November 1 2024

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. 

Picture of an ancestors’ shrine from www.pathofeire.org  

 

 

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

Stag Speaks To Me

 

As I was walking through the start to the woods, my dog and I were startled by a very large white tailed stag (deer) jumping out of the brush and grass, and bounding past us.  My dog couldn’t even bark!  It seemed like the deer jumped out of a hole in the sky!

When he was safely past us, he stopped and looked at us.  His eyes were very large and dark, and to me, seemed so full of wisdom.  

I heard him speak in my head.

“Child, I greet you.  You need not be afraid.  These things I must tell you.  You and others, must set boundaries of what is your territory.  You must be able to define and protect it.  It is a time for gathering up family.  Find those that you trust, and keep them close.  Those that stand alone will have the hardest time adjusting to all that is new.  Learn how to jump from thing to thing, while keeping the thoughts of what has been very alive.  And, look to what is ahead.  Jumping from one problem to another is not a solution.  All things are corrected where they began, not down the road.”

And then he bounded away.

Blessings,

Judy

50 Golden Rules For Life

Picture of mountains in Elbow Falls Wilderness Area - by J. Hirst

Often, I find that I need a pick-me-up mental or spiritual boost on some morning.  I read a lot and sometimes find nuggets of good information in places I do not expect to find anything useful.

Last month, I was scanning LinkedIn and found this wonderful posting by Alvin Foo on LinkedIn on February 24 2024.  His thoughts and his rules for life are worth sharing.

50 GOLDEN RULES FOR LIFE.

1. Never shake hands at anyone without standing up.

2. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.

3. If they trust you a secret, keep it.

4. If they lend you a car, return it with a full tank.

5. Do things with passion or don't do it at all.

6. When you shake your hand make it firm and look that person in the eye.

7. Live the experience of traveling alone.

8. Never turn down a peppermint pill, the reasons are obvious.

9. Take advice if you want to grow old.

10. Come eat with the new person at school/office.

11. When you text someone and you're angry: finish, read it, delete it, and rewrite the message.

12. At the table you don't talk about work, politics, or religion.

13. Write your goals, and work on them.

14. Defend your point of view but be tolerant and respectful to others.

15. Call and visit your relatives.

16. Never regret anything, learn from everything

17. Honor and loyalty must be present in your personality.

18. Don't lend money to someone you know won't pay you back.

19. Believe in something.

20. Tend your bed when you wake up in the mornings.

21. Sing in the shower.

22. Care for a plant or a garden.

23. Keep an eye on the sky every chance you get.

24. Discover your skills and exploit them.

25. Love your job or leave it.

26. Ask for help when you need it.

27. Teach someone a value, preferably a small one.

28. Appreciate and thank the one who extends your hand.

29. Be kind to your neighbors.

30. Make someone's day happier, it will make you happier too.

31. Compete with yourself.

32 Treat yourself at least once a year

33. Take care of your health.

34. Always greet with a smile.

35. Think fast but speak slow.

36. Don't talk with a mouth full.

37. Polish your shoes, cut your nails, and always keep a good look.

38. Don't put your opinion on issues you don't know.

39. Never mistreat anyone.

40. Live your life as if it were the last day of it.

41. Never miss a wonderful opportunity to remain quiet.

42. Recognize someone for their effort.

43. Be humble, even though not all the time.

44. Never forget your roots.

45. Travel when you can.

46. Give up the step.

47 Dance in the rain.

48. Seek your success without giving up.

49. Be fair, stand up for those who need you.

50. Learn to enjoy moments of loneliness.

Many blessings,

Judy

The Story of Otter Saving The Animals

One of my young friends loves otters!  She identifies with their swimming, their playfulness, and their resourcefulness.

She wanted to know an old story of the otters.  The following Cree legend is for her.

*****

As the story is told, in the days when the earth was new and there were no men but only animals, the sun was far away in the sky. It was so far away that there was no summer. It was so far away that the trees and the grasses did not grow as they should. 

He-Who-Made-the-Animals saw how it was that there was not enough sun to heat the earth, and so he fashioned a snare. The Sun did not see the snare in his path, walked into the snare, and the snare held him fast. 

Then the sun was close to the earth. In fact, the snare held the sun so close to the earth that there was no night. Day after day the sun shown and the earth dried and the grasses withered. There was not enough food or water for the animals and they desperately called a council. 

"Sun," the animals said, "You give too much heat to the earth." 

"Set me free from this snare" the Sun said, "and I will go away." 

"But if you go away, then there will not be enough heat." 

"Set me free," the Sun said, "and I will come to the edge of the earth in the morning and in the evening; then at noon-time I will stand straight above the earth and warm it then." 

The animals sat around the council fire and they said, "Who is going to set the sun free?" 

"I shall not do it," Wildcat said. "Whoever sets the sun free must go so close to the sun that he will be burned to death." 

Lynx said, "Whoever sets the sun free must chew the leather thong that holds him; the sun will burn him to death before he can do it." 

