“You carry Mother Earth within you. She is not outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment. In that insight of inter-being, it is possible to have real communication with the Earth, which is the highest form of prayer.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
On my morning hike the stellar sky and enlivening day brought about a feeling of oneness with Mother Earth around me. As I walked the local school track in meditation, I overheard a coach motivating the students he was training. The message he shared in encouraging, emphatic words: “You’re going to make mistakes on the field, that’s ok. Learn to fix them and move on.” Was he just coaching the athletes he was working with? As that message rang true to the very core of my being, I came upon the realization that was exactly how I have been approaching life. In the optimistic way he presented his message to those he was coaching, it brought about a yearning from those he was instructing to strive for improvement. The delivery of the message in a positive context planted the seed of working towards perfection within these adolescent youngsters.
“Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud.”
Author unknown
As I left the track to venture up the back hill, I stopped as I came upon a congregation of immature eagles gathered alongside the ground as well as flying in the area! Thankfully I had my cell phone to photograph them, even though they are not professional looking nor close up shots. But the message was a very profound one for me in my journey of the heart. Symbolic as well, for the coach from the track training session had been instructing adolescent children on the importance of perseverance towards their goals, dreams and desires.
“Being myself includes taking risks with myself, taking risks on new behavior, trying new ways of ‘being myself’, so that I can see who it is I want to be.”
Hugh Prather
As I stood there observing the eagles, they began to gather in a convocation as if to communicate with one another on their next soaring expedition, deciding on where the thermals and winds would allow for them to glide effortlessly to a new destination. I remember thinking how lucky they were to have each other to assist in their learning and growing stages of development, and how important that support system is within our own lives as well. When they began to unite as a circle of life joining their energies, I stood there with my arms reaching upwards towards their wings as they rose above me, their feathers just within reach of my outstretched arms. As they soared higher, I was able to count twelve of these youngsters who had graced me with their ‘anything is possible’ outlook on life. Their powerful, pure energy filled my soul with grandeur as a monumental experience for me in my personal life’s journey.
“Jesus said: With God, All things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
“Care no more for the opinion of others, for those voices; do the hardest thing for you. Act for yourself and face your truth.”
Katherine Mansfield
From this profoundly enlightening experience, I slowly began the walk up the trail. As I looked to the right where some of the eagles had been grounded, I found a secondary eagle feather symbolically left for me from one of the messengers who flew into my life that morning. The eagle has been an animal totem for me my entire life and I have been attuned to their energy for some time. It has been a blessed experience for me to witness such a marvelous moment and to be able to share it with others as a way of showing that there is much around us to assist in our journey, we just need to be still, open and aware in trusting that still, small voice within, honoring Mother Earth and striving for the highest and best in all areas of our lives, knowing that mistakes are a part of our learning curve, in order for us to super duper quantumly soar!
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
“Hope in God! For I shall again be thanking Him; in the presence of My Savior and my God!”
Psalm 43:5
“And He will…make you shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of his Hand.”
Michael Joncas
“Who gave Himself for our sins, to rescue us from the present evil age, as our God and Father willed – to Him be Glory for Endless Ages!”
Galatians 1:4
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“Doghead is easy to learn, you just have to speak from the heart.”
L.D. Marchell
As some of you may know, through the tragic loss of my Mom, Chert Dog saved not only my Father’s heart, but my brother, John’s and mine too! There is something about unconditional love from an animal, so altruistic, pure, peaceful and kind. Angels brought to us in various forms, to be embraced and cherished or relinquished forever as we are all given that chance to choose the highest and best for all concerned.
It is during these most tremulous times that we are being given the opportunity to make new consciously aware and awakened choices with our most precious gift of life. Allow for your new preferences to include:
“…Whatever is true, whatever is kind, whatever is lovely, and if there be anything worthy of praise, think then on these things.”
