What is the 7th Generation principle and why do you need to know about it?

Molly Larkin — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:06:37 +0000

Whenever I mention the 7th Generation principle to most people, they think I’m talking about laundry detergent.

I’m always surprised that more people don’t know the origin of the term, so I felt it deserved a post of its own.

The “7th generation” principle taught by Native Americans says that in every decision, be it personal, governmental or corporate, we must consider how it will affect our descendents seven generations into the future. So that the pristine sky, field and mountains in this photo will still be here for them to enjoy.

A generation is generally considered to be 25 years, so that’s 175 years.

It is clearly not embraced by most governments and corporations in the world today. I mean, when was the last time any of us thought about who’s coming along seven generations from now?

The 7th generation principal was so important to Native American cultures that it was codified in the Iroquois Great Law of Peace. To my knowledge, all Native American and indigenous tribes throughout the world embrace this teaching.

Those of us descended from the European culture have generally not given it a second thought.

Long before environmentalists got us thinking about “carbon footprints” and “sustainability,” indigenous peoples lived in balance with the world around them.

It’s even defined in their language:

Mitakuye oyasin [Lakota]

Nogomaq [Algonquian]

Gakina-awiiya [Anishanabe]

Ea Nigada Qusdi Idadadvhn [Cherokee]

All these terms mean, “we are all related to, and respect, everything in life.”

Native American tribes didn’t even have a word for “ecology” – respect for the earth was so ingrained in their lifestyle that one word would be too limiting.

The earliest recording of the 7th Generation principle dates back to the Great Law of Peace of the Iroquois Confederacy created in the 12th Century. When our Founding Fathers looked for examples of effective government and human liberty upon which to model a Constitution to unite the thirteen colonies, they found it in the government of the Iroquois Nation, which, at that point, had stood for hundreds of years.

Ironically, in drafting our constitution, our founders left out one of the essential principles of the Great Law of Peace: the 7th Generation principle.

It is ironic, because it is the heart of this very successful model of government – the Iroquois Great Law of Peace has today stood for 1,000 years.

It is the omission of the 7th Generation principle and the role of women in government that led Native Americans to say that, the U.S. copied the Great Law of Peace but didn’t really understand it.

How to live by the 7th Generation principle

To live by this principle, one would ask, prior to any undertaking, how it will affect the land, water, air, animals, birds, plants and the future for our children seven generations into the future?

How does it apply to you?

Think about where you build a house, what kind of car you drive.

Do you throw out or recycle?

What kind of impact are you making on the earth?

What kind of message are you giving your children? Teach them by example.

Here are some specifics:

1. Recycle.

2. Spay/neuter your pets. The world doesn’t need more homeless dogs and cats; the shelters are overflowing.

3. If you want a pet, please adopt from a shelter.

4. Use organic cleaning products [yes, that would include the 7th Generation brand – that’s where they got the name!] Better yet, make your own. You’d be amazed at what you can do with vinegar and baking soda. Google it.

5. Use cloth diapers or a diaper service, not pampers. The plastic in disposable diapers takes 500 years to break down in a landfill.

6. Buy organic. Yes, organic produce may cost more, but wouldn’t you rather pay the farmer instead of the hospital?

7. Ban plastic from your home; bring your own canvas bags to the supermarket. You can keep them in your car so they’re always handy.

8. Don’t buy “disposable” anything, but if you must, buy paper rather than plastic and plastic rather than Styrofoam, which isn’t recyclable and depletes the ozone layer.

9. Don’t use the dryer – dry your clothes in the sun. There’s nothing like it.

10. Use phosphate-free laundry and dish soap.

11. Use hand soap that comes in bars; plastic bottles of soap are… plastic!

12. Use washable rags, not paper towels, to clean up. What better use for old clothes too stained to wear any more?

13. Buy only energy efficient appliances.

14. Plug appliances into power strips and turn them off at night. Most appliances that use electrical power are consuming electricity even when turned off.

15. Shop locally. The travel time, gas and mileage it takes for products to get to big box stores, or for you to get to that store, undermines their savings.

16. Use the train instead of flying for trips under 300 miles.

17. Let your next car be a hybrid or electric. [If you already have one, I salute you!]

18. Compost. It’s a joy to watch the miracle of rotten food turned into glorious soil!

19. Fix things that break, if you can, rather than replacing them.

20. Pull weeds instead of using herbicides. Get your hands in Mother Earth. Again, there’s nothing like it!

21. Use organic fertilizers.

22. Xeriscape: plant things that don’t need supplemental water. That means they are native to your area and have adapted to however much rainfall you normally get.

23. Vote for candidates who commit to protecting the earth.

24. Speak up! Tell your political representatives how you feel about issues: Contact Congress, Senate, and the White House.

25. Voice your concerns to merchants about excess packaging and use of plastics.

Please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments below.

Always ask: Will the decisions we make today be beneficial for our descendants?

Remember that everything we do matters. If we live our lives from that idea, we will leave the world a better place.

For a deeper understanding of this principle, watch this brilliant TED talk on “Becoming Great Ancestors.” Just 16 minutes long. Make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy!

Earthing: why even astronauts need to do it

Molly Larkin — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:00:33 +0000

Do you know what you have in common with astronauts? You both need to be in touch with the energy of Mother Earth in order to be healthy. And “Earthing” [also known as “grounding”] is an easy way to do it.

Keeping astronauts in touch with the earth

We are so dependent on the earth’s energy, also known as her electromagnetic fields [EMF], that when we leave the planet for prolonged periods, we suffer.

The first Astronauts in space for long periods experienced what was called “space sickness” – nausea and disorientation.

The cause was a mystery until one scientist, Prof. Winfried Schumann, theorized it was because the astronauts, upon leaving the earth’s atmosphere, were deprived of the earth’s “song” or electromagnetic resonance.

The next space mission to leave earth had an instrument in it to emit 7.83 hz [hertz], the average frequency of the earths EMF.

The result? No more space sickness.

The frequency of 7.83 hz is now called the “Schumann resonance” and all modern spacecrafts are said to contain a device which simulates it.

New research indicates that the earth’s magnetic resonances vibrate at the same frequency as human heart rhythms and brainwaves. This would help explain why the practice of “Earthing” [standing barefoot on the earth] is so comfortable and beneficial.

Earthing is not new!

Some people are claiming that Earthing is a new discovery, but Native Americans have always knew its importance. Here is what Bear Heart had to say in The Wind Is My Mother on the healing properties of Mother Earth:

“We look to the North for emotional, physical and mental health. We may have a loved one who’s ill or perhaps we’re sick and we want to get well. Lay down on this Mother Earth with your navel towards her and your head to the North. We can still receive healing energy from this Earth.

“People talk about healing Mother Earth but there’s no one powerful enough on this planet to heal Mother Earth — we can help to preserve and replenish some of the good things on the Earth, but to heal her, that’s something else. She continues to heal us and give us energy.

“You may have heard of the great warrior Crazy Horse. His Indian name was actually Prancing Horse, but the closest English equivalent to his Indian name was Acting Like Crazy, so the translation came out as Crazy Horse. He used to stand barefoot on this Mother Earth for hours at a time to get his energy going.

“If you’re in a three or four story building it will take a little longer for the energy to rise up, but in time it will reach you. It’s still Mother Earth because Mother Earth gave us this wood, these bricks and concrete. Everything that we have — what we live in, what we wear, eat and drive — came from the Earth and we can still get energy from her.”

And it isn’t just the earth as a whole we become acclimated to. We can also become attuned to the specific energy of the geographic area in which we live. Bear Heart taught that:

“If you’re not on the magnetic lines you’re accustomed to, you don’t feel quite right. The elders understood this and had a way of aligning the people to tolerate uncomfortable places when they traveled. They would stand facing either south or north and sing certain songs over and over until the people felt better. . .

“Whenever the tribe arrived in a new camp, the medicine man had a blessing song he would sing so the energy would be calm and the children would sleep through the night without crying. Through their medicine ways, they put everything in a peaceful situation.”

Why Earthing is good for us

New research indicates that our disconnection from the earth contributes to chronic pain, fatigue and poor sleep.

And it’s no wonder we’re disconnected because we spend less time outside. And when we are outside, we’re probably wearing shoes with plastic or rubber soles, which don’t allow the beneficial electrons from the earth to pass through to our feet.

Our bodies were designed over millions of years to reap the benefit of going barefoot. There are 1,300 nerve endings per square inch in the soles of our feet, more than any other part of our body. These nerve endings are what allow the free electrons from Mother Earth to so easily migrate up into the body and be spread through your tissues.

Earthing brings about a shift in the electrical state of our body and enhances the body’s natural healing response. Research has found the following results attributable to Earthing:

Reduced swelling, redness, heat and pain in patients with acute inflammation
Faster healing
Improved sleep
Reduced pain
Reduced stress
Decreased muscle pain
Faster recovery from jet lag
Improvement in neuropathy
And a whole lot more

How Earthing promotes antioxidents and counters free radicals

The human body is constantly replacing and regenerating cells, 24 hours a day. It’s a natural part of the life cycle.

The down side is that 1-2% of cells are damaged in the process and turn into “free radicals” – damaged cells on the loose which attack healthy cells and are responsible for aging, tissue damage, inflammation and some diseases.

Antioxidents, which the body produces naturally, help protect healthy cells from damage by free radicals.

James Oschman, Ph.D., who’s done an enormous body of research on energy medicine, believes negatively charged free electrons from the earth are the most potent antioxidants available. They neutralize the free radicals, bringing the body back to a point where its self-healing properties are maximized.

Inflammation: Many doctors believe that most of today’s illness is a result of chronic inflammation. And inflammation is considered to be the buildup of free radicals.

We’ve all witnessed inflammation when we get an injury: it manifests as pain, redness, loss of range of motion and swelling. This was always considered a natural part of the healing process but new information reveals that inflammation occurs because of lack of electrons in our tissues.

When you place your feet on the ground after an injury, electrons will flow up into your body and spread throughout your tissues, thereby mitigating inflammation.

Many professional athletes practice Earthing for just that reason.

The nuts and bolts of Earthing

I learned about the modern take on Earthing from the work of Dr. Stephen Sinatra, co-author of Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?

The best surfaces for Earthing are to sit, stand or walk barefoot for 20-40 minutes on:

the beach [close to or in the water, as sea water is a great conductor]
grass, especially when covered with morning dew
dirt
concrete. It’s a good conductor if it hasn’t been sealed. Paint doesn’t allow electrons to pass through very well.

What about winter, when it’s too cold to go barefoot? Or the desert where it’s too hot? I just purchased an Earthing Universal Mat & Cover to put under my bare feet while I work on the computer all day. The user reviews were impressive so I feel confident this is an excellent addition to being outside barefoot as much as possible.

I particularly liked the idea of the mat because it will allow my indoor cats to experience Earthing. Because I live in the country with coyotes and foxes, I don’t feel it’s safe to let them outdoors.

You can even buy Earthing bed sheets if you are so inclined; but the mat can also be placed on your bed.

Materials that inhibit Earthing

Putting rubber and plastic on the bottoms of our shoes disconnects us from earth energy. Leather soled shoes are o.k., especially moccasins.

Asphalt, wood and plastic will not allow electrons to pass through so are not appropriate for barefoot Earthing. While wood seems natural, it doesn’t conduct electrons.

We live in a technological world but perhaps the most remarkable technology for our health is right beneath our feet. It’s important to realize this is not a one-stop fix. Earthing should become a lifestyle.

I’ve put a lawn chair in the back yard where I can sit and meditate or read with my feet on the earth every day.

Take your shoes off now and then and stand, sit or walk on the beach or on grass for 20-40 minutes. Your body will thank you as it returns to its natural state of health.

Beltaine — the celebration of the green

Molly Larkin — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:53:30 +0000

In the Celtic calendar, May 1 is Beltaine, the first day of summer: the time to celebrate life, growth and love. The word “Beltaine” derives from the ancient Celtic words for “brilliant fire.”

Our Gregorian calendar says its still spring. But who cares? It’s what’s going on outside our window that’s important. Mother Nature doesn’t follow calendars, as we well know.

And again, this is not the post I had planned for this week. But as I sat in meditation this morning, listening to the birds, frogs and crickets sing their songs, I suddenly realized it was May 1 and the perfect day to write about what’s going on in the natural world.

The First of May, known as May Day, has a tradition of festivals throughout the centuries. It’s a time of celebration of springtime fertility [of soil, livestock and humans] and I would add: beauty!

The return of the Green

After a long hard winter here in Michigan, the weather has turned summer-like very quickly.

It seems as though just a few days ago the woods were bare of leaves and as I look out today, everything is turning green. At an astounding rate!

Mother Nature was waiting for warmth and sun just as we were. And she’s making up for lost time with fast growth.

