Our Wonderful Differences!

I have some of my most profound thoughts at 4am. Everyone else is asleep, and I'm free to just be, the middle of the night/morning is my favourite time of the day honestly, I enjoy my quiet time alone.

Tonight's thoughts were rotating around my appointment with the surgeon two days ago. I've finally begun to settle down and accept that my situation isn't going to go away on it's own, and surgery is imminent, so I'm starting to see the bigger picture again; I really had tunnel vision for the last couple of days. 

I was so upset when I left the hospital, I kept saying "what an ass!" about the surgeon; his cold calculating and clinical approach just set me off and made me twitch from head to toe. I do not relate well to people like him, as I am oh so very sensitive, emotional, with my heart worn visibly on my sleeve.

I thought to myself  "I wish everyone operated from the heart, with compassion and generosity of spirit". And then I caught myself, and I laughed. And I'm still kind of giggling...

I imagined for a split second the world full of people like me. Are you giggling too yet? Picture it; a world full of idealistic overly sensitive empaths who have to identify every aspect of the psyche to understand the world better. Could you see how life would skid to a rapid halt?

I guess the world needs analytical type A personalities; we need people who think before they feel, who can keep their cool, who look at things like a scientific equation rather than a rose colored ideal.

I imagined myself seeing a surgeon who is just like me, and I realized I would love to talk to him or her, and would enjoy discussing my spinal disease and the prognosis, however... I have to admit (with a grin on my lips) that I don't think I'd want that particular surgeon performing my surgery. Why? Quite simply: I would rather have someone who has grace under fire, who can roll with the punches, who is calm and cool headed, and these are not my strong traits.

If the world were full of idealistic dreamy Piscean Spiritualists it would be a completely different place. Our society couldn't survive as we know it in that situation. Perhaps if the world were full of dreamy idealists the world would be a more peaceful place, but in regards to the world we do live in, we need people of all varieties and character.

So I'm grateful for people who don't operate under my personal parameters. I'm grateful I live in a world where people are not the same, because not everyone is cut out to do the things others do. I could not cut people open and perform surgeries. I could not work nurses hours, and endure the abuses they can. I could not be a politician, or a truck driver (I get vertigo when driving above 80 kilometers per hour or more). There are many things I could not do; the world would grind to a halt if we were all like me.

So I'll be satisfied to be the only me there is, and try to keep a more open mind about people who are different than me. When I see the surgeon next, perhaps I'll be more patient and accommodating of his own quirky arrogance, and accept that he is who he is for a reason, and while I do not particularly like him as a person, it is the traits I dislike in him personally which give me faith in him surgically.

In an ideal world, we'd all be of one thought, one goal, one dream. But we live in the real physical world right now, maybe the ideal thing to do is accept it, and everyone in it. I for one feel better for realizing how I myself was judging people who have a tougher exterior than myself.

The Bible: Ancient Story-Telling?

In the beginning, according to the Bible, God created man and woman and they lived in the garden of Eden. Man was created in Gods image, made of the Earth upon which he lived, and woman was made of mans bone. If you're like me you look to the stories in the Bible as beautiful imagery used to teach about morality and conscience. These stories aren't meant to be taken literally, if they were then most of the Bible would contradict the very world we live in; I think it's safe to assume that even most Christians accept that carbon dating has placed the age of our planet around 4.5 billion years old, and while not everyone accepts evolution over creationism, I have met many Christians who believe dinosaurs indeed walked this Earth millions of years ago.

So what's my point then? It's simply this; the Bible and indeed many other religious tomes, writings and artifacts are great symbolic stories which use metaphor to convey deep spiritual messages. We were never meant to take these writings as literal, as they were written to use symbolism to tell the stories of those times. In those days people used story telling, much as ancient Bards and Shaman and tribal elders, to pass down rites and rituals, to share cultural guidelines and to connect people via the stories which were woven.

So if we look at the old testament of the Bible as a beautiful metaphorical story woven to teach us about the nature of people and the Universe, then it makes much more sense. If you take the stories in the Bible as literal truth then you're looking at some very whacked out sci-fi types of stories. Giant whales swallowing men whole, who then live in the whales belly? An ancient sacred garden that was full of peace and joy, but had one taboo tree which when eaten of cast the inhabitants out of bliss because it defied an angry wrathful Gods orders? An old man building an arc big enough to carry two of every creature on the planet through 40 days and nights of horrendous floods?

No, the literal take on these stories seem like they were taken out of the pages of the Brothers Grimm, and Mother Goose.

If we look to these stories as cultural metaphor they begin to make more sense. Let's take Adam and Eve for instance, and draw the parallel between their story, and polarity. Polarity is the state which we live in on this planet, where every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Everything on Earth is mirrored, where there is dark there must also be light, up is always balanced by down, happy is dual to sad; every thing we see and experience in this life is built up around polarity.

