tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43149838357124406152024-03-04T20:44:36.806-08:00ANCESTRAL WISDOMMay you find a harmony between your soul and your life ~ John O'DonohueGretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-21873385541560704602020-03-18T14:20:00.002-07:002020-03-18T14:22:01.135-07:00Initiation Medicine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHvYYqay4v2cnNbMEh0WklRjf5ZOxmhZkJsM1TL7NAGf3aq0zJ1U9YB3bKYjp2YSAc8-d11b3tQOqBMn5dQe4xBeS83x3ieVKbHRvFKC6PpEheS6GAuN84IKDPmCN36CLQ-hp8gqtJxQ/s1600/30730637487-monarch-danaus-plexippus.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHvYYqay4v2cnNbMEh0WklRjf5ZOxmhZkJsM1TL7NAGf3aq0zJ1U9YB3bKYjp2YSAc8-d11b3tQOqBMn5dQe4xBeS83x3ieVKbHRvFKC6PpEheS6GAuN84IKDPmCN36CLQ-hp8gqtJxQ/s200/30730637487-monarch-danaus-plexippus.jpg" /></a><br />
Every hour new information emerges regarding the coronavirus and ways we are being asked to take responsibility during this time of crisis. People are being required to take precautions for the greater good, hoping to stop the spread of this virus. This is new territory...no one living has ever experienced anything like this and the pandemic is global. This crisis is real and I would never want to make light of the danger that is affecting many households as the virus spreads and we see the expanding affect on our economy.<br />
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What if we choose to see this current crisis as an initiation? What if we shift our perspective from fear to seeing this as a sacred journey? </div>
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Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a new life. It can signify a transformation in which the initiate is 'reborn' into a new role. It requires surrendering to transformation and acceptance of the death and rebirth process of the soul's evolution. Initiation is a sacred journey and it creates change.</div>
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Change: alteration, transformation, metamorphous, transfiguration, alchemy</div>
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Butterflies are powerful representations of this sacred initiatory journey of change. Many cultures associate the butterfly with our souls. A shamanic perspective is that it symbolizes completed transformation due the the alchemical process it must go through from egg to larva to pupa to adult. The caterpillar's old body dies inside the chrysalis and a new body with beautiful wings appears after a couple of weeks. The adult butterfly represents transformation and hope.</div>
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I recently read an article written by Jonathan Hada Edwards and Julia Hartsell -- "What if the Virus is the Medicine?" </div>
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(<a href="https://www.heartwardsanctuary.org/post/what-if-the-virus-is-the-medicine?fbclid=IwAR0OLnFEACNjC9BpGlEh9svp4oCvMCZjBo7A56DPXk1sN86iHgFcK1urjZU" target="_blank">https://www.heartwardsanctuary.org/post/what-if-the-virus-is-the-medicine?fbclid=IwAR0OLnFEACNjC9BpGlEh9svp4oCvMCZjBo7A56DPXk1sN86iHgFcK1urjZU</a>) </div>
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Imagine what happens when an entire society finds itself in the midst of a critical initiation. Except you don’t have to imagine: it’s already happening, or starting to. It looks like chaos, a meltdown. We’re in a moment of collective, global-level crisis and uncertainty that has little precedent in living memory. The economic machine--the source of our financial needs and also a system that profits from disease, divorce, crime and tragedy--is faced with a dramatic slow-down. We are all facing the cessation of non-essential activities. There is opportunity here, if we claim it...</blockquote>
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This is an opportunity to loosen our grip on old and familiar ways. Those ways worked for as long as they did, and they got us here, for better and for worse. They seem unlikely to carry us much further. What if we’re instead being asked to feel our way forward, from the heart, without benefit of certainty--which, when concentrated, quickly becomes toxic? No one has all the answers in this or any other time. Right now the questions may be more valuable.<br />
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What if we honor this time with sacred respect?<br />
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What if we take the time to listen for the boundaries and limits of our Earth mother?<br />
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What is truly important?<br />
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How can we receive the bitter medicine of the moment deep into our cells and let it align us with latent possibility?<br />
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How can we, with the support of the unseen, serve as midwives to all that is dying here and all that is being born? </blockquote>
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Let us slow down and listen to the inner invitation to BE change. </div>
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May we discover what it means to be fully present in the moment and to appreciate our families and loved ones. </div>
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May we recognize Mother Earth asking us to pay attention and to honor the natural world. </div>
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May we be caretakers of our beautiful planet and choose to enter the initiatory process of coming into balance within and without. </div>
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May we seek the wisdom of the ancestors and "remember" ways of living in harmony. </div>
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May we become part of the solution for all sentient beings and for our descendants. </div>
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<i>Blessings of peace, love and light be upon you,</i></div>
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<i>Gogo Gretchen Crilly McKay</i></div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-27724167904350828452019-12-01T11:12:00.000-08:002019-12-01T11:12:44.795-08:00Solstice Reflections<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is December 1 and the solstice is only a few weeks away. In the northern hemisphere the days are growing shorter. In the southern hemisphere they grow longer. Christmas decorations adorn houses and shops and there is a festive mood in the air. The holiday season is in full swing with parties and celebrations.<br /><br />This is a festive time of year but it is also a time to reflect on the previous months of experiences and lessons, identifying what you are ready to release as well as honoring areas of growth and expansion. The soul's journey requires tending. During December I like to read through old journals and set aside time for rituals of release and renewal.<br /><br />Winter is the final phase of the twelve-month cycle of Earth’s seasons. Like all cycles, winter holds evidence and clues within it about what came before, what is and what will likely be. The energy of winter is an ending and a new beginning. There is increasing darkness, the darkest point and then the shift toward increasing light. <br /><br />At this time of year I look to nature to show me her rhythm, her way of "being". She is quiet. Her leaves cover the ground, decomposing. During the process of decomposition, the decomposers provide food for themselves by extracting chemicals from organic wastes to produce energy. The decomposers will then produce waste of their own. In turn, this will also decompose, eventually returning nutrients to the soil. These nutrients can then be taken up by the roots of living plants enabling them to grow and develop, so that organic material is naturally recycled. Virtually nothing goes to waste in nature. <br /><br />During this season of quiet reflection and review, I encourage each of you to recycle your energies. Renew, refresh, and envision the richness of your journey to date and the possibility that lies before you. Read through old journals or inspirational books, noting personal themes that are ready to be released and new lines of inquiry that your soul is ready to explore. <br /><br />Ritual and ceremony allow us to source from our inner beings, to create from pure intention, to see more clearly what doesn’t serve us any longer and to dream our new direction into being. A ritual has a beginning, a middle and an end. There is no correct way to do a ritual but the creative process is empowering. By identifying the intention and following one's intuition we can open our vision to be in alignment with our communities, the earth and ourselves. When created and practiced with the intention for the highest good for all, we contribute to the alchemical process of transformation and oneness. <br /><br />This ritual is one possibility for release and renewal...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>A Ritual for Release and Renewal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />This December the Full Moon is on the 10th, the Solstice is on the 21st, and the New Moon/Solar Eclipse is on the 25th. All three of these dates are powerful times to do ritual. <br /><br /><b>Gather Ritual Materials for Altar</b><br />A candle<br />Flowers, stones, crystals from nature<br />Sage or favorite incense<br />Personal altar objects that align with your intention<br />2 pieces of paper and string<br />Access to a fireplace or outdoor fire<br /><br /><b>Choose a Quiet Space</b><br />Find a quiet place inside or in nature where you can be comfortable. Begin to calm your body with deep breaths and bring awareness to your intention for your ritual. <br /><br /><b>Build an Altar</b><br />Place your candle in the center and your natural items in the four cardinal directions. Add your personal sacred objects to the altar.<br /><br /><b>Smudge</b><br />Use Sage, Palo Santo, or other incense to purify your body and the altar. <br /><br /><b>Set Sacred Space</b><br />Call in sacred space and honor the medicine of the directions. Various traditional cultures see the cardinal directions in different ways but the following is an attempt to provide insight that is in alignment with many traditions. <br /><ul>
<li>East represents spring, new beginnings and rebirth; the intellect and ability to reason; element is air</li>
<li>South represents summer and abundance; growth, passion, fertility, and happiness; element is fire</li>
<li>West represents autumn and harvest; the deep self, emotions, and intuition; element is water</li>
<li>North represents winter and the cycle of death and connection with the Ancestors; powers of stability and silence; element of earth</li>
<li>Above is Father Sky, Grandmother Moon and the stars and our reverence to the spirit world</li>
<li>Below is Mother Earth for grounding, creation and abundance</li>
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<b>Meditate</b><br />You can rattle, drum, or play music as you sit in meditation. Focus on connecting with your breath and your soft receptive nature. Notice parts within you that may need to be released. This could be in your physical body, your emotions or limiting beliefs. What no longer serves you in your life?<br /><br /><b>Write: Releasing</b><br />Write on a single piece of paper all the things that no longer serve you in your life and what you are ready and willing to release. Then roll up the paper and wrap it with string. Blow your pure intentions for release 3 times into your rolled-up paper and place on your altar.<br /><br /><b>Honor Yourself</b><br />Sit again in meditation honoring your whole, connected and vibrant self. Repeat out loud 3 times “ I am whole, I am open, I am love.” Bring awareness to what you are ready to invite into your life. Take time to imagine yourself living this invitation.<br /><br /><b>Write: Invitation</b><br />Write on the other paper what you are now inviting into your life. Using present tense "I am" and "I" statements are powerful. Blow 3 long slow breaths into your invitations and place on your altar.<br /><br /><b>Reflect</b><br />Sit once again in silence and observe how you feel. Are there any sensations or images coming to you now? Stay soft, open and receptive. <br /><br />With focused attention take your rolled up papers and honor the work you have done today to let go of old ways and welcome in the new. Fire has the alchemical property of transformation so as you burn your papers envision releasing the old and birthing the new vision.<br /><br /><b>Close the Sacred Space</b><br />Close your sacred space by honoring the four directions, Mother Earth and the stars, sun, and moon. If it feels right, honor your ancestors and spirit guides. Thank your self for being the open luminous vessel of light and love that you are. Journal about your ritual and share with a trusted friend if you choose.<div>
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I leave you with these beautiful words from John O'Donohue...<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<b>THE HEART OF WINTER</b></div>
"Within the grip of winter, it is almost impossible to imagine the spring. The gray perished landscape is shorn of color. Only bleakness meets the eye; everything seems severe and edged. Winter is the oldest season; it has some quality of the absolute. Yet beneath the surface of winter, the miracle of spring is already in preparation; the cold is relenting; seeds are wakening up. Colors are beginning to imagine how they will return. Then, imperceptibly, somewhere one bud opens and the symphony of renewal is no longer reversible. From the black heart of winter a miraculous, breathing plenitude of color emerges." ~ John O'Donohue, "Benedictus"</blockquote>
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<i>Blessings of peace, love, and light,</i></div>
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<i>Gretchen Crilly McKay</i><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-15710615077150412812019-06-28T13:53:00.001-07:002019-06-28T13:54:00.333-07:00Reconnect with the Magic of Nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it. Perhaps this is what Thoreau had in mind when he said, “The more slowly trees grow at first, the sounder they are at the core, and I think the same is true of human beings.” ~ David Sobel<br />
