Each week I receive an astrological report from Deborah. She’s not only a talented astrologer – but has a poetic gift for words that leaves a reader feeling as if they’ve just partaken of their favorite food, .

At the same time that I received her latest offering, the above prose by Diane Ackeman accompanied it. I was dwelling on this past year as most of us do at the beginning of a new year. My thoughts were both sad – tender – thankful – and most of all amazed at the tenacity of my fellow human beings. What awesome creatures we are!

On a nationwide level this country has been to Hell and back. It’s been devastated by Mother Nature at her worst. The Western shores have been turned into garbage dumps as debris from Japan’s own tragic storms continue to sweep ashore. It’s too hard to think of the amount of damage that has taken place for the sea-life in the path of all this destruction.

The eastern shores and its people are still reeling from Mother Nature’s wrath. Even as these people attempt to pick up the pieces of their lives she is hampering their efforts with more storms
Who knows what kind of future is in store for this Continent not to mention it’s inhabitants safety and well-being?

And last but far from been the least is Newtown’s appalling tragedy.Will we ever recover from the heart-wrenching events that took the lives of those innocent children in Connecticut? Of course not. We’ll continue to feel just as guilty as Judas must have felt for betraying Christ. Hopefully we won’t hang ourselves in our attempt to purge our guilt. That’s not what Christ’s sacrifice was all about. It was all about Forgiveness and Unconditional Love.

In spite of all these seemingly tragic events that 2012 has brought forth – have you noticed the tremendous amount of love and support for the ‘victims’ that has arisen? It’s snowballed in far greater measure than the events themselves.

On the beaches of Oregon there is an automatic annual event whereby masses of people gather along the sands to clean-up garbage left behind by careless visitors. Since this catastrophe from Japan has visited these shores,the clean-up efforts have doubled. Even more importantly folks have become more conscious of the wild-life and sea dwellers that have been affected and are attempting to do something about this sad situation.

From news accounts that I’ve been privy to see from the TV coverage, the same extraordinary kindness and immense caring is happening for the Sandy victims.

And – what about the aftermath of Newtown’s loss? Once again I will state my own philosophy that there are no such thing as ‘accidents.’

I would like to share with you a fact that I’ve gleaned from having spent twenty odd years ‘seeing’ the past lives of Human Beings. Until a few years past I made it a point of not looking at the former lives of children. My feeling was that these small Souls were still too close to their Maker to need to know what ‘lessons’ they were here to learn. But, there came a period of a few months whereby mothers came to me asking if I would ‘give a reading’ for their child. Finally I realized that I was being prompted to follow these requests.

During a span of about eighteen months a handful of children were brought to me. There ages ranged from twelve to fifteen. The first “past-life” of one of these children threw me back on my heels and the overwhelming sensation of being in contact with the most Loving Presence left me with overwhelming emotions that cannot be described. After this first child I found that the children that came after were all the same kind of Souls. They are special people with a very special purpose here on earth. These children had not returned to complete karmic lessons. They are far more evolved than we piddling humans are with our piddling problems.

These children have VOLUNTEERED to come here to help clean up this mess we’ve created on this planet. Their strength of Spirit is unspeakable. Recently the name Indigo Children has been banded around amidst the New Age culture. It doesn’t matter what ‘handle’ one places on such children. The human language doesn’t have words to describe them.I feel very humbly grateful for having been given a peek into the Souls of these children and it has given me renewed hope for the future of Humanity, because of their presence here.

Although my beliefs are no consolation to the families of those small Souls of the Connecticut massacre,I’m convinced that those children came here to play this ‘Role’ of their lifetime in order to help awaken Humanity to the meaning of Self Sacrifice instead of Self Serving. How nice it would be if our government could realize this Truth!

We’ve come through the supposed Mayan predictions as to the end of the world. Have we being given another chance to redeem ourselves? Can we make this coming year a joining of Body Mind and Spirit with our fellow man/woman instead of Me – Me- Me?

