Acceptance

"Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt,
marvelous error!
that I had a beehive here inside my heart.
And the golden bees were making
white combs
and sweet honey
from my old
failures."
Antonio Machado (quoted in the book Radical Acceptance)

Great Ocean of Awareness

"You are the whole ocean

Why send out for a sip of dew?"

Rumi



Sacred moment

"Watching the Moon at dawn

solitary, mid-sky,

I knew myself completely;

no part left out."

Izumi Shikibu

Wonderous Solstice

Mexico Sun Rise Winter Solstice

Goddess of Beginning and End

Mother of All Change

"There is a song the patriarchs shut our ears to and forbid us to sing."

On the other side now

the new Aquarian Age has been birthed

We embrace Her power

And gladly, fearlessly,

Sing Her Songs

again

May Her Love and Compassion Transform Us

Into the Wise Ones we imagine ourselves to be

Happy Solstice dear Friend

Winter Solstice 2012

There are cycles within cycles
Spirals that take us inward
Spirals that bring us out again
Just watch the natural world
And you will see it is true

Here we are again at another ending
Another beginning

The 13th baktun of the Mayan Long Count
Completing a cycle of 5,125 years. Amazing!

I hope this new cycle brings peace and love
May all beings everywhere
Have all that they want and need

We can birth a new world
If we come together
And renew the Sacred Hoop of Oneness

Winter Solstice Blessings
Dream and vision a future of beauty
my friends

Basic groundlessness

"In these turbulent times, the Hopi said, we have to let go of the shore and stay in the middle of the river, in the unceasing flow of life...They said : See who is there with you and celebrate." Quote from Living Essentially with Uncertainty and Change by Pema Chodron

Listening to the Bell

"May the sound of this bell
Penetrate deep into the cosmos
Even in the darkest spots
living beings are able to hear it clearly
so that all suffering in them cease
understanding comes to their heart
and they transcend the path of sorrow and death

Listening to the bell
I feel the afflictions in me begin to dissolve

My mind calm
My body relaxed

My breath brings me back
to the safe island of mindfulness
In the garden of my heart
the flowers of peace bloom beautifully."
Thich Nhat Hahn

shadow and light

I walk along the path
Sometimes in the cool shadows
Sometimes in the warm sun light
Seeing clearly
I embrace the world
Just as it is
Everything
Awakened energy

Buddha's Prayer at Dawn

Now may every living thing

young or old, weak or strong

living near or far off, known or unknown

living or departed or yet unborn,

may every living thing be full of bliss

The Buddha

Raven: Guardian of the Canyon

"The warrior's cry is: We are needed."

Living Beautifully with Uncetainty and Change by Pema Chodron

Thanksgiving: Embracing the world as is

This world-absolutely pure
As is
Behind the fear
Vulnerability
Behind that
Sadness
then compassion
And behind that the vast sky
Poem by Rick Fields

Coyote

A very large and beautiful coyote came calling. She looked strong and healthy.  Coyote is a powerful totem and a Sacred Animal.  The message coyote brought to me was this: "Lighten up! Laughter is good medicine." 
I intend to take her advice.

The Great Tree of Peace

It is Time

Gather round the Great Tree of Peace
Bury your weapons (anger, jealously, greed, pride, self-centeredness)
Develop the power of a strong mind so you won't pick up those weapons again
Join the Circle of Friendship
Welcome all living beings to this Circle of Friendship
Become a Peacemaker

This is what Chief Leon taught us.

40 Days until the Winter Solstice 2012


The Sacred San Francisco Peaks



Iroquois Headress

 

Winter Solstice 2012 countdown

Sunrise over the Grand Canyon

41 days until the Winter Solstice 2012

The Great Round

The Eastern Sun rises

Sacred

Timeless

Bringing light to the dark places

Illuminating the hearts of men and women

Understanding opens the door

Peace prevails



Buddha of the Grand Canyon

I invite you to commit yourself to a 40 day peace practice, starting Sunday, 11/11/12.  We will complete the practice on the Winter Solstice 12/21/12.  Just like a mother prepares for the arrival of a new born baby, allow your spiritual practice to reflect the love and warmth of the Eastern Sun as it rises in your heart each morning.  A simple wish for all beings on the planet both now and in the future to experience your love and vision of peace is most auspicious.

I would truly love to hear from you. Post comments about your practice and your experience as we approach the completion of the Great Round.

Do what you can

www.redcross.org

New world 2012

Friends we are all in the process of creating a new world

The Great Mother is giving birth

Her water has broken

Be mindful of your thoughts

and how you care for others

The dream can be one of beauty

if we so intend

Taurus Moon 2012

A very powerful Taurus Moon rising over the Four Peaks

May Her light shine on all

through the storm

May all beings be safe and free from danger
Prayers go out

Questions

Sometimes there are only questions. 

Keep exploring.

Two questions arrived this morning:

What makes your heart lighter than a feather?

