Donkey’s Thoughts for You

Over the last several days, the picture of a Donkey has popped into my mind, or the word “donkey” has come up in conversation or on the radio.  Because this seems unusual, I gathered that Donkey had a message for me.   In my meditation, Donkey did come in and had some thoughts to share.

• This is a time to keep your ears open to listen for unusual sounds around you.  Often, one can hear things or hear about things before the “thing” happens.  Your ability to hear will help you move through 2025 with grace.
• Work on your endurance.  Donkeys are noted for their endurance in harsher conditions.  For you, the conditions will be changing constantly, and you will need to have some survival skills in place by the last half of the year.  Thus, you need to get fit.
• If you can’t swim, now is a good time to learn this skill.  Swimming is good exercise and allows you to get use to a different environment.  Sinking or swimming – it is all about choices.
• Keep your feet groomed.  This should be self explanatory.
• Eyes wide open is the motto for a donkey walking through strange territory.  This is a good time to start practising the skill of observation.  What looks out of place?  Why is it there?  What is the bigger picture?  Start now, and practise.
• Sleep when you can.  Short naps will help your endurance, and will give you extra physical strength.  Most beings do not get enough sleep.
• Donkeys are vegetarian.  It is the way our digestive system is set up.  Do not artificially change your diet.  Eat what is good for you and for your digestive system.  Most humans do not tolerate a wide variety of raw.  That is why you invented fire.
• Take time to commune with Creator.  It will help you remember that we are all connected.

Then, after sharing these thoughts, Donkey brayed goodbye and walked off into the desert.

Blessings,

Judy

Skunk On Setting New Ways

 

I was deep into my meditation space and not really noticing anything, when I heard what sounded like digging.  I then heard humming.  As I looked around, I saw a Skunk trudge through the snow, stop and dig, and then trudge some more. 

Skunk said:

• New opportunities are here, and if I sleep through them, then me and my kind will miss out.
• Snow is simply water in a different format.  I like the snow, and to walk out in it is to remind myself that I need not follow what others of my kind do.
• When the weather is warm, it is time to explore.  I am exploring what is available in a different environment.  This makes me stronger than one who accepts what is.
• By walking in the cold, I thicken my fur.  This keeps me warmer.  I am setting new links in my body.  My body remembers a time when I walked in the cold.  I am setting a new way.

Many blessings,

Judy

Spirit Says “Play Well!”

The word of the day is “PLAY”.  Play with friends.  Play an instrument.  Jump, walk, bike, run, jog, or play with the dog.   Let yourself go and be relaxed.  You are now off duty.  In playing, you learn about yourself.  It is time to do more learning.

Things to ask yourself:

• When is the last time you laughed out loud?
• When is the last time that your body felt totally relaxed and refreshed from sleep?
• When did you simply go and have fun with your family or friends WITHOUT an agenda?
• When did you last do something for you?

Blessings,

Judy

Trout Splashes Around

Picture from Wikipedia

I am fortunate because I live close to a provincial park and close to the Bow River.  The Bow is world wide known as a great place to catch trout.   The other day, I was out walking with a friend and we watched for trout in the shallows.  We did not see any.  Later, when I was doing my meditation, the following came up.

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Rainbow trout swims into your life if you are feeling over run by emotions.  Right now, with all of the Earth energy moving around and realigning, we are feeling emotional and often slightly depressed.  

Trout tells us that life is good, and it is about swimming against the current to stay alive and keep the species going.  Trout goes on to say:

• Do something that allows you to come up into the sunlight every day.  Trout catches flies.
• Jumping loosens all of the tension in your body.  This is why you often see Trout jump at the end of the day.  When tension leaves your body, sleep happens more easily.
• When you are looking for food, find a place that you can find your food (prey), easily!  Trout will sink to the mud in water that is calmer, and wait for the current to carry food to Trout.  You do not need to hunt and make food gathering hard work that burns your energy.  Look at what you can do to make this process easier.
• Highs and lows are normal in life.  Everyone is looking for balance – the balance is to allow both, and not stay in one place or the other.  Two highs balance out two lows.  The warmth balances the coolness.  We all need both.

Many blessings,

Judy

Understanding Prudence - A Buddhist Lesson

           

This is a tale that talks about listening to those that are wiser than you are, and recognizing that they are wiser.  This, for me, was difficult when I was in my teens, twenties and in my early thirties.   When I was doing my lessons on understanding the Buddhist way, this story came up, and reminded me of my foolishness.  

