May 1, 2025 (Beltane)

Our Ancestors celebrated May Day, the first day of May, because it was welcomed as the beginning of summer.  It is celebrated with flowers and ribbons and dancing.  The day was popular festival to signal that fields had been ploughed and the seeding was complete.

The celebration was to bring forth the Gods/Goddesses to bless the seeding and thereby ensure a great harvest.  For some Ancestors, May 1 was a celebration of fertility, and this was a popular day to court and confirm your love to the man or the woman who held your heart.

In today's world,  May Day is just another day.  You can make it special by going out into Nature to find places to be at peace with yourself.

More posts about May 1.

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2023/05/may-1-beltane.html

https://www.lightstationwisdom.com/2024/05/celebrating-may-1-may-day.html

Blessings,

Judy

A Focus Point for A Meditation

This meditation focus comes from the book that I wrote, “Earth Wisdom Meditations: Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth”.  

I was sitting on the bench by the Bow River looking into the water.  A tree beside the river dropped a leaf into the water to my left.  I watched it float down past me.  I was just watching this leaf, and thinking, and I heard the words.  I wrote them down, and, eventually, they became a meditation for me that I use when I get stuck in my daily life.  Saying the words slowly and quietly, over and over, help me focus.

If you try this meditation, please let me know if it works for you.

Blessings,

Judy

You can see more about this book here.

Earth Wisdom Meditations: 111 Contemplations For People Who Love The Earth [Paperback]

Judith Hirst (Author)

Using Right Speech With Yourself

The Buddha saw that we are always engaged in relationships, starting with that most significant relationship: the one with ourselves. On the cushion we notice how we speak to ourselves—sometimes with compassion, sometimes with judgement or impatience. Our words are a powerful medium with which we can bring happiness or cause suffering.   - Allan Lokos, "Skillful Speech"

I was sitting at my laptop this morning, trying to send out emails to friends and family.  My email was acting strange, and stopping, not refreshing, or simply not sending out my outbound mail.  I started to get frustrated.  I started to watch myself talk to myself.  I saw that I was not upset with the email or with the computer.  I was upset with myself for not being able to FIX IT.  I realized that the words I was saying were unkind and not helpful.  I realized how unrealistic my actions were.  

Where did this come from?  Where did it send me?  I think that the words came from the shadow side of me that remembers the unkind things that people have said in the past – things about how I was unworthy, or stupid, or…..   Well, you get the picture.  I think that most of the time that words like that can send us down a dark current that moves us away from the light.  

I am now back on track.  This is a good day for you to get on track as well. 

Blessings, 

Judy