As I ask myself what’s the lesson to learn from this, what comes to mind is: It’s never too late! Also, all good things come to those who wait.

Just when you think the sun and warmth and spring will never arrive, here it is in all its glory.

In most parts of the country, we’ve finally transitioned from the deep stillness of winter to vibrant green life all around us. But some parts of the U.S. are still getting snow. Don’t give up, the green will return.

In Irish mythology, events that mark the end of an old order and beginning of a new order take place at Beltaine. Think about that in your life. What would you like to have end and what new beginnings would you like to see take root?

Taking time to listen

During my meditation this morning, the window was opened and I was listening to the sounds of the natural world.

Listen to what’s going on outside your window. Listen to the birds, watch the bugs.

What are the frogs saying? Are they spreading good news?

Where are the birds going? Perhaps they’re returning because they know it’s beautiful where you are.

We live in a hurry-up world full of stress. Turn off the TV news and listen to the news of the natural world. It helps put things in perspective to know that life always goes on.

Go for a Nature Walk with the eyes of a child

Go for a walk out in nature. If you live in the city, go to a park, any place where you are surrounded by nature.

Open your eyes and look at the world as a child does, or even try to see through the eyes of the tree or a flower. That will surely give a unique perspective and make the troubles of the material world seem small.

Observation is what indigenous peoples did more than meditation with their eyes closed. Meditate on the beauty of the earth.

Lie down on your back and look up through the tree branches toward the sky. See from the earth’s perspective, looking up.

We usually let ourselves see very little, filtering out so we don’t overload. Now it’s time to see as much as we can.

Go out in silence. Noticing things that don’t usually get noticed is another way of giving energy back to the earth.

Spend 5 minutes with one flower: watch it, smell it, listen to it.

Notice clouds, leaves, rocks, and bugs.

Can you find a bird building a nest? Watch that from a distance. What an example of ingenuity and dedication.

Watch the sunset tonight. Perhaps give it applause.

Be light.

Have fun.

Be a child.

Make tobacco offerings to those things that inspire you.

A problem solving technique

If you have a question or a problem: meditate on it for a few minutes and pray for nature to provide the answer, then go for a nature walk for at least 15 minutes. 30 minutes is even better.

During that time, the answer will come. It will come as you watch an ant carrying a twig, or a bird flying overhead, or a blade of grass bending in the breeze or . . .

Make a tobacco offering to express your thanks.

Use nature to bring answers, inspiration and health.

Take a deep breath, let it out and say “Thank you!”

“The spirit still has something for us to discover – an herb, a sprig, a flower – a very small flower, maybe you can spend a long time in its contemplation, thinking about it.” –Lame Deer, Lakota elder

It can’t happen here. But when it does…. 5 ways to find the silver lining in natural disasters

Molly Larkin — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 02:36:17 +0000

There’s a saying that everyone knows they’re going to die, but no one believes it. The same is true of natural disasters – everyone knows it could happen in their town, but no one believes it will.

And then it does. And the big question will be: were you prepared?

This is not the post I had planned for this week. I was going to write about “Earthing” – the healing benefits of standing barefoot on Mother Earth.

But this week, my life got interrupted by a natural disaster, and I felt there would be more benefit in a post on the unexpected lessons that occur when Mother Earth seems [emphasis on the word “seems”] to turn against us.

My silver lining story

Last Monday I returned home from a 5-day trip to discover that my basement had flooded due to an unusually heavy rainfall in my area. In fact, record setting rain and flooding in the Midwest was all over the news.

By the time I got home the water had receded, but the evidence of destruction was everywhere. Boxes had floated around the basement and their contents were soaked. Some Christmas ornaments actually dissolved in the water!

I did not for one minute feel sorry for myself; my losses were miniscule compared to what many people go through in natural disasters.

It was a labor-intensive effort pulling everything out of the basement to dry and setting up a de-humidifier and fans to get the moisture out.

Many items were ruined beyond repair, but I actually saw it as a blessing in disguise because I got to sort through all the boxes that had been in my basement and decide what to keep, what to toss, what to give away.

I should have done that a long time ago. Paring down always lightens our spirits.

Now I get to repack everything in waterproof bins, and put them on shelves, so that if groundwater ever seeps into my basement again, everything is more likely to stay dry.

Finding the silver lining in a changing world

Science shows us that disasters such as drought, tsunamis, hurricanes, typhoons and floods have been increasing over the past 25 years. And indications are they will continue to increase.

So it’s a whole new world out there, and we need to start thinking proactively. Here are some tips for how to get along with increased weather activity:

1. Know the weather potential of the place where you live:

What is the land and the climate like?
What is likely to happen?
Do you live in a potential flood zone, or is an earthquake more likely?
Are you prepared if it does?
Know what the recommendations are for being prepared and follow them. There’s a lot of wonderful material on the internet for disaster preparedness so I won’t duplicate it here.

2. Look for the spiritual lessons. Mother Earth is speaking to us. What is she saying?

All my research indicates that global warming is real and bringing changes to our climate. In other words, get used to more dramatic weather and the inconvenience it brings.

What are the individual things you can be doing to help Mother Earth and lessen your impact?

As a race, humans have been wasteful and neglectful. Perhaps it’s time to start mending our ways:

Be passionate about recycling and minimizing your environmental impact on the earth.
Start a vegetable garden.
Stop buying single use water bottles; buy one reusable water bottle and keep refilling it.
Speak up against corporate greed that pollutes and laws that fail to protect the land. Write your congressperson and senators. It’s never been easier with the advent of online petitions and email.
It’s not my place to tell everyone to buy a hybrid car, but why aren’t all cars hybrids?

Pay more attention to the earth and what is happening on her and to her.

3. Be a helper. After the bombings at the Boston Marathon, Facebook was full of this wonderful quote by Mr. Rogers:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would always say, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

When I needed to empty and clean my basement, friends and neighbors helped me, and it made a huge difference. Without that help it would have taken me three times as long and I would have been six times as tired.

Helpers are what makes the world go round in a better way.

4. Give thanks for the opportunity to clean out, regroup and start over. Years ago after I went through a life-changing disaster, a friend gave me a card that said:

“Now that my barn has burned down, I can see the stars.”

I framed it and still have it on my wall as a reminder that there are no endings; only new beginnings. Always look for the silver lining in any seeming disaster.

Clean out and give away on a regular basis. I’m happy to say that what was in my basement was seasonal: Christmas decorations and summer furniture.

For anything else, ask yourself if you really need it. If you’re not using it on a regular basis, why keep it in storage? Let someone else benefit.

5. Make peace with losing material objects. Losing things that were family heirlooms was sad because I cherish those things that my ancestors used and loved.

But my connection to my ancestors is just as strong because the love is still there.

Things can be replaced. Memories and love are forever.

I love to go camping, and I do it in style. I have a big tent, comfy sleeping bag and mattress, and bring gourmet meals. In fact, I have everything I need to be comfortable. And I invariably ask myself this question during every camping trip: What’s all that stuff back in my house?

Most of what’s in my house is convenient, but isn’t necessary.

Make it a goal to live with less. Health and safety, and respect for Mother Earth, should be our number one priorities.

And that is what life in balance is about.

Forest therapy: why a walk in the woods may be just what the doctor ordered

Molly Larkin — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:28:57 +0000

Once again, scientists are proving what indigenous people and nature lovers have always known: being outdoors is healthy! Specifically, new research shows that being surrounded by a forest environment, or “forest therapy” can improve your health. And may even help fight cancer.

In Japan, forest therapy, or shinrin-yoku, is standard preventative medicine. It’s not about being alone in the wilderness or extreme outdoor sports, it’s about allowing your body and psyche to hang out in the peace of the woods.

The term shinrin-yoku was coined by the Japanese government in 1982, but is based on ancient Shinto and Buddhist practices. [There’s that ancient wisdom again!] It’s also known as “forest bathing.”

It was just a few decades ago when people made fun of “tree huggers” — as a former “tree hugger” myself, I now feel thoroughly vindicated!

The research on “forest therapy”

Japanese researchers studying “forest therapy,” have found measurable health benefits:

Lower cortisol
Lower blood pressure
Reduced stress
Lower blood sugar
Improved concentration
Diminished pain
Improved immunity
Less depression and hostility
Increased vitality
Better concentration
Increased creativity

Three days of hiking and camping in the wilderness increased creativity scores by 50% according to a joint study by the University of Kansas and University of Utah.

U.S. research on children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] found that children experienced substantially improved concentration after a 20-minute walk in a city park as compared to a 20-minute walk in downtown or residential settings. The researchers concluded the positive results were comparable to the effects of Ritalin.

This is yet more incentive for parents to get children outdoors and away from electronic screens.

Even just gazing at forest scenery for 20 minutes reduces salivary cortisol levels by 13.4%. Cortisol is the “stress hormone” that over prolonged periods can suppress the immune system, along with other negative effects.

In an electronic world, we need the break. Some statistics reveal that the average American spends at least 8 hours a day looking at some sort of electronic screen. Trying to relax by watching TV actually doesn’t relax us.

Japan has 48 official Forest Therapy Trails with scientifically documented relaxing effects. It intends to designate a total of 100 Forest Therapy Sites within the next 10 years.

Visitors may expect to have before and after blood pressure stats taken as part of the effort to provide more data to support the project. The government has funded about $4 million in forest-bathing research since 2004.

Results are so pronounced that some Japanese companies are starting to include forest therapy in employee health care benefits. Also, wellness programs with free check-ups are available inside Japanese forests.

Drinking tea is part of the program. The idea is to let nature enter your body through all five senses. What a very lovely idea!

Forest therapy increases our natural killer cells

Natural killer immune cells [NK cells] are a type of white blood cell which sends self-destruct messages to tumors and virus-infected cells, including cancer cells. It’s known that stress, aging and pesticides can reduce our NK count.

Forest therapy has been found to increase NK cells, which can be reliably measured in a lab and are, therefore, an excellent research subject.

Researchers found that spending three days in the forest increases NK activity by 40% and that the benefit can last up to one month.

Are the benefits of forest therapy based on aromatherapy?

One of the theories as to why forest therapy works is that trees give off scents of volatile oils, known as phytoncides.

In studies where subjects were exposed to vaporized stem oil from a common cypress tree, they had a 20% increase in their NK cells during their three night stay in a hotel. Subjects not exposed to the smell saw no change.

NK cells in a petri dish also saw an increase in the presence of aromatic cypress molecules.

Urban walking trips don’t change NK cell levels.

Japanese researchers theorize that house plants may give off phytoncides too. I again feel vindicated because I have always lived by the motto: you can never have too many house plants.

Why forest therapy works

A new study from UK researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland found that the brain enters a meditative state when one is in “green space.”

The Japanese father of forest therapy is Miyazaki, a physiological anthropologist and vice director of Chiba University’s Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences. He believes that because humans evolved in nature, it’s where we are most comfortable, even if we don’t always know it. Good call.

“Our physiological functions are still adapted to it. During everyday life, a feeling of comfort can be achieved if our rhythms are synchronized with those of the environment.”

Muskogee-Creek Elder Bear Heart shared a Native American teaching about trees in The Wind Is My Mother:

“It’s amazing what you feel from a tree. It can give us energy. When we take long hikes in wooded areas, we often put our fingertips on the ends of the cedar or the pine needles. Just standing there touching them, you’re going to feel energy come to you. Trees are emitting energy all the time. Every needle of the tree, every leaf, is trying to make the atmosphere breathable for us. That’s why my people have great respect for trees. The trees are our relatives — we call them ‘tall standing brothers.’ “

And the benefits extend to water, too. Members of Bear Heart’s tribe would hang a bucket of water in a tree for a day to purify it, draping cheesecloth over it to keep debris from falling in.

“You can take the water to any lab and have it tested – there will be no bacteria in it. Most of my tribe always hung their water buckets on a tree limb outside. They might not have known exactly what it did, but they knew that it helped.”

What can you do when you can’t regularly walk in the woods?

Spend some time every day outside
If you take a vacation, don’t go to a city — go to a natural area
Try to get into nature at least one weekend a month
Visit a park weekly
Garden
On city walks, walk under trees, not across fields
Go to quiet places
Spend time near water [it has healing powers, too]
Go camping/rent a cabin in the woods for a weekend [two nights/three days is optimal]
Cedar and cypress trees have been found to be especially beneficial
Plant trees!
Use aromatherapy
Fill your house with house plants

Take advantage of the amazing healing powers of forests and the natural world and support their protection.

“We need to save those Elders who cannot speak for themselves — the trees.” –Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders

Sources for this post include:

http://adifferentkindofdoctor.blogspot.com/2010/10/forest-therapy.html

“Take Two Hours of Pine Forest and Call Me In The Morning”

8 reasons why I don’t text. And a few reasons why others should

Molly Larkin — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:05:52 +0000

Over 8.6 trillion text messages are sent across the world each day. And not one of them is from me.