So spiritually and metaphorically speaking, Adam (who represents Man and the Masculine aspects of the Soul) and Eve (who represents woman and the Divine Feminine) are created by God in His image and likeness, made of the Earth and of bone (evolve from the natural cycles of the Earth and it's elements) and live in a peaceful garden. The garden is Maya - the illusion; the simplest way to describe the Garden of Eden is to call it the bliss of ignorance. And this is the way we each come into this life experience - blissfully ignorant, as babies. We come in trusting, unaware, moment driven, reliant upon love and loving acts alone. Even the serpent is richly metaphorical, as the symbol for our Medicine has been passed down through the millenia; the caduceus symbol truly represents the Tree of Knowledge. The Caduceus which is an ancient Pagan symbol of healing shows the double serpent (which can also be interpreted as the double helix of DNA) flowing upwards much as the serpentine energy of the Kundalini climbs the spine, progressing up the chakra's to meet the Angelic wings or divine connection chakra of the Crown chakra. The ancients understood that our spiritual connection to our physical body was another polarity driven aspect of spirit living in body with mind.

But as soon as we bite of the bitter apple from the forbidden tree of knowledge we are cast out of the garden. Simply speaking, the apple from the tree of knowledge is representative of knowledge; when we become self aware or begin to "awaken" to our consciousness and sense of self, we are cast out of ignorance. And this loss of ignorance is also a loss of bliss, because we learn about duality; this is the price one pays to gain knowledge, because the more you learn, the less you realize you truly can know.

So you can see that taking the Bible stories of Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden as cultural metaphors is an effective way to teach people 2000 years ago about spiritual awakening. It isn't meant to be taken literally; the story is meant to be passed down amongst the tribes and clans, from village to village, over camp fires, told by medicine men, sacred healers, and the elders to help the people to better understand the nature of life and death on Earth while helping them to know that we are all connected via this journey from the ignorance of childhood bliss into the self-aware fragmented reality of polarity. This story is rich in symbolism, connecting us to the Kundalini, the Chakras, the Crown Chakra; also taking us on a journey through the Yin and Yang of our dual natures as male and female. The serpent also symbolizes evil, which I've shared before in this blog as being anything that infringes upon our ability to live. You can see the imagery in the creation story is rich, and full of inspirational reminders about our connection to the Divine through the Earth itself, the fruits upon it, and our union of body and mind and spirit.

It is helpful to look to all ancient stories from all ancient cultures in this way. If you take anything too literally you're going to miss out on the imagery and symbolism. And let's face it, 2-5000 years ago people were not telling literal stories, all historians will verify that story telling thousands of years ago was the basis for teaching and learning. Stories about giants being slain by a single small boy, or a man building an arc based on pure faith, or a man preparing to sacrifice the life of his son for the love of God... these are all stories which are symbolic of aspects of who we are in this world. They are meant to help people to make value judgments, to learn right from wrong, to listen to discernment and intuition.

So while I don't believe Noah came down from a mountain with stone tablets with 10 commandments from God written on them, I do believe these 10 commandments came to man via Divine intervention; channeling, or communication with the Higher Self. I do believe that the stories in the old testament still have valid meaning in our lives today as they teach us about ethics and dignity, and always point us back to God - the creator of all life - Nature.

We've taken beautiful stories from previous millenia and made them fact, when indeed I believe they were meant to be tales used to weave image-rich stories. Imagery is a great tool for teaching, especially when 2-5000 years ago there was no internet, and indeed even papyrus was rare to come by. Story-telling was an art, and stories were passed from generation to generation, much like we share our own family stories with each new generation; the people of those times shared via word of mouth.

So here we are in duality, living outside of the bliss of the garden, rooted in our illusion driven reality full of polar opposites. And yet the bliss of ignorance can be transformed into the bliss of acceptance. We can accept all that we see and sense and feel within ourselves, and stop trying to find answers to questions which have no meaning in our current day and age.

As Joni Mitchell said in her song Woodstock (also redone by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young):

We are Stardust

We are Golden

We are billion year old Carbon

And we've got to get back to the Garden...

Coping with Anxiety & Panic

One of the goals I had in mind when I created this blog was to help people who are endeavoring to live a spiritual life to cope with integration, assimilation and balancing of the spirit with the physical. We are, after all, physical beings living very 3D physical lives, however we experience so much more than just what we can see and touch as we wander through our spiritual journeys.

It doesn't really matter what you believe personally, because my own beliefs are rather broad and universal, and I do believe that what I share is aimed at anyone at all, no matter what beliefs are held. Whether you're Christian, Buddhist, Wiccan or Mormon, I believe we're all compelled by the same basic truth: a connection to Spirit. It doesn't matter what we call spirit, how we address it, whether we're following the teachings of Jesus, or Mohammed, or Ashtar or Cerridwyn; we are all drawn to the beautiful mystery of spirit both within us, and all around us.

