Buddha on Right Action

 

Picture of Buddha from Wikipedia.com 

 

 

 

Right Action is actually one of the eight paths on the Buddhist Eightfold Path. It comes under the section of ethics. Most commonly, to Monks, it is the law of Right Conduct. Simply put – abstaining from taking the life of any living thing, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from un-chastity (refraining from improper sexual conduct), abstaining from lying (truth and integrity in all things), and abstain from intoxicants. 

Generally, all belief systems mirror the intention of right action. Therefore in spiritual practice we hear the phrase “right action” and take it as shorthand for all of the “RIGHTS” in the Eightfold Path. From pagan tradition, the phrase, “and harm to none (no one), is also about Right Action. 

Books have been written on how the Rights should be learned, implemented and incorporated into one’s personal creed. This includes judgment of others and offering unsolicited advice. More on that in another article. For now, we leave it to everyone to make up their mind about Right Action.

Blessings,

Judy

Betrayal

The poster says:  In every life….. for every love….. with every trust….. there is a risk of BETRAYAL.  -Part of the poster for the movie called “Betrayal” based on a Harold Pinter play.

So often in life, we feel betrayed or wronged because we expected someone to behave in a certain way, and then they do something that hurts us. The many meanings of the word include -disloyalty, sell-out (informal), deception, treason, treachery, trickery, duplicity, double-cross (informal), double-dealing, breach of trust, perfidy, unfaithfulness, falseness, and inconstancy (from www.thefreedictionary.com).  

The word means “be + traitor”. Generally, the traitor is someone close to you.  The BIG question is always, “Why did the other person betray me?”  The answer is, “It is all about power, and making themselves look good at the expense of others.”  Some psychologists say that betrayal is about jealousy. I believe that it is about causing pain for the other person.  Of course, the karma returns to hit the betrayer immediately.  When others see that the betrayer has betrayed once, then other people are very careful not to get to close to the betrayer because they expect him/her to betray again.

For the one that is betrayed, the question becomes, “How do I learn to love/trust again?  You do not need to learn – you already know how.  What is required is to get past the fear, and realize that the issue of feeling betrayed is real? One must honour the feeling, and then, let it go! One does not need to hang on to the feeling.

Blessings,

Judy

Teachings From A Holstein Steer

One of my memories of my childhood is a black and white Holstein steer. He was one of Dad’s feeder steers in the corral.  For some reason, Harry, which is what we called him, liked kids.  He would come over and stand beside us, bringing with him a mouthful of hay.  Or, after he’d finished at the water trough, he would come over to have his shoulders rubbed or the spot above his eyes and below his horns rubbed.  

 

Picture of a Holstein bull to approximate the size of the steer.

Dad was worried that he might hurt us because he was so big.  However, he was extremely gentle with us.  My brother and I got to the point where we would get up on his back and talk to him, and get him to walk around the corral.  The other steers just seemed to think he was the oddest thing.  They would stare at him when he was with us kids.  If we were riding Harry near them, they would snort or bellow, and move away.  At one point, my brother and three of his friends were all sitting on Harry’s back. All the boys were ten years old.  

One day, someone left the back gate unchained and when the steers rubbed against it, the gate opened.  The thirty or so steers stampeded to freedom.  They ran out into another big field, and when they saw how green the grass was, they stopped running and began to graze.  After realizing that the steers were out, Dad organized my brother and I in a chute arrangement and Dad and our dog, Flash, headed out to the field to round the steers up.  They came running in as fast as they ran out, and were prepared to run past the gate, over top of my brother and I, and head east.  Harry was running with the rest of them.  When he got to us, he slowed down and stopped with both of us kids in front of him and out of the way of the other cattle.  When the herd passed us, Harry went around us and trotted off after them.  Yes, we eventually got the steers back in several hours.  After all, they would not want to miss their evening feeding.  

