Buddha Talks About "Wild Thoughts

 

Buddha Speaks - Wild Thoughts

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Your thoughts run around like a wild horse and your feelings jump about like a monkey in the forest. When the monkey and horse step back and reflect upon themselves, freedom from all discrimination is realized naturally. "--Dogen, "Instructions for the Tenzo"

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Have you ever had an encounter with someone, and then walked away and had all these wild thoughts running through your head?  Thoughts like:-“I would like that person to have a taste of what they dish out”; or “I would like to banish them to the Arctic!”; or, “I wish all their friends, if he has any, would turn away from him!”

These are thoughts that are wild and free and may be drawing from your past life memories.  They may even be associated with a past life with this person.  The thoughts do not make you a bad person.  They are human.  When thoughts like these come your way, bless them and thank them for the creative vision of what could happen, and then allow them to leave. 

What makes our character is the way that we handle our thoughts, emotions, and impulses.  When we can let them go, then we are moving on the path of blissfulness.

Blessings,

Judy

Gazelle on Speed

I sat down in our meditation room.  I set my intention to meet new friends and/or to gather new information.  I closed my eyes and let my mind drift to fogginess.

Quickly and silently, I was transported to a place of heat and dust.  I glanced around.  I was in a desert like place.  I wondered who had called me to this place.  I heard a noise – like galloping of small horses.

I looked around and saw the Gazelle and knew she was a Spirit Animal.  She called out as she ran past, “I called you here to show you what I know about speed.  I hear humans talk about speed as a state of elation.  Speed is a tool.  For all animals, the faster you move, the easier it is to avoid being someone else’s meal.  Or, conversely, the faster that you move, the easier it is to have food.

The humans who use speed are not using a tool that helps them to hunt or to avoid being hunted.  These humans on speed actually paralyze themselves and allow themselves to die.  It is amusing, to us wild things, that humans call speed a trip to the wild side when really it is a trip to paralysis.  The product that you use has an irony in the name for although it seems to speed things up in the body, really, it is simply speeding up things to a place of death.  We wild things think it should be called “Stop”.

We tell you that speed matters whether you are running, flying or swimming.  Think about what I have said the next time that you hear the word, “Speed”.

Blessings,

Judy

Love and Conservation

 

In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught." – Baba Dioum

Rachel Carson

"The real wealth of the Nation lies in the resources of the earth - soil, water, forests, minerals, and wildlife.

This poster says:  Without love of the land, conservation lacks meaning or purpose, for only in a deep and inherent feeling for the land can ther be dedication in preserving it.

I am writing this post because I just learned that the Alberta Conservative Government has just opened up the Rocky Mountains for more coal mines.  When we are to be conserving emissions, this seems like a counter productive move as well as allowing more of the natural habitat of animals to be destroyed.  It makes me sad.

Blessings,

Judy

Wild Rice Soup Recipe From Our Ancestors

A while ago, we had friends over for a pot luck gathering.  I made several things.  However one of the favourite “eats” was this wild rice soup.  Several people said that they would serve it for Christmas, if I would share the recipe.  Some of us plan our Christmas menu ahead of time, and like to test the results before the big day.  Here is the Wild Rice Soup recipe.

  

Wild Rice Soup 

8-10 Servings 

Wild rice was, for hundreds of years, one of the -main food sources for the Indians of Minnesota. It is a large reed-like grass and grows in three to four feet of water. This grass, with its long sweeping flower cluster on top, sometimes grows eight to ten feet tall.

Ingrediants

1/2 cup wild rice ( I used ¾ of a cup of wild rice)
1 pound bacon (I left out all the bacon and drippings and added 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil.)

3 tablespoons bacon drippings (Leave out for vegetarian soup)

1 cup finely chopped celery 
1 cup finely chopped onion 

¾ cup finely chopped red pepper
2 14¹/2-ounce cans (ready to serve) chicken broth (I used 7 cups of distilled water and a 2 vegetarian broth cubes)

2 white potatoes, cubed
2 10³/4-ounce cans cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 

Variations:

Add grated carrot, or green onions, or finely chopped leek, or finely chopped mushrooms.

Wash wild rice. Boil rice for 15 minutes and drain; set aside. If you use the bacon, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and discard all but 3 tablespoons bacon drippings. Sauté celery, onion and green pepper or whatever veggies that you use either in the drippings, or in olive oil, until onion is transparent. Put in a large kettle and add rice, broth, mushrooms, soup and diced bacon. Cook on low heat for 1 to 3 hours.  (I find that 3 hours gives it the best flavour.)  Do not add salt.

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

July 1 2024 - Happy Canada Day!

 

Ever since I can remember, I grew up with the idea that Canada was special to our family and to many other families around us.

