Hawk

Last night in my dream I was a Red-tailed hawk...but my tail feathers were broken and I couldn't fly; although I kept trying.

"Hawk...Messenger of the sky, Circle my dreams and teach me the message as we fly."

Once again, I turn to Great Spirit's infinite wisdom interpreted through Jamie Sams and David Carson's book 'Medicine Cards'.

Hawk is akin to Mercury, the messenger of the gods. hawk medicine teaches you to be observant, to look at your surroundings. Observe the obvious in everything that you do. Life is sending you signals.

Life is the intuition. A clue about the magic of life is being brought to you. This magic can imbue you with the power to overcome a currently stressful or difficult situation.

Let me just repeat that last line::::::::::::THE CLUES ABOUT THE MAGIC OF LIFE,,,,THAT ARE ALL AROUND YOU RIGHT NOW, CAN IMBUE YOU WITH THE POWER TO OVERCOME YOUR CURRENTLY STRESSFUL AND DIFFICULT SITUATION!!

The test is your ability to observe the nuances of power lurking nearby. Is power the talkent you have an dare not using?? Are solutions always hard to find because you have lost the broader vision of Hawk> Or is the Great Spirit displaying a gift that you need only to receive? Have the colors of the morning inspired you to create> Or has the gloominess of a present situation left you earthbound, unable to hear the voice within the raindrops splashing on your window?

Pay Attention! You are only as powerful as your capacity to perceive, receive, and use your abilities.

What is called for here is an intuitive ability to discern the message carried within the cry of Hawk. The shrillness of Hawk's call pierces the state of unawareness, and asks you to seek the truth.

The Ancients recognized this magnificent bird of prey as a messenger brining tidings to their Earth Walk, the Good Red Road, from the world of the grandfathers and grandmothers who lived before them. If Hawk were to magically cry, it was a sign to beware or be aware. This could mark the coming of a warring tribe, the birth of a child, or the celebration of counting coup. Hawk's cry signaled the need for the beholder to heighten awareness and receive a message.

Hawk medicine is a totem that is filled with responsibility, because Hawk people see the overall view. Hawk is not like Mouse, who sees everything through a magnifying glass. Hawk medicine people are aware of omens, messages from the spirit. No detail slips past them unnoticed.

If Hawk has paid you a visit, you are to be aware of signals in your life___ so notice and receive them. Hawk may be teaching you to grab an opportunity which is coming your way. On the other hand, Hawk may be bringing you the message that you should circle over you life, and examine it from a higher perspective. From this vantage point you may be able to discern the hazards which bar you from freedom of flight. Remember: Hawk has a keen eye and a bold heart, for Hawk flies close to the light of Grandfather Sun.

"Your greatness is measured by your gifts, not by what you have."

Good Morning!!
Namaskar

Practice began this morning at 5:25am.
I started off with 3 half sun salutations (surya namaskara) followed by 3 full sun salutation - each 4 breaths using warrior breath technique (ujjayi pranayama).

(It's been 5 weeks since little Ava was born, taking it slow).

Next, I practiced headstand (Salamba Sirsasana) for 36 breaths.

"Regular and precise practice of Sirsasana develops the body, disciplines the mind and widens the horizons of the spirit. One becomes balanced and self-reliant in pain and pleasure, loss and gain, shame and fame and defeat and victory." B.K.S. Iyengar

To follow came shoulder stand (Salamba Sarvangasana) for 25 breaths,

25 breaths in plow pose (Halasana),

5 breaths in Lotus- shoulder-stand (Urdhva Padmasana in Sarvangasana),

5 breaths in embryo (Pindasana Sarvangasana),

5 breaths in Fish pose (Matsyasana),

extended legs out in front for only one count

(abs are incredibly weak after baby delivery )

Corpse pose (Savasana) 5 minutes

Alternate-Nostril breathing (Nadi Sodana)

- 8 rounds/three times with one minute resting in between rounds.

