Day of the Dead

This time of year around Halloween, Samhain, and Day of the Dead, we allow ourselves to face some of our deepest fears with a sense of humor and lots of candy. It takes a brave heart to face your fears.

I've been asking friends: "What is the antidote to fear?" or "What is the opposite of fear?"

I've gotten some interesting answers.

Exploring these questions may bring you to a crossroads where you meet the lady in the above picture.

Ask her.

Hold the center

"What do we do when everything rational says,
Let go!
and everything emotional says,
I cannot!
We can swing back and forth
between opposites indefinitely.
Better to stand on the stillpoint
at the center."  Coming Home to Myself. Marion Woodman
The wisdom comes when we hold the center, between opposites, in the middle of the conflict, and allow a third way to emerge.

Present moment

 

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

Be content with what you have;

rejoice in the way things are.

When you realize there is nothing lacking,

the whole world belongs to you.  Lao Tzu

Beauty around you



Fountain Hills







Moonset over the McDowell Mountains



Full Moon Salutations

The desert illuminates the three precious treasures

Simplicty

Patience

Compassion

Full Moon in Aries

I'm preparing for the Full Moon tomorrow night (Oct.19th).  Using the natural cycles to guide my reflections and actions has been a valuable tool.  I learned this when one year I chose as a theme "living by the moon".  I took off from work every full moon; I had a gathering of sisters in a Moon Lodge on every New Moon that year as well.  It was good medicine.  So on this Full Moon I'm off from work on a mini retreat/renewal.

Let the Full Moon light up all the dark places.

It's all just energy

How are you going to use it?

Zen practice

"See the day to day events as the scenery in our lives; try to find a way to appreciate the scenery without letting it drive us nuts."  Brian Hayrock. Dharma Road

Morning practice

The Dalai Lama is teaching in India this week. You can live stream his teaching.

Far out.  Placed him on my altar this morning.  Chanted the Heart Sutra.

Very far out.

This spiritual path ain't for whimps

"We can use everything that happens to us as the means for waking up." Pema Chodrin
So you have an experience that really touches this vulnerable part of yourself.  Fear arises to defend against the vulnerability.  Whoa. Caught again.  That experience was the hook.  And you took the bait. But when you see that you got caught (again) that's the waking up part.  And when you work with yourself in this way, with a lot of kindness toward yourself and your vulnerabilities, that's the path.  I think the antidote to fear is having the confidence in your own goodness, your own wisdom, to take care of the fearful and vulnerable aspects of being human.  As long as you are alive there are going to be experiences that dangle a delicious hook in front of you. The question is will you take the bait?

Welcome Fall

I went to the river early this morning.  I was honored to see a bald eagle hunting for a fish.  The river was full and warm.  I made a small bundle with prayers for all and offered tobacco in thanksgiving to the Sacred River, the Eagle, and the Creator.
It was good. 

I hope this fall cycle

is enlightening and joy-filled

for you and all those you love

in ever widening circles

walk in balance

open

alive

present to whatever life throws at you

Gratitude harvest

The season of growth is coming to an end

I give thanks to the Creator

and the 4 directions

for the gifts of the Earth



I return thanks, reap the goodness and the hard lessons learned

Let go of the things that didn't turn out

collect the seeds in my Medicine pouch

and prepare to dream a new dream

for All my Relatives

I welcomed the sunrise with gratitude and cleansed my home to prepare for the Fall Equinox tomorrow. 

I reflect on my work in the world. On my advocacy for the dignity of the dying and vulnerable in the hospital. I am thankful for being able to pour myself into this work in the world. 

I am so thankful to all my teachers that continue to guide me on my path.

I am thankful for my dear family and friends that bring such sweetness to my daily life. These caring people remind me of my own goodness when I forget.

I return thanks to the Earth, Gaia, and all my relatives.

May we put our minds together as one and renew the Sacred Web of Life.

Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon came in strong this week.  It drove me inward.  To the Looks Within Place. I decided to begin a retreat for myself as I prepare for the Fall Equinox on Sunday.  It feels right.  Something is ending; and something has not yet begun. 

A bardo, a pause, a gap, an opening.





Medicine Wheel



Grandmother Spider

Ancient Weaver
She created the night sky
You can still see Her Sacred Web and sparkling constellations
She wove the dream of the world before the Earth was born
She asks what are you dreaming? What are you creating?
Weave a dream of beauty.

Awaken

The Four Limitless Ones Chant
May all beings enjoy happiness and the root of happiness.
May they be free from suffering and the root of suffering.
May they not be separated from the great happiness devoid of suffering.
May they dwell in the great equanimity free from passion, aggression, and prejudice.

Full Moon Shining

"We return thanks to the Moon and the stars which haven given us their light when the Sun was gone."
Iroquois
The most powerful prayer is simply "thank you".

Don't Listen

I haven't been posting much lately.  I've been paying attention to the negative voice in my head that tells me that what I'm doing, what I'm creating has no "real" value.  This saboteur destroys the creative process. Don't listen!  It is the false self, like a reflection in the water.  There are times when we over identify with the reflection.  Better to remember our true nature.  What is your true nature?  Well, we know its' not the reflection in the water.  Did you think its' the white egret? That's your physical incarnated part.  Our true nature is the ocean that holds it All. 
"There is no such thing as creative people and non-creative people. There are only people who use their creativity and people who don't." The Gifts of Imperfection Brene Brown
So today I choose to use my creativity.



El Mar De Las Bellenas (Sea of Whales)

     

Lammas/Mid-Summer Greetings

The natural turning points in the Earth's annual cycle reflect the turning points in our own lives.
Lammas is the Mid-Summer.  It represents the first harvest. What have you planted? What is bearing fruit?

Enjoy the warmth of the second half of Summer

 Better to Relax and Play

Happy Lammas



Garden Sprite Frank Lloyd Wright



"There was a time when there was no distinction among the Primordial Goddess, the Earth, and Earth's daughter, Woman.  All were one, part of the mysterious female universe.

The human race awed by this nameless force, watched plants grow from the body of the Earth and life spring from the body of Woman, and could only venerate this magical power possessed by the feminine spirit." Judy Chicago

Gaia in all Her manifestations
reminds us of the unity behind all forms

The Earth

Practice with the Earth

so that the Sacred Web of Life will rejoice

The Rains have arrived

Friend I miss you
Thank you for sending the rain

River and rocks

"Eventually, all things merge into one,
and a river runs through it."
Norman Maclean

The river was cut by the great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters."

May you find peace and contentment written on some of those rocks

Bodhi svaha

Bodhi is the light inside, enlightenment or awakening. And svaha is a cry of joy, welcome.

Hawk Medicine

It was most auspicious that Hawk landed in my backyard

with a message from the Grandmothers and Grandfathers

She is strong

She has a bold heart

Connected to the Great Spirit

She does what she does for the love of it

overcoming great odds

for the sheer love of the journey

She is free from attachment

Thus She lets the Universe work things out

Stillness

"The heart of the path is so simple. No need for long explanations. Give up clinging to love and hate, just rest with things as they are. That is all I do in my own practice."  Achaan Chah (from the book A Still Forest Pool by Jack Kornfield & Paul Breiter)

It's all Sacred

Namo

To the lovely holy Goddess

Prajnaparamita

Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha