Our Beautiful Earth

 

The poster says:  Our beautiful earth - held together by songs from the universe. - Sharon Carne

I was out walking with my dog at -6C and watching the sun reflect off the snow and ice crystals on the tree branches and the grass stalks.  The crunchy sound of the ice/snow popping was like music with our footsteps.

The Earth is beautiful whether it is a hot day, a cold day, a rainy day, or a snowy day.   I love being outside. Perhaps that is why this picture struck me as being profound...the songs of the Earth and the Universe are always there.  Mostly, we do not hear them.  We are busy listening to podcasts, music, or answering telephone calls.  We miss the most exciting, magical parts of a walk.

Walking is healing and being out in Nature is healing.  Putting the two together gives you a powerhouse of wellness.  

Listen for the songs that are around you.

Blessings,

Judy

Hawk and Me

 

Our fall has been very lovely with many warm days and lots of opportunity to walk in Fish Creek Park. Generally at this time, we have snow.  That is why I was out walking with my dog when I should have been doing other things.  It was already the middle of October and I had been putting off things.

The Hawk swooped down from the tree and grabbed a mouse from the field.  It flew back up to the top of a tree to eat.  It seemed that before it finished the first meal, it was aiming its flight back to the ground to pick up another meal.

This was the fifth hawk in the last two days that was chasing down food.  Something was going on for me and Hawk was trying to help me understand the message in all the different events.  The events were all related to the work that seemed to be piling up on me – yard work, house work, and dealing with fall fruit and vegetables that were ready to be processed.

I realized that Hawk is responsible for feeding itself – no one else does that.  Sick or fit, happy or sad, Hawk must go out every day and hunt for food.  I was doing that – hunting and preparing food.  No one else will do it for me.  It is the way of Nature. 

Somehow, that realization was comforting.  I was going with the flow of Nature.  I was “seeing” like Hawk, and could see what had to be done, without emotion or stories.  I had the big picture.

May you be objective and get the big picture in your view of life.

Blessings,

Judy

Three Hornets and Me

 

                   Picture from ridmycritters.com since I do not have a picture of my hornets

In September, we were still having beautiful weather.  I had yard work to do but I sat down to work at my laptop on a project.  As I started to open Microsoft Word, a strange message came up, telling me that I had been hit by a virus and that I needed to download a virus patch.

I recognized the message as a fake, and I immediately turned off access to the internet.  I then tried to use my virus removal software.  However, clever hacker had written the virus to block any program that scanned and removed viruses, Trojans, spyware, or worms.

I was very angry at the hacker that wrote this code.  Coincidently, I was feeling upset about all the yard work that I still had to do, and, I was upset that my dishwasher was not working properly.  I was also sitting in the kitchen.  As I was thinking all these things, three Hornets flew through the open door and settled in the kitchen, at the window, close to my chair. 

The three Hornets were pretty agitated that they could see where they wanted to go – the big outdoors – through the glass, but, they could not get there.  The buzzing got louder and louder.  The Fool in me (the Fool is the first card in the Tarot) laughed and said, “Well, isn’t that Nature imitating Life!” 

I had to laugh too.

Although Hornet has a bad reputation, she is about working with the Earth, about being grounded, about being secluded, and about leaving others alone.  Nothing makes a Hornet angrier than being disturbed in its work.  Again, I laughed.  I was imitating Nature.

Common sense kicked in, and I realized that I would need to fix my laptop, and delete the virus.  I also realized that it would probably take some time. 

Since all things are perfect, I knew that I was not meant to work on the project I was going to start on my computer today. I wasn't meant to do yard work, either. I needed to settle in and fix things.

I am grateful!

Blessings,

Judy

What Drives You?

 

This poster came up on LinkedIn for me.  It says:

“If you are driven by fear, anger or price, nature will force you to compete.  If you are guided by courage, awareness, tranquility and peace, nature will serve you.”

