environment
On The Positive Side Of A Pandemic
These are painful, difficult times. There is a lot of uncertainty in our world and it is so hard to see so many people suffering. However, there are also many beautiful, magical, heroic moments happening everywhere on the planet.
These moments of unity and love, occurring at the same time as so much hardship and pain is occurring, is what will matter most in the end. It is important during times like this to balance the darkness with the light. In today’s post, I wish to therefore focus on some of these more uplifting, inspirational trends of recent weeks.
There is a man in Spain whose upstairs neighbor was in the hospital due to a Covid-19 infection. The man reached up high every night and fed the hospitalized man’s dog on the balcony of his apartment, thus keeping the dog alive throughout the owner’s hospitalization. Sometimes the smallest act of kindness can have the most lasting impact.
In some places, pet shelters have been emptying with more people recently adopting cats and dogs as companions. In the process more animals are being spared euthanasia and given good homes. Many people are now being comforted and loved by their new fur babies during a difficult time.
Nurses, doctors, truck drivers, janitors, grocery store workers and many other service workers are now being praised as heroes. There is a new appreciation for the important work they do. Some wealthy people have donating money, time and energy to feed people and support the unemployed.
From Separation Comes Unity
During my morning meditation, I became very aware of the isolation many people are currently experiencing, from having to self-quarantine or shelter in place.
Some are trapped in close quarters with family members, whom they don’t get along with, while others are solitary and feeling very alone. Whatever the circumstances, this is not easy for any of us, day after day, while grim news keeps coming in from the outside world.
In the Tarot there is a card, The Hermit, depicting an old, wise man who has chosen to retreat and isolate himself from the rest of the world. The card symbolizes spiritual isolation and social distancing, in order to seek wisdom and understanding within; to confront one’s inner demons, such as addictions, dependencies, habits or patterns; as well as learning to not rely on others, but to form one’s own opinions.
The Hermit card teaches us to find an inner solace and strength, a light within. There is much that we can learn from his wisdom. In normal life, we get so caught up in the mundane routines of everyday life, that we seldom pay attention to our inner being. We also spend so much time texting and scrolling through social media, that we get caught up in other’s opinions, attitudes and experiences, that we lose touch with our inner compass.
One of my Tarot mentors described The Hermit card as, “Stop the world, I want to get off.” It certainly seems in many ways that our world has been stopped in its tracks (but the planet itself has not stopped spinning). Many have nowhere to turn at this point, but inward. This may be a blessing in disguise in many ways.
Caring For Mother Earth With Archangel Ariel
Otherwise known as ‘The Angel of Nature’ or ‘Lioness of God,’ Archangel Ariel is the overseer of both the healing and protection of all the plants and animals of Mother Earth. She also manages the care of the natural elements, such as the wind and water, as well as inspiring humans to look after the beautiful God-gifted planet that we live on.
This being the case, her presence is very often felt where conservation projects are taking place, or when any plans are being made to heal the cleanse the environment and heal the planet.
Should you desire to learn more about nature itself, then Archangel Ariel will provide you with valuable insights and opportunities to help both expand your experience and awareness of it.
Furthermore, as the Angel who watches over the planet’s natural resources, she is incredibly helpful in ensuring that your basic needs, such as shelter, food, water and warmth, are always well met. Archangel Ariel also encourages individuals to live life to their fullest potential, by following God’s will of course.
It is also understood that Archangel Ariel is the grand overseer of The Universe itself, including the sun, moon, stars and planets within it.
We All Thrive Differently
I love plants and enjoy sharing space with them. I several in my home and take very good care of them. I’m mindful to water them around the same time every week and I even talk to them. In many ways, I look at them as my friends.
I live in a home that doesn’t get much sunshine, so I have selected plants that require low light. While they never receive any direct sunlight, they are thriving like champs and are healthy and happy.
Plants are much like people in that sense. Some of us require a lot of people around us to be happy, the same way some plants need lots of sunshine. But some of us require lots of quiet, alone time, like some plants prefer the shade. We all recharge and thrive in different ways. Continue reading
Psychic Plants
Plants are everywhere, even in urban environments – from the windowsill potted plant to the hundred-year-old oak in a city park. What you may not know is that plants, just like people and animals, are psychic and react strongly to the energies around them.
In a well-known experiment, scientist Cleve Backster, who was at the time working with police departments to develop polygraph (lie detector) machines, attached a plant to one of these machines. He found that the plant detected intent. For example, the plant reacted with humanlike responses, such as fear and anxiety, to his thoughts of burning the plant.
The plant also showed an empathic response to pain, such as when Backster cut his finger. The results were even the same when he directed his thoughts toward the plant from some distance away. All this from a common potted plant found in an office! Continue reading
The Wisdom Of Real Food
My relationship with food evolved the day I decided to start my own garden. I didn’t have much space where I lived, so I rented a plot in a community garden nearby, for a very small fee.
Although it soon became a part-time job, it also turned into my sanctuary. Any stress from the day cleared when I went there. I was always eager to go there and visit my growing family of fruits, herbs, flowers and vegetables. It made me feel like a child again!
Connecting with the Earth on such a deep level also gave me a new perspective on my spiritual identity. From being inspired by fellow gardeners to teaching my son important life skills, I was motivated to get serious about treating my body like a temple and also raising awareness in others. Something I once took for granted and paid little attention to, became a great passion and concern for me. Continue reading
Sitting On The Dock Of The Imaginary Bay
I am, for all intents and purposes, a transplanted ‘Islander’ who is far, far away from her home… many thousands of miles, in a culture that could not be more different than the one I was raised in, if it tried to be.
The differences in perspective are so very large when you come from a tiny island in the Caribbean. I tend to be much more laid back than, say, someone who may have been born and raised in a big city. I’m not always ‘understood’ by some who think I need to be a lot more of, well, I have never been able to figure that out exactly, what I should be ‘more’ of, since I love being me. And after all this time, I know how to be me. Continue reading