Message of Joy

By Joy Heartsong
First published in Heartsong Healing Newsletter – Tiger Talk

If you had a choice, would you rather go upstream or downstream?  Think about it for a moment.  On the one hand, we may feel negative emotions, struggles and dissatisfaction with life.  With the downstream hand, there’s a sense of feeling lighter and being more positive, confident and trusting.

It’s amazing how hard we work to go upstream when what we really want is to take the path of least resistance.  Since you always have a choice, what’s it going to be?  No excuses or qualifiers, please. We don’t need to know your tale of woe or why you can’t do anything to change it.  It just is. We can’t always make it go away, but we can shift the way we feel about it, talk about it and think about it.

Most of us would prefer doing a 180 degree turn to go downstream if we truly believed we could. Instead we may feel lost about the “how”, paralyzed by the unknown or afraid of endangering life and limb, our own or someone else’s.  It’s time to muster up our courage. It’s time to let go of everything but the desire to be happy and have the kind of life you want.

Are you ready to take the plunge into the depths of happiness? If so, take a big breath and exhale slowly. Now let go of the oars and trust that the boat will turn effortlessly; soon you’ll find yourself flowing with the current.  “Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily…”

I love this quote by Abraham-Hicks excerpted from the book Money and the Law of Attraction, Learning to Attract Health, Wealth and Happiness,#463:

“Whenever you are feeling less than good, if you will stop and say, ‘Nothing is more important than that I feel good; I want to find a reason now to feel good,’ you will find an improved thought.”

If you find yourself going upstream again, even with all your good intentions, simply look for a happier thought.  When you have it, allow yourself to focus on it until you’re once again going gently down the stream.

As you continue going with the flow, you’ll have more energy to love the things you do and do the things you love.  Quiet contemplation, inner listening and a joyful spirit will become your trusted guides on your journey.

Love the things you do, and do the things you love!

Joy is a Healing Touch Certified Practitioner/Instructor and intuitive energy healer. In her private practice, she specialiizes in relieving your pain, stress and allergies. She is passionate about helping  claim your true power by connecting with the wisdom of the Tiger within.  She can be reached at www.heartsonghealing.com

By Rev. Whitney Wykoff

Solstice comes from the Latin (sol, sun; sistit, stands).

For several days before and after each solstice, the sun appears to stand still in the sky—that is, its noontime elevation does not seem to change.

Solstice, from the Latin for sun stands still, in astronomy, either of the two points on the ecliptic that lie midway between the equinoxes (separated from them by an angular distance of 90°).

At the solstices the sun’s apparent position on the celestial sphere reaches its greatest distance above or below the celestial equator, about 23 1/2° of arc. At the time of summer solstice, around June 20 or 21, the sun is directly overhead at noon at the Tropic of Cancer.

In the Northern Hemisphere the longest day and shortest night of the year occur on this date, marking the beginning of summer.

At winter solstice, about December 22, the sun is overhead at noon at the Tropic of Capricorn; this marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

For several days before and after each solstice the sun appears to stand still in the sky, its noontime elevation does not seem to change from day to day.

It is also referred to as Midsummer because it is roughly the middle of the growing season throughout much of Europe.

Litha comes from Saxon tradition — the opposite of Yule. On this longest day of the year, light and life are abundant.

At mid-summer, the Sun God has reached the moment of his greatest strength. Seated on his greenwood throne, he is also lord of the forests, and his face is seen in church architecture peering from countless foliate masks.

Midsummer Night’s Eve is also special for adherents of the Faerie faith.

On this night in County Limerick, Ireland, people processed up the hill of the faery queen Áine, whose name means ‘Brightness,’ and who is a goddess of the sun. They set light to bunches of straw and hay called cliars that they wave among the fields and grazing cattle to ensure good crops and healthy beasts. When the great fire is lit at the top of the hill, Áine and her faery tribe come out to join in the revelry.

This time is known in the Druid tradition as that of Alban Hefin – ‘The Light of Summer’ or ‘The Light of the Shore’ when the countryside around us revels in colorful and fragrant splendor.

