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

More on Breath

The poster says:   The same atoms and molecules of air, the breath that Jesus breathed, Moses breathed, Buddha breathed, that same breath is flowing into you right now!

The interesting thing about air is that it is always present.  It moves and is cleansed, and becomes rain or snow, and then changes to become “air” once again.  This is a good time to take up a meditation practice.  Not a big one – five or ten minutes a day.  And, in that time, be mindful of your breath.  You will be uncomfortable at first, however, things will change after the seventh day, and, it will become more natural.

Blessings,

Judy

Fox In The Forest

The following information comes from one of my journals from 2016.  It describes an experience that I had when I was out with my dogs.

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I drove up into the Kananaskis area, just south of Canmore.  There was a lot more snow than what we had around home.  From the corner of my vision, I saw a dark shape.  I pulled over and stopped the vehicle.

Fox was coming out of the trees.  She moved with purpose.  I saw the beauty of her coat.  She stopped and turned to me.  I thought she might smell the dogs.  I swear that she grinned.  She barked three, sharp barks.  And then she moved on.

The barks represented:

• trust your senses
• stick to your purpose or goal
• rely on your own cleverness – no one else has your experience in your life

Blessings,

Judy

Eagle Picks Up On Energies

Two bald eagles spend the winter in Fish Creek Park where the Bow River winds south and then west.  Here, the water stays open and they can fish.

For the last two weeks, Eagle has been out flying when I am out with my dog.  I get various messages.

• Walking in the snow is like flying in the snow – your thoughts are dusted off with purity from being in Nature.
• This is the time to shake off all commitments around work, politics, and religion.  They serve you not.
• Winter is a time to walk on water, climb mountains, and ride down them.  It is the free-est you can be.

Blessings,

Judy

Mountain Goats in a Dream

Last night, in my dream, there were two mountain goats standing in the snow, watching me.  I asked them what was going on, and they replied that they were waiting to see what will happen next.  They indicated that there are many people who drift up to the mountains on their dream time, it seems, looking for answers.  Most people are quite disappointed when they find only mountain goats.

Mountain Goat says that their wisdom is not appreciated by humans – humans look for the easy road and the fast fix.  Being in the mountains is about being cautious and a risk taker at the same time.  Travelling in the mountains is about finding the easiest and safest route, which means that sometimes you may have to jump from cliff to cliff or jump over a crevice.  Easy is not without its challenges. 

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

September 2024 and Autumnal Equinox Dates

September arrives and tells us that the summer has ended.  September tells us that we must finish our harvesting because in several weeks, we will hit the Fall Equinox or Autumnal Equinox and then the possibility of snow.

Fall Equinox in our area always signals that winter is right around the corner.  The day signals even shorter daylight and longer night.  It is the quarter turning of the Earth.  For many, it is a time to give thanks for the bounty of the harvest.  When so many live in the cities now, the celebration of the harvesting of good, nourishing, natural food is not practiced.  For city dwellers, it is like giving thanks to Superstore or other grocery chain.

We have lost much of the art of celebrating the passage of one season to another.  A passing season is a big event - much like a birthday.  It is a time of contemplation, wild celebration, and fantastic food all rolled into one day.  Even going outside and standing on a balcony or going to a park to give thanks to Nature and the beings that care for all things in Nature is a great way to celebrate Fall Equinox.

If you want to say words as part of your celebration, try these three lines:

We give thanks for the harvest.
We give thanks for abundance
We give thanks for the blessings in our lives through the year. 

Here are the autumnal Equinox Dates from 2024 to 2027.

Autumnal Equinox Dates

Year	Autumnal Equinox (Northern Hemisphere)	Autumnal Equinox (Southern Hemisphere)
2024	Sunday, September 22	Tuesday, March 19
2025	Monday, September 22	Thursday, March 20
2026	Tuesday, September 22	Friday, March 20
2027	Thursday, September 23	Saturday, March 20

Note: Dates listed above are based on Eastern Time (UTC-5). Due to time zones, the date of the equinox may differ by +/- one calendar day in your location.

-from the site almanac.com.

Many blessings,

Judyd

Swallow is a Spirit Animal

 

A popular tattoo for both men and women is the image of a swallow.  Some like the stylized version which is more symbolic.  Here is a design that I like.

I began to wonder why Swallow was such a popular choice for tattoos, and why so many people say “Swallow” when you ask them to name a bird.

Some of the reasons that Swallow has such a following are:

1. Our  Norse ancestors tell the story that the Swallow flew around Jesus’ head, and sang songs to distract him from his suffering.
2. British and German ancestors say that if Swallow nests on your house, all within will have good luck.  Additionally, the house is protected from disasters such as fires, heavy wind, and hail and snow.
3. North American First Nations legends tell how Swallow tricked the Sun, and was able to steal fire from the Sun, and bring fire to The People so the people would be warm in winter.
4. Farmers believe that the time that Swallow arrives back from migration will indicate the type of year that farmers will have.  Late arrival means a short and cooler summer.  Early arrival means a long, warm summer which means a good growing season.
5. Farmers also believe that a high flying Swallow meant good weather, and Swallow flying low, close to the ground, indicated cooler, rainy weather.  (Note that because Swallow is an insect eater, it probably tells more about the behaviour of the insects and weather.)