Have a Blessed New Year

Like millions of my generation, I was a child born during World War Two, who doesn’t remember a time in our history that we weren’t fighting a war somewhere in this world. My most vivid memory is that of the sound of air raid sirens.

Since the beginning of known ‘time’ it seems that the end of the world has been predicted. Noah was warned to build an Ark –Egypt’s doom was foretold – prophets such as Nostradamus have predicted the end times – the Romans did the same – and more recently in the 1920′s Jehovah Witnesses pronounced the second coming of Christ. Now everyone is jumping on the band-wagon of the Mayan predictions; not to forget that they have been misinterpreted in many peoples’ minds.
So… are we at the end of the world as we know it?

My thoughts on the subject are varied. We Humans (once again) are being very egotistical. Do we really believe that we think we can destroy this planet that has been around far longer than we have? We can (and have) attempted to destroy it – Mother Earth is rocking on her axis and suffering ‘war wounds.’ But she’s working overtime to heal herself, in spite of our efforts to the contrary. I like to use the analogy of Spring Cleaning. Our planet is in the midst of major cleaning projects. And as always when we thoroughly clean our house we create dust and chaotic conditions . We dump garbage in boxes to haul away to the dump-sites.

“Change” is the magic word. Massive changes are happening on this planet and Mankind will either stand tall and clean up the mess that we’ve made of Life – or we will be destroyed and forced to leave.
The changes are already taking place and have been for many years, gradually worsening as we ‘progress.’ Witness all the recent devastation created by Mother Nature over which we have no control. We have been knocked on our back-sides by the horrendous tragedies of young lost souls via mass murders Even worse is the terrible psychological break down that must have taken place in the minds of the young murderers who perpetrated these tragic ‘deaths’ Change. No doubt about it. Change is happening at greater and greater speeds.

Roughly about twenty-odd years past, I was watching a video about the creation of A Course In Miracles. This channeled book was being presented to Westminster Cathedral (Catholic,not to be mistaken with Westminster Abbey which is Protestant) ) -The woman accepting the book that was destined to be placed in the library of the Cathedral made a comment. After disclosing the fact that this was the only book of its kind, besides the Bible, to ever be placed in Westminster Cathedral she said, “You know, a Celestial Speedup is happening.” How right she was!

During another episode that took place during the nineteen eighty’s I had a the pleasure of receiving correspondence from Shirley MacLaine. This Old Soul remarked that “We are living in exciting times” At that time this declaration left me puzzled as I couldn’t see anything “exciting” about the era I was living in. Ah! Now I know different. Look up the meaning of the word “exciting” – . emotional – agitated – stirring – feelings of passion as in the news. Ah yes!

Armageddon? Who knows? As a very wise native American friend of mine often says. “We be here now”
Live today with the thought in mind that this will be your last day on earth – and see how your mind-set is changed.

I’ve often wondered with a sense of curiosity as to why the ‘famous’ have chosen to be in the limelight and publicly air all their failings and strengths? And, how does it relate to their personal karmic ‘path’?

Last night PBS featured the life story of Johnny Carson and although I rarely watched his “Tonight” show, (too late a time slot for my concentration)-on the few occasions that I did, I greatly admired his talents. The story of his life was excellently presented and showed a man who was as complex as a jig-saw puzzle that doesn’t have a picture to guide you in order to connect all the pieces.
Most people know that he married four times – but the story also showed his convoluted relationship with his mother. He obviously worshiped this woman yet apparently she did little to build his self-esteem. On the contrary, it seems as if she went out of her way to trample his self- confidence.

Of course, the ‘Mother’ plays an integral part in our karmic ‘drama’ and usually has reincarnated with us time and time again during our sojourns on this planet. She doesn’t always take on the role of a parent and it’s not uncommon for participants in the ‘play’ to swap roles in order to experience all aspects of the human condition. Example: The Devil in the opera “Faust” swapping roles and being in the position of the lost soul (Faust) the next time around! An extreme example but it happens!

So, what was this famous person known as Johnny Carson having to learn? Had he been in the position of the ‘critical mother’ in a former life to possibly her former experience as a famous personality?