What I learned from our time with Harry, through the playing with him, and his affection, are the following ideas:

• It is okay to have interests outside of your friends and family.  New interest broaden your horizons.
• Always protect your friends.
• When people gang up on you, you don’t need to get angry or be afraid; simply stand firm.
• Kindness and affection know no boundaries. Love is permanent in your heart.
• Sometimes you need to break the patterns in order to see how good routine and life, in general, are for you.
• Just because it seems you have a lot in life, it doesn’t mean that you can’t aspire to something else.
• Four legged friends are sometimes truer than two legged friends.
• Friends may pass through your life, however, the memories last a lifetime.

Blessings,

Judy

Using Blueberries For First Aid

The camping season is now opening up, although we are still getting some mixed snow and rain in Calgary.  I see my neighbours pulling out their campers and equipment, and hosing down tarps.  Most campers carry a first aid kit.  However, the best first aid kit is the great outdoors, and all the wonderful plants in Mother Nature’s garden.

Let’s talk about blueberries. They are very common place in North America, whether in the east or the west, north or south.

 

 

from www.stargrazerperennials.com

 

 

 

We humans have a trait that wants to be a follower, and to adapt what ever the newest health fad is – Noni Juice, Acai Berry, or some other wonder berry.  The thing is, BLUEBERRY is our very own wonder berry.

1.  TREATS DIARRHEA - When camping, take fresh or dried blueberries with you. Two tablespoons of dried berries will cure diarrhea.  Studies have shown that a decoction of Blueberries will sterilize cultures of colon bacillus and of Ebert's bacillus in a 24 hour period.  The latter is the Typhoid bacillus.  Dried blueberries don't weigh much and are certainly worth carrying in a backpack.  Blueberries are a natural remedy for persistent diarrhea and acute enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine) caused by a virus or bacteria.

2. TREATS HERPES II – FLU -  Extract of Blueberry (available commercially under the name of  Bilberry, the "Old English" name for Blueberry) has been found to be an antiviral in cell culture for herpes simplex virus II, influenza  and vaccinia (cowpox) virus.

3.  KILLS BACTERIA - Extracts of blueberries have also been found to kill or inhibit growth of funguses, yeasts and bacteria, including Trichomonas vaginalis (an inflammation of the vagina that can be transmitted to males-causing itching and discharge in both sexes). 

4.  ARTHRITIS - STRENGTHEN ARTERIES - Blueberries benefit all capillaries, veins and the arteries and by doing so improve the circulation to the hands, feet, brain and heart. Blueberries are used to strengthen coronary arteries and varicose veins and help in reducing arteriosclerosis and plaque deposits. 

Blueberry belongs to a family called flavonoids.Although not true vitamins, flavonoids have been given the name of Vitamin "P". The P stands for permeability and is responsible forcollagen stabilization in the body. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, consisting of veins, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Collagen is destroyed during the inflammation of arthritis, gout, and periodontal disease as well as other conditions of inflammation involving the joints, connective tissues, bones and cartilage. Flavonoids not only aid in prevention of collagen destruction, but alsoadd to the strength of such tissue. Blueberries, because of theirhigh content of flavonoids, actually make the collagen stronger byadhesion and cross linking with the collagen. They improve circulation and feed the capillaries by altering the ability of fluids and nourishment to pass through, inhibiting free radical damage and improving the tone of the entire vascular system by strengthening all of the veins and the arteries.

5. ULCERS - Current research indicates that blueberries may be useful in the future in treatment and prevention of ulcers.  It is thought that this is due to the blueberry's empowering of the defensive barriers of the gastrointestinal mucous.

Will you pack blueberries with your gear this year?

Remember, this advice on using blueberries should not replace the advice of doctors or other medical professionals.  Check with your doctor if you are taking prescription medications to confirm that blueberries do not interfere with the drug(s).

