by Ginger | May 30, 2021 | Blog
All of the rain showers over the past two months have kept me busy outside weeding. I have a semi-wild patch of ground right next to my home which is becoming overrun with an invasive species of prickly weed that is painful to the touch. These weeds grow very quickly, putting down a single, thick taproot into the dirt which can give the plant a significant hold in the ground, which can be a problem in the poor soil near my home that gets compacted as it dries out in the summer heat. I don’t use weed killers and pull each one out by hand, so it can be a tough job. What is a gardener to do?
I learned that with patience and vigilance, pulling these weeds out can be a breeze. This “secret” for easy weed-pulling became a great reminder for me about letting go of old habits and energies. I wait until the day after nature provides one of these lovely, Spring rains so the soil is softened. I wait for the weeds I plan to pluck to be just the right size: not too small that the top breaks off when I’m pulling and not so large that they require major digging to remove. Then, I carefully work my weeding tool into the moist ground to loosen the dirt around the taproot, grasp the plant at the very base of the stem (where there aren’t prickles) and slowly, gently pull. Voila! The entire root stem slides right out.
This sounds pretty simple and mundane, but it works with personal clearing as well as weeding. Wait until all of your aspects are in alignment and you can release what you want with ease and flow. I’ve learned that if I get impatient and take action before the timing is just right or get frustrated and try to remove something with an emotional yank or a judgmental shove, then I may find myself kneeling uncomfortably in the dirt while wrestling with something very prickly and painful!
Like all great metaphors, this one is pretty obvious but it’s a good reminder that while our own personal “taproots” of old patterns of belief and limitation can seem very entrenched and defy release, we have the power to create a simple, effortless (and painless!) experience of letting go with some patience, detachment and willingness to be in alignment with divine timing. In the meantime, may you love your weeds!
image courtesy of susannp4 on Pixabay.com
by Lori | Apr 25, 2021 | Blog
In Ginger Withee’s latest blog post called The Coyote Way she discusses Coyote Medicine and what a particular coyote might be communicating to her. Ginger inspired me to write about deer wisdom and what six deer might be saying to me.
Referring to Ted Andrews’s book called Animal Speak, deer and their relatives are known for “Gentleness and Innocence – Gentle Luring to New Adventures.” Gentle Luring to New Adventures. I really like that wisdom. Many of the experiences we have had recently may have felt closer to jumping from the frying pan into the fire. The idea of gentle luring to new adventures sounds heavenly.
This afternoon I saw six beautiful deer in our front yard. Four of these beauties are in the picture above. I watched these animals quite a while today. From this picture, you can tell that the deer had a choice to jump into a State Highway, but chose not to. They played among the spruce trees, flirted with the neighbor’s yard, circled around the back of the house, and finally jumped the fence to another neighbor’s yard. They did not try to cross the highway on a busy afternoon.
These deer may bring the energy of gentleness and innocence, but they are not naïve. They were cautious without being timid. They were full of life in a tender and calm way. They knew who they were and were ready to run if a natural predator (e.g. my dog) had been around. Because they weren’t being threatened, they were just curious and enjoying a beautiful Colorado day.
This is what I can learn from the deer: the wisdom of knowing who I am, enjoying the present moment, and even being willing to be gently lured into new adventures. This is my new mantra, my new expression of self. Having the self-confidence to know when to move away from the highway, when to enjoy the leftovers in the garden and when to jump the fence. This is the deer wisdom I want to remember.
by Ginger | Apr 25, 2021 | Blog
A lone coyote has been visiting my neighborhood on and off for the last few months. He doesn’t stay long, checking for easy food before running off, but he has certainly gotten comfortable enough around humans that he will show up during the day instead of waiting for twilight to hunt. My neighbor and I have been sending him energy to help him find a safer place to go, but he keeps popping back around every few weeks. Meanwhile, I’ve been pondering some of the messages in coyote energy.