I am now one that lets those that know, lead, and I offer to support them.  When I feel sure of my ground, I will offer to lead, and step back when another feels strongly.  I am getting more wisdom as I keep my mouth shut.

May you enjoy this lesson!

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The story of Prudence…

Once upon a time there was a caravan leader. He went from country to country selling various goods. His caravans usually had at least 500 bullock carts. 

On one of these trips his path led through a very thick forest. Before entering it, he called together all the members of the caravan. He warned them, "My friends, when you go through this forest be careful to avoid the poisonous trees, poisonous fruits, poisonous leaves, poisonous flowers and even poisonous honeycombs.

"Therefore, whatever you have not eaten before - whether a fruit, leaf, flower or anything else - must not be eaten without asking me first." They all said respectfully, "Yes, sir."

There was a village in the forest. Just outside the village stood a tree called a 'whatnot tree'. Its trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits look very similar to a mango tree. Even the colour, shape, smell and taste are almost exactly the same as a mango tree. But unlike a mango, the whatnot fruit is a deadly poison!

Some went ahead of the caravan and came upon the whatnot tree. They were all hungry, and the whatnot fruits looked like delicious ripe mangoes. Some started eating the fruits immediately, without thinking at all. They devoured them before anyone could say a word.

Others remembered the leader's warning, but they thought this was just a different variety of mango tree. They thought they were lucky to find ripe mangoes right next to a village. So they decided to eat some of the fruits before they were all gone.

There were also some who were wiser than the rest. They decided it would be safer to obey the warning of the caravan leader. Although they didn't know it, he just happened to be the Enlightenment Being.

When the leader arrived at the tree, the ones who had been careful and not eaten asked, "Sir, what is this tree? Is it safe to eat these fruits?"

After investigating thoughtfully he replied, "No, no. This may look like a mango tree, but it isn't. It is a poisonous whatnot tree. Don't even touch it!"

The ones who had already eaten the whatnot fruit were terrified. The caravan leader told them to make themselves vomit as soon as possible. They did this, and then were given four sweet foods to eat - raisins, cane sugar paste, sweet yogurt and bee's honey. In this way their taste buds were refreshed after throwing up the poisonous whatnot fruit.

Unfortunately, the greediest and most foolish ones could not be saved. They were the ones who had started eating the poisonous fruits immediately, without thinking at all. It was too late for them. The poison had already started doing its work, and it killed them.

In the past, when caravans had come to the whatnot tree, the people had eaten its poisonous fruits and died in their sleep during the night. The next morning the local villagers had come to the campsite. They had grabbed the dead bodies by the legs, dragged them to a secret hiding place, and buried them. Then they had taken for themselves all the merchandise and bullock carts of the caravan.

They expected to do the same thing this time. At dawn the next morning the villagers ran towards the whatnot tree. They said to each other, "The bullocks will be mine!" "I want the carts and wagons!" "I will take the loads of merchandise!"

But when they got to the whatnot tree they saw that most of the people in the caravan were alive and well. In surprise, they asked them, "How did you know this was not a mango tree?" They answered, "We did not know, but our leader had warned us ahead of time, and when he saw it he knew."

Then the villagers asked the caravan leader, "Oh wise one, how did you know this was not a mango tree?"

He replied, "I knew it for two reasons. First, this tree is easy to climb. And second, it is right next to a village. If the fruits on such a tree remain unpicked, they cannot be safe to eat!"

Everyone was amazed that such lifesaving wisdom was based on such simple common sense. The caravan continued on its way safely.

The moral is: The wise are led by common sense; fools follow only hunger. 

-from Buddhanet.com

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Many blessings,

Judy

Be Happy In Your Space.

The message that keeps coming to me, over and over, is that this is a time of “getting it together”.  This is a time to orient one’s self to what is coming, and to be at peace with all changes.  This is a time to be happy in one’s space, and to be able to retreat and to care of self.  

I hear chanting at night – coming from a far away place.  It sounds like monks chanting very old sounds.  I find the rhythm of the sounds very comforting, and, they usually lull me to sleep.  

The space that I am in tells me to slow down and not to be too demanding of myself.  It seems that message is true for others, too.  When I analyze this with the sound of the chanting, it seems that what I hear is a chant for peace.  The underlying intent is for peace for each individual, peace for humanity, and peace for the planet.  

May each of you have a peaceful time!