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Nature inspires me. She invites me to connect to my inner child - to play, rest, walk, meditate. There’s no end to the lessons nature provides when I spend time exploring, allowing a childlike sense of awe and wonder to accompany me. In exchange she asks me to be a caretaker, to honor the natural world and remind others of the need to walk mindfully on this beautiful planet, Mother Earth.<br />
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Spending time with my family, especially with my grandchildren, brings back sweet memories of my early years as a child and then a mother. As a child I spent many creative hours exploring the orange grove near my home and playing with friends outside. I wanted my own children to have similar experiences in the natural world. I wanted them to be creative problem solvers and develop a sense of freedom in making choices, with guidance and supportive boundaries. Nature can teach us much about this. <br />
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As parents we are often to overwhelmed by responsibilities and daily life. I guess that’s where grandparents come in! In retrospect I see that I was able to be a supportive parent but I couldn’t do it all. As a grandparent I realize how important it is to get children out in nature, to explore and just enjoy the natural world. All too soon little ones become adolescents and, for a time, are not interested in many of the simple joys in nature that enthralled them only a few years before. But the values and experiences children glean from nature stay with them forever and they will return to those simple joys later in life. <br />
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When we invite children to spend time in nature they develop a strong relationship with the natural world and a sense of self, flourishing and becoming empowered. This love of earth creates a strong foundation for becoming a fully empowered human being who will love and protect Mother Earth.<br />
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It’s never too late to fall in love with nature. Enjoy nature. Reconnect with your own inner child and be reminded of the wonder of it all!Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-68785164216485245782019-05-04T10:23:00.001-07:002019-05-04T10:23:09.617-07:00The Soul of Nature<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"The land is sacred. These words are at the core of your being. The land is our mother, the rivers our blood. Take our land away and we die. That is, the Indian in us dies." ~Mary Brave Bird</i></blockquote>
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Spring arrived with an explosion of color here in Southern California, gracing the landscape with brilliant hues of yellow, orange, and purple. Walking in a nearby canyon I rediscovered the magnificence of local medicinal plants growing in abundance. The rains have restored streams that flow through previously dry creek beds, reminding us of ancient earth rhythms. I am in awe of her beauty.<br /><br />At the same time much of humanity continues to live in unaltered ways, littering the earth with materials that are not biodegradable, continuing dependence on fossil fuels and living in unsustainable ways. Climate change and global warming are a reflection of humanity's disconnection with ourselves. Mother Earth is inviting us to go into our hearts, seek balance within, and reconnect with Nature as a spiritual teacher. We are spiritual beings and the mind-body-spirit connection can be restored when we align with our Mother. <br /><br />In every community there are places that can be reclaimed and restored as open spaces and community gardens. Restoring our yards and open spaces with trees and plants that are native to the area brings back the local ecosystem, including native wildlife. Grassroots organizations and nature-loving communities are doing this throughout our country. In this era of political ignorance and denial, we can be part of the change, of the solution by care-taking our neighborhoods and consciously restoring the natural habitats where we live.<br /><br />When I was living on the property in Laguna Beach I learned a great deal about balance and how nature collaborates. Native plant species growing on the land invited birds to return and the birds spread seeds. Snakes kept the rodent population down and birds of prey balanced the snakes. I watched coyote, quail, and raccoon parents teach their young about the wild places to seek food and find shelter. I even had the privilege of observing a mountain lion walk the hillside in the canyon where I lived. <br /><br />Get out into nature. If you are lucky enough to live in a wild place, spend time observing and sitting in sacred silence. For those who live in the middle of a bustling city, choose to take yourself for a long walk in nearby natural places at least once a week to restore your inner balance. Walk mindfully. Sit with a tree. Go bird watching. Meditate with the soothing rhythms of the ocean waves. Nature is a healing tonic for the soul and the more you connect with her the more your own inner peace and balance will be restored. <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." ~John Muir</i></blockquote>
Blessings of peace love and light,<br />Gogo Gretchen <br /><i>May you find a harmony between your soul and your life ~ John O'Donohue </i></div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0Laguna Niguel, CA, USA33.5236744 -117.7149438000000133.4177824 -117.87630530000001 33.629566399999995 -117.55358230000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-16699668761643591992019-01-24T11:53:00.000-08:002019-01-24T11:53:52.726-08:00Choose Kindness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>"When you lend a hand, you open a way for your heart to touch the heart of everything. This is a wealth that only grows. While those we help may leave or die or simply grow into their own beauty and be loved by others, the closeness uncovered by kindness turns to light in the body, until the closeness generated by kindness makes a lamp of the heart." </i><i>~ by Mark Nepo, Seven Thousand Ways to Listen</i><br />
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I love the last line of that quote, "...<i>until the closeness generated by kindness makes a lamp of the heart</i>." This is a profound reflection of what is true about relationships and how the Divine can work within and without to create peace and harmony. We see examples of this in nature. It's less evident in daily news reports about the current state of human interaction but I am motivated to keep my eyes and heart open for examples of kindness in unexpected places each and every day. What I have discovered is that I am surrounded by good, kind people in the communities I interact with and I am hopeful for the future. We never know what we are learning in the midst of giving or receiving kindness but when we step back and reflect, we are changed. </div>
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Throughout my life I have been blessed to be the recipient of great generosity from others. Nurturing the friendships that I have developed over my lifetime has provided so many blessings! Long ago I recognized that tending and nurturing relationships with those who also value kindness resulted in trusted friends who I can process and grow with. There are times to give and times to receive. Reciprocity allows for mutual expansion and the key is an open heart and a willingness to take risks with another person.<br />
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I choose to continue opening my heart to the goodness of humanity. I choose to give kindness freely and receive it equally! I choose to experience joy and love and laughter with people I cherish. I count myself lucky to have so many kind and loving friends who value my presence and whose presence I am continually enriched by. Each friend is a unique flower in my garden for that I am eternally grateful!</div>
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May each of us find others to open our hearts to "until the closeness generated by kindness makes a lamp of the heart". <br />
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Blessings ~ Gretchen</div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-52816074586267983492019-01-06T07:53:00.000-08:002019-01-06T07:53:36.465-08:00Community Connections<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here in Southern California rain is something we truly appreciate. Our average annual rainfall is about 14 inches and many years we receive less than that. So a rainy day is greeted with appreciation. I always thank the Water Spirits for blessing the land with the sweetness of water and for refreshing nature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the </span>Dagara<span style="font-family: inherit;"> tradition of West Africa, there are five elements: fire, water, earth, mineral, and nature. </span>People<span style="font-family: inherit;"> carry one of these five elements and this is their soul's contribution to the community. To identify your element, look at the last digit of your birth year. Then look at the picture below to see what element you carry. </span><br />
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Each of the five elements has particular medicine to offer to the community. <b>Fire</b>,</span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">the original element, is seen as a most potent connection to the spirit world. It connects us to our spiritual path by consuming that which stands between us and our purpose. </span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Water</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> brings cleansing, reconciliation, purification and peace-making. </span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Earth</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">, the central element, is the mother who is inviting us to come home to community and the earth, our true home. </span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Mineral</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is the elemental energy that invites us to remember, through ritual, who we are and why we are here. </span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Nature</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> asks us to open to transformation in order to realize our true and authentic selves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Within communities, all the elements need to be represented. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The example of Mother Earth and her expression through nature is key here. We must be in touch with our human nature while living with the elements of nature – water, earth, animals, plants. When we are connected with the rhythms of nature, we are in balance and see with all of our senses. Intuition is heightened and the importance of living in harmony with our neighbors and our self is brought into focus. There is an ongoing cycle of death and renewal in nature and if we apply this to our personal and family life, we can learn how to interact harmoniously with others. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, 2019, is a Mineral Year in the Dagara system. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A mineral year is about remembering who we are and why we are here. Our bones hold the "stories" of our lineage through our DNA. The minerals of the earth hold the ancient wisdom of Earth's creation and the history of all that has occurred during the earth's transformations. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">What old stories are relevant for today and can help guide humanity move forward in a positive way -- stories that we can benefit from remembering and sharing? It's also important to look at the old stories we tell ourselves that are outdated and need to be reimagined. How can we learn from the past to create a better future?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Indigenous cultures throughout the world understand this connection between humans and the elements. Rituals using the elements are performed to </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">remember who we are and why we are here</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. We can learn from the wisdom of cultures that are consciously choosing to live in balance with the natural world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Humanity has much to reflect upon in our current chaotic climate. Our personal and collective communities are going through an evolutionary process and we are being invited to choose how we move forward. What can we learn from history and how can we take responsibility for the future of Mother Earth? Grassroots nonprofit organizations are communities focusing on solutions and need the support of those in alignment with their mission. I encourage you to find local organizations where you can volunteer or offer financial support. Get involved in your community! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What do you long for? Is it time to change jobs, receive training in an area that interests you, move to a new place, or end a relationship in your life that no longer serves the highest good? What is working well? What is not? What old stories about yourself do you want to release? Listen with your heart. Discover joy again. Get involved with like-minded people who also want to contribute in a positive way to Mother Earth's evolution. Be the change you want to see!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Blessings of peace, love and joy,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Gogo Gretchen Crilly McKay</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">For more information about the Dagara, <a href="https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/seen-and-unseen-spirituality-among-dagara-people" target="_blank">read an article written by Sobonfu Some</a></span></i></div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-48721048981802270852019-01-01T08:06:00.000-08:002019-01-01T08:07:47.381-08:00Shared Roots <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4314983835712440615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>A few months ago I met a lovely woman, Jen Kramer, who had committed to a year of postings on social media at #yearoflove. Her goal was to acknowledge the people in her daily life that she appreciated and who made the world a better place. Jen inspired me to make a similar commitment for 2019 but with a different focus.<br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4314983835712440615" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Over the last year I have been contemplating community and all the ways we help our planet heal by actively participating in various communities. Recently I began reading <a href="http://marknepo.com/" target="_blank">Mark Nepo’s</a> latest book, <i>More Together than Alone: Discovering the Power and Spirit of Community in Our Lives and in the World</i> and decided to make community and nature the focus for my year of reflection. <br />