I myself have explored and studied many world religions in an attempt to better understand myself in relation to Spirit as I understand it. So while I don't go to church every Sunday, or observe the Sabbats with a coven, I am equally respectful towards all religions, even the ones I see causing damage to the human soul through dogma and conditioning.

This being said, I'd like to touch on various topics and subjects which transcend belief, and touch us as human beings. And one of these things which I'd like to talk about right now is anxiety. You see, no matter how at peace a person is, as long as we reside within the human biology we are all prone to moments of anxiety. Our brains work in sync with the rest of our bodies, and yet the brain is distributing chemicals throughout all of the time, and regulating the glands as such. And at times these regulatory functions are put off kilter, resulting in what is called "chemical imbalance". I see the medical establishment beginning to open it's eyes as a whole, and accept a lot of new age healing modalities and treatments. And yet I still see spiritualists of all belief systems shying away from modern medicine and pharmacology. I believe that everything serves a purpose, so long as it is in moderation, and Western medicine can work wonderfully when coupled with Eastern philosophy and healing artforms.

So what is anxiety?

Anxiety is not to be confused with fear. Fear is a natural response to the unknown or intimidating, and it is something I do talk about, and will talk about more in this blog. However, today I want to explore anxiety. It can result in fear, and certainly can be precipitated by fear, but it is not fear in and of itself. Anxiety is a physical reaction to a fluctuation of bodily chemical dispersal.

Anxiety is something which is becoming ever more prevalent in our society, and I'm not sure if that is due to the foods we eat, or the schedules we keep, or the lack of sleep we get as time speeds up. In fact I'm not sure anyone knows for sure what the cause is of this increase in global anxiety; but it's clear to me that people are experiencing more anxiety as the years go by.

I myself had the usual or "normal" anxiety most of my life, until about 8 years ago when I had my first full blown "panic attack". I suffered panic attacks for two years, and during that time became agoraphobic due to the multitude of stimuli that were my triggers. I was so afraid and victimized by my panic attacks that I literally locked myself in my house for two years and had very little ability to function outside my home on my own.

My anxiety manifested physically in several ways, the most common of them being:

• increased heart rate
• blurred vision
• hyperventilation
• cold sweat
• chest pain
• sense of impending doom

There were also some uncommon symptoms which were very difficult to live with:

• blacking out
• sensation of being sucked out of my body
• a feeling like my brain literally spinning in my skull

After some time I became aware that this wasn't going to go away on it's own, so I sought the advice of my family doctor. I was encouraged to see a psychiatrist who put me on two different medications. And while the medications did help to lessen the symptoms and attacks, they mostly kept me feeling numb. This wasn't adequate for me, so I began to meditate every day, extensively. And this was when I began to feel empowered again, and rediscover my drive and strength.

I meditated every day for upwards of an hour, and eventually found my voice again, and one day walked into my psychiatrists office and essentially "fired" her, as I did not find her useful, empathetic, or even understanding. I found her cold and clinical, and simply telling her this helped me to feel taller, stronger. And eventually I began to wean off of the two anxiety medications I was taking. Within six months of firing my shrink, I was off the medication, and only using one for onset attacks, as needed. The feeling of empowerment was phenomenal. To this day, I keep a prescription filled for my breakthrough medication, just in case, as I know that there will always be anxiety in my life to some degree or another, and not all of it is simple for me to cope with on my own. But I only need to use the medication once every few months now, which is an incredible turn around for me, as once I took it several times a day.

How to cope with Anxiety?

I'd like to recommend a few methods I used to cope with anxiety and panic attacks, some conventional, and some not so much, but all extremely effective for me, and I'm quite sure they'd help others as well.