Of course, there had to be something he was working out with his numerous failed marriages. Like I always say, if we don’t get it right the first time – we repeat the lesson until we do. Were his failed relationships self punishment for past ‘sins’? Maybe seeking the nurturing in other females that he didn’t receive from his mother? Psychiatrists could have a field day with all the complexities of his brain! But – the answer is probably much more simple from the view of Cosmic Law.

Why do famous personalities sometimes lead such tragic lives, in spite of all their wealth and public adoration? From the 1930′s entity known as Jean Harlow or the gifted but tragic life of John Barrymore – Judy Garland – James Dean – - – all the way to Whitney Huston – - what are their lives and deaths all about? And, let’s not forget those ‘famous’ entities such as George Clooney – Gandhi – Sean Penn – Martin Luther King – - all those famous people who have incarnated and given so much in humanitarian ways.

Is their fame a karmic lesson on a grand scale so that the ‘little man’ can learn and grow from their experience? Or, is their karmic debt so huge that in order to resolve it they need the world stage to be able to give the performance of their life?

For the past three weeks I have been forced to stop my usually hectic life -style and “take time to smell the roses”
After returning home from a relaxing, sunshine filled fourteen days of cruising South American ports, a nasty car accident (I don’t believe in accidents) left me frustratingly and painfully somewhat ‘handicapped’.
Being a writer, my right hand and fingers are indispensable to me. This so-called accident caused broken fingers to the right hand that still leaves me typing with one finger.
My right knee and left foot suffered sprains and contusions that forced me to SIT in my recliner for hours with feet elevated. Uggh! I couldn’t do any knitting either which is my usual occupation while watching the Boob Tube.Just had to sit like a bog on a log.
The most debilitating damage was caused by the air bag deploying with too much force into my chest, resulting in the sternum being so bruised that it was excruciating to take a deep breath.
Now, interestingly, the driver of the vehicle I was in wasn’t scratched, although his side of the car took the brunt of the collision.The car that rammed into us was driven by a teenager who walked away unscathed, thank goodness as she has her whole life ahead of her. Hopefully, she’ll be a better driver for having had this drastic experience. Only yours truly spent an aggravating and sleepless night in a hospital.

So by this time, dear reader you may be thinking – “Boy! Is she feeling sorry for herself!” Well not really. Angry? Yes. Frustrated? Most definitely.Wondering why I brought this experience into my life? You bet!
This forced experience of having to do nothing but sit and contemplate inevitably made me think of this machine we call our human body. I have always proclaimed that the phrase, Body. Mind and Spirit is backwards. It should be Spirit Mind and Body as the spirit is who we really are and we happen to be lugging this body around while we are having this human incarnation. Wrong!
While we humans inhabit this earth plane, our body is the temple – synagogue – whatever you choose to call a place of worship – it’s the necessary shelter for our spirit. And, that magnificent mind connects the two and constantly reminds us of this. And so, if we allow our mind to become side tracked from it’s function,we are in danger of leaving our spirit vulnerable to damage and our body is neglected.
When I puzzled over the question as to why my sternum had suffered such a trauma that still leaves the ribs and chest muscles sore, it finally dawned on me as to the function of the rib cage. It protects vital organs of the body; the heart, lungs, and spleen. Without lungs we cannot breath in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Without the spleen our blood supply couldn’t flow as it should.Without our heart – we’d be dead.

For many weeks prior to this ‘accident’ my ‘Head Honchos’ (guides) had been giving me a warning to “Take care of yourself Marie”.. Being a sceptic (Capricorn) combined with the stubborn English persona – I ignored them.BIG MISTAKE. At my time in life I should know that when I ignore gentle nudges – they give me a swift kick in the arse!
Being forced to stop and take stock of the fact that I was seriously neglecting my ‘temple’ left me sadder but wiser.

Life is a precious gift. To neglect our physicality is detrimental to our spirit and our mindful perception. The Body Mind and Spirit is akin to the Holy Trinity. We are Soul. There is no division. We are One.