-Amit Ray

The words were profound for me.  It made me think about the people I knew or knew of, that were very competitive and those that were peaceful and yet got things done.  The words - courage, awareness, tranquility and peace, are attributes that I strive to show every day.  

What does the quote mean for you?

Blessings,

Judy

Welcome October 2025

 

                        Comes from an email from a friend so source is not known

October 1 signifies that in Canada, winter is just around the corner and that snow will be here very soon.    

Snow reminds us that this is a time of sleeping for most of Nature.  It reminds us to finish clearing out the flower beds and the garden, and prepare for next spring.  It is a time when many of us sign up for courses because we are also preparing ourselves for the next spring when we hope to undertake changes in our life style or in our careers.

October then, is about planning.  It is not about making hard and fast rules.  It is about thinking about the choices that you wish to make, and putting those choices in to action.

Blessings,

Judy

Walking And Present Moment

 

As you walk, cultivate a sense of ease. There’s no hurry to get anywhere, no destination to reach. You’re just walking. This is a good instruction: just walk. As you walk, as you let go of the desire to get somewhere, you begin to sense the joy in simply walking, in being in the present moment. You begin to comprehend the preciousness of each step. It’s an extraordinarily precious experience to walk on this earth. - Peter Doobinin, "Awakening, Step by Step"

Sometimes, I simply need to get outside and walk.  My preference is to walk in the park (unless the mosquitoes are really bothersome) and feel the grass and the trees lift the stress from me.  My mind slows down.  I pay attention to the birds, the flowers, and the sound of the water.  Nature clears us. Nature heals us.  Use this tool and be in the present moment.

Blessings,

Judy

Black Bear Is A Teacher

Yesterday, we went to Elbow Falls to spend some time outside while it was so warm.  However, when we got there, the Falls were closed due to extreme bear activity.  We went on to another pond, and spent a couple of wonderful hours.  On our way home, a good sized black bear stopped and looked at us, and then crossed the road at a trot.

Black Bear is about being un-encumbered.  It is about the freedom to roam, and to be respected.  Black Bear is about connecting to the wildest part of who we are.

Black Bear is a teacher.  She talks about the perfect timing for things:  new projects, new creativity, new lessons about growth and spirituality.  In her wisdom, she demonstrates the power of retreat.  Most beings do not get enough sleep.  Black Bear says that bears and other creatures like her, know that it is imperative to the creative process of life to get lots of sleep, and to be at one with self.  For humans, this retreat may be for meditation, or for a silent retreat, or even for a retreat into the wilds of nature.

When we emerge from retreat, we will again appreciate the abundance of life, and the sweetness of the world.

Blessings,

Judy

Shark Swims In With A Message

Three different nights, I have dreamed of sharks.  I realized that they had a message for me, and that I needed to “dive in” and figure out what it is that Shark wants to say.

Sharks are by nature, loners.  They swim by themselves and only congregate when drawn by the smell of blood.  If Shark is in a frenzy, it will kill other sharks without consciousness.

 

 

Picture of a bull shark – the type of shark that appeared in my dreams.

 

Shark’s message covers several things.  

• Spend time alone and you will not become anxious or irritable.  Spend a lot of time with others that you have no respect for, and you will want to “bite off someone’s head”.
• Be aware that you are growing ever more sensitive to smells (Sharks smell one drop of blood in an ocean of water), and to vibrations and changes in vibrations. Sharks are able to determine where fish are by the vibration they send through the water when the fish is swimming.
• Shark is not able to float in water, and therefore shares this knowledge by telling us that we cannot float through life – we must keep moving or we will get run over, or drown. it is very simple.
• Water is often equated to the depths of emotion.  Shark can swim to great depths, and can also swim quite close to shore.  With Shark’s guidance, we can navigate the deepest, darkest emotions, and look at them dispassionately. 

May you enjoy “swimming with the sharks” in your dreams tonight.

