Month: December 2019

Winds of Spirit – Day 394

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An essential resource for your spiritual library! – Photo: L. Weikel

Winds of Spirit

My great friend Renee Baribeau is the author of Winds of Spirit*, a Nautilus Gold Award winning compendium of Wind Gods and Goddesses.

As a unique and treasured resource, Winds of Spirit provides us with a ready reference (and oracle) that teaches us how to embrace and work with the archetypal powers and personalities of the winds of the world.

Become a Wind Alchemist

I’m beyond excited for Renee that The Shift Network is featuring her in a 7 week live video training entitled Become a Wind Alchemist: Find Your Magnetic North With Timebending Practices & Wind Spirits.

This is a big deal. The Shift Network, as many of you know, is an extremely well known and respected provider of courses featuring the biggest, brightest, and most innovative names in spiritual and holistic circles and making them available to the public. Being selected by The Shift Network is a tribute to Renee’s work and I couldn’t be more proud of her.

Time Warp

I apparently got caught up in a time warp and totally lost track of the fact that we’re already 10 days into December. How did that happen? Wasn’t Thanksgiving only a couple days ago?

Because time has slipped through my fingers like the wind (wink), I want to alert you to the fact that Renee’s program begins TOMORROW – December 11th, at 8:00 p.m. EST. Instead of trying to paraphrase the gist of the course, I’m going to allow Renee to speak for herself.

Message from Renee:

​Before I found the Wind, I was a seeker — always looking for the next “another other.” There was always one more, one other thing I had to do or find before I would be worthy and deserving enough to have peace, presence, and joy in my life.

I was convinced I had to find the right job, the perfect partner, a healing class, more money… I sat in sweat lodges, cried for a vision, climbed mountains in South America, sought out psychic after psychic for guidance, and even walked over hot coals to find myself.

And then I found the Wind.

Once I learned how to “summon up a wind” — to tap into its powers and align myself with nature and the seasons — I realized that all I was seeking was already within me… and my soul’s purpose became clear.

​I discovered firsthand that the Wind is astonishing in its power to help you change the course of your life — and awake to the magic that lives within you…

I can’t wait to show you how to access the wisdom of the wind for yourself in my new 7-week live video training, Become a Wind Alchemist: Find Your Magnetic North With Timebending Practices & Wind Spirits…

The journey begins tomorrow, Wednesday, December 11, at 5:00pm Pacific.

When you join me, I’ll help you invite the Wind Spirits into your life…

You’ll take a sacred journey inward to harness the wind’s wisdom to create a new map for your future.

You’ll find that when you align with the seasons and the wind, you can remove what’s holding you back and bring in what you truly desire…

… allowing you to feel more peace, joy, and connection to something greater than yourself.

I’ll help you discover:

  • Which Wind Spirits to call on for regeneration, renewal, and creativity
  • Shamanic qualities of the wind that will guide you to your spiritual Magnetic North
  • How to move with the moon, shifting your understanding of time
  • How the cardinal winds of the sky help you bend time and create a map for your life that is true to your essence
  • The 5 dynamic winds of creativity — chaos, gestation, oppositional forces, partnership with nature, and process order
  • How to bend linear time to evoke your own natural rhythms and the healing energies of cyclical time
  • And much more!

So if you’re tired of always playing it safe — with a safe job, a safe relationship, or a safe life living up to only a quarter of your potential…

If you know in your bones that there has to be something more to your annual trips around the sun, and you’re ready to find it and make real, lasting change…

If you’ve read or are curious about my book, Winds of Spirit, and would like my personal help in applying the Wind Work to your life…

Or if you’ve worked with me before and have experienced firsthand my ability to identify in a heartbeat what’s holding you back and help you remove your blocks once and for all…

Then please be sure to enroll in Become a Wind Alchemist. It’s the best iteration of this program I’ve ever offered. The Winds continue to gift me with their insights and guide me how to best share this transformational wisdom.

I’m living proof that when you delve deeply into the guidance offered by the Wind Spirits, you’ll be able to achieve your wildest dreams — with the wind always at your back.

I hope you’ll join us tomorrow!

