~ Lavender ‘N Chocolate ~

This has been an incredible year for me. I have had my fair share of ups and downs, but I can honestly say there has been many good teachings and my Life is in Balance. I have learned much and taken my earthly experience to a whole new level.

Having begun a new journey into great health and energy, something I have always paid particular interest to throughout my life, I feel so alive! My thanks in this go to my daughter and her good thoughts which brought me Qigong. The Universe just seems to open up a path to what we need, and most times we just need to learn how to ask. My energy level is so high that I am able to keep up with a clan full of children and grandchildren, as well as the furry four legged friends who dwell in our home. Most days I am the one still moving, when everyone else is taking a break. I am never exhausted, and I sleep better than I have in YEARS! What a wonderful feeling it is to be alive!!

Although everything cannot be totally perfect, I feel as if my life is entering a gentle, peaceful, and happy stage. The world around us is in turmoil, yet I am ready to face what each moment brings with courage, fortitude, and the grace my spirit brings forth. We have much to be thankful for, and while I am warm and dry (my family sheltered during the cold season), and we are provided that which keeps our bodies strong and healthy, well then everything is as it should be.

I wish to send out much Love and good thoughts for all the spirits dwelling on this planet as the New Year opens up a new Journey. May you all be filled with the wonder of Life, the good health of a natural lifestyle, and may you enjoy the warmth and comraderie of true friends to help Light your Path as you move forward into the year of 2009.

Enjoy!

Teri
~

We love to play in the snow! Funny thing is we were wondering when we would get a chance to head on up to the mountain to play… well we didn’t have to go anyplace at all to get our wish. The snow came to us, and our area in Oregon is a white and magical place. What started out as a small snowstorm turned into a huge snowstorm (at least by our local standards), and we now have two feet of the white and wonderful stuff surrounding our home. This is indeed a delightful Dream come True for my little S and myself!!

It truly is beautiful, and what a special treat to walk outside and see the world transformed into a beautiful Winter Wonderland! I am in awe of how quickly nature transformed our early winter landscape from brown and grey to a sparkling white, oh so lovely place to play. Everywhere I look I am amazed at the beauty and keep finding images I wish to capture with my digital camera, and my daughter and I are having a great time just traveling through the neighborhood, totally fascinated everywhere we go. People laugh at our childlike wonder, and this change in climate seems to bring the neighborhood alive, and folks are friendly and full of high spirits.

We have had such fun playing, although I was only able to make one little snowgirl at the beginning of the storm, as the snow is just too light to form. Our little Chihuahua liked the snow at first, yet when it rose to above her head she would have no more to do with it. It was funny to see her jumping like a deer, but she absolutely refused to go far once she discovered the hazard of disappearing beneath the white stuff filling her world. She dug and dug to find the grass, as she was very particular of where to do her business…

Of course it took us HOURS to get to the store and back today, and it seems the whole city had the same idea of shopping before the storm worsens, and to catch up on last minute holiday ideas. But it was pretty exciting to journey through a white landscape, as the world looks so clean and pure! Now we have plenty of supplies, and as long as the power stays on we will enjoy a truly white holiday season, as we have everything we need to stay cozy, warm, entertained and well fed. What a great and wonderful feeling… everything is as it should be, and I am most happy in this moment.

To all those living and traveling through natures storms, I wish you safe travels and much joy in the time you spend with your loved ones. I also wish to send out my heartfelt prayers to those around the world who are not so lucky as I in this moment. I do know what it is to suffer, and feel very blessed and thankful to be safe in my home with my family surrounding me.

Happy Holidays and much Joy of the Season!

Teri
~

As my family grows, it seems the traditions in which are celebrated grow as well. When I was a child, I remember having such a big family, and Thanksgiving Day sticks in my mind as a time when we all got together, and there was much laughter as we all gathered in our finest fashions and feasted until our bellies were totally full, and then some.

My views on this supposed ‘Holiday’ have changed somewhat, as I firmly believe the natives of America would have hidden quite well from the Pilgrims if they could foresee what would follow these friendly and peaceful folk. Why would I celebrate the beginning of the end for such a wonderful, earth-loving culture?