The practice finished with sitting in meditation

(Siddhasana) - (intended 20 minutes: actual 5 - interruptions do happen - THE IMPOTANT PART IS TO SET AN INTENTION...AND LET THE DIVINE GUIDE YOU TO FOLLOW THAT HIGHEST INTENTION KNOWING THAT WE ALWAYS GET WHAT THE SOUL NEEDS AND NOT WHAT THE EGO WANTS!! :D)

'As a grain of salt thrown into water unites and becomes one with it, a like union between the Mind and the Atman is Samadhi.'
(Iyengar's definition of Samadhi = A state in which the aspirant is one with the object of his meditation, the Supreme Spirit pervading the universe, where there is a feeling of unutterable joy and peace.)
Atman means the Self and the supreme Soul.

Blessings with your day!!
May the GREAT GURU guide you!
Om

The New Little Mother

She arrived at the Birthday place in Paradise, Ca and was checked in by about 3:00am. By the time the nurse 'checked' her, she was dilated 5cm (about 3:30am).

By that time, the contractions were coming on hard, strong, and fast. She labored on her knees, throwing up between contractions. She couldn't speak, the pain was too much. All she could manage was to moan and cry.

She couldn't seem to get a handle on the pain.

The mind and body must forget how excruciatingly painful the birthing process is as a survival mechanism, or women would never go through with a second pregnancy.

The midwife said, "make your sounds low". And that was the trigger she needed to allow herself to 'go primal'.

Her body was failing her. She had to use the mind to escape the pain. Using the breath to control the contractions shooting out her back and down the legs was as pointless as trying to fend off a bear attack with a toothpick.

She was unaware of time and space and that just over an hour had already passed. In her mind, she was miles away, in a field all alone; just her and the sound of her own wailing. She could feel the grass under her feet as she squatted low to the earth. She felt the cool breeze touch her cheek, and whisper through her hair.

A sound came in on the wind meant for her. She made it her own, and started chanting OOOOOM as long and low as she could, until the sound morphed into the noise of another laboring howl. And then, deep from within, as if being unlocked from some primordial ancient vault, held within the dark reaches of the mind and universal soul, for just such a desperate time, - came the sound of the bija mantra La La LAAAAM. La La LAAAAAM.

Strong, low and steady from her cracked, parched lips, came the seed sound syllable for opening and cleansing the root chakra. Back and forth the sounds poured...."La La LAAAAM"...and... "OOOOOM". "La La LAAAAAM"...and..."OOOOOOM".

It was working. The vibration of the magical seed sound was helping the body to blossom open and expand.
Within 5 minutes there was a warm, gushing over her feet - the 'water' broke. The time was finally here.
Her body was open; ready to bring forth life.

"Here she comes" she barely managed before the most fearsome, agonizing, wailing bellowed forth and echoed throughout the premises.

You would have thought the sound came from 20 burley vikings lined up on the battlefield ready to charge.

Long and loud came her yell and then,.....her final reward. Sweetly and smoothly, a wee tiney, blue babe slid onto the bed. Perfect in every way, and wailing.

The proud new mother looked on for only a moment before swooping her into her arms, turning her body around and laying the child onto her bare breasts to admire her prize.
Success. A beautiful sight.

All the pain, all the joy, all the love, all the tears, the agony, the wonder, the miricle of life - here it is. As nature intended, and as women have been doing it for thousands of years, the cycle of life goes on!! What a beautiful journey into the world for this little one.

AVA RILEY GAGE SCHROEDER

BORN at 4:54am - Feb. 6, 2011 7lbs 3oz.

Om to the divine Feminine!! And Om to the papas and daddy's too, for standing by and making it all possible.

Ladybug - Messenger of Self-Healing

I spent two days waiting for you to come home. You didn't.
I walked out my inpatience.
I stretched out my inflexibilities - mentally with deep breaths by the creek, and physically with some meditative asanas;
Determined not to get upset at your lack of attention, as I cooed and chanted to our growing baby still in my belly
- connecting our center chakras -
ready to be born any moment.
I couldn't help but feel myself start getting mad at you,
at your youthful immaturity,
at your negligence to my needs to be held by you,
watched and adored,
loved and coddled.

I moved through the day, finally watching the sun tip barely over the edge of the canyon ledge, and the shadow start to move down the sheer, looming wall; at least she was dependable and consistant - standing there day after day, strong, solid, powerful.