At Alban Hefin the spiral of the year has expanded to its widest point and now the hours of light are as long as they will ever be. Then embarking upon the long journey back south, ending at Alban Arthan, the Winter Solstice, in mid-December in the Northern Hemisphere.

The full moon in June is called the Honey Moon. Tradition holds that this is the best time to harvest honey from the hives.

This time of year, between the planting and harvesting of the crops, was the traditional month for weddings. This is because many ancient peoples believed that the “grand [sexual] union” of the Goddess and God occurred in early May at Beltaine. Since it was unlucky to compete with the deities, many couples delayed their weddings until June. June remains a favorite month for marriage today. In some traditions, “newly wed couples were fed dishes and beverages that featured honey for the first month of their married life to encourage love and fertility. The surviving vestige of this tradition lives on in the name given to the holiday immediately after the ceremony: The Honeymoon.”

LORE:

This is a good time to cull magical and healing herbs: fern seed gathered on midsummer’s eve can make one invisible; elderberries ward off enchantment from another; stonecrop, vervain, and yarrow are hung in special places around the house for protection against the evil eye and death.

The Christian religion converted this day of Jack-in-the-Green to the Feast of St. John the Baptist, often portraying him in rustic attire, sometimes with horns and cloven feet (like the Greek Demi-God Pan)

This is the time for the plucking of St. John’s wort (wort=herb), the golden, star-shaped flower that is first of all herbs to be gathered on St. John’s Eve. Called the ‘blessed plant’ in Wales, it is renowned throughout the Celtic lands for bringing peace and prosperity to the house, health to the animals and a bountiful harvest. It is cast into the midsummer bonfires in Scotland, and placed over the doors of houses and farm buildings for its protective powers. For these magical plants are filled with the energy of the sun at its peak, now transformed into green blessings for the human realm.

Taking a tincture of St. John’s Wort to bring in the energy and light of the full Sun makes more sense now!

Correspondances

Traditional Foods:
Garden fresh fruits and vegetables, sunflower seeds.

Herbs and Flowers:
Mugwort, Chamomile, Rose, Honeysuckle, Oak, Lavender, Yarrow, Wild Sunflower/Black eyed Susan, Daisy, Carnation, sunflower.

Incense/ oils:
Lemon, Myrrh, Pine, Rose, Frankincense, Red Mandarin, Pink Grapefruit.

Sacred Gemstone:
Emerald, sunstone, carnelian, citrine.

Special Activities:
An Ideal time to reaffirm your vows to the Lord and Lady or your dedication to following the old traditions.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/summer_solstice.htm

http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/litha.htm

http://www.druidry.org/obod/festivals/hefin.html

A Book Review

Have you ever picked up a book, opened to a page and found the answer to a question that you had asked, probably silently, just a little while ago?  Scott Blum’s new book, Summer’s Path is like that – a guide to life’s questions on living, dying, reincarnation and healing lifetimes – all in 209 fast reading pages.

Some of you may have read Scott’s first book, Waiting for Autumn about Robert, a seemingly homeless man on a mission and Don, his black Lab puppy who meet up with Scott (no coincidence with the name) who is on a journey to heal.  This is the prequel to Autumn.  This is the tale of how Robert and Don meet, Don’s death, both of their walk-in experiences and their quest to heal the lives, past lives and bodies.

As a reviewer, I am challenged to condense this book down to 149 character sound byte.  There is too much love and life in this book to simplify it

It is a primer for those just beginning to seek their path and those seeking to remember it when faced with a hectic, fast-pasted existence.  Summer’s Path answers questions on topics not easily googled; and certainly not with the love and attention that Scott puts into explaining non-threateningly concepts like walk-ins and why they are here and how walking-in differs from reincarnation; how to help people to cross to the next life and how to heal life time patterns of guilt and abandonment.

I particularly like Scott’s placement of centering exercises right before his characters had to dealing with healing lifetimes of karmic issues.  From a teaching perspective, and I will be using this book as a personal growth primer, it’s a great reminder that healing is not just about experiencing past memories.  It is also about preparing the body at all levels for the change and growth that’s about to commence.  As healers and teachers we sometimes forget this critical step.  So Scott’s placement of the centering section before the healing section was so stellar.

