Importance of Ceremony

Leading up to the Winter Solstice and the weeks that follow, I have a ceremony that I do to help release the past 12 months and prepare and embrace the coming months.  Near or on the Solstice, I reflect on the past 12 months of my life and identify all the things I experienced and am ready to let go.  These are things that I'm simply "done with." My list included broader topics like like worry, anxiety, judgement and also specific things like releasing my debt, releasing the extra weight I'm carrying and releasing my tie to people whom I no longer resonate with.  It felt good to write all of those things on one piece of paper. As I looked at each word or groupings of words, I could feel those things welling up inside of me and I didn't like it.  This confirmed that I was ready to let them go! To let them go and ask that the universe transmute them to things of usefulness and beauty can be very liberating.  So, I plan to set this paper on fire and use the power of that fire to transform them. Of course, the day I plan to do this, it's a crazy windy day. So I open up the fireplace and place my paper on the grate.  I said goodbye to these things I no longer wanted in my life.  As I lit the paper, I was amazed at how quickly it burned and turned into ash.  Almost like a flash.  Boy, was I ready!  I sat for a moment and felt the light, expansive feeling of no longer being attached to my list.  Ahhh.

Next, I worked on a new list.  This list included things that I want to manifest or give energy to for the coming year. On the list are things like, more happiness, adventure, love, growing my business, finding my place, more time with my animals and some business related ideas.  To get support from all the energies, it is a good idea to plant these "seeds" in the ground. Being in Wisconsin and it's December - not something that is easy.  My ground is frozen and covered in an a blanket of snow.  As I pondered how to accomplish this, I realized that this is just how life is. Life presents you with a problem and it is up to you to find a good, creative solution.  How dedicated am I to manifesting these "seeds?" Can I find a creative way to accomplish this goal?  How will I feel good about planting my seeds and feeling they are supportive?  I didn't know the answer to any of these questions.  Many friends that do this ceremony, put their list in a potted plant or find a place near the house that isn't quite as frozen and bury the list. Neither of those ideas seemed to feel right for me.  I knew the list should be outside and be free to manifest in how it seemed most fit to do it.  So I took my paper, bundled up and headed outside.

At first, I thought I'd put it under a huge pile of snow. Snow is very warm and protective and when it melts, it can cleanse my list and start the germination process.  But, that didn't seem to feel right.  I have a  brush pile in my back yard.  The birds love to swoop in and out of the pile and have a lovely time back there.  Deep inside of that, I could reach some unfrozen ground and bury my list there.  That didn't feel right either.  I stood among my pine trees and looked over my property, trying to find the best place for my list to "be planted," my attention went to one of my trees.  They have mulch around the base and a few little nature items I placed there in the summer.  I sometimes sit with these trees for my morning meditation.  Ah, this is the perfect place.  I got down on my hands and knees (yes, in the snow) and pulled away a big clump of the mulch until I reached the frozen ground.  I safely tucked my list under the mulch and covered it back up with as mulch as I could.  As I stood up and wished my list well, I realized it was a perfect place to put the list. By going through the process of selecting the right place for my manifestation list, I felt involved in my own destiny.  In this location, I knew my list was protected by the tree, but was also part of the natural transformation process while being covered with mulch and fallen pine needles.  I could sit with the process every day and give it good energy and send it love.

So now that I have released my wishes to the universe, I feel supported and that all is well with the world around me.  I've learned long ago to trust in the power of the Universe and believe with all my heart that good things are coming my way. 

My hope is that you do something similar for yourself to lay the ground work or "plant the seeds" for the most magnificent year ever.

Going with the flow with Pine, Maritime Essential Oil

Essential Oil Tip Pine, Maritime My favorite use of Pine, Maritime is to help us with the ebb & flow of life.  The times we are living in are very fast-paced and full of change.  For some, can be a challenge to accept with grace and love. Using Pine, Maritime daily will help you "go with the flow." The bark of the maritime pine tree (Pycnogenol) is an ancient therapy dating back to the time of Hippocrates. Using this extract from the bark is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants. It can help prevent damage to our brain cells and benefits smokers or anyone to is exposed to regular environmental pollutants. It is good for those frequently consuming alcohol and for prostate inflammation. It can help with varicose veins and other skin disorders. For emotional issues: helps with alertness, confidence, positivity, self-awareness and self-image. For physical issues: good for adrenal support, is an expectorant, for gallbladder stress, gout and hepatitis.  In the Ayurveda tradition: used as an expectorant, antiseptic and for any issue with the lungs. It is used to help lower excess Kapha/Vata and to increase Pitta. If you think Pine, Maritime is for you, contact me to place an order.

