A Message From White Tiger

 

White Tiger entered my space and announced that it was here to walk with me for a while.  I was startled.  A white animal usually means that something big, in a spiritual sort of way, is going to happen to you, and generally, it involves a confrontation of some kind.  This was not good news!

White Tiger said slowly and quietly, “There is nothing to fear.  Now, you need a teacher to walk with you.  I have asked to come to do this thing.  You and other humans are interesting to me.”

With that comment, White Tiger sent me some thoughts to share with others.

• Learn to really “see”.  So much of what you see is not true.  Learn to expand your mind and to try to see the things behind the picture.  Learn to see in the darkness.  You can you know – you have just been told that you cannot.
• Mark your territory.  This is about learning to create boundaries.  You need to set boundaries at home, at work, at play, with your family and with your friends.  Too many have forgotten that boundaries are about asking permission.  Many assume they have the right to do any number of things.
• Adapt your covering (clothes) to the places that you will travel.  There is a caution about drawing too much attention to yourself.

Many blessings,

Judy

Confucius Speaks — About Good People

“Good people live wisely and improve customs.” is the meaning that Confucius attributes to the 53rd meaning of the I Ching or Book of Change 

 

 

Picture of the 53rd cast of the I-Ching

The translation of this cast (shown below) comes from a translation by Wilhelm, both in English and French.

On the mountain, a tree: The image of DEVELOPMENT. 
Thus the superior man abides in dignity and virtue, 
In order to improve the mores. 

The tree on the mountain is visible from afar, and its development influences the landscape of the entire region. It does not shoot up like a swamp plant; its growth proceeds gradually. Thus also the work of influencing people can be only gradual. No sudden influence or awakening is of lasting effect. Progress must be quite gradual, and in order to obtain such progress in public opinion and in the mores of the people, it is necessary for the personality to acquire influence and weight. This comes about through careful and constant work on one's own moral development. 

I saw this cast of the I-Ching, and immediately realized that this is actually the journey of our lives. It takes well into our adult hood before we develop the credibility to have others look to us for answers, or for leadership.  The Mayans believed one was not truly a Master or a true teacher until the person reached 52 years of age.

The irony of this, is, that while many of us believe in the wisdom that comes from age, we have created “Masters” programs in our Universities and Business Schools that purport to give a twenty-two to twenty-six year old the same knowledge one has at fifty-two.  Does it work?  In most cases, no!  The other sad fact about this hypocrisy is that the twenty-something wants to earn the same as the fifty something, and feels it is “due” to them because they have the education. 

Blessings,

Judy

Skunk’s Support

One of the things that Creator worked with me on is to understand how to change our lives.  Creator lead me through a meditation-journey.  Part of the journey was meeting up with a Spirit Animal guide who will help me through the changes.

My spirit guide was Skunk.  I thought this was odd because I have an aversion to very strong smells.  However, as we sat on the beach of the river, side by side, I grew accustomed to Skunk’s odour, and actually even found it comforting.

Some of the ideas that Skunk conveyed were:

• You need to be di-stinct.  Be comfortable being different.  Distinguish your self by your smell, your appearance, and your actions.
• You need to follow your in-stinct.  When something smells wrong, know that it is wrong and do not look to fix it.  Walk away!
• If you are indi-stinct, it is difficult to be a teacher-leader.  This is the time to show your skills and to share them.

Skunk went on to share some other thoughts that I need to sort through for a while.  

If you have thoughts on Skunk’s appearance by my side, please send me your comments.

Many blessings,

Judy

Lessons From The Dragon

Picture of dragon from an email so origin is not known,

The legends of Dragons are about how fearsome they are, how they hunt humans and other animals, and how they must be destroyed.  Over and over, Dragon has been showing up for me in the last several days and nights.  She comes in as a protector, as a guide, and as a teacher.  Dragons, in some cases, are immortal.  In their disgust with the human’s predatorial and aggressive behaviour to dragons and especially to other humans, Dragons shifted to other dimensions or to very hidden caravans below the Earth’s surface.

Now, Dragon and her kind are returning to this plane.  It is time, she indicates, for dragons to re-join humans as humans become more loving and kind.  She says that we have lessons to learn.

