Change. The word itself makes some of us want to turn around ... and run away. Change, whether imposed or willed, is difficult for many of us. Deep in the core of our beings, we long to fulfill some destiny, but sometimes the actual steps required may be more daunting than we initially thought they would be. You must remember that you are the master of your own destiny ~ anything that you long for can most definitely happen!
The trick is, you have to allow the changes to occur. And sometimes, on rare occasion, you have to be the enforcer of the change. It is okay to turn your back on a path you are walking, even if it is just to look over your shoulder with a longing glance towards yesterday. Or to a time you felt was flowing more smoothly. It is okay to change your mind about something when it is not becoming exactly what you thought it would be. Sure, there are times when it isn't possible to quit or slow down, and you may not want to ~ those times should be honoured ~ maybe there is a lesson there. But when something is feeling complicated or difficult, or if you keep coming up against obstacles, it is okay to try something different. Perhaps there is another area of your life that needs attention ... Perhaps your energy would be better spent on something that is constantly nagging at you: Exercise, schooling, laughing, meditating, doing yoga, going for long walks ... Perhaps all that you need is a momentary break to figure out some nagging details of a recent venture. Then maybe it will be possible to continue on the path you were on, with ease, joy, and love. The flowing river of life.
Whatever decisions you make in your life will never be considered mistakes in the end. Look at your life as a meandering journey filled up with as much experience as you can pack into it. Take chances. Take breaks. Be in love with yourself. Be in love with the whole world. Try something new, and then rest if you can. Reflect on your life, daily. Be grateful for all that you have. Live your life in a balanced way ~ Make sure that you feel at peace sometimes. And above all, don't be so hard on yourself. You are the master of your own destiny.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Connecting with Trees
Tree Shadows - translated from Japanese
All hushed the trees are waiting
On tiptoe for the sight
Of moonrise shedding splendour
Across the dusk of night
Ah, now the moon is risen
And lo, without a sound
The trees all write their welcome
Far along the ground
I recently watched a documentary on KCTS explaining the history of the Appalachian mountain regions. It was titled "Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People". One of the things that I got from this beautiful story was the strong sense of connection the early settlers had to their surroundings. There was a respect for the land, including her mountains (there are hundreds of named mountaintops in this region, all with a story), trees (including one tree that was nearly put into extinction by an imported tree of the same name), rivers, streams and of course - the earth itself. These people understood that trees, especially, offered so much to them in terms of food, protection and more.
I love trees. I think we all do, because they offer a kinship. And a connection to the deepest parts of Earth, through roots that plunge into depths we couldn't reach on our own. When we lean on a tree, we can feel that connection very strongly. There is nothing quite so grounding as leaning on a tree, allowing that tree to support us, to remove negative energy, to drain away tension and anxiety and sadness. When I see large roots surfacing to the ground I walk on, I see it as a great gift. The roots of trees remind me of veins and arteries, carrying lifeblood from the light of day down into the depths of our beautiful planet. Where this energy can be cleansed, and where seeds can be sown for later, drawing strength over time, and gaining ancient knowledge to be used at exactly the right moment. There is no greater incubator for such things than our dark, moist and feminine earth.
I find it interesting that trees announce themselves each season as well, constantly reminding us of their importance to the nature of our world. They reflect our own nature as well ... leaves transforming before falling from the tree, preparing for winter. The dormant, introverted process of winter. The burst of energy and colour in the spring. The bold and boisterous, celebrating green of summer. It all reflects our humanity in some way.
And so, now and then, take the time to appreciate a tree. Sit at its' base, gaze lovingly at one, hug one, decorate one ... allow yourself to feel your roots extending into the center of the earth - grounding you, teaching you, understanding you. Draw on the ancient wisdom of the great tree ... one of our great teachers.
All hushed the trees are waiting
On tiptoe for the sight
Of moonrise shedding splendour
Across the dusk of night
Ah, now the moon is risen
And lo, without a sound
The trees all write their welcome
Far along the ground
I recently watched a documentary on KCTS explaining the history of the Appalachian mountain regions. It was titled "Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People". One of the things that I got from this beautiful story was the strong sense of connection the early settlers had to their surroundings. There was a respect for the land, including her mountains (there are hundreds of named mountaintops in this region, all with a story), trees (including one tree that was nearly put into extinction by an imported tree of the same name), rivers, streams and of course - the earth itself. These people understood that trees, especially, offered so much to them in terms of food, protection and more.
