Universe

                                                        Picture is from seeds4thesoul.com

 Today is a good day to change your thoughts about who you are.  The best guidance about who you are or your “operator’s manual” if you will, is a poem called “Desiderata”.   Read it over and over as a meditation.  Let it change you.

 

DESIDERATA 

- BY MAX EHRMANN, C1920

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. 

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. 

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. 

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. 

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. 

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. 

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. 

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. 

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy

The song was written by Les Crane.  He added this most beautiful chorus using the words from one of the paragraphs.

You are a child

Of the universe

No less than the trees and the stars

You have a right to be here

Desira-desiderata

Desira-desiderata

This song is a mantra that I use to switch my thinking when I am feeling sorrow, pain, sadness, guilt, anger, frustration……   The words - With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.  Be cheerful.  Strive to be happy. …..No less than the trees and the stars you have a right to be here.

I think that the words - you have a right to be here - tells us all that we have a place and a purpose here.

It is something to contemplate and meditate on.

Many blessings,

Judy

 

Your Worth

  

                  

I saw this poster and it set me on a train of though around worth and all the times I have heard my parents or other parents say to their child, “You are worthless.” 

I wonder what event in that parent’s life created the ability for them to demean a child.  A child cannot think or act or work in the same manner as an adult.  To apply the same rules of engagement in work or life to a child as you do to an adult seems like an illogical thing to do.  Yet, many parents do this.  Teachers also do this.  I don’t know why.  It is a puzzle.

Your worth is that you are on this Earth to be a part of the constant change and evolution of the world and even the cosmos.  No one is worth-less than any other person.  Having wealth does not make you have worth other than you might be on the top 100 rich people list.  It does not make that person a better person or more worthy.

This is a very complicated subject and can be mind puzzling.  A good way to work with this is to sit in quiet meditation to see what comes up for you.

Have many blessings today,

Judy

New Moons and Full Moons in 2023

               Picture is from Wallpaper Cave - pictures of the moon

I have been a fan of the full moon and the new moon since I was in my twenties.  I marvel at the ebb and flow of the Moon’s pull on people, on oceans and seas, and on Nature. Years in the past, my husband and I celebrated the moon changes with our friends in celebrations and meditations.  

I love the full Moon, and the feel of the pull of the energy.  The night of the full Moon is a wonderful time to meditate and to do wishes for the coming month.  Goals set at the full Moon have a mysterious way of manifesting in different ways.  

If the Moon calls to you, especially on January 6th for the Cold Wolf Moon, you may be interested in these dates in the chart below.  This chart comes from https://www.calendar-12.com/moon_phases/2023.  

Unfortunately, the chart is missing the names of the Full Moon each month.  You can look up the names of the Moon by Googling or by looking at the Farmers’ Almanac.

Many blessings and may your wishes on the Full Moon be blessed.

Judy

2023 Lunar Phases — Calgary (America/Edmonton) Time
New Moon	First Quarter	Full Moon	Third Quarter	Lunation
		Jan. 6, Fri 04:09 PM	Jan. 14, Sat 07:13 PM	1237
Jan. 21, Sat 01:55 PM	Jan. 28, Sat 08:20 AM	Feb. 5, Sun 11:30 AM	Feb. 13, Mon 09:03 AM	1238
Feb. 20, Mon 12:09 AM	Feb. 27, Mon 01:06 AM	Mar. 7, Tue 05:42 AM	Mar. 14, Tue 08:10 PM	1239
Mar. 21, Tue 11:26 AM	Mar. 28, Tue 08:33 PM	Apr. 5, Wed 10:37 PM	Apr. 13, Thu 03:12 AM	1240
Apr. 19, Wed 10:15 PM	Apr. 27, Thu 03:21 PM	May 5, Fri 11:36 AM	May 12, Fri 08:29 AM	1241
May 19, Fri 09:55 AM	May 27, Sat 09:23 AM	June 3, Sat 09:43 PM	June 10, Sat 01:32 PM	1242
June 17, Sat 10:39 PM	June 26, Mon 01:51 AM	July 3, Mon 05:40 AM	July 9, Sun 07:49 PM	1243
July 17, Mon 12:33 PM	July 25, Tue 04:08 PM	Aug. 1, Tue 12:33 PM	Aug. 8, Tue 04:29 AM	1244
Aug. 16, Wed 03:38 AM	Aug. 24, Thu 03:58 AM	Aug. 30, Wed 07:37 PM	Sept. 6, Wed 04:22 PM	1245
Sept. 14, Thu 07:40 PM	Sept. 22, Fri 01:32 PM	Sept. 29, Fri 03:58 AM	Oct. 6, Fri 07:49 AM	1246
Oct. 14, Sat 11:55 AM	Oct. 21, Sat 09:30 PM	Oct. 28, Sat 02:24 PM	Nov. 5, Sun 01:38 AM	1247
Nov. 13, Mon 02:27 AM	Nov. 20, Mon 03:50 AM	Nov. 27, Mon 02:16 AM	Dec. 4, Mon 10:51 PM	1248
Dec. 12, Tue 04:32 PM	Dec. 19, Tue 11:40 AM	Dec. 26, Tue 05:33 PM		1249