Warmly,

Renee Baribeau

Special Note from The Shift Network:

Renee Baribeau’s new 7-week live training (with a break during the holidays) starts on the full moon tomorrow, December 11, at 5:00pm Pacific, with her first live teaching, “Creating a Life Map With the Help of Wind Spirits to Bend Time.” P.S. from The Shift Network:

In this session, you’ll:

  • Create and use your Life Map to prepare for the sacred journey inward
  • Align to your inner awakening compass and discover how to whistle up a wind spirit
  • Use these powerful tools to prepare your sacred wind space, including the light of December’s full moon
  • Draw down the Four Winds Guardian and create sacred space
  • Take part in a mythical harvest journey… calling upon the moon to create a sacred space as you draw down the Cold North Wind for the Full Moon
  • Receive guidance to complete your Life Map over the next week as you gather the tools for your wind altar

Discover all the details and reserve your spot in Become a Wind Alchemist here.

Thank you for checking out my friend’s book and course.

* Amazon affiliate link

(T-717)

The Baker’s Birthday – Day 393

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Carol’s Chocolate BIRTHDAY cake – Photo: L. Weikel

The Baker’s Birthday

By the time I hit the ‘publish’ button on this post, it’ll be December 10th, which means it’ll be the birthday of the namesake of one of our family’s two favorite birthday cakes: Carol’s Chocolate Cake.

Sadly, since my sister lives in Massachusetts and I live in Pennsylvania, she won’t be receiving one of her chocolate cakes from me for her birthday. I know; bad little sister. But who knows? Maybe someone else will bake her one. In fact, I don’t even know if ‘Carol’s Chocolate Cake’ is considered ‘the’ birthday cake in her household.

I’m only realizing now that I should’ve baked one a few days ago and sent it to her. After all, I’ve gotten a lot of blog mileage out of her yummy delicious confection. I owe her one!

Photos Few and Far Between

Sadly, we rarely see each other. The last time I think we had our photo taken together was at Karl’s Gathering – so, eight years ago. I’ll see if I can hunt down that photo. I believe it has the rest of my siblings in it, so I probably shouldn’t post it. Some members of my family probably don’t want to be associated with me anymore.

Why?

Perhaps because I’m an unabashed feminist and liberal, and so do not apparently share the same sensibilities as some of my siblings. (And I’m undoubtedly thought of as an opinionated big mouth, too. Ha ha – not all that inaccurate, I suppose.)

Oooh, that’s so dangerous. Talking about stuff like this publicly.

Don’t worry you guys, I won’t publish your photos or mention your names. The fact that I even write that is silly. On the best day, I’m sure only two siblings, at most, read what I write. Ever.

Maintaining the Façade

It’s funny, isn’t it? The lengths we go to to maintain a façade that hasn’t been accurate in years (if it ever was). I know I always felt our family was indivisible, bonded by a love that could never be broken. Then…stuff  happened.

Probably the biggest thing, I guess, was the death of our father nearly 20 years ago. And no, it had nothing to do with what people might assume when they read that sentence. It had nothing to do with money or inheritance or anything like that. It was actually, simply, the breaking of the last thread.

Our mother’s death 30 years ago was a huge loss. She truly was the linchpin of our family. But losing her didn’t tear us apart. And our father’s death didn’t either, per se. Rather, his death merely led to us all focusing upon our own nuclear families and losing our central shared focus, the hub of our familial attention, which had been our parents.

Things happened in our country, too, which exacerbated differing viewpoints that apparently had lain undetected beneath the surface. At least I was blindsided by how different we could think about life, having been raised by the same people.

Death of an Illusion

When I was a kid, being the youngest (by a lot, the closest in age being nine years older than I am) was an idyllic spot to occupy. I adored my siblings. (I still do; I’ve just learned to employ some detachment, which helps.)

I also had what I always considered the best of all possible worlds. I was the youngest of five, so I had these amazing older siblings to learn from and look forward to having visit, and just overall have as role models in my life. But in many ways I also enjoyed the benefits of being an ‘only’ child, since I was only nine when the closest sibling left for college.