Would I recommend this book?  Even before I finished the book, I loaned it to a friend who was seeking answers.  Because I trusted Scott’s information, I gave her the book and; on reading it, she found peace of mind.

If you are looking for answers, Summer’s Path will guide.  And remember, Waiting for Autumn is another great read.

By Julia Hultgren

With the New Moon in Gemini we have two choices: to learn a little bit about many topics, or to delve deeply into a few concerns close to our hearts.  We are at our most shrewd with the Moon in this placement and will not shy away from the discovery of   significant truths.  Our need to know is greater than our need to be thin skinned. Mercury joins the Sun and Moon in Gemini, so good thing we are all going through it together, as the truth you see and tell in others will be the truth they see and tell in you. Such a marvelous time for ownership of who we really are!

Chiron and Neptune are at the top of the chart on either side of our public presentation sector in Pisces. Water, water, every where!  What would the God of the Oceans have to say to the buff centaur representing collaboration between man and beast?–A little less man and a little more beast?–Right now our need to explain and criticize is getting in the way of true healing.  Remember to put a lid on the fear and sense of horrendous doom in your head and heart long enough to send the pure healing energy of white light down to the Gulf of Mexico, and elsewhere in the world where these earth/water eruptions are occurring.  Remember, if we stay conscious and build the bridges that are being requested by the fellows at the mid heaven, wellness will ultimately occur.

There is an opportunity for great benefits, albeit briefly. For a little while it looks like we can put together wide scope partnerships with those in foreign lands.  If ever anything could move quickly, the New Moon is the time to wrap up favorable collaborations with long reaching implications for growth. However it’s likely these healing factions will take the back seat to the overwhelming issues at hand, but will gain in strength over time.

So, the full lunar eclipse on June 26, promises upheaval in the earth/water sectors of the planet. Sound familiar? Saturn triggered this energy on January 12^th this year with the earthquake in Haiti. And then we have British Petroleum.  Lunar eclipses signify endings, with a big spotlight focused on events. This eclipse includes the total annihilation and rebirth energy of Pluto, so it is likely we will see a phoenix rising at some point, but not until all possible issues have been expelled and exposed.  While this mass expurgation is occurring on such a grand scale, remember the lesson this month is “as out there, so in here,” “as in you, so in me.” Pointing the finger is feels very safe until it comes right back to us. How is the gusher of toxins into the Gulf a metaphor in our own lives? What safeguards have we not taken?  Where have we been careless with precious resources? How have we allowed others to cut corners?  What slime ridden morality have we been in bed with?

I always promise that the solution to the problem is within every chart. And so it is! This one says rebirth and the shift of mass consciousness will occur through the meticulous rebuilding of foundations.  Never said it was going to be easy!

By Amy Cook Porter

On KRDO’s morning show today (May 9, 6:00 am) they talked about Spokeo.com.  It is a website that gathers your personal information from all of the social media sites as well as your address and credit information.  It also claims to gather photos as well.  Most of the photos on my profile were not mine. 

What worries me, besides having my address available, is that it also has credit info as well as all my personal likes and dislikes.  This is way too much personal information available to people I don’t know. 

• While some may tell you it’s harmless, from a business perspective, it’s not.  While there was nothing on there that was bad, my credit info shouldn’t be available to just anyone.   
• From a potential employer’s perspective, I can see information and pictures that tells me about your lifestyle.  That could prevent me from hiring you, cost you your job or at least have a discussion on your lifestyle and how it effects my business.   
• Identity theft – KRDO was amazed at all the information (for a price) that someone could learn about you.  With very little searching, they would know enough about you to re-create you on a credit app or in another city. 
• And if you had a personal stalker, as our daughter would say, “It’s a creeper’s dream.”  They would have your address, pictures, likes and dislikes.

Not everyone has a current profile on this site – and I was amazed how many of you do.  Take the time to check and check for your friends and family.  If they are there, suggest that they go to the link and look around.  It is ok for them to choose to invoke their privacy.

