Medicine Wheel

EAST is the direction of air, dawn, spring, mind, illumination and new beginnings...
WEST is the direction of water, dusk, fall, maturing, wisdom, intro-spection and courage...
SOUTH is the direction of fire, noon, summer, childhood and the spark of spirit...
NORTH is the direction of earth, winter, midnight and silence...

"The four directions have been honored in original peoples' traditions around the world for centuries. When the four directions are acknowledged with a circle of twelve stones, Native Americans refer to such an object as a medicine wheel. The term "medicine" can mean healing or spirit. Original Americans have many prophetic stories that speak of the healing of the broken wheel. We are its healers. They say that when it is healed it will become the whirling rainbow of peace, the forbringer of the fifth world."
Continue here: FireLady's Loving Spirits

Image: "Medicine Wheel of the Four Sacred Directions" by Jody Bergsma - There is more than one door.

Vision of Windwalker

Windwalker Listens
These are the words that Grandfather gave to Windwalker while on vision quest, in the Moon of Harvest, as he was sitting and listening for Grandfather's voice as the sun rose in the East, while watching from the top of the knoll in the center of the old ranch where Windwalker grew up....

"There is nothing to fear, absolutely nothing to fear."

As Windwalker continued to watch the sun rise to its highest, facing South....
"You must find a new focus, a new vision, for this is the day of life for all, a new beginning, a new paradigm, that none has seen before. It has its own problems and its own solutions."
Windwalker watched the sun through the afternoon and evening as it approached the horizon, setting behind the mountain to the West....
"You cannot go back, you must go forward. You can use the wisdom of the past as it applies to this day which I have given you. The wisdom that you have gained today from the use of past wisdom will give new wisdom to be used tomorrow."
With the setting of the sun in the West, the wind chilled and shifted from the North. Windwalker turned to face it. These are the words of Grandfather, spoken loudest of all, that all the world could hear....
"You have listened to the coyotes, the greed of the priests, the shamans, the politicians, the bankers and the merchants, instead of listening to my Voice, to Me, the ONLY ONE who always speaks the Truth. They, the coyotes, have made myths and fables and lies to frighten, to tempt and to control you."
'You must rid yourself of ALL these old untruths, for they have kept you captive, fragmented and separated from Me and from Yourselves."... -continue here-


Windwalker Speaks
We humans sometimes get so confused by the restrictive domination based 'social sciences' and 'social architects' that would attempt to control us, that we think our planet is in danger of destruction.
In a world that is run in cyclic perfection by a Creator of Infinite Wisdom, such thinking doesn't really equate. The universe would have been a giant junkpile billions of years ago if one atom could stray outside of law. Who do we think we are that we would be allowed to endanger other nearby worlds and life forms with our petty stupidity and ill directed sciences? Having choice, we humans will be allowed to wreck our own small 'universes' and civilizations, but hardly our home planet Earth. What we have is a world full of struggling souls who still think that they are their bodies and the world around them is the whole of reality. Our egos often run our thinking to the exclusion of our higher awareness and intelligence.
Shakespeare probably put the situation in perspective as well as anyone, when he pointed out that life is only a play and we are all simply playing out continual roles. Since the time we lost our 'instinct' in the allegorical 'Garden of Eden' we have been cursed with an imperfect intelligence and constant CHOICE. Through continual trial and error our higher components learn the outcome of our choices. When we destroy and take the choice from others, we suffer what the ancients called 'karma'. We get a taste of what we dished out so that we can later inwardly know what is 'right' and 'wrong'. This 'law of karma' comes automatically when the higher level 'choice' laws are broken. Karma is the one inviolate law of our Universe and Creator. Higher Level CHOICE is the exact opposite to the system of domination that has remained in place for thousands of years over Earth's people. We must learn to make Fully Responsible Higher Level Choices for the loving benefit and Freedom of Choice for All Mankind... -continue here-

*Check out this postcard and tons of other great stuff at Barefoot's World site...