Canada Day was a cause for celebration and for a feeling of pride.

I hope that we can return to that feeling very soon.

THEY ALL CALL IT CANADA

Side by Side and step by step 

Our fathers were marching along 

They were building a road to the future 

With a spade and a smile and a song. 

Out of the wildness and out of the sand 

Grew the land that we live in today. 

Though the job to be done has barely begun, 

There is one thing I'm proud to say: 

My country is my cathedral 

The northern sky its dome 

They all call it Canada 

But I call it home 

The mountains, the lakes and valleys 

Are friends that I have known 

They all call it Canada 

But I call it home 

From the Atlantic to the Pacific 

From the pole to the U.S.A. 

We're on united brotherhood 

And united we will stay 

The people across the border 

And far across the foam 

They all call it Canada 

But I call it home

~ Author Unknown

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
 

Beaver Shares Its Traits

We have several beavers in the Bow River in Fish Creek Park.  They can be very entertaining.  And, yes, they can bring down a lot of trees.  Beaver does, however, seem to be a caretaker of waterways and works to keep the area from drying out.

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Beaver was sitting across the channel, on the bank, looking for some tender young trees and, keeping an eye on my dog and on me.  Beaver has been in this channel for about four years.  She has created several good dams, and she has helped change the eco system of the channel and the river.  The channel now has young trout in it.

Beaver has some traits that humans can use.  They are:

• when you see water that is stagnant and mucky, find a way to clean it up.  You may have to get dirty to do it; it will be worth it. 
• being industrious leads you to discover new ways of doing things.  So, be busy when it is required – as when you need to fix your den, the dam, or gather food for winter.  When you are not busy, play and socialize. 
• when somebody says that “it can’t be done”, go ahead and do it anyway.  See the picture below of the world’s biggest beaver dam.

  

  

The dam is located on the southern edge of Wood Buffalo National Park in Northern Alberta, Canada Photo: BNPS 

 

• understand that there is a shortage of fresh water.  Beavers know how to maximize fresh water and aerate it to create a healthy environment for fish and wildlife.

Celebrate if beavers are in your area. 

Blessings,

Judy

April 1 2024 - Walk In Nature

April Fool's day – a day for playing jokes.  This blog is not about joking.  It is about waking up and realizing that we need Nature in our lives.  It is about remembering that we come from Nature – from the Earth.  Our blood flows red with iron richness and lots of mineral and gases that are part of the Earth's structure.

We need to be out in Nature to restore our calm and to remind ourselves that we must care for the plants, animals, birds, etc. because they are our cousins.  They carry the same ingredients in their bodies. 

It is sad that we want to destroy the parks and rivers and lakes to "develop" them.  And, yes, in some places, wild lands are being reclaimed so that new life can flourish in those spots.

Today, decide to be out in Nature for one hour a week.  Then slowly increase the time.  

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

Bobcat’s Thoughts

Bobcat has been part of the wildlife makeup in Calgary for the past fifteen years or so.  In our area, we see Bobcat and friends fairly often or several times a month.  The fact that our hood sees it so often makes me wonder about the messages that it brings.  Here are some thoughts.

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Bobcat has lived on the fringes of urban areas for years.  It knows how to adapt to desert, mountains, swamp, and plain.  It has learned much over the 1.8 million years it has been on the planet.  Even though man has tried to kill it off, it still walks the earth, proudly wearing its gorgeous fur.

Bobcat has come forward to share some thoughts with us:

• Regardless of your appearance, you can easily blend in and camouflage yourself when the need arises.  Many of you will need to learn how to blend with the natural surroundings; and you will need to learn how to be quiet.  Four legged and winged ones are shy, and to meet them, you will need quiet and patience.
• Try limiting your diet to those things that are close at hand, fresh from the land, and made with your own hands.  Your muscles will accept this food better than artificial food.  
• Find a place where you can go and rest – not your current house – someplace on the land.  If you are scared of natural places, now is a good time to overcome that fear.
• Learn to understand or to read, the signals of the wildlife around you.  When many birds fly up suddenly, that means something that birds are scared of has come into their presence.  When animals scatter, then a predator (a big one, or a hunting man) is coming into the area. 

Blessings,

Judy

When Badger Appears to You

Badger in an inquisitive moment! Courtesy Microsoft clipart.

 

Did you know that badgers are by nature very playful? This trait is because Badger is part of the same family as otters (very playful!), ferrets (also playful) and weasels. Most of us though, tend to think of badger as grumpy and perpetually fierce. Most of what we know comes from Britain where they have lived forever, and are one of the favoured animals of the Green Man - keeper of the forest and all things wild. 

