The Story of Otter Saving The Animals

One of my young friends loves otters!  She identifies with their swimming, their playfulness, and their resourcefulness.

She wanted to know an old story of the otters.  The following Cree legend is for her.

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As the story is told, in the days when the earth was new and there were no men but only animals, the sun was far away in the sky. It was so far away that there was no summer. It was so far away that the trees and the grasses did not grow as they should. 

He-Who-Made-the-Animals saw how it was that there was not enough sun to heat the earth, and so he fashioned a snare. The Sun did not see the snare in his path, walked into the snare, and the snare held him fast. 

Then the sun was close to the earth. In fact, the snare held the sun so close to the earth that there was no night. Day after day the sun shown and the earth dried and the grasses withered. There was not enough food or water for the animals and they desperately called a council. 

"Sun," the animals said, "You give too much heat to the earth." 

"Set me free from this snare" the Sun said, "and I will go away." 

"But if you go away, then there will not be enough heat." 

"Set me free," the Sun said, "and I will come to the edge of the earth in the morning and in the evening; then at noon-time I will stand straight above the earth and warm it then." 

The animals sat around the council fire and they said, "Who is going to set the sun free?" 

"I shall not do it," Wildcat said. "Whoever sets the sun free must go so close to the sun that he will be burned to death." 

Lynx said, "Whoever sets the sun free must chew the leather thong that holds him; the sun will burn him to death before he can do it." 

"I shall not do it," said the deer, the wolf and the raccoon. 

"I shall do it," Otter said. "How can you do it?" said the animals. "You are too small, your teeth are for fish, and your fur has already burned away." None of the other animals liked the otter because he played too much. They did not think he was brave. 

"Let him try," Bear said. "He will burn to death, but we will not miss him. He is of no use to us. He looks silly now that his fur is gone." The animals laughed. 

Ignoring the taunts, the otter set off to the place in the sky above the earth where the sun was held by the snare. Otter took many days to get to the sun. The sun burned him. The sun was so bright, Otter had to close his eyes. When he reached the sun, Otter began to chew on the leather thong that held the sun. His skin was burning and blistering, his eyes were hot stones. But Otter did not stop chewing. 

Suddenly he chewed through the leather. The animals saw the sun rise into the sky. The animals felt the cool winds begin to blow on the earth. Otter had freed the sun from the snare. 
Time passed. Otter lay in the center of the council ring. There was no fur at all left on his body. His skin was burned and scorched and his flesh was falling off his bones. His teeth were only blackened stumps. 

He-Who-Made-the-Animals also stood in the center of the council ring. "Otter," he said, "the animals will not forget what you have done for them. I will see that they do not forget," and he gave Otter new strong teeth, tireless muscles, keen eyesight, and a powerful tail to help him in his hunting and in his play. He did not have to give him bravery. But he gave him new fine fur that was like down on his skin, and a second coat of fur to guard the first so that he would not get cold in water or in winter. Then he gave him joy so that he would always be happy in his otter's life, and Otter has so remained until this day.

Many blessings,

Judy

Thunder and Rain

We are the Angels that look after the rain.  We like to announce the rain with the sound of thunder because it so much like the sound of big drums!  Rain is for washing and cleaning the air and the earth.  Animals that do not like to swim love their showers from the rain.

Rain is a way to bring oxygen and light to Earth.  The more rain, the more light, as contradictory as that sounds.  Bringing light to Earth is a matter of physics – H2O – two hydrogen and one oxygen bring down a little light.  

Rain causes people to be alone with their thoughts; to be self assessing.  This is perhaps why so many people feel that rain causes depression.  It is not the rain; it is one’s thoughts!  If your thoughts, your life, and your world are clean, then you will enjoy the rain because it brings in new life.

Rain is for crops and gardens, for flowers and trees, for meadows and for creeks, for sleeping and for meditation.  It is the moisture that keeps the sparkle in all of life. 