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Nature provides many examples of interconnectedness and interdependence, especially among tree communities. California’s coast redwoods are among the most impressive trees on the planet. They are one of the oldest living organisms in the world and can live more than 2,000 years! They are so tall that their tops are out of sight. Mats of soil on the upper branches support whole communities of worms, insects, salamanders and mammals. <br />
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Redwoods can clone themselves, resulting in a complex network of roots beneath the forest floor with which trees communicate and share nutrients. Their roots are not deep, only about six to twelve feet, but they are interconnected. Extending up to 100 feet from the tree’s base, they intertwine with the roots of others, holding on to each other, increasing their stability.<br />
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Throughout the coast redwood forest there are about 400 small redwoods that are completely stripped of color, albino or ghost redwoods. Scientists have discovered that these trees are full of cadmium, copper, nickel and other noxious metals that are harmful to the forest. These albino trees suck the heavy metals out of the soil in a symbiotic relationship with their healthy neighbors. These ghost trees act as reservoirs for poison in exchange for the sugar the healthy trees need to survive. <br />
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Coast redwoods take care of each other. They form bonds and look out for one another, even recognizing their offspring. All trees in the redwood forest are interconnected and interdependent, actively participating in the health of the entire forest. It is the interactions of the whole forest that keeps it strong and thriving as a community. <br />
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This year I am going to explore and share reflections about the power of community to heal our world, inspired by nature and people in my life. We all come from the same ancestral roots.<br />
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Please share your thoughts and reflections as I post on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ancestral-Wisdom-111894932232270/" target="_blank">Ancestral Wisdom</a>, #sharedroots, or Instagram @gcmckay.<br />
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May 2019 inspire you and bless you!</div>
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May you discover and expand your appreciation and interconnectedness with the communities in your life.</div>
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May you recognize the interdependence of all life on Mother Earth and become part of the solution for our planet and all living beings.</div>
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May you give and receive the gift of love and shared ancestral roots.</div>
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<i>“Shared roots live longer.” Mark Nepo </i></div>
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Gogo Gretchen Crilly McKay</div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-56341777906736146822018-11-10T09:36:00.000-08:002018-11-10T09:36:25.546-08:00Times of Transformation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“The only people who change, who are transformed, are people who feel safe, who feel their dignity, and who feel loved.” (Richard Rohr)</i><br /><br />We are living in tumultuous times that call each of us into deep reflection and self-awareness. We no longer have the luxury of hiding our light! Relationships and community are what we need now. Each of us is being called to come out of our shell and learn to live together, in community.<br /><br />Recently I had the great blessing of sitting in sacred community with one of my favorite authors, Mark Nepo. He inspires me! Mark’s generosity of heart and spirit remind me that each of us matters to the transformation of our communities and therefore the world! <br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Now, all the things we have in common, all the endeavors of respect that we treasure, all the ways that we find strength in our kindness – all our efforts of heart – matter now more than ever. We are at a basic crossroads between deepening the decency that comes from caring for each other and spreading the contagion of making anyone who is different into an enemy.” (<i>More Together than Alone: Discovering the Power & Spirit of Community in Our Lives & in the World</i>, xix. Mark Nepo)</blockquote>
This is a powerful time of global initiation. The choices we make will affect the future of our children and grandchildren for generations. We can no longer afford the luxury of sitting back and waiting for someone else to step up. This is a time to become an apprentice of compassion. <br /><br />The dictionary defines compassion as sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Synonyms are bighearted, kindhearted, sympathetic. <br /><br />Each of us must choose. Who do you want to become? Change requires each of us choosing the qualities we want to inhabit and taking action to grow, setting the intention to align with the characteristics we aspire to develop. It isn’t what we do that changes the world…it’s who we become! BE the person you want to meet! Share kindness. Be sympathetic. Be compassionate. That doesn’t mean you need to be codependent with others but it does mean that you can listen to a friend with an open heart and be present for their journey, without judgment. <br /><br />In order to step fully into our true, authentic self, our divine light, we must ask what moves us? Who are we, at our core? What gifts and talents do we want to share with the world? How can each of us make a difference -- in our family, in our community, in the world? <br /><br />Asking your self some important questions is a way to begin this journey. <br /><ol>
<li>What is limiting me from standing in my truth?</li>
<li>What is something I love doing and how does it bring me joy?</li>
<li>How will I stretch or move outside my comfort zone to become my authentic self?</li>
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These are times that require each of us to consciously stepping into compassionate relationship with our self and with our others. Everyone has a special gift to share with the world. Some of us move quietly in one-on-one relationships that we tend and nurture. Others feel called to stand up in bigger arenas and make their voices heard on larger stages. Some write. Others speak out. Artists create and share their creations. But the majority of us work quietly, behind the scenes, within our families and friends, at work and at play. No matter what your calling, each of us is essential to the evolutionary, transformational times we are in!<br /><br />Be brave! Be courageous! Choose to be part of the solution by connecting with a compassionate heart in relationships and communities that you are part of. Your kindness does change the world! Each of us has a role to play in this time of challenge and change!<div>
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Blessings on your journey,</div>
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Gogo Gretchen Crilly McKay<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-850060608830870972017-12-03T07:52:00.001-08:002017-12-03T07:54:11.726-08:00Reflection and Gratitude<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>“Truly, it is in
darkness that one finds the light, so when we are in sorrow, then this light is
nearest of all to us.” ~ Meister Eckhart</i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Gratitude is not only
the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” ~ Cicero<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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This is the season of reflection. As we move toward the end
of the year and winter, we reflect on that which is passing and evaluate the
experiences that have invited us to go deeper. Some of these have
brought gratitude and blessing while others have taken us into the shadow, to sadness
and grief. Evolution is not stagnant. It requires change. When we can feel
gratitude for the situations in our life that are uncomfortable, that invite us to go deeper into our soul’s
journey, perhaps into the Void, we can be encouraged that we are evolving and
changing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For many people reflection brings the grief of loss. Perhaps
it’s the loss of a loved one or it can be the end of a dream. The current
climate of conflict throughout the world contributes to the collective fear and
a sense of loss and hopelessness. If we aren’t conscious about reframing our
thoughts and feelings, we can get lost in the despair. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How can we take the higher ground and become part of the
dreamers who are choosing to co-create a positive shift? How can we reframe our
thoughts, words, and actions to a higher perspective? What healing path do we
want to focus on to become part of the solution? What needs to be healed within
our own being? How does the chaos in the world reflect our own inner demons? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In this time of uncertainty, how do we move forward? How do
we release old stories that no longer serve us and open to new dreams and
visions of being in the world? We have to look past the political and
environmental climate of fear in order to participate in co-creating a new paradigm, a
future for our planet and our descendants. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If we shift our lens, can we follow our soul’s longing to
discover our true purpose in this lifetime? What yearnings deep within you have
yet to be revealed? Do you feel in balance within and without? What are your
gifts and talents that are longing to be expressed?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During this holiday season, I invite you to look around and
reflect on more than your fears. Change the old paradigm by choosing to join with
like-minded souls who also believe they are here with purpose and want to be
part of the solution. Pray. Write. Reach out to others. Reach out to people who live consciously and with hope. Reach out to others who have a vision of creating change. Gather together and celebrate the beauty of Mother Earth and this life we are
offered.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><br /></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“The winter solstice
has always been special to me as a barren darkness that gives birth to a
verdant future beyond imagination, a time of pain and withdrawal that produces
something joyfully inconceivable, like a monarch butterfly masterfully
extracting itself from the confines of its cocoon, bursting forth into
unexpected glory.” ~ Gary Zukav<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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Happy Holiday blessings to All!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gretchen Crilly McKay</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-77703415068569236282017-06-17T09:12:00.000-07:002017-06-17T09:17:05.677-07:00Grateful Memories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnCQbmX2rNTZP-vIHXBd4XEiISWg7uw82VjWAIlr6ncp2jVqahmgdr02mocJ0sI_Ww-s_U3SF3dUegRpSZTl_UHwEP3Z-t2EOIvKPCWKhmw9XUQPv5jbqDWQoSjuZke0_k3o9zHKVVF0/s1600/941833_10152049490193885_1931428937_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="384" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnCQbmX2rNTZP-vIHXBd4XEiISWg7uw82VjWAIlr6ncp2jVqahmgdr02mocJ0sI_Ww-s_U3SF3dUegRpSZTl_UHwEP3Z-t2EOIvKPCWKhmw9XUQPv5jbqDWQoSjuZke0_k3o9zHKVVF0/s200/941833_10152049490193885_1931428937_n.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
Tomorrow is Father's Day and I am filled with sweet memories of my childhood hero, my father. He was everything to me. But there was always a distance that he kept, as if his heart couldn't trust the love he felt for my sister and me. But no memories are complete without my mother slipping in between the images. Her love and encouragement made me believe in myself.<br />
<br />
However life for my parents became filled with challenges that neither of them were equipped to navigate and my perception of them diminished as they shrank into themselves. Finally their inner demons got the best of their marriage and after 27 years they divorced. My sister and I were young adults by then, with children of our own. I had my own judgements about my parents and I have spent most of my adult years exploring who they were and how their love and personal struggles have influenced me and my choices.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuBq_yVdoMKslZdVqofOP_QJ4hSx238HoUQhSSSqCHhu_ITsb1d5bGzViEvROMKHWHp3_UchTikPuYW6dCEzolEiV8IMUXPNf8j2323SeDH8Rs9eL8RmTCBIRKOWsXbBB19VnXnVw4mY/s1600/Mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="460" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxuBq_yVdoMKslZdVqofOP_QJ4hSx238HoUQhSSSqCHhu_ITsb1d5bGzViEvROMKHWHp3_UchTikPuYW6dCEzolEiV8IMUXPNf8j2323SeDH8Rs9eL8RmTCBIRKOWsXbBB19VnXnVw4mY/s200/Mom.jpg" width="188" /></a>I believe we choose our parents and the family we are born into. I am very grateful for this family of origin and the richness of the ancestral lineage that stands behind all of us. On both sides of my family I can trace our American roots back to the original colonies and I can feel their determination and courage running through my veins. I am grateful for the challenges that have presented themselves along the way because they have shaped who I have become. I am grateful to my parents and their love. They were flawed but I never doubted their love for me.<br />