Mr. Sitchin passed over in 2010 but not before he had spent many years exploring his belief that the human so-called “Missing Link” was actually linked to a planet called Nibiru.

It would take too long to go into the details of this authors’ many books that record his research and globe trotting adventures to prove that aliens visited earth. According to Sitchin, they performed what he called “genetic manipulation’ on ancient Man, consequently creating us in their image. He told me (during a telephone conversation that we had) that he was one of only approx. two hundred people in the world that could decipher the ancient Sumerian language and that he had gleaned much of his knowledge of their history from Sumerian archeological findings.

His books are criticized by many in the scientific field as having too many discrepincies – and applauded by thousands that follow his way of thinking.

I became briefly acquainted with Zecharia Sitchin back in the early 1990′s and found him to be a man not easily ‘read’ (no pun intended) At that time. my late-husband and I were enjoying the popularity of our book review publication “Friends Review” and after reading his book “Genesis Revisited” I talked with him (via telephone) a few times and invited him to write an article for our publication, which he did. The article he wrote was interesting but his theme seemed to question why we reviewed such a diversity of subject matter under the heading of Metaphysics. His questioning puzzled me as most people would agree that the metaphysical field covers a wide variety of subjects, besides the subject of aliens. Then, I realized that he was so enamored of his subject that anything outside this realm seemed to be unimportant to him. Of course, his commitment to his subject of alien life-forms was what, no doubt, made his books such best sellers, in spite of the controversies that surrounded them.

A few years later he visited the Pacific North West to give a lecture and naturally I attended. After the evening had ended I approached him and reminded him of our brief telephone encounters that culminated in his article that he wrote. Although he acknowledged knowing who I was, his manner was distant and I got the uncomfortable feeling that he was condescending to talk to me. I came away from the encounter feeling disappointed in the personality of Zecharia Sitchin – but still admiring of his brilliant mind.

As I sit writing this Blog and remembering him and comparing his writings to the man, I find it difficult to reconcile my impressions of the two sides of his personality.His ‘public’ image didn’t seem to match that of the actual person. In the flesh, Zacharia Sitchin didn’t encompass the writer of such intriguing books. So, I choose to remember the man that broadened the ‘horizons’ of so many people (including yours truly) and personally gave me so many hours of reading pleasure. Regardless of whether or not one believes his theories that he claims are fact, one can’t deny that his books stand out as masterful works of literature. They have provided ample sustenance for those in pursuit of the alien existence.

P.S Should you want to learn more about this author and his books, see his biography under Wikapedia.

What is fame? What does it accomplish? My thoughts turn to other tragic figures such as Michael Jackson – Marilyn Monroe – Judy Garland ….. I could go on and on down through the years to think of other ‘stars’ who have succumbed to the burden of fame. But have they really “killed themselves” or are their lives simply a part of the Master Plan? I often use the analogy of Human Life as been like a gigantic jig-saw puzzle in the universe. Some of us may only be an insignificant piece of puzzle but still, without that one piece, the jig-saw puzzle is incomplete; it is necessary to the whole picture. Could it be that these tragic stars are maybe a part of the “border’ of that puzzle that frames the finished picture?

Have you noticed that whenever the life of one of these renowned humans comes to an end, how the world seems to come together in loving support for each other? How many people gave loving thought 24 – 7 to this latest ‘victim’ of our times, before her death? Why does ‘death’ bring such a profound clarity to what unconditional love really means?

Of course eventually people will go on with their lives with an attitude of “business as usual” once the media glitz finds some other sensational story to latch on to. But, isn’t that sad? Doesn’t this make the purpose of this talented star’s passing wasted?

It should not be. Why does it have to take tragedy to shock us into realizing that we are all in this together and that we all need loving support, every second of every day.

I don’t believe in accidents. There is a time we are born and a time we die. Being a firm believer in the Power of reincarnation, I believe that everyone of us come to earth to perfect our Souls and return to the Divine that we came from. Some people choose harder ‘lessons’ to learn than others but the biggest lesson is to experience Unconditional Love as a Human and whenever possible, help other people to understand this.