Image: "The Vision Seeker" by Josephine Wall
Image: "Return of the White Eagle" by Jody Bergsma

The Way of the Eagle

The Chicken and the Eagle / The Parable of the Eagle

One day a naturalist who was passing by a farm saw in the barnyard a flock of chickens, and among them was an eagle. The naturalist inquired of the owner why it was that an eagle, the king of all birds, should be reduced to living in the barnyard with the chickens.
"Since I have given it chicken feed and trained it to be a chicken, it has never learned to fly," replied the owner. "It behaves as chickens behave, so it no longer thinks of itself as an eagle."
"Still," insisted the naturalist, "it has the heart of an eagle and can surely be taught to fly."
After talking it over, the two men agreed to find out whether this was possible. Gently, the naturalist took the eagle in his arms and said, "You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly."
The eagle, however, was confused; he did not know who he was. Seeing the chickens eating their food, he jumped down to be with them again.
Undismayed, the naturalist took the eagle on the following day up on the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly." But the eagle was afraid of his unknown self and the world and jumped down once more for the chicken food.
On the third day the naturalist rose early and took the eagle out of the barnyard to a high mountain. There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. You belong to the sky as well as the earth. Stretch forth your wings now and fly."
The eagle looked back towards the barnyard and up to the sky. Still he did not fly. Then the naturalist lifted him straight towards the sun, and it happened: the eagle began to tremble; slowly he stretched his wings. At last, with a triumphant cry he soared into the heavens.
It may be that the eagle still remembers the chickens with nostalgia; it may even be that he occasionally revisits the barnyard. But as far as anyone knows, he has never returned to lead the life of a chicken. He was an eagle, though he had been kept and tamed as a chicken.
And just like the eagle, people who have learned to think of themselves as something they aren't can re-decide in favor of what they really are.

The story of the eagle in the chicken yard is our story, a story about accepting something about ourselves that is not true -- that we are chickens, unable to fly -- and living as if it were true. We think we are chickens because we have accepted a perception about ourselves that is the chicken philosophy of life. In truth, we really are eagles with the potential to soar, to be free to experience our real essence: love, joy, peace, freedom. But alas, we find ourselves in the chicken yard feeling confused and fearful, and with no sense of life, purpose or direction...

Excerpts: "The Way of the Eagle" by Jerry Fankhauser, 1986
Image: "Clarity Of Vision, Strength Of Spirit, Courage Of Heart" by Jody Bergsma
[This really makes me think of one of my favorite little books: "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" by Richard Bach, 1976]

Unconditional Love

Love without condition
I love you as you are, as you seek to find your own special way to relate to the world. I honour your choices to learn in the way you feel is right for you.
I know it is important that you are the person you want to be and not someone that I or others think you 'should' be. I realize that I cannot know what is best for you, although perhaps sometimes I think I do. I have not been where you have been, viewing life from the angle you have. I do not know what you have chosen to learn, how you have chosen to learn it, with whom or in what time period. I have not walked life looking through your eyes, so how can I know what you need.
I allow you to be in the world without a thought or word of judgement from me about the deeds you undertake. I see no error in the things you say and do. In this place where I am, I see that there are many ways to perceive and experience the different facets of our world. I allow without reservation the choices you make in each moment. I make no judgement of this, for if I would deny your right to your evolution, then I would deny that right for myself and all others.
To those who would choose a way I cannot walk, whilst I may not choose to add my power and my energy to this way, I will never deny you the gift of love that God has bestowed within me, for all creation. As I love you, so I shall be loved. As I sow, so shall I reap.
I allow you the universal right of free will to walk your own path, creating steps or to sit awhile if that is what is right for you. I will make no judgement that these steps are large or small, nor light or heavy or that they lead up or down, for this is just my viewpoint. I may see you do nothing and judge it to be unworthy and yet it may be that you bring great healing as you stand blessed by the Light of God. I cannot always see the higher picture of Divine order.
For it is the inalienable right of all life to choose their own evolution and with great love I acknowledge your right to determine your future. In humility I bow to the realization that the way I see as best for me does not have to mean it is also right for you. I know that you are led as I am, following the inner excitement to know your own path.
I know that the many races, religions, customs, nationalities and beliefs within our world, bring us great richness and allow us the benefit and teachings of such diverseness. I know we each learn in our own unique way in order to bring that love and wisdom back to the whole. I know that if there were only one way to do something, there would need only be one person.
I will not only love you if you behave in a way I think you should or believe in those things I believe in. I understand you are truly my brother and my sister, though you may have been born in a different place and believe in another God than I.
The love I feel is for all of God's world. I know that every living thing is a part of God and I feel a love deep within for every person, animal, tree and flower, every bird, insect, river and ocean and for all the creatures in all the world.
I live my life in loving service, being the best me I can, becoming wiser in the perfection of Divine truth, becoming happier in the joy of Unconditional Love.

Author: Sandy Stevenson
Image: "Millenium Tree (Tree of Peace)" by Josephine Wall - As mankind emerges from the mists of time to enter a new millennium, hope abounds that all nations will be united in friendship and love (hidden faces) encircle our fragile and incredibly complex world. The D.N.A. bracelet twines round the "helping hand" guiding the younger hand of humanity that strives to explore and learn so much more. You will find a number of famous characters that have influenced and shaped our past, present and future e.g. Darwin, Einstein, Beethoven etc. The left side symbolizes nature - while the right symbolizes technology and the future. The dove symbolizes peace and the rainbow hope. The hands either side of the tree symbolize the need for our beautiful world to be protected forever.

