Solstice Moon Art

Awakening at the Cathedral of the Crooked Tree  2                                                                                                     B Upton

Lunar Eclipse- Seeing the Shadow                                                                                                                               B Upton

One Light                                                                                                              B Upton

Moonlight through the Trees                                                                                                                                          B Upton

 Last night was the shortest night of the year- and now the light returns- a perfect occasion to reflect on your own inner light and to make a conscious choice to allow more of it to shine in the coming year.

The world has never needed us to be more in our power and light than it does now. What amplifies your Light? What helps you to connect to your spiritual essence? Creative expression, meditation, acts of kindness, prayer, being in nature's glory, sharing, learning, building community...there are countless ways to realign with your deepest and wisest self. Thoughts and actions that increase forgiveness, gentleness, openness and compassion increase your vibration and light!

The other day it dawned on me (I can be slow sometimes) that almost all of my paintings contain a white spherical object, or a little moon. I also have taken many photos of the moon, especially the moon at Solstices, eclipses and super moon phases- so it seemed like a natural idea to combine them digitally in Moon Art.

I hope these images draw you in and help you to connect to

your greater depths, inner beauty and remembrance of the holiness of all life.

Happy Solstice, Merry Holidays and

Endless Peace, Unlimited Joy and Unconditional Love to you in the New Year!

Love,

Barbara

Amplified Moonlight

Amplified Moonlight 1                               B Upton

Amplified Moonlight 2                                 B Upton

In honor of the lunar eclipse that took place yesterday, I am sharing some digital photos I took of the  lunar eclipse from last June at the Solstice.

As you may know from other posts, I love lunar eclipses. I even created a world peace flag that depicts one (not that I consciously knew it at the time)!

Lunar eclipses help us to release old ways of thinking that no longer serve us. They are times of endings and bright, new beginnings. They can bring about flashes of insight that help you make sense of your world and they can illuminate the highest path before you. Their transformative energy stays around for a long time.

In the days of old, Church Fathers (not a mother among them!) thought lunar eclipses were evil and symbolized "wicked" women. AH! Time to reclaim the lunar eclipse, the time when our earth's shadow transverses the moon and turns it coppery red. Time to own our shadow and the collective shadow of humanity. Time to allow the powerful energies of these cosmological events to spur us on to the next level of our evolutionary journey. Time for women everywhere to reclaim their goddess nature as powerful co-creators, protectors and lovers of this world!

I amplified the colors to match the intensity of the energy of the lunar eclipse! After viewing these images I hope you will take a moment to close your eyes and allow an image of healing, meaning or beauty to be revealed to you.

 Sosltice Lunar Eclipse                                                                                                                                                  B Upton

Amplified Moonlight 3                                                                                                                                              B Upton

                                                                                                                                                                                    B Upton

The Awakening at the Cathedral of the Crooked Tree                                                                                                   B Upton

Amplified Moonlight 4                                                                                       B Upton

Just to be accurate a couple of photos from Super Moon at the Spring Equinox showed up and my piece below is semi-transparently superimposed on one of those photos. As I said in that post-

"I hope these pictures will serve as a loving reminder of your own inner beauty, balance and divinity and the role you have to play in these times of transformation."

 Lunar Eclipse Awakening                                                                                                        B Upton

Blessings of Peace, Joy and Love

Barbara

The LOVE Revolution!

 My 25 Year Old Christmas Cactus- a gift from Nan who was a gift to this world and is now making angels laugh      B Upton                                   

If you are really paying attention you know we are in the beginning phases of a revolution- but true to our unprecedented times- it is a revolution like no other before it.

It is a revolution of the heart.

Across the globe, people are wiping the sleep from their eyes, taking deep breaths and starting to once again connect to the earth, one another and their deepest selves. We are connecting to the true and unwavering goodness that resides within us. We are also seeing that inherent goodness in every other person. We are awaking to our divine oneness! We are seeing the world with new eyes- eyes of love and reverence for our small, blue miracle of a planet and we are more passionately assuming our rightful roles as earth's protectors.

