Living In The Past

I have many card decks.  Periodically, I pull a card for the day, or the week, or even for the month.  I pulled the card for today, Osho card #5, Clinging To the Past, for January 2025.

Below is the explanation for the card.  May you find some information int the explanation that helps you with something that you are facing.

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The Osho Card for today

These tenses--past, present and future--are not the tenses of time; they are tenses of the mind. That which is no longer before the mind becomes the past. That which is before the mind is the present. And that which is going to be before the mind is the future. Past is that which is no longer before you. Future is that which is not yet before you. And present is that which is before you and is slipping out of your sight. Soon it will be past.... If you don't cling to the past...because clinging to the past is absolute stupidity.  …..

The figure pictured in this card is so preoccupied with clutching her box of memories that she has turned her back on the sparkling champagne glass of blessings available here and now. Her nostalgia for the past really makes her a 'blockhead', and a beggar besides, as we can see from her patched and ragged clothes. She needn't be a beggar, of course--but she is not available to taste the pleasures that offer themselves in the present. It's time to face up to the fact that the past is gone, and any effort to repeat it is a sure way to stay stuck in old blueprints that you would have already outgrown if you hadn't been so busy clinging to what you have already been through. Take a deep breath, put the box down, tie it up in a pretty ribbon if you must, and bid it a fond and reverent farewell. Life is passing you by, and you're in danger of becoming an old fossil before your time!

--Osho The Great Zen Master Ta Hui Chapter 10

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Blessings,

Judy 

Staying In Balance

Sometimes, I get what I call “odd” messages when I am in meditation.  By odd, I mean that the information is not framed in my common images or understanding of things.  When the frame of reference is not common, I have to do a bit of research.  The theme of the information was balance.  I found this short lesson from Osho and had an “Ah ha” moment.

The Art of Staying in Balance

The most difficult thing, the almost impossible thing for the mind, is to remain in the middle, to remain balanced. And to move from one thing to its opposite is the easiest. To move from one polarity to another is the nature of the mind. 

It is difficult for the mind to come to the right diet, difficult for the mind to stay in the middle. It is just like a clock's pendulum. The pendulum goes to the right, then it moves to the left, then again to the right, and again to the left; the clock's working depends on this movement.

If the pendulum stays in the middle, the clock stops. And when the pendulum moves to the right, you think it is only going to the right, but at the same time it is gathering momentum to go to the left. The more it moves to the right, the more energy it gathers to move to the left, and vice versa.  - Osho

Many blessings,

Judy

Buddha Talks - Recognize the Ego Mind

I was looking at some of the speeches from different politicians in different parts of the world.  It made me think of this lesson from Buddha.

When we look for the mind, we can't find any shape, or color, or form. This mind that we identify as the self, which we could call ego-mind, controls everything we do. Yet it can't actually be found—which is somewhat spooky, as if a ghost were managing our home. The house seems to be empty, but all the housework has been done. The bed has been made, our shoes have been polished, the tea has been poured, and the breakfast has been cooked. The funny thing is that we never question this. We just assume that someone or something is there. But all this time, our life has been managed by a ghost, and it's time to put a stop to it. On one hand, ego-mind has served us—but it hasn't served us well.  – Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, "Searching for Self"

Blessings,

Judy 

I Will Follow The Sun

This writing is from several years ago and comes from my journal.  As I read it, I once again felt the emotions from that day.

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 I was away at a funeral for my Uncle.  My Aunt and Uncle were a constant in my life from when I was born.  As their children were born, they too, became a constant in our family.  

While I was sitting in the service, I was thinking how different life is now that my Uncle is gone.  My Dad predeceased my Uncle by three years.  They were good friends, and did several things a week together.  After Dad died, my Uncle became more important because he was the Elder of our family.

My Uncle’s interment happened late in the day, around the time he would go to do chores when he was still farming.  He always wanted to get the chores done before the Sun set, and he started chores just after sunrise.  Lunch was always at noon, when the sun was high.  We actually could set our watches by what my Uncle was doing.

I realized as we were sitting through the last prayer in the service, that my Uncle was very much in touch with Nature.  I thought about all the changes that he had seen – he was 92 – and how he kept in stride with what was going on with agriculture, even though he did not have to “mind the farm” for many years because his sons and grandsons now are the caretakers of the land.  

I thought about all the times he pulled all of the kids on the toboggan behind the old truck so we could fly down the ditch through the snow.  I thought about him hiding Easter eggs in their yard for all of us to find, and their old black retriever finding most of the candy and eating it before we got out there.  I thought about all the Christmases and Easters and birthdays and Sundays that we spent at one another’s houses, having wonderful meals and telling stories, and being family.  I remember how he always checked the weather, and then compared it to the Farmer’s Almanac.  I think this is a good song for him.