Christmas time was the best, when everyone would come to our house from states far and wide, bringing with them their children – my nieces and nephews – the first three of whom were closer in age to me than my closest sibling! I finally had kids to play with! And I was ‘the oldest,’ for once. (And yes, I hang my head in shame; I did lord it over them occasionally. We won’t go there.) But having so many nieces and nephews contributed to that pervasive feeling that I truly had the best of all worlds.

I would never have imagined us all going our separate ways so starkly, so unequivocally, and, dare I say it, so harshly.

But there it is.

Happy Birthday

I probably shouldn’t hit ‘publish’ on this. I’m sure it holds little appeal to you, the readers I appreciate so very much, and probably lacks any intrinsic value, either. But you know what? Every once in a while I deeply, deeply miss what I thought we had.

I remember each and every one of my siblings’ birthdays. So of course I will be thinking about Carol tomorrow (now today).

And I guess my point in writing any of this is to remind all of us – you who are reading it, and myself who is writing it – to cherish what we have. Because you can’t count on it lasting ‘forever.’ No matter how tight you think you are with any group of people, blood or not. Things happen. People change. And what you thought would last forever can be gone like the puff of a birthday candle.

The love I have when I recall looking up to my sisters and brother will never end. Just the expression of it, I guess.

Happy birthday, Carol! I love you.

(T-718)

Tree Owl – Day 392

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Tree Owl from afar – Photo: L. Weikel

Tree Owl

Funnily enough, it seems that Turkey just keeps on giving. Indeed, it showed up in my cards again today, and I feel compelled to share something very cool from yesterday: a tree owl.

Today I chose Skunk/Turkey (meaning Skunk was the card I chose – from the deck, face down – in case there’s any confusion on that score) and Turkey was on the bottom of the deck. So, while Skunk was essentially the primary card for me to pay attention to today, Turkey was still playing a role somehow.

Yet again, as I did yesterday, I could recount for you a number of experiences or situations I encountered today that could qualify as ‘gifts.’ But instead, I want to show you something really cool that I discovered yesterday, on the day I picked Turkey squared.

Weisel Hostel

Our tour of the campus of the Fraternity of Rosicrucians yesterday took us basically across the street from the Weisel Hostel, where I’ve held probably half a dozen Listening Retreats, an entire 18 month Merkabah Medicine Program, and a couple Aspiration-Setting retreats over the past six years or so.

Sadly, the Weisel Hostel is no longer, technically, a hostel. Toward the end of 2018, Hostelling International decided to discontinue its relationship with Bucks County at the Weisel premises. As a result of that decision (and perhaps other factors, who knows?), the Weisel hasn’t been available for any retreats there for over a year.

Personally, this has been a great loss. My beloved Tohickon Creek begins up in that area, and a huge draw for me, and my participants once they got to experience it, was the fact that the creek flowed right beside the hostel. You could hear her voice singing at night when we had all the windows open.

Naturally, I couldn’t be ‘in the neighborhood’ of the Weisel without stopping by and saying hello to all the Spirits of the Land, the creek, and the path that led to the fire pit where we had many sacred fires through the years. So Karl and I did just that: paid a visit to the Weisel.

Major Changes

There were a lot of changes to the premises that I’m not going to enumerate now. The creek itself seemed to be flowing unnaturally (perhaps a better description would be that it was barely trickling). We walked the path that we’d trod so many times in the dark, leading us to the fire pit, and were aghast at what we found. In all the years we held retreats there, I never saw so much of the bottom of the pond exposed. Most of the water was gone. But there was also a lot of devastation of the creek bed.

Devastated dam – Photo: L. Weikel

A huge ash had snapped 25 or so feet above the ground, and the massive (and extremely heavy and dense) part of the trunk that had snapped off was slammed into the grass near the fire pit. Karl and I just stood at the edge of the pond where so many water birds, beaver, deer, and foxes had been spotted, where so many precious and sacred moments had been shared with amazing people, and felt grief.

Snapped tree – Photo: L. Weikel

Tree Owl

And that’s when I did a double-take. I saw what looked like an alabaster or crystalline owl nestled in a tree. I took it as  a gift; a small sign, to me, that our presence at the hostel all those years had been felt.

I’m calling it a tree owl, but really it’s ‘just’ a weird patch in the bark of a tree. (Right?) It’s one of the trees that bore witness to all of the sacred fires we held at the Weisel through the years.