• Treasure does not feed your soul.
• What you eat may not appeal or even be acceptable to others.  This is their lesson, not yours.
• We each look the way we look on the surface.  One needs to get to know the being before making judgements about who they are inside.
• All beings have the physics within them to deconstruct and to reconstruct themselves (teleportation).  Most will need help with the mechanics of doing this.
• Telepathy has always been on the planet Earth.  However, due to the toxins in processed foods and in drugs, it has been bred out of most humans.  Only those aboriginals living in isolation are able to comfortably use that part of their brain.
• Dragons are known for their healing skills.  They wish to share this with all of you.

I was surprised at the Dragon’s list of lessons.  And, I am curious to see how Dragon will work with me and with the rest of humanity. 

Many blessings,

Judy

The Meditating Monk and Fear

 Picture of Buddha comes from an email so origin is not known.

One of the hardest things that I have found is the process of letting go of fear.  From the time that we are very young, we are conditioned to the idea of fear, and that we must fear anything that is different or unknown.  Perhaps, because of that conditioning, I have gone out of my way to meet, head on, what it is I fear.  I often wondered if I just had a streak of recklessness in me –which was the consensus of my parents – or whether I was legitimately moving forward on my journey.  

This train of thought has been a source of many meditations and contemplations for me.  I wonder if I am able to overcome all fear.  Then I remembered the teaching about the spider.   

I went through my notes, and found that I actually wrote about this  last year – April 13th.  Here is the story.

A Tibetan story tells of a meditation student who, while meditating in his room, believed he saw a spider descending in front of him. Each day the menacing creature returned, growing larger and larger each time. So frightened was the student, that he went to his teacher to report his dilemma. He said he planned to place a knife in his lap during meditation, so when the spider appeared he would kill it. The teacher advised him against this plan. Instead, he suggested, bring a piece of chalk to meditation, and when the spider appeared, mark an "X" on its belly. Then report back.

The student returned to his meditation. When the spider again appeared, he resisted the urge to attack it, and instead did just what the master suggested. When he later reported back to the master, the teacher told him to lift up his shirt and look at his own belly. There was the "X".

Because this is coming up for me again, in the spring, almost a year later, I feel that I need to do some karma clearing around belief systems connected to fear.  

I am off to do that now.   Have a wonderful day!

Many blessings,

Judy

The Spiritual Bully

When someone constantly badgers us with their ideas about what they are hearing and need to  tell us, whether they have our permission or not, I call the person a “spiritual bully”.  This means that they believe they have some divine right to tell you what ever they think about you and what you are doing, even if it is only their opinion, and typically, they get angry at you if you don’t take their advice.

One of the first laws of the universe is “harm no one (none)”.  This means that you do not violate a person’s physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual space, without permission.  To do so is to set out to intentionally harm them.  This happens so often with teachers and mentors with their students or followers.  It happens when someone feels that they are more powerful than someone else, and that power is used to force the “someone else” to take on tasks that they might not otherwise do.

Some ideas for coping with spiritual bullies are:

• Set boundaries to take back your power.   “Boundaries are not walls, they are safety markers to keep you safe.  You have a right to protect yourself when someone comes into your space uninvited.”
• Stand in your power and show your confidence by saying “no, I can’t do that right now.”  This means that you need to feel good about yourself and your abilities.  
• Make plans to avoid the bullying relationship.  You cannot change other people; however, you can change the environment.  You can choose to be in a healthy, safe environment.

Blessings,

Judy

Buddha’s Advice on “Who Do You Believe?”

Last week, I had a question from a reader who wanted to know about information in a book they were reading.  The question was to ask me to confirm if the book was correct or not in what it was saying.  

This is a tough question because depending on the book, and when the book was written, the information may have been true at the time, and now in the 21st century, it may be proven false. 

When I wonder about information because something about it doesn’t ring true, I go back to the words of Buddha.  In his teaching that has become known as the “Kalama Sutta”.  The word “Kalama” refers to the people in the village in a township in India that had the question around “what is the correct teaching?”.  The word “sutta” has a complex meaning.  However, for simplicity’s sake, let’s agree that it means “rules”.  The teaching then, is “Rules for the Kalama”.  The principles are sound.  Buddha says not to take anything on face value.

Well, I won’t say anymore.  Read this and you will see how sound this advice is.  But, don’t take my word for it!  (Smile.)

Judy

  

Kalama Sutta

The people of Kalama asked the Buddha who to believe out of all the ascetics, sages, venerables, and holy ones who, like himself, passed through their town. They complained that they were confused by the many contradictions they discovered in what they heard. The Kalama Sutta is the Buddha's reply. 