Essential Oil for Forgiveness & Letting Go

This was a clip in my recent e-newsletter about Hyssop essential oil.  Essential Oil Tip Hyssop ~   Purification ~  Protection ~  Expansion ~  That's what hyssop essential oil is all about. Hyssop essential oil helps build confidence by restoring the bodily soul. It is excellent for individuals that have a very stressful, negative environment.  It helps us release the negative, forgive and let go.  Using Hyssop Essential oil can help create a protective shield around you.  Forgiveness can be a difficult thing for many people. We tend to "hold on" to events and relive them from time to time. Daily use of Hyssop essential oil can allow you to gently become aware of your attachment and work through the issues coming to a place of forgiveness and letting go.  Ahhh, how freeing that  can be!  Using 3-4 drops on your tummy can stimulate and warm your digestion.  Diffused, it is also excellent for any respiratory condition.  For Ayurveda uses: this oil can reduce Kapha and can increase Pitta as it is heating and drying.  Plus, the bees love the hyssop blooms! If you think Hyssop is for you, contact me.

Conversations with grass

I recently sat down and had a conversation with some grasses. When you are open to communicating with all of life, you are realize that all things are alive and all things can communicate - you just need to open to them.

Grasses beneath the tree

Here are some things the grasses shared:

The parts nearer to the ground are more dense and strong. They don't move in the wind. The taller parts, full of seeds are long, tall and they move freely.  They are tossed around in the wind. This reminds me of how people tend to behave in the winds of change.  The tighter we are bound, the less we are able to be tossed around.  But, the more up-reaching and free we are, the more we are susceptible to the changing winds.  The balance of all this is that we maintain a connection to Mother Earth.  She is the force we cling to in times of need and discover. When we feel our feet firmly planted on the ground, we are safe and protected.

These beautiful grasses gave me this little poem:

Here we sit, grasses beneath the tree,

There is no you, there is no me.

As the wind blows, so do we.

Our spirits are together, can't you see?

Here we sit, the grasses beneath the tree.

Look closely, you'll see the small grasses underneath the tree :)

Where you going mom?

One of our ducks decided to sit on a nest of a bunch of eggs and try her hand at hatching them.  About a month later, she hatched one duckling.  Yes, just one.

Not sure, but I don't think there is many cuter things than a tiny little duckling.

The baby is bigger now and mom has decided to move them out of their dense coverage of the piled high fire pit and introduce the new kid to the rest of the world.  What I find interesting when I watch mom and baby maneuver in the world, is that mom lets the baby discover things on her own. Amy (mom's name) just decides one moment that she's walking across the duck field and baby is supposed to follow.  She doesn't announce her intentions, she just decides where she is going and goes. It is the ducklings responsibility to know where it's mother is at all times and to pay attention to her movements.  It reminds me of parents in the grocery story who are constantly looking for their children.  Or who are always trying to find ways to make their children stay by their side.  Amy the duck taught her little one that it is the ducklings responsibility to know where her mom is and not the other way around.

Amy the duck doesn't try to convince her baby to swim, she just decides to do it herself and then stands guard while her baby figures out how to get on the log and plop in the water.  Amy isn't worried or fussy over her baby - telling her how to do things or correcting her - she just lets her little duckling figure out how things work for her - in her own way.

Interesting to think about how human mothers are with their own children.  Many of them are so worried or scared and try to protect their child from every possible bad thing from happening.  What they may not realize is that providing a safe environment for their child to discover things on their own empowers the little one with confidence, ingenuity and uniqueness in their discoveries.  Doesn't that feel better than worrying all the time?

