Mink and Water

 

Mink, a spirit animal, says that water is very important to all of us.  Creator has made us all – all animals – mostly water to remind us that we are all fluid – that is our spirit, our energy, is able to move with the flow.  There is no reason not to move fluidly, whether we dance, sing, run or walk.  We are meant to flow on the easiest path. 

Mink observes that especially in winter, humans do not flow.  Mink thinks this is because that humans do not move close enough to water.  Instead, they sit in buildings and other dry places.  Even drinking lots of water does not ease the burden of loss of fluidity.

Minks like to live near water and are seldom found far from riverbanks, lakes and marshes. Even when roaming, they tend to follow streams and ditches. Sometimes they leave the water altogether for a few hundred metres.  This is the example that humans should follow.

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

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

The Robin Academy

 

Fall is here, and the robins are gone.  I miss their happy chirping in the morning.  I miss how they follow us around to see where we will be digging in the yard or garden.  It gives them a chance for good worms.  This story happened at the beginning of August.  

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As my dog and I completed our morning walk the other day, we rounded the curve at the big maple tree, and came upon a flock of robins – at least twenty.  They looked mostly young, and they were sitting on roots, and low shrubs.  In the manner of a Professor addressing his class, was what appeared to be a much older Robin, sitting on the ground, addressing the youth around him.  Some of the young robins were fluttering at each other – typical kids!

I caught all of this at a glance.  I told my dog to wait and the two of us stopped to see what would happen next.

The Professor Robin gave a sharp chirrup, and the robins got quiet.  He started to speak.  It sounded like he was telling them about the long journey south, and what they would need to do to prepare.  Some of the young robins still had spots on their chest.   He flew up and then back down.  He kept chirruping, and flapping his wings.  And then, as he turned to look around, he spotted us.  He let out a squawk, and all the robins took off.

I was laughing at the remarkable resemblance to our school system that I saw in the Robin Academy.  I even thought how Professor Robin looked like the Dean of the English Department in university.  

It was a fun morning, to see how robins prepare their young.  I am grateful for the experience.

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Blessings,

Judy

Pelican Offers Advice

As we walked along the path by the river, we were surprised to see a lonely looking Pelican floating along the water, occasionally sticking its head below the water and then pulling it up again. 

My friend recently lost her husband to a long battle with cancer.  She was enjoying the walk and we were having a lively conversation.  Suddenly, the Pelican squawked, and stared right at her.  It began a lively combination of swimming, and sticking its head under water, and shaking water off, and then starting the combination all over.   We were surprised yet again, by this unusual behaviour.

Elizabeth asked me what I thought the bird was doing.  My reply was that the Pelican was giving her a message about life.  Here is my interpretation of the message.

• Pick up the pace of what you are doing.  It is okay to be gentle for a while, however, you do need to get on with things.
• When you feel an emotion, dive into it, and find out where it takes you.  Remember that an emotion is symptomatic of something else going on.
• Hiding from the world view by burying your head will not change things.  Meet things head on.
• When you have explored something, shake it off, and move on to the next thing.
• Moving with the water’s flow is easier than swimming upstream. 

Blessings,

Judy

Crab Motion

 

Sometimes, in my meditation, I have the most unusual interactions with animals.  This post is about Crab and comes from a meditation journal from several years ago.

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Crabs typically walk sideways (a behaviour which gives us the word crabwise). This is because of the articulation of the legs which makes a sidelong gait more efficient. – Wikipedia

Crab also moves forward and backward.  Crab says that motion, regardless of the direction, is still motion.  Motion carries you as you work through your purpose.  Purpose is simply taking action, doing what you know you need to do without the prompting or without following other’s expectations.  

When you are in motion, you are searching.  Although you may believe that you know the destination, along the way, the destination may change.  Thus, you are ever watching for the signs that move you along.  

