To my friends and blog readers in the United States, “Happy Thanksgiving!”. These are my wishes for you on this day.
On this special day, I wish to each of you,
All the best of everything!
May each of you have much abundance in your life.
May each of you feel laughter and have fun.
May each of you connect with all your loved ones.
And, may each of you find the time to say a prayer
for all those who do not have anything.
May Great Spirit smile upon each of you today.
Blessings,
Judy
Coyote has many personas in many belief systems. In North America, Coyote is seen as a trickster. In other places, Coyote is the messenger from the gods. Still others think that Coyote is a special guide that warns you when trouble is coming, and tells you to beware.
Coyote comes in today to tell everyone to play more. Her observation is that humans are too serious and that humans miss all the possibilities to increase their productivity and creativity.
Her message is that you do not need to play for a long period of time; you just need to play to relax your focus so that you can let go of the tunnel vision that plagues many people.
Coyote says that by looking at things with a fresh eye, you can tell whether you need to be in service to the situation, or to offer a prayer for the situation, or, even whether you should be doing some soul searching around the situation. Nature creates events to allow us to grow.
Blessings,
Judy
November waltzes in on the heels of All Hallows‘ Eve or Halloween. In Celtic and Nordic tradition, this was a time to celebrate the end of the harvest and to put some seeds and grain out at the shrine for those members of the family that have died.
This leads to November 1 which is the traditional time of “Feast of the Dead”. Although we tend to attribute this festival to the Mexican people, many other countries and belief systems honour their dead at this time.
I love the tradition of the Huron people, in days gone by. Whenever a large village shifted location, about every 10-15 years, the Huron celebrated a “Feast of the Dead”. Since the ancestors could not be moved conveniently with the tribe, a special ceremony was held to offer the ancestors a final resting place and to give the ancestors peace. The bodies were removed from their temporary cave graves and buried in a deep pit lined with furs such as beaver and mink. The ceremony showed the reverence and gratitude that all Huron have for their dead. This grand ceremony was the final release of the souls, and the responsibility that the ancestors had to the tribe. Those souls now released could walk the path up to the sky, to hunt with the Gods, and live a life of abundance.
I also love the description that Marcelina at www.mysticalmind.comwrites of the preparing of the cemetery for “The Feast Of The Dead”. She writes:
The day before the feast, the younger people would have to tidy up the cemetery. The wooden crosses had to be straightened upright, faded, painted headstones had to be touched up, and the weeds needed to be pulled out. Dried leaves and twigs were placed in a pile to make into a bonfire. The whole surroundings must be swept with a broom to clear the spirits’ path who would be attending the feast. Some of the younger women had to plant flowers and herbs, and others needed to set up the altar on the round, flat rock in the cemetery which had been dedicated for this event. Pictures of the departed, fruits, flowers and candles were carefully placed around the altar while a big cross of Jesus Christ stood at the center.
Westerners, in the past, have a tendency to ignore their ancestors. That behaviour seems to be changing, and more people, even if they do not set up a shrine, are saying prayers for their ancestors. And that, I think, is a good thing!
Blessings,
Judy
An interesting perspective popped up in the meditation today. I felt my angels come in, and then I heard them ask, “What time is it?” Since my understanding is that time has no meaning for Angels and Creator, I thought that was an odd question. Of course, there was a lesson there for me.
The Angels said that there is a time for everything on Earth. However, there is never a specific time set for healing. Christians think that they get their soul healed when they attend church on Sunday. Other religions have the same beliefs about attending their institutions. No one however, seems to take time to heal on a daily basis.
The message from the Angels is that it is time to pay attention to one’s physical ailments and to get them healed. Prayer and meditation will help this process.
Blessings,
Judy
I seem to be doing new things daily, a change from where I was a year ago. I wondered why I was moving forward, doing all these new things. Then, I read this poem and I realized that I was being given a great chance to be in service, for you see, I am one!
Just One
Unknown
One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,
One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you!
Many blessings,
Judy
Winter solstice is a time to reflect on what you love to do, and find a way to make it happen. When we are happy, our light – that spark of irrepressible energy that makes us all unique – shines brightly. Solstice is about being inward focused and concentrating on expanding the self.
We all want success and well being. Winter is the time to reflect on making it happen, and then offering up these energies at Solstice, to Creator, to make everything happen.
Here is a wonderful prayer/song for you to use today and all days when you need strength.