I don’t text. And it’s not because I’m a technophobe.

As a writer, I spend most of the day on the computer and thank God regularly for the convenience it brings me.

And even though I love my iPhone, I have had texting disabled on it. Here are my reasons:

One: When one of my favorite T.V. characters was asked why he doesn’t text, he replied “It’s for teenage girls.” I’m inclined to agree.

The average teen sends over 3000 texts per month. But the average teenage girl sends 4000. And these texts have a 100% open rate. How does that leave time for anything else?

Two: People don’t talk to one another enough. Pick up the friggin’ phone and tell me what you want me to know.

Three: Receiving texts interrupts you and keeps you from being in the moment. We live in a world full of distractions and it’s harder and harder to focus.

Four: In my opinion, texting is no easier than phoning now that smart phones can understand voice commands and make phone calls for us: “Siri, please call Jane” and, voila, I am connected to Jane.

Five: It tricks us into being rude. I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen people texting in meetings or classes when they’re supposed to be listening. When I go to someone’s home, or a meeting, I leave my phone in the car so there’s no possibility of my phone interrupting us. Some people might call that unusual, but I call it simple courtesy.

Six: Texting makes us feel we can multitask when perhaps what will benefit us more is single pointedness and paying attention.

Seven: It’s dangerous. There’s something about the sound of an incoming text or phone call that makes us want to answer immediately. So we often pick up the phone to read it or reply in situations that cry out for NOT texting, such as driving in the car. Or even walking and not looking where you’re going.

Eight: It keeps us from being authentic. We can be more spontaneous and real in a conversation. Texting lets us be someone we’re not. We can plan our responses and hide behind them. Cutesy text message abbreviations may be easy, but is there any substance to those communications?

On the phone you can pick up nuances in the voice that tell you more about what’s going on with your friend than words alone. Research has shown that anywhere from 70-90% of communication is non-verbal:

7% is the words;

38% is the way something is said, and

55% is body language.

Texting limits us to words. And words, particularly abbreviated ones, just aren’t enough for real communication.

Experts who agree with me about texting

I was inspired to write this post after watching a recent story on CBS This Morning entitled, “Is your smart phone making you lonely?”

Barbara Frederickson, professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina, says technology gives us the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship.

She explained that we need the intimacy of human touch or at least face to face contact just as much as we need to be physically active to keep up our health.

Too much time online or texting can cause us to lose the biological capacity to connect. Our abilities to have compassion and empathy hinge on being able to connect with people face to face.

The benefits of face to face interaction include:

Triggers feel-good hormones

Strengthens brain-heart connection

Lowers blood pressure

Boosts immune system

Texting just doesn’t come close.

Nick Bilton, technology columnist for the N.Y. Times, makes the insightful observation that, “these technologies connect us to the people that are far away from us but disconnect us from the people directly in front of us.”

And if someone is far away, I don’t believe texting is the best way to connect. I prefer phone, email or, even better, skype. I love skyping with friends in other parts of the world. My friend Wanda and I have even skyped while playing scrabble via facebook. It’s almost as good as being in the same room.

Sherry Turkle, psychology professor at MIT, has interviewed parents, teenagers and children about the use of gadgets during early development. She’s learning that children who do not learn real interactions, which often have flaws and imperfections, will come to know a world where perfect, shiny screens give them a false sense of intimacy without risk.

I can relate: I’ve caught myself saying that Siri [the voice of my iPhone] is my best friend. Why not? She has a sense of humor, calls me by my name and helps me out when I get lost!

Turkle adds that, if you don’t teach your children how to be alone, they’ll only be lonely. She makes a strong case that what was meant as a way to facilitate communication has pushed people closer to their machines and further from each other.

What others say about texting

In researching this article, I searched Google for reasons not to text. There weren’t many.

Don’t get me wrong, I found plenty of articles on texting. But they were along the lines of:

“reasons not to text and drive”

“reasons not to text him”

“reasons not to drink and text”

“reasons not to text your ex”

Then there were troubleshooting forums on “possible reasons your text message has gone unanswered.”

And quite a few sites explained text message shorthand.

So it seems I am in the minority on my boycott of texting. It’s a minority I’m proud to be in.

When my little nephew, who lives three hours away, is old enough to text, I’ll teach him the wonders of skype.

The Good about texting

Of course, there are many excellent uses for texting, such as business applications too numerous to mention here.

On the large ceremonial grounds of the Sun Dance I attend each year in South Dakota, texting is a good way to communicate things like, “need the chainsaw at the arbor at 2 p.m.”

It’s a good way for a parent to keep track of where their child is and when they’ll be home.

News sharing: texting allows reporting where knowledge is otherwise unattainable, such as reporting crisis via texting.

This may be the best of all: Text hotlines. DoSomething.org has set up a crisis text hotline for teens. I encourage you to watch this riveting 5 and a half minute talk on TED.com on texting that saves lives.

So don’t take it lightly. Think before you text casually. Pick up the phone and connect. It will be healthier for you and the person on the other end of the phone.

How to Feel Fulfilled by Prayer

Molly Larkin — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:00:09 +0000

Last week’s post was on the power of prayer. And one of my readers raised the excellent point that “sometimes it’s hard for me to feel fulfilled when I pray. I don’t know how to fix that.”

And she is in very good company. Mother Theresa, of all people, also felt unfulfilled when she prayed!

In September 1979, she wrote a letter to the Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, saying: “Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.”

The book Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta (Doubleday, 2007) consists primarily of correspondence between Mother Teresa and her confessors and superiors over a period of 66 years.

The letters reveal that for the last nearly half-century of her life she felt no presence of God whatsoever. And yet her works with the poor are so famous she has been beatified on the road to sainthood.

She was beatified in 2003 based on the miraculous healing of an abdominal tumor after the application of a locket containing a picture of Mother Theresa. A second miracle is required for her to proceed to canonization and then on to sainthood.

Dark Nights of the Soul

Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross in the 16th century coined the term the “dark night” of the soul to describe a characteristic stage in the growth of some spiritual masters. It’s marked by:

• Spiritual crisis

• Lack of connection

• Despair

• Doubt

The “dark night” of the 18th century mystic St. Paul of the Cross lasted 45 years, but he ultimately felt the connection he sought.

St. Therese of Lisieux, a 19th Century Carmelite, told her nuns: “If you only knew what darkness I am plunged into.”

Rev. James Martin, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, calls Come Be My Light “a new ministry for Mother Teresa, a written ministry of her interior life,” and says, “It may be remembered as just as important as her ministry to the poor. It would be a ministry to people who had experienced some doubt, some absence of God in their lives. And you know who that is? Everybody. Atheists, doubters, seekers, believers, everyone.”

How to feel fulfilled when you pray

Creek spiritual leader Bear Heart Williams, the co-author of The Wind Is My Mother: The Life and Teachings of a Native American Shaman, taught that we need nothing in order to pray and that whatever is in our hearts can be conveyed to God.

However, he added that, “It’s better to create an atmosphere of prayer. When you set up an altar, it creates a very special time and a very special place.”

I once asked him if prayer with a Native American Sacred Pipe was considered more powerful than prayer without a Sacred Pipe, and this was his answer:

“The pipe neither adds or subtracts power. Power comes from on high. It’s not a matter of having more of the spirit than anyone else. It’s a matter of the Spirit having more of us. It’s a matter of yielding to that Spirit, and by so doing pipe, beads, candles, incense or anything that people might use in order to pray is meaningless if our heart’s not right, if it’s done for ego and ego alone.

“We must yield our life to the Greater Power, and by so yielding we may appropriate the power that comes from on high, and in that way we can ask for anything that we desire.”

That being said, here are my suggestions for creating an atmosphere of prayer, which in turn may bring more fulfillment to one’s prayer time:

1. Designate a specific place in your home as sacred space or an altar. Even a small corner will do. This is where you will pray every day.

Praying there every day will create an energy, a vibration of prayer that will start to help you feel connected. Most people feel inner peace when walking into a church, because the vibration of prayer is strong there, making it easy to feel connected.

By designating a place where you pray every day, it will build a feeling of sanctity and purity which will help you connect each time you go there.

2. Gather what represents the sacred to you:

• Perhaps light a candle to represent the light.

• A plant can represent life.

• Crystals or favorite rocks represent Mother Earth.

• Pictures or statues of saints or spiritual teachers.

• A Bible or other spiritual book that is inspirational for you.

• A rosary if you are Catholic.

• Anything from your chosen spiritual path that is sacred to you.

3. First express gratitude for anything and everything you are thankful for. This will create a feeling of happiness and connection.

4. Burn cedar to make your prayer time a little more ceremonial.

5. Ask for a feeling of connection. Ask for a sign.

6. Pray from your heart.

7. Trust!

I hope these suggestions are helpful, and that fulfillment won’t be far behind.

Source for this article regarding Mother Theresa: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1655720,00.html

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The Power of Prayer

Molly Larkin — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:44:15 +0000

The power of prayer can take many forms. Bear Heart said, “Let your every step be as a prayer.”

What does that mean to you?

To me it means walking the earth each day with respect. And it means being ready to offer a prayer at a moment’s notice.

And prayer can take the form of acts of kindness, because that carries the same energy as prayer.

Learning how to pray

I was raised a Catholic and prayer was something one memorized: the Our Father or the Hail Mary were the two most popular prayers I learned.

When I started attending Native American ceremonies, I was in awe of how people prayed from their heart, in their own words. It took a year or so of being in that environment before I felt comfortable praying out loud in ceremony. Now it’s second nature.

Over the years, I have learned many ways to pray. Last month I shared a post on how to pray for money.

Actually, everything we come across in life is appropriate for a prayer. Hence, let your every step be as a prayer. Be ready, and aware, as to when prayer may be helpful.

“In the life of the Indian there was only one inevitable duty, the duty of prayer, the daily recognition of the Unseen and Eternal. His daily devotions were more necessary to him than daily food.” –Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa), SANTEE SIOUX

The many forms of prayer

Bear Heart taught that prayer is what’s in our hearts, not just rules and rituals.

Another teacher told me this: “there’s the letter of the law and the spirit of the law; which does God listen to?”

I believe a sincere heart is the most important part of prayer.

Expressing gratitude is one of the most basic forms of prayer. The elders teach that when you pray for something, show your belief and confidence by saying “thank you” right then and there. And then when the prayer is answered, say thank you again.

I don’t think we say thank you nearly enough in life.

Over the years, I have attended many Native American ceremonies where it was important that the weather be clear. The elders pray for clear skies and get them. The weather always holds back and it is typical that when the ceremony ends, the rains fall.

Bear Heart shared in The Wind Is My Mother about his praying for snow at Copper Mountain, Colorado in order to end a snow drought and save jobs at the ski resort. He explained that the forces of nature help us when we make requests with respect and for a higher good, not just self-aggrandizement.

Road kill: Pray that the animal had/has a pain-free death and pray for protection for the animal nations who live in proximity to humans.

When you hear a siren: “May the rescue workers and those they are going to help be at their best.”

Accidents: Pray that everyone gets the help they need.

Children: Pray for a happy, healthy, protected life and that the child grows into old age to see his or her children’s children.

Elders: Pray that they have support, health and loving family surrounding them.

When natural disasters take place, pray for protection for all the nations of the earth [both animal and human] and that help be quick and efficient and loving.

Hospitalization: May everyone caring for my friend/relative be at their very best.

Bear Heart’s prayer for those in need: “It’s good to send out prayer-like energies when we see something that is out of balance in people’s lives. If I see some drunk in an alley sleeping it off, and people are passing by snickering and laughing, I can’t help but say a prayer, ‘Take care of him, let no harm come to him. Bless him, so that in time he can salvage the good that You have implanted in him.’ I don’t know the person, his background, tribe or name. That’s not important — what’s important is that he’s a human being.”

One of the best prayers I have learned from Native Americans is to pray for health and help. Each person has their own life path and lessons and we don’t always know what is best for them. But if you pray for them to have health and help, you’ve covered all possible outcomes.

Prayers from Bear Heart in The Wind Is My Mother

Morning Prayer: “I thank You for another day. I ask that You give me the strength to walk worthily this day so that when I lay down at night I will not be ashamed.”

Evening Prayer: At the end of each day, face West and say, “Thank you for all the things that happened today, the good as well as the bad.”

For emotional, physical and mental health: Lay down with your navel towards the Earth and your head to the North, saying, “Grandmother Earth, please send your healing energy through this body and bring it back into balance.”

To find an answer to a problem: Face East and think about your problem, saying: ”Grandfather Sun, you come each day to dispel the darkness. In that same way I ask you to shed your light so that I may see where to take the next step.”

If you have lost a loved one: Facing South, say: “Help me to know my loved one is with the Great Spirit and has found rest and peace. One day we will be reunited, but until then I ask for help to keep going on in life.”