I love trees. I think we all do, because they offer a kinship. And a connection to the deepest parts of Earth, through roots that plunge into depths we couldn't reach on our own. When we lean on a tree, we can feel that connection very strongly. There is nothing quite so grounding as leaning on a tree, allowing that tree to support us, to remove negative energy, to drain away tension and anxiety and sadness. When I see large roots surfacing to the ground I walk on, I see it as a great gift. The roots of trees remind me of veins and arteries, carrying lifeblood from the light of day down into the depths of our beautiful planet. Where this energy can be cleansed, and where seeds can be sown for later, drawing strength over time, and gaining ancient knowledge to be used at exactly the right moment. There is no greater incubator for such things than our dark, moist and feminine earth.
I find it interesting that trees announce themselves each season as well, constantly reminding us of their importance to the nature of our world. They reflect our own nature as well ... leaves transforming before falling from the tree, preparing for winter. The dormant, introverted process of winter. The burst of energy and colour in the spring. The bold and boisterous, celebrating green of summer. It all reflects our humanity in some way.
And so, now and then, take the time to appreciate a tree. Sit at its' base, gaze lovingly at one, hug one, decorate one ... allow yourself to feel your roots extending into the center of the earth - grounding you, teaching you, understanding you. Draw on the ancient wisdom of the great tree ... one of our great teachers.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Balance?
Balance is something many of us strive for, and many of us never achieve. If every day we are struggling to: eat well, sleep well, be good parents, work hard, exercise, pick up the mail, go to the bank, do the laundry, do the dishes, cook the meals, AND schedule some time for spiritual, creative or intellectual pursuits ... Do you think you should beat yourself up at the end of each day wondering if you "achieved" balance?
What is Balance? Is it fair to ever think that Balance is something we can have? If your life is not balanced, is it chaotic instead? And why do we think that Balance should be the focus of our lives? Is it ever okay to throw up your hands and say "f*%k it!" and live in the moment? What would happen if we could all pass on the responsibility for worry to our spirit guides, angels and others?
Is it possible that there is a natural balance to everything? Most cultures and religions believe that there is, of course: Yin and Yang, Good and Evil, earthly and spiritual. Perhaps this natural balance takes it's form in ways we don't think about, such as:
~ work being spiritual in nature
~ washing our hands as a form of prayer
~ the smile you give a stranger as an offering
~ comforting a sister as invoking Goddess nature
~ holding your child's hand as an expression of Godliness
~ exercising patience as a form of meditation
When you embody your true self in love, and you surrender yourself to the natural order of things, you can truly have the opportunity to experience your life in balance. Living in the moment, breathing in each breath of your life with your natural awareness, maybe you will begin to live your life. When life gets hectic, and your guilt starts to build over what you haven't done, take a deep breath and let it go ... or say F*#k It!! (Whatever works). Perhaps it won't feel like balance, but you might feel instead a true inner happiness, rather than a feeling of dread as you go over the checklist of your life.
What is Balance? Is it fair to ever think that Balance is something we can have? If your life is not balanced, is it chaotic instead? And why do we think that Balance should be the focus of our lives? Is it ever okay to throw up your hands and say "f*%k it!" and live in the moment? What would happen if we could all pass on the responsibility for worry to our spirit guides, angels and others?
Is it possible that there is a natural balance to everything? Most cultures and religions believe that there is, of course: Yin and Yang, Good and Evil, earthly and spiritual. Perhaps this natural balance takes it's form in ways we don't think about, such as:
~ work being spiritual in nature
~ washing our hands as a form of prayer
~ the smile you give a stranger as an offering
~ comforting a sister as invoking Goddess nature
~ holding your child's hand as an expression of Godliness
~ exercising patience as a form of meditation
When you embody your true self in love, and you surrender yourself to the natural order of things, you can truly have the opportunity to experience your life in balance. Living in the moment, breathing in each breath of your life with your natural awareness, maybe you will begin to live your life. When life gets hectic, and your guilt starts to build over what you haven't done, take a deep breath and let it go ... or say F*#k It!! (Whatever works). Perhaps it won't feel like balance, but you might feel instead a true inner happiness, rather than a feeling of dread as you go over the checklist of your life.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Women of Power
The other night I was able to be a part of something amazing. I was invited to a women's full moon ceremony. Now, my good friend and I open circles together several times throughout the year, but this was the first time I would be attending someone else's circle. At first I felt defensive about going, that this circle would somehow overshadow my personal efforts. But I knew I had to attend, I knew there was a reason. I suppose there always is.