I’ll Follow The Sun

One day you'll look to see I've gone
For tomorrow may rain,
so I'll follow the sun
Some day you'll know I was the one
But tomorrow may rain,
so I'll follow the sun
And now the time has come
and, my love, I must go
And though I lose a friend
In the end you will know, oh
One day you'll find that I have gone
But tomorrow may rain,
so I'll follow the sun
But tomorrow may rain,
so I'll follow the sun
And now the time has come
and, my love, I must go
And though I lose a friend
In the end you will know, oh
One day you'll find that I have gone
But tomorrow may rain,
so I'll follow the sun.

-Written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon

Blessings,

Judy

Spirit Says One Learns In The Space of Silence

 

The poster says:

This is what I want: My little piece of silence, the world full and blooming all around, and me here listening to the wind.

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There is only one real rhythm; in Silence you hear it. When you live to the rhythm of this Silence, you become it slowly.    - Mother Meera

Mystic writers say that we are moving now into the time of Oneness – a time where we will all be as one.  These writers say that we need to be still, and to listen.

For me, silence is about stilling one’s own mind so that you can hear the messages from the life around you. 

I have written about this before.  Check out….

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/06/the-beauty-of-silence.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2024/02/feeling-silence.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/08/feel-silence.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/11/silence-and-meditation.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2024/04/we-must-be-silent-to-hear.html

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Many 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

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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 

Domestic Sheep (Spirit Animals)

We often overlook the value of having animals around us that we are very familiar with.  Sometimes we treat these animals with a certain contempt (familiarity breeds contempt) without realizing that we are doing so.

Picture of Sheep from the Picasa Public sample album – with thanks!

I think that often we treat sheep, cattle, chickens and pigs like that. They are so humbly in service to humans, that we miss the strength and the pride of what they do because of how silently they do support us.

We all know that sheep are used for many products that we also take for granted – wool, mutton, lamb meat, milk/cheese, and hide/leather.  Legends say that Sheep volunteered to be in service to mankind from the beginning of man’s time on Earth.  They did this because they were peaceful, loving, well grounded (close to the Earth) animals. At that time, all the Beings and Angels that looked after the Earth thought that all that loving would rub off on humans.  In many of the pictures of Jesus, one sees him with Sheep or holding Sheep or walking with Sheep.  Again, legends say that Jesus recognized the beauty and service role of Sheep.

Mankind, however, did not acknowledge Sheep as a leader in service.  Instead, man has denigrated Sheep, and has made up all sorts of sayings about them – implying that they are either stupid or boring, or both! 

• Count sheep before you go to sleep.
• Don’t be a sheep and follow
• Black sheep
• Make sheep’s eyes
• Don’t leave the wolf to guard the sheep
• Wolf in sheep’s clothing

Sheep, however, even though known for its peacefulness, was used by our Ancestors as an early alarm  system.  Because sheep are so sensitive to noise and to negative energy, they could determine, by the vibrations in the ground, when large groups of people were approaching a castle or keep.  Their frightened bleats and bunching together for safety, alerted the watchmen that trouble was coming.  

People make fun of the way Sheep move together.  What Sheep is showing is the fascinating ability of herd think, or mind link, something that people simply have not developed.  The herd mind link allows the Sheep to move at a moment’s notice to safety.  They do not stop and say, “Why? Or, why that way? Or, are you sure we really should?”  And, my personal favourite, “What gives you the right to tell me what to do?”

May you be as loved as the Sheep by Great Spirit!

Many blessings,

Judy

The Knots Prayer

One of my friends sent this to me and I realized that this is so perfect, that I had to share it.  So, although these words were written by someone else, the message comes from me in a heart-felt way.

Blessings to each of you.

Judy

 

Faulty Logic

Moving right along onto things that I don’t understand, I come to the whole “faulty logic” thing.  Why has this got me thinking?  Well, I have a list!  Here are two things on it:

-people who think that having a driver’s license makes them a good driver

-buying “healthy” yogurt which has 28 g of sugar in it, and no fat, and almost no protein 

As you might guess, I was just at the market to get some groceries, and these things popped up for me.    I asked my Angels why these things bugged me.  The response was that faulty logic is a disruptive energy that will assault the light. They said I was bugged because I wanted to correct the logic, and knew that I could not interfere.  The Angels talked about the need to let go of things in my mind (not unlike the Buddhists who say to let go of attachment).