Blessings,

Judy

Pheasant’s Wisdom

Picture of ring-necked pheasant from http://talkaboutwildlife.ca

 It was winter, and I was walking with my dog along the Bow River.  We could hear Pheasant crowing, but could not see him.  Then, as we walked down a gravel path, he jumped up on an old log and crowed at us.  My dog was frantic to chase him.  Generally, Pheasant is not that happy to show himself.  This was a treat for me.  I wondered why he would jump out that way.  I pondered his behaviour.  

Pheasant had called attention to himself by both being loud and by jumping up on the log.  He was acknowledging his truth, and telling me to acknowledge my truth.  By example, Pheasant was showing that one needs to get up and speak what they know, regardless of who is around and regardless of what they may think.  This action is one of leadership, of having credentials that speak of “walking your talk”.

Pheasants have a difficult time during the winter gathering food and sheltering from the cold.  Their diet during summer consists of insects and green plants.  In winter, their diet includes waste grain, weed seeds and fruit of such locally-growing shrubs as rose and buckbrush. By standing up so tall, Pheasant was saying that one needs to take the good with the bad, and to learn and to grow from the lessons.  When things are not going well (and we had a cold winter and lots of snow this year in Calgary), it is okay to lay low, and to be cautious.  One must act with discernment as they walk through life.  

Pheasant’s final message is about environment.  Even though we could hear him, we could not see him.  This is the message of “learn how to blend with your environment and use that environment to your advantage”.  Then, when we did see him, he was up off the ground.  He says that one must be grounded to walk in the world, however, at times, one must go up higher to see the bigger picture. 

Blessings,

Judy

How Can You Know Another?

How often has someone told you how you feel or think?  It happens to me all the time. People tell me that I am a healer when typically I think of myself as a Shaman.  

I am reminded of the story I read about an artist.  She said that she always introduced herself as an artist.  One day one of her friends said to her, “You can’t introduce yourself as an artist.  You are an art teacher.  You need to introduce yourself as an art teacher.”  The artist’s response was along the lines of, “what right do you have to tell me who I am or how I should introduce myself.  No one has the right to determine another’s life!”

Again, the Universe working in her mysterious manner, gave me the teaching to go with the story that I read.  I would like to share that story with you because it is so profound.

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Picture of a trout jumping for flies 

 

 

 

 

             

Knowing Fish – A Zen Teaching

One day Chuang Tzu and a friend were walking by a river. "Look at the fish swimming about," said Chuang Tzu, "They are really enjoying themselves."

"You are not a fish," replied the friend, "So you can't truly know that they are enjoying themselves."

"You are not me," said Chuang Tzu. "So how do you know that I do not know that the fish are enjoying themselves?"

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Blessings,

Judy 

Octopus

A while ago, I watched the beautiful Oscar winning movie, “My Octopus Teacher”.  It was a documentary but had everything in it - relationships, fear, overcoming obstacles, and sacrifice.

Picture of Octopus from Wikipedia

The Octopus has received a lot of attention over the last several decades.  The Beatles made the Octopus a legendary figure in their song “Octopus’s Garden”.  We often refer to our family as “the octopus that we can never escape”.  A new expression via Drew Barrymore is “I wish I were an octopus so I could hug ten people at a time!”  Octopus is part of our speech and our culture. 

Octopus is given its name, in part from its eight legs or tentacles.  As eight is the number of infinity, Octopus has a connection to the heavens and to Great Spirit, even though Octopus lives at the bottom of the ocean.  Their home is a small cave, or pile of rocks that it can fit into, along the sea floor. Here Octopus hides and waits for prey.  What makes this animal so unusual is that it has no bones in its body, so it is able to squeeze into small spaces.  One can say that Octopus is the ultimate example of flexibility.

When Octopus is spread out, its tentacles are like the spokes in a wheel, or like an eight point star. It represents nothing and everything.  The suction cups on their tentacles allow Octopus to grab on to and to hold tightly.  As Octopus has a short life span of one to five years, it seems that these suction cups may represent getting a hold on life.

What is your relationship to Octopus?

Blessings,

Judy