Brrrr, Winter has arrived!

Thermometer reading in the teens this morning and about an inch of snow on the ground and ice on the roads making travel early a little challenging. While I prefer more moderate weather, I am reveling in the beauty of the snow.

Last weekend in town, there was a Living Tarot evening. It was really great fun the the card I picked was STRENGTH. Thinking about that a bit and find it encouraging.

STRENGTH VIII: (The Major Arcana) Radiance. True strength comes through gentleness and an understanding of the nature of things. Courage and wisdom presents itself. Strength, courage, conviction, energy, determination, action, heroism, virility.

Last evening I attended a talk by Christina Neilson about sacred space. It was rather thought provoking and in discussion she mentioned that smiling actually has a physiological effect on the body. I found that quite interesting and did some reading about a French doctor(Duchene), over a hundred years ago, who wrote about the physical benefits of smiling. Recent studies have snown that smiling does have a measurable influence on emotion as endorphins are released. According to one source I read (Dr.Mark Stibich) smiling stimulates the immune system, increases positive affect, lowers stress and blood pressure. Artlicle are plentiful both arguing for smiles and refuting those claims...yet, it seems to me I sure feel better when I smile! They say it also makes you look younger and makes us more attractive.

Here's looking at you kid!

Now back to the sacred space idea. Mine is my home, my yard and being with my critters.

No where is as sacred to me as the barnyard...but then I feel the sacred wherever I am in Nature.

Satisfied Heart

These past few days have been filled with joy and wonder. I feel a deep gratitude and delight at being alive! Driving home from one of my places of employment last evening, later than usual, after a demanding (but wonderful!) day, I found myself smiling. I felt very tired, but extremely joyful. I asked myself why as I drove the thirty miles home. Conclusion reached was that my heart and soul were happy. My work at this particular chiropractic clinic (deemed "sacred space" by many) is rich, rewarding and satisfying. It is an atmosphere of joy, love and healing. People, dogs, cats and horses are adjusted by two beautiful (sometimes three) souls who truly are healers but humble, caring and tireless. These individuals walk their talk. So seldom in my life have I found a situation like this one.

The Cafe of Life is a practice that believes in the innate potential of the body to heal. The practitioners assist us in this process as they remove any interference to the body focusing on spinal cord and brain. Brain and spinal cord act as the center for communication and coordination that harnesses universal energy in the body and acts as the channel for life force, prana, chi, life giving energy that flows from above, through the brain down the spinal cord and over the nerves to every cell in our body. At the Cafe belief is based on the philosophy that there is a greater whole of the individual and their life wanting to be expressed. They address the entire person not just parts. True health comes from the inside out. It is in accessing this inner energy and taping its potential that allows us to obtain true health, physical, mental and spiritually. This focus sets the Cafe apart from other practitioners and modalities. All chiropractic practices are not created equally. This one is truly different.

I remember the feeling I had when entering this space when I was just a client. Now, I am so very fortunate to be a part of this family and work there. I use the word "work" only in the coloquial sense because it is not work...it is joy. All of my life I have wished for an environment like this in which to find employment. The only place that as come close is the garden or barnyard...this is a dream come true. When ethical and loving beings offer their talents in a selfless way, truly caring about the health of individuals, it feels odd and alien. They are not driven by money or ego, they are driven by love and caring. It constantly amazes me and delights me. I watched one of them yesterday adjust a very small puppy (about five weeks) and felt tears burn in my eyes at the beauty of the process. Whether people, dogs, horses or cats they work with love and compassion in service to all who come to them. It is truly wonderful. This is a very special place.

Waning Crescent Moon

The sky at daybreak this morning was alarmingly beautiful. It took my breath away! If I have my moons right, it is a waning crescent moon. Simply delightful at any rate. Awakened deep feeling of gratitude once again for all the gifts and blessings that have been bestowed upon me. Sarah is one of my favorites and I use her Simple Abundance often. This quote spoke to me this morning especially.

" You simple will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks for the abundance that exists in your life." Sarah BanBreathnach

...and another from Thornton Wilder..."We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."

Full, conscious heart, rich life. I am awed and deeply grateful for my life, family, friends, critters, home, soft bed and feather pillows, garden, fresh water, lovely running automobile, meaningful work in sacred space, and other work. My life is beautiful and I am filled with joy and gratitude.

Random acts of kindness...today I went to Namaste for a wellness shot. B-12 and other homeopathic elements. Short drawn up fresh (amazing, like when I was a kid!) and Sid told me that a guardian angel had paid for the shot...an early birthday present. I felt so amazingly rich and loved. Continue my gratitude and bless you my dear angel.

It was a beautiful day!

Aging Gracefully?

Thinking one is dying and then she lives, creates an entirely new environment in which she lives, at least for a while! Feeling a little better today yet still caught in some wierd maisma. Is it the aging, the very terminalness of that? Perhaps that is part of it.

I have been voraciously reading journal material (that which was not destroyed because it was such drivel), collected poems and notes on books read. Clutching my pearls!

Allegra Taylor wrote a spelendid book Older Than Time. Way back when I first read it, I took copious notes. Of course, I was young then. Yet, they still speak to me.

"We imagine that somehow another person will COMPLETE us and we search for a mirror to see our own loveableness reflected back. It's a hopelessly addictive drug and, by its very nature eternally unfulfilling..."