The Angels continued that mankind has many belief systems that are built on faulty logic, and that the belief systems keep humans locked in to a darker energy then they could be in if they simply went with the flow, and left behind all other people’s ideas, thoughts, and marketing. 

That explanation made sense to me.  I am letting go.  The process is slower than I expected.  There must be some very deep roots there.

Blessings,

Judy

Buddha Talks About Attachment

The following words come from a teaching by Venerable Jagaro of the Dhammaloka Buddhist Centre in Perth.  These words were a lesson that I needed around understanding attachment, and to help clients who are attached.  May these words help you as well.

Picture from Microsoft Clip Art

 

In Buddhism we are interested in freedom the freedom of non- attachment. We carry around an immense burden of attachment to everything we consider 'me' and 'mine' , like a big heavy stone on our shoulders. When a wise person points out to us that we could throw off this burden, we regard them with suspicion. 'Throw it off? Then I wouldn't have anything left! I couldn't do that!' Thinking they will bring us happiness, we continue to lug around our personal investments and self interests this great big heavy burden! The Buddha taught that nothing is worth attaching to. Do not attach to anything: that will bring true peace and happiness. Reflect on the process of what we call suffering: what it really is how it arises. Only then can one begin to appreciate what attachment really is, what the result of attachment is, and begin to glimpse the idea and the possible results of non-attachment. 

Attachment is something we create in the mind. When we let it go, we begin to experience the silent empty mind. This still, peaceful mind can be found when sitting in meditation. Is it possible to bring it also into our daily lives? Can we live as ordinary people with this non-attachment? There is one vital factor needed if we wish to live skilfully, and that factor is mindful awareness. This factor of knowing, of being present, is essential if we wish to go beyond our continual stream of thinking, projecting, analysing and reacting. It is difficult, isn't it? Without awareness, we are locked into our stale conditioning, like a monkey with its paw stuck in the biscuit jar . All it has to do to become free is let go, but this is just what it won't do. Actually , non-attachment is not something you have to do: all you have to do is stop attaching. This is natural for the enlightened mind, and it is awareness which makes this a real possibility in our lives.

The Buddha taught a Path, gave us a method of skilful means. Meditation is the tool to help us with the process of being present, of seeing attachment and tensions arising, of knowing when to relax and let go. The practice of meditation is very highly emphasised. The more you become aware, the more you can begin to experience true peace and happiness. There is no need to have anything else, no need to achieve anything.

Many blessings,

Judy

Know Where You Come From And Where You Go

On top of recovering from medical emergency, I have been sharing my life with a cold for the last four days, and a bit, and, sometimes, it seems that the cold has a better life than I do. It grows strong, barks loudly, and emits heat.  Then, that passes, and it seems like I have the best life. 

Then I read this quote by  Soko Morinaga Roshi, a Buddhist teacher, and I realized that I was experiencing the continuous process of life and death in my experience of the cold. 

 

Our lives appear to be unbroken blocks of seventy or eighty continuous years, but, actually,...when you maintain the straightforward frankness of your own mind as it comes to life each instant, even without effort, even without training, you are beautifully born each instant. You die with each instant, and go on to be born again, instant by instant.
~Soko Morinaga Roshi~

I am now believing that Cold is my friend, who is working to keep me from doing too much – taking on too many tasks.  I do what I need to and I spend a lot of time sitting and reading and watching movies because if I get too active, I begin to cough, and to congest.  When I sit quietly, then the light can move through my body and do the work that the light needs to do to work on changing me.

Blessings,

Judy

Listening To Your Body

 Ballerina from Microsoft Clipart

Each of us is unique - in our height, weight, colouring, and in what we enjoy doing.  We do the things that speak to us, as the ballerina in the picture does.  Not many of us can be dancers because we do not have the body or the desire to to dance in the fashion of ballet.  However, sometimes our bodies cry out just to dance for joy, or to sing because we are happy and love life!  How often do you suppress these joys?  How often do you dishonour your body?  It is a living organism that will survive without our working mind, as science has proven.

As I move further into the journey of spirituality and the path of the Shaman,  I find it easier and easier to listen and really hear my body.  I was looking for a way to explain this to my clients when I came across this quote from OSHO.  I believe this is more eloquent than any phrasing I may use.

"Your body has its own wisdom — it carries the wisdom of the centuries in its cells.

Your body is feeling hungry and you are on a fast, because your religion says that this day you have to fast — and your body is feeling hungry. You don’t trust your organism, you trust a dead scripture, because in some book somebody has written that this day you have to go on a fast, so you go on a fast.