• Do not believe anything on mere hearsay. 
• Do not believe in traditions merely because they are old and have been handed down for many generations and in many places. 
• Do not believe anything on account of rumors or because people talk a a great deal about it. 
• Do not believe anything because you are shown the written testimony of some ancient sage. 
• Do not believe in what you have fancied, thinking that, because it is extraordinary, it must have been inspired by a god or other wonderful being. 
• Do not believe anything merely because presumption is in its favor, or because the custom of many years inclines you to take it as true. 
• Do not believe anything merely on the authority of your teachers and priests. 
• But, whatever, after thorough investigation and reflection, you find to agree with reason and experience, as conducive to the good and benefit of one and all and of the world at large, accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it. 
• The same text, said the Buddha, must be applied to his own teachings. 
• Do not accept any doctrine from reverence, but first try it as gold is tried by fire. 

                                                           ∆ ∆ ∆ ∆

Many blessings,

Judy

A Student Questions The Teacher

 

A STUDENT QUESTIONS HIS TEACHER

A new student approached the Zen master and asked how he should prepare himself for his training. "Think of me a bell," the master explained. "Give me a soft tap, and you will get a tiny ping. Strike hard, and you'll receive a loud, resounding peal."

Although this is a very short koan (koans are saying, phrases, or questions meant to be contemplated), it is profound in the depth of the teaching message.  

What are your thoughts on this story?

Many blessings,

Judy

Owl Wants To Work With Humans (Spirit Animal)

Picture of Great Horned Owl

It is not often that OWL pays continued visits.  However, over the last several weeks, a Great Horned Owl has been showing up around the neighborhood, in pictures, in dream time, and in meditation.  

The message is always the same – “I want to work with you and with others”.

OWL is regarded as a teacher and has been regarded in this way for thousands of years.  

If OWL is showing up for you now, pay attention.  Look to what is going on in your life.  

• do you need to be a night owl?
• do you need to watch behind you and around you all the time?
• do you need to move about your business more quietly, and not share what you are doing with others?
• do you need to be more solitary?

If Owl is showing up for you, feel the blessings of its love and attention.  You may learn much!

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

Gorilla on Strength -Spirit Animal

Teachers tell us that when animals appear in our dreams, visions, and through pictures in our daily lives, that the animal has a message or wisdom to share.

Gorilla has been showing up to give remarkable demonstrations on strength.  Some of her thoughts are:

• Strength must be both physical and mental.  To achieve your strongest physical capability, you must practice (workout). To achieve your clearest mental state, you must take on challenges.
• Your personality must be clearly defined with a strong sense of goodness and fairness.  Bullies and nasty actions are not accepted.
• Make either your hearing or your sight one of your strongest traits.  Hearing will let you hear those that plan to harm you.
• Strength lies in the loyalty of the tribe to one another and to finding food for the good of all

Gorilla tells us to evaluate where we stand with family, with friends, and with our colleagues at work.  She asks us to measure the worth of sticking with them.

Many Blessings,

Judy

A Story About A Ghost

 This story comes from Zen Buddhist teachings.  There are several different lessons in this story. Which lessons are apparent to you?  Post your thoughts in the comments section below the blog.

                                     Picture from J Hirst -taken of Elbow Falls in August 2021

 Banishing a Ghost

 The wife of a man became very sick. On her deathbed, she said to him, "I love you so much! I don't want to leave you, and I don't want you to betray me. Promise that you will not see any other women once I die, or I will come back to haunt you."

For several months after her death, the husband did avoid other women, but then he met someone and fell in love. On the night that they were engaged to be married, the ghost of his former wife appeared to him. She blamed him for not keeping the promise, and every night thereafter she returned to taunt him. The ghost would remind him of everything that transpired between him and his fiancée that day, even to the point of repeating, word for word, their conversations. It upset him so badly that he couldn't sleep at all.

Desperate, he sought the advice of a Zen master who lived near the village. "This is a very clever ghost," the master said upon hearing the man's story. "It is!" replied the man. "She remembers every detail of what I say and do. It knows everything!" The master smiled, "You should admire such a ghost, but I will tell you what to do the next time you see it."

That night the ghost returned. The man responded just as the master had advised. "You are such a wise ghost," the man said, "You know that I can hide nothing from you. If you can answer me one question, I will break off the engagement and remain single for the rest of my life." "Ask your question," the ghost replied. The man scooped up a handful of beans from a large bag on the floor, "Tell me exactly how many beans there are in my hand."

At that moment the ghost disappeared and never returned.