Now I just allow this time to gather my family together for a feast, music and laughter, in my home. Although we got together at a relatives house on the official ‘Thanksgiving Day’, to satisfy those of a spiritual connection in these matters, I had my own feast a few days thereafter to celebrate our family and our lives. This just seems to be so much more special, as it represents our love for each other, and celebrates us as a strong family unit. We have so much to be thankful for, and our children grow richer for the unity we offer them in our teachings.

Thus we are reminded of that which gives us the strength and courage to face the challenges this life puts in our Paths. It is never easy living this earthly Life, yet I am very grateful for my own blessings, and feel quite strongly that there is a Spirit helper, or sweet and strong Angel, who watches out for me and mine. Too many times in my life I have been cared for, or something has occured to pull me out of a sticky situation, not to believe in this. I am ever so thankful for this guidance, protection, and positive energy in which surrounds me as I walk forth. I truly believe this helper is a blessing from the creator, sent here to earth with me to surround me with love and warmth, so I will never feel alone while I learn what I must in my travels upon Mother Earth. For this, along with my family, I am ever so grateful and give much thanks from my heart.

Pilamaye.

I love the rain. I have many reasons for this fascination and perhaps I am strange in this; rain just never seems to bother me, unless I am in it wayyy too long. I love to put my face up and let the rain wash over me. I absolutely love the feel of the wind and rain, the energy and pure goodness that seems to surround me, and makes me want to sing. The fresh smell is totally invigorating, and I feel like dancing. That must be where the saying ‘Dancing in the Rain’ came from, and I can totally feel it. There is magic in each raindrop.

We are having a bit of a rainstorm, our first of the Autumn season, here in Oregon. It is not really cold, just wet. This is the sweet kind of rain that I love to venture forth into, and even when I had to do barn chores in taking care of my horse, I never seemed to mind. To me rain means Life, and without it, the earth would wither up and die. I feel that way about myself… without a bit of rain to play in every now and then, with the feel of the wind in my hair, I would just wither away. I absolutely need natures gifts (the fairly gentle ones, although I love to witness a good storm as there is something primal in viewing nature’s rage as well) to keep me alive and full of energy.

The other good thing about the rain, is when I have had my fill I am able to snuggle up in my warm cozy house. Just listening to the sounds of a good storm, the wind and rain against my window panes, fills me with sweet energy and a certain excitement. Knowing I am warm and safe and sheltered, is very comforting. So the rain serves many purposes in my life, depending upon my mood, and state of being. I would hope the rain brings as much comfort, joy of living, and different feelings to those souls who venture along to read my musings. May you have many wonderful moments Dancing in the Rain!

My daughter checked out a special edition of “The Lord of the Rings; Fellowship of the Ring” from the Library. Although I had watched this and all it’s sequels, it was interesting to share this tale with my little S. The Fellowship of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien is the first novel I ever read, when I was in the 5th grade, closely followed by The Two Towers, The Return of the King and The Hobbit. It was the start of a journey which sparked my imagination, taking me into the mysterious realms of Magic and fantastic and dangerous Quests. Tales of old, legends and myths, and all that dwells in the supernatural realms have always held a certain fascination for me. I never lost my desire to fantasize, and seek that which is not truly known. Too many stories in folklore abound, which hold a bit of truth, and the similarities in these old tales cannot be denied.

So as we watch this very well produced version of my favourite story, I am filled with the wonder of how much my childhood dreams still serve to shape the person I am today. I am still full of life, and an ever curious imagination, and I love to laugh and play. After all the pain of this path I walk, I have not lost the joy of living, and learning new things. I still crave to know more of our ancient past, and the mysteries and truth therein, yet I am excited with the here and now, and have such faith in the future as each moment unfolds. There is only this moment, and in this moment my family and I are safe. If things get bad, I am reminded how it is much worse in other places, and someone elsewhere is much worse off than I am in this moment.

I will always be filled with imagination and wonder, and look for the magic in all things. No matter how this path unfolds, I will have these memories and experiences to hold me up, and give me the courage and strength to face whatever life brings. Never lose the magic that is inside all of us… it is what brings us Light and Love. Such is what brings real meaning to this earthly life.