Listen to your body. Yes, there are days when the body says, “Go on a fast!” — then go. But there is no need to listen to the scriptures. The man who wrote that scripture has not written it with you in his mind, not at all. He could not have conceived of you. You were not present to him, he was not writing about you. It is as if you fall ill and you go to a dead doctor’s house and look into his prescriptions, and find a prescription and start following the prescription. That prescription was made for somebody else, for some other disease, in some other situation.

Remember to trust your own organism. When you feel that the body is saying don’t eat, stop immediately. When the body is saying eat, then don’t bother whether the scriptures say to fast or not. If your body says eat three times a day, perfectly good. If it says eat one time a day, perfectly good."  ~~Osho~~

What Osho says is that our body, with all the past knowledge it carries, is both our Ancestor and our self in one.  We need to listen to the wisdom or our Ancestors.

In loving kindness,

Judy

You are a Visitor Here

  

   "Lady Traveler" from Microsoft Clip Art....

 

                                                           I have been experiencing many different lessons of life over the past twenty years.  Early in this adventure, after each experience, I usually would say, "Wow!  That was intense! I am glad that I am through that!"  As I grew older and wiser, I realized that the lessons were the journey. And, as I traveled around the world, I realized that the lessons of life were very much paralleled by the challenges one faces traveling in different countries where we cannot communicate in a common language and thus revert to signing and engaging in a genuine exchange.  Words do limit how another interprets what one says. 

I had pretty much forgotten about my earlier discoveries as I am busy learning new things all the time.  Then, the other day, I found this passage when I was working through some Buddhist teachings.  I loved the phrasing!  It took me back to the earlier times when I was a visitor in so many countries and cities.  

May you enjoy this teaching as I did!

                                      Dhammavadaka

Remember always that you are just a visitor here, a traveler passing through. Your stay is but short and the moment of your departure unknown.

None can live without toil and a craft that provides your needs is a blessing indeed. But if you toil without rest, fatigue and weariness will overtake you, and you will denied the joy that comes from labour's end.

Speak quietly and kindly and be not forward with either opinions or advice. If you talk much, this will make you deaf to what others say, and you should know that there are few so wise that they cannot learn from others.

Be near when help is needed, but far when praise and thanks are being offered.

Take small account of might, wealth and fame, for they soon pass and are forgotten. Instead, nurture love within you and and strive to be a friend to all. Truly, compassion is a balm for many wounds.

Treasure silence when you find it, and while being mindful of your duties, set time aside, to be alone with yourself.  
Cast off pretense and self-deception and see yourself as you really are.

Despite all appearances, no one is really evil. They are led astray by ignorance. If you ponder this truth always you will offer more light, rather then blame and condemnation.  
You, no less than all beings have Buddha Nature within. Your essential Mind is pure. Therefore, when defilements cause you to stumble and fall, let not remorse nor dark foreboding cast you down. Be of good cheer and with this understanding, summon strength and walk on.  

Faith is like a lamp and wisdom makes the flame burn bright. Carry this lamp always and in good time the darkness will yield and you will abide in the Light. 

Note - I believe this was written by  Shravasti Dhammika ... I thank you for this writing.

Blessings,

Judy

Symbols and Images In Dreams and Meditation

The interesting thing that has been happening for me over the last ten years is that I am coming to understand that symbols have much more meaning and power than I was aware of, up to this moment.

When I am dreaming, I see symbols, sometimes as colourful as the one in the above picture.  Sometimes, instead of words, there are flashes of images (pictures) that tell a story.  To show you what I mean, take a look at the two pictures below.

The literal meaning of the two pictures together is “rock star”.  Now, for most of us, the image that pops to mind is one of the great rock stars like John Lennon, or Rod Stewart, or Bono, and so on.  What Spirit is saying with this set of images, in my vision, is that rocks are the predecessors of stars.  I don’t know if there is a scientific explanation.  Perhaps when planets explode, the rocks are flung out and eventually converge together to create something new.

Why is Spirit using symbols and pictures?  I think it is because my mind, like most of your minds, is keyed to have a meaning of a word.  When we hear the word, then our mind wants to take over and forces us in the direction of language, rather than in the direction of the message.  

When we see the symbols, then our memory can go back to different life times to pull up the story that we need to remember.   These stories give us a reference point for doing, or not doing, certain actions.  

What I know now is that I need to watch for the same symbols over and over.  One of my friends says that she gets lots of repetitions of the number 8 when she is on the easiest path.  Another friend says that she sees feathers when she is feeling blue, and then she knows that her angels are with her.  