So a lesson from Amy the duck, provide a safe environment for your children (or animals) to learn.  Also to teach them to be responsible for their own actions at a very young age. 

These are seemingly two small concepts but huge when you really consider how lovely it would be for all new beings to be empowered at such a young age.

A different kind of energy boost

I recently spent a week near Sedona Arizona for a training class and self development session using Medicinal Essential Oils. The opening session of the 5 day training started in a beautiful teepee in the front yard nestled between loving pine trees.  After the session, I was repeatedly drawn back to this magical place and spent each morning in there in quiet meditation.  You could hear the light wind outside as the pine tree branches brushed alongside the teepee.  A scurrying sound revealed several lizards who had perched on the top of the structure to soak in the morning sun.  There were beautiful stones, crystals, feathers, shells and other items inside the teepee that shared their energy for all who entered.

One morning, when I was lying on my back across the floor of the magical lodging, I felt a strong pounding coming through the earth. I thought it might have been a truck or other large vehicle passing since the teepee was not too far off the road.  I opened my eyes and the pounding stopped.  Hmmm.  I got back into my deep place of relaxation and the pounding started up again. As I continued to breathe and let my body absorb this pulsing, I realized that it was really starting to come through my chest. Kind of like my own heart beat.  When I relaxed even further, my heartbeat and this pulsing started to get into the same rhythm.  All of a sudden, I realized that this pounding was actually the heart beat of Mother Earth.   My body was so in tune with her at that moment that our heartbeats were becoming one.  Laying there for several minutes (or it could have been hours), I could feel the energy reviving me and filling me with such intense power.    This was a magical experience for sure and I returned each morning to get my boost of Earth energy.

Many times, we miss out on the simple things like laying in the grass and watching the clouds drift by. Or perhaps, laying under a favorite tree and enjoy seeing the branches sway in the wind.  Such simple pleasures can bring us back to our source, back "home" and provide us with all the power and energy we need to get through our day. Be sure to get your boost of Mother Earth energy every day. Beats any cup of coffee or tea I've ever had!

Have Your Sleep Patterns Changed Lately?

Last updated on March 17, 2012 at 5:02 am EDT by in5d

by Gregg Prescott, M.S.
www.in5d.com
www.maya12-21-2012.com
www.HolisticCancerResearch.com

Have you noticed a change in your sleeping habits lately, perhaps going to bed or taking naps at unusual times?  You are not alone!

In the article, “What does Ascension feel like?, “one reason that you are sleeping more is that you are having difficulty staying grounded while you are awake. We can interchangeably use the idea of being grounded and descending, they are the same.

“Being grounded does not mean shutting down your awareness of higher information; it just means being strongly rooted in the earth while it is coming in, so you can be a conduit rather than having information get stuck coming or going. And as you spend more time consciously into your physical body than you were before, you require more sleep.

Prior to moving into ascension you were not as present as you thought you were. As you have moved into ascension you have moved more fully into your body. And so by doing that, when you leave your body it is more observable. You feel tired and you sleep more, or when you have emotions and you are more physically moved into your body, you feel them more strongly than you do when you are ungrounded because that is part of the physical experience.”

In another article, “12 Signs of Spiritual Awakening,” one can expect unusual sleep patterns.  “It's likely that you'll awaken many nights between 2:00 and 4:00 AM. There's a lot of work going on within you, and it often causes you to wake up for a "breather.”

We are at the end of the Age of Pisces and are entering the Age of Aquarius, where a new energy overtakes the old energy.  This transitional energy exchange may be playing a large role in unusual sleep patterns for many people. Similar to being an empath, some people may be more in tune with these energies than others, yet everyone will be affected by them.  Empaths will be the first to detect these galactic changes.

This may also explain, on a personal level, why many people are experiencing unusual sleep patterns as discussed in the article, “Symptoms of Energy Shifts”:  “Waking in the morning and struggling to get out of bed after a full night of sleep, or falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon is common. This is caused when the energy is shifting throughout the whole spiritual body. This will pass in time, each person has a different time frame for some it can be weeks, for others months, for others years. If you can create a pyramid structure to sit under this will give you wonderful boosts of energy when you are lacking it. Drink lots of pure water to hydrate the cells, add crystals to energize the water. Eat light meals with organic veggies. Doing light physical exercise will stimulate the energy flow through the body. Bach remedies, flower essences and essential oils will also help the transition.”