"A large part of my wisdim quest and the chellenge of ageing, I think, is to learn to be at peace with aloneness 0 to find inner contentment when I am on my own and not need to fill up the space with people or constantly justify my existence in terms of some kind of relationship. I love my partner, my friends, adore my children and grandchildren. What they have given me is there, whether I'm with them or not. Nothing can ever take it away. But who am I? Who lives in this aging body sitting in the sun on a mountain top? "

"One day you're an attractive alluring woman and the next day you become one of the faceless group of old ladies who sit alone in cafes and on park benches. One of the wrinklies, shrinklies, crumblies, old bags, old bats - bewildered at the speed of the decent - dismissed as irrelevant, dying of lonleliness. With no recognized rites of passage, we grope uneasily in the frightening tunnel or transition, unsure of what lies ahead, afraind to relinquish what has gone before."

Interesting. Relinquishing what has gone before...is that where I am? Reappraising and reinventing myself? Enjoying time...whatever there is left of this life...celebrating? Thoughts, ideas, feelings...aging...content to be a member of my "age group" whatever that is...plodding along...am I striving to age gracefully - or perhaps just enjoy the hell out of it!

All Souls and All Saints

My Catholic background is obvious. Today is all Saints day and tomorrow all souls day. All souls day we traditionally pray for those in purgatory.


Today I have felt as if I was caught in a purgatory of sorts and needed prayer! The sayin of and receiving of. Not feeling well...wanted to write...nothing came through my fingers. Fall...my favorite season - sometimes. I have so many fantastic memories. Raking and burning leaves, with children and once with my Dad in Woodstock Ct. Pots of stew simmering, bread in the oven; beans and fragrant biscuits baking for our sup; while we made the yard ready for winter. Cookies cooling on the counter as we took a long, chilly walk to watch the sun set; long, leisurely afternoons spent pond side witness to grand color. The crisp evenings spent by the fire. In my lack of word flow, I found a poem that someone else wrote. Virginia Eaton actually. I love it.

Leaf Burning

I swept the fallen leaves up yesterday

and touched them with slow fire;

and as I saw smoke rise and drift away

I knew a keen desire.

To sweep my mind of old things lying there,

dreams long since dead...

hopes that have clun like leaves on boughts now bare,

and thears that I have shed...

I long to gather every little grief

left scattered round,

small doubts and fears and lay them in a sheaf

on fire, smoke crowned

Then stir the embers so a wind might find

and life the ashes of old prasie or blame

and bear them far away, leaving my mind

clean as if swept with flame.

It is Halloween!

Trick or Treat? Happy Halloween. Remembering past years with children. This was such a magical time of year. It always makes me feel playful and like having fun. Remembering years of carving pumpkins, even (maybe especially) as an adult.

The origins of Halloween are deep in the Celtic culture and go back thousands of year. The celebration of Samhain. Traditional Irish Jack O'Lanterns were carved from turnips!

The Celts believed that at this time of year (Samhain) the border between this world and the "Otherworld" became very thin. Family ancestoral spirits were honored and evil spirits warded off. Samhain was also a time of taking stock of supplies for the winter ahead. Bonfires played a large part in celebrations. As animals were sacraficed their bones were thrown on to the fire. Sometime two fires were built side by side to usher the animal between as a purification ritual.

I think I am going to find a haunted house...or haunt this one! Happy Halloween!

Fall Tea Party

The days are fragrant the nights are frosty. Fall, the season of my birth, the season I love best...sometimes. Today, after a very tumultuous week, I savored the breeze on my cheek, the scent of wet, fall garden and the sun on my back. I dream of a tea party in the garden today. I wish Laurie was here to join me. We did talk on the phone and that was wonderful. Laura J. I miss you! Would be have Darjeeling, Assam or perhaps a Blueberry Rooibos Cambrick (which I have become quite fond of!)? It would be so lovely to sit, sip tea and talk. Someday again, I know we will.

After my near death experience, that was not, but still felt quite like (kind of like if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear...or one hand clapping sort of thing) I did some thinking and a whole lot of feeling. I delved into journals past, and found a really, really sweet piece by Eleanor Byers. I want to share it here.

Dearest Margaret

Yes, we've agreed when we grow newly old

to live side by side on your farm in Vermont

where we can raise goats

the small brown kind, following close

and bleating of love.

We've said we want cats, all colors of cats

to play in the shade on hot summer days,

to purr by the stove when the evenings are cold.

And, Margaret, remember our plans to grow plants

with long Latain names

and prizewinning Bibb lettuce!

for good tasting salads

You'll make tabouleh (you do it so well)

I'll roast the capon (with shallots and beans).

How well we will dine

drinking mint tea or watered white wine

followed by chese and sweet almonds

Indeed, we can travel

whenever we like

as long as we are home by noon

to pet the cats, feed the goats

water the prizewinning lettuce.

When winter snow falls

we sill pull on tall boots and warm, wooly coats

and slosh down our paths to the tin mailbox

by the side of the road.

To the postman we'll offer our best apple tart

hot from the overn, with cream

in exchange for choice letters.

(We'll write them oursleves!)

Oh, Margaret, let's read Ulysses

(again) and this time, patient with age,

unravel the prose of James Joyce.

But alas, Dear Laura J...I will settle for now and unravel the prose of James Joyce at my tea party with the girls!