Embracing Autumn

Autumn Grape Harvest

The sun has trekked across the sky as another season dawns.  Each morning I am graced with the sun shining in my bedroom window from a heading due East.  This is always a signal to me that we will celebrate another equinox, a season change from summer to autumn.  Although we have not had a killer frost, some trees are changing colors from green to yellow.  Another true sign that autumn is here.

Year 2015 has flown by so far and I find myself wondering where the time went.  With ample rainfall this year, it was a bit of a challenge to get a garden planted and then weeded.  The sweet corn season is past.  Potatoes are ready to be dug up and stored and the butternut squashes are tasting sweet and delicious.  Carrots have added some great flavor to stews and soups.  Oh, yeah!  Let's not forget the onions that have really enhanced the cooking flavors.

As each new year begins, I step into it with great hope and anticipation of life progress and personal successes.  I can't say that this year produced much evidence of either for me.  It has been a year of service to others, filling in gaps, and nurturing the inner spirit through the love and playfulness of a child.

So as we move now into the season of harvest, perhaps we can all look deep within ourselves to see what we can glean from this year in the way of personal fulfillment or satisfaction.  There are some important things that happened for me this year.  Things that, while significant to me, are of little consequence to anyone else.  

An extensive part of this year was filled with observation, stepping back to listen and just observe everything around me, as well as the people, their actions and reactions.  I learned a lot, saw and heard a lot, was often puzzled and frequently humored.  Often times, I threw out comments within my mind, trying each one on in a particular situation and wondering how those involved in each scenario might act or respond.  I would also wonder if my comments might shift or change the outcome of the conversation or reactions from those involved.  Mostly, I practiced silence, allowing myself to be outside the circle of interaction, listening, asking intuitively for guidance and to shed light and love on those around me.

In this process of harvesting, I will ask you, the reader, to look within yourself to see what prize produce you might glean from this year so far.  What attributes stand out for you this year?  How did you handle relationships, challenges, changes?  How will this harvest season bushel out when it comes to clearing old thought patterns, reconciling mistakes, misjudgments, or missteps?  How will you reward yourself for this year's success?

Break free from your limited belief about the season of Autumn.  Let yourself embrace it fully, step into the process of change and harvest the gems of life as our daily dose of sunlight wanes and you will find yourself sliding smoothly into winter as the year closes out.  More change is on the horizon but we will save those comments for that season, the season of lights.

A Warm Welcome to Summer

Big changes have accompanied this new summer cycle.  Delving into the inner glow of life at this moment, pushes forth a new realization that life is about to shift into high gear!

What do you mean by that?

Your hearts have laid silent, patient, awaiting the next great wave of existence in a human form.  We are here to speak with you at this moment and share with you this good news.  New light is now shining through in areas that were dark before.  You feel it in your inner core.  You hear it in your dreams.  You witness in your interactions with others.  There is a glow that you can't see with the naked eye, but it's there.  Your heart dances when you feel it within yourself or others.

Just for a moment, watch a small child as he/she dances with excitement from just being alive!  They see your energy raise as they express the delight of feeling the intensity of the energy around them that is penetrating every living thing and then resonating back outward in an ever-flowing effort to integrate the changes necessary for all life on your very beautiful Earth!

We encourage you to take this time to sit quietly and meditate.  Feel with your whole being.  Listen with your heart.  Be One with your Soul and you, too will know of what we speak.

Let's take things up another notch!  Let's manifest a peaceful humanity, living abundantly, welcoming beauty, nurturing each other and our environment, and blessing all of existence.

Namaste

The Universal Masters

Alive, But Unaware

Our Universe is alive with life, energy, emergence, activity, brilliance, and so much more.  Some things are obvious to us.  Some we acknowledge but do not interact with.  Others, we simply deny exists because it's easier to go through life in denial than to adjust our beliefs or perceptions.

The summer solstice is rapidly approaching.  With the ample amount of rain we have enjoyed so far this year, our outer world is lush with green leaves and grasses, brilliantly colored flowers and blue skies and lakes.  Within each of those dynamics, trees, plants, skies and waters lie a multitude of inner life that is unknown, unseen, unacknowledged and often denied.  And yet, we can take our boat out onto a lake and feel the peaceful balance between the air, water and earth.  That is, if we are paying attention.  If we simply stop the boat, sit quietly and listen, observe or breathe in the surroundings, we will begin to awaken an awarenss that has been there all along, that exists simultaneously with all the things we are already aware of.

In many ways, it's like looking through a grove of trees.  As the sun shine through, we know there are trees, but all the other life that lays silent on the forest floor is a mystery.  As the sun rises, we have the option to remain awake to the view that will eventually be illuminated, or walk away and deny that there is any life there worth taking in.  And, if we go one step further, and walk into that grove of trees or forest, we again can utilize our senses to grasp an ever-so-slight glimpse of what we can glean from the surface.  If we stand still and wait, we may see a bird or squirrel appear in our view.  As their dance of life plays out before us, we can again take in the energy of peaceful radiance that they add to the scene and dynamic of our lives.

