THE SISTERHOOD
I come from a family of three children, two brothers and myself. Although this has been a fantastic journey, the biggest piece missing was that close connection with another female sibling growing up. Through the years, I been very fortunate to find a few very good, very close girlfriends. We refer to each other as sisters, to be exact as The Moonsisters. The interesting thing, is they don't have a sister either, so our bond is extra special.
We have celebrated our sisterhood over time in many joyous, fun ways. Not entering into this bond lightly, we had a special ceremony, held on an evening of the full moon, many years ago to formally establish and honor our Sisterhood.
We selected a weekend get-a-away from family and husbands so we could start this off in style. The ceremony was well thought out, and fun..we had a specially designated moon drink, we played moon music, had a special menu, and designed special hats for each other. Since there were four of us, we put our names in a hat, several months in advance to pick the sister we would honor and give a special tribute to on our initiation weekend. The funny thing...we did this way before the Red Hats and YaYa Sisterhood appeared on the scene.
These women have a special place in my heart...we have shared so many things...we have been there for each other through the good times and the challenges. Here is a piece written about girlfriends that I found in my files and would like to share. It sums up for me what this all means.
GIRLFRIENDS
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Love waxes and wanes.
Hearts break.
Careers end.
Jobs come and go.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Men don't call when they say they will.
BUT girlfriends are there,
No matter how much time and
How many miles are between you.
A girlfriend is never farther away
Than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley,
And you have to walk it for yourself,
Your girlfriends will be on the valley's rim,
Cheering you on,
Praying for you,
Pulling for you,
Intervening on your behalf, and
Waiting with open arms
At the valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you. Or come in and carry you out. My daughters, mother, Moonsisters, sisters-in-law, mother-in-law, aunts, nieces, cousins, extended family, and friends bless my life! The world wouldn't be the same without them, and neither would I.
When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other. Thank you to each of you for gracing me with your light!
If you have a special Girlfriend story, please share it with us!
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Girlfriends
Friday, May 23, 2008
8 Keys to Maintain Your Balance
KEEPING BALANCED DURING THE SHIFT
These keys are based upon the sacred geometry of the star tetrahedron, each key being a point of the star. Eight truths which are eternal. Each without the other is only part of the whole, just as you are part of all that is and has ever been."
The Keys Are as Follows:
We must acknowledgement our self perfection – We are and always have been of the One both in Source and within our Journeys.
Accept the journey for which we have come – why fight the very things which we have come to learn?
Maintain Personal Integrity – That truth which is ours amongst all other things, that opportunity which we give ourselves to find the truth within us, not that which we have been conditioned by others to perceive.
Be that which you are, not that which you perceive others would see – You are created of light, of Grace, and of that there cannot be imperfection, only that which is of Spirit. You do not need to improve yourselves, only to acknowledge that which is your God self, your perfect being.
We must acknowledge our value – This is different than accepting perfection. Your value is how you fit within the world within and the exterior world in which you exist. To perceive that your value is greater than another’s, or less than someone else’s brings you to lack of everything else.
Accept Your Power – You are great and mighty. True Power comes not of ego, but the collective One of our Spirit. True Power is Gentle Power. You are of the light and in its seemingly nebulous construct is the essence from which all things are made. To fear inner power is to suggest that you are less than all other things. In Truth, power is of Grace, not of abusiveness or negative use and your Grace is born of unconditionality. True Power is that which is Love, the intentional living as co-creator from within all opportunities that are offered you.
Take Your value, Your perfection, Your power, Your Grace into your world – In the Now that always is, change only comes from practice of change. What this means is that to effect change we must embody it. You must walk your talk, not hide that which you know. Historically, that which is hidden is viewed as heresy in relation to the accepted norm. To change this, it is to create a new accepted norm with ease and Grace by virtue of your walking within the very light from which you are created.
Love yourselves and touch everyone you encounter with love – As all energy exchanges, what will You accept from others and what will you leave behind? You can see all others as mirrors of yourselves, that their pain also resides somewhere within us, that their joy is in our hearts as well. This is why random acts of kindness make such a difference. How many times have you said “There by the Grace of God go I”? It is true. It has always been so.