How I love this time of year!! Although I thoroughly enjoy each Season, Autumn is my absolute favourite. I am filled with enchantment when the wind blows, and the colourful array of leaves float through the air, creating a beautifully carpeted landscape to delight the eye as the trees prepare for their winter slumber. All of my senses are aroused, in seeing the gold, reds, oranges, greens and all colours in between, and in smelling the lovely scents of nature. The feel of the wind in my hair and on my face gives me a tingling sensation which fills me with an abundance of energy. The very air we breathe is full of mystery and magic. My senses just come alive, and I feel the wonder of living on such a fantastic and awesome planet, and I cannot help but dance with the joy of it. How blessed we are! Everything around us speaks of the Creators perfect harmony in the natural world. To me Mother Earth is a magical wonderland, and I shall never cease to look for the beauty which surrounds us on this amazing planet.

What a time we had traipsing through the frightening landscape of darkness and creepy images. It was quite an adventure for my little Sara and I, as we shared our space with those from the other side who chose this time to venture into our realm. It is well known that the veil between the realm of the living and those who have crossed over is thinnest during this hallowed time, and we could feel the ghostly presence of these visitors, whom must be our ancestors and loved ones to be sure. Why do I feel this is true? Well, as I am very sensitive to these things, having had many unexplained experiences which make me a firm believer in life after death, I could feel the presence of something all around us. Sounds a bit out there to some, yet I know there are others who believe and feel as I do, so I will not be shy about sharing my own personal experiences and feelings on this matter.

My daughter helped me to attire myself, as it was her idea, giving me a true look of a pagan female traveling through space and time while darkness ruled the sky. She was transformed into any ugly hag, warts, humped back and all, with a shy little rat residing within her hood. We presented quite the contrast, and evoked a certain amount of curiosity. Precious the rat created quite a stir, and most folks were quite puzzled at the odd relationship between the fair pagan and nasty old crone. I just smiled and made my serene way through the mysteries dark paths, leading the poor half blind old one along as best I could under the circumstances.

Needless to say, we had quite a pleasant time of it, and feel quite blessed with the path we walk on this beautiful Earth. Although we are not rich in the way of having lots of money, we are so very wealthy in many other ways. We are always taken care of, and have never lacked for food, clothing, shelter, and other necessaries. I find this simply amazing, as we seem to be given that which makes us happy and keeps us healthy, with little more than a thought and acts of loving and giving to others. So I do believe our ethereal visitors found our lifestyle worthy of a visit, and I’ll just bet they are always watching out for us. Something (or more than one ’something’) is surely making sure we are well cared for, as I can feel the presence of guardians in our Life, and am very thankful for this protection.

About one month ago I posted about the wonderful healing art of Qigong. I had been practicing for about 1 month at the time of that post, and now have been consistantly practicing for over 2 months. I thought this would be a good time to give a progress report.

Practice

First of all, I will mention that I practice for half an hour each day, and some days I practice twice in one day. If I am totally rushed for time I at least give 15 minutes to energizing my body. This has only occured at most 3-4 times in the past month. I am working up to giving 45-60 minutes per session, with a second session before bed of about 15 minutes. It is recommended to do these movements outdoors if possible, to gain the most benefit of energy gathered from the natural world. In China you will find people outdoors, at different times throughout the day, practicing these movements as a matter of their daily course. It is this gentle and active movement which keeps us strong, healthy and full of vitality.

Energy

I am personally experiencing a significant increase in energy, even on days when I am extremely active or busy. Although I have always been in really good shape, in recent times I began to fall ill quite often. That is not the case this year. Autumn is usually the beginning of flu and cold season, and not a single bug has touched me. My daughter and I walk 5-6 miles at least twice per week, when the weather permits, and I recall having sore feet when we returned home, and feeling a bit run down. That has not been occuring in the past couple of weeks, and I am still full of energy towards the end of the day, even after a long walk. This is very exciting for me, as I was very energetic and active when I was younger, and I am not ready to slow down yet!