The medical industry will try to diagnose you as being depressed and will attempt to resolve the “problem” with a Big Pharma remedy.  My background is in psychology and as a child & family therapist, I have seen how depression can cause changes in sleep habits, but what many people are experiencing is not related to depression.

The late Jose Arguelles stated that we should learn how to live without time, which is easier said than done when most of us have work schedules that we need to follow, as well as routines that we have followed since childhood, such as having meals at specific times or watching a favorite TV “program” at a certain time.

It makes sense that we should sleep when our body tells us to sleep versus forcing ourselves to sleep because we need to awaken at a specific time to go to work.  Unfortunately, that may not mesh well with other family members or our job schedules. The only alternative solution is to try to “live without time” on your days off.

While time may feel like it is speeding up, it is actually your consciousness that’s speeding up.  You’re awakening at an exponential rate where information that previously took years to accumulate is now being gathered and assessed at the click of a mouse. This may add to your system overload as your mind is processing more material than ever before.

In a natal birth chart reading by Lavendar, I was told that when we sleep, our multidimensional selves are working in the ethereal realms.  While we may only remember a few specific dreams from any particular night, our multidimensional bodies are on the other side of the curtain working continuously, as they have no need for sleep. Sleep is the function of the 3rd dimension and is unnecessary in higher dimensions.

Personally, my sleeping habits have changed drastically over the past several months. There are times when I’ll lay down for a nap at 4pm and will wake up 8 hours later at midnight, then stay up until whenever my body tells me it’s time to either take a nap or to go to bed.  Some days, I’ll nap at 2 pm, other days, I won’t nap at all. Overall, I don’t seem to sleep as long as I used to and will wake up after only 4-5 hours of sleep, but will feel completely re-energized as if I slept longer. Perhaps that’s my higher self saying, “Okay, work is done on this side of the realm.  Time to get back to work in the 3d realm.”

Here’s the bottom line: Listen to your body when it tells you it’s time for a nap.  Be cognizant of when your body tells you that it’s time to go to bed.  Most importantly, listen to your body at all times because you know better than anyone else about what your body needs, so when it speaks to you, LISTEN!

Copyright Information: Copyright in5d and Gregg Prescott, M.S.. This content may be freely reproduced in full or in part in digital form.  Feel free to do whatever you want with it, including using parts of it, rewording anything within the article or claiming ownership to it.  I don’t care, just share the word! :)

Connecting to Mother Earth in a modern world

Do you ever feel like you are alone in the world? Like you are this insignificant individual that can’t make a positive difference? Like you are totally “unconnected?”

For many people, their daily lives are full to the brim. Rushing to get the kids off to school, going to work all day, rushing to gather up everyone, making dinner, baths, laundry, walking the dogs, dog classes, private lessons, Dr. appointments – the list goes on. Rush, rush rush. When we DO have a few minutes to rest, we sometimes have a deep sadness that comes over us. Like we are just a little rat running in a mindless maze.

Since humans have roamed the Earth, we have been at one with nature. At one with the land, plants, trees, animals, water and elements. We relied on the signs of nature to help us decide on our daily tasks. If it was sunny, we’d tend to our garden. If it was rainy, we would stay inside. Over the years, we have gotten away from the connecting to nature and we rely on technology to tell us what we should do. I mean, what would we do without the The Weather Channel, right?

So in moving to this life of depending on technology, we have helped create this feeling of isolation. We lead very “private lives” and keep to ourselves. But we’re not happy. We can’t all quit our day jobs and become homesteaders, so how do we find a middle ground? Mother Earth will always provide if we ask for help.

Here are seven easy tips to connect with nature and bring that feeling on oneness back into out lives.