Crab is always looking for food and for safety.  She tells you that along the journey that you are taking, life will be better if you remember to care for yourself, as part of safety, and that eating the foods that suit your body will also ensure your safety and health.  Specialists and doctors all have different ideas of what the best foods are.  You can tell what foods best serve you by simply holding them to your heart and hearing/feeling/knowing or seeing that the food suits you, or not.

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Blessings,

Judy

Elementals Dancing

This picture of the Elementals dancing in the sun light was taken by Judy Hirst.

The one thing that I am more conscious of than ever, is that there are all kinds of beings all around us that are not like us – not human that is.  However, if you take humans down to a basic energy level, than all beings are like us, and, yes, we must all be related.  

I took this picture on our way back to the car, after hiking up a small mountain.  As we walked down the path, I could feel a humming in the air.  I stopped and snapped this picture.

What the picture does not show is that the inner ring and the outer ring were both rotating, at different speeds, showing the lights dancing around.   If I had to describe a sound that I could hear, it would be a very high pitched laughing.  There was so much joy in that clearing.

Perhaps if we got down to the most core, energetic part of ourselves, we too would feel that kind of joy.

Blessings, 

Judy

I Can Not Meditate - A Buddhist Teaching

This is a story that we had to read about the common problems that come up for people new to meditation, and sometimes for those who have had to break their meditation practice for some reason.  

Perhaps you will find some wisdom that you, too, will be able to use.

  Picture of Elbow Falls in the Elbow Recreation Area - by J Hirst June 2024

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Beginners with meditation often get the feeling that they can't meditate; "I meditate for a week now, and still see no change", "I can't control my mind", "My mind is only getting crazier, I cannot get rid of my problems and thoughts". 
To briefly comment on these in order: 

Meditation requires patience - a few sessions will not undo a lifetime of opposite habits of excitement and confusion. 

None of us can control our mind unless we train ourselves to do it - have you ever seen anyone playing the violin nicely without practice? 

If it seems that our mind is getting worse, it usually means we just see our 'madness' better than before - the first step towards success! 

 

A story by Master Shen-Yen (from Ch'an Newsletter July 1982):

"The purpose of cultivation is not to seek anything, but to discover the faults in our character and behavior. By opening ourselves to self-investigation, we hope to find out where our problems lie, and if, after searching within ourselves, we can see these faults and problems, this in itself is the fruit of the practice. 

A woman on the last retreat said that the more she tries to get away from her faults, the stronger they seem to become. And the more she thinks about it, and wonders why she can't get rid of them, the more she gets disgusted with herself. She said, "Probably I just don't have the ability to practice meditation. A good practitioner is able to throw out their problems while practicing, and I'm not." At that time, I was standing up, and the light above cast a shadow of my body on the wall. I asked: "When I am standing still, is the shadow moving?" She said, "No." Then I walked slowly away, and the shadow followed me along. I walked quickly and the shadow kept pace with me. No matter how I tried, I could not get rid of it. Only if you turn the light out, or make your body disappear, will your shadow go away. 

Just like the shadow, our problems stick to our "self." Wherever there is a self, there must also be problems. But if you were to say, then, "I want to throw away my 'self'," that "I" who wants to get rid of the self indicates that the self is still there. This would amount to the self trying to throw away the self, which is impossible to accomplish. It would be just like trying to get rid of the shadow if your body is still there. If there is a subject, there is definitely an object. This being the case, is cultivation of any use? Of course it is, since we cultivate to discover our problems. Recognizing your problems shows you have made progress. Desiring to rid yourself of these problems may he a good sign, but actually that is not how we should approach it. The method of practice does not consist in throwing them out, but rather in decreasing the sense of self until it becomes so light that the problems will naturally disappear."

Many blessings,

Judy 

Magpie Drops In

Magpie dropped to the path ahead of us (the dogs and me), and began to chatter.  Slowly, the chattering took form in my mind.  Here are some of the thoughts.