Blessings, 

Judy

The Truth of Life Is In Our Hands

I was thinking about our hands and how we use our hands in healing sessions – we use them to comfort, to support, to transmit energy, to caress, to tap, and even to hold back energy.  Our hands often act, it seems, of their own accord.  This means that they act instinctively, and that they do not act from the brain.  Think about the number of times that you have said one thing and that your hands have done another thing – a variation on the right and left hand not knowing what the other is doing.  In fact, sometimes our brain does not know what our hands are doing.

Think about the times you are happy.  You will clap your hands.  You don’t think about it, you just do it.  Or, if you are sad, or excited, or extremely moved, you may fold your hands over your heart.  If you are scared, you may protect yourself by placing your hands over your stomach or belly; or, you may wrap    your arms around your self and and pat your arms to comfort yourself.  

When someone is hurting, we instinctively put our hands on their back or their head or their shoulders and stroke the person to comfort them.  We use our hands to wave at people, and show them we are happy to see them.  We even use our hands to salute to show honour to people.  When we mean no harm, we show our hands, palm up.

Nature gave us five digits on our hands.  Five is the number for getting things done.  The thumb is almost useless by itself. However, when we use it with the four fingers, we have a tool that allows us to dig, to pick fruit and vegetables, to make meals, to bake, to build, to sew, to create, and to love.
The hands, then become interesting because they will always show us, and others, exactly what is going on in our physical and emotional body.  And, that physical and emotional feeling may be quite different than what our mental body (mind, ego) is saying.  The hands show our gratitude to Creator, and gratitude to those around us, by the service that they do for our selves and for others.  Our hands are about life. The truth of our life is in our hands. And, that is a good thing.

Blessings,

Judy

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

Duck Says “Sink or Swim”

Often, in life, we are given situations where we must choose to either move forward and make a change, or where we choose to let life circumstances defeat us.

Several days ago, someone that I love dearly received chastising about a situation that he was involved in.  The chastisement seemed out of proportion to the seriousness of the situation.  It reminded me of the put downs that many of us received from our parents (fathers) in our early lives.  The tone of the chastisement was along the lines of “how can you be so stupid”, and “I am so much smarter than you”; put downs that we now all realize are about power and not about any constructive coaching or team building.

As I was thinking through the situation, and feeling thankful that I was no longer in that corporate situation, I saw the picture below, from Spirit, and realized that Duck had a comment for me. Duck is a spirit animal that brings many messages to humans, messages that are often ignored.

The comment was “sink or swim”!  From the moment that Duck is born, she must make her way through the grass down into the water.  She is not safe on the land from Fox, Hawk, Coyote, Snake, Racoon, Weasel, or even Cat or Dog.  When she gets in the water, she is not safe from Turtle, Fish, Eagle, or other predators.  Yet, she swims! She does not give up.  To escape those who would diminish her, she simply swims faster until the time comes when she can fly, and then she flies faster. 

Life, Duck says, is about getting on, and not getting down.  Life is about finding the flow, and staying in the current, and keeping moving.  The nature of things is about moving and change, and never giving up. Life is about loving one’s self enough to keep trying.  

And that, says Duck, is the meditation for today – sink or swim.

     Ducks from amolife.com 

Many blessings,

Judy

Nature’s Beauty

Often, we go through life looking for perfection, especially in Nature.  What we miss is the beauty of all that surrounds us because we are looking for something that is our perception, and perhaps, not the truth of Nature.

I love this short story that illustrates the beauty in Nature, and how we must accept all of Nature to be in keeping with the harmony of the Earth.

                        @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Nature's Beauty

A priest was in charge of the garden within a famous Zen temple. He had been given the job because he loved the flowers, shrubs, and trees. Next to the temple there was another, smaller temple where there lived a very old Zen master. One day, when the priest was expecting some special guests, he took extra care in tending to the garden. He pulled the weeds, trimmed the shrubs, combed the moss, and spent a long time meticulously raking up and carefully arranging all the dry autumn leaves. As he worked, the old master watched him with interest from across the wall that separated the temples. 