We are rapidly evolving from creatures of fear- who distrust, believe in scarcity and who are quick to violence, to people who create their lives from love- who radiate compassion, vitality, creativity and joy. It begins with making peace with yourself- honoring and loving every aspect of who you are, forgiving those who hurt you and forgiving yourself (although on a spiritual level- there is nothing to forgive).

When we open our hearts to ourselves, we are able to open them to our brothers and sisters across the globe. We no longer project our rejected and hated parts onto to others and instead recognize our shared humanity. We reconnect to our responsibility to make this world a better place for all.

What flows from making peace with ourselves is that we also make peace with time. We are able to experience the eternal now- the peace of being in the present moment, without struggle or worries. I'll be writing more about this in future posts.

The LOVE Revolution is birthing a new human- one connected, at peace, intuitive, compassionate, passionate about justice and unafraid. It is a challenging time, but also an exciting time to be alive... filled with the promise of a more just, sane, loving and sustainable world!

Occupy the Planet!

Grateful

My "Fanciful" Lizards                                                                                                                                          B Upton

I have always loved Thanksgiving- one of the more laid back Holidays where we get to enjoy good company, good food and the pleasure of thinking about all that is right in our lives.

When I count my blessings, people come first- my beloved family, all my loved ones and good friends and the friends I have yet to meet! I am thankful for.the gift of life itself and for our beautiful and sacred earth. I am thankful for the time we are living in, which although challenging, is also full of  promise. I am grateful that a new world is possible that works for everyone and that humanity is awakening and will not stop until they create it! I am thankful for open hearts, for the eternal possibility of forgiveness and for the unconditional love that permeates our universe and is the ground of our being.

To bring it all down to earth, I am grateful for the conversation I just had with my 8 year old grandson, the oldest of my three little darlings. We talked for well over an hour on subjects ranging from caught critters (he estimates he has caught over 100 geckos- which he eventually frees)  pets like Honey Bear (a little dog who has the face of a bear and who is fun to cuddle with) to the stop motion animation he has posted on YouTube and to to art in general. That's when it got very interesting. I asked if he ever considered drawing a picture of one of the geckos.

"Oh, yes, I have" was his reply.

I told him I'd send him a colored pencil drawing I had done of lizards years ago. Then I remembered how "psychedelic" they were and thought it necessary to add,

"They are rather fanciful and don't look like "real" lizards."

He paused and then sagely said, "There is no right or wrong in art- that's what makes it art."

How wonderful and liberating and a long way from the way I was "taught" art. When I was in the first grade, my teacher slapped me across the face because I was not keeping up with the other students in drawing a tree. She told us to draw a line and put a circle on top. I thought to myself, a tree does not look like a lollipop! So I drew 2 lines for the trunk and was filling them in when...

My grandson informed me that he drew all the time and we decided to make a pact- I'd send him my drawing of lizards and he would send me his "as soon as possible". We also discovered that we both love sea horses.

"Do you know it is not the female that carries their young?" he asked.

When I suggested we might both try our artistic hand with them as well, he said, "You just read my mind!"

He mentioned that my artwork is hanging in his great-grandparents house. When I told him I painted them nearly 40 years ago, he exclaimed, "Your art has been hanging for two generations!"

He also told me of a car he painstakingly made for his dad who "loves cars" for Father's Day and that he had written DAD on the sides of it.

"My dad said it was the best present he ever got," he told me proudly.

Here is to innocence, creativity, passion and hope. Here is to future generations! May we redouble our efforts to create a better world for all the precious children everywhere.

The Gecko Catcher Himself

And with his dad, my son

Here is my post from last Thanksgiving- Our Universe, Ourselves, which is my most popular one. It is quite different from this year, but the wish remains the same-

May you have a delightful day filled with goodness, warmth and love. May the blessings of connectedness, plenty and love reach more and more people around the world.

Occupy Your Heart

I referred to Occupy Wall Street as a Revolution of Love in another post and I think this video sums it up well. Also, here are two videos I recently  did. One is of our own local encampment at Occupy Poughkeepsie. A few of us gave them a hand in having a March and Rally to show community solidarity on Nov 12. The mostly, young folks who are occupying struck us with their intelligence, insights, organization and compassion. People from the neighborhood often drop by and if they are hungry they are fed. If you are in the Hudson Valley please join them for a General Assembly everyday at noon and 7PM and visit them at occupypoughkeepsie.org. We know police are cracking down across the country, often violently, against peaceful protesters, so we want local officials to know we stand with our local occupiers!




