Summer Solstice...

......is almost here. Robyn at Tales of Inglewood is inviting anyone who is interested to do some healing of our Mother Earth. Robyn would like to start a world wide circle of Earth Healers.

Solstice is an auspicious time to do some healing of our planet. If you can spare some time this weekend, sit with Mother Earth and send some healing.

You can do whatever you feel called to do. Light a candle. Create a ritual. Sit in silence. Sing and dance. Use your intuition.

You can read more about this here: Healing Mother Earth

This kind of ritual appeals to me. I do what I feel like in the moment. If there is a more formalized ritual set at a certain time, like "everyone light a candle at 9:00 Pacific Time" or whatever, I usually forget.

I will not forget the upcoming Solstice this weekend. Summer for me is such a magical time and the Solstice marks the longest day of the year here in the Northern Hemisphere.

Robyn lives in Australia, so for her, the days will start to grow longer. They are celebrating Winter Solstice, but we all share a common goal. Join us, won't you?

Summer Magic

The Wheel turns. The magic of summer is almost upon us. Warm sun, soft breezes, faeries playing in the garden.
Animals and birds are nesting. Bringing forth new life.
So are flowers, trees, shrubs, grass.
There's magic in creation.

We put away our cold and shivering winter selves. Our shrinking, contracting into ourselves; pulling clothes tighter, shutting windows and doors tight.

And bring to light our shimmering, warm, happy selves. We jump and dance, fling open doors and windows, picnic in the meadows, call to friends and drink iced tea in the backyard. Spend long lazy days in the garden.

And when night falls, the call of an owl reminds us to listen to our dreams.
The swish of a bat's wings, that time passes quickly.
Jasmine and moonflower perfume the soft darkness, as fireflies light the way.
Crickets singing in the dark, remind us that night too will fade and Sun will rise once again to begin another cycle of joy.
There is peace in my Soul.

Faeries in bloom...

Mid-spring and the weather is warm. Time for the Lilac Faeries to bloom. I don't know how they know, but just as the birds know when to migrate, the Lilac Faeries know it's time to bloom.
They emerge from the lilac blossoms as tiny as tiny can be.
And gently sip lilac nectar from lavender coloured blooms.

But only for a few days. Just when the time is right. Or birds (especially hummingbirds) will sip all the magic nectar and the Lilac Faerie will not grow. She will not bloom, but fade away, until next year.

The bees understand. They are her best friends, for if she becomes sleepy and forgets to drink, their gentle humming will awaken her.

Teeny, tiny green inchworms, slide over to watch. They encourage the lilac blooms to open wide, so Lilac Faerie can reach up to drink.

She grows and she grows.
And when her wings emerge and become glossy, she flies away.

Tai Chi

Sacred movement, sacred breath.
Whisper in the Wind.
Centered in your being. Balanced in body, mind and soul.
Peace and Harmony. Breathe in Chi. Breathe out clouds. Let the Sacred Breath carry Chi - your life force - throughout your body.
Sway with the wind. Glide with the birds. Slowly reach for the Stars. Let the soles of your feet feel centered and safe, rooted to Mother Earth.

Wind Rolling the Lotus Leaves, gently ruffling my hair as I yield to its softness. I am standing under a Plum Tree practicing Tai Chi when a Tiger jumps out to Embrace me. Centered in my being I gently smile and watch as he Returns to his Mountain.

As the Wind Sweeps the Plum Blossoms all over my head, I can't help but breathe in their sweet fragrance. Sacred breath, calm relaxing, peaceful. I breathe in sacred Chi. Chi, life force to nourish my being. In the distance I glimpse a magnificent White Crane Spreading its Wings in preparation for flight. A feeling of joy spreads throughout my body, watching this display of total freedom and joie-de-vivre.

A curious monkey pokes its head through the tree branches to stare at me upside down. Rooted in the soft Earth, balanced in body, mind and spirit, I gently and slowly Repulse this cheeky little Monkey.

The sun is setting signalling the end of a perfect day. Birds fly into the Forest on their way home. Hearing a throaty roar, I swiftly turn around in fright, only to find a friendly Lion Shaking Its Head. He too is preparing to go back to his lair for the night.

Before I start my trek back home, I give thanks to the Tree that offered me shade, the Earth for supporting me, the Air so I may breathe, the Sun for its warmth and love and the River lazily snaking its way through the Magic Forest.