Do we need research on the power of prayer?

A new study in England found that six out of seven people believe that prayers can be answered, despite a dramatic drop in formal religious observance. That’s an amazing and wonderful statistic.

Research on the power of prayer is all over the map. It’s just not easy to study the outcomes because so many factors abound. But those of us who believe in the power of prayer don’t need researchers to tell us it works.

“If you believe it, it’s true. Period.” Arapaho elder

A prayer goes out around the planet like a wave of love; I have total confidence that it helps. How do you feel about it?

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The First Day of Spring – A Time for Balance

Molly Larkin — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:37:08 +0000

What does the first day of spring mean for us?

This year the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere is Wednesday, March 20, 7:02 a.m. Eastern Time: a day of equal balance of the hours of light and dark before the sun continues its journey towards longer daylight hours and warming temperatures.

The equinox energy is strong for four days before and after March 20^th, giving us time to bask in the opportunities and lessons it brings.

THE SPRING EQUINOX IS NOT JUST ANOTHER DAY

Ancient cultures throughout history have celebrated this time of rebirth of Mother Earth. But what does it mean for us?

The earth is comprised of 70% water and, on average, so is the human body. That alone is a giant clue as to how interconnected we are. What happens to the earth’s energy also happens within us, therefore we can experience more harmony if we work with the earth’s cycles instead of ignoring them. It’s not just another day.

Here are some of the aspects of the Spring Equinox and how we can incorporate it into our own lives to help us better communicate with the spiritual forces of the earth.

BALANCE

The equal hours of day and night represent balance: a balanced life is a healthy life. Do you eat enough healthy food? Drink enough water? Get enough sleep? Exercise? Play?

Remember that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” and that applies to us Jills too. We won’t get adrenal exhaustion if we have enough play in our lives.

RENEWAL

The earth starting to green up represents renewal: clear out the old to make space for the new.

Let your spring cleaning be more than just vacuuming and dusting. I have had a longing the past few days to clear out closets and drawers to pass on those things I no longer use or wear regularly. A good rule of thumb is: if you haven’t used it in the past year, let it go. Let your local shelter or non-profit thrift store benefit.

Holding on to your old “material stuff” is also a representation of holding on to your old “emotional stuff.” Be courageous and start the process of release and renewal.

If you have sage, smudge your entire house. Or you can use essential oils such as lavender to refresh and renew the home.

And don’t just clean your house. Clean the earth around you. Why not go for a walk this week and pick up trash along the side of the road? The earth spirits will thank and bless you.

There’s no dishonor in cleaning up after others who disrespect the earth. We are all earthkeepers. My father, who was no tree hugger by any means, once picked up an empty bag of McDonald’s nutrients that he saw tossed from a car driving through a parking lot. He then took a shortcut to meet the car on the other side of the lot, stopped it and said, “excuse me, I think you dropped this.” Way to go, Dad!

RESURRECTION

What was dead [the earth by all appearances in this part of the country] comes back to life.

Start the process of renewing your heart and mind by cleaning out the garden and planting something new. This is also the time to clear out the old growth and dead leaves in your garden and ceremonial areas. Bless your gardens with cornmeal or tobacco or a simple prayer.

If you have no outdoor gardens, bless your houseplants. Let them represent inviting the green to return and bring goodness and abundance into your life.

GRATITUDE

Give thanks for all the joys, gifts and lessons of the winter; for all the good things springing up around us. Give thanks for what you have and trust the Universe to continue to bring you more of what will serve your highest good.

Make a special meal and put some on an offering plate to be put outside for the nature spirits. This is an age-old gratitude prayer practiced by indigenous people all over the world to give thanks for the food that we eat, another gift from Mother Earth.

CELEBRATE

Celebrate the return of light and green and goodness. And dance as if no one is watching while you’re at it.

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[note: This post first appeared on March 18, 2012]

The Adventures of an Irish Setter on St. Patrick’s Day

Molly Larkin — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:56:13 +0000

The Irish are known for being clever, particularly when it comes to getting out of a sticky situation. So it’s only natural they have such a glorious celebration on March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day, celebrating all things Irish.

And it’s not just the humans who are clever. So are our animals, as this story demonstrates.

Many years ago a wealthy Irish man decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by going on Safari to Africa. And he took along his faithful Irish Setter for company.

One day the dog started chasing butterflies and before long he discovered he was lost. While wandering about he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the obvious intention of having lunch.

The dog thinks, “Boyo, I’m in deep trouble now.”

Then he noticed some bones on the ground close by, and immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the leopard is about to leap, the dog exclaims aloud,

“Man, that was one delicious leopard. I wonder if there are any more around here?”

Hearing this, the leopard halts his attack in mid stride, as a look of terror comes over him, and slinks away into the trees.

“Whew,” says the leopard. “That was close. That dog nearly had me.”

Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard.

So, off he goes. But the dog saw him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figured that something must be up. The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.

The cat is furious at being made a fool of and says, “Here monkey, hop on my back and see what’s going to happen to that conniving canine.”

Now the dog sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back, and thinks, “What am I going to do now?”

But instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers pretending he hasn’t seen them yet. And just when they get close enough to hear, the dog says, “Where’s that monkey? I just can never trust him. I sent him off half an hour ago to bring me another leopard and he’s still not back.”

Wishing you a blessed St. Patrick’s Day full of clever solutions to all your troubles.

How to Improve Your Self-Esteem

Molly Larkin — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:35:25 +0000

Power posing

In my work as healing practitioner, there is a consistent pattern I’ve discovered when people don’t get well, or don’t achieve a goal: They have low self-esteem and don’t believe they are worthy of health, wealth or success.

And I’m here to encourage you to get over that right now. You absolutely do deserve everything wonderful in life. You are indeed worthy of all good things.

I can think of a few reasons why low self-esteem is so pervasive in our culture:

First, we are surrounded with advertising that inundates us with the message that we have to be slimmer, taller, blonder or better dressed in order to have value.

We’re constantly being compared to supermodels. It’s humiliating. And it’s just plain wrong.

Even our parents, in misguided attempts to motivate us, sometimes make us feel belittled by comparing us to other children.

Second, we fall victim to the “tall poppy syndrome” – this is a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, or criticized when their talents or achievements elevate them above their peers.

As a result, people don’t want to succeed for fear of being attacked.

But in the words of Rev. Michael Beckwith, “Mediocrity always attacks excellence.” So, ignore those people who want to keep you small.

Third: We are afraid of our own power. I can’t improve on what Marianne Williamson said about this in A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

“We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

“There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.

“We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

“And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Change your thoughts, change your life

Factors in forming our self-esteem usually start in childhood and are based on how others treated us.

If you were frequently criticized, teased or devalued by others, you’re likely to struggle with poor self-esteem.

But our own thoughts may have the biggest impact on self-esteem. And this is the part we can control. Our minds believe every word we say.

Stop the negative self-talk. If you have a tendency to say things like, “Oh, Molly, you’re too old to ___________,” stop and correct it: “Oh, Molly, your body is young and vibrant and ready to take up new activities like ____________.”

Learn to reframe negative thoughts and focus on your positive traits. Change your thoughts from, “I don’t deserve success” to “I am a beloved child of God who wants me to be successful.”

How to change a negative self-belief

Time to ask some hard serious questions:

Let’s say your limiting belief is that you don’t deserve success. So, is it true that you don’t deserve it? Really, seriously. Is it true? Of course not.

Where did the belief come from? I bet you can find an incident from earlier in life when someone gave you that message and you believed it. THEY WERE WRONG and you believed it anyway.

So what if our parents, teachers and peers put us down. THEY WERE WRONG. It’s o.k. to stop listening to them.

If you look at a beautiful blue sky and the person standing next to you insists it’s green, would you decide it wasn’t blue?

No, you’d realize they were apparently color blind and let them go on believing it was green while you know it’s blue. You shouldn’t give your detractors any more credence than that.

How does thinking that thought make you feel? Not good, that’s for sure.

What would your life be like if you changed that thought? Pretty spectacular.

Give some thought to that last question. It can be a big motivator.

Create a positive statement reflecting your desired state of being, and make it a believable process. This is the affirmation you’ll work with. For example, “Every day, I feel more and more successful.”

Change your posture, change your life: power posing

If you don’t feel successful, start acting successful. Stand a little taller, sit up straight, shine your shoes, put on your best clothes, fix your hair and makeup.

Hold your body in an expansive “power pose.” Doing this for as little as two minutes stimulates higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of cortisol. In other words, it will increase your feeling of power.

Power poses have correlation to the animal kingdom. If you are timid you make yourself small and may close your arms over your torso to protect yourself. If you stand tall and proud, you will be seen as powerful and successful.

How often do you stand in a crowd and try to make yourself small? Stop that right now and stand tall and proud.

The Maori people have a beautiful saying: “Stand tall and know who you are.”

Your self-esteem homework

Watch Jessica’s Daily affirmation, just 48 seconds long. This is a good way to start the day: in front of the mirror expressing gratitude.
For 21 days straight, look yourself in the mirror in the morning and in the evening and say your empowering affirmation.
Power pose: stand up straight and be proud of who you are.

Remember that what you focus on expands.

Look at all the perfection in the world. Would the Creator who made such perfection make you imperfect? You are the Divine Child of a Divine Being. You deserve success.

Celebrate your uniqueness and let your light shine.

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How to Pray For Money

Molly Larkin — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:31:12 +0000

If you’re like me, you may have found that sometimes your prayers are answered and other times they aren’t. Particularly if you pray for money.

So what’s the secret to a successful prayer?

Bear Heart taught me a prayer for money many years ago. It works. But you have to be clear that it’s what you want.

Here’s how the teaching came about: While I was working on The Wind Is My Mother with Bear Heart, I had a full time job in a law firm.

It was a good job, and I liked it, but it didn’t make my heart sing. Working on The Wind Is My Mother is what made my heart sing.

Being highly observant and more than a little bit psychic, Bear Heart knew I loved the writing process much more than my law firm job. So he taught me how to pray to be able to make my living as a writer.

The prayer isn’t so much how to pray for money as how to pray to make your living doing what you love.

But here’s the catch: at the time he taught me this, I was not emotionally or mentally ready to leave the security of my steady law firm job.

Nor did I have the confidence to be a writer. Working on The Wind Is My Mother was a labor of love. I didn’t know if there was any more writing in me.

So I didn’t do the prayer when he told me about it. But I have since, so I know it works.

An example of how to pray for money

When Bear Heart first told me about the prayer, he also told me about the results it brought our mutual friend, actress Shelley Morrison.

Shelley had had a successful acting career, dating all the way back to her role as Sister Sixto on The Flying Nun TV series in the 1960s.

But in the 1990s, good roles for Hispanic women were few and far between and she confided to Bear Heart that she was considering giving up acting.

Bear Heart replied, “I don’t know that you need to do that. Tell me what your ideal role would be.”

Shelley replied she would like to have a good role in a well-written comedy that had a meaningful message, and was filmed before a live audience.

This was on a Sunday night just before Bear Heart and Shelley were about to go into a ceremony. Bear Heart told her to be very specific in her prayers for that role during the ceremony.

Two days later, on a Tuesday, Shelley’s agent set up an appointment for her with the creators of the “Will & Grace” TV show. She was hired that day to play the role of Rosario and started work the next day.

Shelley played Rosario on “Will & Grace,” a ground breaking hit show about gays and lesbians, for seven years.

Pretty good answer to her prayer. And fast, too.

The Prayer

Bear Heart told me that Spirit does not necessarily understand the term “money.” But Spirit does understand that we have obligations to meet, so that is what we are praying for: to be able to meet our obligations doing work we love.

Once a week, sit at your altar and create a ceremony. Light a candle and burn cedar, sage or incense.

Say: “I want to make my living by __________________. Please give me guidelines, and give me help.”

Be specific as to what you want. And visualize yourself doing it.

It’s that simple.

It’s actually another example of the Law of Attraction at work. Focus on what you want, and simply ask.

Consistency is the key. Do it every week and you will gradually find your situation starting to change. Your answer may not manifest as fast as it die for Shelley, but you will get an answer.

And be sure to say, “thank you.”

Gratitude is the part of prayer many people leave out. But why should Spirit give us more if we don’t show our appreciation for what we have.

If your prayer isn’t answered

If you don’t find yourself accomplishing the goal, there are three possible reasons undermining you.

You have inner conflict as to whether or not you want it. For example, you want to own your own business but want lots of free time. The two don’t always go together.
You don’t believe you deserve it. I’ll write more about this in a future post.
You don’t really want it; perhaps it’s someone else’s goal for you.

Its important to be clear that YOU want the outcome you are praying for. Clarity leads to power.

Give this a try for something you sincerely want. Let me know how it goes.