Most gardeners love Swallow and build or buy big Swallow Houses for the Swallows to live in while they are in the north.  The benefit is that Swallow eats so many insects, including mosquitoes.

Swallow has played a role in our belief systems because of the various legends told about it.  If Swallow is hanging out around you, it is a good thing, and she will bring you blessings.

Many blessings,

Judy

Black Squirrel - A Spirit Animal

  Black squirrel picture from Wikipedia..

After several inches of snow last night, I expected the yard to be very quiet.  Instead, I saw a miniature snow squall erupt from the mountain ash tree.  Three black squirrels were chasing one another through the tree, around the tree, and then back up the tree.  This lasted for about five minutes, and then all three of them shook off the snow, and climbed up on the bird feeder to forage out some sunflower seeds.

Squirrel and her companions sat on the bird feeder and munched, and glanced at the house, as though wondering whether I would put out more food.  Squirrel has never been shy about letting me know when more is needed.  I then realized that Squirrel’s lesson today is about trust!  Just as she trusts that there will be food in the yard, she tells me to trust that Great Spirit will provide for me.  Just as Squirrel feels comfortable and safe in my yard, Squirrel tells me to feel safe and comfortable in Great Spirit’s yard – Mother Earth.  The message that was coming through, loud and clear, was that I was not trusting enough, and in being somewhat reluctant to trust, I was limiting myself to all the treats that might be handed to me or left out for me.

As soon as I muddled through all of those thoughts, Squirrel chattered happily to the other two squirrels and they bounded down the pole, across the yard, and up the fence to disappear to a neighbouring yard.   I realized that I had received a very great gift.  I am grateful!

 I would love to hear your squirrel story! You can send it in the comments or email me at lightstationwisdom@gmail.com.

Blessings,

Judy

Eat Green To Reconnect With The Earth

For those of us that are still in snow covered areas, where Spring is taking a while to move forward, our vitamins and minerals are depleting.  Perhaps people who are living in weather troubled areas of flooding and drought are also experiencing this problem.

The Angels have been saying that we need to reconnect with the Earth, and to do that, we need to replenish the vitamins and minerals that have been leeching out of our bodies with over use of processed or fast food options.  

We have abundance in our lives, and we can choose to take the food that is nourishing.  Our Ancestors knew to dry green things to eat through the winter and into Spring.  The green food wants to be in service to help all beings.  With the inclusion of greens into our bodies, we help the greens become so much more.  Eventually, we all return to the Earth to begin again.  

Great Spirit has created natural processes to nurture us.  The Oceans assist the greens by creating different climates, and by providing moisture in the form of rain or snow.  The rain and snow carry light which is absorbed into the food.  We are grow with oxygen in our food, and the light in the oxygen.

Choose the greens grown close to home, if possible, to re-affirm your connection with the place that you are now living.  Celebrate the greens while you eat.  You will feel magnificent!

Blessings,

Judy

Bear Movement

In January 2024, we had abnormally high temperatures ranging from plus 4C all the way to plus 15C.  This weather has confused the animals and birds.  Here is what bear has to say.

Picture is from an email from a friend.

Great Bear comes out of his den early, and sees the ground covered with snow.  He pauses.  He says that the seasons of the Earth and the seasons of the Bear are no longer in synch.  By Bear’s calendar, it is time for him to wake up.  The agreement is that The Spirit of Mother Earth will have food available when Bear wakes up.  In the Northern Hemisphere, this is not happening.  Yes, there is some green sprigs of grass in places.  However, the insects are still buried deep in the bark and the ground.

Bear notices the movement of the Sun.  Many Moons ago, Bear could predict where the Sun would be in the sky, and could plan his route around his territory.  In his mind map of the terrain, he could mark the far boundary by the Sun’s position. Now, he cannot.  Sometimes the Sun seems to bounce around the sky.  Sometimes, it seems like there are two Suns, superimposed on one another.  Bear also feels the pull of the Sun – it has extraordinary strength.  This has caused Bear to be pulled to be outside, and not underground.

As Bear rambles, looking for food, he remembers that there was rumbling in the Earth while he slept in his cave.  The rumbling is new, like the mountain is restless.  As Bear swings his head around, he senses too, that the birds are moving, heading North, even though this seems early.  Bear grunts to himself and wonders if all the land is now in movement.

Many blessings,

Judy

Working Within the Chaos

 

Astrologers tell us that we have just entered a time of chaos, as Mercury moves into retrograde.  Although it is nice to have someone confirm that the energy is chaotic, we all are aware of the energies that move from high to low, and then across the board, pulling emotions, and causing euphoria and despair.

