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Those of you who follow my blog might have wondered where I was all month.
Well it's been a hard month filled with emergencies and grieving My husband's Mother left us on the 7th. She was an amazing woman, powerful and soulful in so many ways. She left behind a legacy of writing that we are now in this process of compiling into an anthology so that this body of work will continue to inspire and move generations to come. We mourn her loss though we know she is at peace and free from the troubles of this life. Not soon after she passed I received a message from my childhood best friend. She told me that she is dying of cancer. The odds were low for treatment. She chose quality of life. I support her decision though my heart cries. Although we had not been close in recent years we had spent most of our formative years from childhood to the tumultuous teens having adventures and living life as best friends do...Here I am at a loss for words at the moment to describe such a connection as we shared. All of this brings me to the subject of this post; passages. Spring is a time of budding and new growth. To look at loss in such a time feels so wrong yet here we are. I know that many of you who may be reading this have faced losses or are going through this. This pandemic has cost so many lives and in it's magnitude has put so much focus on the fragility of human life itself. Soon more and more of us are getting vaccinated and will be able to reconnect with loved ones and go out cautiously into the world. This is amazing and wonderful! There will be in time celebrations as we reach a place of higher immunity. Still there will also be times of profound sorrow for all of the lives lost. At this times we see only numbers, facts and figures...Human life is indeed a gift we should cherish and be thankful for everyday we are here in this world. This month saw these holidays pass and here I will list those to come in it's waning days. As always I apologize for omitting any that you observe as there are so many festivals in this big beautiful world we share Passover concluded April 1st-4th with Good Friday on the 2nd and Easter on the 4th Ramadan began on the 13 and will conclude May 12th and on the 22nd we celebrate Earth Day In honor of Earth Day and our dear Phyllis Larrabee I am sharing this poem by her May we all be well and be blessed Our Mother The Earth Is Grieving Our Mother the earth is grieving Her tears are the rain Melting the ice The breast of her daughters which feed desire Love and milk for her children are wounded We can be so ill and still love the sirens of technology Which do not need to be our enemy But... The fossil fuels whipping earth and air and The earth so wounded... Yet every spring so far The living earth Even in her hospice Rises to feed us To delight us The rivers-where do they get their song? Racing past our grief And the flowers, how they rise up and open And we hear the cries of newborn lambs And our own And wonder to see the innocent youth rise up to save this mother from Usagi 'Poems of Changing Seasons ~Phyllis Larrabee~ 2018
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I tend to think that these blog entries should always be on time. They should just arrive promptly with the start of each month. Sometimes they do but more often it seems these days they take time to happen.
Every thing has a season and a time. Nature has it's own clock and of course clocks and calendars are the inventions of human kind. There are sun and moon calendars and time depends upon what zone you live in. What would happen if there were no clocks or digital time keepers? Well we would have to look to the movements of the heavens as our ancestors did. Would we only know the passages of night and day and the seasons or would we learn to measure the shadows from sunlight rising and fading or mark the positions of the stars? This month on the 20th we will have the Vernal equinox. The sun will rise and set directly in the East. The Winter ends and gives way to Spring! Winter the season of Death, when cold winds blow and light is scarce, when animals and humans take refuge in their shelters and some depart for warmer climes has wearied our spirits and taxed our bodies. In times past many would not make it through the season due to famine, lack of shelter and disease. In these times we have seen a terrible blight where many have not survived. We have seen the effects of climate change and how much we need to reevaluate and work hard to build sustainability. We see what cracks there are in not only our infrastructure but in our communities as arguments arise over matters of race, gender and morality. Popular icons are challenged and even removed. We need to have these conversations to move forward but how can they be done in a respectful and fair way? At last there are vaccines being administered to many and the promise of gathering with friends and family seems ever more real! It will not be a sudden or easy emergence but with the warmer months we will see a return to some of the comforts we have been longing for. I dream of seeing the ones I have missed sharing hugs, smiles and tears. I imagine walking through town and visiting the places that I've been so removed from and realizing fully how much all of this truly means to me. On the 8th we celebrated International Women's Day The 12th saw the ringing in of the Mexican New Year Tomorrow the 14th will be daylight savings time unless you are in Japan, India or China and do not set your clocks forward The 17th will be Saint Patrick's Day so get out your green and dance with the leprechauns! The 20th marks the Vernal Equinox hello Spring! The 28th will be Palm Sunday and Passover begins May your holy days be blessed and all of your days "To everything turn turn turn turn a time to every purpose under heaven" "https://youtu.be/W4ga_M5Zdn4" It took me a while to write this one...