Physical Appearance

Another significant change is in my physical appearance. When I was younger I never had to worry about my weight. Yet in recent years I began to plump up a bit. This was quite discouraging, and very frustrating not to be able to fit into my favourite clothes. I was quite bummed, and even though I worked out, I was left exhausted and still couldn’t seem to drop the weight. Actively practicing Qigong is supposed to put our bodies back into balance, and help clear the energy channels inside us, so the energy can flow properly through our organs and througout our bodies. When these channels are blocked, it can create lots of havoc on our bodies, including weight gain, leaving our bodies vulnerable to dis-ease and illness.

Well, I am very happy to report that I am definately losing weight. I do not own a scale; never needed one. But I am noticing that my clothes fit me, and I look really good. Qigong is beneficial in that if practiced consistantly, we will regain our normal size, that which we are meant to be. I am not a big person, and it feels good to be finding my way back to the size I was created to be.

All in all, I am quite happy with my progress in practicing this gentle, yet powerful art of Qigong. I will be happy to share this, my own personal journey as it unfolds, and will soon post a current picture to show how healthy I am becoming after 46 years on this beautiful planet.

**Note - To follow from the beginning of this wonderful adventure, please visit The Healing Arts of Qigong. Also, I wish to give credit to the Teacher I am following in this beautiful art… Michael Tse.

It is said that placing lavender under ones pillow brings about restful sleep, and sweet Dreams. This can be especially soothing if one is prone to get headaches, as I am. I am lucky in that I have a good supply of lavender flowers to place in sachets under my pillow, as well as in my drawers to draw the wonderful fresh scent into my clothing. I also like to burn the flowers to cleanse my home, disrupting the negative energy, and replacing it with the positive feminine energy in which lavender brings.

Although I have a good supply of lavender through friends and such, I would like to try growing it on my own this spring. I truly believe this will have a significant meaning in bringing about healing, in that it will mean that much more having grown it on my own. I love to grow things, and our home is full of green plants. Growing plants also manifests good energy in our homes, and this can feel quite rewarding and is beneficial to our wellbeing.

I also like to carry a sachet of lavender in my purse or pocket, so that if I feel stressed or tense I can just pull it out and inhale the wonderful healing scent. During times of grief this can be especially beneficial, as it brings about a sense of peace, and seems to have a sweet calming effect.

So, whether you are awake or asleep, I truly believe the healing properties of lavender will bring you good feelings, restful sleep, and Sweet Dreams. And the greatest thing is that lavender is a great scent for both men and women, so the men on the planet needn’t be shy about utilizing this amazing herb.

Having been a curious blogger for a couple of years or so now, I can really appreciate a wonderful blog when I find one. Of course anyone who truly knows me understands my love for art and all things beautiful. When my little S and I got our newest digital camera, we went totally picture snappin’ crazy! We love to take pictures everywhere we go. And we love taking shots of the most beautiful places; those found in nature. It never ceases to amaze me how much a picture can say about something most people take for granted, or do not even notice at all. I know of a fellow blogger who has a site with the most spectacular and lovely photos I have ever had the pleasure to view. Jordan McClements has definately earned my respect with his admirable talent as a photographer, and I am most happy to share this gift with whomever wanders through my own little part of the blogoshpere.

The image of the blue dragonfly above in this post is courtesy of Jordan, and he was generous enough to share. It truly captures my imagination, as I simply love dragonflies, those most magical of creatures which seem to visit me in many places along my path. The enchanting river shot, also one of Jordan’s works of art, reminds me of my favourite places to explore, as my little S and I are always looking for a great spot to soak up the beauty and sounds of nature. I can almost hear, feel, and smell the wonderful scents as captured in this beautiful photo. You can view these little beauties in their original form, as Jordan has a site called IrishViews.com, where you will find over a thousand beautiful and creative photos. If you are anything like me, you will most certainly find pleasure in viewing Jordan’s lovely photographs. Being Irish myself, these images have definately served to fire up my innate curiosity, imagination, and dream of visiting the lands of my ancestors to explore these wonders in person. Thank you Jordan… Enjoy!