For those not sure whether to believe me, here is the Snopes link:  www.snopes.com/computer/internet/spokeo.asp

By Amy Cook-Porter

Today is my 25th Mother’s Day.  I celebrate today as my 25th anniversary of being a Mom.  This is the longest job I’ve held.  I’m not planning to give it up any time soon.

I didn’t celebrate this anniversary on our daughter’s 25 birthday.  That day, both 2 months ago and 25 years ago, was all about her. 

Mother’s Day, May 9, 2010 is about me.
The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.
She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.
~ Rajneesh
No, I don’t think it’s selfish to take a day for me, on behalf of other Moms who have milestones today.  I have a friend who’s daughter is 40 and she is still married to her daughter’s father.  This woman, this mother should be lauded too for her accomplishment of co-creating a successful and happy young woman.

Another friend with 5 children helped arrange today’s celebration so that her daughters would have Mother’s Day.  She also called to make sure that I would have Mother’s Day – just in case my husband or daughters forgot.

These women understand.  This day isn’t about our children.  It’s about a sacred sisterhood we enter on the birth of our children. 

The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men – from mothers most of al
who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms.
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Women who have never given birth can only surmise what it’s like to have this kinship. Nor will men understand.  That’s why we connect with our sisters who do.

A sister understands and never judges: why our houses are never neat, our refrigerators covered with artwork and reminders; and why we never buy new things for us.  They too know that our children’s needs come first; and, that we consciously choose to sacrifice. 

All the while, our husbands and partners complain – complain about the house, the money, and our being tired because we live in a dual world – where we work full-time either in the home or out and raise a family, including our husband.  His mother stopped raising him at 18, hopefully.

So today, is Mother’s day. 
It is a day to do what YOU want of it.
It is a day without self- sacrifice or the need to control

It is a day to be with your family – or not. 
It is a day to play in the garden with Mother Earth
It is a day to go shopping or not
It is a day to let go of chores or to savor them
It’s a day to just be

It’s a day to cuddle babies or snuggle teenagers or walk hand-in-hand with loved ones
It’s a day to lounge on the patio, in the bath or in front of the tv
It’s a day to be me – who I used to be before wonderful daughters or who I will become when our house will be so empty, so quiet in the not so distant future
It’s a day to talk with friends who’s kids have grown and we remember when.
It’s a day for me.  It’s a day for our daughters and their young babies. It’s a day for grandmothers and their wonderous memories. Most of all it’s a day for Mothers.
And a special thanks to whomever put the 50 Inspirational Quotes I found on this website, http://inspirationmanifestation.com/614/a-mothers-day-tribute/ (and many others).  I was glad that I wasn’t the only one that wanted to honor the oldest profession.

By Amy Cook-Porter

It’s been 65 years since women pilots took to the skies.

They were serving their country, so male pilots could fly overseas.

They were civilian women, independently trained, many straight from the farms, arriving at military bases offering to serve.

They shuttled big jets across the US.

Tested repaired planes before they were ready to return to flight.

And, ferried dummy planes so male pilots could practice shooting at moving planes.

When the war was winding down, did they get a thank you?  No, they were told that they were taking jobs from male pilots and now they could go home.

No ceremonious discharge ~ no severance packet ~ not even a recognition or medal for a job well done.

Disappearing from history until the month of March, 2010, during Women’s History Month, these women are being honor with the Congregational Medal of Honor on March 10, 2010.

These are the women of WASP
 ~ Women Air Service Pilots
~ Originally 1,114 strong
~ 38 died while serving their country
~ Many more over time
~ Approximately 300 remain
~ About 115 will attend the service along with Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House and President Obama.

Theses were the first pilots in the armed forces.

Thank you for your time.

Funds are being collect for medals for each of these women or their surviving families.  The cost is $56,000 to recognize their achievements.  If you are interested, visit http://wingsacrossamerica.us/wings

This column is in honor of Erma Bombeck.  Erma was the first person to explain to me the subtle differences between men and women.  Growing up in the 60s and 70s, my concept of men was based on television dads like the kindly Hugh Beaumont (the Beaver’s dad), then like the unflappable Fred MacMurray in My Three Sons and finally like the opinionated Archie Bunker in All in the Family.  Those were my motley role models.