And here is one from last Thursday- in which over 32,000 rallied in Foley Square and then went across the Brooklyn Bridge.



 

Occupy Wall St.

Here is 1 reason to join the movement.....
The U.S. Census says the number of children living in poverty in the U.S. rose by 1 million last year. Nearly 1 in 3 children, 33% now live in households considered poor. At the same time the 400 richest people in America – our nation’s oligarchs – have never had it so good, they control more weath than 150 million Americans.
400 people with more wealth than 150 million. Many children in poverty so they can have billions. Sickening.
We simply will not allow this to continue. We are rising up.

"You cannot evict an idea whose time has come."

Blessings of Peace, Faith and Perseverance

11-11-11 Portal to the New Earth

On Friday, we will experience 11-11-11-11-11-11 (11seconds, 11 minutes after the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of the 11th year) something that will not happen again for one hundred years! I have written before on the 11:11 phenomena in which millions (some say 75 million) are seeing 11:11 on digital clocks with almost supernatural regularity! I started seeing 11:11 about 15 years ago and have always viewed it as a reassuring sign that all is well. Some feel 11:11 is the trademark of a group of 1,111 fun-loving spirit guides- here to remind us that we are not alone, powerful beyond measure and on track in aligning with our highest, truest and most loving Selves.

Now I see 11:11 everywhere! For instance, I just noticed that the human butterfly crop circle above is a depiction of the evolving human standing between two (slightly wavy) 11's. Now I also see many 11:11's in the piece "Sacred Pond" I did below (which I was not aware of while creating it). Eleven is a spiritual Master number representing illumination, deep insight and great power - so yes, I think the 11-11-11 date at this critical juncture in time is of great significance!

I believe that on 11:11:11 there will be a light-filled infusion of loving energy sweeping around the world. By centering and raising your vibration through meditation, song, dance, or other ways- you will be able to help ground this divine and blissful energy into your being and into the body of the earth. You will also be able to experience a sacred doorway that opens into higher dimensional reality- to a place where you remember that you are pure love and eternally safe.

Some of us are called to join in groups (in the Hudson Valley- the Dreaming Goddess, in Pok at 11AM, Sonic Alchemy Chamber at 7:30PM at Mountain Waldorf School) to usher in these energies. Some may just feel a strong pull to be in nature alone, or with one or two close friends. Listen to your heart. The physical way you honor this sacred day is not as important as the intention you bring to it. I believe this will be a day of amplified energy- whatever intention you have will be strengthened and come into manifestation more quickly. So it is important to hold the highest vision for yourself and for the world and you will automatically be linked to all who are doing the same.

Meditation for 11-11-11 beginning at 11AM  in your timezone- 

so the energy raised can sweep across the planet!

Take long, deep breaths- letting go of thoughts, worries and cares on every exhale. Inhale peace. Let go of any tension in your body each time you breathe out. Just let it go. If your inner-critic, or inner-cynic starts yakking- simply observe it as "thinking" and go back to your breath. Breathe in peace, relaxation and love. Exhale anger, anxiety and doubt. Inhale freedom. Exhale fear. As you feel more relaxed, allow feelings of deep contentment and calm to flow over you and through you.

Now extend your "roots" down into Mother Earth and draw her nourishing, healing energy into your body bringing harmony and perfect functioning to every cell. As you fill with vital, life-giving (female) earth energy also reach up to the heavens, allowing "branches" to grow from your head and reaching up past the moon and the stars. Inhale and  connect with the luminous and loving (male) sky energy. Feel these beautiful energies meet and merge in your heart and bask in the light that is created when you connect to these vast and infinitely loving energies (you are simply connecting to your greater Self).

Hold a vision for the highest and most loving future you can imagine. See all people living in peace, happy, fed, clothed and housed, with good health care, quality education, decent work, freedom, love and dignity. See the earth restored, with a booming green energy economy, safe, natural and nutritious foods, clean waters, rich topsoil, fresh air and with all people having deep respect for the planet and all the life it supports. See yourself at peace. Acknowledge that you are indeed "good enough", and that you utterly belong and are needed on this planet at this time. Vow to bring more of this peace into your everyday life.

