parents
Maintaining The Connection
We may not always know or understand why we have connections with particular people, and even after they have passed it still seems vital that we keep those connections in place. Also, how we stay in touch may not be the same for each of us, it just is important that we do.
Many years ago, I had a lovely older friend named Pat, who came from a very affluent, upscale family and was certainly refined in every manner. It was noticeable in the way she dressed and spoke. Her whole demeanor exuded the firm self-confidence of someone who has been used to having the finer things in life.
Somewhere along the road, Pat fell in love with and married a rough-and-tough, stevedore-type fellow named Bill. By all appearances they certainly did not seem like a compatible couple, however, they stayed happily married, produced three offspring and had over 30 happy years together. Continue reading
Restlessness Is A Spiritual Growth Opportunity
When I was a teenager, one of my more ‘vocal’ cousins said to me, “You don’t seem to stay in one place for very long… just five minutes and, poof, you’re off again!”
At that time of my life I could put this down to my musician father’s wanderlust. He was a Sagittarius, and we not only often moved towns and countries, but frequently continents too. Such an unsettling way of life is usually not ideal for a Cancer like myself, but I seem to have inherited my father’s restless genes.
Today, my husband and I are in a tranquil setting since our international relocation over two years ago from a more volatile environment. Still, the restlessness persists. My menagerie of pets – five dogs and three cats – at least keep me relatively at peace.
I do know that actions provoked by restlessness can involve inevitable stresses, as was the case with our most recent big move. Unlike the days when I was still doing things solo, or when I was still living with my parents, this time I had the many pets to consider. Their well-being moving from one continent to another was one of the biggest stresses I have ever experienced. Continue reading
The Sins Of The Forefathers
Ancestor worship is a wide-spread belief system, in both primitive and sophisticated cultures. Ancestral healing unfortunately gets very little attention these days, even though some of our patterns and energy imbalances may well stem from our genetic pool.
My first exposure to the concept of communicating with our Ancestors occurred many years ago, during initiation into the Southern African culture of divining and healing. During my training to become a Sangoma*, in a remote area in Southern Africa, time was always put aside for offering prayers to, and for consulting with the Ancestors. My mentor taught me how the Ancestor energies affected their still living relatives, and how, in most African cultures, they are seen as being our link to the spirit world. Continue reading
Life After Life (Part 3 of 7) – Shared Death Experience
The shared death experience is a phenomenon that many have experienced. It is when someone who is close to you dies and you share a part of their transition experience. The shared death experience, like the near-death experience phenomenon, tends to be different for each individual experiencing the transition.
For example, my grandmother tells the story of when her mother passed, and right before she passed there was a type of glow that illumined her face during her passing. My grandmother, who has an affinity and connection to the angels, said that my great grandmother had an angelic look on her face just before she passed. This is one of many types of phenomena that can be experienced in the shared death experience. Continue reading
My Grandfather’s Gift Of Love
Cherubic looking, my grandfather had a round face that was quick to reveal his kindness and sense of empathy. He was just as fast to express humor, which he frequently did. His tummy shook a bit when he laughed… like Santa Claus. He was a little, round Irish man that doted on me when I was deeply in need of this level of nurturing.
It’s not a bad story, as stories go. I was simply born to a couple of kids. My mother and father were naive country folk, and very young. I think that children back then, especially at those tender ages, were even younger than their years, as compared to today’s off-spring. The world was also naive then, compared to now. In any case, when I was an infant they left me with my grandfather to raise, due to his insistence. Continue reading
Don’t Blame The Children
We are repeatedly hearing lately that the children of today no longer play outside; they are no longer physically active, like their parents and grandparents used to be. Supposedly all they do is watch television and sit around all day with computers, tablets and smart phones.
Perhaps some of this is true. But if so, why is that? Of course, it is absolutely natural for a child to have an abundance of energy. It is in the nature of youngsters to run around and be full of life, exuberant and active. But truth be told, when children act that way in today’s world, we often imply that they are maladjusted or have an ailment or disorder. Highly active kids have become the scourge of many parents and teachers in modern society – the dreaded “hyperactive syndrome” or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Are the children truly to be blamed? Continue reading
Grounded In Spirit When Caring For Elderly Parents
I have a friend that is going through the challenging process of watching her aging mom dwindle away. Her mother is losing her memory and the ability to take care of herself the way she used to. So, I try to help when I can. For most of us it’s an issue that we will all most likely face one day.
The spiritual connection to our parents is often a relationship with a history that is very complex. Not everyone has a wonderful, loving relationship with their parents, right? Those of us who do, should never take it for granted. We are truly blessed. Continue reading