<br />
Now I am watching my children and grandchildren growing up and I am reminded of the courage it takes to be a parent and to stay present, continuing to do our personal work along the way.<br />
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So thank you Daddy, from the bottom of my heart, for loving me and shaping my heart and my mind. Thank you for the long discussions about life and history and embedding in me a deep curiosity about the world. Thank you Mom for singing with me and instilling in me the belief that I could follow my dreams with courage and determination. Thank you for the memory of your laughter. Thank you to my ancestors who continue to stand with me as I open unexplored doors to the past that will heal the present and the future for our family. Deep gratitude.Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-26031888565809501042017-05-12T09:02:00.000-07:002017-05-12T09:03:00.030-07:00Selkie Magic <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freckles and friend</td></tr>
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Since 1993 when I first read <i>Women Who Run with the Wolves </i>(Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PhD) and the story "Sealskin, Soulskin", I have been deeply connected to the Celtic stories about Selkies, seals that live in the sea and shed their skin to become human on land during the full moon each month. Stories about these mystical beings are prevalent in the mythology of cultures throughout the world.</div>
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Nine months ago I came upon a pod of harbor seals that live here in Laguna Beach, hauling out on the rocks each day to rest. I have been captivated by these magnificent creatures ever since. I find myself looking forward to low tide and the opportunity to sit near my friends. When I am lucky enough to find them, I sit quietly, observing their peaceful presence and allowing myself to be fully present in my own life. When they are hauled out, the harbor seals remind me to recognize whether or not I am grounded. But when I observe them in the water, I am inspired to be playful and find the joy of simply being alive, to be grateful and to recognize the abundant blessings in my life. </div>
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In Celtic mythology seals have a strong and special connection with the human race. Some families are said to be descended from the union of humans and seals. There are also stories about seals helping humans and it is believed that good luck follows those who help seals. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olaf</td></tr>
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In alchemical writings and shamanic traditions, animal symbols give insight into spiritual wisdom. These animals may appear in dreams or in real life. The important point is to consider the deeper meaning. When I sit with the harbor seals, I observe their behavior and consider what message, or omen, they offer.<br />
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According to Ted Andrew's book, <i>Animal Speaks</i>, seals are associated with beings of the Faerie realm in legend and lore. They are Water Spirits who take the form of gray seals and come on shore at night and shed their seal skins, walking and dancing in the moonlight as men and women. </div>
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One esoteric perspective about the seals is that they teach us how to develop and focus the imagination. They can also teach us how to be grounded. Although their home is in the water, pinnipeds need to haul out on land between seven and twelve hours daily to rest and regulate their body temperature. Seals ask us to reflect upon our state of balance, within and without. Is your imagination taking you out of your body and leaving you ungrounded? Are you listening to your inner voice or are you being influenced by what others believe is important for you?<br />
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The shifts that so many of us are currently experiencing are taking us to the core of our fears and even asking us to reevaluate where and how we live. When we find ourselves caught up in the instability around us, we must find our inner equilibrium. It is during the challenging situations that the invitation to apply the lessons learned appears. When we can trust Divine Love and willingly plunge into the inner realms, we will find ourselves popping up to the surface with new insights and creativity. It is through this ability to shift our perspective and maintain our balance that we create stability.<br />
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The seals invite us to connect with our creative life force. They inspire us to be present and grounded while allowing a balance of play and joy into life. They invite us to check our state of being, to rest and regroup, find our equilibrium, and wait for the current to shift and a resolution to present itself.<br />
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Thank you my Selkie friends. May we continue to seek balance in our lives while we gratefully recognize the joy of being alive!</div>
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<i>Blessings of peace, love and light,</i></div>
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<i>Gretchen</i></div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-6979906091020093592017-03-02T09:48:00.001-08:002017-03-02T09:48:50.966-08:00Love and Compassion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The last few months have been marked by the collective shadow manifested through fear, xenophobia, inequality, lack of protection of the environment, and the absence of understanding for differing viewpoints and lifestyles. The anger and fear are apparent on both sides, both conservative and liberal. The shadow is BIG!<br />
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So how do we find our personal and collective center? How do we manifest the feminine principal of collaboration and compromise? There is no quick fix. There is no simple answer or one way for resolution. There is no room for a narcissistic perspective. However we must find a way to bring us through the shadow and into the light of the new age that spiritual leaders and mystics have predicted. <br />
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In order for this to happen, each of us must do our own deep work. We cannot lay blame on another person or system. We must ask our self what personal action is appropriate. Some will be called to peaceful demonstration and activism. Others will become prayer warriors, mentors and teachers. But all spiritual actions and solutions come from a commitment to peace. And therein lies the challenge! When we are confronted daily with the elimination of agencies that have protected groups of people and Mother Earth, how do we stay centered? How do we maintain a peaceful heart?<br />
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My Ancestors tell me to do my own work. When the shadow arises within it has many faces but I must look in the mirror and see the reflection. What limiting belief is ready to be released now? And how can I release it?<br />
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Meditation. Ritual. Prayer. Surrender. I am always guided to these solutions and reminded that this is a path humankind has walked since the beginning of time. Each cycle has a different face but the same issues are always beneath the surface. For humanity to evolve, change and surrender is required. This comes through personal and collective experiences that bring us to our knees, seeking divine guidance. <br />
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We are at a crossroad and it is essential that we seek spiritual wisdom. This comes in many forms…there is no one correct pathway. All paths to enlightenment are correct and it is essential that we support one another on that journey.<br />
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I’ve been reading <i>The Book of Joy</i> by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams. These two spiritual leaders explore the nature of true joy and confront the obstacles to joy – fear, stress, anger, grief, illness, and death. Their simple yet profound wisdom brings a new sense of hope to the reader. We are responsible for our reactions to our challenges and experiences. Our reactions and beliefs create the world we live in. Now is the time to become both introspective and reactive, finding our soul’s pathway to peace making. <br />
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The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu explain why they felt it was so important to write <i>The Book of Joy</i> at this time. The Dalai Lama shares:<br />
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“I think the only way really is, as we have said, through education. Education is universal. We must teach people, especially our youth, the source of happiness and satisfaction. We must teach them that the ultimate source of happiness is within themselves. Not machine. Not technology. Not money. Not power.” (page 297)</blockquote>
And Archbishop Tutu adds:<br />
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“Dear Child of God, you are loved with a love that nothing can shake, a love that loved you long before you were created, a love that will be there long after everything has disapperared. You are precious, with a preciousness that is totally quite immeasurable. And God wants you to be like God. Filled with life and goodness and laughter – <i>and joy</i>.” (page 298)</blockquote>
The book concludes with the Eight Pillars of Joy: Perspective, Humility, Humor, Acceptance, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Compassion, and Generosity. May each of us consider these aspects of joy and begin to reframe our fearful thinking, opening to embodying them within and without. May we become the change we wish to see in the world!<br />
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<br />Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-1863286712862797592016-09-04T18:01:00.000-07:002016-09-04T18:01:18.842-07:00Open Heart to Kindness<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
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<i>"When you lend a hand, you open a way for your heart to touch the heart of everything. This is a wealth that only grows. While those we help may leave or die or simply grow into their own beauty and be loved by others, the closeness uncovered by kindness turns to light in the body, until the closeness generated by kindness makes a lamp of the heart." </i><i>~ by Mark Nepo, Seven Thousand Ways to Listen</i><br />
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This is a profound reflection of what is true about relationships and how the Divine can work within and without to create peace and harmony. Isn’t that the purpose of life? We never know what we are learning in the midst of giving or receiving kindness but when we step back and reflect, we are changed. </div>
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I have been blessed to be the recipient of great kindness from others. Nurturing the friendships that I have developed over my lifetime has provided so many blessings! Long ago I recognized that tending to relationships with those who also value kindness resulted in trusted friends who I can process and grow with. There are times to give and times to receive. The key is an open heart and a willingness to take risks with your heart.<br /><br />I want to open my heart to kindness. I want to give kindness freely and receive it equally! I want to experience joy and love and laughter with people I cherish. I count myself lucky to have so many kind and loving friends who value my presence and whose presence I am continually enriched by. Each friend is a unique flower in my garden I am so grateful!</div>
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May each of our hearts find others to open our hearts to "until the closeness generated by kindness makes a lamp of the heart". <br /><br /></div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-46927553283471760512016-04-30T09:57:00.002-07:002016-04-30T09:57:34.938-07:00Another Crossroad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another crossroads is beginning to take form ahead of me. There’s no rush but I can feel the energy shifting and recognize the mix of fear and excitement within. I’ve been here many times over the last 66 years and some crossroads have brought tears and immense grief while others have manifested profound joy and fulfillment. All have led to evolution and transformation.<br /><br />How often do I coach others in releasing their fears during a critical point in their life? How often do I encourage them to see the beauty in the transformational process of spiritual alchemy that leads them to a powerful transformational turning point in their life? How often do I ask them to allow the magic of Divine intervention to move fully into their situation and let go of outcomes? Daily!<div>
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<i>Crossroads: a crisis situation or point in time when a critical decision must be made; critical point, juncture, convergence, intersection, overlap</i></div>
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So it seems that I am being reminded that life, especially a spiritual life, is not stagnant. Life is a living, evolving process and each crossroad brings the invitation to expand and grow! It is never about going back. Something bigger and better is calling us forward but we must accept the invitation. </div>