1. Talk to your doctor. I advise this to anyone who has worrisome or troubling anxiety or panic attacks. It is important to be open to the advice of your doctor, as there are some very helpful medications which are meant to help you regain chemical balance, and you need not be on them long term.
2. Get real with yourself. This is something that takes time, sometimes years to achieve, and indeed something I recommend to everyone. We all have inner fears, and things from our past which live within the subconscious waiting for us to pay attention to them. As children we stuff things down deep inside, and as adults these things may seem small when seen in the light of day, and yet those feelings from childhood can be as intense when a panic attack begins. So you must be willing to be really honest with yourself; about your motivations, agenda, fears, how you treat people, how you view yourself and your life. The Oracle at Delphi said "Know Thyself" and is truly the best advice that you can give and receive, as it is the key to unlocking true peace in your life. Denial is not a useful component in your life, so get real, and be patient with yourself, because this can take some time.
3. Be open about your anxiety. It's important to talk about your panic and anxiety with the people closest to you in your life. They deserve to know how you're feeling, and you deserve this level of honesty from yourself. So let your loved ones and friends know that you're dealing with some anxiety issues, and that you're working on it. Let them know how they can be helpful during this time with you. I was very honest with my husband when I began to understand my panic disorder, and I would tell him what I required from him while I was in panic mode, so he knew how to best care for me, talk to me, and treat me when I would go into a panic attack. 
4. Meditate and relax every day. It's important to make time for yourself, to just be. Meditation is a wonderful tool for everybody, as it helps you to intake more oxygen which is vital to the brain and blood and major organs. When you meditate you naturally begin to breathe more deeply, and this oxygenation will help you to regain equilibrium faster during an attack. Also, avoid natural triggers such as caffeine, nicotine, and other stimulants like alcohol or overly processed (fast) foods. When you treat the body as a temple and nourish it with love and healthy foods and drinks you will find yourself capable of going longer between "episodes" of anxiety. I love taking baths, and the two year period in which panic was ruling my life was a time of many meditations, and baths. I would play relaxing music, light candles, and meditate in the bath; eventually this became my sacred time and space, and I began to look forward to it every evening.
5. Keep everything in perspective. It's so important to remember the "big picture" when you go into panic mode. So create mantras for yourself, or reminders and sayings. For me, it was incredibly helpful to notice I was beginning to have anxiety, to recognize my breathing was more shallow, and I was feeling more edgy. When I would recognize this and saw an attack was coming on, I would automatically begin to breathe deeply, and tell myself things like "I am ok, there is nothing wrong, this will pass". I would remind myself that I was healthy, and whole, and had family and friends who loved me, and that I was a good person worthy of love and compassion. This always helped me to get through an attack much faster.
6. Stop trying to control everything. I have found most people who suffer from anxiety or panic tend towards being control freaks, myself included. So it is a fundamental truth that panic can help you to learn how to trust, and have faith, because people who try to control do not have a deep sense of faith or trust. Let go your need to be in control, see that it is silly, learn that every moment is perfect as it is, and stop expecting so much of yourself and others. Learn to live and let live, and also to appreciate what you have now. Letting go of your need to control will help you to feel at peace with life the way it is.

You see, if we let the panic attack dominate, then we'll end up thinking incredibly self-defeatist thoughts, and end up exacerbating the attack by falling victim to negativity. So you have to be your own nurse, councilor, and guru; you must treat yourself like you would treat your most cherished loved one.

Panic in relation to Awakening and Enlightenment.

I have had so many people contact me through the years, through my websites and forums, saying things like "I've been meditating for years, and now I'm having anxiety, what am I doing wrong?" and I have to address this, because I see it so often. You must know that the road to self-awareness and awakening is going to have it's share of bumps and dead ends my friend. People who consciously decide to embark upon a life of awakening, and spiritual enlightenment learn along the way that we are such multi-faceted beings, and courage is required to really go all the way with this type of lifestyle, in fact the commitment required to really know yourself is all-encompassing. To know yourself you have to face all your dark, all your shadows; you must be willing to look back on everything you've done in your life and see it for what it is, without justifying your mistakes, or disowning them. You have to be ready to admit your faults, your fears, and your delusions. And it is only natural that people who dedicate themselves to this much honesty and authenticity will from time to time have to deal with issues like depression, or anxiety and panic. 

They say ignorance is bliss, and the road to enlightenment is anything but ignorant or blissful, because there will be things we encounter which challenge our belief systems, and rock the very foundation of our sense of self. It's no wonder we don't end up hyperventilating once in a while, as the body assimilates something the mind and spirit are working on understanding!

So cut yourself some slack, and know that there is nothing "wrong" with you. You are human, and we are very sensitive creatures. It is okay to have fear, to feel insecure, to question yourself and your upbringing and the very morals and principles you were raised with. To expect yourself to face all of this without having moments of weakness is an unrealistic expectation.

Know you're not alone, ever. And if things get too heavy for you to deal with at any given time, then it's time to take a break. I've taken breaks through my life, in which I've put away my cards, crystals and runes, and stopped meditating in order to give myself a rest. You can take in too much too fast, and the body will manifest panic in order to let you know it's time to slow down. So listen to your body, and try to understand that these seemingly negative episodes serve a very beautiful and divine purpose.

How else could you truly understand peace unless you first experienced and understood chaos?

I wish you much love, and infinite blessings on your journey.

Voting is Power!

In the province of Ontario we are about to embark upon a Provincial election in one week (please see website).. And this current election is meaningful to me on a few levels. This is the first election in which I can not vote for my personal favourite Jack Layton, the leader of the New Democrat Party in Canada, as he sadly died due to cancer this summer, and he is so incredibly missed.