When he had finished, the priest stood back to admire his work. "Isn't it beautiful," he called out to the old master. "Yes," replied the old man, "but there is something missing. Help me over this wall and I'll put it right for you." 

After hesitating, the priest lifted the old fellow over and set him down. Slowly, the master walked to the tree near the center of the garden, grabbed it by the trunk, and shook it. Leaves showered down all over the garden. "There," said the old man, "you can put me back now." 
              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many blessings,

Judy

Sheep Says Count Your Blessings

 

Picture of sheep comes from www.animalspapper.com

Last night, I could not sleep!  I tossed and turned, and I tried all of the different mediations, breathing exercises, and mind calming techniques that I knew. (And, I know a lot!)  At 3:00pm, I finally tried counting sheep.  

I saw a path, with me sitting on the fence, counting the sheep as the sheep filed by in single file.  I was on sheep number 15, and waiting for sheep number 16 to appear.  She walked up the path, and stopped and looked at me, and began to talk.

“Why are you sitting on that fence counting sheep?  Why don’t you come and walk with us out to the pasture.  Why don’t you enjoy nature instead of simply sitting perched like a bird?  Does counting sheep really make you feel sleepy?  Don’t we all look lovely and white? We get better colours when we walk in dream time with people.  Yes, you are dreaming – you are actually in that in between state, between true awake and true sleep.”  

And she paused for a breath and started again.

“There are four hundred and forty-three sheep in this flock.  Our job is to help people fall asleep.  We all signed up for this task because it is one of great service, and by being in service, we sheep are all allowing our souls to evolve – some of us faster than the human souls, I might add.  This is a fun job. We see all sorts of people around the world that have this particular past time.  We do not often get to Africa, China, Russia or South America.  We used to be confined to Europe, and then to parts of North America.  I have been to the Alps, the Andes, the Rocky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains, and even to the depths of the Pacific and the Atlantic to work my special brand of magic sleep!  

You humans are so funny.  Sometimes we have a good chuckle at your experiences that cause you not to sleep.  Everything has happened before, and everything will happen again.  Everything that happens to you has happened to one of us in the flock, at one  time.  What we dream time sheep have learned to do is to look at each of you humans and your experiences, and then bless you and your experience.  That blessing is actually part of the magic that we work.  When you are feeling low, we suggest that you count your blessings.  

Do you know that a blessing is anything that benefits you?  It may be food, water, a hug, finding a penny, listening to music or meeting someone incredibly gifted like all of us sheep.   If you move through the blessings, and count them, you will find that you have so many in a day, that you simply take them for granted.  It is the nature of this world to provide you with blessings.  Blessings are bestowed out of love.  Why don’t you try counting your blessings now?  Sleep child!”

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

It seems to me that the dream Sheep are extraordinary, and are actually Spirit Animals assigned to work with us.

Blessings,

Judy

Welcome June 2025

Happy Duck Walking In The Rain 

June is the time of hot sun, growing, and enjoying.  Our Ancestors scheduled several celebrations that lead up to Summer Solstice, generally celebrated on June 20, 21, or 22, depending on where you are in the world.

One of the celebrations, held June 1st or 2nd, was a gratitude celebration that honoured the Goddess of Growing Things, and the Sun God for helping things grow.  The day and night was filled with fun, thanks, and love.  In fact, many couples married on this day.  And, now couples marry all through the month of June. 

Nature gets in the act because so many birds lay their eggs, and even hatch them during June because this gives the young a chance to grow to maturity before fall, and the cold, set in.  If the bird is migratory, then the young have time to prepare for the flight. 

This year, the Ancestors urge us to be more prepared for the fall and for the cold.  They say that the summer will be short, and that the cold will come early. In Calgary, we still have cold even though during the week the temperatures reached 28 degrees Celsius.  Perhaps it is time to stock up on staple goods, flashlights and batteries, or even candles and matches.  Set aside a store of water.  Being prepared is not just a Boy Scout motto.