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Change is peeping over the horizon with an invitation to consider what is waiting to be dreamed into being in my life. There is no certainty about the outcome. There are infinite possibilities ahead. All that is required of me is to open to new ideas and possibilities for personal and collective growth. As my work expands, so must I. My soul is calling me to consider new dreams. I choose to embrace the alchemical process of transformation and evolution that has guided me for all these many years. I choose to allow this process of change and expansion that is only an embryo within now - I choose to let it root and grow. <br /><br />What crossroad is inviting you to expand? What adventure is beginning to take form in your life? How will you meet this challenge? Will you move forward, allowing a new dream to manifest in your heart? Or will you hide out of fear of the change that is calling you? <br /><br />Be fearless! Embrace new possibilities! Grieve what is leaving and then allow the alchemy of transformation that comes when we receive the challenge! It is what we become that changes the world and each invitation to grow and evolve is not only a healing for our own soul but for the soul of our beautiful planet too! <br /><br />Blessings of peace, love and light,<br />Gretchen</div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-56098860676070483682015-11-29T06:56:00.001-08:002015-11-29T07:26:09.198-08:00Honoring Our Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The days grow shorter. The Thanksgiving feast is now a memory and my thoughts turn to the rest of the holiday season. The temperature has dropped and today I'm sitting at my computer wearing sweats listening to Christmas music while I enjoy the sound of rain on the patio. Bentley, my feline companion, has made himself comfortable on his favorite chair and we are both appreciating a quiet rainy day.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">This is a festive time of year filled with celebrations, shopping, and family gatherings. But it is also the time of year to reflect on the lessons learned, honoring areas of inner growth and expansion. The soul's journey requires tending. </span><br />
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It is also a time of reflecting on the relationships in life and how we nurture them. Relationships, like our physical and spiritual well-being, need to be tended. What needs to be released and what needs to be nourished? What changes do I want to make and what is working well?</div>
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As we move from late fall to winter it is important to note that winter is the final phase of the twelve-month cycle of Earth’s seasons. Like all cycles, winter holds evidence and clues within it about what came before, what is and what will likely be. The energy of winter is an ending and a new beginning. There is increasing darkness, the darkest point and then the shift toward increasing light. <br />
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At this time of year I look to nature to show me her rhythm, her way of "being." She is quiet. Her leaves cover the ground, decomposing. During the process of decomposition, the decomposers provide food for themselves by extracting chemicals from organic wastes to produce energy. The decomposers will then produce waste of their own. In turn, this will also decompose, eventually returning nutrients to the soil. These nutrients can then be taken up by the roots of living plants enabling them to grow and develop, so that organic material is naturally recycled. Virtually nothing goes to waste in nature. <br />
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During this season of quiet reflection and review, I encourage each of you to recycle your energies. Renew, refresh, and envision the richness of your journey to date and the possibility that lies before you. This is the season we are invited to go within and honor our personal journey. In the darkness of winter, may we find our own light. May we shine and, collectively, may we brighten the world.</div>
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Happy Holidays!<br />
Gretchen</div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-72221700730028042892015-08-15T08:54:00.001-07:002015-08-15T08:54:26.294-07:00Becoming Peace<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Made from Bone </b></div>
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by Mark Nepo</div>
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(from <i>Reduced to Joy</i>)</div>
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When I can be the truth,</div>
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it grows more and more clear</div>
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when it is necessary to tell the truth. </div>
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That is, when I have access to the place</div>
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within me that is lighted, I don't have</div>
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to speak heatedly. I can just give away</div>
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warmth. When I am still enough to brush</div>
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quietly with eternity, I don't have to</div>
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speak of God. I can just offer peace</div>
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to those around me. </div>
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A tree grows so it can convey wind.</div>
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It is not the wind. And a person grows</div>
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in order to convey spirit. </div>
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They say that animals recharge</div>
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their innocence each time they hoof</div>
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the earth. And we are reborn</div>
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each time we touch what matters.</div>
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It has been months since I last sat down to write a blog entry. It's not that my life has been stagnant - quite the contrary - but it feels like I've been percolating, sifting through relationships and situations, preparing for something new to open. What new truth is being birthed within me? How do I walk this earth in a way that offers peace to those around me? How do I shift with the ongoing winds of change? How do I become truth and kindness in life's journey when I am triggered by situations and relationships that bring up the old limitations of my inner child? </div>
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This is an ongoing theme for all humans and I'm no exception! My relationship with my father often resurfaces during one of these cycles and invites me to reflect on what is true and what is not. When there is a misunderstanding with a friend or family member, and it is necessary for me to retreat into myself for reflection, I ask the ancestors, "What is the truth behind this feeling? What is the lesson I am being invited to learn?"</div>
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I am grateful for the fact that both my parents wanted me and welcomed me into their lives. The fact that they didn't have a sense of who they were in the world must have been confusing but they did know that they wanted a family and believed that they would protect the children they brought into the world. During the first few years of life they showered me with love and affection.</div>
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But when adolescence descended, in my parents eyes, I became a child they no longer understood and my father's faith in his ability to guide and protect me was shaken and he was afraid of my encroaching sense of independence. My rebellion terrified him and he retreated into himself. The strong man I had depended on was floundering without a compass. But the foundation of love that I received as a child had given me roots and has allowed me to find my center through each storm and cycle in my life.</div>
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This ongoing cycle of death and rebirth allows us to be reborn again and again. Whatever our beginnings were, the lessons provided were exactly what we needed in order to become our soul's true self. If we tune into our inner knowing and follow that thread to our own truth, we connect with the Divine within and are able to shift with the winds of change. We are "reborn each time we touch what matters."</div>
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There is a beautiful song by India Arie called <a href="https://youtu.be/ism8dBjxKvc" target="_blank">"I Am Light"</a> that sums up the truth that Mark Nepo writes about in "Made From Bone."</div>
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I am Light </blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I am not the things my family did</div>
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I am not the voices in my head</div>
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I am not the pieces of the brokenness inside </div>
</blockquote>
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I am Light </blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I am not the mistakes I have made</div>
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;">
or any of the things that caused me pain</div>
</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">I am not the pieces of the dream I left behind</span> </div>
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I am Light </blockquote>
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I am not the color of my eyes</div>
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;">
I am not the skin on the outside</div>
</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;">
I am not my age</div>
</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;">
I am not my race</div>
</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">my soul inside is all light</span></span> </div>
</span></blockquote>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">I am Light</span></span> </blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am divinity defined</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am the god on the inside</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am a star</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a piece of it all</div>
</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">I am Light</span></span> </blockquote>
<br />
May you continue to discover your own inner truth and become peace for you are Light!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-73723898182032236882014-12-19T10:38:00.002-08:002014-12-19T10:39:15.946-08:00Inner Reflection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The days grow shorter. The temperature has dropped and today I'm sitting at my computer wearing sweats with a cozy wrap around my shoulders and a cup of steaming tea beside me. The Winter Solstice is just a few days away and the holiday season is in full swing with parties and celebrations everywhere.</div>
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This is a festive time of year but it is also the time of year to reflect on the previous months of experiences and lessons, honoring areas of growth and expansion. The soul's journey requires tending. My past experiences have provided opportunities for learning and my life is enriched because of these life-lessons. </div>
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Winter is the final phase of the twelve-month cycle of Earth’s seasons. Like all cycles, winter holds evidence and clues within it about what came before, what is and what will likely be. The energy of winter is an ending and a new beginning. There is increasing darkness, the darkest point and then the shift toward increasing light. </div>
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At this time of year I look to nature to show me her rhythm, her way of "being." She is quiet. Her leaves cover the ground, decomposing. During the process of decomposition, the decomposers provide food for themselves by extracting chemicals from organic wastes to produce energy. The decomposers will then produce waste of their own. In turn, this will also decompose, eventually returning nutrients to the soil. These nutrients can then be taken up by the roots of living plants enabling them to grow and develop, so that organic material is naturally recycled. Virtually nothing goes to waste in nature. </div>
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During this season of quiet reflection and review, I encourage each of you to recycle your energies. Renew, refresh, and envision the richness of your journey to date and the possibility that lies before you. </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I love to search for quotes that inspire. </span><span style="font-size: small;">May these quotes help invoke that spirit within. </span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>~Albert Camus</i></span> </span></div>
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One is wise to cultivate the tree that bears fruit in our soul.</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>~Henry David Thoreau</i></span> </span></div>
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We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">~<i>Mary Dunbar</i></span></div>
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</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is the season we are invited to go within and honor our personal journey. In the darkness of winter, may we find our own light. May we shine and, collectively, may we brighten the world. </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Happy Holidays!</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Gretchen</i></span></span></div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-28625024237682506532014-09-09T17:52:00.004-07:002014-09-09T17:53:13.943-07:00Dreaming a New Dream for the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am often confused about the roles of men and women in today's culture and what balance between the sexes would look like within "modern" society. What does it look like for women to reclaim their power and what is the role of men in this quest? Equally, what does it look like for men to reclaim their power and what is the role of women in this quest? It's not about one becoming dominant over the other. How do we find the inner equilibrium that is necessary for us to reflect that out in the world? Each individual carries both within and it is time that we discover what this means, personally. Then, and only then, will there be true equality and peace.</div>