As you may know, I had major surgery a week ago, and yet yesterday I managed to get out to an advanced polling station and exercise my democratic right to vote. And yet I am so filled with sadness at the apathy which surrounds every election in my country, and in the United States as well. I see so many people making broad generalized statements about politics and government, justifying their inactivity and apathy by saying things like "they're all liars, why vote?" or "we have to take back our power and stop voting all together". These statements are well intended I'm sure, however they are sorely ignorant.

Change is never achieved through inactivity, and when you do not vote you are clearly saying to your government "I don't care, you are in power".

You may not agree with me, however it is a simple truth; when you do not vote you are giving your power to those who do vote. And in our current state of society and economy it is no surprise that the largest percentage of electors are of a higher tax bracket than the "common" people. So when the working class refuse to vote because they think politics are "biased" or that all the parties are just the "same old same old", what essentially happens is they are voting for the thing they are trying to boycott - elitism.

Perhaps as a Canadian parent you'd be surprised to know that right now in Ontario we are facing a huge anti-gay/lesbian/transgender movement with the Toronto District School Board. I am not a parent in this school district, however the issue affects me as a parent, as a friend to many gay and lesbian and transgender people, and as a human being. It affects anyone who lives in this country, no matter if they are a parent, or straight, or not.

This issue is as important as such issues as taxation, prayer in school, universal health care, and all other issues tabled by our legislative powers that be, on any level.

So I would strongly urge you, my friends and readers, no matter where you live on this great planet of ours to please always use your power. There are people on our planet who do not have a right to a fair vote. These people are ruled by dictatorship and do not have the freedoms we in North American and most of Europe take for granted. It is an insult and tantamount to a slap in the face to all humans who do not currently have a right to democratic election, to skip your right to vote.

When you do not vote you are essentially saying "I don't care." And if that is the case, please know there are millions of people on this planet who would gladly trade places with you, and who would care tremendously to have even a small portion of the freedoms you and I have.

So when it comes time for you to vote - exercise your right. Don't know who to vote for? Read, study, ask questions. Think all parties are one and the same? Generally speaking, yes they are all the same - they are all politicians, however they all have personal stances and opinions which can differ widely from other party leaders and candidates. So ask questions.

On Facebook, our party leaders in our various ridings and electoral areas have groups, where you can ask them questions, and get to know them individually. You can also call the parties headquarters and ask questions to your hearts delight!!!

The bottom line is that it is your right and privilege to vote in this country. And I daresay it is your responsibility as a liberated individual in the "free world" to use your vote responsibly. You can vote for your favourite party, you can vote for the lesser of the evils, you can vote for the long shot to shake up the numbers for the larger parties, or you can spoil your ballot and write in your own candidate (as I have done a couple times, just to make my opinion known. I have voted for Homer Simpson and Gandhi in the past, to let the fat-cats in Ottawa know I dislike ALL the options given me). But you must vote - or your voice is not heard.

You change nothing by not voting. You exert no power, you make no waves, you do not promote any level of evolution within our society by refusing your right to vote.

So it comes down to you, and who you wish to be in this world. Whether you are Buddhist, or Christian, or "New Age" or generally Spiritualist, you live in a world which is ruled by government at this time. That will not change because you do not vote. You are not more powerful by skipping an election. And you do not make any kind of idealistic statement by avoiding the polls.

Gandhi told us to be the change we wish to see in the world; you can only do that by acting. Inaction is no different than apathy.

So get out and vote my friends. It is your right, it is your freedom, and it is your responsibility; both to yourself, and to your friends, family, and society.

Please feel free to follow this link for a full list of Ontario political parties.

Negative Words

I have learned through the years, the value and enormity of the words I use. I know that while I can apologize if I speak before thinking, and later regret it, that never uttering those offensive words in the first place is always wiser. And having the propensity as a passionate person to speak quickly and reactively, I find I must really gauge my feelings before I issue words in their place. You see, when you speak your truth in the heat of a passionate moment, especially where negative emotions are involved, you are likely to regret those words at some later time. This is because negative feelings can beget very negative words, and while in the moment they may reflect the depth of our anger or sorrow, after time and retrospect they can leave one feeling lowly, hollow, or anguished. And additionally, what you focus on will fill your sight; so if you focus on the negative within you, you will surely begin to see more negative, and more negative... and so on.


So why speak words you'll later regret? Why let a moment's ire take you out of your sense of center and thus express yourself in a disgusting fashion? If you wouldn't say something in your best mood, then don't say it in your worst. 


There is always a way to express yourself with dignity, spiritual balance, and truth, while still allowing yourself to be honest within your feelings. If you are sad, or angered, you can think on your words, and take time to reflect on just how you'd like to express yourself, rather than going on a tangent and saying things you won't later be able to take back.