We started the evening by writing down "I invite the Goddess of the Moon into my life to ... (fill in the blank)". We were also to write down what in our life we are thankful for. Many of us went on writing for a long while before it was time to move on. Next we were each asked to pull a card from a large variety of decks: Egyptian Tarot, Goddess cards, and others.
The two women leading the circle, Dianne and Beverly, talked for a while about what it means to be a woman ~ the Power we have within us to make anything happen ~ How no man was ever born without a woman's permission ~ How even the Son of God was born from a woman ~ How no thing ever happened to a woman without her authorizing it in some way; We are never victims. We talked about how, during the Feminism Era, we wanted to be like Men ... and how it is now time to be Women again, embracing that deep, connected power within.
We were instructed that we would each have a turn to tell others what the card we chose was saying to us. We were reminded that each card would have a message for not only the person who picked it, but for each member of the group. I was blown away at how much wisdom we had, standing together like that. Dianne and Beverly were consistently aware of the underlying theme to every woman's situations, and were incredibly talented at pulling us together. What really struck me was how each and every woman in that room was going through some kind of huge transformation, including me.
One thing that Beverly said really hit home for me: We need to walk the road between the light and the dark, veering off to experience this or that and then returning to that middle ground. Walk between the light and the dark. Perhaps this is something I have been missing at times ... pushing aside that Shadow Wisdom in favour of love and light ... perhaps I did that out of fear? I do believe that we are here to experience every single moment to the fullest extent that we can. For myself, I am content to take my life one day at a time .. and one moment at a time when things get out of hand.
I am so thankful to have been a part of such a special evening, and to have had the opportunity to channel that ancient women's wisdom with others.
Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again! ~ Nicole
We started the evening by writing down "I invite the Goddess of the Moon into my life to ... (fill in the blank)". We were also to write down what in our life we are thankful for. Many of us went on writing for a long while before it was time to move on. Next we were each asked to pull a card from a large variety of decks: Egyptian Tarot, Goddess cards, and others.
The two women leading the circle, Dianne and Beverly, talked for a while about what it means to be a woman ~ the Power we have within us to make anything happen ~ How no man was ever born without a woman's permission ~ How even the Son of God was born from a woman ~ How no thing ever happened to a woman without her authorizing it in some way; We are never victims. We talked about how, during the Feminism Era, we wanted to be like Men ... and how it is now time to be Women again, embracing that deep, connected power within.
We were instructed that we would each have a turn to tell others what the card we chose was saying to us. We were reminded that each card would have a message for not only the person who picked it, but for each member of the group. I was blown away at how much wisdom we had, standing together like that. Dianne and Beverly were consistently aware of the underlying theme to every woman's situations, and were incredibly talented at pulling us together. What really struck me was how each and every woman in that room was going through some kind of huge transformation, including me.
One thing that Beverly said really hit home for me: We need to walk the road between the light and the dark, veering off to experience this or that and then returning to that middle ground. Walk between the light and the dark. Perhaps this is something I have been missing at times ... pushing aside that Shadow Wisdom in favour of love and light ... perhaps I did that out of fear? I do believe that we are here to experience every single moment to the fullest extent that we can. For myself, I am content to take my life one day at a time .. and one moment at a time when things get out of hand.
I am so thankful to have been a part of such a special evening, and to have had the opportunity to channel that ancient women's wisdom with others.
Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again! ~ Nicole
Thursday, August 12, 2010
I have been on a hiatus from focused spiritual activity for several months now, and I am finally beginning to feel the pull of the Divine. Could I be ready to tip the scales back into balance?
As I mentioned in previous posts, this is the first time in my life where I truly felt an aversion to "practicing" my spirituality. With this whole situation I have been feeling seriously guilty, as though I am neglecting myself. In a way, I have been neglecting myself, but during a meditation today I drifted into that lovely space and heard the words "It is always here for you, whenever you need it".
That got me thinking ... perhaps I've been led astray in thinking that I need to pick every situation in my life apart, prying it open to find meaning. What need was I fulfilling by deciphering every message with a book, a card ... someone else's words? I have talked about this in the past, that the answers are always available ~ all you have to do is ask. So was it that I didn't believe it? Or was it just fun for me to play a game of detective? Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with asking questions, and trying to get more information about something that you don't understand. But when you are waiting for the next "message" instead of living a life of peace, in peace, is there something missing there? Did I miss anything valuable when my head was bent over a book, floating around in someone else's world? Or is that part of the experience too ~ Not being able to focus on more than one thing at a time ~
During this time of "incubation" I have noticed my family animal totem, the bald eagle, soaring above me ~ reminding me of all the sacredness of life. But not once did I look up the meaning again. I simply nodded my head and watched him soaring in circles, high up in the sky, observing the world with a new perspective, a changed mind, and a strength from that deep, vast place where all our hearts convene.