"I shall not do it," said the deer, the wolf and the raccoon. 

"I shall do it," Otter said. "How can you do it?" said the animals. "You are too small, your teeth are for fish, and your fur has already burned away." None of the other animals liked the otter because he played too much. They did not think he was brave. 

"Let him try," Bear said. "He will burn to death, but we will not miss him. He is of no use to us. He looks silly now that his fur is gone." The animals laughed. 

Ignoring the taunts, the otter set off to the place in the sky above the earth where the sun was held by the snare. Otter took many days to get to the sun. The sun burned him. The sun was so bright, Otter had to close his eyes. When he reached the sun, Otter began to chew on the leather thong that held the sun. His skin was burning and blistering, his eyes were hot stones. But Otter did not stop chewing. 

Suddenly he chewed through the leather. The animals saw the sun rise into the sky. The animals felt the cool winds begin to blow on the earth. Otter had freed the sun from the snare. 
Time passed. Otter lay in the center of the council ring. There was no fur at all left on his body. His skin was burned and scorched and his flesh was falling off his bones. His teeth were only blackened stumps. 

He-Who-Made-the-Animals also stood in the center of the council ring. "Otter," he said, "the animals will not forget what you have done for them. I will see that they do not forget," and he gave Otter new strong teeth, tireless muscles, keen eyesight, and a powerful tail to help him in his hunting and in his play. He did not have to give him bravery. But he gave him new fine fur that was like down on his skin, and a second coat of fur to guard the first so that he would not get cold in water or in winter. Then he gave him joy so that he would always be happy in his otter's life, and Otter has so remained until this day.

Many blessings,

Judy

Magic and Mystery

  Mystic Lights from the Northern Sky

This world is now in a time when we all need something to grasp on to as hope for a better way.  The media launches pictures and articles about the tragedies that occur in many countries around war, loss of civil liberties, the lack of rights that women and children do without in all countries.  Why, we wonder, do some of these senseless acts occur and why does the Universe let them occur?  When we look at the sky, the answer does seem to appear.  There is a huge configuration of stars and planets, swirling around in a senseless orbit.  Yet when examined closely by astronomers, a definite pattern is reflected in the movement of these faraway masses.  They are simply so far away that without that big eye view provided by some of the massive telescopes, no one would even see the pattern. 

As above, so below.  The Earth, too, is held in its place in this Universe by the gravitational pull of the Sun and the Moon and the push/pull of all of the other planets.  It is a pattern so intricate that for thousands of years, no one believed it! The Catholic Church outlawed belief in it.  Just because the pattern is not seen or understood does not mean the pattern does not exist!

I believe that there are huge patterns of activity that occur on Earth that have meaning in the Universe, that have meaning for the cosmology of time to come.  I believe that while we may judge daily events, and scream for justice, that more justice exists in Nature than we truly realize.  I believe that some of these patterns are evening out karmic events in the same way that big winds and rains clean the ground to leave no trace of passersby.  I believe that every day we are witness to magic and mystery that simply flies over our heads because we do not understand.

Many blessings,

Judy

Sadness On Losing Someone

 

Picture Taken by Judy Hirst in Summer of 2022 in Elbow Falls Recreation Area

I know that we have all lost someone and that we all grieve in different ways.  I want to talk about the sadness that we can feel when someone we have had adventures with and laughed with and made plans with, passes suddenly.

My Uncle died several weeks ago.  I didn’t feel grief like I have with other people who have died.  Instead, I felt and still feel this heavy sadness that is like a blanket that I cannot shake off.  It stays with me.  I am doing fun things, liking walking my dog with my friends and out of no where, the weight of the blanket wraps around me and I lose track of the conversation.  I look up to the sky.  I am lost momentarily.  And then someone calls me back.  

Or, I am busing doing household chores, and I stop because I remember a time where we were out to dinner or sitting on the house steps drinking iced tea and telling stories.  Or he was showing me pictures of my cousins, spread out in different places.  

I am sad.  I am sad for me. I am sad for his wife and for my cousins.  I am sad for all the people that knew him and loved him. 

I am sad for all the people that have lost people this year in wars, violence, illness, and accidents.

I know that time will balance out the sadness to memories and the happy times.  Eventually, peace will come.

Blessings,

Judy

Life Has Many Faces

Often, we thing that someone is beautiful, or we think they are homely, or we think that they talk funny.  Often, we have judgments about others that has absolutely nothing to do with the other person.  It has to do with us!  It is our ego, comparing everything outside ourselves to attempt to protect us.  The ego keeps us from learning about others and about ourselves.  

When we see someone or something, we are seeing a reflection or ourselves; our thoughts; our emotions; and our dreams or imagining.  This becomes how we see the world.  Indeed, what we are seeing are the many faces of life, and how we participate in life.  WE see OURSELVES as we see the many faces of Nature, the Ocean, the Sky, and all of the people.  

Blessings,

Judy