As I went to take the clothes off of the clothesline, I noticed several lady bugs covering just your t-shirts and nobody elses clothes, blowing in the wind on the line - clinging to the white, cotton, fabric.

I paused and smiled....
"how could I have been so selfish",
I thought.
"Did you have a good HEALING day or two?"

Lady bug reminded me that this is also your time to heal yourself, as I should be healing myself and working on my own desires, cravings, and short comings.

We heal ourselves. Then we can come together and be whole!!
Bless you for doing the work.

Thank you messenger Lady bug for reminding me to be patient with the process.
Deep Healing takes time.!
OM.

Baby Blessing!!
I didn't get any photos of the actual ceremony!! Some things are too sacred to capture in photographs, I guess. It just didn't feel right to me at the time.

Here's Ginger earlier that day smudging all the things we collected from nature to use in our dream catcher that we all built together - weaving our dreams and blessings for the baby, together into it later that night at the blessing ceremony.

The fire pit was to the left of Ginger (first photo) and down the hill a ways. Turned out to be a perfect night for a fire circle!!

Thanks everyone for coming and sharing with me your words and stories of encouragement!! I can't wait to meet my little babe. I am so happy to have all of you in my life!! I look forward to sharing our lives - you are wonderful people, and I am so thankful to have you all in my life!
Many Blessings!!
OM
Shanti

Moving into a Heart-Consciousness (Part 1)

We are just beginning to understand the importance of paying attention to the inner Self as well as the outward self. One is merely a reflection of the other. Being able to listen to the inner voice, is something that we are born with; but unfortunately as we grow, if this ability is not nurtured and practiced, hearing the whisper of that inner voice fades, and after awhile, we forget altogether that it’s even there.

Being quiet enough to hear it again is the key to really being able to care for the body, mind, and spirit. We so often need to slow down, be quiet, and sit still with ourselves; but with the pressures of living in modern society, the stresses we have adopted as routine occurrences are only shockingly astounding when we allow ourselves to step away from the daily demands of life and are able to look objectively at where we are, and how we are living.

Once we recognize the need for change, then we can act.

We are not our bodies, our emotions, our thought patterns, our addictions and cravings. We are not our flesh and blood. We are not our problems. We are spirits cloaked in humanity!! The longer we spend time forgetting this, the farther down the slippery slope of imbalance we can slide. It doesn’t matter how far you or I have slid. What matters is coming back; being able to rebalance the body, the mind, the emotions, and come back to knowing the true Self. When we realize who we are, and can hear the Self speaking to us, we see the connectedness of all things, all beings, and all energy, and we will always know how to BE. Balance returns easily. It won’t require any thought. We will act in accord with nature and be at peace with ourselves and with all beings!! We will be enlightened beings and will not harm ourselves, others, or the planet.

We need to start somewhere. The hardest but the most effective is the self. For ultimately each of us has to take responsibility for the condition of our world today. Once we accept responsibility for everything that we see outside of us, we can begin making inward changes that really will make a difference. The solution is individual. When we calm the body and still the mind, we will begin to understand the need to allow a change to happen, first within, and then it will naturally manifest without.

There is no separation between the inner life and the outer life. But to really be able to understand and believe this, we must move our focus from a mind-consciousness to a heart-consciousness. We move from a mind-consciousness to a heart-consciousness by quieting the self and listening to what the heart is telling us. We act according to the heart not the mind.

We cannot redeem our physical environment without restoring our relationship to the sacred.

I put the question out there "If our thoughts become our reality, then where do we go from here?" And I think this is a pretty good answer.

Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee writes in the Huffington Post, and has his own online blogs about
Green Spirituality, Nature, and Spiritual Ecology and Environmentalism. I recently found this article of his about our planetary crisis and our own inner spirit crises particularly relevant and articulate.

I just got turned on to him by a friend.

