Honoring Christmas's Past

Christmas is such an emotional time, it can really sneak up on you. Everyone around me had a cold.  I felt a lump in my throat for days and thought I was just fighting it off.

Then today I  started crying- ahh, the feeling in the throat was unexpressed grief.  Friends dying, missing my parents and other family members, regrets for certain life decisions, all came crashing down.

Well, I feel better now having cried.  "All Things Must Pass"- that truth brings grief but also joy that life goes on.  All energy recombining into new beauty with the past worked into it.

You just can't see how everything will turn out, blank spots, blind spots, forks in the road. 

The future radiates out from all moments- as many paths from this moment as rays from a star.

All I can do is ask for guidance and trust, gratefully, in that.

Moments of clarity, of bliss, and moments of despair.  That's life, I guess.  Opening to this moment is all we can do to honor life and all those who helped us on our path.   Namaste.

A Winter Meditation- the real web, I hope-

Close your eyes and begin to notice your breathing. At first, your breath will come rather fast, as you think of all that has happened in your day.  This is natural - just continue breathing until you have reviewed everything you need to.

Now picture yourself wearing many layers of heavy cloaks.  You can feel the weight of them on your shoulders.  As we continue to breathe, we will begin to drop these cloaks, one by one.  As you drop each cloak, you will feel lighter and lighter.

Breathe and feel the outermost cloak.  It is very heavy.  See what color comes to mind.  This cloak represents all the expectations the outer world has of you.  Let the cloak drop onto the ground and walk away.

The next cloak is comprised of all the expectations you have for yourself in the outside world.  Drop this cloak also, step out of it and walk away.

Feel the third cloak. Note its color.  This one represents any anger or resentment directed toward you or felt towards others by you. Drop it and walk away.

Let the next cloak's color come to you. Let it slip from your shoulders.  You are leaving behind all the physical discomfort your body has felt from wearing all the other cloaks.  Let your body shed this weariness.

Continue this process until you drop all the layers you need to.

Now you feel so much ligher, you can actually feel your Self.  There is  one robe left - the last one.  Its color represents the color your soul feels most comfortable in.  Please leave this on to protect and comfort you throughout the rest of our journey.

***

You are walking along a wintry trail, snow crunching under your feet.  It is sunny and crisp - you feel good.

The light begins to fade into a hazy winter sunset. Clouds of pink and blue are streaked across the sky.  You pull your cloak closer around you and continue walking.

Darkness falls.  It is a night of brilliant stars.  There is a slim silver moon overhead.   You hear a sound like music, but very faintly.  Up ahead the trees seem to form an arched walkway.  You walk beneath them and find they lead to a huge building made of rough-hewn wood.

You open the massive doors.  Inside is the light of many candles, creating a golden glow around the whole room, all the way up to the vaulted ceiling.

In the center of the room sits a circle of people.  They welcome you. Their faces glow in the candlelight.  You sit down and take your place in the circle, joining hands with the people on either side of you.

As you take their hands, you feel the circuit of energy that flows around the circle.  It almost feels like an electric current.  Open your seventh chakra and begin to channel energy through the top of your head and into your hands.  The current gets stronger. Bring in more energy and channel it from your crown chakra to your heart.  From your heart, direct the energy to the center of the circle.

You begin to see something.  It is a huge cup or chalice.  It is filled with Light from your heart chakras.  Allow the Light from your  heart to fill the cup.  Fill it to the brim.  Light is streaming down from above as our Angelic guides help us.

Now let this healing light flow over the brim and over the whole Earth.  Let it be like a balm to  all people, entering their hearts, quelling their fear. Fill it again and let it calm Mother Earth herself, for she is always affected by the emotions of man.

The cup is fading now.  Continue to channel light to the circle from your heart chakras.  The Light in the center has become very beautiful.  You sense a Presence there.

It is the Presence of Peace.

Place what needs healing into this Holy light in the center of the circle.  Relationships between countries.  World leaders. The land itself.The animals.  Place anyone you know who needs healing in the Light.  Take some time.

***

Now, place yourself and your family in the center of the circle, for we must heal our individual lives, too, if we are to heal the world.

Do you feel other groups like this one coming together around the world? See all these circles of peace and healing connected like a web of Light all over the globe.  Strengthen these lines of Light.

Begin to feel a deep peace in your heart, a peace that permeates all your bodies - mental, physical, emotional, and Spiritual.

It is time to close our circle now.  Notice the faces around the circle filled with Divine Light.  Thank all our helpers, seen and unseen who graced us with their energy tonight in the healing circle.  Say your goodbyes.


You walk out of the cathedral into the light of day.  It is a glorious winter morning.  The birds are singing, the sunlight sparkles on the snow. Your heart is filled with hope, joy.

Namaste.

The Holidays

Like all children, I used to love Christmas.  Sparkling lights at night, a glittering field of snow in the daytime, the coziness of looking forward to a special night and day featuring Jesus and Santa respectively. Honoring a miracle birth by singing with others in church, all the while feeling something magical might happen.

It's a little different now. Everyone rushing to buy things, worrying if it is "enough" to satisfy our need to feel "stuffed with stuff."

So let's slow down for a second.

Breathe. Drop back into your body. Oygenate those lungs and cells.

Whew.

Breathe again.

Notice the tension and the heaviness you may have been feeling,
 as if you were wearing alot of fancy, uncomfortable clothes.

Picture these gaudy costumes dropping off you, falling to the ground.

What's left?  Just you without the entrapments of the material side of the holidays. A core of peace.

What was the purpose of winter festivals in the past?