Many Native American cultures feature Coyote in their myths as a trickster figure who can be vain and foolish. But Coyote is also playfully inventive and adventurous, not afraid to try something new and willing to learn from his mistakes. He is frequently irreverent and holds the energy of breaking custom or tradition. He will not do things a certain way just because “that’s the way it has always been done.” Wild coyotes are also extremely adaptable to changes in their environment, as shown by their willingness to live and thrive in increasingly urban areas as their natural territories shrink.
Coyote energy reminds us that we, too, are extremely resilient and capable of changing course with ease. Instead of fighting change, we can accept it, create with it and remain in our mastery. Our creative divine selves are infinitely resourceful and constantly draw to us what we need, often in unique and unexpected ways.
I invite you to ask yourself if there is any wisdom for you in the coyote way. Your Soul may recommend some creative projects, playful activities or comedic entertainment. You may be inspired to try something new to get out of your comfort zone or to follow through with an activity that you’ve tried before and dropped because you judged yourself as not very good at it. Or, you might try out some laughter yoga. Sit down and have a big, long belly laugh at the mystery of it all. Life is sacred but it doesn’t have to be serious.
image courtesy of Mathey on Pixabay
by Lori | Apr 3, 2021 | Blog
‘Tis the Season when many around the globe are reminded of the beauty and power of Christ Consciousness. For Christians, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Some of us celebrate Easter traditionally with lilies, bunnies, colored eggs and peeps. Others break their Lenten fasts with chocolate and baked ham. When I was young, I would give up my favorite delight for Lent – kosher dill pickles. My Easter basket always contained a jar of my favorite brand come Easter morning.
Now, my personal traditions for celebrating the rebirth of Jesus focus more on his embodiment of Christ Consciousness. How might I emulate his love for other humans as well as his love for himself and his own God-Self? Jesus’ level of knowingness of himself as Source seems like a daunting, seemingly never attainable achievement. Can we achieve Christ Consciousness? Yes. How do we achieve Christ Consciousness? Pretty much the same way we achieve anything – consistently taking small steps.
Every time we have the choice between two or more thoughts, beliefs or actions, we “simply” need to choose the higher frequency choice. The old saying “if you take care of the pennies, the dollars will take care of themselves” seems to apply in this case too.
My friend, Rachel Phillipe, brought the following wisdom to my attention. I believe this list of ideas for working with the energy of resurrection and Christ Consciousness in our daily lives is quite inspiring.
Found in this online article, ultimately, the list is from Megan McKenna, in her book Not Counting Women and Children: Neglected Stories from the Bible.
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Give your full attention to whatever you are doing, and you’ll recognize the constant renewal of life all around you.
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Walk the path of beauty and notice the spiritual radiance in people, places, and growing things — more signs of rebirth.
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Leave the past to God’s mercy. Leave the future to God’s discretion. Living in the present moment, the only time when God brings forth new life, is a way of affirming your belief in resurrection.
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Whenever you, with compassion, open your heart, mind, and soul to the pain of the world, you help bring suffering beings back into the land of the living.
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When you cultivate the art of making connections, the walls of separation come crashing down and new life can spring up out of the rubble.
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When you regularly pray for others as part of your devotional activities, you are practicing resurrection.
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Enthusiasm is the mark of a life-giver. When you can laugh and sing and relish life, you are practicing resurrection.
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Faith enables us to live with confidence amidst doubt and paradox. When you can trust in your relationship with God, all kinds of leaps and rebirths are possible.
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Every time you forgive someone, another resurrection is in the making.
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Every time you accept God’s grace in your life and see it in the world around you, your own resurrection is in the making.
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Practice gratitude and you are slaying the death-dealing forces of boredom, despair, and taking-things-for-granted.
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Bring hope to someone in despair, bring healing to those in conflict, and you are contributing to the ongoing resurrection.
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When you can welcome guests and alien ideas with graciousness, you are participating in a new world of
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When you give full rein to your imagination, you are opening the gates of creativity so resurrection can come in.