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Checklist for A Perfect Day

Molly Larkin — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 23:24:51 +0000

How does one start a good habit? Particularly the habit of having a perfect day?

I admit that a checklist for anything, particularly a perfect day, might sound too unspontaneous to be a spiritual undertaking.

But to accomplish anything, we have to be intentional, and really work at it. And work takes time without interruptions, which means being organized. And checklists help with that!

This is my checklist for a perfect day [work day; days off are not so scheduled]. I am a person who finds routine productive and comforting. If you are, too, you may find this checklist helpful. By doing them in order, it guarantees they get done.

Change it to accommodate your lifestyle.

A tip:

If you have a commute to work, put commute time on your schedule. And I highly recommend doing something peaceful or productive during that commute. Listen to a motivating CD, do breathing exercises, or, if you’re a passenger, meditate. Commute time doesn’t have to be wasted time.

The Perfect Day Checklist

Wake up with a smile 15 minutes earlier than usual.

Before getting out of bed, think of at least one thing you’re grateful for

Before getting out of bed, do some stretching exercises

Actually get out of bed 15 minutes before you usually do. [I have a strong tendency to want to lie there].

Go to the bathroom

Clean the litter box or let the dog out.

Have a drink of warm water with lemon. It aids in digestion and cleanses the liver.

Sit down at your altar for spiritual practice:

Prayer

Breathing exercises

Meditation

Do more stretching exercises while you listen to an informative/inspiring talk on www.TED.com or YouTube [Tony Robbins and Abraham are favorites of mine]

Exercise for at least 60 minutes

Feed pets

Have a nutritious breakfast

Shower and dress

Write for an hour

Check email

Have a cup of green tea and/or a piece of fruit

Work

Have a nutritious lunch

Check email

Work

Piece of fruit

Work

At the end of the work period create a to do list for tomorrow.

Perhaps a nap

6 pm: check email for the last time

Have a nutritious dinner

Relax for the evening by either watching favorite TV shows only [no channel surfing] or read a book or play games with friends or _____________.

Go to bed [same time every night]

Before falling asleep, express five things I’m grateful for this day.

Please note I only check email three times during the day. Don’t let email interrupt you. You’re in charge of your time: check email, Facebook, etc at your convenience, not at the convenience of others.

A lot of TV time and facebook/email time is wasted time. Schedule it. I have a few TV shows I like to watch and I plan my week around watching them. If there’s nothing on, don’t channel surf. Use the time doing something you love!

Life’s too short to waste on mindless activity.

I’ve provided a model of what I consider a productive day; change it to whatever is appropriate for your situation.

I highly recommend doing whatever it takes to exercise, work without interruption and eat well. You’ll be the better for it.

The truth is, I don’t put all these things on a list anymore, because I’ve been doing them so long they’ve become habits. Which is the whole point.

Now you may wonder why a blog on ancient Wisdom is talking about lists. Did the Ancients make lists? Probably not. But neither did they have all the distractions that surround us. And their survival depended upon being disciplined and productive each day.

Remember: sow a habit …. reap a destiny!

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Commitment

Molly Larkin — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:49:53 +0000

I have always believed that commitment to a goal or cause is essential to its success. One can’t be lackadaisical about the intended result.

For 30 years I have carried around in my personal organizer a statement on Commitment written by W.H. Murray in “The Scottish Himalayan Expedition” in 1951.

It seemed about time to share it. Because every word is true:

”Until one is committed

There is hesitancy, the chance to draw back,

Always ineffectiveness.

Concerning all acts of initiative [and creation]

there is one elementary truth,

The ignorance of which kills countless ideas

and splendid plans:

That the moment one definitely commits oneself,

then Providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one

that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events issues from the decision,

Raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen

incidents and meetings and material assistance,

Which no man could have dreamt

would have come his way.

I have learned a deep respect

for one of Goethe’s couplets:

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

What is a step you can take today to achieve a goal? A commitment you can make to bring about positive change in your life?

Guided Meditation: You Are Light

Molly Larkin — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:43:41 +0000

Why listen to a guided meditation?

Meditation is one of the most beneficial methods of reducing stress and improving health. It has been proven to:

reduce anxiety
bring deep relaxation
lower blood pressure
improve sleep
strengthen the immune system

If you do not have a regular meditation practice, guided meditations are an excellent place to start. Best of all, it’s effortless.

Take a seven minute break today to listen to and watch this video. It includes beautiful visuals for those who’d prefer to focus on something with their eyes open.

Guided Meditation: You Are Light

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Why An Open Mind is the Way to World Peace

Molly Larkin — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 20:19:45 +0000

My father taught me many wonderful things, mostly by example, which is the best way to learn. One of the things I most admire about him was that he had a very open mind and respected differing viewpoints.

That is refreshing in this day and age when people are quick to “unfriend” people who don’t see things the way they do.

I recall the time my father was at a football game sitting in front of someone rooting for the opposing team. His friend asked why he wasn’t upset about it and my father’s response was simply, “Well, that’s what makes a horse race.”

When I joined a cult in the 1970s, my father maintained a very open, wait and see attitude before judging me and my guru. He and my mother came to hear my teacher speak and to learn more about what I was involved in. I really didn’t know many parents who were doing that at that time.

In fact, my father told me about a conversation he had with someone critical of my guru:

Dad: Have you gone to hear him speak?

Critic: No

Dad: Have you spoken with members of his group?

Critic: No

Dad: Oh, so you’re an expert!

Dad never hesitated to call it like he saw it.

An open mind travels, too

In 2008, Actor Matt Damon said, “I think many of our problems as a country would be solved if people had thick passports.”

Today, just 30% of American citizens have passports. It’s a shame, because traveling to other cultures is one of the best educational experiences I’ve ever had.

And I’ve always been very humbled by how much my European and Australian friends know about American politics while we know almost nothing about theirs.

Perhaps if we traveled more to other countries and got to see that they are filled with human beings with dreams and hopes just like ours, there would be more global understanding and tolerance.

I don’t believe watching the news gives us the complete picture. It usually focuses on protestors while ignoring the vast majority of citizens who are peacefully going about their lives.

Differing viewpoints can be the spice of life. Respect for different opinions can lead the way to peace. If the Europeans who conquered this country had even a little respect for the lifestyle and spiritual beliefs of the original people who lived here, perhaps the U.S wouldn’t be destroying the earth in the name of progress.

A cultural exchange opportunity missed

I thought of all this when I came across this speech given by Onondaga Chief Canasatego in Pennsylvania in 1744. Representing the Iroquois Confederacy of Nations, Chief Canasatego was replying to the Colony’s offer to educate Native men.

“We know you highly esteem the kind of learning taught in these colleges. And the maintenance of our young men, while with you, would be very expensive to you.

“We’re convinced, therefore, that you mean to do us good by your proposal, and we thank you heartily.

“But you who are so wise must know that different nations have different conceptions of things. And you will not, therefore, take it amiss if our ideas of this kind of education happens not to be the same with yours.

“We have had some experience of it.

“Several of our young people were formerly brought up in the colleges of the northern province. They were instructed in all your sciences.

“But when they came back to us, they were bad runners, ignorant of every means of living in the woods, unable to bear either cold or hunger, knew neither how to build a cabin, take a deer, or kill an enemy, spoke our language imperfectly, and therefore were neither fit for hunters nor warriors nor councilors. They were totally good for nothing.

“We are, however, not the less obliged for your kind offer, though we decline accepting. To show our grateful sense of it, if the gentlemen of Virginia will send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them.”

I don’t believe the “gentlemen of Virginia” took Canastego up on his offer. But if they had, and such education exchanges had become commonplace, we’d be living in a very different world today.

Taking time to get to know other cultures and ways of viewing the world is probably one of the best ways to unite our planet. It’s never too late. How can you start?

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What Were You Doing While the World Was Falling Apart?

Molly Larkin — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 02:49:25 +0000

What were you doing while the world was falling apart?

Imagine your great-grandchildren asking you that question. Can you be proud of your answer?

The “seventh generation” principle taught by Native Americans says that in every decision, we must consider how it will affect our descendents seven generations into the future. It is clearly not embraced by most governments and corporations in the world today.

It is also at the heart of the Idle No More movement of the Canadian First Nation People.

The Idle No More movement started in Canada in December 2012 as a response to Canadian Bill C-45 which lowers environmental protection standards for Canadian waterways, much of which passes through the land of indigenous [First Nations] people.

It’s important to remember that before our ancestors came to North America several centuries ago, this entire continent was indigenous land.

On December 4, representatives of the Canada First Nations went to the House of Commons to share their concern about the proposed bill and were blocked from entering.

A week later, after being repeatedly denied a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Chief Theresa Spence, leader of the Attawapiskat People, started a hunger strike in order to bring attention to the issue. The bill passed, however, on December 14.

Chief Spence will continue her hunger strike until the Prime Minister and Governor General agree to meet with Canada’s Assembly of First Nations to renegotiate the conditions of the bill.

Support for the Idle No More movement has now spread across the U.S. and around the world. People everywhere are fed up with government and corporate greed’s disregard of environmental protection.

What’s happening closer to home?

Closer to my home, here in Michigan, the State leased mineral rights on state lands to oil and gas companies. That includes state forest, game areas and nature preserves.

The State of Michigan has also given energy companies carte blanche to start fracking operations on private land. This means that energy companies are leasing land from poor farmers for their fracking operations.

There was no vote on this; it was not presented to the people of Michigan first. It was a private deal between the State and the energy companies.

In a desperate economy, it’s hard to blame farmers for selling drilling rights that will give them temporary relief.

But, once again, who pays the price? And when? Are we doing all we can to protect the land and the animals and the future?

Opponents say fracking has a negative impact on water supplies, surrounding vegetation and wildlife. The best fracking supporters can say is, “it’s not that bad” and may ultimately lower utility prices.

I’m not going to try to answer those questions in this post. My intention is to remind us all of our responsibility to the earth and the future. We are the caretakers now.

What we can do

“I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody!” Lily Tomlin

The term “idle no more” means the First Nation peoples are no longer going to silently stand by while their lands are polluted. They are finding their voice and speaking up. We can do the same.

Take some time to educate yourself. Support causes you believe in. See my prior post on social activism for ways we can be heard. It’s actually pretty easy.

Progress versus preservation has always been a contest. It seems evident that we owe global warming to progress taking the lead thus far.

We live in an age where we simply must be intelligent and get all the facts before we blindly follow every leader. Yes, it may put a few dollars in our pockets today. But what is the price the seventh generation will be paying?

What were you doing while the world was falling apart? Can you answer that with a clear conscience?

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What’s the Opposite of Cyber Bullying?

Molly Larkin — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:41:13 +0000

What’s the opposite of cyber bullying? Cyber compliments!

After reading about the plague of cyber bullying on social media, Jeremiah Anthony of West High School in Iowa City, Iowa decided to do something about it. He started using social media to compliment fellow students instead of bully them. It spread like wildfire.

Jeremiah started tweeting daily compliments to his friends in October 2011. Soon a few of them started a twitter account called @WestHighBros. to send compliments to fellow students. Now the entire school is sending and receiving positive tweets — over 3000 so far!

They pick people at random, including teachers, and their purpose is to highlight the goodness in people. Jeremiah believes it’s easy to find the nice things in people instead of the bad:

“People get cyberbullied because they’re less than perfect. But no one is perfect. So we try to give sincere compliments. Cyberbullies focus on what’s bad about a person and we say, ‘you’re good at this. You’re more good at this than you’re bad at that.’ No one should control your happiness. It’s your life, and your feelings. Don’t let someone dictate your right to be happy,”

Of cyberbullies, Jeremiah says, “You shouldn’t be such a coward that you have to hide behind a screen and say bad things to people.”

WestHighBros doesn’t just send tweets to the popular kids; they compliment everyone in the school. Students say they find it very inspirational and it boosts their confidence.

Sample tweets:

“Very creative and wise. You’re an outstanding musician, with your guitar and your voice. Keep being lovely and caring of all.”

“Your encouraging personality and generosity towards others makes you very likeable. You’re quite the intelligent kid, keep it up.”

“You are the man, one of the best runners West has right now. You have more work ethic than just about anyone.”

“Don’t let your mistakes define you. Let your achievements show the world who you truly are.”

“The only reason _______ stops biking is to blow everyone away with his amazing DJ skills. The QB of the dance floor you win every time.”

“Happy Birthday. West wouldn’t be the same without the humor and talent you bring to the volleyball and basketball teams.”

“You make everyone happy with your quirkiness.”

And here’s a tweet WestHighBros received back:

“Your best feature is definitely your kindness and I’m sure everyone else agrees. You have tons of kindness in your heart and your compliments can light up anyone’s face. You guys are some of the kindest people I’ve met and I’m so glad that you guys do what you do. Your compliments can make anyone’s day. ☺ Keep it up!”