It was dark,and cold and they were aware they might not survive.

They needed a way to assure themselves that the spring would come again.  A way to create that light in each other, by coming together with family and friends to kindle the belief that they would make it through.

So, breathe again and go deep into the core of darkness. Deeper still. Then find that spark of hope.

Find the belief that we can create the world anew, in a way that  offers physical and spiritual nurturance to all.

Fan the flame in your heart, see its warmth expand, along with the image of a more positive world.

Whatever way you can do this in your life, do it, for we are responsible for our world and what we create.

I hope together we can offer more peace, joy and compassion to all those we spend time with during this season. Namaste.  

And of course, enjoy the lights!

Fear of flying and other things

What is it with these middle-age fears? Situations that we didn't think twice about suddenly loom as things we anticipate with dread.

Quite a few years ago I became afraid of flying in airplanes.  Not because of an incident, just the whole idea of hurtling through space in this big hunk of metal, beautiful as it may be.

I reasoned with myself, berated myself, tried to joke myself out of it. My family was sick of watching me grip the armpads of my seat as if I could control the flight.

I told myself it was a reasonable fear.  True, but didn't help.

I remembered I used to like flying and began to watch the take-offs and landings as if it were fun and exciting.  Worked a little.

I started breathing, slowing down my heartbeat.  All that fear can't be good for your body.

Then I hit upon an idea.  I watched the calmness between the bumps and shivers.  Reminding myself that going through a rough patch is just that- and the smoothness will come again.

Kind of like life.

One flight we were on recently was actually really bad- thunderstorms over Texas. I was tense, but then something happened- I just let go- I didn't care anymore.

The pilot knew what he was doing ( or maybe it was a combination of skill and luck! Again, like life).  We landed safely.

It was a great feeling- to just give up the fear. I hope I am like that from now on-  but I probably  will experience times of holding my breath.

So, for now I will continue to fly as I have all my life.  Sometimes you just have to keep doing it and the fear works its way out of you.

Now, to tackle that fear of going to the dentist.  Another one I never had until recently-  Oh, Joy, something else to work on!

Get outta here, Fear- I don't have time for you!

Clearing your house

My house was in a funk. Stagnant energy from life events I wanted to move on from was everywhere.

I decided to clear it.  I began to clap loudly into every corner of every room, banishing or scaring out the dull energy.

Soon I was half-dancing as I was clapping throughout the rooms.
It felt good.

Afterward, a quietness descended, a peacefulness.

Then I went to each room playing a harp-like instrument, beautiful sound, really, enticing the good, creative energy back in. I even went outside and played to the birds- they seemed to like it.

It worked! 

My version of smudging, I guess, without the smoke.

I have also, when feeling I was beginning a new year ( which  could be anytime), opened all and I mean all the windows and doors, chasing old energy out and inviting vitality in.

Sometimes you have to work on your environment as well as your body and mind.  This exercise is kind of Wiccan, I guess, which I have never studied, but probably instinctively enters into any energy work. All is valid, maybe I will look into it.

So, this may be a frivolous post, but one that I needed and hopefully might  be useful to you.

May your day be a good one- Lia

For Jack

A good friend of ours died yesterday.

First, I felt like I was on psychedelics- I guess the cords between us being broken on this plane sends you reeling.  This happened with my mother and my father, too.

You want to cord them again to get your bearings but you can't- not here, at this time, on the same level.

Then, no one else home, I decided to go swimming.  I was feeling, as I was in the water, as if I might have a heart attack.  My heart was cramping, the beat irregular.  But I kept a steady, slower pace than I usually do and just kept on.  Our friend was a swimmer, too, in his youth.  I tried to release the psychotic feeling into the water.

I heard the words,  " But I am FREE, I am free", in my mind.

I knew this was true, for he was really put through the wringer for a year.  And at the end, his body and mind were peaceful, they tell me.

I have also had moments of clarity- the sky, the trees, the birds, all seemed so sweet and beautiful.

Through all this, sadness too, coming in waves, of crying, of wonder at the strength of his wife, Debbie, this past year, of grief at his pain.

Today I feel fear, fear of my own death, fear of just not feeling safe, I guess.

I identified the fear and burned it out  as best I could- with a roar of angry fire.

I know I must re-ground into the earth in a blessing way.

Accept the fact that I am here and he is not. But he can still make me laugh, when I remember some of our times together.

I know he would want us to go on and live- have a GREAT time, in fact, in his memory.  He was like that. 



I  know the angels took him.  I saw something like a children's slide at a playground a couple of days before.  It was made of light and they said, we will beam him up when he's ready.

Thank you, thank you , thank you, for his time on earth and for his passing now.

Love is all there is- Namaste

Quick Confidence-Booster

Ground, breathe, and release any feelings you don't want.

Let them go, with your exhale, down your body, into your feet and then into the earth, away from you.

Open up the energy center at the top of your head and bring in light in a column.

Let it flow through the center of your body from above your head to below your feet in a solid light.

This is your core energy.  Make it wide, make it strong.

Make it radiant.

Let it expand to 2-3 feet around your body- no chinks.

Push it out further if you need to.

The light dispels doubt.  You come from a core of confidence.

Re-connect and bring in more light as often as you need to.

***

What also works for me is to release ego-driven aspirations. Kick those aside.  Open to the possibility of Higher Energy.

Become a conduit for the information that needs to come through, so Higher communication can flow-an exchange of energy whose real purpose is healing- on some level that we are not fully aware of, or in charge of,  but can facilitate by using the talents we have been given.

Namaste-