Feel your connection to all the other humans on earth who are joining with you on this sacred day to begin the birth of a new, more sane and compassionate humanity Each of you is a point of pure Loving Light- see the points connect creating a dazzling grid of beautiful light all over the planet. Know that this light represents our Waking Planet and that you are an irreplaceable part of it all.

Slowly, begin to be aware of sounds and sights in the place you are in. Come back feeling more whole, harmonious and content. Bring more awareness to your ability to reach this state whenever you choose. Know that on a heart level you are now connected to an ever growing body of souls dedicated to the Great Shift of the Ages that is now upon us. May we all provide each other strength, love, perseverance and joy in these transformational times. May we all be at peace.

You Are Love. You Are Loved.

 

Love, Barbara

PS This is  the Double Rainbow of the Waking Planet image that came to me after 9/11. It too represents the portal to peace we are about to walk through. 

SEE YOU (BE WITH YOU) 11AM on 11:11:11!

October Snow Video

Luckily, the snow storm Saturday did not take down many trees in the Hudson Valley, but it was fun to watch and the next day the yellow and red leaves covered in snow and the falling leaves and dripping water made for some interesting scenes. Of course, all this freakish weather is another subject entirely!

I noticed the time on this video was 1:22:44. So that is how I knew it was done! Click on the 4 arrows icon on lower right to see full screen. Enjoy.

A Merging of the Worlds

 My dear friends, I am sorry to have been somewhat absent of late. I have been spending more time on Clear Stream Media- chronicling the amazing revolution of love that is happening across our land and around the world. I call it that because I see the values occupiers everywhere share- nonviolence, compassion for one another, true equality, justice and an overriding optimism that we can create a new world! These values spring from an underlying sense that every human has inherent dignity and inalienable rights and I think for many, it is based on a remembrance of the spiritual essence and oneness of all life. It is the perfect energy to usher in our new, awakened world and I have tremendous respect and gratitude for all participating in this bold and creative stand for a new way of being in the world.

 For years I have felt like I lead a double existence- posting the positive and joyful on Waking Planet, and the cold reality, challenges ahead and what is working (because I am an optimist by nature) on Clear Stream Media. I felt Waking Planet should be an oasis- a place where you can come to be renewed by beauty, spirit and soul sharing. I still feel that way- so although I may link to a video or short article on Clear Stream, this blog will remain true to the highest vision we can hold together. But Clear Stream will have a new feel- I will be sharing more from the spiritual perspective, along with facts and suggested actions. It's full heading is now "Clear Stream Media, News from Our Waking Planet!"

 I invite others to share their information, stories and insights on both blogs. We are all in this together- let's reach out and support each other.

When we are attuned to our highest, deepest and truest selves we see that all is exactly in right order, on time and on purpose. I believe that we have all chosen to be here at this thrilling time of individual and planetary awakening and each of us has a vital and unique role to hasten the evolutionary leap in consciousness that is occurring. More and more we are identifying with the strength, purity and love that exists at our core. This blissful remembrance of who we are- one with all of divine creation helps us to see fear as the illusion it is. As we focus on the only thing that is real, fear transforms and we are able to heal our selves and our world!

A Merging of the Worlds also of course represents the union of heaven and earth, physical and spiritual, mind and heart, male and female, reason and intuition - that is happening now. We are creating a new world together- one that is just, peaceful, sane, sustainable and filled with love.

Occupy Wall St- Down There and Up Here!

A little different post for Waking Planet- but really this is an awakening whose time has come! As we remember our spiritual essence, we also connect to the strength and power of the people to demand a more just and compassionate world. We are the 99% and in America if you work hard and play by the rules you should be able to have the American Dream- a living wage job, decent housing, health care and the ability to send your children to college. Sign on to the American Dream Contract. Almost a third of a million have already!