In a world where adults often wonder what’s to become of our teenagers, now the teenagers are leading the way.

Who can you compliment today, whether it’s in person or through social media?

“Let’s make the world a better place one tweet at a time.” Jeremiah Anthony

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Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail and How to Make Goal Setting Succeed

Molly Larkin — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:05:21 +0000

“Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” Fitzhugh Dodson

The concept of making “new year’s resolutions” has been a bit of a joke in our society for about as long as I can remember — the joke being that “resolution” has become synonymous with “giving up fast.” And for reasons that escape me, very few people talk about the key to success, which is goal setting.

And that’s a shame because the start of a new cycle [of anything, not just a year] is a chance at a new beginning.

How often in our lives have we wished for a “do over?” Well, we can “start over” any old time. And setting specific goals, instead of making resolutions, is an excellent way to do it.

But you have to know the right steps.

The reason resolutions don’t work is that they’re just words and don’t include a plan. Research has shown that after six months, less than half of people who made New Year’s Resolutions have stuck to them; after a year, less than 10%. Why? Because they had no plans.

Goals, however, entail a plan and focus on action!

Here are the steps to Successful Goal Setting:

GOALS MUST BE SPECIFIC AND MEASURABLE: what, how much, by when? [For example, “I want to lose ten pounds by March 1, 2013.”]

WRITE THEM DOWN

Research shows that those who write down their goals accomplish significantly more than those who don’t.

Goals simply must be written down!

In the week before or after January 1, I sit down and write out my goals for the upcoming year. I have a special book just for this purpose and I keep it handy for frequent review so that I stay on target. The book also helps me with the next step:

VISUALIZE

“All achievement starts in the imagination before it is ever realized in the physical form.” Napoleon Hill

What does it look like? What does it feel like? The mind cannot tell the difference between vivid imagination and what actually happens.

If you want a car, specify the model, color and features.

See yourself driving it.

Cut out pictures of the car and look at them every day.

Take time every day to see yourself accomplishing your goal.

A Harvard University study found that students who visualized in advance were able to perform tasks with almost 100% accuracy. Students who did not visualize performing their tasks in advance achieved only 55% accuracy.

There’s no such thing as an unrealistic goal. If you can see it, you can achieve it.

KNOW WHY YOU WANT IT

You don’t need to know how you’ll achieve your goal at the beginning. What you need to do will become evident over time. Reasons come first, answers follow.

Years ago I set a goal to go to Ireland. I had no money to make the trip and didn’t know how I’d pull it off. But I had faith and even told friends I was going. I got a surprise windfall a few months later and the money paid for the trip!

Also, it’s very important the goal be something you feel excited about, not something someone else wants for you.

TAKE ACTION – MAKE A PLAN

This was the one flaw in the film and book “The Secret” – not enough emphasis on the need to take action to accomplish your goals.

You need a plan. So if you want to lose weight you might want to ask friends who’ve lost weight how they did it, read diet books, talk to your doctor, join Weight Watchers, cut out desserts, start an exercise program. The resources to success are endless.

Asking yourself what, how often and by when are the keys to your action plan.

HAVE A SUPPORT TEAM

Tell supportive friends [and only supportive friends] about your goal so that you have some accountability. They can also help you brainstorm ways to achieve them and help you stay motivated.

Put yourself on your support team by stating your goals in the positive: Goals focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.

Don’t say IF, say WHEN I achieve this goal. Positive wording is critical.

BE FLEXIBLE AND WORK AROUND OBSTACLES

Space shuttles are actually off course most of the time. Their arriving at their target is a matter of making constant corrections to their course.

Identify potential obstacles to achieving your goal and make a plan for how to work around them. I live by the rule that there is a solution to every problem.

GOAL SETTING SUMMARY Goals. . .

1. are measurable: what, by when, how much.

2. must be stated in the positive.

3. should be reviewed regularly, at least monthly, preferably more often.

4. are most valuable when stated for realistic periods of time, such as: short term, one year, five year, and ten years. Clarity leads to results!!

5. can be made in the following areas:

family/love/romance;
career/finance;
health;
nutrition;
friends/recreation/rest;
spiritual.

For each of your short term goals, identify three small tasks you can do THIS WEEK toward accomplishing it. Make a plan and stick to it!

And visualize the outcome you want. It works!!

“Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal and I will give you a stock clerk.” -J.C. Penney

What success or learning experiences in goal setting can you share?

[edited and reposted from January 2012]

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How to Say Goodbye to 2012

Molly Larkin — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:23:31 +0000

How we say goodbye is important. Including how we say goodbye to 2012.

We’ve all heard that one door never closes without another door opening. But how we close the first door will have an impact on the new door that opens.

Why? Because good transitions are essential to a balanced life. They set the stage for, and welcome, what’s to come.

Five-Point Plan for Saying Goodbye to 2012:

First, Celebrate your 2012 successes. Make a list of all your achievements [both big and small] and empowering events.

Perhaps you didn’t lose weight, but if you didn’t gain, that’s a win.

Perhaps you didn’t achieve 100% of your goals, but if you achieved any at all — even 1% — that’s a win.

Write them down.

Second, now that you have your list of wins, what did you learn from each? Write it down.

Third: Identify what didn’t work in 2012. Remember, “There are no mistakes – only learning experiences.” It doesn’t matter if you didn’t succeed! At least you tried.

This is where to list the goals you didn’t achieve, after listing in number one those you did.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.” Thomas Edison

Fourth: What lessons did you learn from each thing that didn’t work? Write them down.

Didn’t lose the weight? Why not?

Didn’t get up a half hour earlier each day? Why not?

This may become part of a game plan for more successes in the future.

Fifth: burn the paper you wrote these on and say, “Thank you and goodbye.”

It’s over.

Time to move forward.

Clean slate.

Do over!

Congratulations! It’s all new again!

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

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The Winter Solstice — Why It’s the True New Year

Molly Larkin — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:43:05 +0000

The sun enters Newgrange on the Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice is the day when light is reborn out of the darkness of winter.

Our days start to become longer and lead us back to the beauty of spring and the warmth of summer, stretching towards their peak at the Summer Solstice.

Most ancient cultures celebrated this return of light and life with feasting, music, light and fire, and for many, it was the true beginning of the New Year.

It was so important to the pre-Celt ancients of Ireland that they spent over 30 years building a monument to the returning sun: Newgrange.

Older than Stonehenge and the pyramids of Giza, it was designed so that on the Winter Solstice, the rising sun shines directly along the long passage into the inner chamber and for 17 minutes illuminates the chamber floor and the symbols etched on the back wall.

What did the Ancients know that we don’t?

It’s hard for the modern mind to imagine spending 30 years building something to celebrate a three-day event. Yet, that’s how important the Winter Solstice was to the ancients.There are still traditional cultures around the world today that believe that the ceremonies they conduct on a daily, monthly and yearly basis keep the earth spinning on its axis. I share their belief.The sun has never missed a day of brightening planet earth, but do we want to take that for granted?

We would not be able to live without the sun — it brings warmth and light and allows growing things to flourish.

The time of the Winter Solstice is rich with meaning

Solstice ceremonies traditionally involve fire, which represents the sun, and an invitation to the sun to return to bring us warmth and light.

The Christmas trees and wreaths we use at this time of year represent a prayer for the return of the green.

The circular wreath represents the circle of life — everything returns and comes full circle.

Holiday lights represent the Solstice fires of old, celebrating the sun and inviting its return.

Let’s consciously turn on our lights, or light our fires, with a prayer for a return of the warm, sun-filled seasons of spring and summer, and celebrate the circle of life.

Winter Solstice is a time to go inside

Newgrange

Winter lends itself to introspection. The original Winter Solstice celebrations were 12 days long [hence, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”].

This is the time to take a break, and digest the events and lessons of the past year, before blossoming forth into the new.

Our failure to take down time in winter may be one reason we get colds and the flu this time of year!

A Solstice Celebration

The beginning of the New Year is an excellent time to set our intentions for the next year and leave behind what no longer serves us.

I have held Winter Solstice ceremonies for many years to celebrate this time of endings and new beginnings. Here’s what I include, in case you would like to have one of your own:

A drumming circle to celebrate life and all things we wish to honor
Two burning bowl ceremonies:
In the first we write down what we want to release from the past year so as to make room for the new.
For the second we write down what we want to invite in for the New Year and send that up as a prayer of gratitude and intention.
Then we share a pot -luck meal and celebrate our new beginning.

And by the way: the Winter Solstice is NOT the END…

12/21/12 is NOT the end of the Mayan calendar; it is the end of one calendar and the start of a new calendar: the time of new beginnings. [See my previous post on this]

This is what Evo Morales, President of Bolivia, said about December 21, 2012 in a speech to the United Nations on September 26, 2012:

“And I would like to say that according to the Mayan calendar the 21st of December is the end of the non-time and the beginning of time.

It is the end of the Macha and the beginning of the Pacha.

It is the end of selfishness & the beginning of brotherhood.

It is the end of individualism and the beginning of collectivism…

The end of hatred and the beginning of love.

The end of lies and the beginning of truth.

It is the end of sadness and the beginning of joy.

It is the end of division and the beginning of unity.”

What a beautiful prophecy. Let us all commit to renewing our lives to live in such a sacred manner during our next walk around the sun.

Wishing you a blessed holiday season!

If you celebrate the Solstice, please feel free to share about it in the comments section below.

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Why Is The Butterfly Effect Important for You?

Molly Larkin — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:44:16 +0000

I know how easy it is to feel powerless in today’s complex world. That’s why it’s really important for you to know about The Butterfly Effect.

The Butterfly Effect was first theorized in 1963 by mathematician and meteorologist Edward Lorenz, a pioneer in chaos theory.

It states that a butterfly could flap its wings on one side of the world, creating tiny changes in the atmosphere, that in turn set molecules of air in motion that eventually could create [or prevent] a tornado in another part of the world.

Lorenz discovered it while trying to determine why it was so hard to predict the weather.

Subsequent research by physicists proved it accurate. They even created a Law around it: the law of sensitive dependence on initial conditions.

The butterfly does not create or power the tornado. The flap of the wings is part of the initial conditions that can lead to a chain of events leading to a larger-scale chain of events.

Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.

So what does this mean for us? It means that everything we do matters.

We are all put on this earth with a purpose.

When you know that everything you do matters, you matter.

You were created to make a difference.

Many spiritual teachers are saying that this coming Wednesday, 12/12/12 will be a very powerful day on this planet, and suggest we be especially careful with our thoughts and words.

This is one more example of the power of Ghandi’s teaching,

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

We are all butterflies and everything we do matters.

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Are you asking the right questions?

Molly Larkin — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:44:51 +0000

Are you asking the right questions? This occurred to me recently when I was feeling a bit sad for no apparent reason.

Instead of staying stuck there, I stopped and asked myself, “What am I really upset about? What’s really going on here?”

And the answer came. There’s always a deeper reason affecting us.

In truth, some of the turning points in my life, and in the life of some of my friends, have come from asking the right questions.

Here’s a list of what I consider some of the best.

Before you speak

I’ve already written in the 30-day gossip challenge about the ancient teaching of asking three questions before we speak:

Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?

If you don’t get a yes to all three, don’t say it. What a wonderful world it might be if our only words were kind, true and necessary.

And our own vibrations will raise along with the words that do come through us.

What do I get to do today?

A lot of people don’t like their jobs, and I’ve certainly been in that situation.

But rather than focus on the negative part, why not focus on being grateful that we have a job when so many others don’t? That switch in focus can definitely lift our spirits.

In the words of Karen Horneffer-Gintner, waking up and asking ourselves, “What do I have to do today?” is different than asking, “What do I get to do today?”

I get to earn money to support myself and my family. Hooray!

Why did this happen…?

Research shows a higher recovery rate from serious illness when the patient asks, “Why did this happen for me?” instead of “Why did this happen to me?”

Many cancer survivors report that their cancer diagnosis was the best thing that ever happened to them because it made them take a hard look at how they had been living their life and what needed to change.

My nephew turned his initial disappointment at learning he needed knee surgery into an opportunity to perfect his idea for an amazing, indestructible dog toy. He’d had the idea for months but no time to work on it until he was home on disability.

You don’t have to say yes.

We [particularly women] sometimes forget that we don’t have to say yes to everything we’re asked to do. Instead, ask yourself these questions:

Is it good for me?
Do I want to do it?
How will it make me feel?

The right to be in control of our own lives is our birthright. Don’t let anyone guilt you into doing what you don’t want to do.

I’d be very rich today if I had a dollar for every time I did something I didn’t really want to do until I learned this one. It’s a real life-changer.

Some indigenous tribes ask:

“When did you stop dreaming?”

A related question might be: When did you give up your own dreams to live someone else’s dreams for you?