Perhaps the Tree Owl is telling me to take heart and have hope. Perhaps it’s serving as a ghostly sentinel, keeping watch until we return. Perhaps the gift in finding the Tree Owl is that it’s a sign that there are better days ahead for the Weisel House* and perhaps, just maybe, a day will come when we can resume our work there, too.

That, indeed, would be a most precious gift.

Tree Owl up close – Photo: L. Weikel

*I’m shifting the name from Weisel Hostel to Weisel House.

(T-719)

Turkey Squared – Day 391

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Photo: L. Weikel

Turkey Squared

I haven’t written many posts lately referencing my Medicine Card® * picks. That doesn’t mean Karl and I haven’t been choosing a card on our day each and every morning. It’s just that sometimes the applicability to my day isn’t all that interesting. Or at least interesting enough to warrant sharing with you.

As the title to this post indicates, I chose Turkey squared this morning. (As you may recall, when I say I chose a card “squared,” that means there was a blank card on the bottom of the deck, which I interpret as ‘squaring’ the impact of the top card – or the card I ‘chose’ as my main card.)

Oooh, that piqued my interest! A day with double the opportunity to experience a gift of some sort!

Turkey’s Meaning

Of course, I anticipated I might experience a gift as a result of choosing Turkey squared because Turkey is considered to be the ‘giveaway eagle’ by many Native American people, as it sacrifices its life to sustain us.

Sitting here contemplating what I might write about this evening (since, no, if you must ask, I haven’t remembered all three things referenced last night), I realized the many gifts I’d received today – and then recalled that I’d chosen Turkey squared while having coffee with Karl this morning.

First Gift

Not to sound trite, but the first gift I experienced this morning was that very act of sitting here in our living room with Karl, all five of our pets in various states of repose on blankets and couches and pillows. Our fireplace was burning, wrapping us all in toasty warmth, and Karl was exclaiming how delicious his freshly brewed coffee tasted, having just bought a pound of his favorite roast only yesterday.

There was something so wonderful in that moment, and I just felt so…lucky. This was before I chose my Turkey card, too, by the way. So yeah, maybe my choice of Turkey was influenced by the fact that I was already feeling permeated by a sense of gratitude.

Second Gift

We had an opportunity to listen to a presentation and take a tour of the grounds of the authentic Rosicrucian Fraternity in Quakertown. This is actually the world headquarters for this organization, which was first established in Germany in 1614. The purpose of this Fraternity was to bring together into one organization the various associations of individuals previously known as the Hermetists, Pythagoreans, Magi , Platonists, Gnostics, Alchemists, and Paracelsians.

I believe it was established in North America well before the Revolution, but in 1774, the governing body (Council of Three) was composed of Benjamin Franklin, George Clymer, and Thomas Paine.

There is much to be explored and understood about this Fraternity, and I found the ‘taste’ of their teachings to be very much in line with much of what I’ve learned through the years through my exposure not only to ancient wisdom teachings (through the auspices of the teacher Karl and I studied with and about whom I wrote in Owl Medicine), but also to the varied indigenous traditions I’ve had the honor of being introduced to and in some cases initiated into.

It was a unique pleasure to walk the grounds and observe the fascinating architecture with our host, the Rev. Arlene Curley, Ph.D., and I’d like to thank her for the introduction (and Susan Duval, for arranging it).

Third Gift

The sunset this evening was an exquisite blend of deep oranges and blazing reds. The colors were so rich it was hard not to taste them.

Alas, none of the photos I sent myself from my phone have come through. Thanks again, Verizon Wireless, for your inconsistency. Maybe I’ll include some in tomorrow’s post!

*affiliate link

(T-720)

Three Different Things – Day 390

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  Photo: L. Weikel

Three Different Things

I distinctly remember thinking, as I was finishing up last night’s post, that I had at least three different subjects I could write a post about. They popped into my head just as I was finishing up, and I thought to myself, “I should write them down.”

Well, contrary to what I urge all my Listening Retreat participants to do whenever they receive some guidance or have a dream, I neglected to do so. I looked around, didn’t see anything within arm’s length upon which I could write those ideas down, so I gave up.