For those who are local we are planning a "Occupy Wall Street, Kingston" rally for this Thursday, Oct 13, 12 to1PM, in front of Congressman Hinchey's office, 291 Wall St, Kingston, NY. Our message is to support #OWS, demand jobs, not cuts and that the richest among us pay their fair share! You can sign up here, or just come. Bring a sign, musical instruments if you have them and bring your passion for economic justice for the 99%!.

moveon.org

Awesome Video of Earth from Space and More!

This is so breathtaking- our earth seen from actual time-lapsed footage from the Space Station!
Doesn't it make you want to pledge to honor and protect this beauteous planet for all time? And here are a few other photos from NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day. 

Sun with sunspot Credit: SST, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Orion Nebula  NASA, JPL-Caltech, T. Megeath (Univ. Toledo, Ohio)

Shapley 1: An Annular Planetary Nebula
Image Credit: ESO

 What our sun will look like one day when it runs out of nuclear fuel!

Saturn Storm Panoramas
Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, JPL, ESA, NASA

And lastly, one I recently posted on Waking Planet on Facebook-

We each are a part of this magical, wondrous universe. May its beauty reflect back to you the boundless beauty that exists within you! Peaceful blessings.

Almost Forgot the Best Part- The Trees Talkin' !

To go with the post below. Hope you enjoy!

Tree Talkin'

"Waking Planet Flag in the Forest"                                                         B Upton

In my post, "Childhood Aha! Moments" I spoke of an early memory that has helped shape my worldview today.

I was about 7 or 8 and playing outside alone, as was usual for me, being an only child and not allowed to venture far. So maybe it wasn't surprising that I found my companions in nature. The wind was blowing and whistling through the giant elms overhead. As I looked up I had the distinct impression that the trees were talking to me! I remember feeling very comfortable "talking" to the trees. It seemed they understood and loved me unconditionally and I them! I can't remember specifically how these conversations went, but I was happy to have such powerful friends.

"Sacred Pond"                                                                                         B Upton

"Yellow Fall"                                   B Upton

I have had a love affair with trees and all of wondrous nature ever since.

The other day my 8 year old grandson said, "Grandma do you know that the trees exhale oxygen that we need to breathe in? And that they breathe in the carbon dioxide that we breathe out- isn't that amazing?" Yes it is. In addition to being beautiful, providing habitat for birds and animals, wood for our shelter and warmth, fruits, nuts and shade, trees anchor the soil, conserve water and act as the lungs of our planet.

Trees effect us on deep levels. Studies have shown that trees near homes can boost concentration, calm people, reduce ADHD in children, help people heal faster, strengthen communities and even reduce domestic violence!

"Red Trees and Pink Barn"                                                                       B Upton

"Tree by the Ocean"                                                                                           B Upton

"Magical Opening"                           B Upton

We can draw on the strength and endurance of trees in meditations. Like trees, we can become the intermediaries between the earth and heavens; the physical and the spiritual. For a short, guided meditation that will help to restore and calm you, try the Silk Cotton Tree Meditation.

And of course, I highly recommend hugging trees! Let your heart pick one out. Approach it slowly with respect. Touch its bark, breathe in its scent and the fresh air it creates. Look at the beautiful canopy overhead. Then press your heart next to the tree and wrap your arms around it and feel the pulse of life in the tree merge with yours. Allow its strength and steadfastness to fill you. Give thanks for its power and  beauty. And don't forget to talk to the tree (you can do so silently). They are very good listeners!

A Mini-meditation for Irene

Hurricane Irene Seen from Space                                                            NASA

Sending peace, protection, light and love to all 65 million of us in the path of Irene!

If you are one of them, here are some practical tips that may be helpful- http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral/article/when-a-hurricane-threatens_2011-08-22

It is also a good time to feel our connection to one another, to link up energetically with all the people sending love and care to the east coast and to add our own calm and loving intentions for the best possible outcome.


Irene mini meditation-
Take deep calming breaths- breathing in peace and exhaling tension. Focus on your heart center and feel it opening more to send loving thoughts to all in the path of Irene. Imagine a bright light emanating from your heart connecting with the grid of light that is covering the affected area. See the grid brightening as so much love is focused  here. 