Many blessings,

Judy

Grizzly Bear’s Message

When an animal speaks to me continuously through dreams, waves at me from pictures in a magazine, or even comes up in regular conversation, I know that I need to pay attention to what message is coming through.

Adult Grizzly

Picture from www.weforanimals.com

 

 

 

Sometimes, however, getting a message is like picking up a lot of static on your favourite radio station.  And, I was getting lots of static.  I could see Grizzly, and could not hear her.  I was getting frustrated!

Grizzly cub from  

www.weforanimals.com

 

 

 

Then, I was walking out in the provincial park.  Even though it is only the end of January, I began to think about bears.   As soon as I had this thought, the next thought flowed – Grizzly Bears are having their cubs about this time.  Where did that thought come from? I was startled!

                  

Mother Grizzly with her cub – picture from Wikipedia from Wikimedia Commons 

To get in touch with the feeling around the thought, I began to do a deep meditative breathing.  My dog looked at me, wondering what was amiss.  And gradually, a message came. Grizzly Bear said:

This is the time of hibernation.  During this time, many changes take place in bears.  The female give birth to their young, usually from two to four cubs. It is a time of introspection. For bears, the long sleep lets us walk with The Mother Of Us All without the constraints of the physical.  We learn from her, and apply the lessons when we wake up.  Bears have been shy.  We are now moving back to that place where we see humans as equals, and we will walk in the same places that they do. 

There are many humans who are undergoing the same change that we are experiencing.  However, these humans do not sleep the required time to germinate something new.  They do not empty out their systems to give the body rest.  I say this to you – this is a time of giving birth to new ideas, projects, and new ways of living.  Listen to that inner voice. Sleep when you need to, and disregard the chatter of the masses.

Bears are solitary by choice so that we can move as we need to. We also can think, play, eat, and sleep when we need to.  We are not governed by what others want to do or by any control.  Will you let your self be so free as to walk away from those things in life that control you?

Many blessings,

Judy 

Bear Comfort - Bear Is a Spirit Animal

  

Picture from notesfromthebartender.wordpress.com 

We give babies a teddy bear for comfort.  And, baby snuggles up to the teddy bear, and even cries if the bear is not present.  What is it that gives us comfort in this “bear” image?  Why are we not frightened, instead, of this representation of a large, fierce animal?

Well, Bear looks big and cuddly.  Bear is chubby and that says comfort and safety.  Bear hibernates through the winter so Bear is about sleeping through the tough times.  Bear eats honey so Bear is about sweetness.  Bear is a fisherman.  We all identify with the fisherman. Bear’s ears are just so darn cute!  And, Bear eats berries and grubs and roots and shoots.  All of these characteristics simply support the idea that Bear is not that scary.

When Bear comes to us as a power animal, do not be lulled into thinking that Bear is simply “of the Earth”.  The Greeks and Romans revered Bear so much that they named a constellation of stars after her. A different version of the story says that Zeus was so angry at the mother bear and her cub that he threw them up into the night sky to forever roam around the North Star.   

from www.nmm.ac.uk

So why does Bear come to us in times when we need comfort?  Well, when we need comfort, we are feeling weak or insecure.  Bear is a universal symbol of big and of power.  At our weakest, we need to be reminded that we have all the power that we require within us.  Bear, who hibernates, and who sleeps easily, reminds us to go in and reflect on what we do know and to honour our strengths.  Bear is about teaching the cub (often each of us) how to be a “big bear”.

I wish you a wonderful bear encounter.

Many Blessings,

Judy

White Owl’s Thoughts - Spirit Animal

This picture is from a series of wild life pictures someone sent me in an email.  Origin not known.

A while ago, one of my clients phoned me because they had an unusual experience driving into work in the morning, down Memorial Drive.  He said that a big white owl flew across his windshield twice.  He was awestruck.  However, when he excitedly looked around at other drivers, no one else appeared to see it.  He wanted to know what the message was.  The following message came to me in a meditation.  I shared it with him, and with his permission, with you.

White Owl’s Message

“This is the time to practice wisdom.  One of the greatest gifts of wisdom is patience.  The large Earth changes are upon us, and, because they happen slowly, humans do not see the degree of change that is happening.  We animals notice that the Sun and the Moon do not seem to always be in the place that it has been in seasons gone by.  We notice that there is more water in some places and much dryness in others.  It changes our food supply and we too must change – move to new hunting grounds and find new prey.  We notice that some of our kind do not seem to be as plentiful.  We that survive will need to continue the species.  We see changes in our abilities with each new change.  We are not ones to die off; we are survivors.  