I regret to admit that I also distinctly remember saying to myself, “Oh forget it. I’ll remember them.”

Famous Last Words

Oh, what a trap that is. In fact, I think that’s one of the single most frequent reasons we give ourselves for not writing dreams down, especially. How many times have you awakened from a dream that is crystal clear in your mind – indeed, so crisp and detailed that you think to yourself, “I’ll have no trouble remembering this!?”

A corollary to the ‘this is so fresh and real I’ll never forget it’ syndrome, at least with respect to dreams, is the thought, “This is unbelievably mundane. So mundane that I’m not even going to waste my time and risk waking myself up even more than I already am to write it down.”

I specifically warn against the perils of failing to write these types of dreams down because I’ve found those seemingly mundane dreams often harbor surprisingly enlightening double entendres. And it’s virtually impossible (for me at least) to have the clarity and perspective to discern that I’m in the midst of a ‘play of words’ when it’s 4:00 a.m. and I’m still have inside the dreamworld. So – it’s only through the direct experience of realizing the depth of these seemingly superficial dreams that I’ve realized the importance of capturing them on paper.*

Not One of the Three

All of which reminds me of a dream I had a few weeks ago that definitely seemed mundane and a little weird when I lay in bed realizing I’d been dreaming – and contemplated rolling over and resuming my slumber. It seemed terribly mundane (and a bit unsettling) and I could see no point to writing it down. Indeed, it’s almost as if there was a little gremlin between my ears (no comment) actively urging me to just roll over and go back to sleep.

But I didn’t.

And when I read that dream in my journal the next morning…I sorta kinda got goosebumps.

I want you to have that experience as well. We are such amazing creatures and there is so very much more to us and our experiences than we realize, including the way we communicate with ourselves, each other, and even, perhaps, other realities.

The funny thing is, this was not one of the three topics I should’ve written down last night! Hopefully I’ll remember them tomorrow…

Reaching out.
Photo: L. Weikel

*I do know some people who’ve taken to speaking their dreams into a recorder or their iPhone, which they keep by their bedside. If that works for you, go for it. I nevertheless feel that the physical act of writing the dream out has a particularly unique ability to trigger our awareness of our psyche’s use of homonyms, etc. to get a message across.

(T-721)

My Favorite Prompts – Day 389

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My Favorite Prompts

Following up on my conclusion to last night’s post, I hope you had a chance to go outside tonight and check out the moon.

Karl and I ended up taking another walk well past sunset tonight– thus decidedly in the dark – and once again found the moon to be surprisingly brilliant given that it’s a week shy of being full. The shadows cast by the moon’s light were surprisingly crisp as the bare branches of the trees lining the road grasped and clawed at the sky.

She’s growing in apparent size again tonight as she makes her way toward the western horizon. And the clouds are just as compelling.

I was disappointed that we didn’t hear any owls calling to each other as we walked. But I suppose it’s a bit early. I’m pretty sure it’s not until January when they start in on the call-and-response that’s played when it’s mating time.

Photos

As you may have figured out by now, my favorite prompts are the photos I take as I go about my day.

I took only one photo today, and not only did it not warrant inclusion in this blog, it also failed to spark a single iota of creative thought for me to extrapolate upon this evening.

I have to laugh at myself, actually. I may not have gleaned a creative thought from that photo – but I did manage to excruciatingly wring a couple sentences onto the page describing how it failed to inspire me! Guess I should give credit where credit is due.

The World

Perhaps it’s the fractious angst of the events unfolding in the world right now that’s making me want to close my eyes and escape into the dreamtime.

Perhaps it’s my background in the law and my love for the fundamentals of our government and legal system that makes the high drama of what’s unfolding before our eyes so compelling to me – and so personally exhausting. I feel as though most people in our country take our system’s resilience for granted. Everybody (for the most part) assumes it’ll survive. Assumes we’ll  survive.

And ordinarily, I would say we would – and we will – except these aren’t ordinary times.

All of which leads me, I guess, to appreciating the need for us to bring our attention back to the little things again.  Back to the kindness. Back to creating miracles for ourselves and the other people we’re bumping into along the way.