He Writes:Spiritual Ecology is an exploration of the spiritual dimension of our present ecological crisis. At the core of Spiritual Ecology is an understanding that our present outer ecological crisis is a reflection of an inner spiritual crisis. Recently many people have been made aware that we are at the "eleventh hour," or even a few minutes before midnight, of a global ecological situation that could result in catastrophic climate change or other irreversible global situations. However we are less aware of the inner spiritual crisis that underlies this outer crisis -- that a lack of awareness of the sacred within ourselves and within all of life has created an inner wasteland as real as any outer landscape. The interconnection between the outer and inner is foundational to life, both our individual life and the life of all of creation, as has been understood by indigenous peoples since the very beginning; therefore we cannot address our outer ecological crisis without a real consciousness of the inner situation. We cannot redeem our physical environment without restoring our relationship to the sacred.

Our collective pursuit of materialism and our disregard for the sacred within all of life has had a devastating effect. We have dismissed our ancient role as guardians of the planet. As a result, the sacred fire that we were supposed to keep burning, the light of the sacred that nourishes all of creation, is slowly going out. We can see this in a culture that is increasingly soulless and fractured. We may feel it in an underlying collective anxiety that can easily become anger, projected onto outer situations. We may sense it within our own soul as if something is becoming lost. And we are responsible. We vitally need to become conscious of what is happening to this sacred light. We need to recognize this growing darkness which is a forgetfulness of the sacred within our own souls and within all of creation. Only when we are aware of what is happening can we begin to change our world.

Those of us who have been given a knowing of the sacred within ourselves and within the world have a responsibility at this time. We may ask ourselves, "What can I do?" but the inner world primarily requires consciousness rather than action. It is the lack of an awareness of the sacred that is at the root of this crisis. Therefore we first need to bring the light of our spiritual awareness into the present predicament. We need to recognize what is really happening within the inner world as much as the outer, within our own soul and within the soul of the world. Only then can we begin to redeem the sacred and open the door to any real change or transformation. Only then can we begin to heal the world and bring it back into balance.

Send me your comments!!
OM Shanti and Many Many Blessings.

The Strength of Bear

My boyfriend told me the other day - (finding himself in a particularly difficult time of his life), that "when we see a bear, ...Everything will be okay".
I forgot about what he said, until I saw a bear yesterday. It is not often that I see a bear, and that was the first bear I've seen since I've been up here in the Chico Canyon!!
The Native Americans see 'Bear' as a symbol of Introspection.
Here's what Jamie Sams and David Carson say in the 'Medicine Cards' book for animal energies,

"In the winter, when the Ice Queen reigns and the face of death is upon the Earth, Bear enters the womb-cave to hibernate, to digest the year's experience."

Sounds good to me. It sounds like this is perfect timing for all of us to take Bear's message to heart, and enter the 'cave'. Many tribes have referred to this space of inner-knowing as the 'Dream Lodge' - where the veils of illusion of physical reality can drop away. In India, this Dream Lodge space (what we know to be located in the center of the four lobes of the brain - literally the Pineal Gland) is called the Cave of Brahma. It is said that here, our ancestors sit in Council and advise us regarding alternative pathways that lead to our goals.

"For eons, all seekers of the Dreamtime and of visions have walked the path of silence, calming the internal chatter, reaching the place of rites of passage... "

We've all been invited to enter the silence and become acquainted with the Dream Lodge, so that our goals may become concrete realities. This is the message that Bear brings!!

Love and Affection

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

She said she learned to 'Mop Dance' Today

How'd I ever get so lucky.??!!

Finding Beauty in all things, we reflect the divine within and outside of us!!



I think we are born knowing all the answers!! The secret's of longevity, the key to happiness - plain and unadulterated; we carry this knowledge with us at the time of our arrival here.

I'm certain the trick is - - not accumulating baggage along the way, and not forgetting the secrets to the great mysteries of the universe.

This little angel still knows!! What a blessing to have children. She reminds me every day how to trust in the divine order of things, and how to make lemonade out of life's lemons!! She mopped the floors for me and Dulcy, and learned how to dance with the mop. She's beautiful!!

Birthday Blessings

Repairing the Spiders Web

Right in the Midst of Fall. I am so thankful for the abundance she brings us!! I love the reminder of the 'slowing down' that the cooler weather and shorter days bring.