February is full of holidays. This past week we had depending on what traditions you follow Imbolc the day of Bridget or for those who watch the slumbering rodent Ground Hog's day. Both of these are associated with the coming of Spring in their own way. On the 11th we have the Chinese New Year the year of The Metal Ox. On the 14th of course there's Valentine's Day. On the 17th Ash Wednesday. On the 25th Purim. I'm sure there are many special days I am missing here. Whatever and however you observe them I hope your holidays are wonderful As I write this we are now in the week of the 8th which ends on Sunday; Valentine's Day There is a lot of confusion over why this day was named for it's patron saint. He was it seems a martyr. This we know. There is also a bit of confusion as to why the 14th was chosen. Some say it has to do with the Roman Goddess Juno a symbol of fidelity. Some say it has to do with the returning birds who will nest and mate though it seems way too early for that here in the frozen North. Whatever the reason it is a day known for romantic love. This can be a terrible thing for those who find themselves alone. The media and all commercial areas bombard us with images of lovers and expectations of hearts and flowers. This is fine for those in relationships and speaking as one who is I wish you all the best but what of the lonely? When I was a child like many of you may have done in school I exchanged random cards with classmates as a token of affection. It was a way to reach out and kind of silly yet...kind of sweet. We also were given boxes of candy hearts with those little sayings on them. How can we bring sweetness into people's lives in this difficult and often sad time? Here in Montpelier there is an anonymous occurrence every year in our downtown of paper hearts being posted up on almost every window and door. Whoever this "phantom" is they have become a local legend and no one has ever caught this person or their imitators in the act. It is a cheerful sight to see especially the colorful ones made by children. They remain for some time and bring warmth to cold days. Yes we so enjoy these reminders of beauty and joy yet... Love is not always pretty We must love all we are and all the broken ones around us. How can we do this? Jesus said to "Love thy neighbor as thyself" This is far from easy. How can we love those who hate us? How can we love those who are in this world of isolation invisible to us? Before all of this how can we love ourselves as the one who made us loved us? Such love requires acceptance and forgiveness. Without love for ourselves given without condition, embracing all the ugly places as well as the beautiful ones we can not know such a greater love for human kind. I say human kind because I am referring here to only that. There is so much I could also say about loving our fellow creatures who are also our neighbors. Here on this Earth plane we are given a remarkable opportunity to grow and to learn. Each day I pray that there will come a time where we will truly know the meaning of universal love and that we will know how to share it. I wish you all a blessed month So here we are in 2021! It's going to take some time for that to sink in right? Winter here in Vermont has been rather mild til now. As I write this passage there is lovely thick blanket coating the landscape outside my window and I believe more white stuff on the way soon. I am thinking...what could be sleeping beneath it? What will be revealed when the frost melts off and the Spring shoots break through from the soil preparing for the ripening of new life? Will we feel the difference then?
As the world continues to suffer through this terrible pandemic, political upheaval, climate crisis, racial and gender issues, economic disparity, struggles for religious freedoms, wars...Ball of confusion! In this new time how can we work together to create changes? What new discoveries will we see? How do we bring renewal to a tired and ragged world? So many questions with yet no answers yet I believe they will come in time for all things change! In all areas of our live all spheres of influences we are seeing incredible diversity represented! With so many voices being acknowledged we know the old molds will be broken and as time goes on nothing will be the same! Many speak of a desire to return to the way things were before this virus. Is that what we really want? No it is high time to leave behind the ruins of a broken world and rise to meet the birth of a new unknown one As we slip into Winter
As we dig out our layers to keep out the cold As we prepare for the holy days of our traditions We are painfully aware that this time is like no other Maybe you are doing ok in this terrible time taking the days as an opportunity to rest and catch up on family time or neglected projects... Maybe you are feeling as I do exhausted and riding out an emotional rollercoaster praying the ride will end soon! However these days find you I hope that you can see a light to touch your heart and kindle a fire that will carry you through the season From my heart to yours Peace Hello good people! Today's the day America! In honor of this time I am sharing a special three card reading "Healing the Nation" is the theme. I have chosen the beautiful and classic William Blake deck. Passing away we see Reversal (The Hanged Man) Yes everything has been topsy turvy! There has been much suffering and anguish and no telling when we will be released. Presently we see Union (The World) Our country is diverse and in this card I see that despite the divisive political forces there is a unifying energy rising! In the future we see the Ace Of Poetry (Wands) This is the suit of fire and spirit. Many will be inspired to create and to act! Our words are powerful and with divine inspiration we will bring new life to the coming days! Please feel free to comment and add your own insights May you all be well and safe and remain hopeful dear ones  Here in Vermont the leaves are showing off their last bursts of color and cold winds are starting to blow.