Living in an area that offers the opportunity to fully partake in the magnificence of the seasons provides an unlimited number of blessings, from the beautiful snowy glaze of white, to the tender bursting forth of greenery, to the full flowering gardens and vivid summer rainbows, to the golden forests that dance with colored leaves and the bountiful harvesting of autumn produce.  

I believe that each day is an opportunity to not only feel alive in each moment, but to continue to awaken to another beautiful facet of life.  And that means that we can utilize all our senses, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  

It IS time to wake up now.  Open your heart.  Listen with your Spirit.  Observe with your inner vision and Love with ALL YOUR BEING!  And life will take on a whole new effect, not only for you, but for everyone you encounter.

Shifting into Spring

After getting five inches of snow yesterday, followed by strong winds that left two foot drifts, the forecast is for some thawing temperatures by early next week.  As we shift into our next season, spring, we will also be shifting ourselves, our mentality, and our energy to allow the next phase of our lives to burst forth, in a similar manner to the buds pushing forth on the trees and bushes.

It's time to take off the gloves, hats, boots, and big winter coats.  Take a long look around.  Where are you and where are you going?  What are you dragging with you and what are you ready to put down and leave behind?  Are you ready to take a new path, a path of joy, freedom and above all, LOVE?!

And what will that path look like to you?  For some, that will be a well-structured pathway, well-traveled and ages old.  

For others, the path may be well-defined, with lots of structure and definition.  How it appears to you will be based on your own perceptions.  And the way you travel it will be unique to you.  It's time for you to take responsibility for your own journey.  Step up to the plate of clearing your old baggage, and stepping into your role of moving forward with Love & Light!

Blessings for your journey!

Sandee

Turning of the Tides

It's been a long, busy journey this past year, now in the history books as 2014.  I have had much time to reflect upon the many unexpected events that occurred.  

In many ways, these events are very much like a blooming flower.  You never really know how beautiful it will be until it shows its true colors.  It is only then that we can realize its deep beauty, the intricate design, the magnitude of its color and the sweetness of its scent. 

Each unexpected event offers an opportunity, to expand our awareness, to get in touch with our own inner reality, and to shift any perceptions that may have been limited or bound by old, out-dated beliefs.  As we step into the moment more fully, we can begin to realize that everything in life changes, sooner or later.  And if things don't change, then we change to continue to adjust to the movement that occurs around us, through our interactions with people, national or world events, and our own inner guru.

In this way, we, too, are like a flower, in constant bloom, ever-changing with the movement of the sun, clouds, rain and environment.  We go through our own waves of blooming, wilting, discarding and then beginning again with a new blossom, and blooming to grace the world with a new color of our existence, a new shade of our inner light.

The year we have just left behind, 2014, was a year of many changes.  Seasons of change, tides flowing, presentation and release.  Awakening, and shifting.  Pushing forward and letting go of decay.  

In this new year, we again take our rest, in preparation for the season ahead, lying dormant, waiting for warmth, sunlight and moisture to encourage us to push forth the new growth, the new blossom that will grace the world with our own brilliant hue.

A Pristine October Day in Czech Republic

Old Town, Prague

What an extreme joy to once again travel to the Czech Republic!  My first trip was in February of this year.  It was cold and snowy, but I was so attracted to the beautiful city of Prague that I couldn't resist putting on my long underwear, donning my coat, hat and gloves and spending the day walking around the city.  

Astronomical Clock, Old Town Prague

Every direction was another photo opportunity. I have heard people joke about sitting down on a street corner and just rotating in every direction and snapping pictures as you go. That is how beautiful the architecture is! 

Many of the famous landmarks that still exist today include chapels, churches, cathedrals and monasteries, all evidence of the overwhelming wealth, power and influence of the Catholic Church, the oldest of which began with the Great Moravian Empire in the 9th century.

Prominent architecture styles easily visible in the city of Prague include Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classical and Romantic.  While the city is rich with churches and cathedrals, there are also rotundas, great halls, towers, stone houses and castles.

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

On my most recent trip to Czech Republic, I had the privilege to visit the Cesky Krumlov city and castle.  This photo is an overview of the city and river from a great castle vantage point.  While I did not take the opportunity to climb or tour the castle tower, I believe I will be returning to this historic and charming area to enjoy more castle touring as well as exploring and shopping in the local shops.

Before I made the trip back to Czech, I paid a visit to some local friends.  As we were visiting, he asked me what I knew about the Infant of Prague.  He told me that his mother has a statue of the infant and was wondering what the story and history was behind it.  I told him I didn't know but would check it out.