And of course, as we embrace these keys, we must remember to breathe. Our breath serves more than the purpose of oxygenating our body. Our breath clears and nurtures us energetically. Each breath is a cleansing and as weare cleansed, our energy system moves more easily and with greater clarity of communication within the universal consciousness, communicating what our experience is as well as what our experience may be. When we do not breathe because we are tense, our energies compact, becoming more and more sluggish. As a result, our manifestation becomes sluggish or even stalled.
Source: Spirit Light Resources Author: Dr. Meg Blackburn Losey
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Two Wolves
An Old Cherokee is Teaching his Grandson about Life....
"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride,superiority, and ego."
He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity,truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Source: The Spiritual Network
And here is the rest of it.
Awaken Your Divine Power
Don't Miss this Very Powerful Opportunity!
If you know someone in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or the surrounding areas who would be interested in participating in this special occasion, do them a favor and let them know about this Free Seminar.
This seminar will take place the day before an unusually powerful full moon. This is important because Philadelphia is playing a critical role this year in helping the United States of America reclaim her Divine Destiny.
Please join with us, and add to the Light of the world as you awaken your Divine Potential.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Food for Thought
Daily we are surrounded by opportunities
for growth, seeds for change, and lightbulb
moments. What we do with each of these,
is simply put, a matter of choice. The choice
can span a wide range of responses. Some
may be familiar to you:
- "I don't see, hear or feel a thing!" [Other wise known as Complete Denial]
- "Oh, that's nice!" [Hmm, maybe you need this, but I'm just FINE!]
- "I'll get back to this someday" [Ding! Ding! Ding! Alarm bells sound, but not ready yet]
- "I need to do Something!" [ Dive into exploration...read...attend classes...join groups..etc]
- "I'm ready and I surrender" [You begin to empty out, so you can fill up]
So here is a QUOTE that provides some food for thought:
“We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.”
—Carlos Castaneda (1925-1998), author, philosopher
Any thoughts on this?
And here is the rest of it.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Views of April
Garden Journal: April 24, 2008
As I sit here this morning having a cup of coffee, I decided to download some of the garden photos I took yesterday. These are pictures from sections in the Elemental Garden. (Photo to the Right: Wild Violets)
These violets make my soul smile...they are pure love and beauty. Last year as I was clearing the space for the garden, there were a few of these beauties.
It was decided to make room for them, invite them in to spread, and see what would happen the following season. I can not even begin to tell you how gorgeous they look and how abundant they are. So in this garden, as well as many of the other beds on the property, they are one of the first flowering arrivals to spread their seeds of happiness.
The Elemental Garden
She is awakening for the first time. Last summer she was created with much love and focus, as I worked together with the Deva of the Garden to create a retreat for the Elementals who have worked so hard to keep our skies overhead clear and our land flourishing with abundance. If you are interested in the full story about the origins of this amazing space, read Elemental Garden Retreat Project.
I have been amazed at the ease of preparation as I cleared her beds from the long winter's nap. Also, I am so excited and anxiously awaiting each new development as I see who pops up each day.
So why not grab a hot cup of whatever your choice is and join me as I share just a few of the photos from the Elemental Garden.
PHOTO: Meditation Bench
It was becoming a hassel to constantly run back and forth from the garden for all the tools I needed while working, so I dedicated this back section to house the tools.
Using an old section of fencing that my husband found on the side of the road, we cut it up to form a small enclosure. Hooks were put inside to hang the tools. There is space to stack some empty plastic pots inside on the ground. The wire fencing that surrounds the garden also provides storage for the assorted piles of stakes and bamboo poles that can be weaved into place there. A piece of plastic tarp covers the top but it is rather flimsy. This year we are upgrading to a roof, my husband the great trash finder, has a discarded plastic roof from an old golf cart that he will attach to the top.
This unit is off to the side of the Tool Shed. We got this old beat upcovered the top. It was my first attempt at a tile project and I
am proud of the results. It is used to store the smaller stuff...seed
packets, scissors, ties, lables, pens...It blends in nicely with the
surroundings.