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When you add even a small portion of joy to the lives of those around you, you bring resurrection into your community.
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Your work for justice, freedom, and equality sets the stage for resurrection. When you feed the hungry and stand up for the oppressed, you are a life-giver.
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Your little acts of kindness tenderize the world, add to the fund of good will, and set the table for resurrection.
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Listen to others, the universe, and your inner voice, and you’ll be privy to resurrections when they happen.
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Love God, love your neighbor, and love your new life as marks of the resurrection.
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Find meaning in your experiences and speak the truth to power, and you help put death in its place.
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Nurture yourself — eat right, exercise, get plenty of rest — and you are helping God resurrect your body.
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When you stay open to all people and situations, you affirm your belief that all things can be made new.
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Every peace treaty that you sign with someone who is your enemy or opponent is a sign of resurrection.
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Sometimes you feel refreshed by the simplest things — laughter, games, play. This, too, is resurrection.
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Othertimes it is the thrill of the quest that spurs you on to be all you were meant to be as a person reborn.
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When you practice reverence for life, you can’t help but notice all the little resurrections going on all around you, the continual process of creation on Earth.
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Practicing resurrection also means having confidence that God can make something out of your selfishness, anger, greed, hatred, and any of your other shadow.
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Find a place where you can regularly practice silence; it will rejuvenate your soul.
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Spiritual teachers can point you on the path of resurrection, showing you texts and mentors to jump-start your journey.
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Welcome changes — big and small — in your experience and signal your receptivity to transform and resurrection.
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Work together with those who are trying to make the world a more just and decent place. This unity practice is a mark of the resurrection.
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Pay attention to visions and visionaries as likely conduits of resurrection for yourself and your community.
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Every time you bring to life another’s sense of wonder and affirm that you are all standing on holy ground, you practice resurrection.
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By respecting the mystery of God, human nature, and the natural world, you bear witness to the ineffable nature of renewal and rebirth.
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By giving voice to your yearning, and acting upon your desire to feel the closeness of God, you invite resurrection into your life.
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By accepting your identity as a child of God and your mission as a copartner with the Holy One in the unfolding drama of the universe, you embody the resurrection principle.
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Practice resurrection with zeal. Be aroused by life and cherish every moment as a gift from the One Who Renews us day by day.
Be inspired. Take small steps daily to raise your frequency and be the resurrection and Christ Consciousness in your own life. May you know Peace now and always. Namaste.
Gratitude to Free Photos from Pixabay.com
by Ginger | Mar 31, 2021 | Blog
As we move past the winter season and prepare ourselves for society opening up again post-pandemic, we may be asking ourselves whether it’s time to clear some things out. I often do an inner spring cleaning check with my Soul to see if it’s time to let go of some old aspects of my personality or habits. Sometimes we get stuck on the parts of ourselves that we’re still healing and forget that what we see as weaknesses are our strengths if we look at them from the divine perspective rather than the third dimensional paradigm.
The aspects of our personalities that we struggle with are just the parts of ourselves still operating in the illusion. It is the fear and self-judgment that causes these traits to express as the shadow side, vibrating at denser frequencies. Once we stop resisting those traits and see the higher frequency truths underneath, they are transformed into gifts and talents that can serve us and the world.
Maybe it’s time for a little spring cleaning of your personality self. Rather than trying to scrub out the parts of yourself that you dislike or believe are useless, ask your Soul to help you see the hidden gem within. Create a list of resonances that will help you to evolve those aspects of yourself into the higher frequency version of expression.
Seen from another viewpoint, stubbornness can be turned toward focus, commitment and determination when aligned with the Divine Plan. What was once anger bottling up can become the passion and strength to create change. The neediness of the past can be used as building blocks for compassion and understanding for others going forward.