Mother Earth
I offer to you this song
For I am earth
and to the Earth, I belong
Mother Earth
help me grow as you need me to
Mother Earth
show me what I am here to do
Cause I am growing, I am changing
on this darkest day
I am growing, I am changing
in my darkest place
I am growing, I am changing
on this darkest day
I am growing, I am changing
in my darkest place
Blessed Be!
From - http://www.wicca-spirituality.com/yule-prayer.html
A Yule Prayer Song
-- by special Wicca Spirituality correspondent, Colombe
Many blessings,
Judy
I am a baby boomer, as are many of my friends. Now, when we meet, one of the first topics of conversation is “how are your parents” (or mother or father). It seems like many of us are having the experience of loved ones and friends dying. Often, death may seem like a blessing because the person has had an illness that debilitates and causes the family to feel helpless.
Picture of healing lotus from qimansworld.today.com
Several days ago, one of my clients phoned me and said that she and some friends wanted to get together to do a healing prayer for a good friend that had cancer and was given several months to live. She asked if I could recommend a good healing prayer. I recommended the following chant to her.
Traditional Buddhist Blessing and Healing Chant
Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
pour into the rivers and join together in the oceans,
so may the power of every moment of your goodness
flow forth to awaken and heal all beings,
Those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.By the power of every moment of your goodness
May your heart's wishes be soon fulfilled
as completely shining as the bright full moon,
as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.By the power of every moment of your goodness
May all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.For all in whose heart dwells respect,
who follow the wisdom and compassion of the Way,
May your life prosper in the four blessings
of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.
I love this chant because it is so peaceful and beautiful. When I read it and say it, it makes me feel connected with the All. If you decide to use this chant for someone you know, say it out loud, either one, three, or seven times, each time that you do the chant. There is power in the sound of the voice and power in the number of repetitions.
Many Blessings,
Judy
The following piece comes from a vision between being asleep and awake.
+++++++++
Many of you say prayers everyday. You ask for this and for that. You ask that someone change what they dislike to something that you like. You ask to be right! In the greatest designs, the likes and dislikes are choices that you are able to make that will help your Spirit move in a certain path. Indeed, you follow a blue print laid out long, long before your birth. You have agreed to step forward on the path.
Your likes and dislikes make you unique, the way different paint colours on the wall make a house unique. It gives you definition. It is neither wrong nor right. It allows you to see how others accept the situation or environment. What you like begins with what is in your DNA. It also is influenced by what you see and what you hear. These two senses will influence how something tastes for you.
Let these differences be celebrated!
+++++++++
Blessings,
Judy
“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” – Ben Okri
Sometimes I get messages or sound bites that I have a difficult time deciphering. One of these sound bites was “stand in your authenticity”.
My first thought was, “Could you be more obscure?”
I thought about it, and then just left the idea and went on to think about something else. You know how it is though, the harder that you try NOT to think of something, the more you think about it.
So, I went and looked up the word “authentic”. The definitions are:
adjective
- Of undisputed origin; genuine
- - the letter is now accepted as an authentic document
- - authentic 14th-century furniture
- Made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original
- - the restaurant serves authentic Italian meals
- - every detail of the movie was totally authentic
- Based on facts; accurate or reliable
- - an authentic depiction of the situation
- (in existentialist philosophy) Relating to or denoting an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life
- (of a church mode) Comprising the notes lying between the principal note or final and the note an octave higher
Well this cleared things up! Not! Was I supposed to be looking at genuine or traditional? Was I supposed to be accurate or reliable? To me, these are two different states. Was I supposed to change? How can one be in healing mode and be in between what is real and what is not? I had more questions.
I sat in meditation. I sat and thought the word authenticity. I said a prayer. I called on Creator/Great Spirit to help me understand how authenticity will help me be in service.
Then I felt a shift around me. I had this knowing that I was to be genuine in my beliefs because that way I had no need of ego. Ego is only required when one is not sure of the ground around them. I felt good! And, this will be easy to do.
Many blessings,
Judy
I seem to be doing new things daily, a change from where I was a year ago. I wondered why I was moving forward, doing all these new things. Then, I read this poem and I realized that I was being given a great chance to be in service, for you see, I am one!
Just One
Author Unknown
One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey.
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,
One life can make a difference,
You see, it's up to you!
Many blessings,
Judy
One of my friends sent me this poster, and, I love it! I say a prayer each day for my dog.
I seem to be in a story telling mood this week. So I thought that I would tell you a story from six years ago when I had two dogs. Dog don’t just bring joy to their family, they also bring joy to others.
This story is about my dog Magic, now deceased, and my dog Merlin, still very much alive but a senior now.