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As a grandmother of eight boys and two girls, I believe the Divine is offering me an opportunity to journey deeply into this quest. As I watch these little ones grow, I am constantly aware of the world they are growing up in and the choices they will one day make that will effect the world. Along the way they will have many lessons that will assist them in becoming adults and they too will have to choose to find balance within and without. </div>
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Life has provided each of us with woundings that surface from time to time and we are triggered into questioning our self-worth. This is a natural phenomena and simply provides the opening to look at our soul's truth more deeply. </div>
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I have been reading a book by Hank Wessleman, <i>The Bowl of Light: Ancestral Wisdom from a Hawaiian Shaman.</i> Dr. Wesselman shares the wisdom of the late Hale Kealohalani Makua, one of Hawaii's greatest ancestral leaders and shamans. There is much wisdom in the book but I am particularly struck by Makua's discussion about the power of women and men in co-creating a new world. He says,</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
"It is time for all the women to come together to generate a new vision. They must dream a new dream -- a new vision that must be about what they want for their grandchildren and for the next seven generations. Women [the feminine] are the keepers of the culture, the family, the home, as well as the foundation of the world. The lesson is that the women have to teach the men is how to be gentle. </div>
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It's the women who are going to change the world now, and so the men have to protect them...The men need to follow the women for a change, because in doing so, men will become more selective. It's about discrimination, about learning discernment.</div>
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This is Mother Earth. It is not Father Earth. The energy of the Earth is feminine...and the lesson for the men is about gentleness. The job of women is to teach the men how to be gentle. So it's time for the men to sit down and listen, and it is time for the women to stand up and speak. It's the women who are going to change the world now, and so the men have to protect them." (pg. 142-143)</div>
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In other words, this is a time of authentic and unconditional reciprocity where both men and women find their own inner balance, their own gentleness, and then extend support to each other and to Mother Earth. The change begins within, establishing personal balance and harmony, and then we can become part of the new dreaming for our beautiful planet. When we are in this state of love we reflect that out into the world and things shift. </div>
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In a recent dream I was with other women preparing for a sacred ritual. We were bathed and perfumed and dressed in white linen. Bouquets of flowers were given to each one of us as we lined up to begin the procession. In a solemn line, with musicians playing, we walked out into Nature. There was a sacred river that we had to cross and then a fire circle on the other side. As I approached the water I felt a sense of freedom in knowing that this part of the ritual would purify and heal each of us as we prepared for the sacred work ahead. The water wasn't deep and felt refreshing as I stepped into it and across.</div>
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On the other side, the women ahead of me had begun to create a circle around the fire and were singing so I joined them. I closed my eyes and connected to Source. I felt grounded deeply into Mother Earth while the Divine filled me and expanded outward from my heart chakra. I sensed all the other women in the circle doing the same. It was clear that our power did not come from any action that we might take but in being connected to Divine Love and Oneness. This is what we were to take out into the world. </div>
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My dream for our world is that each of us would become connected to our inner divinity, that part within each of us that is a direct reflection of the Divine. We must all honor Mother Earth and take care of her. We must all learn to be gentle with her and the beings we share life with. She is calling each of us, both male and female, to dream a gentler world into being. </div>
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It can be challenging to move out of our woundings and into a place of equilibrium but the gift is that we see the truth about life - it is a joy and a daily gift to be here. It is the responsibility of each of us, both male and female, to protect Mother Earth and one another. Then and only then will we see the divinity within each other and then consciously co-create a new world.</div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-80388065063868453042014-07-12T07:41:00.002-07:002014-07-12T07:42:08.143-07:00The Power of Forgiveness<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.”</div>
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(Steve Maraboli, <i>Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience)</i> </div>
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It can be challenging to forgive others but what about forgiving one's self? Although it is important to say "I'm sorry" to another person with whom we've had a disagreement or argument, can we recognize the bigger picture? Is it possible to see the mirroring of ourself in others and forgive ourself along with the other?</div>
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The sacred Hawaiian practice of Ho'oponopono teaches us that when we forgive another, we forgive ourself. Ho'oponopono is called the Hawaiian Code of Forgiveness, and it's an important practice because when we forgive others, who are we forgiving? Ourselves. We are responsible for 100% of our experiences in life and the memories we replay. The Hawaiian belief is that we carry inside us as parts of the Unconscious Mind, all the significant people in our lives. Ho'oponopono makes it "all right" with them and we can release the old memories that have emerged in the encounter with another. The intention of the process of Ho'oponopono is to align with and clean up our relationships and our genealogy.</div>
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Throughout my life there have been key people who have challenged me in this practice of forgiveness. I must admit that I am never comfortable with the feelings that surface - anger, betrayal, fear. My "little girl" gets triggered and I find myself back in a time and space that makes me vulnerable and uncomfortable, a space where I don't feel safe.</div>
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But I don't believe in accidents or that there are people and situations that do not have the potential to transform myself and others. So what are these trying situations teaching me?</div>
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If I go back to the Hawaiian Code of Forgiveness, I must consider that each person who challenges me is "inviting" me to reveal, release, and transform old subconscious limiting beliefs and patterns. I am usually able to forgive another person's actions but there are those who have been in my life for many years that continually challenge that. I believe that we're mirrors for each other.</div>
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Now that I am older, I have the gift of hindsight. I can look back over choices I've made and learn from them. I continue to have opportunities to practice forgiveness through my family and friends. When I see my children learning their life lessons through their marriages and children, I understand even more. Life is an amazing journey and we are invited to make choices throughout the adventure. Sometimes we wish we had chosen differently but regrets are vain. The value of age, and time, is perspective. We can always make a new choice that directs us to new outcomes. Continually we are encouraged to take responsibility for our actions and decide if we like the course our life is on or choose to set new intentions, altering our life's course.</div>
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What is being mirrored for you? Who do you need to forgive? Can you forgive yourself? What deep within your core is ready to be transformed if only you can dig deep enough to forgive yourself? That's the journey. That's the quest. May each of us be brave enough to ask our soul to show us the invitation in each situation. How does this person help me become my authentic self? Our master teachers are not those who make us feel loved and accepted but those who challenge us to surrender to something greater than ourself.</div>
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Life is an amazing journey that constantly changes. Recognize the people who offer you an invitation to heal and to forgive. Compassion is the key. When we can forgive ourself, we find the compassion to forgive others. When we can seek forgiveness we hold the key to transformation. </div>
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"It is a wonderful day in a life when one is finally able to stand before the long, deep mirror of one’s own reflection and view oneself with appreciation, acceptance, and forgiveness. On that day one breaks through the falsity of images and expectations which have blinded one’s spirit. One can only learn to see who one is when one learns to view oneself with the most intimate and forgiving compassion." (<i>Beauty: The Invisible Embrace</i>, John O'Donohue)</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-52203798221311806442014-05-12T13:51:00.000-07:002014-05-12T13:54:21.378-07:00Ireland is Calling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzbxFT9On5cKxTaSWhRPlKtffWfZiz1NmUFz5oZRAA6wAQsj0GRGh6PwplRI9eEUXPqBCO3SlLJRzsLk_qu5srL9nePxWwkhzIR1z0OYMad3AU2gzT9BtW2_O6R0myQ1Ii2HOqUGRSUE/s1600/knowth-ireland1-1240x930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzbxFT9On5cKxTaSWhRPlKtffWfZiz1NmUFz5oZRAA6wAQsj0GRGh6PwplRI9eEUXPqBCO3SlLJRzsLk_qu5srL9nePxWwkhzIR1z0OYMad3AU2gzT9BtW2_O6R0myQ1Ii2HOqUGRSUE/s1600/knowth-ireland1-1240x930.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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Ireland is calling. After twenty years of traveling back and forth to Africa to discover what it means to be connected to my ancestors, I'm finally journeying back to the land where so many of lineage raised families and dreamed dreams of a better life for their descendants.</div>
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My Nordic ancestors left their homelands for adventure and opportunity and settled in Ireland and Scotland. Vikings, Swedes, and Danes, filled with courage and a desire to explore unknown lands, ventured across the sea and found themselves creating new lives in Ireland. From there many would sail across the vast ocean again and begin new lives in America.<br />
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What drove our ancestors to leave the life they knew for new possibilities? There was no way to be certain of what awaited them. There was no easy access to friends and family who had made the trip before them. Perhaps they had received letters of encouragement from a relative but there was no guarantee.<br />
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Hope for a brighter future. That's what called. The promise land. Isn't that what we see throughout history? People emigrating to a place that holds promise for a brighter future?<br />
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Now I feel as if I have been called to return to the land where so many of my ancestors called "home." I want to stand on the land and feel her ancient rhythms. I want to feel in my bones what my ancestors felt. I want to stand on the wind swept coastline of Northern Ireland and look across to Scotland like so many of my ancestors must have done. I want the elements to whisper to me, bringing old stories and memories into my thoughts. I want to honor those who came before me and recall tales of old while creating new memories and new stories to be told to my descendants.<br />
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I found this lovely poem online. It says everything I've been dreaming and feeling. (<a href="http://www.thegatheringpoem.com/">http://www.thegatheringpoem.com</a>)<br />
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<blockquote>
“An Irish heart is inspiring Art”<br />
by Brendan Kennelly<br />
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An Irish heart is inspiring art,<br />
Calling home wakening ghosts…. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
On a misty morning, the ships sailed in<br />
Gathering memories, gathering friends, </blockquote>
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Like the air of a tune you know by ear,<br />
The gathering of spirit from near and wide, </blockquote>
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Gifting me music, flooding my veins,<br />
Druid friendship oft-times Skypeship, </blockquote>
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Home again, known again,<br />
A whisper in the Atlantic wind…. </blockquote>
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Which Celtic line am I from?<br />
Where is the source? </blockquote>
<blockquote>
The small walled fields, the gathering hearts<br />
Draw soul and song through time, </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Invisible ties of love,<br />
Gathering the scattering in oneness, though apart…. </blockquote>