Our Lady of Victory Church, Prague

After researching a bit on the internet to see what I could find about the Infant of Prague and then traveling back to Czech, I asked my Czech friend what she knew of the Infant of Prague.  She asked if I meant Pražské Jezulátko.  At first I couldn't understand what she said, but then I realized we were talking about the same thing.  She said she didn't really know anything about it but had heard of it. 

In my research, I found that the statue was present today at a small church called Our Lady of Victory Church in Mala Strana.  I remembered walking past this church on my last visit but not stopping to see what was inside.  The church was undergoing renovations, but the Infant of Prague statue was prominently displayed in a glass case and surrounded by gold decorations.

There are a number of stories surrounding the statue.  All of them bring one to the same point and that is the amazing power of prayer surrounding this small yet powerful religious icon, the Infant Jesus.  As one story points out, a monk created the statue after having an apparition of the Infant Jesus.

War came and the statue was battered and the hands of the Infant were broken off.  The priest at the time who was recovering the statue from some church rubble felt the Infant Jesus was speaking to him, saying,

"Have mercy on me and I will have mercy on you.

Give me hands and I will give you peace.

The more you honor me, the more I will bless you." 

The priest, Father Cyril, prayed to have the hands for the statue reconstructed.  It wasn't long after that a man came along who took care of the task.  Many blessings followed for the priest and the church.  Thus there are many followers today who still ask Jesus for his help with the above prayer.

The above photo does not show the statue very well as the lighting was not very conducive for photography.  Also, the garment on the statue for the day was black.  The garments follow the colors of the priest's vestments as they follow the liturgical season which is governed by the church calendar.

Outside the City

One rainy and damp afternoon the local forest beckoned.  With basket in hand and a light rain jacket, we set out to pick mushrooms.  Foggy, misty weather had been the ticket for a few days, along with some very moderate temperatures, so conditions were perfect for mushrooms.  The area where we scoured the forest floor is home to wild boars who had left lots of leaves, dirt and moss overturned in their search for not only mushrooms but other delicacies. 

While neither of these mushrooms is edible, they do make mushrooming entertaining.  Having never seen a red-capped mushroom before, I enjoyed finding the "Mario" mushrooms, as they are easy to spot and certainly add brilliant color to the forest.

The next image was a very vivacious mushroom cluster.  And since I am not a mushroom expert, I do not know the name, but I certainly enjoyed photographing them.

So after about an hour and a half we had a few small but edible mushrooms which were a delicious addition to our next home-cooked meal.

One thing that is very different in Czech than in the US is that a lot of the homes are in small villages rather than scattered across the countryside.  This leaves lots of wide open spaces, graduated forest regions with trees towering over sixty feet, quaint little streams for fishing or wildlife, and non-GMO farmland to raise crops for cattle, hogs, sheep, and other livestock and birds.

While this is just a quick sampling of some of my Czech experiences, I do look forward to a return trip...hopefully, soon!

Beyond the Full Moon

Beyond the Full Moon

Some days are like wading through a muddy swamp.  I feel like I'm up to my knees in mud and muck.  But then as quickly as I sank into the mud, I take another step and I'm out on the shore, feeling the lush green grass between my toes and getting a sweet whiff of mixed wildflowers.

Going through the moon cycles can also feel like this.  As we transition into the darkest nights of new moon energy, we are called to bring forth our visions, dreams and desires.  Then as we transition into a waxing moon phase, we can watch or activate this energy, bringing it further and further into view or manifestation.

As the moon brightens to its fullest light, we can also watch our lives as issues, challenges, and changes draw to a close.  People move on to other realms, finally figure things out that have been troubling them or that which was hidden comes to the surface.

The more open we are to these cycles, the more useful they will be for us.  The time between the Full Moon and the New Moon is a great time to express gratitude for all the past, present and yet-to-unfold experiences.  This can either be a time of struggle as we try to adjust our lives to that which we must leave behind, or we can use this time to visualize, intuit, or breathe new life into a new project or create a new plan of action.

Some sun signs have a greater connection with the Moon Cycles than others, however, the dynamic is the same.  Everyone can take advantage of the phases of the moon as reminders that we are always in motion, life is constantly changing, and we can either fight or flow with the changes.  We can also help direct the flow of action or we can be allow ourselves to be driven by it.  The choice is ours, in each moment.

How do you choose to use the Moon Cycles?  What changes do you hope to see in your life?  And how do you plan to direct or allow them to manifest in your life?

We are currently in an "after Full Moon" phase, the waning phase.  This is a great time to release and let go of those things that no longer serve us.  Clear our slate and prepare our visions, dreams and desires.  Then as the moon begins to wax again, we can add to the visions, intensify our desires and set the stage for fruition.