” Come to the edge, he said
They said: We are afraid
Come to the edge, he said
They came.
he pushed them…
and they flew.
GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE

I believe Whitney Houston, along with all those ‘stars’ that came before her completed what they came here to do.

Apart from the conglomeration of booths with all and sundry “New Age’ offerings’ it wasn’t the surface reality that made this event so different. It wasn’t even the presence of people such as Barbara Marx Hubbard – David Wilcock George Noory and other such luminaries giving their insights as to who we are in this Universe, that created such energy. Of course, their special charisma was there, but it was like a supporting back drop to the main event.

I was discussing this unique energy field with a person who used the perfect analogy to describe it. He said ” The first day is like an orchestra tuning up for a musical event. Some musicians are out of tune and attempting to get it right while others are making sure that their music comes across in it’s perfect place and timing within his/her role as part of the orchestra. On the second day when the performance is given, all the musicians have blended together in perfect harmony and are able to bring forth a beautiful rendition of the musical composition they’re playing.” I would have to add that the ‘conductor’ of this particular ‘orchestra’ was of a John Williams or Leonard Bernstein caliber.

What really delighted and surprised me were the amount of young people that came to enjoy this Conscious Living Expo. And, the hoards of men who attended was awesome! Gone were the days of yore when the majority of ‘Spiritually Enlightened’ humanity consisted predominantly of the over 40′s age group and mostly women. It was a common sight to see young girls and boys and children accompanied by 20 something parents exploring the diverse offerings.

From the 80 something English lady who still retained the glow of the 1946 war-bride she had been – to the 7 or 8 year old child who attended my workshop with her mother, everything seemed to be perfectly in sync. The bright eyed lady from England shared with me that her 95 year old husband had just died last year – and she was now trying to write a book. I have no doubt that she has many jewels (experiences) that she can share with our 2012 world and I felt honored that this woman had singled me out to briefly share her special energy with me.

The little girl at my workshop laughingly waved to me as the rest of the folks sat meditating and how appropriately shiny and new this youthful ‘star’ seemed amidst the older, less innocent energy. Every ‘connection’ for me was a new awakening to the loving souls that humans are.

The homeless woman that I met in the lobby of the hotel and came to my workshop that evening seemed, in some weird way, to be needed to balance the Human Identity. She shared with me that she was having a birthday next week and would be 68 years old. Even as I felt saddened by her homeless state, she radiated a love for life and she reminded me of the late Ethel Merman who belted out songs such as “There’s No Business Like Show Business” with gusto or Roselind Russell playing such a strong character in “Gypsy.”
The New Age emergence of some 20 odd years ago made a tremendous impact on people’s lives, but compared to the present spiritual awakening it’s as different as night from day. The 1980′s energy was like the bawling of a new-born who is shocked to find himself out in the open world instead of the safety of the womb. Today that ‘baby’ is almost an old crone with all the wisdom – self-reliance and peace of knowing who she/he really is.

The most ‘enlightening ‘ moment came when I gave my Reincarnation workshop on Saturday evening. The room was so crowded that some folks had to stand or sit on the floor. The doors unfortunately had to be closed on some who wanted to attend because of fire -code restrictions. This workshop was a blast of realization for me as well as the folks who came to listen and participate. The feed-back and energy of these people who were so eager to gain insights into who they are and why they are here, made me feel humbly grateful for the trust they seemed to place in my words. At the same time I was fully aware of the responsibility that I have in sharing my meager knowledge and gifts with ‘pupils’ that are looking for ‘teachers’ to give them answers. And, once again as I have often done in similar situations, I made a vow to myself that I would constantly ask my “Head Honchos” (guides) to keep my perspective balanced and to always remember that I’m here to do the job I came to do. My Ego shall not become Egotistical because I am just a ‘messenger’ and not the “Master”.

The days of Body Mind and Spirit have vanished. We are in the age of Spirit- Mind – and Body. We need to nurture our ‘incidental’ body so that it can serve its function of housing who we really are while we are having this human experience here on earth.
In this seemingly chaotic world we live in with negativity blasting at us 24-7 this past weekend served as a breath of fresh air, knowing that we will survive because there are still thousands of people who know their purpose and are sharing their loving energy.