When you issue words of anger to someone else, you do so with the intent of hurting them, or leveling the playing ground, and yet what you essentially do is lower your own vibration. This is because your energy is like a fluid etheric thing which easily rises and falls based on how you are focusing yourself, and where you are directing your thoughts and emotions. When you speak your feelings and thoughts you amplify your energy, making it more concrete. So you can see, if you speak uplifting words, positively, with the intent to share and spread love and compassion, your energy will uplift and you will raise yourself upwards in spirit and mind. And conversely, when you speak angry words, judgmental words in the heat of an emotional moment, your energy will dive, lowering you, making you less resistant to your own negativity. And as you know, like attracts like. 


So when you are centered and focused on your peace and balance, you will attract peaceful and balanced energies and experiences.


When you allow yourself to become imbalanced through negativity you will draw your negativity in your life, through your energy.


So choose your words wisely. When you feel anger or sorrow or judgment rise within you, take a deep breath inwards, and ponder your words before you speak them. There is nothing so pressing that needs to be said right NOW - you can take a moment to really search yourself. Ask yourself "why do I feel this way?" and also ask "what good comes of me speaking angrily?"


Learn how to express yourself with authentic and honest truth, and yet in a gracious and humble way. Our society has mashed our ways of expressing ourselves, with treachery such as "political correctness" which has taught us to say nasty things in pleasant ways. This isn't authentic or positive, it is simply deceptive. So examine the way you express yourself, and then be mindful.


The only person responsible for your own words and energy is you my friend. No matter what someone "does to" you or makes you feel like, the words you issue forth are yours and yours alone. Speak to others with patience and kindness, and you will be amazed at how much patience and kindness you begin to invite into your life.


Words can be weapons or gateways to understanding, it is up to you to choose which serves you best.

Sovereign Parenting

If you're a parent, you have probably run into countless people who are brimming over with parenting advice and tips. A lot of these tips are very useful, and can be added to your own intuitive sense of self as a parent. However, I'm sure you've run across people who offer up advice that just goes against all of your own personal senses. In these cases, I find a smile-and-nod reaction to be the most useful, as I want to be appreciative that others care enough to share advice, and yet I also don't wish to argue or validate their advice in any way. This is because I tend to find many people still holding to very rigid and old-school parenting values which go against my own set of ideals and philosophies. I think it is important, in this world where we are so guided by the media, and social expectations, to have a sense of sovereignty and independence when it comes to parenting.

When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter who is now 11 years old, I knew instantly she was going to be very special. She was a miracle child, defying the doctors and the odds, and was delivered perfect, beautiful, and whole. I have known all along that she is an extraordinary child, and am very aware that to those who don't know our family dynamic closely, we come across as extremely unconventional as a family. We are very unconventional in many ways, and tend to create our own solutions to parenting problems. Something I have encountered through the years is a resistance to my honest communication style with my child; I have found that mostly women do not understand or relate to just how honest I am with my daughter. I have been told "you aren't her friend, you shouldn't be so open" or "she's too young to be so aware of adult situations". This is in reference to finances, and personal matters, as I have always been honest with my child about how her father and I are faring financially; she's known when things have been tight, and she knows when things are more relaxed. She is also privy to our thoughts about the world, global news events, climate and geological occurrences. We do not treat her like a lesser individual; she is simply far too intelligent for us to talk down to, or "dumb down" our discussions.

As a result, she is an extremely bright, socially conscious young lady. She is aware of her personal global foot print, and she can be heard loudly expressing her protectiveness for the Earth, in regards to energy conservation, recycling, and other ecological movements which she is becoming passionate about. She is also in a gifted school program, sharing a class with other children of advanced scholastic achievement. I do believe much of this is due to the honesty we exhibit within our family, as much as it has to do with genetics.

We do not punish our child conventionally either. She was timed out in her toddler years and this was extremely effective, as she even at those tender ages could sit and understand as we explained to her why she was taking time to think about what she had done or said. She rarely made the same "mistake" twice and we feel blessed to this day to have a child who so easily listened and absorbed what we wanted her to know. Now, at this age, on the rare occasions she needs to be held accountable for her actions, we tend to deal with it in "family meetings". These conversations are deep, intimate and honest. We sit together as unit and talk from the heart, explaining from our individual perspectives, and reaching common understandings. As a result, we have a child who is not afraid to come to us with anything, and knows we value her opinion and perspective. She is aware that she is not just our child, but also a member of this family who will one day go off into the world to create her own adult life. She knows that we only wish to guide her, help her, and assist her as she grows up, and we have no desire to make her become someone she is not.

And that is the main key of our parenting style; we are privileged to raise this child, it is not a duty or a chore or a right - it is our pleasure, and one we do not take lightly.