Now focus on Irene and imagine it growing weaker and weaker and veering off to sea. See it growing smaller and slowing down. Feel your intention blending with that of thousands of others and becoming an unstoppable force for good!


Breathe deeply and allow the love and light in your heart to continue to grow and bring calm to all around you. May you be at peace. May you be safe.

Earth Shaking!

I was at my computer when I received a jolt and looked up to see rainbows dancing on the walls. The crystals hanging in the window were swinging back and forth and clicking against the glass. I heard the dining room table rattling. I jumped up and felt the movement under my feet. I wasn't sure what was going on and at one point thought my washing machine was really off balance! But then I knew- I had just experienced my first earthquake.

So the Eastern Seaboard of the US got a 5.8 quake that miraculously does not appear to have resulted in any serious injuries. Thanks be. One of the members of Waking Planet on Face Book who lives in the epicenter of the quake, said it felt more like a huge energy shift as more of us pull in more light during these transformational times!

No doubt about it, we are going through a Grand Awakening that will forever change how we relate to one another, the earth and to ourselves. We are remembering that we are not humans having a spiritual experience, but that we are spiritual beings having a human one; an old saying that expresses a profound truth! With that remembrance comes boldness, joy and a dedication to bringing more sanity and love to our planet. As we align ourselves with our souls, we are able to give the gift only each of us can and that the world so desperately needs. As I said in my response to her, "We become the guardians of the earth and agents of divine love we were meant to be."

The earth of course is also talking. She is protesting the removal of her mountain tops, the scraping of her ocean floors (bottom trawls and dredges) the polluting of her air, waters and land, the fracturing of her crust (fracking), the cutting of the protective ionosphere with high energy radio beams (HAARP), the oil spills, the forcing of DNA across species barriers (genetic modification), the landmines, the nuclear waste...

So I also think of the quake as a wake up call from Mother Earth! We have got to stop messing with her and learn to live in harmony with the earth and all life on it again. Now I know that is a tall order- but I do believe that when enough of us awaken, well then anything is possible. As I have said here before,

"As the old world disintegrates there is dislocation and confusion- but through the cracks a new light is shining! As millions awaken to their true and beautiful natures that light will only grow in brilliance and power. The solutions that will come from a connected humanity that is in alignment with the earth are almost beyond imagining!"

I also think that as more of us awaken on our own, the shift will be smoother for all of us.

Just a few entries down on Waking Planet someone had posted a video of Gregg Braden. He was talking about the touching story of geese and how closely attuned they are to one another as they fly. By going together in formation they are able to go 71% farther than by going alone! There is no one leader- they take turns and- this is the amazing part- if one of them is injured or sick and falls out of formation, two geese always go down with that bird. They stay with the injured one until the bird dies, or is able to fly again. Then the three fly off together, eventually reconnecting with their flock. Braden says we are essentially living as a flock moving toward a common goal. He asks for each of us to have compassion and forgiveness, so that no one is ever left behind, as we all move together toward the Shift of the Ages.

Clear Stream Media: Women in Black in the Hudson Valley and Beyond- new video!

Clear Stream Media: Women in Black in the Hudson Valley and Beyond- new video!

Childhood Aha! Moments

Dating myself with this old photo!

Sometimes during difficult times it is good to get back to basics and nothing gets me there so easily as remembering moments of insight from my childhood!

I was a lucky kid, the only one in a loving extended family, so my epiphanies were for the most part, positive. I think it is important to remember all the times when you arrived at a belief about life. Sometimes, when we were hurt as children, we may have come to a conclusion that is really not borne out today. For instance, we may have decided at an early age that we were not good enough. We need to revisit erroneous conclusions like that and see them from an adult perspective. Sometimes we also need to comfort our inner child and to allow the healing to begin. 

These Aha! moments are very powerful. We need to reinforce the moments of pure clarity when we saw we were one with all and to work with the conclusions we made as children that were false and that we can now release.

"It's never to late to have a happy childhood." Tom Robbins

When I think of Aha! moments from my childhood, that helped shaped me into who I am today, this is the first that comes to mind.


I was about 11 and I was very excited because I was going to my Aunt Jennie's to make Santa Claus's out of brandy snifters! As I recall, you gave him a Styrofoam head and made felt arms that wrapped around the bulbous glass which was his belly. This sounded like high art to me and I could hardly wait.