Actually, I do have a couple stories brewing. Hopefully they’ll mature soon. Or rather, hopefully I’ll start telling them before my eyes simply refuse to stay open one minute longer.

Have a wonderful day – and know that I appreciate you taking the time to read my posts even when they’re hopelessly mundane.

(T-722)

Half Moon – Day 388

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Half Moon – Photo: L. Weikel

Half Moon

Sheila, our Boston Terrier, is requiring frequent ‘waterings’ throughout the day and evening in order to minimize accidents. It’s a simple function of age and, according to Karl’s theory, perhaps a reaction to the colder weather.

We keep our home on the cool side during the winter (some might say freaking feezing), and so when she leaves the warmth of our living room, which we keep toasty with a fire, she’s like the rest of us: being cold makes you have to pee. And she can’t hold it as well as she used to.

All of this to say that when I took Sheila outside a few minutes ago to pre-emptively relieve herself, I was bowled over by the half moon dipping low into the western sky. It’s stunning!

Smaller Earlier

Earlier this evening, in fact it was so early in the evening it barely registered as evening, we took our usual (2.2 mile) walk ‘around.’ We were both shocked by how dark it was at only 5:30 p.m. and even more unpleasantly surprised by the fact that it was distinctly drizzling. Nevertheless, we persisted, determined to get at least some semblance of movement clocked into our systems for the day.

What was particularly odd, though, was how it felt we were in two different realities at the same time. A fine drizzle was indeed dropping from somewhere above us, yet even further above, we could see the half moon. Yes, there was some haziness surrounding it, but it was actually shedding a surprising amount of light on our path.

So it was weird. How was that moon – and only a half moon, at that – managing to shine through the cloud or fog that was dropping a steady drizzle upon our heads and light our way?

While I felt the urge to try to capture this juxtaposition, I didn’t even want to try to photograph the moon in her cloudy undergarments. This modesty was made even more compelling by my total reluctance to take my iPhone out of my pocket and expose it to the drizzle. No, I knew there was no great shot to be taken, even though I yearned to share the moment with you.

Sheila’s Revelation

Which leads me back to my surprise at how much larger the moon looked a few minutes ago when I took Sheila outside.

The sky has cleared up dramatically and stars were clear and twinkling brightly. Two bands of parallel clouds framed the moon, top and bottom, almost making the half moon appear as a note on a musical staff I was only privy to partially view.

I tried to capture the beauty of what I saw, but I know what I’m sharing barely hints at the quiet loveliness.

Nevertheless…I was thinking of all of you when I stood in wondering appreciation of the setting half moon. Catch it tomorrow night before bed if you can.

Don’t believe a word Mommy says; I can hold my water – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-723)

Kindness – Day 387

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Waterfall Along River Road – Photo: L. Weikel

Kindness

Never underestimate the power of kindness.

Especially right now.

There is so incredibly much static and discord in the air right now, it’s amazing that anything is getting accomplished by anyone. Of course, being a person who cares about politics and what’s going on in our country, I’m keenly aware of the fallout from the daily barrage of awfulness that seems to bubble out of the White House like the relentless onslaught of The Blob*.

But there are everyday worries and stresses that seem to hang like weights around people’s necks as we slide into home base that is the end of the year. Every year, most of us find ourselves thinking, “How did it get to be December again already?” And far too many people worry about how they’re going to make ends meet while trying to make these short, dark days a bit brighter for those around us.

Yet again, the power of kindness makes itself known.

Traffic Head

The past couple of days I’ve noticed how grim most people’s expressions are as they go about their day. This is especially obvious when you make a point to notice the people driving in cars all around us. The expressions on most people’s faces can be utterly dour. I call it ‘traffic head’ – in my head – because inevitably, they are caught up in their thoughts, crossing stuff of their mental lists, worrying about when they’ll fit in baking their cookies, or trying to decide the best place to put the Christmas tree this year so the cat doesn’t climb it.

I readily concede that I don’t ride around with a smile pasted on my face (which would be downright creepy, so I’d say that’s a plus). But I love catching someone’s eye as they’re driving toward or turning in front of me, or otherwise are close enough to be able to link up look-to-look, and breaking into a smile myself. I know; I’m odd. But if I can get them to smile back at me, I’ll admit it: my mood brightens palpably. It’s as if I’ve broken a spell.