We find it easy to move.  We have no home or possessions to carry with us.  We simply set our destination, and fly to that place.  We do have favourite places that we like to be, although it does not matter much to us where we sleep.  Humans are weighted down by so many things.  Perhaps that is why humans cannot fly.  Even your clothes seem heavy.  

I, Owl, say to you that now is a good time to look at lightening your load and finding ways to make your journey easier. “

Many blessings,

Judy

Everyone Feels Energy

I have been having several conversations around energy, with different people over the last two weeks.  Some people maintain that they cannot feel energy.  Others – healers – say that they meet with much resistance to the energy work that they do.  And, there are those who post anonymous vicious comments about various healers and energy workers.  The events started me thinking about how differently people can feel energy.  

 

Picture of energy flying up from US… from www.lockheedmartin.com

 

From the time we are born, we can feel the energy of our mother’s love or disapproval.  As children, we feel the energy of the relationship between our parents. And, we feel the energy of the warmth of the Sun, that, by the way, is traveling about 93 million miles to touch our skin. This means that we can feel energy from afar, and that energy that is created at a distance, can travel and effect a change in the person that it hits. 

From a healer’s point of view, this means that distance healing is real, and that it does work.  Even though the person receiving the healing energy cannot see the healer create the energy, the process is like the sun creating energy and sending it out.  No one actually sees the Sun create the energy, however, over time, everyone on the planet agrees that the energy is real.  

If the energy that the Sun sends out is real, then, by application of logic, all stars and planets send out energy.  This is particularly true of the Moon, the closest celestial object to Earth.  The Moon does not send out the same type of warmth as the Sun. However, if you go and stand outside for an hour under a full moon, then you too will feel the energy. The Moon is an average of 239,000 miles from the Earth according to www.nasa.gov.  So, the effects of the energy of the Moon should be stronger than the Sun, because it is closer. 

   

Mosaic of the near side of the moon as taken by the Clementine star trackers. The images were taken on March 15, 1994. In this view, north is up. The bright crater near the bottom of the image is the Tycho. www.nasa.gov

We already know that the Moon’s energy has an influence on Earth because wise men, philosophers, and now modern day scientists have proven that the Moon’s energy affects the winds and the tides.  Medical people will tell you that the Moon’s energy also affects many people, causing anxiety, sleeplessness, and even profound personality changes.  

So if the energy of the Moon can cause physical and mental or emotional changes in people, why is it difficult to believe that people can cause energetic changes in other people?  Again, a behaviourist will tell you that the energy of the “one bad apple” person in a work environment or class room will often quickly change the energy of the other people in the area, bringing them down to that energy level.  The same is true of the energy of a very charismatic leader or speaker.  The energy in the room, and of the people, will rise to that level. 

Again, if we have this kind of proof that the energy of one person can affect the energy of another, why do so many people discount energy healing?

Many blessings,

Judy

Horse on Sleeping

 

I was getting ready to leave my meditation after having a Lion come in, when I heard the words, “Wait! Wait!  I have something to say!”

I settled back down on the grass in my favourite spot, and waited, as I had been asked.   A large white horse walked into my space, and settled in.  It was clear that she was a spirit animal.

“I heard your discussion with Lion about sleeping, and I thought that I would like to say something on that topic.”

“Go ahead,” I said.  

The white Horse had some good things to say.

• Make sure that you get all your harness off before you go to sleep.  You will be far more comfortable.
• It is good to pray before you sleep.  (I piped in that I did not know that horses did prayers.  White Horse informed me that all animals pray.)
• In nature, horses and all animals must find a safe place to sleep, or, they must have someone stand watch.  It is good to have a secure place to sleep.
• If you cannot sleep, meditate on the wonderful life that you have.  All of us have abundance and we can meditate on abundance.  I like to think about grass, and how grass becomes hay, and as I meditate on this, I just seem to fall asleep.
• If you have a guide or several guides (we horses have guides that will lead us to different places), then ask your guide to lead you to that place of sleep, and to stand guard.  This will keep you safe from all things.
• If sleep doesn’t come, think about Oneness.  Oneness means that we are all part of the same pasture (eco system) and that we must all share and help each other.

I was quite amazed at the variety of ideas that Horse had, and said so.  White Horse got this very shy look on her face and dipped her head, and wandered off.

I came out of my meditation feeling like I had been greatly blessed.

Blessings to you,

Judy