I've been reading Return of the Rishi by Deepak Chopra (one of his earlier books). He talks about returning to innocence as the key to re-connecting and repairing the broken world. Traits of trust, simple belief, and devotion are lost from us either in childhood, or somewhere along the way, and recapturing these is difficult and often seems impossible.
He refers to the process as being as delicate as repairing a torn spiderweb. Deepak quotes Emerson from his essay Nature:

"The reason why the world lacks unity, and lies broken and in heaps, is because man is disunited within himself".

How do we learn to trust again??
How do we learn to forgive??
Look within. That's where all the answers lie!! And how do we look within? By being still - by being quiet with the self. Stilling the mind, enough to hear Great Spirit - the Self - God, speaking to us!! Start with the breath.

• Listen to your inhales and get in touch with the quality of your exhales throughout the day.
  
• As you work, as you play, and as you create, pay attention more and more to your breathing. Notice how it changes.
  
  You can only stay TRULY, 100% focused on the breath when the mind is not thinking. The Yogis call it no Thought Breath.

Looking within is a beginning to repairing the delicate spider web of individual and collective innocence in each of us. I'm curious to know what other people think about this idea of restoring trust, and finding innocence once again.
Send me your thoughts, personal experiences, and comments on this topic or anything else.

For me:
Restoring my innocence took a gradual acceptance of myself simply as I am, and learning to be okay with that. Being able to see the child in everyone, helped me regain trust. How does the saying go?.. "Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves"...??

Sacred Medicine Bird

I prayed and asked Great Spirit for guidance.


Owl came to me and told me to use my powers of keen, silent observation to intuit my life situation. Owl brought me messages in the night over the past two weeks through my dreams and meditations; telling me to pay attention to the signals and omens.

- For the truth, no matter how hard it is sometimes to accept, brings further enlightenment, I am told.
Tonight owl befriended me in a very personal way, and helped me in seeing the total truth.


I got to be part of a team of researchers studying the saw-whet owls (we think) just passing through this area. This is the first year, that they have been able to put radio transmitters on the owls and track them to try to find out if these particular owls are sticking around for the winter, or are heading farther south. Hopefully their diligent studies will shed some light on the topic about these darling little beauties. They seemed so magical, calm, and very intelligent, as I got to watch the research team carefully bag the birds from the nets, collect all the data necessary, and then release the birds again; which I felt so privileged to participate in.
Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, had a companion Owl on her shoulder which revealed unseen truths to her. Owl had the ability to light up Athena's blind side, enabling her to speak the whole truth, as opposed to only a half truth.
"Owl is called Night Eagle on several medicine wheels used by Amerindian teachers. Traditionally, Owl sits in the East, the place of illumination."

"Owl hunts its prey at night. Not only can Owl see in the dark, it can also accurately pinpoint and identify any sound. This gives it a great advantage when seeking food. Owls are the night hunters. Some Native people are fearful of Owl and call its feathers "deceiver feathers." An Owl feather is silent. You cannot hear owl when it flies, but its prey definitely knows when it strikes, for its beak and talons are razor sharp." (Medicine Cards - Jamie Sams & David Carson)

I found looking into owls ears, when the feathers were pulled back, was the most amazing thing about these particular birds. The eyes and ears are asymmetrical (the owl expert told us) so they can pick up depth perception and pick up on slight movements from far away. The ears looked like large gills on the sides of the head, under the feathers, and you could see the back of the eye ball. Really cool looking!!

"Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.'" (Goethe)

(I like this Story from From A Third Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul, by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen:)

The Secrets of Heaven and Hell

The old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep meditation he sat.

Suddenly his zazen was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice of a samurai warrior. "Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!"

At first, as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible response from the monk. But gradually he began to open his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth as the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and more agitated with each passing second.

"You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell?" replied the monk at last. "You who are so unkempt. You whose hands and feet are covered with dirt. You whose hair is uncombed, whose breath is foul, whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are ugly and whose mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?"

The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it high over his head. His face turned to crimson, and the veins of his neck stood out in bold relief as he prepared to sever the monk's head from its shoulders.

"That is hell," said the old monk gently, just as the sword began its descent.

In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome with amazement, awe, compassion and love for this gentle being who had dared to risk his very life to give him such a teaching. He stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful tears.

"And that," said the monk, "is heaven."