• Spend time in the present for this is where your power comes from.  In the present, you will be open to all that is available from the Oneness.
• Magpie does not dwell on the past; we remember the lessons.  One lesson is that a man with a long stick that smokes (gun) will hurt or end us.  Remember the lessons and let go of the emotion, the scene and all the blame!
• Walk more.  Even though we fly, we walk on the ground because it does ground us.  Humans do not walk enough.
• Play more.  Magpies enjoy each other and other animals.  We play.  We see you compete, we do not see you play.

I contemplated what Magpie was saying and realized that I can do better in being in the present.  I worked to stay in the moment as I wrote this blog.  I realized that my mind is like a herd of cats, different thoughts wanting to go different places.  I had to consciously work back to the moment.  When I did that, I felt more energy.  I am grateful to Magpie.

Blessings,

Judy

Contemplating the Wild

                                               Picture of stream running in spring at the park

When you look at pictures of parks, forests, and wild rivers and streams, it seems that these wonderful places are getting quite beat up by the numbers of people using them, especially places close to highly populated areas like cities.  

When I say “beat up”, I am talking about the garbage left behind, the beaten down grass and bushes where people are walking even though the big sign says, “Area under conservation.  Please do not leave the path.”  It seems that many people have no respect for the wild - the grasses, trees, animals, birds, etc.  

It seems to me that people have forgotten how to walk softly on the Earth. People leave large footprints including garbage, trampled spots, and angry animals.  

Walk softly upon the earth.

May its beauty forever surround you,

its wonders forever astound you.

May its wisdom delight you,

its music invite you

to dance and to play and to sing.

May you love and be loved by all that you meet;

may you know and practice compassion.

Rejoice in the earth and in all of creation.

Rejoice in life.

a parting blessing - alfred v. fedak - 2008

Written in memory of a departed friend. 

Choral anthem published by Selah Publishing Company, Pittsburgh, PA.

Many blessings,

Judy
 

Moose Dreams

Moose has been walking through my dreams recently.  He did not stop to speak, simply walked through the area, stopped and looked at me, and moved on.  I wondered why he seemed so distant.

Because I could not get a good sense of the meaning of the dream, I thumbed through my dream book.  Moose, it seems, often represents the whirlwind and the dynamic evolution of the Universe.  Moose may also show change and evolution as indicated by the unpredictable and totally spontaneous way that a Moose will act.

Moose, then, is showing me, by showing up in my dreams, that there is a big change or evolution going on in all that I know, and that in my dreams, I will be able to walk farther, and touch more distant places in the stars.

I like that!

Blessings,

Judy

The Rabbits’ Mating Dance

It seems that spring is coming early this year.  This morning on our walk, my dog and I had a special gift given to us.  We saw about a dozen rabbits gather in an open field to start their mating dance.  They could jump so high!

A gathering of rabbits in this fashion is a gift that heralds abundance and creativity.  This is a gift from the goddess, Eostre, (other names Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur) who is said to be a goddess of the Teutonic era.  Eostre is said to come to Earth in the spring to provide support for the seeding, mating and birthing time.  Any ventures started during this time will be very successful, and the project, business, or trip, will connect you with people that will help you define what your life mission is for the next five to ten years.

The Rabbits have a blessing for you, that all barriers that block you will be diminished by the heights that you are able to soar, above anything you have dreamed of.

Many blessings,

Judy

Rosemary Footbath to Treat Feet Abused from Marching or Long Walks

After Marching - Rosemary Footbath

"Rosemary in bloom" - from Wikipedia

I love using Rosemary in cooking, especially with wild meat such as venison.  However, I was blown away when I was reading how our Ancestors treated badly mistreated feet after days of marching  - they used a ROSEMARY FOOTBATH.

The recipe for this is quite simple:

1 handful of rosemary (1/2 cup)    1 cup boiling water

Add rosemary to boiling water to make an infusion.  Let sit for 25 minutes.  Strain the rosemary out of the water, and add the strained water to a tub of lukewarm water.  Soak feet for at least 15 minutes.  Do this twice per week to alleviate sweaty feet and the resulting blisters.  This also kills the bacteria that cause sweaty feet.