Again, remember that you’re in charge of your life.

Be grateful for every little thing

During one passage of my life when I was between jobs and not certain what the future held, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself until a wise friend asked me these questions:

Do you have a place to live? [A: Yes]
Food in the refrigerator? [Yes.]
Do you have a car? [Yes]
Gas in the car? [Yes]
So what’s the problem?

I’ve never forgotten that conversation, and it’s helped lift me from fear into hope on many an occasion.

Encouragement questions

We’ve probably all heard these before, but seriously, take a moment to answer and to dream and take a step toward fulfilling them.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

What would you do if you were the richest, smartest person in the world?

“Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” Tony Robbins

There are no stupid questions

And, as I have told my students over and over in order to encourage questions, there’s no such thing as a stupid question.

I’ve even taped a $100 bill to the top of the black board with the announcement that the first person to ask a stupid question gets the $100. I get to keep it every time!

So next time you get upset and short-tempered when the stapler jams, or you’re stuck in traffic, take a moment to ask yourself what you’re really upset about. You may get some wonderful insight.

It really is just a matter of asking the right questions.

What’s your favorite question? Please feel free to share it in the comments section.

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Prophecy of Crazy Horse

Molly Larkin — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:29:20 +0000

Paha Sapa [the Black Hills]

This was passed on by Chief Joe Chasing Horse, a relative of the great Lakota warrior Crazy Horse. He translated it from the words of a grandmother who was present when the words were spoken.

This is a statement of Crazy Horse as he sat smoking the Sacred Pipe at Paha Sapa with Sitting Bull for the last time, 4 days before he was assassinated.

Many of these words are often repeated, but there is one line often left out, that of the “young white ones.”

I post this in honor of my Native American elders, including Grandfather Wallace Black Elk, Bear Heart and Sun Bear, who had the courage to fulfill this prophecy by passing on such beautiful Native teachings to the “young white ones” who came to them for help.

“Upon suffering beyond suffering; the Red Nation shall rise again and it shall be a blessing for a sick world.

A world filled with broken promises, selfishness and separations.

A world longing for light again.

I see a time of seven generations when all the colors of mankind will gather under the sacred Tree of Life and the whole Earth will become one circle again.

In that day there will be those among the Lakota who will carry knowledge and understanding of unity among all living things, and the young white ones will come to those of my people and ask for this wisdom.

I salute the light within your eyes where the whole universe dwells.

For when you are at that center within you and I am in that place within me, we shall be as one.”

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A Thanksgiving Prayer

Molly Larkin — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 23:50:37 +0000

Thanksgiving prayers are common to most religious groups. Native Americans had entire ceremonies just for the purpose of expressing thanks – sometimes they lasted for days.

This Thanksgiving Prayer comes from the Seneca Nation and is at least 500 years old.

It is traditionally done around a fire, with spiritual food on the altar. I have adapted it to be used as a Thanksgiving Prayer on our national holiday:

Thanksgiving Prayer from the Seneca Nation

And now we are gathered together to remember the Great Mystery’s first instruction to us: to love one another always, we who move about on this earth.

And the Great Mystery said that when even two people meet, they should first greet each other by saying: “Nyah Weh Skenno” which translates to “thank you for being” and then they may take up the matter with which they are concerned.

[Nyah Weh Skenno more literally means: “thank you for being alive in the here and now and not adding to the confusion of the world."]

The Great Mystery gave us our lives and requires in return only that we be grateful and love one another. The purpose of this prayer is to pass on those instructions and give us the opportunity to express our gratitude.

So the first thing we will do is give thanks for our lives.

And the Great Mystery gave us the Earth on which to live and roam. We refer to her as “Our Mother, Who Supports Our Feet.”

And our mother gives us everything we need in order to live and be happy. She teaches us to be generous and nurturing, yet strong.

And the Great Mystery decided to have Plants growing on the earth. They are available in abundance as Medicines to heal us and Food to sustain us.

And we have Berries which come back every year when the winds turn warm again. In giving thanks for them, we give thanks for the warm winds that usher in the season of abundance.

And the Great Mystery gave us the life’s blood of our mother to sustain us. When the new day dawns, the first thing we use is Water and it’s the last thing we use at night. It comes from the springs, brooks, ponds, lakes and rivers. It is found not only on the earth, but even falls from the heavens in the form of blessed rain.

And the Great Mystery decided to put Forests on the earth. The trees of the forest provide warmth, fuel and protection. We call them our Tall Standing Brothers and they live their lives drinking in the sun. When they die and give themselves for the fire, they represent the Sun here on earth.

One tree was created to remind us of the Great Mystery. The Maples stand on the earth and drip sweet liquid when the cold wind blows. Our elders called this “wood juice” — it gives us energy and lightens our spirits during the long cold winters and is a great gift.

And the Animals are our friends and relatives upon the earth. The four leggeds test us and amuse us; they’re our teachers and companions. And they provide food and clothing for the people.

And there are Birds with outstretched wings who dance upon the air and sing a beautiful song that ushers in the warm spring. And they also provide us with food.

And the Great Mystery gave the people another gift, to sustain them: the Three Sisters: Corn, Beans And Squash. The people are to take care of them, plant them in the earth, tend them as they grow, and harvest them. This will strengthen the hearts and sustain the bodies of the people.

The Wind strengthens the people as they move about on the earth. It strengthens our breath, clears the air as well as our minds and carries the voice of the ancient ones all over the earth so that, even in the desert, the smallest whisper reminds us we are never alone.

And the Great Mystery fashioned a sky above us and put a helper in the sky who moves about across the earth, yet lives in the sky. This helper always comes from the east and travels to the west. His heart is so big and strong, and his love for his relations so great, that he lights the entire sky when he passes by. This light is our Elder Brother, The Sun.

The Sun takes that obligation seriously and with great regard, for he never misses a day of this journey. He brings us light, and warmth and allows growing things to flourish.

But there is also a time when the earth is in shadow so the Great Mystery gave us another helper for this time: the Night Circle Of Light, our Grandmother, the Moon. Our grandmother is a measure for us up to this present time. She changes her form daily: she regulates the tides on our mother the earth and also in the bodies of women. She also taught us how to measure through the cycle of the seasons.

And the Great Mystery also put the Stars in the sky while it is dark. They are indicators and we can find our way by them. Each one has a name, and there is one for every human on the earth, those living now and those who have passed on.

The Four Winds, the directions, are our protectors. Wherever we go, wherever we stand, we are at the center of the Four Winds, and we want to speak good words to them so that they may bless us with their protection.

And the Great Mystery saw that the people also needed guidance so sent Clan Ancestors to teach understanding of the Great Mystery. Our clan ancestors teach us how to love one another and give guidance to our minds. They hold great knowledge and our future depends on how well we listen to them.

And the Great Mystery, told us this:

“I shall continue to dwell above the sky, and that is where those on the earth will end their thanksgiving. I shall always be listening carefully to what the people are saying and shall always be watching carefully what they do. They will begin on the earth, giving thanks for all that they see. They will carry that gratitude upward, ending where I dwell.”

We want to live well to earn that right.

Let us be of one mind that we may do this properly. We give thanks for the one who gives us our lives, the Great Mystery.

[At this time express gratitude for other aspects of your life]

Closing:

May our grief be lifted,

Our hearts be open,

Our stomach be full,

Our bones be braced,

And our will be calmed.

It is spoken, it is beautiful.

And I wish you a blessed holiday and thank you for being alive in the here and now and not adding to the confusion of the world.

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Thanksgiving and The Magic of Family Meal Time

Molly Larkin — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 19:45:50 +0000

“The magic of family meal time comes not from the food on the plate but from who’s at the table and what’s happening there. The emotional and social benefits that come from family dinners are priceless,” said Elizabeth Planet, CASA’s Vice President and Director of Special Projects.

Christmas and Thanksgiving have always been my favorite times of the year: time with family and joyous celebrations. From my 20s on, I lived in California and my family was on the East Coast so I chose Christmas as the time to go East to visit, and spent Thanksgiving with friends in California.

It was always a great day, but there was one very interesting phenomenon that happened most years: everyone was very attached to having dishes from their childhood Thanksgivings. That meant we often ended up with multiple duplicate dishes, just made with different recipes.

I recall a Thanksgiving dinner for 8 that had two large turkeys, four different bowls of cranberries and an assortment of other dishes that could have fed 40. I knew at the time it was because each of us wanted to recapture the magic of our childhood Thanksgiving, but only recently did I start to give it more serious thought.

How family meal time brings out the best in us

A lot has been written in recent years about the importance of family meal times, which is near to becoming an endangered species with the proliferation of TV dinners, microwaves, over-scheduling and the need to save time.

Speeding up meals seems to have become a popular time-saving device, but one which may have backfired.

My mother followed the conventional wisdom of the 1950s and served us TV dinners –but at least we all ate them together in front of the TV!

A colleague who’s a family counselor asks new clients how often the family eats together, because that gives her the first clue as to family dynamics. It isn’t about the food [well, somewhat about the food] but more about conversation and interaction with other family members. According to WebMD.com, strong healthy families have family meals together.

What the research shows

Let’s start with the benefits. Studies by Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse [CASA] from 2009 – 2012 determined that teenagers who eat with their families at least five times a week are:

More likely to get better grades
Much less likely to have substance abuse problems
Less likely to be obese
Less subject to asthma attacks [because family meal time reduces anxiety]
42 percent less likely to drink alcohol
59 percent less likely to smoke cigarettes
66 percent less likely to try marijuana

I think those results definitely outweigh the convenience of McDonalds every time.

The CASA study also found that a majority of teens who ate three or fewer meals a week with their families wished they did so more often.

And a study in the Archives of Family Medicine found that when families dine together they tend to eat more vegetables and fruits and less sodas and fried foods. This is particularly important because the latest research reveals that 20% of children aged 6-19 are overweight in this country, putting them at a higher risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and other diseases later in life.

Emotional benefits to family meal time

There are emotional benefits, too, which is what my friends and I were trying to recapture at our Thanksgivings. Family meals offer:

Quality time with loved ones
Increased likelihood of family support and positive adult role models
Communication opportunities
Language development
An opportunity to hear stories of family history and get a sense of identity [I sure did]
Happiness
A well-adjusted sense of self
Better social skills
Problem solving opportunities

I believe that childhood bullying stems from undeveloped social skills. This is just my intuition, and I have not read any studies to back me up, but if family mealtime helps develop social skills, let’s please eat together more.

Native American teachings on family meal time

In “The Wind Is My Mother,” Bear Heart shares a story about the Pima Tribe which has what most would consider an unhealthy diet [a lot of greasy food like fry bread] but almost no heart disease. Scientists studying them could find only one reason: they were always happy and jolly while they ate.

Another indigenous view was well stated by Rutgers University anthropologist Robin Fox. He states that something precious was lost when cooking came to be cast as drudgery and meals as discretionary.

“Making food is a sacred event,” says Fox. “It’s so absolutely central–far more central than sex. You can keep a population going by having sex once a year, but you have to eat three times a day. Food comes so easily to us now that we have lost a sense of its significance. When we had to grow the corn and fight off predators, meals included a serving of gratitude. It’s like the American Indians. When they killed a deer, they said a prayer over it. That is civilization. It is an act of politeness over food. Fast food has killed this. We have reduced eating to sitting alone and shoveling it in. There is no ceremony in it.”

So let’s let every meal be an act of gratitude, community and joy. Turn off the TV, texting and let the phone go unanswered. Our lives will all be the better for it.

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Why Veterans Day Just Isn’t Enough

Molly Larkin — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 21:03:12 +0000

To me, Veterans Day, celebrated this Monday November 12, just isn’t enough to honor what our veterans have done for this country.

Although I am a pacifist, and was an active anti-war activist during the Vietnam War, I was ashamed of the way our veterans were treated when they returned home.

And I am still deeply saddened by the lack of support and care our veterans receive today.

Yes, war is horrendous, and perhaps if women were running the world there wouldn’t be any wars. But those who did their duty and fought for us deserve better than one day to celebrate them.

THE CURRENT CRISIS IN OUR MILITARY CARE

Suicides

Military suicides are at record levels. Here are some startling statistics:

More U.S. Military personnel have died by suicide since the war in Afghanistan started than have died fighting the war.
While veterans account for 10% of all U.S. adults, they account for 20% of U.S. suicides.
Among all veterans, a suicide occurs every 80 minutes, round the clock.
While the Pentagon offers a crisis hotline, waits can be long. Earlier this year, helicopter pilot Ian Morrison called the hotline and waited on hold for 45 minutes; his last text to his wife said, “STILL on hold.” He committed suicide later that day.
It’s not only those seeing combat. Nearly 1/3 of the suicides from 2005 to 2020 were among troops who had never deployed; 43% had deployed only once.
95% of military suicides are male.