But then something happened, I don't recall what and I was told I could not go. I was disappointed in the dramatic way only an 11 year old can be, when suddenly something else popped up (again I can't even remember what it was) but I thought "Oh, if I had gone to Aunt Jennie's I would have missed out on this way cooler thing." It was then and there that I had the epiphany...

 "Everything always happens for a reason."

It has been at the core of my being ever since. Of course, the terrible suffering of humanity seems to make this a naive and even heartless maxim, but one must take a much larger view to realize there is divine perfection in all of it. That does not mean we are off the hook to do all we can to lessen the suffering in this world. I think that is one of the main reasons we have been put on this earth.  But when you act from anger you add anger to the world, when you act from inner peace and love that is what you increase in the world. When you remember that every event in your life, no matter how painful, was designed by your higher self to serve the awakening of your soul in this lifetime, everything changes. You approach the world with compassion instead of judgment. Forgiveness blossoms more easily and organically. 

Today this particular Aha! moment manifests for me as an overriding trust in the inherent goodness of the universe, of humanity and of the Divine Plan of which we are all an integral part.

My second Aha! moment occurred when I was a younger child. I was learning that there were many different religions in the world. People were all praying to different Gods, which utterly confused this choir girl from the Olivet First Presbyterian Church! Then one moment it hit me- they were all praying to the same One and calling the One different names. I remember feeling much better then and had my first sense of the unity of all humanity.

The third moment I will share in my next post is about the day I discovered my relationship to the trees; a relationship that still gives me wonderful strength and positive energy. Til the next time (which I promise will be soon)!


I'd love to hear about your Aha! moments from childhood. Peaceful blessings of love and never forget...

You are the center of the universe. 

Divinity exists in you as Love 

unconditional and endless.

Are You a Wayseer?

The Inchworm and the Blue Flower

                  

Had fun watching and photographing this little guy- not sure exactly what he is- but he moves like an inchworm. If anyone knows more about him let me know!

Coupled with the bright blue of the balloon flower, they made quite a pair.  I love his arrow-like, black markings and his seemingly infinite number of ways to move about; hanging upside down one minute- standing at attention the next! He also moves well to the beat of African percussion. Thanks to Joakim Lartey, joakimlartey.com, for the great music!

Sacred Earth Series, Part II- Pond Life

I had fun putting this together- entering into the secret underworld of a pond to watch the mystical minnows, floating salamanders and serpentine snakes. I must admit it was a little addicting, especially watching the minnows; silver one moment, black the next, flinching when they touch, to sensuously running their bodies over one another, stationary in patterns that reminded me of calligraphy (what is their message?) to darting so fast as to be a blur and appearing and disappearing, into and out of nowhere.

On the radio I heard an ex-prisoner describe the hierarchy there and the lowest of the low were called "minnows". When you search for "minnow" you find mostly articles describing them as bait- near the bottom of the food chain.

Yet I find them lovely with their gossamer fins, mysterious movements (they often move backwards) and the way they catch the sun and glint silver in the water. It was also intriguing to focus in on the way they are with one another and how they move as one.

“To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour”

William Blake

Owl Snoozing- Laying Down to Sleep!

As some of you know, I am an avid lover of owls and also most fortunate to have been graced by their (almost daily) presence many summers for the last 11 years. The babies usually make their debut in the spring with an unusual, kind of sucking-in sound (one year my husband thought it was the sound of some cheap sneakers he had bought!). Lucky for us, the babies, like all babies, seem to have their hours mixed up. And they don't have any fear of us, in fact, they seem very curious, often landing near.


Well, so far this year no sneaker sound, not a baby in sight. But I still hope the babies may appear, or maybe the adults will visit as I do hear their whoo whoo whooing quite often.


In the meantime, here are some shots from last year. Sorry they are a little blurry- he was high up and I was hand holding, but the sequence is fun and I have never seen an owl sleep like that on a branch before- have you?!


I just happened to catch him when he woke up in the last photo. I like that he was looking right at me, as he had been before his little nap.

 

Blessings of New Awakenings to you!