Add to it that my generation was being told “Men were from Mars, the Warrior Planet; and women, Venus, the world of love and romance.   No wonder, I was confused.

And then I discovered Erma Bombeck in the morning newspaper.  She was equally confused about the changing gender roles.  Sometimes, she was mystified about the how June Cleaver (the Beaver’s mom) found time to cleaned her house in white gloves and pearls -  while Erma hid things, so not to have to dust and sweep.  She wasn’t a gloves and pearls kind of lady nor a bra burning woman – uncomfortable in both worlds, striving to create her own – one that she fit in, one that made sense.

She used her column to work out some of the inconsistencies in life, especially the communication conflicts between men and women.  She tried to explain the subtle differences between the sexes, while making it ok for men to be warriors and women, lovers.  Even if I didn’t always understand the differences, she made me laugh.  Erma gave me hope that when I was her age (and as a teen, that seemed impossible) I would understand that there are differences between the sexes and I would laugh about them too.

One of my favorite columns talked about how couples get ready for bed.  In honor of Erma, I’ve up-dated the couples nightly ritual.

My husband rubbed his chin, looked at the cat sleeping peacefully under on his lap, under his lap top and said, “I think it’s time to go to bed.” to whomever was listening.

Agreeing, I started closing down programs on my computer, sending off last minute emails, checking the family’s schedule for tomorrow – our collegiate’s, our high schooler’s, our married daughter (quick check of her blog will tell me where she’ll be tomorrow), my husband (remember to remind about a hair cut) and mine (3 meetings – will need to get up early to prep).

Then it’s a quick trip to the laundry room to either put a load into the dryer or hang up a load to dry.  Before going upstairs, I pick up dirty dishes, clean clothes/towels and anything else that needs to go up.  After climbing the stairs, I put the dishes in the sink, clothes in the upstairs basket and towels in the linen closet.  Then, back to the kitchen to turn on the tea kettle, feed the puppies a quick snack and put them out.  While waiting on them, I remind our teen that it is time to turn off her computer and go to sleep.  I turn off extra lights, the dogs’ music and let the pets in, locking the door and, making sure they have fresh water.  The tea kettle boils just as I tuck the puppy into her kennel.  I make a quick hot drink for my husband and me and carry it downstairs.

After handing the cup to my husband, I feed and water the cats.  On finishing our drinks, I collect the mugs and put them out of the kitties reach.   I, then, turn the bed covers down and start getting ready for bed.

My husband slowly lifts the cat off his lap, puts his laptop aside, rubbing his chin again, he say, “I guess it’s time to go to bed” and I agree.

As a teen, I read two newspaper columns faithfully.  I loved Sydney Harris – the i satirical, political grammarian of his times.  (Think Grammar Girl only old, male and angry).  And, Erma Bombeck.

Why Erma Bombeck?  I could so relate to her.  Being stuck in the middle of the Feminist Revolution, trying to fit into both worlds and not.  That was me, too.  Her mom was perfect.  Stuck in an airport?  Her mom was prepared.  Her father bringing home people for dinner with no notice.  Her mom could handle it.

Erma – well in an airport, she had an apple and a spritz of perfume.  Dinner – well, they could go out.

And on men, her version of Conversation with God was the best.   She asked, “Why did men have big feet?”  So their kids could walk in their footprints in the snow.  Big hands – better to cup small faces and wipe away the tears.  So what if men couldn’t tie a hair ribbon or push a button through a small hole.  They were designed to protect their children.

And most of us have read her article on living life to the full.  A column she wrote when she was in her 50s – years before she found out she was dying.  It talked about, if given a second chance,  all of things she would have done.

This article has had the most profound impact on me.  As any good mom does, I’ve put my life on hold until our girls were grown.  At the same time, I’ve quit saving things for “special occasions” or for later.  There may never be a later.

Erma has taught me “Life is a gift.”  To leave my mark each day – those feminine footprints  in the snow – so that our girls will have a path to follow and not to wait for a special occasion.  It’s more important to create the special occasion or memory than to wait for life to happen.

And one more thing.  Erma died on  Earth Day – April 22, 1996.  Coincidence?