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As poets depart for distant shores<br />
we mourn the loss of words unwritten </blockquote>
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To spread the whispers of ancient olds,<br />
A people of difference </blockquote>
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Extending the miles to retract generations,<br />
I take a thread and pass it through </blockquote>
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Rivers, mountains, heather and rocky coastlines,<br />
Through many forms…. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
A yellow flower and stone fence nuzzling memory<br />
As the wanderers gather </blockquote>
<blockquote>
From places far flung,<br />
Embracing all the isle… </blockquote>
<blockquote>
So let the piper play and harpist’s fingers dance!<br />
Celebrate with music and with tales </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Of great love, of life and death,<br />
Of the ones who were sore to leave Ireland’s shore </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Give me the Liberties where I was raised,<br />
And Kevin Street library for books so serene, </blockquote>
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5,000 miles from my house to my home….<br />
Gather now with those returning, </blockquote>
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Breathing in a thousand years of soil and sea;<br />
Magheroarty, Meenlaragh, Gortahork and Gweedore, </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Skimming westward down the sacred mountain,<br />
Each threads together our diaspora, </blockquote>
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Across Shorelines, beyond boundaries,<br />
peat bog, salmon race, love sown in my soul, </blockquote>
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Riding the tide, Western Skies,<br />
towards my home, </blockquote>
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Meet me there, the place that knows,<br />
where the grass meets the sea, </blockquote>
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Raining grace across the generations,<br />
The dead urge us on, </blockquote>
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Irish hearts are inspiring Art,<br />
A gathering: a global orchestra<br />
<br />
by the Irish worldwide</blockquote>
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<article class="post-297 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-poem-entry" id="post-297" style="-webkit-hyphens: none; border-bottom-style: none !important; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal;"><div class="entry-content" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px !important; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 315px;">
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<span style="color: white; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">“An Irish heart i</span></span></blockquote>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-85204911995744781752014-04-24T09:59:00.000-07:002014-04-24T09:59:01.241-07:00Coyote Medicine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH2mO-hl3AwMLuQOGOZzKoVkgsDWY7t26OntvgBN3IFF0CuCiDXIGNL4PqFI6hFPnmgtS3NOWgy-9CmQck_Jaf9-pV85tzYTahnGsbNO6tpIfP6O7ulk5557yeWuQXVDheEp-MUYJaw0/s1600/8646492_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image credit: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/profile_steve_byland'>steve_byland / 123RF Stock Photo</a>" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFH2mO-hl3AwMLuQOGOZzKoVkgsDWY7t26OntvgBN3IFF0CuCiDXIGNL4PqFI6hFPnmgtS3NOWgy-9CmQck_Jaf9-pV85tzYTahnGsbNO6tpIfP6O7ulk5557yeWuQXVDheEp-MUYJaw0/s1600/8646492_m.jpg" height="133" title="Coyote by Steve Byland" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Steve Byland</td></tr>
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Those of us who live in urban Southern California acknowledge that the wily coyote is growing in numbers and becoming braver. Even in city neighborhoods, the coyote roams freely in the light of day. This morning I was enjoying my coffee on my patio deck and spied an adult coyote at the bottom of my property, meandering through the brush. He moved on but I was reminded of my previous coyote encounters and remembered a post from a couple of years ago. I want to share it with you again, to remind us all of the magic available when coyote appears.</div>
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Living with coyote means being protective of your canine and feline companions. Some people believe that the answer is to attempt to remove coyotes from neighborhoods. But where would they be moved? We are living in their former territory and, quite frankly, coyotes are very intelligent beings who are adaptable and are content living among us!</div>
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For those of us who pay attention to nature and the balance/imbalance therein, Coyote is viewed as the trickster with many lessons to teach us. Coyote represents the two sides of every coin, every issue, every situation, and urges us to examine all the facts before we take a position or offer an opinion. Coyote is the shape-shifter and the transformer. He is here to teach us the value of living and walking in balance.</div>
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Coyote is skillful but would rather find someone else to do the work if he can. He doesn't want to overextend himself, so he finds others to help in tasks so he can drop back. Coyote uses his instincts skillfully to tune into his environment and use the resources around him, including humans living in his former territory, to make life easier. Coyotes are very clever and adapt easily to changes in their environment.</div>
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Coyote is devoted to the family unit and the male takes an active role in parenting. He is adaptable, and can make his home in any environment and make it work for him. Coyotes don't take things seriously. There is a sense of humor to their actions and you can't help but laugh if you observe them carefully.</div>
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I live in a little canyon at the beach in Southern California. This canyon connects to a wilderness reserve so coyotes are expected. Recently I was enjoying my view with a visiting friend when we spotted a family of four coyotes walking across the hillside landscape in the middle of the afternoon. This sparked a wonderful conversation between my friend and I and led us to reflect about the message Coyote was offering. That night the coyotes were exceptionally active, howling throughout the night. I must admit is was a bit eerie! </div>
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The next morning my friend and I talked at length again about the teachings from Coyote. My friend and I went outside and discovered that one of my red gardening shoes, which I always leave on the front porch after coming in from the garden, was missing. We looked everywhere for that shoe but it had disappeared! When I saw coyote scat under a nearby fruit tree I realized how close the coyote had been during the night.</div>
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That led us to begin story-telling about what had happened to my red shoe. The final version of the story was that Coyote had been feasting on fallen fruit under the apricot tree when he smelled a much more delicious treat - the fragrance of my kitty, Bentley! He navigated his way up the garden path, over the two gates separating the garden from my cottage, and down the stairs that lead to my front door. I never let my cat go out into the yard but he has the enclosed patio to lounge in during the day while I'm home. That's where Coyote's keen sense of smell guided him...to my patio. How disappointed he must have been to find no feline dinner after all! So, he grabbed my red shoe and trotted off with it. Better to come back from a hunting expedition with a memento of the the adventure instead of empty handed!</div>
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Coyote can help see the humor in life, to lighten up and trust our instincts. He can also teach us to be mindful of our actions and be wary of playing tricks on ourselves or others. Coyote also reminds us that the consequences of our actions affect more than just ourselves.</div>
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<span class="BabyNameText">When we are being too serious about life, Coyote may appear to teach us to laugh at ourselves and life’s ironies. Be prepared for your sense of humor to invite you to expand your perspective.</span></div>
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Sometimes Coyote comes to us with a message about learning from our mistakes. This learning can mean communicating with "our pack" for better understanding and a broader perspective. Or the learning might be an individual lesson like recognizing a personal mistake, seeing its consequences and vowing not to make that same mistake twice.</div>
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<span class="BabyNameText">If Coyote shows up in your life, look for the magic. Be grateful that Coyote has appeared to remind you that you are ready to manifest miracles if you are willing to adjust the imbalances in your life. If he warns you about a "trap" that needs attention, be mindful. Coyote is a powerful teacher who is not out to get us but to teach us about magic, freedom, joy, and </span><span class="BabyNameText">the alchemy that is available to all who seek it. </span></div>
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<i>Blessings of peace, love and light ~ </i><i>Gretchen</i></div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-45775376711373449122014-02-06T14:56:00.001-08:002014-02-06T14:56:43.755-08:00Mineral Year ~ 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YaVxQWvLt_o/UvPlCko7LKI/AAAAAAAAQpE/xrQXOKkerT8/s1600/dagara.294100417_std.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YaVxQWvLt_o/UvPlCko7LKI/AAAAAAAAQpE/xrQXOKkerT8/s1600/dagara.294100417_std.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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I've been reading numerous astrological blogs that share the stories of the sky and how planets are interacting, affecting our lives here on Earth. Numerology provides another layer of understanding to the picture being revealed and Chinese astrology invites us into the year of the Wood Horse. All of these perspectives offer layers of comprehension about how to live in balance here on Earth.</div>
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The cosmology of the Dagara people of Burkino Faso explains life through the five elements of Fire, Water, Earth, Mineral, and Nature. Depending on which year you were born, people carry the gifts of one of these elements. However it takes all of the elements to bring balance within and without.</div>
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This year, 2014, is a Mineral year according to the Dagara tradition. Mineral refers to communication and to the memories existing in our bones and the "bones" of Mother Earth. Mineral people are referred to as storytellers and communicators. In a traditional culture where the stories are memorized and shared orally, mineral people are equipped with the gifts of memory and communication and are skilled at working with crystals and energy healing. They carry all the stories; not just mythological stories but also genealogical stories and stories of creation. The druids and bards of Celtic tradition were required to spend years memorizing the history and poetry of their lineage. Elder shamans from the Native American, Hawaiian, and African indigenous cultures still hold the secret stories and memories of their ancient oral traditions. </div>
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At a personal level, when we suppress painful stories from our life, they can result in illness and create imbalance within our physical bodies. The ability
to remember a suppressed story, and the emotions connected to it, provides the opportunity to release it and allow transformation and healing. Mineral people can often help us in this process as we are guided gently through our memories to release them through energy healing and/or ritual. </div>
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If your birth year ends in a 4 or a 9, you are a Mineral person in the Dagara tradition. According to Malidoma Some,</div>
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<i>"The formation of any village, at least that we know of, is always based on some kind of cosmology, cosmologies that help people find out where they came from and where they're going. This is all based on the quest for people's identity, because without it it's very hard to live a life that is focused and motivated. What you have here is a Dagara model of building identity, or building community and creating a viable relationship with the spirit world.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>That's why people in the tribes or in villages are divided into these five different categories, which are based on the understanding that the universe is made of five essential elements. Those elements are intertwined in such a way that it makes it possible for people like us to live in it. Our daily challenges are based on how we dance with these elements. Pain is the result of ignoring one or several of them, and the feeling of groundedness and focus is more connected to a balancing or a proximity to balancing these elements all together. But the most important thing in it is the possibilities or the availabilities in this so-called Wheel of giving us some very substantial knowledge about ourselves. When you know who you are you know how to dance, and then everything else perhaps becomes not as threatening as it looks."</i></blockquote>
What old stories are you ready to release this year? What new stories are you ready to create? Don't get stuck in an old story that holds you in victim consciousness. In this Mineral year we are being invited to release the old stories and beliefs held in our bones, the ones that no longer serve the highest good. When we are courageous enough to do this, transformation is possible and new stories are waiting to manifest!<br />