The New Civilization

We are here.
We are waking up now, out of the past, to dream a bigger dream.
We are friends and equals, we are diverse and unique, and we're united for something bigger than our differences.
We believe in freedom and cooperation, abundance and harmony.
We are a culture emerging, a renaissance of the essence of humanity.
We find our own guidance, and we discern our own truth.
We go in many directions, and yet we refuse to disperse.
We have many names, we speak many languages.
We are local, we are global.
We are in all regions of the world, we're everywhere in the air.
We are universe being aware of itself, we are the wave of evolution.
We are in every child's eyes, we face the unknown with wonder and excitement.
We are messengers from the future, living in the present.
We come from silence, and we speak our truth.
We cannot be quieted, because our voice is within everyone.
We have no enemies, no boundaries can hold us.
We respect the cycles and expressions of nature, because we are nature.
We don't play to win, we play to live and learn.
We act out of inspiration, love and integrity.
We explore, we discover, we feel, and we laugh.
We are building a world that works for everyone.
We endeavor to live our lives to their fullest potential.
We are independent, self-sufficient and responsible.
We relate to each other in peace, with compassion and respect, we unite in community.
We celebrate the wholeness within and around us all.
We dance to the rhythm of creation.
We weave the threads of the new times.
We are the new civilization.

Author: "Ming the Mechanic" Flemming Funch, founder of New Civilization Network
[Printed in LightShift 2000 by Ken Kalb and Always in Season by Donna Henes]
Image: crystalinks.com

Spirit of Flight

Unfold your spirit to the sky,
allow your sacred dreams to fly.
The Universe answers that you truly are
more precious than Heaven's brightest star.

Image: "Spirit of Flight" by Josephine Wall - The Spirit of Flight, the force responsible for the powers of movement of the wind and air, has gathered around her all the flying things she loves. Birds, insects, flying fish, swirling leaves, seeds of dandelions and sycamore trees, butterflies and fairies all dance around her in a grand array of wild free motion.

The Awakening

~The Moment of Clarity~

A time comes in your life when you finally get it . . . When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere, the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!
Enough fighting and crying, or struggling to hold on. And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes, you begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening...

You realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world, there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you and in the process, a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are . . . and that's OK. (They are entitled to their own views and opinions.) And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself and in the process; a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not always about you. So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself and in the process, a sense of safety & security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties and in the process, a sense of peace & contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself and the world around you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. You begin to sift through all the junk you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look and how much you should weigh, what you should wear and where you should shop and what you should drive, how and where you should live and what you should do for a living, who you should marry and what you should expect of a marriage, the importance of having and raising children or what you owe your parents. You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with and in the process, you learn to go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive and that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a by gone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything; it's not your job to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt, responsibility, and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love, romantic love and familial love, how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn not to project your needs or your feelings onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.

You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love; and you learn that you don't have the right to demand love on your terms, just to make you happy.

You learn that alone does not mean lonely. You look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a perfect 10 and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over how you "stack up."

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right, to want things and to ask for the things that you want and that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity, respect, and you won't settle for less. You allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you, to glorify you with his touch and in the process; you internalize the meaning of self-respect.

And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and taking more time to exercise. You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest. Just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul; so you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that for the most part in life, you get what you believe you deserve and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it's OK to risk asking for help.

You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time; FEAR itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears, because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear, is to give away the right to live life on your terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people. On these occasions, you learn not to personalize things. You learn that God isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers; it's just life happening.

You learn to deal with evil in its most primal state; the ego. You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted; things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about; a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself, by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart's desire. You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind, and you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you take a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

Author: Iyanla Vanzant or Denise M. "Sonny" Carroll
Image: "A Light After the Storm" by Jody Bergsma

One Day at a Time

One day at a time.
Stand tall. Start fresh. Let go of guilt. Don't look back. Take an inventory. Make amends. Trust others.
Believe in yourself. Discover God's love. Appreciate your specialness. Accept your humanness. Ask for help.
Trust enough to take. Have the courage to change. Accept the unchangeable. Be patient. Keep promises.
Bury regret. Discard hate. Transcend self-doubt. Don't dwell on the past. Love each moment. Live each day.
Build a better tomorrow. Open your heart. Explore your soul. Expect the best. Let miracles happen.

Image: "One Day at a Time" by Jody Bergsma