Blessings,

Judy

Badger on Teaching

 

One of the other interesting animals that popped in for my meditation was Badger.  Badger had lots to say about teaching.

• Everyone has a responsibility to teach the young.  This is not a job to be delegated to one or two beings.
• Those that are delegated to teach should not choose the path.  Instead, those around them should observe that they are good teachers and support them in the role of teaching.
• Teachers should be well paid because they are teaching the future.
• Teachers should teach what is the common understanding and the common courtesies of the community.  
• Truth is limited by the interpretation.  It is better to let students discover the truth on their own.
• Mother Earth and Nature will help in the teaching of the truth.  Trust this resource.
• When one teaches, they should be in a place of ONENESS with the Universe and with Mother Earth.

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

To learn more wisdom from Badger, see the previous posts noted below:

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/12/when-badger-appears-to-you.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2024/06/badger-away.html

Blessings,

Judy

Crow Talks About Life

When people talk about meditation and how peaceful and quiet it is, I think of some of my meditations where animals pop in, and while I may be peaceful, the time is not quiet.  For example, Crow came in to the meditation last night.  Crow caws constantly.  Even as he talks, he caws.  It is his nature.  And, Crow is loud.  He does, however, have some interesting things to say about life, about humans, and about other animals.  Check out his ideas.

• Life is not worth living unless you do it with gusto!  Be loud, try everything, and share what you know.  This is my motto for life. 
• If you set yourself up to be robbed by leaving valuables sitting out in the open world, then someone is going to take them.  Shiny stuff is very attractive. 
• A meal is a meal!  It does not matter if it is moving or not.  Take what is offered and be grateful.  A meal you do not have to get yourself is the best one. 
• Higher up in the tree is better.  You see more.  You see more opportunities.

I was just getting into the conversation when Crow had to fly off.  Somebody was really upset about some of the shiny things that Crow had taken today.

Blessings,

Judy

Siberian Tiger on Sharing

 

The wonderful thing about meditating is that it opens your mind to a wide variety of ideas, and takes you to different dimensions so that you can understand all that there is about being connected.  Sometimes, however, a meditation will take me to surprising places.

Today’s meditation dropped me in the snow somewhere on a mountain side close to two Siberian Tigers.  I was a bit startled.  So were they!  After snarling and growling, they finally stopped and shook their heads.  I could see that an explanation was needed.  So, I told them that by mistake, (yes, I know there are no mistakes), I seemed to have overshot my happy meditation retreat, and landed in their hunting territory.  Benji, the larger tiger, basically said, “No way!”  And, I replied, “Yes, way.”  

To help the situation along, I asked them if they had anything that they wanted to share with me since Tigers are known to be such excellent teachers.  The Tigers reflected for several minutes, and said that they would like to share about sharing.  Here are their comments:

• Although it is easy to be on your own, and it is easy to live a solitary life, everything becomes easier with a companion to share the road.  Hunting is easier, although one needs to do it more frequently, and rest time is more secure because there is two or more, of us.
• When you are on your own, sometimes you miss things around you because of being focused.  When you share the road, the other being usually helps you to see more; to be more alert about the environment.  This is a very practical thing.
• When you can share the work of hunting, or peeling off the meat from a hunt, your body takes less of a beating.  It is good to share the work.
• Sharing a meal is a good way to remind yourself that you must be grateful for the food in your life – what you call “abundance”.
• When you are hurt, another Tiger can help you with your healing by licking the wound, protecting you, and bringing you food.
• It is tough to learn to share, and worth the effort.
• It is in the nature of most animals to share to keep the species alive.  
• Creator is causing changes in all of us to make sharing easier, I think.
• All of the ancestors were good at sharing and hunted in packs.  The food did not go as far, but it was more frequent.