When people tell me how I should punish my child when she expresses herself in a detrimental way, I hear them out, and thank them for the input, but I generally talk to my daughter about it rather than "try it out". The last time this happened she made me so proud, as I told her what some ladies had recommended I do to "punish" her after she forgot to bring home an expensive toy from school, and she said "wow they must have really BAD kids to be so harsh!" That made me laugh out loud :)

She's a crystal child; extremely intuitive, compassionate, sensitive, and also fiery and devotedly loyal. She is extremely intelligent and fair minded, and I consider it a high honor to be her mother. I do not wish to send her out into the world with my ideals or values, and though I do share my beliefs with her, she knows she is free to form her own as she gets older.

All we can hope for as we raise our children in this new age, is to lead by example, gift them with all they require to grow in a safe, balanced, and emotionally and intellectually stimulating environment. We can comfort them, and teach them that it is ok to express love, we can support them, and show them that there is a soft place for them to land when they "fall" in their life experiences. And we can throw away the manual that other people would try to write on our behalf, knowing that their hearts are in good places, yet they are not the parents of our children. Be thankful for the advice you receive, and yet know you do not need to do what isn't in your intuition or heart to do.

If someone asked me for parenting advice, I would only feel qualified to say "follow your heart, remember that this child will grow into an individual who will need to be prepared to face this dynamic world one day, with faith, courage, and compassion. Be the parent you wish you had yourself, growing up. And remember that parenting is your privilege, as your child is unique and one-of-a-kind... you have an extremely important role!"

I wish all parents self-aware patience, and all parents-to-be the blessed knowledge that these little bundles of joy will enhance your own life and experience beyond your expectations... know that you will learn far more from them than you can ever hope to teach them.

Spiritual Bullying

So we're well into our Mercury retrograde period, and I have to say, the retrograde in Aries is not making for articulate communication from where I'm sitting observing. In just a scant 24 hours I've witnessed people becoming very volatile, name calling, berating, belittling, and these are spiritualists! How can people use their beliefs to put another person down? How on Earth can someone who claims to be working Light turn around and insult another person, or harm another person in any capacity to further their own agenda or ego?


I know the energy is rather harsh at this time, and many of us who are empathic are feeling rather bruised by the experience of it all; the urge to tuck myself away until this passes on August 26th is definitely present; but this is when we are able to really stretch ourselves and grow. This retrograde brings to the surface any inner issues which have not yet been addressed, and give us an opportunity to really check ourselves, verbally, emotionally, mentally and empathically.  This is not a time to go off half cocked and start ranting; as that is just letting the energy drive the vehicle. This is a time to exercise restraint, observation of self and ego/response, and to learn to find center amid our own internal storm.


I am no exception to this. I am a Pisces, with my Mercury in Aries; this is absolutely a time of internal shifting for me. I've been having extremely vivid and emotional dreams, and moments of sadness, and moments of agitation. I try to keep myself aware in every moment, as my ego responds to something someone says, or my emotions feel tugged by something that moves me. It is my goal to ride this next three week period with as much compassion and honesty as possible, as I know that ultimately it is these times of regression and communication breakdown where we do the most growing and expanding.


However, it irks me to see other spiritualists going what I would call "off the deep end". I had one such person on Facebook call me stupid for disagreeing with his political outlooks. Another Facebook acquaintance, when asked to please stop posting his propaganda on my wall, began to post more of it at lightning speed. Needless to say, both of these people have been removed from my friends list. 


So are we fair-weather spiritualists? Do we only tote Love and Light when the going is good? When the proverbial poop hits the fan, do we start to fling it ourselves? Is it part of the new age agenda to treat people with reverence when they agree with us, and yet resort to playground bully tactics when they do not?


Let's all get a collective grip, because we are in this together. We may be individual, and be having unique experiences, however we are all human beings having extremely momentous energetic shifts in our lives, and while we may not completely understand the goings on in another persons life, we can all surely understand what it is to need time, space, and compassion, can't we?...


My goal over the next three weeks is to be as real as I can be, without indulging my ego's need to be right, to be heard, to be praised. It is my intention to maintain my usual state of mind and being, no matter how squirmy the energy around me makes me feel. And it is my promise that I will not be sitting idly by watching anyone pummel another person with their words, deeds, or actions - just for the hell of it. I do not abide by bullying, in any capacity, and I will show my mama-bear claws if need be!


So live, and yet let live. Truly. And if you don't like what someone else is doing, honor that they have the right to do it, and if you can't live with that, then remove yourself from their presence. Respect yourself; the best way you can do that is to respect others.


Respectfully,

The Goddess Revolution

Lovely Art via Painted Journeys

The world is in a constant state of re-creation. This is because each person is constantly thinking, feeling, and expressing those thoughts and feelings via their behavior and actions and re-actions. When these expressions are made, and thoughts are manifested, it is a clear reflection of where one is on ones path. It is also a direct reflection of where One is, globally, as not only are we creating individually in our own separate "reality", but we are also creating collectively, and producing our global "reality."