Badger may be solitary or may live in clans of up to about a dozen members. They are very family oriented and will stop at nothing to protect their mates and their young. Badger's courage is widely admired as it has been known to fight wolves, bears and man, and send them all fleeing. For this reason, many European coats of arms feature badger as a prominent insignia - to show stamina and courage. In tribal cultures, the badger skin was a worn as a head dress to show that the chief or warrior was strong and full of courage, just like a badger. Indeed the black stripes on the badgers head, around the eyes is reminiscent of war paint used from the time of the ancients. 

When Badger appears in your life, you may be sure that it is now time to put fear aside, and to take the step beyond compromise. Badger encourages you to stand your ground, to be firm in your boundaries, to speak your truth and stand in your power, and to disregard what others may think or feel about what you are doing. Be sure that when Badger appears you are in a place where all you love is being or going to be challenged. She says that you must fight now or risk losing all forever.

Blessings,

Judy

Wood Caribou

Picture from www.deer.rr.ualberta.ca Years ago, my husband and I spent a week in Jasper, and hiked the mountains and explored springs, falls, and natural wonders. One of the natural wonders that was a surprise is Wood Caribou. I had no idea that caribou existed as far south as Jasper National Park. Every where we went, we saw signs up advising of Caribou crossing, and notices to stay away from them because they were quite aggressive with humans. We thought that seemed fair since humans are the predator that has caused the most damage to the Wood Caribou. In spring, Caribou climbs to the high alpine meadow of the Rockies. Since hiking trails now lead to some of these meadows, we expected to see herds of them. However, they were invisible. Perhaps this is part of their message to us. Knowing that the males are significantly larger than females, and that both of them will each weigh 450 and 250 pounds respectively, it is hard to believe they could hide so easily. Most Caribou are predominantly brown to olive, with whitish under parts, buttocks and legs. There is some geographic variation. Some populations in Greenland and northeastern Canada have nearly white coats. Both sexes are antlered.  Caribou offers many messages. - every year, take two big trips. A change of scenery allows you to appreciate what you have. - learn how to use your environment to your advantage to feel safe and to enjoy the abundance of it. - do not be afraid of adventure. Being a risk taker keeps us interested in life and helps us stay alert for predators (those who would use us to their own advantage). - enjoy the wilderness and protect it. Everything came from it, and most life depends on it (logging, gas, oil, coal and mining in general). Many blessings, Judy

Giraffe Gives a “Heads Up”

Several nights ago, I had a dream where Giraffe came in to speak to me.

First, the image that I had was of me standing on a path outside a very tall fence.  I was not sure where I was.  Then as I looked around, I realized that I must be in a type of zoo or animal compound. Where in the world it was, I am not sure.  Then I heard, “Heads up!”

I knew that I needed to look up.  Standing so that their legs were almost like part of the fence, were three giraffes.  Two were quite tall, and one was shorter by several feet.  They grinned down at me.  Then one leaned over the fence and putting his face right against mine, sniffed me.  He popped his head back up, and said, “She smells okay.”  

  Giraffe picture from i.telegraph.co.uk 

I was a bit taken aback.  I think I always smell good except when I have finished a hard work-out.  His mate popped her head over, and kissed the top of my head.  I felt tingles.  I looked up and asked what I was doing here.  Madame Giraffe said, “We called you because you don’t write about us very often, and yet you love us, and send us great thoughts and blessings.  You worry about how we are making out in the wild, and what we will do when the big changes come.”

She was right – I do worry about Giraffes and Elephants, and all kinds of animals.  I did not realize that they were picking up on that energy.

Madame Giraffe went on to say that people need to pay more attention to the giraffe.  They make great guides.  They see things from quite high up, and see patterns in the way people move and the way energies move.  If Giraffe is invited in as a Spirit Animal, it will tell you when there are good energies around you and where to walk/drive to avoid negative energy patterns.  Giraffe moves without getting caught up in the drama of petty things.  Giraffe would like to see each of us avoid drama, and move more in an isolated fashion as does Giraffe.  

Giraffe’s energy is constantly cleansed by the trees where Giraffe spends much time grazing at the tree tops.  Her advice is to find a tree and sit in it, and enjoy the cleansing effect of the tree’s leaves vacuuming all the unhealthy energy from around you.  

According to Giraffe, most people have a short sightedness when it comes to seeing around them.  Giraffe asks you to try to see higher and farther, to see beyond the limits of your mortal eyes.  If you have trouble doing this, ask Giraffe for assistance. 

Giraffes says to stop trying to minimize life.  She says, “Stick your neck out once in a while.”  Life is not about being completely safe – it is about experiencing life and taking chances and growing.  

May you have great giraffe experiences!

Many blessings,

Judy