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Blessings of peace, love and light ~ Gretchen</div>
<i style="text-align: center;">May you find a harmony between your soul and your life ~ John O'Donohue</i><br />
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<!--EndFragment-->Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-37828227398527610682014-01-03T18:27:00.002-08:002014-01-03T18:27:54.841-08:00Creating Your New Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As one year ends, another begins. In reflecting on this past year, what do you discover? What intentions did you set at the beginning of 2013? What expansion have you seen and what new intentions do you want to set for 2014?</div>
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Intentions come from the heart and soul - they are rooted in the values that are most important to you. An intention is connected to your life's purpose, and is a specific way of expressing it at a given time in your life. </div>
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We create our realities by the stories we tell. We can tell stories about the past and we can design stories to move into. A turning point in my life was when I began to consciously work on transforming my own stories which weren't serving me. Changing my story took time and practice. And it changed my reality.</div>
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In the Dagara tradition of Burkino Faso, 2014 is a Mineral year. Mineral is associated with stories and memory. Minerals, rocks and crystals carry the story of place and of the earth. Our bones carry and remember our personal stories and those of our lineage. </div>
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What are the stories you tell about yourself and your family? What kind of life do you want to manifest? What new stories to you want to create? </div>
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Here are a few questions to reflect on as you consider what your next "chapter" is going to be:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">What am I celebrating? What am I grateful for? What has been wonderful and magical about this past year?</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">What is one aspect about myself that I have especially loved this year? What am I proud of?</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">What would I have done differently this year?</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">What do I want to let go of?</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">What do I want to call in for the new year?</li>
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As you begin the new year, I encourage you to reflect on who you are becoming. As old issues, patterns, and limiting beliefs are revealed, consider releasing them through a simple ritual in nature and then allow nature to transform the old into something fresh and new. Write down what you want to release, burn the paper, and bury the ashes in the earth. Or blow the issues you want to transform into stones or shells and throw them into the ocean, a lake, or a river. Remember that intention is everything! </div>
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May all your dreams manifest this year. I wish you a joyous 2014!</div>
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Blessings ~ Gretchen </div>
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Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-63111006565228564342013-11-12T10:57:00.001-08:002013-11-12T10:57:03.306-08:00Forgiveness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My parents loved to read. They loved the language of a well-told story, especially historical fiction, and passed that love for reading down to my sister and me. Sometimes my mother or father would share a story from their own childhood as a value lesson. My grandmother in Oregon loved to take me out into her garden where I would help her pick peas or feed her flock of chickens that cackled and scratched around the yard. I always felt as if my parents and grandparents, especially my mother and maternal grandmother, saw me as their hope for a better future. They courageously dreamed new dreams for me, hoping to release old family limitations and patterns in their own lives.</div>
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I remember times during my childhood that were filled with laughter, times when my mother, my sister, and myself would be thrown into hysterics by an unexpected mishap during one of our songfests or a family outing. We would roll on the floor giggling! I have passed many of those stories on to my children and hope they will be shared long after I am gone.</div>
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But I'm also keenly aware of the many secrets my parents and grandparents harbored. There are family secrets that I have spent a lifetime uncovering, trying to unravel the patterns that have unfolded throughout my own life, patterns repeating themselves over and over again in my family's history. What was my mother hiding and why? Why were my grandmothers so angry at the world? Why did my father mistrust anyone who got too close to him? Was it shame, guilt, fear, or self-judgment? How can I shift their grief into positive lessons for healing, not only for myself but also for my ancestors and my descendants?</div>
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These unanswered questions have guided my adult journey, leading me to explore inner dimensions in a way that I never expected. Something deep within urged me forward with the prayer that I could contribute to shifting old family patterns between men and women, parents and children. The realization that I could not change anyone else, only myself and my reactions in the world, was the greatest gift I ever received from the Divine! If taking responsibility for my actions was the solution, I was willing to take it on. </div>
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Now I am older, and wiser, and the naiveté that I had when I originally embarked on this journey as a young mother has been replaced with a profound appreciation and respect for the challenges I faced along the way. It has taken me to remote inner realms that often felt overwhelming and dangerous. There have been times when I wanted to give up, run, and hide. But there was another, stronger, voice within that urged me to stop, regroup, and problem solve with a new strategy. Always at the core of my journey was Divine Love and guidance, encouraging me to expand my perspective and see myself and others with compassion. I won't pretend that I have always been successful at this but I am grateful that God's compassion was always present and eventually I was able to see the greater good in a difficult situation. </div>
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Now when I see my children learning their life lessons through their marriages and children, I understand even more. Life is an amazing journey and we are invited to make choices throughout the adventure. Sometimes we wish we had chosen differently but regrets are vain. The value of age, and time, is perspective. We can always make a new choice that directs us to new outcomes. Continually we are encouraged to take responsibility for our actions and decide if we like the course our life is on or choose to set new intentions, altering our life's course. </div>
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As we begin our entry into the holiday season, may each of us reflect on the past year's choices with a compassionate heart, for ourself and others. What about our choices do we appreciate? What do we want to shift? Who do we need to forgive? Life is an amazing journey that constantly changes. Read the signs along the way. Reflect. Release. Compassion is the key. When we can forgive ourself, we find the compassion to forgive others. When we can seek forgiveness we hold the key to transformation. </div>
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<i>"It is a wonderful day in a life when one is finally able to stand before the long, deep mirror of one’s own reflection and view oneself with appreciation, acceptance, and forgiveness. On that day one breaks through the falsity of images and expectations which have blinded one’s spirit. One can only learn to see who one is when one learns to view oneself with the most intimate and forgiving compassion." </i> (<i>Beauty: The Invisible Embrace, </i>John O'Donohue)</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></span>Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4314983835712440615.post-21637840032462865942013-05-27T08:27:00.000-07:002013-05-27T08:27:09.352-07:00Restoring Equilibrium <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After returning from my recent trip to South Africa and time with the sangomas, I have been in a deeply reflective space. Although I have been able to navigate my daily life of seeing clients and taking care of business, I am still searching for understanding of the inner shift that has occurred. My dreams are filled with activity but details elude me upon waking. I have a knowing that "work" is being done during sleep but I lack clarity. I find myself a bit impatient with the waiting and yet I know that this is essential. Things are shifting but it is still in progress.</div>
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In the last month there have been three eclipses. At a spiritual level, eclipses are significant events. It is
useful to note that we are still in the middle of a galactic alignment called
"The Great Shift," witnessing the closing of a great cycle of time
and the beginning of another, as the foundations of a new creation are being
laid down for humanity. These events are of major spiritual significance because they are helping to birth a new consciousness. Those who are sensitive to psychic energies will feel it
most but everyone is being affected, whether they recognize it or not. Eclipses signal what we need to change; they are a
rebirth.</div>
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As I continue to process and reflect, I read through some old postings on my blog and found one that rang true for me again. I am reposting it here, hoping that you will also find encouragement in the messages that come from Nature. </div>
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<i>Reposting of my blog entry from March 15, 2010:</i></div>
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When I was walking at the beach the other day I spotted a pelican "frozen" in place by the wind currents. He seemed relaxed, waiting for a shift. He had the ability to to maintain his equilibrium. He hovered for some time and then suddenly the wind changed, allowing him to move forward quickly. With this shift he soared ahead, enjoying the ride.</div>
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Stability is defined as the capacity of an object to return to equilibrium or to its original position after having been displaced. This is exactly what the pelican was able to do. He didn't fight the unseen. He understood that relaxing into the air gave him a period of rest that would give him more energy to fly when the situation shifted. He was completely free. I've been thinking of this omen all week, wondering how I can apply this insight in my own life.</div>
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In alchemical writings and shamanic traditions, animal symbols give insight into spiritual wisdom. These animals may appear in dreams or in real life. The important point is to consider the deeper meaning. When I walked on the beach that day, I was looking for answers, looking for an omen to appear and that pelican was the first creature I saw. I knew that the pelican's message was important.</div>
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One esoteric perspective on the pelican is that it teaches us that we can consciously use the forces of the etheric body to maintain our equilibrium and stability in the world.</div>
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The pelican is at home in the air and in the water. Groups of pelicans can be spotted flying effortlessly in formation high in the air or skimming the ocean's surface. It's magical to watch. Despite their size they are light and buoyant and can float like a schooner. Pelicans can suddenly plummet into the water and then pop up to the surface. They have this ability because of a system of air sacs under the skin that make the pelican unsinkable.</div>
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According to Ted Andrew's book, <i>Animal Speaks</i>, this hints at being able to be buoyant and to rest on top in spite of the heaviness of life's circumstances. The pelican can teach us that we can plunge into life's challenges, trusting that we will be able to pop up to the surface again and again.</div>
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The shifts that so many of us are experiencing currently are taking us to the core of our fears and even asking us to reevaluate where and how we live. When we find ourselves caught up in the instability around us, we must find our inner equilibrium. It is during the challenging situations that the invitation to apply the lessons learned appears. When we can trust Divine Love and willingly plunge into the inner realms, we will find ourselves popping up to the surface with new insights and "nourishment." It is through this ability to shift our perspective and maintain our equilibrium that we create stability.</div>
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I don't always recognize this opportunity but am ever grateful when Spirit is finally able to get my attention and I call upon Divine Love. Then I am able to regroup, find my equilibrium, and wait for the current to shift and a resolution to present itself. God's plan is always better than any of the ones I come up with!</div>
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<i>Blessings of peace, love and light,</i></div>
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<i>Gretchen</i></div>
Gretchen Crilly McKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05419570571896106570noreply@blogger.com4