The path to true wholeness is not to remove parts of ourselves, or our lives, that we believe don’t work well. The path of healing is to love those parts of ourselves back into wholeness so that we see their true value and allow them to shine in their perfection.
image courtesy of Manfred Richter on Pixabay.com
by Lori | Mar 2, 2021 | Blog
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” Meister Eckhart
In the Standing in the Light® Classes, we teach that when possible the simplest way to do something may be the best way. Our clearing statements, gratitude statements and ceremonies do not need to be overly elaborate to be powerful and effective.
We also teach that sometimes it is better to look for the detail in order to make sure we have covered all the possibilities.
Meister Eckhart’s quote, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough,” is an example of keeping it simple. The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World, quoted below, is a beautiful and moving example of being precise and detailed to cover all the reasons we have to be grateful.
As part of the manifesting class in Standing in the Light®, we teach that, besides the specific resonances that we are trying to create, there are five resonances or energies that we need to hold in order to create what we wish to manifest. Those five resonances are Love, Trust, Surrender, Detachment and Gratitude. Sometimes we humans forget that we need to be grateful before we “get” something in order to energetically be ready to attract that quality to us. (For more discussion on these five resonances as part of manifesting, check out my blog entry from July 2016. https://iamstandinginthelight.com/the-joy-of-gratitude/)
Gratitude is such an important energy and an important feeling state that being specific about what we are grateful may help us identify areas in our lives that we have been taking for granted. The more we are consciously grateful, the more we consciously live. The more we consciously live, the more we consciously evolve.
The English translation of the Mohawk version of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address may help you focus on gratitude. It was developed, published in 1993, and provided, courtesy of: Six Nations Indian Museum and the Tracking Project.
If you want to add this gratitude practice to your life, great. If you would like to write something specific that speaks to your heart, great. Gratitude is welcomed and needed in all its forms.
I am grateful to all who have brought this wonderful address to us. Namaste.
Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address – Greetings to the Natural World
The People
Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people.
Now our minds are one.
The Earth Mother
We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Waters
We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms- waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers and oceans. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.
Now our minds are one.
The Fish
We turn our minds to all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Plants
Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.
Now our minds are one.
The Food Plants
With one mind, we turn to honor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden. Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting of thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Medicine Herbs
Now we turn to all the Medicine herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to take away sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.
Now our minds are one.
The Animals
We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We are honored by them when they give up their lives so we may use their bodies as food for our people. We see them near our homes and in the deep forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.
Now our minds are one
The Trees
We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth has many families of Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, beauty and other useful things. Many people of the world use a Tree as a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life.
Now our minds are one.
The Birds
We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle was chosen to be their leader. To all the Birds-from the smallest to the largest, we send our joyful greetings and thanks.
Now our minds are one.
The Four Winds
We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help us to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds.
Now our minds are one.
The Thunderers
Now we turn to the west where our grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. We are thankful that they keep those evil things made by Okwiseres underground. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunderers.
Now our minds are one.
The Sun
We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.
Now our minds are one.
Grandmother Moon
We put our minds together to give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the night-time sky. She is the leader of woman all over the world, and she governs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time, and it is the Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.
Now our minds are one.
The Stars
We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness and bringing dew to the gardens and growing things. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we send greetings and thanks to the Stars.
Now our minds are one.
The Enlightened Teachers
We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened Teachers who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring teachers.
Now our minds are one.
The Creator
Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greetings and thanks to the Creator.
Now our minds are one.
Closing Words
We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.
Now our minds are one.
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This translation of the Mohawk version of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address was developed, published in 1993, and provided, courtesy of: Six Nations Indian Museum and the Tracking Project. All rights reserved. Thanksgiving Address: Greetings to the Natural World English version: John Stokes and Kanawahienton (David Benedict, Turtle Clan/Mohawk) Mohawk version: Rokwaho (Dan Thompson, Wolf Clan/Mohawk) Original inspiration: Tekaronianekon (Jake Swamp, Wolf Clan/Mohawk)
Gratitude to Pixabay.com for the image. (No specific creator noted.)