That night asleep under the Stars, I dream of Wild Horses Leaping the Ravine in fear, as Snakes Creep Down to Stick out their Tongues. A large White Tiger Hugged his Head with Laughter - nervous horses afraid of snakes! How silly - don't they know you can't outrun Eternal Change?

I wrote this about 10 years ago when I first began studying Tai Chi. I was drawn to the energetic component of the Tai Chi form. Not a dance, nor an exercise, Tai Chi is like a meditation in motion.

Creating a story from the moves, helped me to incorporate the philosophy of this ancient practice into my energy field.

Snake Creeps Down, Repulse Monkey, Lion Shakes Its Head, Wild Horse Leaps the Ravine, are just some of many, many Tai Chi moves. I have capitalized the names within my story for those unfamiliar with Tai Chi.

Perspectives

Sitting on the sand at the beach in Florida, I looked up from under this palm tree.

What a different perspective this is.
Usually, you see the palm tree in its entirety. Strong and full, its fronds waving majestically in the ocean air. A symbol if the tropics. Vacation time. A lazy time of life. Warmth. Courage. Sustenance (for those who are shipwrecked and can climb up to pick coconuts).


Through the leaves of this magnificent and versatile tree, a hot tropical sun shines through. Warming. Caressing.

I've come back from my vacation with a different perspective on Life. I needed the break. I needed to re-set my inner vision. From sad, stressed and depressed to happy, joyful, full-of-good-energy.

Looking up to the sun. Up through the leaves (green leaves are a symbol of life and hope). A much better place to be.
My soul is soothed.

Point of Convergence

My outer self and inner self have converged. My other blog COPD Caregiving is NOT for Wimps! was my outer self. My Caregiving self. My love of nature; flowers especially. Grandkids and anything else I felt like blogging about.

This blog is my inner self. My inner feelings, spirituality, faeries and anything magical. In this blog I am wide open. No filters. No ads.

Just me... expressing myself.

For some weird reason, when I first started blogging, I thought everybody was judging me. Should I blog about this? Is it too different? not politically correct? too magical or pagan? I did not feel I could let loose and be myself. I was afraid to disappoint my readers. (how's that for ego?)

My third to last post on Caregiving is not for wimps (April 20) is called "A Fine Line". My last post on this blog is called "Out on a Limb". Essentially I am saying the same thing. Expressing myself from the point of view of where I am in this Journey.

I did not think these two would converge. But they have. So where do I go from here? Is this progress? My inner and outer selves coverging? Or will I recede into quite isolation and sort out my inner feelings before going on.

I am taking a much needed vacation to Florida. I leave Tuesday, April 28th. I am so excited! I'll be at the ocean, feeling the sun on my face and the sand between my toes. I won't be blogging or emailing until I get back. Back on May 4th.

We will see what happens when I get back. In the meantime, thank you to everyone who has been with me on this journey. Your thoughtful words and kindness have been extremely valuable in my evolution. I am grateful to all who have travelled this fun, sometimes sad, but totally unpredictable road with me.
Namaste.

Out on a limb

It has taken me quite a while. Soul searching and suffering. Light and darkness. An internal tug-of-war.

And now I have come to one of those places.

Places where a lightbulb goes off.

An Ah-ha moment.

I had crawled out on a limb and very nearly fell off into nothingness.

But something pulled me back - just in the nick of time.

And then I realized that I have been giving away little pieces of my own life.

For the past 2 years, my life has been one of waiting and watching.

Two years ago, I was told Hubby did not have much time on this Earth.

So, I dropped everything to wait and watch.

I stopped working. I stopped playing.

Currents eddied around me.

Someone threw me a lifeline, but I let it sink.

Little by little my tree limb slipped. Lower and lower. It nearly snapped.

And still I waited and watched.

Nothing.

I almost fell.

And then the lightbulb went off. Some trigger in my brain. Or maybe a Guardian Angel took my hand.

And now I am learning to Dance in the Rain.

Instead of waiting for the Storm to pass.

I will take back my life. Not give it up to somebody else.

Even though I love my Hubby dearly. Even though my giving up my life will not make any difference in the final outcome. He will still pass through the Veil. I cannot follow. I don't want to follow. I have more life to live.

And now I know how.