My symbols are one thing becoming another.  I know this means that I am transforming. 

I think that all of us are.

Blessings,

Judy

Bee Healing - Spirit Animal

Have you ever had a cold like this?  The cold started in my body. Not only did  it slow me down but it actually put me flat on my back quite a few days. I know that a cold is a sign that you are  clearing something on all three levels of body, mind and  spirit. However, when my throat became quite sore, I was  mostly concerned with the physical. Nothing seemed to  either clear or soothe my throat. Then I remembered that  when I was little, Mom used to give me a spoonful of  honey when I had a sore throat. So, I tried that solution,  and “Presto” after several spoonfuls of honey, my throat  started to clear up.

When I was growing up, my only concern about a bee was  whether it was near me, and whether it would sting me. When I started studying Egyptian Magick, I discovered that the lowly bee (in my mind) was really an exalted friend and provider for the ancient Egyptian culture. In fact, the nobility were buried with most of their possessions, slaves, and large urns of honey. When the archaeologists have excavated these tombs, and opened the honey, it had crystallized but was without mould or spoilage. I thought this was pretty amazing. The article went on to talk about how the honey was used for healing. 

My interest in the bee was renewed when my husband Roger explained that he always has wanted to be a bee-keeper. I decided that I needed to investigate this little insect. As I started the research, I found that the oldest bee is believed to be 100 million years old. (That’s relatively young compared to the shark which is believed to be 450 million years old.) 

Through it has changed somewhat over the years, the bee still produces a nourishing, healing honey that is pretty much unrivalled as food and healer. The antiseptic properties of honey make it a natural healer for wounds by protecting the wound from infection and decreasing the swelling. As I experienced  through my cold, honey destroys mucus from the cold virus. Honey is also recommended for treating indigestion and heart or high blood pressure ailments. 

A few facts that I learned in my quest are:

• that bees do indeed create honey that is healing. 
• Bees are so sensitive to environmental toxins that they die  
  and do not carry the poison to the hive. Therefore, the honey is without toxins. 
• Honey in the bath water is relaxing and is recommended to relieve insomnia. 
• Although it is high in calories, athletes use it as a  
  quick “pick-me-up”. 
• Honey produced in one’s local area is a prescribed remedy for hay fever. 

Don’t take my word for all these remedies. I suggest that you buy some honey and try “bee healing” on yourself and family. Honey really does take the “sting” out of a wound. Oh yes, and “bee” happy.

Many blessings,

Judy

Creativity and Beauty

 

The pictures above come from a gallery in Black Diamond Alberta. Pictures by J Hirst.

When most of see old wood on the ground, we think of firewood.  When the artist who created the sculptures above sees old wood, and in this case, petrified wood, he sees an animal or bird.  The gift of getting a vision to create “something” is a fantastic gift.  We may not all be able to see the sculpture or the painting in a setting, but we may “see” something else.  We might see a story, or a way to heal, or an invention.  Everyone has creativity and the wonder of it is that we create beauty.

I believe that when we are given a gift, such as the ability to create art, we are bound to share it.  If we do not share, then the ability withers and our soul shrinks a bit.  We all need to do that “thing” that sings to us in our body, mind, and soul.

Blessings

Judy

Hello Healing - A Healing Mantra

 

 

Picture from www.myspace.com/melvynleejones/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 One of the most common asks that I get is “how do I heal myself of a woundor soreness to differentparts of my body?”  It is a great question!  The following healing process is one that I use immediately after I hurt myself. Some examples are falling on the ice and hurting a knee or elbow or wrist.  Another example is running and straining a calf or thigh muscle.  I am sure that you can think of many examples where you need “instant” healing.  And, yes, it does work on long term ailments.  However, the process takes days and months of repeating the mantra.

 Here is the mantra that works wonders.          

 Say:  Hello, Healing

Say hello: Dear soul, mind, and body of my (insert what needs healing, leg, hand, heart, etc)
Give love: I love you
Make an affirmation: You have the memory of how to heal yourself, and you have the power to heal yourself
Give an order: Do a very good job!
Express gratitude and courtesy: Thank you! I love you.

Repeat every day. It can be applied to everything, self, groups, relationships, irrespective of distances.

This comes from "Soul Mind Body Medicine", Dr. Zhi Gang Sha

Note that Dr. Sha says that the sequence in the hello must be 'soul, mind, body' and that other sequences are not effective.  That may have been true at the time of writing.  However, I have experimented with the order, and just used soul and mind, and the effective release of what ever ailment has been quite miraculous.

Happy healing…

And, many blessings,

Judy