Opossum Thoughts

Opossums are usually solitary and nomadic, staying in one area as long as food and water are easily available. Some families will group together in ready-made burrows or even under houses. Though they will temporarily occupy abandoned burrows, they do not dig or put much effort into building their own. As nocturnal animals, they favor dark, secure areas. These areas may be below ground or above. – from Wikipedia

An unusual visitor popped into see me in my meditation.  It was an Opossum.  Opossum is generally found in very warm areas like Florida, Virginia, Texas and Central and South America. 

My visitor introduced herself as Para, and said that she had some thoughts to share.  Here are the things that were on Para’s mind.

• Do no redo the work that others have done.  Instead of redoing it, simply improve upon it.
• Find the clear boundaries between those that are your friends and those that are your enemies.  Ask the friends to keep watch for you, and warn against the enemy.
• Find ways to keep yourself safe.  Invent your own form of “possum”.
• Do not be too fussy about food.  You will make your life easier.
• However, do eat food that is good for you.  If the food is good for another, and does not suit you, do not eat it.
• Food is a form of healthy life style.  Good food keeps your body strong.

Blessings,

Judy

Love and Let It Come Back

The poster says, “Whatever you give to life, it gives you back.  Do not hate anybody.  The hatred which comes out from you will someday come back to you.  Love others.  And Love will come back to you.

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So many times we hear the phrase “if a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil….”.  The saying is about the ripple effect of our actions.   

I am thinking about something lovely that my friend Brenda, did for another person.  She came out of Safeway and found a young woman standing, looking lost and sad and cold.  Brenda asked her if she could help the young woman.  The young woman was tired and hungry and had no success getting assistance from the person she had called on the telephone.  

Brenda took her in and bought her a sandwich and coffee, and gave the young woman the only money that she had in her wallet, a five dollar bill.  She said that she knew that this lady needed it more than she did.  

Whatever happens to the young lady, I believe the outcome will be good because someone gave her kindness and hope.  

May your day be wonderful in all ways.

Blessings,

Judy

Buddha And Being Kind

 

 The poster says, “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.”  - Buddha

There are times when I must bite my words back.  The words that I would use may seem appropriate to me, and, unkind to the person receiving them.  We all perceive life in different ways, based on our past experience.  I was having one of those days – you know the kind – where it seemed like people were going out of their way to be unhelpful, or even mean.  When I feel that way, I know I need to take a deep breath and find the peace in my heart, and then I can kindly and peacefully speak words that help the person get over what is troubling them.  

I have learned over the years that unkindness is often played forward by the person that has been hurt by another’s unkindness.  After all the leadership and team building that has been going on in business for the last fifteen years, it is troubling to see bully behaviour in businesses, often stemming from a manager.  

Perhaps try some words of peace today at work or at a gathering of friends.  Do it as an experiment to see how things play out.

Blessings

Judy

Eagle Circles The Area

 

The Eagle landed and pulled up a mouse, and then took off over the river.  It circled around my dog and me, twice, and flew away.  In the time that it circled, it cried out several times.  I felt like it was doing a shamanic circle around us and giving us a blessing.  

That night, I dreamt.  I dreamt of being in a circle of animals.  Some were eagles and some were deer and bear, and wolves, and rabbits, and owls and geese, and skunks and otters.  It felt like many of the forest and plains animals were there.  I remember seeing a buffalo and an elk as well.  

The purpose of the circle was to get some agreements on caring for the land.  The idea was that all of the animals were family, and that as a family, they needed to care for the earth that they lived on.  Basically each animal had a circle or patch of land to care for.  I can’t tell you what the rules were, if any, because it did not seem important to me.  I can tell you that while the circle was in session, several very large eagles flew over it and around it as though they were protecting the area.

It made me think of the Ancestors who came west in wagons.  At night, to protect their families and their livestock, the pioneers would circle their wagons to protect their little area.  I feel like Eagle was telling me that it is time to circle the wagons and to protect what is mine, and to keep my family safe.  I am working on that now.

May you work to keep your family safe.

Blessings,

Judy

Do Your Own Work

 

 

The Buddha is saying, 'You are this.' He doesn’t say, 'I have something extra that I am going to give you.' Trust in yourself, trust in who you are. Sit down, breathe, be listening right now, hearing right now. Be intimate. But you have to do it for yourself. - Elihu Genmyo Smith, "No Need to Do Zazen, Therefore Must Do Zazen"

The truth of this quote has been coming up for me as I work with people in my spiritual practice.  Everyone wants the results without doing the work.  It is very difficult to become great, or even good, at anything without doing the practice to get there.  

There is a lot written in books and magazines about how much time it takes to get good and even great at a task or action.  The basic amount of time to become proficient at something is about 20 hours or 1/2 a work week.  To become a world class expert at something takes about 10,000 hours.  You do not become good or good enough at a task unless you put in the time.

I am willing to do my own work; I am not willing to do yours.

Blessings,

Judy

September 1 2025

 

The poster says:  “How do we change the world? One random act of kindness.” - Morgan Freeman as God in “Evan Almighty”.

As we move into September 2025, our country, Canada, faces many challenges as prices continue to rise for groceries and clothing - things that we consider basic for survival.  What I have been noticing are the random acts of kindness that folks in our area seem to be doing that ease the sense of strain and pressure around them. 

Acts of kindness including things like:

-mowing the neighbour’s lawn

-handing someone a dollar for a shopping cart

-dropping off food for someone who is ill

-walking a neighbour’s dog when the person has sprained an ankle

….and the list goes on.

My goal as fall settles in is to be aware and do something positive for someone each day.  

What is your goal for September?

Blessings,

Judy

Be Open

I have been listening to a family member complain of all the things that are wrong in their life.  I did not know how to approach and how to be of help.  

Then, I saw this slide, and I knew that it is not for me to deal with.  I do not even need to be a support.  I need to remind them that they can drop the load that they are carrying at any time.  What you carry is a choice!

When we let go, we let things happen in a natural way, and life is very good.

Blessings,

Judy