Enjoy the rain!

Many blessings,

Judy

Be Authentic

“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” – Ben Okri

Sometimes I get messages or sound bites that I have a difficult time deciphering.  One of these sound bites was “stand in your authenticity”.  

My first thought was, “Could you be more obscure?”

I thought about it, and then just left the idea and went on to think about something else.  You know how it is though, the harder that you try NOT to think of something, the more you think about it.  

So, I went and looked up the word “authentic”.  The definitions are:

adjective 

1. Of undisputed origin; genuine 
   • - the letter is now accepted as an authentic document 
   • - authentic 14th-century furniture
2. Made or done in the traditional or original way, or in a way that faithfully resembles an original 
   • - the restaurant serves authentic Italian meals 
   • - every detail of the movie was totally authentic
3. Based on facts; accurate or reliable 
   • - an authentic depiction of the situation
4. (in existentialist philosophy) Relating to or denoting an emotionally appropriate, significant, purposive, and responsible mode of human life 
5. (of a church mode) Comprising the notes lying between the principal note or final and the note an octave higher

Well this cleared things up! Not!  Was I supposed to be looking at genuine or traditional?  Was I supposed to be accurate or reliable?  To me, these are two different states.  Was I supposed to change?  How can one be in healing mode and be in between what is real and what is not?  I had more questions.  

I sat in meditation.  I sat and thought the word authenticity.  I said a prayer.  I called on Creator/Great Spirit to help me understand how authenticity will help me be in service.  

Then I felt a shift around me.  I had this knowing that I was to be genuine in my beliefs because that way I had no need of ego.  Ego is only required when one is not sure of the ground around them.  I felt good!  And, this will be easy to do.

Many blessings,

Judy

Feel the Silence

God is the friend of silence. See how nature... trees, flowers, grass... grows in silence. See the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.

Mother Teresa  

There seems to be an extreme push from the heavens, for all of us to be in silence.  Creator seems to be looking to have us experience Oneness.  Whether we do this through silent observation, prayer, or meditation, the result will be an expansion of consciousness or awareness, of all that is around us.

Try it!

Blessings,

Judy

Life is Filled With Storms

A funny thing… I was talking to my friend who lives several provinces away.  She was saying that I have not been to her house to visit since she moved several years ago.  We have seen each other, however, as we would meet up when I was in a city close to her.  I said that it was my plan to get to see her this summer.  I just did not know when.

Three and half hours later, I received a phone call that a dear friend had died.  Yes, she had lived a long life but the death still hurt.  It was a storm of emotion that clouded my evening and night. 

The next morning, I realized that I could plan going to the funeral so that I would have time to drive out to see my friend’s house.  And, I made plans accordingly.  My path was complicated but cleared.

I am filled with gratitude to the Universe for providing a balanced plan for me for the week or so ahead.

Blessings,

Judy

 

Living in Balance

 

One of the hardest things about living is that with all the good and enjoying life, every once in a while, we come face to face with death.  Death of a loved one, other family member, or friend.  For all the living that we did with them, now the time has come where life is no longer.

Most of us push back at the unfairness and bad timing that we feel when a person close to us dies.  We have to make arrangements to go to the funeral.  We may have to make travel arrangements.  We may have to leave our home which is our safe place or sanctuary.

Death seems disruptive and blows up the balance that we have been living in.  Yet Death is part of Nature.  It brings peace to those moving on.  If the person was ill and suffering before death, then Death brings some peace to the family.  

This week is about changes and with Death comes many changes.  May you all find ways to deal with the imbalance.

Blessings,

Judy

Beaver Traits

Beavers have been around for a very long time.  We see them from time to time at dusk in the Bow River.  I find them fascinating because they are caretakers of the Earth and water managers.

Beaver was sitting across the channel, on the bank, looking for some tender young trees and, keeping an eye on the dogs 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.

Many blessings,

Judy