Many traditions will be celebrating days of harvest and for some a new year. How can we adapt to these restrictive times yet maintain our joy for these special days? Of course we will be seeing many plague masks this Halloween and other themes to fit this pandemic as well as variations on the protective masks we must wear. The monsters we face this year are all too real. Please listen to science and be safe! The gatherings we have delighted in are now much more intimate with trusted family members and perhaps friends. Social distance events and virtual parties will be happening but these are a hard trade for what we have known and loved. I am myself weary of this 'new normal'. In all honesty this is the most difficult blog entry I have made all year as this season has always been for me a time I looked forward to so much. In this time of endings and beginnings perhaps aside from carving pumpkins and sharing treats and playing dress up we should be looking toward the more serious aspects of these days that of mourning and paying respects to our ancestors. This will be a sad time for many as many souls depart and have departed. Let us not turn away but embrace this time of dying in reverence to all that has been and yes for the child in all of us enjoy the sweet things in life for life is fragile and each day a gift.
A beautiful September to you all! While it may be sad to see the Summer go early Autumn holds it's own treasures
As I write this it is a sunny Sunday afternoon in Vermont. The leaves are just starting to show some changes and some creatures are making their way to warmer climes or burrows to wait out the cold months. Noting small changes in a pandemic world is vital to our sense of being. For some these changes are bigger as families, children and teachers prepare for the school year with hopes and mixed feelings. If you are living in an area that has been hit hard by the virus and all it encompasses you may be considering or setting up home schooling. Growing up in Queens New York in the 70s like many my only option was to attend public school. The alternative options were unknown to my family. In times such as these we must consider the value of alternatives as never before. The world we have known seems stripped from us but when the dust settles what can we build in it's place? Living and growing in this strange new world takes effort. As someone challenged by chronic health issues I can easily empathize with the feelings of being overwhelmed by having so much to do and so many ways to have to adapt. My advice? Pace yourself, however and whenever you can. The work you are doing now will have good and lasting results. Whether you work alone or with others all that you do has meaning and substance. This month for me holds great meaning as I returned to this state and this town three years ago on the 28th and two years later my husband Malcolm and I were married on that same date! Marriage like any life long commitment is a labour of love for which the rewards are great and sustaining. Maybe you are preparing for some kind of renewal yourselves. Some involve loved ones returning or businesses reopening. Farmers begin to harvest for the Fall. Maybe for some there will be a revival of spirit or a creative drive. The Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah falls on the 18th and the Autumnal Equinox arrives on the 20th. As one door closes another opens. Let us work together for the good of all in this new time. Do you keep a dream journal? In these times where we find ourselves restricted in the outside world our inner worlds may be opening like never before! I have heard and read of many people experiencing increased activity in this area. Now is a good time to record and explore these realms if you haven't already. Perhaps like me you have more so in the past and have come to neglect this important practice over time. Dreams are our link to the spiritual mind. They can be a doorway to divine messages, prophetic visions, inspirational, transformative, illuminating, a window to the soul.
Tribal cultures understood the sacred value of these journeys and shared them either around the fire or with perhaps a elder or shaman. They were an important part of daily life. Many spiritual teachings see this world as part of a great dream. Sufism the mystical branch of Islam places high importance on dreams, as did the peoples of many ancient civilizations. From The Veddas to the Bible they held a special place with those who were able to interpret them They were held in high regard and in some cases greatly feared for the power of such knowing. Yet we in the modern world with rare exceptions of those whose traditions continue to teach the inclusion of dreams have become so caught up in the doings of our outer world that our inner worlds have been shelved and largely forgotten. How often do we when asked if we remembered what we saw in our dreams reply "I don't remember" How often do we fail to see a recurring dream as a wake up call? How often do we recall and place importance on nightmares and think little of the metaphorical meanings they reveal that might help us in our struggles. How often do we have a beautiful dream yet let it dissolve in the dawn without even so much as a thank you to our creator for this gift? For dreams are indeed a gift and how would we treat the giver? Here is our chance to return to this place. When the inner is appreciated the outer will follow. |
Hi folks this is Anni
I hope you're having a great day! Please feel free to express some of your thoughts on my site regarding the tarot and all things related. Categories |
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