Namaste, my friends.
As I mentioned in previous posts, this is the first time in my life where I truly felt an aversion to "practicing" my spirituality. With this whole situation I have been feeling seriously guilty, as though I am neglecting myself. In a way, I have been neglecting myself, but during a meditation today I drifted into that lovely space and heard the words "It is always here for you, whenever you need it".
That got me thinking ... perhaps I've been led astray in thinking that I need to pick every situation in my life apart, prying it open to find meaning. What need was I fulfilling by deciphering every message with a book, a card ... someone else's words? I have talked about this in the past, that the answers are always available ~ all you have to do is ask. So was it that I didn't believe it? Or was it just fun for me to play a game of detective? Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with asking questions, and trying to get more information about something that you don't understand. But when you are waiting for the next "message" instead of living a life of peace, in peace, is there something missing there? Did I miss anything valuable when my head was bent over a book, floating around in someone else's world? Or is that part of the experience too ~ Not being able to focus on more than one thing at a time ~
During this time of "incubation" I have noticed my family animal totem, the bald eagle, soaring above me ~ reminding me of all the sacredness of life. But not once did I look up the meaning again. I simply nodded my head and watched him soaring in circles, high up in the sky, observing the world with a new perspective, a changed mind, and a strength from that deep, vast place where all our hearts convene.
Namaste, my friends.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Transformation: Final Stage
I am slowly coming through a recent transformation, and it has been the longest concentrated process of change I have been through. There has been a consistent feeling of a very silent surface … with very much going on inside of me. I am relieved to have finally come to a life-changing realization. For some reason, it will be difficult for me to post on this blog, but in reality, it is only hard on my Ego.
Eleven years ago, I received my First Level Reiki certificate. This happened during another transformation, where I was coming out of a dangerous place in my mind; a time during which I had abused my mind, spirit and body. Reiki, and the community that came with it, cradled me through some difficult memories. I was twenty years old, with no direction, and no real idea about the big world around us. Really, I had little confidence in myself and my abilities. I thought that because spirituality was the only thing I understood fully, surely my career would follow this path. (What else could I be good at?) To be honest, I actually felt obligated to the art of Reiki to incorporate it into my life fully, in order to repay the Universe for the gifts I was given. Writing this now, I realize that there are no debts to the Universe, most certainly not for the gift of healing! I know now that my only obligation is to enjoy my life, sharing all the love that I can, and living mindfully.
So I started asking myself some questions: What is my passion? What do I love to do? The answer came to me so simply: I love to write and I love to bake. I saw a vision of myself in my own bakery, helping people, brightening their day with something sweet, sharing my love and my passion, giving a gift. There were other times that I tossed the idea of baking around, but I always had a million reasons why I wasn’t good enough to pursue it. I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner! In my early twenties, I worked at an amazing bakery called The Wildflour Bakery in Sechelt, on the Sunshine Coast. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was soaking up the techniques like a sponge. I would watch the bakers making cakes, tarts, bars, cookies and bread ~ fascinated. I would ask questions, watch how their hands moved, notice what the bread dough looked like under their hands, or how firmly they were pressing shortbread into pans. Even when I moved back to Squamish, working at a financial planner’s office, there just happened to be a French pastry chef working across the street. I loved to go there, some weeks it was every day, to pick up something sweet. I remember longing to go into the kitchen to watch Alain perform his magic, but I never asked.
Baking has always been a passion. And now I am ready to pursue it fully … so I’ve opened a home-based business! I am already busy filling orders, and I have to say, I absolutely love it. I feel like I am doing exactly what I should be doing. Living my life.
Eleven years ago, I received my First Level Reiki certificate. This happened during another transformation, where I was coming out of a dangerous place in my mind; a time during which I had abused my mind, spirit and body. Reiki, and the community that came with it, cradled me through some difficult memories. I was twenty years old, with no direction, and no real idea about the big world around us. Really, I had little confidence in myself and my abilities. I thought that because spirituality was the only thing I understood fully, surely my career would follow this path. (What else could I be good at?) To be honest, I actually felt obligated to the art of Reiki to incorporate it into my life fully, in order to repay the Universe for the gifts I was given. Writing this now, I realize that there are no debts to the Universe, most certainly not for the gift of healing! I know now that my only obligation is to enjoy my life, sharing all the love that I can, and living mindfully.