Thank you.

Two thousand years ago, an ascended master embodied and walked this earth. He came into our midst to spread awareness of the essence of peace and love.

In human form, he presented as a mystic and an alchemist. His energy field carried a vibration so elevated that, by simply being in his presence, one’s consciousness was raised.

He radiated light. He was Light manifested . . . incarnate.

The stories which are carried to us over time have felt the editorial hands of countless humans. Some of them reflect the essence of loving kindness, while others reflect the fear and greed of humans seeking power over others. Each of us resonates with the story which reflects the desires of our own heart.

I find it fascinating that the central metaphor of this ancient story is a star. Is it possible that one of things which was edited out of the history of that time was the fact that long ago, humans were aware of their energetic interrelationships with celestial bodies?

The ‘wise’ men were following a star. Were they kings or were they masters of the mysteries of the astrological and alchemical, searching for a teacher whose awareness was greater than their own?

Tonight, look up at the sky and you will see Jupiter there, steadily glowing in the south, its presence noticeable even before the sun’s light has vanished completely. The first of the ‘stars’ to appear each night, Jupiter teaches us to sense the essence of abundance, the essence of faith. We are learning that neither has anything to do with the material world.

On Sunday, Jupiter will turn around to go forward again following four months of backward motion. We are being shown where the riches of our lives truly lie. We are learning that faith has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with belief in our own unique path toward conscious love. Our understanding of our life is being deepened and we are being buoyed up out of our self-loathing and our judgements of ourselves. Jupiter asks that we believe in the journey we’ve chosen and that we dive into it with all we’ve got.

Tomorrow’s Capricorn new moon will make it clear where we need a little help with self-discipline and will enable us to commit to the self-mastery necessary to carry us through the hard-scrabble of our lives as we continue to understand our place in the unfolding of this amazing year in front of us.

On Wednesday, at Winter Solstice, we entered into the the last year of the Mayan calendar. We are finishing up the work of a 26,000 year cycle, that we might enter into a new epoch clear and free of the old paradyms which have accumulated over time. Some days our faith in this cycle is strong and other days it is challenged by all that we see around us in form. We are asked to continue to explore the true nature of abundance and to find there the answers we need to move simply and elegantly through this portal in time which has opened for us.

Look to the night sky for Jupiter, sometimes called the King, and know that for much longer than 2,000 years, this energy has been steadily raising our awareness of all that is necessary to carry on through the Light Body, our light bodies, our Light. Jupiter will continue to lend us an understanding of inner abundance, helping us to steady our faith in this journey,

In these, the deepest nights of the year, when you light a candle, imagine it’s a metaphor for the great light you are carrying within and which is, more and more and more, pouring out of your heart and into the world.

Light is all there is.

Deborah O’Connor
deb@lovedogdesign.com
406.531.5129
www.lovedogdesign.com

If you would like to explore your own energy patterning, please contact me for a reading. And if you’d like to contribute to the creation of these notes, please make a donation here: http://www.lovedogdesign.com/LoveDogDesign/payment.html

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It never fails that during early spring I am drawn to plant a garden. I can’t resist the urge to put my hands into the soil and plant a new life. It gives me such joy to help plants grow and to watch their progress. Each fruit, each vegetable or flower seems a precious gift.

The spring after my husband died was a particularly hard one. I felt numb and could not bring myself to plant, much less tend my garden, which had been such a cheerful and bountiful retreat. It sat neglected, while I searched for some magic to restore my life.

One day a dear friend and I sat and discussed the book, The Secret Life of Plants. We talked about what one should do with the knowledge that this book gave; that plants feel and communicate their feelings. She told me that if I wanted to explore that concept further, I should read the book The Secret of Findhorn.