 Beyond a Smile

And then there are the moments when we go beyond a smile and commit an active act of kindness.

Just as most people are unaware of the ‘resting bitch faces’ they’re exposing to the world, they’re also often oblivious to the opportunity to offer small kindnesses. For instance, I’ve seen people walk right in front of others in the grocery store, just cutting them off and not even saying a quick, “Excuse me!” (with a smile).

I’ve also stood in a grocery store line, packed to the max with my ‘up to 25 items’ carefully counted out (or even rounded down so I’ll ‘qualify’) and notice someone standing behind me with a bag of chips and an iced tea. I love offering to allow someone to go in front of me, especially when they least expect it.

A Personal Note

And then there’s the completely out-of-the-blue act of kindness that is so unexpected it keeps a smile on your fact throughout the day.

As you may have guessed, this is the situation I found myself in this morning and which prompted me to write this post.

Before heading off to my appointment, I was sitting with Karl having a quick cup of coffee and pulling cards for the day. While Karl was getting grounded and shuffling the cards, I checked my email on my phone. And that’s when I saw it – a note someone wrote to me about my blog.

This was a note from someone I’ve never met, who’s been reading my posts after stumbling onto my website. I was delighted and completely surprised.

Kindness

The fact that she took the time to actually sit down and compose an email to me was an exquisite gift of kindness. She could easily have just read my posts and moved on, not making a mark or a comment or any effort to reach out in any way. Or she could have “liked” my post or even made a brief observation about it wherever she saw it (on FB or Instagram, for instance).

But no, she went the extra mile and tracked down my email address and sent me an email. She told me a little bit about herself and expressed what she enjoys about my blog. And that – that kind attention to detail and appreciation for my dedication – put a smile on my face, a bounce in my step, and I am sure gave me an even brighter outlook with which I met with my client later that morning.

We May Never Know

And that’s what I mean about how we may never know how our acts of kindness may be the source of miracles for others.

I’m going to close this out by encouraging all of us to be aware of ourselves, our surroundings, and the creatures with whom we’re sharing space. Be it in a parking lot, a grocery line, or at a doctor’s office: see if you can coax a smile out of someone. Hold the door for someone. Let someone go in front of you in the grocery line. Offer a parking spot to someone who arrived at the one you want a few seconds later. (No. Wait. That may be taking it too far. I’d have to re-think that…)

Look for the beauty. Drop a note. Be the kindness. Never underestimate the power you have to break another out of their churning worries or lurking loneliness and help them see they’re not alone in the world. There are smiling faces. We are surrounded by kind-hearted people who want nothing from us but a momentary connection. A confirmation that we are seen.

*Fun fact I never realized until this moment: The Blob is set in the towns of Phoenixville and Downingtown, PA. I had no idea!

(T-724)

Pffffft – Day 386

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What 5-8″ of snow doesn’t look like – Photo: L. Weikel

Pffffft

Yes, that would be the sound associated with this major snowstorm that was hyped all weekend, the one that was supposed to disrupt transportation in the area, caused most local school districts to cancel classes, and even forced county offices to close.

It was a big zero.

Yes, I know there were a few pockets that may have seen some accumulations. But around here we received nowhere near the 5 – 8” of snow they were predicting in dire tones. And I, for one, was disappointed. I can only imagine how bummed the kids who got a day off from school felt. Surely they were looking forward to a day of sleighriding.

Sleighriding

Ever look at a word you’ve used a million times before and had it look weird to you? As if you’re seeing it for the first time?  That’s how I’m feeling about the word ‘sleighriding’ at the moment.

Am I dating myself? I guess I should be using the term ‘sledding’ if I want to be more universally understood by those who speak the English language. But that’s such a boring term compared to sleighriding, in my opinion.

It’s funny. It makes me think of the books I read as a youngster. The Bobbsey Twins. The Happy Hollisters. I’m trying to remember the precise books I enjoyed in which people actually did still ride in sleighs. Literal hitched-up-to-horses sleighs, which of course are completely different than sleds. It probably wasn’t either of the series I just mentioned.