Our Ancestors left us stories of times of chaos, and how these times turned people angry.  These were the dark times, when people turned against one another simply for spite and to show some sort of power.  It was a time when innocents were hurt.

We are heading into a time like this again – and we have felt it coming.  We see the storms in the skies causing rain and snow in unusual amounts and in unusual places.  In other places, unusual heat and drought is occurring.  

Archangels and Ascended Masters speak for Great Spirit and tell us to find a port that we can weather out the storm.  If you need to be in the chaos, call on an Archangel or Ascended Master to help you move through it, and to protect you.

The Earth changes in the forms of earthquakes and whirlpools and large, open cracks in the earth tell us that the very base of our life is also going through changes.  

The task that we have at this time is to work within the chaos to create havens of peace.  This means a place where you feel safe and protected, and where you will allow others to come and be protected.  IT is a time to remember to work at NOT arguing with people – simply do what you must.

Many blessings,

Judy

February 1 2024 - Signalling The Change of Seasons

After a long span of winter with cold temperatures and lots of snow, all of us in the North look to February to signal a change in the weather.  The first really warm rays of sun hit us and we feel better for the sun on our face.

February is a time of Peacefulness when we know that the worst of the weather is most often behind us and we start looking at our seed catalogues for ideas for the garden and for the flower beds.

It is a time where it is easy to close your eyes and sink into peaceful meditation as you contemplate the beauty of Nature.  An easy mantra to use is:

            Nature surrounds me and protects me.

            Nature heals me.

            Nature supports me to be me!

Blessings.

Judy

Canada Goose on Sharing - A Spirit Guide

The Canada Goose never used to be seen walking about on the snow because it is a migratory bird. However, in mild climates from California to the Great Lakes, some of the population has become non-migratory due to adequate winter food supply and a lack of former predators. (Source Wikipedia) Ducks have also begun to stay further north as a result of the abundance of food and milder winters.

Goose talks about sharing:

“When more birds stay North, we must learn to get along for the food supply is limited, the amount of open water is limited, and the heat available from the open water sewer releases is limited. We have found a way to keep our territories intact and to respect the space of the other flocks. In this way, we share without battle. No one of us needs to own the space. The space – the water – is ever changing and stays not long in one place. 

As part of the sharing, we act as guards and alerts for one another. If one of us is safe, then we are all safe. The side benefit of us staying and sharing the same space is that we keep the waters very clean of seaweed type grasses and weeds. Because we each have a preference for different flavors, we eat different things and sharing becomes easier. We do not need to hoard things we do not need for food.”

Many blessings,

Judy

Doe In the Snow

This morning as my dog and I walked in the small off leash dog park, we were startled by a Doe (Deer) plunging uphill through the snow.  It seemed she was running to us. Then she was about fifteen feet away when she veered away.  She made intense eye contact with us and in her huffing, seemed to be sounding out a message.  I thought that it was for me, however, it does seem to be for all of us.

She says:

“Even though it may seem at the moment, that all of your movement is uphill, the feeling is momentary.  When one lives in rolling landscapes, one can expect “rolling” times – both uphill and downhill.  Uphill builds one’s strength at a core level, and makes one healthier and able to bear all things.  Being strong is a positive.  Anyone who simply travels downhill all the time does not have the endurance for life, and will eventually get to the bottom, and lay down and die.

Sometimes the choicest twigs are on the bushes on the side of the hill.  Because the bushes are spread out, they get more sun, and they are tastier!  One must work harder to get there and one does not need to compete with others for the bushes in the valley.  

Breaking a path in the snow is hard work.  All new trails, however, are started by one being.  I am a trail blazer.  Are you?”

Many Blessings,

Judy

Change and Growth In Your Life

 Have you ever gotten a vehicle stuck in the snow or in the mud?  Do you remember how difficult it was to get out of being stuck, especially if you had to do it all by yourself?  Do you remember that often, you could not get un-stuck without calling for help from a tow truck driver or from others near by?  

To change the stuck in the snow situation, we had to change the thought that we could get un-stuck with no help.  Realizing that we were wrong and accepting that we were wrong is a big change.  It is also a metaphor for life where we have to move along and take responsibility for needing to change.

Too often, folks get stuck in a rut… a situation that is not healthy for them or for those around them.  Instead of making up their mind to change and grow, they instead play the victim and blame everyone and everything in their life for how stuck they are.

Very early in my spiritual journey, several of my teachers explained that each road block or stuck situation in my life was a chance to learn and to change.  Making that shift in my approach to life was a challenge because I was not raised that way.  Each time that I was feeling stuck, I had to learn to step back and to look at the lesson that the situation presented.  I learned so much!

I learned about setting boundaries, and about saying NO.  I learned about changing or releasing expectations.  I learned that people are exactly who they appear to be and not to have expectations about their behaviour.  I let relationships go.  I learned that when there are not any blocks to what I was doing, I was in the flow.  I was in balance. I learned to let people leave my life when they were trying to manipulate me, boss me around, or take advantage of me.  I learned over time how to be me.

Blessings,

Judy