1. Diffuse Essential Oils. My favorites right now are Lemon, Peppermint, Cedarwood, Laurel Leaf, Rosemary, Rosewood
2. Crystals. Any lovely healing crystal will do but Rose Quartz is always a good one. Put it somewhere where you'll touch it often and let it's energy infuse into your body. Carry smaller stones in your pocket and put them in your car.
3. House plants. They actually need us to breathe near them. So spend a minute just breathing near your house plants.
4. Gaze out the window "daydream." Most of us have beautiful trees and plants in our yards. At the moment, it's winter, but they are still there. Gaze out the window and connect with the plant life outside.
5. Touch. Look around your room or office. There are so many things made of wood. This puts "tree energy" into your life. Things like window frames, book cases, hardwood floors, pencils, bowls, cooking utensils - they are all made of wood. Touch these items and feel the energy of the tree that supplied this useful item in your life and give thanks.
6. Just Drive. Turn off the radio, put down the cell phone and just drive. Look at the surroundings as you pass them on your trip. You will see wonderful plants, trees, grassy fields, rivers - all amazing creations of Mother Earth. Feel this connection to these things as you pass by. When you pull in to a parking lot - pick a spot near a tree or bush. Thank it for the shade or wind-block it provides.
7. Animals! The perfect gateway to Mother Earth energy are our animals. They bring us joy and love and help us reconnect. When you're feeling down or disconnected, spend some extra time with your animals. They'll help you!

My doing some of these easy things, you will feel more connected, more alive and happy! When you are happy, things around you take on a whole different look. You can find joy in the smallest things. Little things like the soft, sweet kisses of a puppy!

The Chicken Diet - not what you think

Most of you know that I have chickens on my hobby farm.  I've had the same set for about 6 years and love watching them do their chicken things.  They roost in the barn at night but during the day, they have the freedom to get into whatever chickens get into.  Usually, that is eating grass or dandelions, snapping up bugs, scratching to bring up bugs from the ground and searching the grounds for the best morsel of food.  I observe their behavior for three reasons: #1) I love birds #2) I eat their eggs so want to know what they're eating (since I'll sort of be eating it later) and 3) They are funny.

A couple of years ago we had a bad mouse problem in our little barn.  Over the winter months it kept getting worse and worse due to the prolific breeding habits of these little rodents.  I have several animals in the barn, dogs that frequent it and I just don't think their is ever a reason to poison any living creature.  We did lots of fun things to try and rid the barn of the mice and while we did, we'd see the occasional chicken snap up a little mouse and eat it whole.  Yes, slurp! I talked to other chicken owners and they say their chickens to the same thing. They even eat small snakes if they are fast enough.  They are omnivores so that makes sense, just icky.  After all these observations, I learned a lot about what a chicken would eat and kind of thought they'd eat anything.

That was, until I tried feeding them something that I was eating.

The chickens that I've seen eat rocks, grass, worms, fruit, mice, etc. would not eat what I was eating!  So, just what was I eating that a crazy chicken wouldn't touch or even give a second glace at?  Well, I'll tell ya.

We had tacos one night.  Nice organic free-range beef, fresh tomatoes, salsa, lettuce - you know, yum!  I was in a rush at the store and couldn't find an "organic" taco shell so I bought the most common named brand. It is just me and my husband and we couldn't eat all 10 taco shells so I thought, hey, they're mostly corn, so I'll crumble them up for the chickens.  I'm always giving them stale bread, crackers and stuff like that.  Hmmm, much to my surprise, they wouldn't eat them.  The chickens who fight over an earthworm, wouldn't eat the taco shells that I had happily consumed the night before.  EEEK!  They investigated them, pecked at the pieces a little bit, but did not in any way consider them food.

So it got me thinking about what was in them.  Yellow Corn, Whole Grain Corn Flour, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Salt, Dehydrated Lime.  Sounds relatively OK to me (except the PHSO). I'm not going to go on a tirade about what the mass production of corn has done to our country and food system, but this really put things in to perspective about what food I put in my body.  I mean, if my chicken won't eat it, or at least peck at it, it probably isn't real food. So my "chicken diet" is to think like my chicken.  Well, not to eat a live mouse, but to consider how fresh my food is and how simple it can be and how it will be better for my body to eat this way. 

Lastly, I really do know why the chicken crossed the road. Honestly, to get to the other side.  My chickens do this all the time in the drive way and it always gets me giggling.