The Tigers said that they must return to their hunt.  I popped back to my meditation cushion, and realized that I felt quite cold.  I felt that I had a very interesting journey.

Blessings,

Judy

For those that have an affinity for tigers, here is the link to a previous post:

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2024/09/tiger-explains-how-to-blend.html

Valentine’s Day 2025

Check out the amazing ways to celebrate Valentine's Day, even if you are single, or, by yourself for Valentine's Day.  This wondeful posting was on www.Gogratitude.org. 

#1: Hug a Tree
Appreciate Nature. Go hiking. Surround yourself in
the great outdoors. Soak up the beautiful energies
of Mother Earth. She has a heartbeat. Tune into it.
Express your Love and Gratitude for all the blessings
the Earth bestows you.
Then listen. Who knows? She may have a message for you.

#2: Sit Under the Stars and Appreciate the Cosmos
We live in a vast Universe. Contemplating the Infinite
need not make us feel small.
With love in our hearts, we remember our Connection
to All-That-Is. And recognize we are THAT too, the
realization of which fills our soul with the WONDER of
the Mystery.

#3: Express Appreciation to Your Beloveds
Expand the traditional sense of Valentine's Day Love
to include all your Beloveds. Your kindred. Your soul-
mates. Your friends. Your family. Your children. Your
parents. Your animal companions.
Make it a point to consider what you most appreciate
from those closest to you. Then make sure to express it.
Face to face. Or call them up. Or email them. Or text them.
Or write them a note.

#4: Hug Your Self
Love your Self. Appreciate your Self. Feel deep compassion
for your Self. This is probably the most important thing any
of us could do on Valentine's day and every other day.
For it is only as we Love, accept and honor ourselves -
ego shadows and all - that we can truly love and uplift others. 

I love this.  I love that we need to do self care, and that we can show our appreciation to ourselves.  It is time!

Blessings,

Judy

Positive Affirmations For Your Life

Picture taken by Judy Hirst at Elbow Falls in summer 2024.

Saturday

February-1-2025

I have great inner strength. 

 

I am living my most blissful life.

 

I enjoy immersing myself in nature. 

 

I am feeling fresh and rejuvenated.

 

I am in a state of profound contentment. 

 

I spend my time doing what I love.

 

Joy is flowing into my life. 

 

I invite a greater sense of balance into my life.

From the site - https://www.dailymotivation.site/affirmations/?utm_source=dailymotivationsite.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=feb-1-2025-what-is-stonewalling-6-signs-8-causes-tips-to-promote-open-communication&_bhlid=dec498738272080a847521b61bfe5730f383d887

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

I sometimes get behind in reading my email.  I get daily updates from the site - Daily Motivation - and I love the positive words that the site shares with us.

The affirmations above were sent out on February 1, 2025 but I did not read them until today.  My bad.  I am sharing them with you so that you can pick the affirmations that speak to you and so that you can add them to your life, if you want.

Each day, I look to find an affirmation that speaks to me and that helps me make sense of something going on in my life in a positive way.

Enjoy the journey!

Blessings,

Judy

Winter Solstice - The Longest Night is December 21 2024

 The shortest day and the longest night – the time that our Ancestors called “mid-winter” is that time that tells us that Nature is still working.  If the day remained short, and the night was long, then the rotation of the planet changed.

Our Ancestors had elaborate rituals to ensure that the planet kept turning, or, as they thought, that the Sun kept revolving around the Earth.

The diagram below shows the angle of the Sun in the north.  Now, with all of the availability of science, we no longer look to the sky to see what will happen.  We have dropped doing the rituals and doing the work to keep the Sun going.  

Winter Solstice

Sat, Dec 21, 2024, 2:19 a.m.

Mountain Time

This post should give you several days to prepare for Solstice and to invite friends over for a meal, if that appeals to you.

Enjoy the Solstice.

Blessings, 

Judy