I read about this community in Scotland that began in the 60’s with just planting a garden …a garden that shouldn’t have grown in poor sandy soil. One woman had a gift that allowed her to tap into each plant’s feelings and needs. By following the requests of the plants, a magical garden was planted that far surpassed those in that area. From that garden and the directions given to plant it sprang a community of folk that lived on the land with great intention. It was a community that cherished the magic in nature, and lived in harmony with the garden.

I craved some magic in my life and decided to look up Findhorn, to see if it still existed. I found that the tiny community had grown to encompass many acres and had become a teaching facility that drew people from around the world. I was amazed at how this community had grown to share its vision and decided to take a look for myself.
Findhorn, I found, was not far from Loch Ness, so I planned to stay a few extra days to see if I could spot Nessie as well.

I never saw Nessie, but did enjoy my stay in the little village and spent many hours exploring the shops , the local music and the outdoors.

It was a simple bus ride to Findhorn, and I was excited to begin my Experience Week, a prerequisite for any future classes or workshops taken there. I was one of 23 people in our group that would remain together for a week. We were housed in a nearby hotel that the Findhorn foundation had bought for the purpose of developing a teaching center.

A rule of any stay at Findhorn is to volunteer part of the day doing housekeeping, cooking or gardening. I chose gardening and was not sorry. The next morning, after an amazing breakfast created by loving, singing, happy people, I went to the garden to begin my service. A facilitator gathered us in a circle holding hands and offered a blessing for the day, then explained that people should voice their needs, then meditate a moment on the requests. Then, we should go to whatever chore leader and assignment drew us.

“I need four people to bundle market flowers”, said one person.
“I need three people to weed the green beans”, said another. All needs were expressed and volunteers moved over to the chore they were drawn to.

We were taught to mindfully look at what needed to be done and imagine what good it would do for the garden and how it would look finished. We were to do the chore and then admire what was done and project our love and satisfaction to the plants.

This technique created a whole new way to look at a job, to cherish it, do it well, admire and honor the work done. The peace and joy in that garden was palpable and I was a part of helping it to grow. I chose to weed the beans that first day, and was pleased with the outcome.

During that week at Findhorn we took classes, ate food that was so fresh and intentionally prepared it seemed to shimmer. And, we experienced the joy and dedication of the talented folk that lived there. We danced and laughed together, volunteered at a local CSA farm, explored a magical forest and shared our stories with each other.
A healing took place in my soul at Findhorn and although I never truly had a paranormal experience with the plants or creatures of the forest, I discovered a way of living that could heal the earth and create harmony within a community.

http://www.findhorn.org/aboutus/vision/co-creation/

This is a rhyme that is chanted every year on November the fifth by British children, while standing around bonfires. They make an effigy of a chap named Guy Fawkes and burn him on the bonfires. Prior to this ritual they go door-to-door to collect pennies, much like American kids collect candy on All Hallowed Eve. They purchase fire crackers with the collected money and light them while standing around the bonfires.

This annual ritual dates back to the sixteen hundreds, when James 1st ruled Britain. Guy Fawkes was a chap who didn’t like the way the king was ruling his people (so what else is new) so while the king was visiting the Houses of Parliament, he and some cronies decided to blow the place to you-know-where and send King James to meet his Maker. Unfortunately for these so-called- ‘traitors’ they were caught before they could carry out their deadly plot and met their own cum-uppance instead. Hence the annual ritual is still celebrated on the date that it originally took place.

I’m sure that there is now a more ‘modern’ version of this ritual in England but regardless I have fun memories of these events and can still taste the hot potatoes that we roasted on the fire. Yummy! We’d toss the smoke-blackened potato from hand to hand to cool it and stop it from burning our fingers! Who cared whether or not Guy Fawkes got his just dessert? It was a kid thing, just as Halloween is today.

I just received an awesome email from astrologer Deborah O’Connar that tells of the autumn planetary changes and the ancient rituals of bonfire celebrations to welcome the coming winter season. Her email inspired me to share this British tradition with you and encourage you to visit her website www.lovedogdesign.com to learn more about this season of fire-cleansing. When you get there click on her ‘Column’ button and enjoy reading this season of the New Moon.

Happy season celebration in whatever form you enjoy!