Center Garden: Section 1
This photo is the first bed outside the center circle. I put together a trellis system out of bamboo. This will support morning glories. Last year I did this and it was strikenly beautiful. The problem was the bamboo trellis design was not strong enough to support the weight of the flowers and at times any strong wind that blew through. This year I slighlty altered the design and provided additional support with more stakes...I think I have a winner.
Well my coffee has long been done and I need to move along with the work of the day. Thanks for joining me. Hope you will stop by again soon to see what's new.
Let me leave you with this Seeds for Change Thought to ponder:
Now go ahead and make it an amazing day!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Let the Weeding Begin!
Garden Journal: April 23, 2008
A Weeding Meditation 
Here is one view of the outside of the Elemental Garden in need of weeding. Off in the back right corner is a shed we constructed last year out of a piece of old fencing. This is where I keep my tools stored so it isn't necessary to run back and forth out of the garden. A piece of plastic tarp that was laying around was used for the top. Worked ok for last year, but this year we are headed for an upgrade. My husband has a piece of used roof from a golf cart that we will place over top. The advantage...we won't be sticking our head into the tarp with each entry into the shed.
Inside in the foreground is a wooden bench and anchored beside it on each side is a wooden trellis. Last year a clematis was planted at the base of each late in the season. So they have come back this year and are looking strong and healthy. Laying across the top are just bamboo poles sitting on the top of each trellis. The plan is to have the clematis grow strong and hardy up and across the trellis providing a natural bit of shade to sit under on the bench, as well as something beautiful to look at.
To the left and right of the bench I planted quite a few perennials last year that hopefully will make a strong return this spring. The paths were a challenge to keep weeded. Don't be fooled by those beautiful magazine photos! I have tried, unsuccessfully to discover the Lazy Gardener's Way to Weeding, and frankly, I don't think it exists. There are techniques that can be done to help make the task less labor intensive, but it will never be weed free by wishing.
So after many different ideas and approaches last year, I decided to work smart and settled on laying thick layers of newspaper and cardboard boxes down on the paths. This was then covered with pine bark nuggets. It blew my initial budget out of the water, with the purchase of the mulch, 'cause I was determined to do it for pennies, but like I said, I decided to play it smart which meant not being penny wise and dollar foolish. It overwintered well, and requires little in the way of maintenance at this point. This year the plan is to pull back some of the bark, add more cardboard and newspaper, then reapply the mulch.
One trick I learned was to have a big barrel of water beside me and soak the paper and cardboard before laying it down. This kept it in place and made it easier to work with. Also this approach has the benefit of recycling material as well as creating more of a barrier between the weeds and mulch. Weeds do make their way through, but hand picking regularly when the weeds are small and few in number keeps it manageable.
So the last few days I have been spending my time doing what I call Weeding Meditation. First I connect with the Deva of the Elemental Garden so we can work together and have asked to be guided and inspired as I do the clearing. This activity is helping me to empty my mind of all the clutter and baggage I am carrying around and get in tune with the energy of the land. This will help to set the foundation of what to plant and where to plant it once the weeds are clear.
I have already filled in the compost area rather fully and am asking for guidance and suggestions on how to get this compost down to a manageable useable state in just a few weeks.
( To the Left) This compost pile that runs the length of the outside of the garden fence, contains all the weeds, leaves and sticks from the various beds and gardens around the property. My husband, when I wasn't paying attention, put all this years compost on top of last years, now I need to go back and reassemble the compost piles...like I said, really no easy way... Guess I'll be doing Weeding Meditation alot longer than I originally had anticipated!
( To the Left) Here is one of the overflow compost piles that needs to be cut up into smaller pieces . This contains mostly cut off branches from shrubs and of course our Christmas Tree.
. And here is the rest of it.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Garden Season Officially Opened
Photo of the Elemental Garden, Summer 2007
After much anticipation...waiting, and waiting for the weather to change and my blood to warm up...Spring Has Arrived in PA and I am now working almost full time outside. I started a few days ago, but my body went into major retaliation. After basically laying dormant the past few months, each muscle loudly protested the spring baptism into manual labor. But now, with 3 days under my belt, things are under better control.