So I started asking myself some questions: What is my passion? What do I love to do? The answer came to me so simply: I love to write and I love to bake. I saw a vision of myself in my own bakery, helping people, brightening their day with something sweet, sharing my love and my passion, giving a gift. There were other times that I tossed the idea of baking around, but I always had a million reasons why I wasn’t good enough to pursue it. I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out sooner! In my early twenties, I worked at an amazing bakery called The Wildflour Bakery in Sechelt, on the Sunshine Coast. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was soaking up the techniques like a sponge. I would watch the bakers making cakes, tarts, bars, cookies and bread ~ fascinated. I would ask questions, watch how their hands moved, notice what the bread dough looked like under their hands, or how firmly they were pressing shortbread into pans. Even when I moved back to Squamish, working at a financial planner’s office, there just happened to be a French pastry chef working across the street. I loved to go there, some weeks it was every day, to pick up something sweet. I remember longing to go into the kitchen to watch Alain perform his magic, but I never asked.
Baking has always been a passion. And now I am ready to pursue it fully … so I’ve opened a home-based business! I am already busy filling orders, and I have to say, I absolutely love it. I feel like I am doing exactly what I should be doing. Living my life.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Confrontation
Growing up, I was never given a true example of how confrontation can be addressed in a positive way. Like most women in my mother's generation, confronting someone was seen as a very negative thing to do. I think there is a positive and constructive way to confront someone, but that doesn't make it easy.
Recently, I was forced to confront an acquaintance of mine who stepped over the line in our relationship. When it first happened I was willing to ignore it, to just let it go. But a friend of mine, when I told her what had happened, said to me "What kind of relationship do you want to have with this person? Do you want to allow this to happen again? Because by not saying anything, you are silently giving permission for this to happen again." I was sick for three days about the way this person overstepped the boundaries, and the feeling wouldn't go away. I was forced to confront the situation. I said my part and walked away, allowing this person a way out should they want to hide from me for a while, in shame. I also gave this person permission to discuss the situation with me. Honestly, one confrontation is enough for me, but should this person want to talk with me, I need to be open enough to listen. And strong enough to keep my boundaries clear.
A few months ago, when we put on the "Boundaries and You" workshop, I thought I knew something about boundaries because of my experiences in my family. It is so much harder when faced with a challenge outside of your comfort zone. By being passive in this particular relationship, I really was giving this person permission to walk all over me. And that wasn't right. It is okay for me - and you - to set up boundaries early on, and to confront another person when those boundaries are overstepped. For me, personally, I am hoping this whole situation will blow over quickly. With a new outline for us to follow, I am sure that this person and I can move on in this relationship amicably. There is always the chance that this person may be hurt or embarassed by what I had to say, but sometimes you need to call people on naughty behaviour. It wasn't right what happened, but because I said what I needed to say, I can feel myself forgiving this person. Having compassion for someone who wronged you can be a very powerful thing.
Recently, I was forced to confront an acquaintance of mine who stepped over the line in our relationship. When it first happened I was willing to ignore it, to just let it go. But a friend of mine, when I told her what had happened, said to me "What kind of relationship do you want to have with this person? Do you want to allow this to happen again? Because by not saying anything, you are silently giving permission for this to happen again." I was sick for three days about the way this person overstepped the boundaries, and the feeling wouldn't go away. I was forced to confront the situation. I said my part and walked away, allowing this person a way out should they want to hide from me for a while, in shame. I also gave this person permission to discuss the situation with me. Honestly, one confrontation is enough for me, but should this person want to talk with me, I need to be open enough to listen. And strong enough to keep my boundaries clear.
A few months ago, when we put on the "Boundaries and You" workshop, I thought I knew something about boundaries because of my experiences in my family. It is so much harder when faced with a challenge outside of your comfort zone. By being passive in this particular relationship, I really was giving this person permission to walk all over me. And that wasn't right. It is okay for me - and you - to set up boundaries early on, and to confront another person when those boundaries are overstepped. For me, personally, I am hoping this whole situation will blow over quickly. With a new outline for us to follow, I am sure that this person and I can move on in this relationship amicably. There is always the chance that this person may be hurt or embarassed by what I had to say, but sometimes you need to call people on naughty behaviour. It wasn't right what happened, but because I said what I needed to say, I can feel myself forgiving this person. Having compassion for someone who wronged you can be a very powerful thing.
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