We are at the height of a self-created Spiritual re-membrance. It is the previous thoughts we have had, both individually, and collectively, which have propelled us into this now moment we are experiencing. And is there any other now we could experience, in light of all that has gone "before" now?

We have created a beautiful paradox of pain; a legacy of confusion and fear. We have bound ourselves relentlessly into knots of angst, which are now ready to unravel.
The word revolution, clearly defined, simply means: a drastic change that usually occurs relatively quickly.

We are experiencing a drastic change in the way we think, which alters the expression of who we Are, which then creates a new reality within which we can express who we next wish to Be.
In another aspect of our time, our species lived according to Matriarchal law. This may be hard to digest, as we are living right now in a clearly patriarchal global society, and have been for many thousands of years. But open your mind for a few moments, and allow yourself to absorb the greater scenario which has led us to where we "are" as a global species.

In days of yore, women were the leaders of society, culture, and at home. Women were the decision makers, and this was a natural state of being, as women express that part of the Self which is optimistic, compassionate, and emotionally balanced. Women not only carry life, but usher it forth from their loins. Women are in tune with the rhythms of nature and all life, because of the very life that lives within them genetically.

When women were in "charge", the men were content to let this be so. The men served their purpose as providers, creators, and companions. But the decisions were left to the gentle nature of the Feminine essence of all that Is.

Over time (evolution) men began to grow tired of serving women, and sought to gain control over them. This is when fear was born. Men learned and realized that this thing called "fear" could stifle the gentle side of woman, and cause her to doubt her divinity. Men also learned that this "fear" could manipulate other men into believing they needed to step into a position of control over women.

Thus the "battle of the sexes" was birthed.

Before the birth of fear, and the impending battle of the sexes, the pendulum swung far to the left. And women held the power. And men were "subservient".

After the birth of fear, and the impending battle of the sexes, the pendulum swung far to the right. Where else could it go after having been so completely out on the left side, but in the opposite direction? This is the nature of the pendulum.

And so now we find ourselves on the utter opposite side; the right side; the side of masculine power.

Yet it is within the memory of every soul walking this earth; the joy and harmony of the Matriarchal society of myth and legend. And there is a desire within the deepest recess of the heart to return to some semblance of these gentler times.

And so the battle of the sexes wages on.

I would propose that rather than swing the pendulum back to the left, we allow it to continue its arch upwards to the furthest reaches of Masculinity as possible. It is only in so doing that it will inevitably begin to move left again. And when it does (it is so doing as we speak) we can begin to counter its force by allowing it not to take root on the left again, but to swing, and swing, and ever sway, until it gently falls quiet, in the center.

Balance.

The Goddess within all people, within all things, is in need of balancing; personally and globally. We are at an impasse where matters of power and manipulation are concerned. It is only a matter of time before the world begins to cohesively work together to draw upon the power of the Divine Feminine. This power is at work in all areas of life, culture, and society, this very moment. You can not look into any area of life without seeing the hand of the Goddess at work.
However let us not become so caught up in the Feminine that we again return to a Matriarchy. The cycle would only then continue to perpetuate itself, again and again; swinging from abject left, to utter right. Where is the balance in that? Yes it seems to balance itself out with the infinite motion of left to right, but is there no middle ground?

There is absolutely middle ground. And that area is called Oneness.

For the Goddess to exist there must first be one who believes in the Goddess. If no one believed, the Goddess would cease to exist. And the same is said of the God - the masculine - the patriarch.

Let us see and recognize that the true salvation and deliverance from this war of the sexes, lies within the individual balancing of each soul upon this planet. And the truest way to find balance is to walk in the middle; of all things, in all matters. Taking neither a negative or positive stance in any situation or creation.

When we can see that the Goddess is indeed the God as they are One, then we can see that we too ARE One. And in our Oneness there is no need to dominate or have power over the "other"; the "other" simply does not exist.

See the beauty and validity of both expressions of All that Is - the Yin and the Yang. See them within you, as ever present re-minders of all that You Are!

And when you find your balance between the two slipping, simply pull the pendulum back to the center, where it may dangle, and BE, in the truest sense of Be-Ing.

There are no sides. There is no merit in seeing opposition between male and female. That is illusionary thought process which keeps us from being at One within.

To be at One within - we must see the Oneness around us, and recognize that in the purest sense, the One is all that Is, which is what we Are, making obvious that it is no longer "we" but "I".

This revolution of Divinity is a playful thing, until it is not. At this time we teeter on the brink of forgetting to play, and become enraged at that which is not reflective of who we believe we Are. But perhaps who we believe we are, is yet more illusion.

The only reality in the universe is Love.

Everything else is illusionary.

Love IS the Divine Feminine, and Love IS the Glorious Masculine.

Bring these aspects of your Self into alignment, watch the pendulum gently sway in the middle, naturally, easily, and allow yourself to truly BE who you Are; which is God/dess.