Nevertheless, I remember seeing sleighs in my mind’s eye as I read those stories, so I know I they must have been richly described. I also remember imagining the weight of fur blankets heaped on laps and the sting of ice crystals on cheeks as the children in those books made their way with their families to visit neighbors and share news.

So I wonder why (and how) I came to describe the pastime of hurling oneself down a slippery slope on a Flexible Flyer or a metal saucer  or even a toboggan as ‘sleighriding.’

Flakes Are Falling (Now)

I just took a look outside and I see that snow is actually (finally!) falling – and apparently sticking. I wonder just how much will actually accumulate.

Having a good snowfall in the middle of the night (with temperatures expected to hover at or just above freezing and abundant sunshine predicted the next day) is as disappointing as a vast sky sporting high clouds that reflect city lights and obscure the most brilliant of stars on a night one hopes to see meteors cascading overhead.

I guess I’m yearning for some simple pleasures. It’s hard not to get caught up in the complicated circumstances confronting all of us wherever we look, especially right now. Especially with so much of what we’ve taken for granted for so long under threat.

Taking a Page From the Pups

These kind of meandering thoughts are one of the perils of committing to writing every single day for 1111 days. Since my 1111 devotion was never intended to be a denial of my true feelings, the occasional dip into melancholy (or despair – given the circumstances and my inherent optimism consequently feeling slapped upside the head) can be understood if not forgiven.

I don’t like dwelling here too long, though. So I will share with you the smile my Boston Terriers bring to my heart when I stop tapping at my keyboard long enough to glance across the room toward the snores emanating from the couch.

Man, between Zen Puss and these two, you really might get the impression our house is chill, eh? I need to take a page from my pets. That much is clear.

Spartacus & Sheila not caring whether it’s snowing – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-725)

Snowstorm Mish-Mash – Day 385

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment

 

Snowstorm Mish-Mash

What snowstorm?

I know there’s a chance we may wake up tomorrow with snow falling and the possibility of 8” or so of the white stuff actually accumulating throughout the day. But at the moment, at least, it doesn’t feel like it’ll materialize.

All day today, I felt as though I was waiting for something to happen. I’m not even sure, really, what I was waiting for or, more importantly, why. Who cares if it snows? And why should it matter one way or another?

The Damage Was Done

It didn’t matter what happened today, weather-wise, because the damage had been done. Out of a sense of prudence and caution, our kids went home early. They live too far away and directly in the path of this slow moving precipitation event to mess around with simply hoping the rain wouldn’t change to ice or snow.

It was a particularly disappointing and abrupt end to the Thanksgiving holiday because it seemed as though every day they were here entailed visits with other family and friends. The visits weren’t the problem by any means; but we ended up with no days to ourselves.

Alas, not a single game of hearts was played.

Not Even a Walk

And then there was the frustration of the non-stop rain today. We didn’t even manage to fit in a walk, which, quite obviously to anyone reading this, contributed to a build-up of crank-monsters in yours truly.

Nevertheless, I am grateful that our holiday was spared any mishaps – caused by weather or otherwise. I hope the same is true for all of you.

EoP Biodiversity Process

I forgot to remind everyone that today is (or was, technically, for many of us) the 1st of December, and thus the day to use your Essence of Perelandra to work with Nature on the EoP Biodiversity Process. That less-than-one minute process is such a simple way to join other like-minded people around the world in coordinating with Nature to make a difference. By engaging in this process, we provide a network of stabilizing strength for all living beings to draw upon as our planet undergoes major changes.

Hopefully, some of you may still have time to get the job done if you live further west. But if you didn’t remember this month, I personally think it wouldn’t hurt for you to do it right this moment, as you’re remembering it. Adding your intention to all the efforts of those who performed the process on the 1st can only be a boost to the intentions of all.

You can also set your calendar so you remember to perform the process one month from now: on the first day of January, 2020. I will also make a point to remind us as well.

Cocoon

And if we do end up having some serious snowfall tomorrow? Perhaps we can nestle into our warm cocoons (if we’re lucky enough to have them) and dream some dreams for 2020.

(T-726)