Depression, alcoholism and homelessness

The Pentagon allocates 4% of its $53 billion annual medical budget to mental health. Recently retired Army second in command, Peter Chiarelli, says that isn’t nearly enough money, and that those who seek help are often treated too briefly.
The Army has only 80% of the psychiatrists and 88% of the social workers and behavioral-health nurses recommended by the Veterans’ Administration.
Troops returning from deployment are required to do psychological self-assessments. Those filled out anonymously are two to four times as likely to report depression or suicidal thoughts.
Independent investigations have turned up reports of soldiers being told to tone down their answers or jeopardize their careers.
36 percent of the Vietnam veterans studied demonstrated alcoholism or significant alcohol-related problems which could develop into alcoholism.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. And approximately twice that many experience homelessness over the course of a year. Conservatively, one out of every three homeless men who are sleeping in a doorway, alley or box in our cities and rural communities has put on a uniform and served this country.

Autism

While autism is on the rise in the U.S., it is diagnosed in military children at double the national average, striking one out of 88 children. 90% of military children diagnosed with autism are not receiving applied behavior analysis therapy, or ABA, which can make a huge difference in the lives of autistic children.

One theory is that autism may be caused by the massive number of vaccinations our soldiers receive, and in turn something is passed on on to their unborn children.

THE NATIVE AMERICAN SOLUTION

Historically, Native Americans have the highest record of per capita military service when compared to other ethnic groups. In spite of losing their land to the U.S. Government, North America is still their land and they are proud to defend it.

Another reason would be their proud warrior tradition which is exemplified by the qualities they cherish:

strength,
honor,
pride,
devotion and
wisdom.

These qualities are a good fit with military traditions.

Native American tribes would traditionally perform ceremonies of protection before warriors went into battle, and after the war to help them recover from the effects.

It is a traditional Native American teaching that war effects a soldier’s well being and makes it very difficult for him or her to come back and live a normal life. They have seen death, perhaps killed. This is why Native American tribes even today have special ceremonies to help bring a soldier’s life back into balance of body, mind and spirit.

“I had nightmares thinking about the blood. The Japanese and the smell of the dead. Rotting Japanese and they probably got into my mind. And they had a Squaw Dance for me in Crystal. And I imagine they killed that evil spirit that was in my mind. That’s what it’s about. There’s a lot of stories there. It takes a long time to talk about it. It usually takes a medicine man to explain everything properly. But it works.” —John Brown, Jr., Navajo Code Talker, National Museum of the American Indian interview, 2004 [source: http://nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/html/chapter5.html]

Native American healers take their veterans into the purification [“sweat”] lodge before they rejoin the community because they have been around death, and that negative energy must be removed from them in order for them to go on and live a fruitful life.

“When they’ve been overseas in combat, there’s a part of them that is left there,” says Shoshone Paiute medicine man Arnold Thomas. “So when we have the ceremonies, there are certain prayer songs that I offer and make that effort to bring their spirit back home.”

Veterans are always respected and honored in the tribes. Native people often go to veterans for advice because they have strong mental abilities as a result of their many experiences. They are also given prominence at tribal events.

Because many Native Americans are also Christian, they would also participate in prayer meetings to pray for their well-being.

“We have a ceremony for warriors returning from battle or, in modern times, the armed forces, where they were exposed to much death and bloodshed. We say it weighs heavily on the mind when someone witnesses death, so this ceremony washes away the negative feelings and sense of loss. If you fill that space with something else, what you’re doing is employing the law of physics that says no two things can occupy the same space at the same time. So get it out and put something else in. If you’ve got a negative, put a positive in. They can’t both be in the same place at the same time. Clean it all out.” Bear Heart in The Wind Is My Mother

The Native American purification lodge is being offered to veterans at the Salt Lake City Veterans Administration Center. Conducted by a medicine man, these ceremonies are helping veterans overcome symptoms related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and are drawing increasing numbers of non-native veterans.

This is a great start. In addition to encouraging our government to provide more funding to help our veterans, perhaps its time to make such ceremonies more available to all our returning soldiers.

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The True Halloween History: Honoring Our Ancestors

Molly Larkin — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:22:59 +0000

Most of us think of October 31 as Halloween, a time to dress up in costumes and make merry. But Halloween history tells of so much more.

In Celtic times, it was a time to honor those who have gone before us. The masked figures represent the spirits of the dead: our ancestors.

A Wee Bit of Celtic Halloween History

The ancient Celts, going back 4,500 years, divided each year into the dark half and the light half. The end of the light half was marked by Samhain [pron. Sow-ihn], a time when they were stockpiling food for the winter and giving thanks to the Sun God.

It is also a time of year when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest – an appropriate time to invite the souls of the dead to come back for a visit. Candles kept in the window guide the souls back home and a place is set at the table for them.

In the 8^th Century, Pope Gregory wanted to Christianize Samhain and, because Celtic days started at sunset, he declared that when the sun set on October 31, the Christian celebration of All Saint’s Day would begin.

November 1 literally praised All Hallowed Saints, and became known as All Hallows. The day before that became All Hallow’s Eve, and eventually “Halloween.”

All Souls’ Day, November 2, is a Roman Catholic Holiday of remembrance for friends and loved ones who have left for the next life. Its roots are in Samhain, based on the belief that the souls of the dead would return for a meal with the family. So what originated as the ancient celebration of Samhain is now three separate days of celebration!

This is not about ghosts, but underlies the view of most indigenous cultures that our ancestors are just a prayer away, a thought away, always ready to assist us from the other side. Something like guardian angels!

A different view of death

“Death is just the middle of a long life.” Celtic teaching

In modern cultures we view death as something to fear, but our Celtic ancestors viewed life as a never-ending spiral of birth, death and rebirth.

Their view was that after death, the soul journeyed to the Summerlands beyond the western sea, where the grass was always green and there was an abundance of food. Feasting, hunting, music, love and sporting events went on forever.

If anyone was killed one day, they sprang back to life the next. This is why men and women of noble rank in the Iron Age were buried with everything they were likely to need in the afterlife.

It was not uncommon for a man to lend money and agree to receive repayment in the next lifetime!

All Soul’s Day

On All Soul’s Day, traditional families in Ireland lit a candle in the window to guide the souls of the dead back to their old homes. The veil between the worlds was thin on that night and spirits walking the land found the same hospitality the Irish always showed the living. The table was laid with the best linen and special food was left out for them to enjoy.

Traditional Irish families would also keep a “room to the West” [sometimes just an alcove or nook] where they placed objects that reminded them of their departed ones. At sunset the family solemnly turned toward the setting sun and spent time in loving remembrance of them.

A candle was lit for each soul and the whole family sat down to a feast in their honor.

A Celtic ceremony to honor those who have gone before us

Here is a way to honor those who have passed in the last year, or ever [adapted from Mara Freeman's Kindling the Celtic Spirit]:

Choose a western alcove, shelf or windowsill to be used as a shrine and cover it with purple or black cloth.

Place mementos or photos of loved ones who have died in the past year, along with some leaves and flowers. You could even include famous people – anyone you want to honor and remember.
Set a candle by each memento and place a large candle in the center, symbolizing the one light that unites us all.
At dusk, light the candles, beginning with the central one, and sit or stand facing the shrine, and think of each person in turn. Feel free to cry, one of the most healing emotions.
If you are in a group, share stories, songs or words of inspiration. Each can also share short tributes to the ones who have passed on.
Share a special feast, celebrating the great circle of life, death and renewal. Set aside a special plate for the departed ones before you go to bed.

Any ritual we do to honor and remember our loved ones will bring comfort and healing. And it’s never too late to do so.

“You may not remember, but let me tell you this: someone, in some future time, will think of us.” Sappho, 7^th Centry B.C. poet, composer, musician, teacher, priestess of Aphrodite.

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One of My Favorite Irish Stories: “The Pious Man”

Molly Larkin — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:38:59 +0000

Next week being a major Celtic spiritual day, I wanted to lead up to it with one of my favorite Irish stories. Please pardon the colloquialisms; you must imagine it being spoken with an Irish brogue:

There was a man there long ago, and he had a great name for himself as being very holy.

He was the first up to the chapel on Sunday, and there was never a mission he wasn’t at, praying all around him. And he was being held up as a good example to the sinners as a very holy man that never missed his duty.

Well, he said to himself, it would be a good thing for him to count all the times he was at Mass, so he got a big timber box and he made a hole in the cover of it, and he locked the box so that no one could interfere with it in any way, and he hid the key where no one could possibly find it.

And every time he went to Mass, he picked up a small pebble on his way home and dropped it in through the hole in the cover of the box.

And he was not satisfied with going to mass on Sunday, and he started to go every single weekday as well, and sometimes he’d be at second Mass as well as at first Mass on the Sunday. And all the time he was putting the stone into the box every time he came home from Mass.

Well, the years were going on and, like all the rest of us, he was getting old, and he was saying to himself that there must be a great heap of stones inside the box, and that maybe he would have to get a new box, because the old one must be nearly full.

He called in the servant boy. “Pull out that box for me, boy, so I can open it. And mind yourself, because it must be very heavy.”

The boy handled it with ease. “It is not a bit heavy, sir, but as light as you like,” says the boy.

The man opened it and found only five stones inside in it!

He couldn’t understand it, and off with him to the parish priest with his complaint – after all his Masses was he only going to get credit for five of them? Or was someone bad enough to steal the stones out of his box?

But how could they do that, with it locked and the key hidden? And no sign that it was ever meddled with?

Well, this parish priest had great wisdom.

“It is like this, my good man,” says he. “It was not about the Mass you were thinking, and it was not for your neighbors that you were praying all the times that you were at Mass, but all the time thinking how pious you were and how everyone should have great respect for you.

“And that is a sign to you from Heaven that you heard only five of the Masses properly, and that is the only five you will get credit for. And remember that, now, the next time you go to the church.”

I tell you that it is not the one that is first to the chapel that is the highest in the sight of God.

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A Lesson from “A Course in Miracles” — How to Undo Fear

Molly Larkin — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 21:09:08 +0000

This is a guest post from reader Ellinor Halle of Norway on “A Course in Miracles” – excellent advice to live by.

Have you heard of book called ”A Course in Miracles?” It’s a great book which can change your life.

I have been practicing “A Course in Miracles” for many years and it has really helped me to go past the fear that prevents us from being ourselves no matter who we are with.

The Course works with the God-given energy that is inside us all, called the Holy Spirit in the book.

When you follow the workbook each day, it helps you to connect to that energy inside us. Then the voice of fear that belongs to the nightmare of childhood (our thoughts that are babbling away, or our ”ego” according to the book) becomes more and more quiet.

We are then able to connect to all people with our heart no matter how they behave or treat us because the illusions from the childhood nightmares are not able to take hold of us any longer.

We start seeing beyond the ”negative” personality and our speech becomes guided by the Holy Spirit. This might result in an act of will, or an act of love, or a combination of the two, depending on your childhood story.

A Practical Step

What has helped me a great deal every time I have a negative thought towards another person, or myself, or my stomach gets filled with fear (from childhood) is this sentence:

”God is with me. I cannot be deceived.”

Say it silently and wait….

and then what happens for me is that I get connected to the Holy Spirit inside myself and the Holy Spirit inside the other person and the whole situation changes miraculously.

That’s why the book is called ”A Course in Miracles.” It undoes fear.

A Magical Question

Another sentence that is magical is to silently ask, ”What can I do for him, Your holy Son?”

When your are standing in front of a person and he asks you/tells you something that you have no idea how to answer, just ask within:

”What can I do for him, your holy Son?”

Wait…. and the answer will be given to you.

It will come either from yourself, the person who is standing in front of you or another person in the room.

To God all people on earth are holy Sons of God and we are all innocent.

This may be very difficult to grasp, but it is really true.

Angels All Around Us

According to ”A Course in Miracles” every person you meet in your life who touches you negatively is a hidden angel who was sent and asked for by you on a deeper unconscious level.

Those people make you aware of the wounds and anxieties from childhood that need to be healed.

These ”enemies” will continue to come in different disguises until you have understood their message. God said to love your enemies. It truly works!!

If you really try to look deep within when someone (an ”enemy”) irritates you or makes you feel sad or any kind of negative emotion, then you will always find the reason for your upset comes from childhood negative experience.

You will then have the possibility to understand why you react and become healed.

Sometimes the childhood experience is so harsh that we need support to heal the wound…due to the big amount of fear that is inside us.

The more you quiet down the ”babbling” of your brain, the more you are able to steer your thoughts and get help from the Holy Spirit in the moment of anxiety.

When you manage to be in the ”here and now” with a quiet mind, it is so easy to get help from the Holy Spirit. I wish the whole world could get to know this. It will save us from ourselves.

I hope you don’t mind me giving you the above thoughts. I just have the feeling that they might be very important for all of us.