The first story is about Magic, a border collie and blue healer cross. We were having a gathering of friends to celebrate the fall equinox. One of our friends asked if she could bring a guest. We said yes to the guest. When he arrived he was very quiet and reserved. We asked that everyone sit on the floor in a comfortable position. Everyone had cushions and we moved into a circle. While the ceremony was going on, Magic went over to the new comer, and sat down, then placed his paw over the man’s heart. They sat like that for about five minutes. You could see the man visibly shift in both his face and in his posture. Magic then lay down in front of him and dozed. We later learned that the man recently lost his wife. Magic recognized the grieving and applied his own “magic”.
The second story goes that Magic, Merlin, and I were out for an early morning walk at about seven in the morning. The off leash area that we walked in was on the route to different schools and kids would short cut through the dog park. As we walked along the grass, we watched a young man (late teens) walk up the hill to get to the top of the hill where we were walking. At the top, he turned and walked towards us. He was using the short cut to the high school. He walked hunched forward, like all the weight of the world was on him.
Quite unexpectedly, Merlin started to act silly. He would jump over Magic and race to me and jump. I tossed the frisbee and he jumped, twisted and landed, with a big grin on his face. Soon, the young man was laughing at him and trying to coax Merlin to give him the frisbee. The two played for about five minutes. The young man’s shoulders relaxed and he was caught in the moment where nothing matters. For a few minutes, he forgot his troubles.
There are other stories about the dogs that highlight the way they see people and animals and try to help them. I felt so lucky that I was blessed with special dogs that recognized when someone needed comforting.
I would love to hear your stories of your animals, if you have a story to share.
Many blessings,
Judy. (In case you missed it, email to lightstationwisdom@gmail.com)
The last several days have been incredibly smoke filled and in some places, have caused poor visibility. I went outside to have my coffee on the deck and came back in immediately because it was too smokey.
The smoke made me think of smudging - the smudging that you do to clear yourself (and others) before ceremony or before meditating. It made me think that perhaps Mother Earth is smudging all of us with these big fires. Smudging is for clearing away issues, problems, negative energy and actions. It is a form of purification. It is a very unusual time as at the moment, 87 fires are burning, and 25 are out of control, while the rest are confined.
I say a silent prayer for all the animals that people have had to leave behind as they are rushed out of danger areas. Blessings to the firemen that are going into abandoned areas and trying to feed the pets left behind.
Strength and compassion to all the fire fire fighters that are working in Northern Alberta and BC to fight fires.
May the rains come to tame the fires and clear the smoke.
Many blessings,
Judy
The Ancestors tell us that we never walk alone. They remind us that we carry all of the past people, our ancestors, with us. They remind us that Great Spirit and Angels are always within reach, simply by asking for their presence.
The choice to feel alone and depressed is about choosing your reality. There is not any need to feel alone or to feel depressed. The depression is you mind bending you to its will.
The times when you feel so alone, unloved, and you are moving into depression, call out to the Ancestors, to the Angels, and to your spirit guides. You will soon have a crowd around you.
Today, give a silent prayer of thanks for those that came before you. Thank them for the experiences that they had so they could create the wisdom that you inherited.
Blessings.
Judy
This past week, for me, has been full of activities about our community...our neighbourhood community, our volunteer community, and our Fish Creek Park & dog walking community. The days have consumed hours and been quite fun! I feel blessed that we have these connections.
As you know, there are not any coincidences. So when I received an email from one of the spiritual thought leaders that I follow - Nick Polizzi - I felt that his message was very supportive of being in community. You can follow Nick and his generous sharing of information at thesacredscience.com.
In his latest email to his tribe, he talked about the Bodhisattva Prayer for Humanity. It felt so perfect to me that I am sharing from his email both his comments and the prayer.
It is said that His Holiness the Dalai Lama considers this text to be THE source for developing altruism in your character and the "Spirit of Awakening." It is also said that His Holiness the Dalai Lama recites this prayer every morning as part of his waking rituals. So, if you give it a try, you are in good company!
Bodhisattva Prayer for Humanity
"May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened."
Now, exhale and be still for a brief moment.
What speaks loudly in this prayer is that we are all in this together. We are alive thanks to our ancestors and by helping the people, plants, animals, and life in our environment, we show appreciation for existing in this world.
This prayer is perfect for using in one's daily meditation practice and being thankful for community.
A request came in to me asking that I recommend a prayer that is easy to remember and easy to do. I puzzled about this for a bit because, to me, prayer is a very individual practice. However, a friend sent this to me.