Let me know how this recipe works for you!

Many blessings,

Judy

Blue Jay Sings From The Tree Tops

                   

When we were out for our walk at Christmas, my dog and I were regaled by five Blue Jays, sitting at the tops of pine trees and nearby shrubs.  Their song sounded like “get ready, get ready, it’s here”, and it sounded like they were speaking of spring.  Or, maybe they meant that the days were now getting longer.

As we continued our walk, I could see the Sun shining through the trees, and it looked like the Sun had gotten bigger.  I remembered what I read from a mystic’s channelling – to pay attention to the Sun because it knows what it is doing.  And then I remembered that one of the legends about the Blue Jay.  The Blue Jay has its colour from flying back and forth between the Earth and the Heavens and that Creator gave it the colour, blue, to represent all the truth that it carried.

This made me think that Blue Jay was once again carrying the truth of great energies hitting the Earth, and that Blue Jay was telling all humans to prepare for the onslaught of light.

Many blessings,

Judy

Happy Thanksgiving To The United States - November 23 2023

I wish Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the United States!  This has been a difficult year for many, and my hope for the next year is:

• good food for all
• great housing for all
• great jobs with great pay in a great company
• time for walks in the park or out in the country
• time to read a good book, or play with your kids
• friends that love you and support
• family that respects you and cherishes you
• warm houses for those that live in the snowy climates
• healing for all that are ill
• peace as you go about your day

I wish you all abundance this Thanksgiving Day.

Many blessings,

Judy

Why Challenges Repeat On Us

 In past postings, I have talked about the lessons that we get in life.  This poster featuring a quote from the Buddhist teacher, Peña Chodron, explains the concept quite well.

Let me give some examples.  An acquaintance of mine was having a terrible time with dating.  She was using a dating app and it would seem to connect her with some great guy.  They would go out for a month or so, and then he would dump her.  She was feeling extremely awful about herself.  Her confidence took a huge hit as did her ability to trust and to manage her time. 

She finally did some self work using the Tapping Process, took a break from dating and deleted the dating app.  She spent close to a year doing things for herself and going out with girl friends to do things that she liked.  She even adopted a rescue dog.  She loved taking him to the dog park and taking walks with him.  You guessed it, on one of her outings, she met a wonderful man, with a dog, and found that they are very compatible.  They are good fun to be around and they are slowly combining their houses to one.

The lesson was that as long as she was trying to control her process and manage dating, meeting the right guy wouldn’t work.  When she let go of control and went with the flow, then the Universe “helped” her find a companion in two ways.

Many blessings,

Judy

Get With The Program

We have all heard all the sayings - “march to the sound of your own drummer”, and “every one marches to a different beat”.  Or, “everyone’s marching one way, and you need to get with the program”.  

Well, the Angels are saying that it is time for you to remember why you asked to come to Earth to walk “your talk”.  YOU did not come here to beat someone else’s drum, you came here to pound out your own tune.  Your music, what ever that might be, is what helps keep the world in balance.  

Remember the chorus from the song, “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing”?  It goes like this….

Chorus:  
I'd like to teach the world to sing  
In perfect harmony  
I'd like to hold it in my arms  
And keep it company  
(That's the song I hear)  
I'd like to see the world for once  
(Let the world sing today)  
All standing hand in hand  
And hear them echo through the hills  
For peace throughout the land  
That's the song I hear  
(That's the song I hear)  
Let the world sing today  
(Let the whole wide world keep singing)  
A song of peace that echoes on  
And never goes away  

~~(R. Cook/R. Greenway/B. Backer/B. Davis)

The Angels remind you that coming to Earth to get rich or to be poor or to be sick, or to be in a dead end job, was never part of the plan.  They tell you that each person was to break free from the constraints of the world created by their parents, and that each person was to live in a way that made that person absolutely happy.  Living a life based on “you should”, and “you’d better”, and someone else’s agenda is making people sick – sick to death.  

