Healing in Nature

 

Pictures taken by Judy Hirst in the Elbow Falls Recreation Area

Last week, we were able to head off to the mountains and spend time along the Elbow River in the Elbow Falls Recreation Area.  We had a chance to hike and climb up a small mountain that gave us the view of the river valley.

The feeling of peace, serenity, grace, and abundance filled the energy in the space that we found to have lunch.  There were so many butterflies and lots of wild flowers along the path.  Bird song filled the quiet.  And sometimes it was gophers whistling that disturbed the peace.  It all felt so good.

Being out in Nature made us both feel lighter and eased some aches.  I felt a deep healing of the stress in my shoulders.  In fact, one bird song sounded like “it doesn’t matter”.  It felt so good.

If you have a chance over the next several weeks, try to get out into a park and walk in the bush.  It will do wonders for your soul.

Many blessings,

Judy

The Garage Door Test

      Picture from Valley Garage Doors at ValleyGaragedoors.com

My husband and I watched “The Good Fight” TV show on Netflix the other night.  We were both struck by the words of wisdom from the television Mother to her daughter.  The daughter did not know whether her lover was the right partner for her, or not.  Mother said to use the “garage door test” to determine if he was the right person or not.  

The way the test works is when you are driving up to the garage and you open the door are you happy the person’s car is there and that he/she is home, or does it make you sad or irritated.  If you don’t have a garage, when you see the person’s car parked by your residence, does it make you happy or sad/annoyed.

What the Mother was really saying is that the “garage door test” is a way to discern how you feel about the other person and it can be used to determine if you love the other person.  Now remember that love is not just about couples but also applies to your friends and family.  How do you feel about them?  The garage door test or car test works.

This test is a great way to gage love in your life.  My husband and I talked about how we feel when we come home and the other person’s car is not in the garage.  Each of us feels a little sad because we were looking forward to coming home and sharing what the day or event that we were at, was like.

I don’t believe that this test is the only way to determine love.  It is an interesting way.  It makes sense.  It provides a quick evaluation of the balance of life in the relationship.  It sums up where the relationship should go.

In the world, even in the Universe, there is no sure way to determine love because love is not visible and it is so emotional.  Perhaps this is a new tool for us all to use.

Many blessings,

Judy

Hippopotamus Has Rules - Spirit Animal

 

Picture from junglephotos.com 

Hippopotamus lives a very  peaceful life.  That is because she has a set of guidelines or rules, to govern her life.  She encourages us to adapt her rules because they have kept the hippopotamus alive for sixty thousand years, and these rules have allowed her to evolve.

1. Pick your environment, and know it well.  Our environment is a gift from our cousins, the Whale family.  This allows us to be in mostly a freshwater marine environment. We are always watchful about who or what enters our territory, and we defend our area vehemently.  You, who harass us, call us vicious.  Perhaps when you invade someone else’s country, you would call their reaction vicious as well.
2. Water is necessary for life.  It is how we live.  Water protects us from predators, from sunburn, from dehydration, from fear of drowning or flooding, and from famine.  All that we need comes from water.  We share our water with other animals as long as they are not invasive.
3. We eat greens – all kinds, but mostly grass.  We have one food that is particularly good for us and we stick to it.  Too much variety in the diet leads to discomfort, which is stressful, and which causes aggressive behaviour. It may be that you need to eat less variety and more of the healthy greens like we do.
4. We band together to keep one another safe.  Yet, we do not form close attachments because there is no need.  Therefore, there is little drama in the pod.  We each do our own thing, together.  Perhaps you get too caught up on one another’s lives, which is why your life does not seem peaceful.
5. Our life is peaceful.  We have oneness in our pod.  We move together.  We have little to fight about.  Life is good.

Many Blessings,

Judy