A Five Finger Prayer
1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'
2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president (or prime minister), leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
Thanks to my friend Gay, who sends me lots of great stuff by email, for sending this lovely way to remember those who need us to pray for them.
May all of you have a wonderful day!
Judy
Whenever I am clearing an emotion or an event that has been blocking my growth, I generally get a cold. Most often, when I have cleared the cold, I receive the added present of a cold sore after I have finished coughing, sneezing and blowing my nose. Now, most of the time, I can clear a cold in one day. The cold sore, however was taking a lot longer to heal. And, cold sores are annoying!
I think I have tried every product on the market for cold sores, as well as using energy healing techniques like - throwing cold sores to fire, using Reiki, EFT, BodyTalk, Quantum Touch, Integrative Healing, and prayer. It seemed that all of these things took at least a week to heal the cold sore. My goal is to heal a cold sore in one or two days. Several of my friends get cold sores from too much Sun, or from too much chocolate as well as from other foods that they are sensitive to. They too would like to have a remedy that works within one day.
Then, mid October, I got a one day cold which I cleared by spending forty minutes on the copper board, eating four Vitamin C 500 mg about every 1.5 hours, and gargling with Listerine.
Copper board used by Roger Joyeux in Crystal and Copper Board Layouts (http://www.angelsandancestors.com/crystallayout.html) Picture by S. Roger Joyeux © 2009
The cold started about 3:00am and by the time I got up at 7:30am, was in full swing. By the time I went to bed, at 10:30pm, I felt great. The next morning, when I woke up, I felt that tell tale tingle that a cold sore was starting. I searched for a solution. The list of vitamins and minerals that I found included the following:
As I looked at the list, I was puzzled. I was taking huge amounts of Vitamin C, so that did not seem to work for me – I still got one. I pulled out some liquid Vitamin E, and the stinging endured. I wasn’t about to rush out to buy Yogurt or Zinc. One of my friends suggested using toothpaste, so I tried that for the rest of the day. My cold sore still hurt and was growing. I went to bed feeling a bit frustrated that I could not heal it.
As I drifted off to sleep, I heard that phrase “For every illness that man does know, God has caused a plant to grow.” I got it! I needed to look for a plant.
The next morning, I started my quest, after I watered my plants and did my house work. As I did tasks, my gaze kept being drawn to my Aloe Vera plant. So, I looked up Aloe Vera for treating cold sores. The following advice was on a page about folk remedies.
When the tingling starts, try rubbing juice from an aloe plant on the affected area. If you are traveling, take a bottle of aloe gel with you just in case a sore begins. This remedy is especially effective if used at the first sign of a cold sore, but will also stop it later on, too, and will begin the healing process immediately and keep the sore from "blossoming."
I rushed back down stairs and asked my largest Aloe Vera plant if I could use pinches of its leaf to heal my cold sore. It was happy to help. I started rubbing the Aloe Vera on at about 2:00pm, and by evening, the tingling had decreased significantly. I used it all day, and took a pinch and used it through the night. I continued this and all in all, it took three days to heal the cold sore because I started into the second day of the problem.
Aloe vera plant in the window
At the end of December, however, I was able to heal a cold sore in one day. This was an after effect of a one day cold which I caught going to a public market.
Here’s how I did it. I felt the merest tingle. I pinched off about a nickel sized piece of the plant and then split open the skin to reveal the gel inside. I rubbed the gel, directly from the stalk of the plant, on my cold sore. I also rubbed the gel all around my lips to prevent the cold sore from spreading. I waited for the first application to dry a bit because it dries quite quickly, and then I rubbed the gel on again. I snipped off several pieces and put them in saran wrap in my pocket so that I could apply the gel anytime, and I did apply it about every half to three-quarters of an hour. When I ran out of Aloe Vera pieces, I simply went and got some more. I used it all through the night as well. By morning, I was clear.
I would love for you to try this remedy and then for you to let me know how it works for you.
Many Blessings,
Judy
Lightstationwisdom@gmail.com
Some folks have asked for help in releasing things. Sometimes, we need to release work, or a person, or a situation, or even a habit that causes us distress from our lives. Releasing is difficult because our body/mind sees this as “giving up” something that we have control over. And, we humans hate to give up control.
This brilliant short prayer is about releasing from your life and asking to be released from other people's lives.
It is a prayer of creativity and expansion that allows you to heal parts of your life that seemed beyond healing. At the end of the prayer, you can add the phrase – With harm to no one – and know that this request is in the highest and best interest of all.
Many Blessings,
Judy