What makes you heart heavier than a feather?

Butterfly

"The butterfly is beautiful for its season. Like a warrioress, she touches the world briefly with her iridescent wings and becomes transformed into another form of life, as will you."  Lynn Andrews Jaguar Woman

Receive Her as your ally.  She has many gifts to teach you.

"The basic attitude of meditation is to develop a thoroughly good friendship with oneself, a completely honest, open hearted relationship with oneself." Pema Chodron The Wisdom of No Escape And the Path of Loving-kindness

Prayer feather

May you be well, friends

Life is a flowing river



picture by Annie

 Relax
flow
all phenomenon is constantly changing

The easiest way to relax
is to stop trying to make
things different

Dream Lodge

  Grandmother Spider appeared to me in a dream one night many years ago.  She encouraged me to create (manifest) a Sacred Space for women to gather in a Dream Lodge.  I really wasn't sure about what I was doing but as Carl Jung, the great Master of the Unconscious, said: "Proceed from the dream outward."  I put "it" out there and as always a powerful group of women showed up ready to do the work of the Goddess.  Each month we met on the Full Moon and shared a dream with the circle.  After hearing the dream the group would act out the dream, silently, in front of the dreamer.  No one would "interpret the dream" but only would share their experience of being in the dream.  And the dreamer would provide insight into seeing the dream and how this was meaningful to her.  I still carry those dreams within a small medicine bundle made out of black velvet each of us created on the first night. The experience was transformative.

So now I shall share a dream with you. I hope you will carry it in a Sacred Way.  I was dreaming in a Sacred Way.  I was walking in the desert with a friendly Spirit Guide.  We walked up onto a high ridge and we were looking down at a green place.  He said: "Where is your Medicine Wheel?"  I answered: "It's down there in that green place."  I told him that I was concerned there were snakes in the tall grasses down there.

With that a snake was next to me and bit me on the leg and I woke up from the dream.

I knew the Dream was very significant.  So that morning I headed out to the desert and allowed my friendly Spirit Guide to show me where I should go.  I hiked a trail I had never been on before.  I went off the trail at a sign that said Trail Closed.  I walked up on a ridge and looked down.

I saw a green place; this circle of grass on the dry desert. 

I built the Medicine Wheel there on that spot. My friends I tell you I did this in a Sacred Manner.

My friends if you come upon this Place you will understand the Power of the Dream Lodge.

May this Full Moon bring you insight and wisdom.

Withdraw

"We need to become the sanctuary we seek".
Jack Kornfield, After the Ecstasy, the Laundry

Create time and space to withdraw from the marketplace.

Settle the heart
Listen to your deepest intention

Zen wisdom

"Turn your whole life into an act of gratitude."

A Zen Master

And Live Rejoicing by Huston Smith

Meditation



Deleware Ducks picture by Annie

 The goal of meditation, as described by Sri Swami Satchidananda, is to keep a serene, peaceful, tranquil mind.  When the mind becomes calm and clear as a still lake you are able to see your True Nature; your original state.  The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Sawa bona

Sawa bona is a South African greeting which means "I see you." The response is "Sikhona" which means "I am here."  I learned this from a mother who was sitting vigil at her young daughters hospital bed.  She taught me the power and importance of presence.  Our presence, simply being there with awareness, breathing, acknowledging what is happening in the present moment, sitting with whatever is presenting itself without a judging mind, without trying to fix anything. This presence, this "I see you" validates their humanity, which in turn validates our own humanity, "I am here." 

There is really nothing to "do".  Our being present, really present, is a practice that can open up the space between self and other.  And in that sacred space we value and honor one another-our shared humanity.  I thank all my teachers, this mother, her daughter, for the wisdom gifts. You never know when you will meet a living bodhisattva.

Fall Equinox

The greatest medicine is

to open the door of your own heart

And welcome yourself home

Enter the Sacred Silence

Make peace in your heart

You have returned

You stand in perfect balance

Fall Equinox: The Point of Return



El Mar de las Bellenas 2010

 Another turn of the Medicine Wheel as the Fall Equinox approaches. A cycle ends, a new cycle begins."The completed journey always ends with a return, a homecoming, to the ordinary world of conventional reality that was left behind. This world has been transformed if our journey has been successful, into a new world, seen with fresh eyes. The end of the journey is the beginning of a new, empowered way of life." Ralph Metzner Opening to the Light.

Nature

"Nature is here to give you experience and ultimately to liberate you from its bondage." The Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali

Morning Meditation

The Moon and Venus early this morning brought peace and serenity

and beauty

Before dawn I awoke easily and listened to the quiet Earth

An owl, the crickets, a light breeze from the Southern Direction moving the trees

There was a Goodness in it All that I cannot fully form with words

But rather felt in the Center of me

Your story

Life Waits Patiently for Your Story

So Sing it

   Write it

       Dance it

          Paint it

Create it