So, sit down on a couch or a log or where ever you are comfortable, and find out what makes you happy, and find out where you want to be.  Then, get with your program.

Blessings,

Judy

Reflections

 

Picture from the Votier Park along Fish Creek in August

Today, I was reflecting about an old friend who died from cancer twenty-one years ago. Marion and I had many adventures in the fifteen years that we were friends.  She was the kindest person and always ready to help out, to invite you over for a meal, and ready to go shopping or to a hockey game at a moment’s notice.  She loved to walk and talk and we spent many mornings walking before we had to head off to work.  

Marion had a kindness about her that I have not seen in many people.  I feel that she was the best example of an earth angel that I have met.  I am so glad that I had a chance to be friends with her.

Many blessings,

Judy

Red Tail Hawk - Spirit Animal

Red Tailed Hawk – In the tree over the trail – picture by Judy Hirst

  Although the picture of this hawk is not too clear, you are seeing her just as I saw her on my walk, and how I see her many times when I am out in Nature in the park.  Today, she gave me a gift – a long tail feather which she dropped in front of me as I walked into the park.

In the indigenous belief system, Hawk represents a messenger. She tells us she is present to confirm our thoughts and actions.  She tells us if we walk with integrity. 

Hawk is a master hunter.  One of the things she does is ride the wind up high, and then strikes when the moment is right.  Today, she swooped into a flock of blackbirds and plucked one out of the air in mid flight.  She is swift.  She shares with us several things:

1. We too must take advantage of an opportunity at work or home as quickly as possible.  Indecision will loose the moment.
2. We can be like the blackbird – be in the right place or wrong place, as our destiny has been written.  If we are in the right place, we must look around to see who else wants to be in that space and act accordingly.  
3. Whatever our plans, things may descend upon us –things that we cannot control.  We too must learn to ride the wind and go with the flow of life.  We are not always in the driver’s seat.

Hawk signifies union with Great Spirit.  This bird may signal  the changes necessary for our spiritual growth, if we pay attention.

Many blessings,

Judy

What is it About Mouse?

 

Picture of Woodmouse from The Mammal Society

"Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!" - line from the poem, " 'Twas The Night Before Christmas"

Humans have long had a love-hate relationship with tiny Mouse.  On the love side, we have Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Stuart Little, Algernon, Mighty Mouse, and Jerry from the cartoon, "Tom and Jerry".  On the hate side, we have traps, science experiments, carrying disease, and eating holes in walls and bags of food.  One of the most famous views of Mouse's place in the world comes from the series, "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" by Douglas Adams.  In this series, it is actually Mice that use humans for experiments in the human condition.

Why does mouse affect us so?  Why do we see pictures of people standing on chairs trying to get away from Mouse?  More than anything, people that are scared of Mouse are really scared of Mouse's power.  This tiny animal is a great example of "small package contain big power".

Mouse is fearless, very quick, and can climb pretty much anything.  Mouse also has very sharp teeth that are self sharpening, allowing her to gnaw through pretty much anything.  With her speed, ability to climb and her ability to gnaw, Mouse will challenge any obstacle and conquer.  And, don' t forget that Mouse is very intelligent. In different experiments, Mouse has proven her ability to look over the situation and to reason out a solution.

When Mouse shows up, do not be frightened!  Mouse has messages for you and will show you different ways of being.   

One - always be persistent in attaining your goals.  If you give up, you will go hungry!  

Two - walk through life in an unassuming way.  You do not threaten others and this allows you to go where you will, much like I do.   

Three - be wary of all people and all new things presented to you.  Someone is always trying to create a new Mouse trap.  Let people earn your trust.  Let them show you and others that they are "in service to others" and not selfish.  

Four - pay attention to the messages around you.  I see the the shadow of Hawk, and know that I will not be safe on my journey, so I rest.  I feel the energy of Coyote in the grass, and I know to hide and contemplate life.  I smell the rain, and I know that the Great One is providing water for me, and I must drink. 

May you find your way with Mouse's guidance.

Many blessings,

Judy