With the COVID-19 outbreak most are at home waiting for the virus to burn out. It has been a time of stress but also a time when people can relax. Just turn off the news. Dowsing I get that the news is about 65% accurate. Dowsing I get that we will be at home a bit more than two months.

Joan and I do heart centred meditation as taught by Gurpreet in Vernon and it is now easy to go into the heart. Within minutes we can feel the high heart on the sternum. This also know as the Assemblage Point. Heart Math has been teaching heart centred meditation since 1993. Eckhard Tolle’s state of oneness is heart centred. Mooji from Jamaica teaches the same thing. There are lots of teachers now.

Dowsing while in heart centred meditation is far more accurate. The mind is clearer. Dwelling in the heart reveals and releases old belief systems that do not serve any longer. Being in the heart reveals the wiles of the ego. Staying in the heart looking at the ego heals past fault-finding. Psychic injuries simply dissolve.

Being in the heart is the start of awaking. It is natural.

ZSL

Summer Solstice Sun at Stonehenge

The year moves swiftly! It is time to honor the longest day of the Sun. Summer Solstice 2019 in Northern Hemisphere will be at 9:54 a.m. on Friday June 21, Mountain Time. How will you celebrate the longest day?

The summer solstice is associated with change, fresh starts, and with a celebration of Nature.

Solstice comes from the Latin words sol, meaning Sun and sistere, meaning to come to a stop or stand still. On the day of the June solstice, the Sun reaches its northernmost position, as seen from the Earth. At that moment, its zenith does not move north or south as during most other days of the year, but it stands still at the Tropic of Cancer. It then reverses its direction and starts moving south again.

Traditionally, our Ancestors had huge celebrations for Summer Solstice – a gathering of the tribes or of the people. There were games and challenges and markets or fairs, and huge feasts to share and celebrate the bounty of Nature.

It was a time of creating new things, arranging new trade agreements, and a time of settling old scores in an attempt to move into peace.

Some quotes about Summer…

‘I am summer, come to lure you away from your computer… come dance on my fresh grass, dig your toes into my beaches.’ -Oriana Green
‘When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.’ -Wilma Rudolph
‘A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.’ -St. Francis of Assisi

Enjoy this day, and celebrate the Sun!

Judith

AUTHOR – Judith Hirst has been writing spiritual and technical blogs for the last thirteen years. She is a non-traditional shaman who has studied with shaman teachers from different lineages. As well, she has studied and uses Dowsing, Body Talk, EFT, Reiki, Quantum Touch, Hypnotherapy, Angel Karma Techniques, Angel Therapy, and has taught Star Talker Training classes. She is a seer and medium. Judith joined Questers in 2007, and now serves on the Questers Board as secretary and blog master.

The following prayer comes from writer Deng Ming-Dao.

From Wikipedia – About Author – Deng Ming-Dao (born 1954, San Francisco) is a Chinese American author, artist, philosopher, teacher and martial artist. Deng is his family name; Ming-Dao is his given name. From a young age, he studied Taoist internal arts such as Qigong and Kung-Fu. Deng Ming-Dao is the author of eight books, including 365 Tao, Everyday Tao, Scholar Warrior, and Chronicles of Tao. His books have been translated into fifteen languages. He studied qigong, philosophy, meditation, and internal martial arts with Taoist master Kwan Saihung for thirteen years, and studied with two other masters before that. He is an award-winning graphic designer and fine artist whose work is in several collections, including those of the Brooklyn Museum. His best known book is 365 Tao: Daily Meditations, which has been translated into several languages.

A Sunrise Prayer

All we need is the morning.
As long as there is sunrise,
then there is the possibility
that we can face all of our misfortunes,
celebrate all our blessings,
and live all our endeavors as human beings.

Spirituality is something that has become
necessary in these troubled times.
Yet it is inherently superfluous.
We need it to remind ourselves,
to bolster ourselves,
to integrate ourselves,
to fulfill ourselves.

If we could simply acknowledge
the mystery of night
and the glory of morning,
we would need neither civilization nor spirituality.
At its simplest, life begins with dawn.
That is blessing enough.
All else becomes fullness immeasurable.

At dawn, kneel down and give thanks
for this wonderful event.
We may think mornings are so common
they are unworthy of veneration,
but do you realize most places in the cosmos
do not have mornings?
This daily event is our supreme goodness.

Greet the dawn.
That is your miracle to witness.
That is the ultimate beauty.
That is sacredness.
That is your gift from heaven.
That is your omen of prophesy.
That is knowledge that life is not futile.
That is enlightenment.
That is your meaning in life.
That is your directive.
That is your comfort.
That is the solemnity of duty.
That is inspiration for compassion.
That is the light of the ultimate.”

-Deng Ming-Dao

May you walk in peace this day.

Judith

A while ago, one of my friends sent me the following story in an email. The story moved me so much, and made me also think about all the clients that I have worked with over the years who live their life based on “when” and ‘if”. These folks miss so much because they are waiting for something else to happen. I think this story explains the folly in living like that better than any explanation that I might give.

The Blind Girl – Author Unknown

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ‘If I could only see the world, I will marry you.’

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.

He asked her,’ Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?’ The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: ‘Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.’

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life Is a Gift!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

May all your days be lived in the present moment!

Judith

AUTHOR – Judith has been writing spiritual and technical blogs for the last thirteen years. She is a non-traditional shaman who has studied with shaman teachers from different lineages. As well, she has studied and uses Dowsing, Body Talk, EFT, Reiki, Quantum Touch, Hypnotherapy, Angel Karma Techniques, Angel Therapy, and has taught Star Talker Training classes. She is a seer and medium.

Hierochloe odorata – Sweet grass at Chief Whitecap Park, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada by SriMesh, used with permission under GNU Free Documentation License

Sweetgrass is a very aromatic grass – some call it herb – that grows in Europe and parts of North America. Our Ancestors believed that the Sweetgrass plant was the first plant to grow after the great flood. Its sweetness was a reminder that the Gods and Goddesses considered the Earth sacred, and that all on the Earth were sacred. Nature, Mother Earth, provided protection for all with the sweetgrass plant.

Our Ancestors then chose to honour the plant by making it a sacred object to protect most things. For example, where it was available, people gathered a bundle to keep in the house on the wall as a protection against spirits. Sweetgrass was burned as incense in gatherings to clear the space. When the Christians moved into Great Britain, they used it to keep the churches smelling good.

Many people have Ancestors who have taught them that sweetgrass may be used as a tea, as a flavour for bannock and bread, and as stuffing for fragrant mattresses or pillows. Sometimes, sweetgrass is used to mix with tobacco to bring out a different flavour and aroma.

Because sweetgrass is thought to protect, mothers and lovers would sew sweetgrass into the lining of the clothes of loved ones who travelled or who were in armies. Sweetgrass was placed with sacred objects to keep them untainted, and to prevent unwanted persons or spirits from touching the object.

Today, we use sweetgrass in ceremony, as a cleanser of space or of objects, and to remember that it is a symbol of peace. The aroma of sweetgrass in a confined space brings a gentle meditative state to those who can smell it. The meditation usually has a Divine message and provides many visions to the meditator. Shaman may store a braid of sweetgrass with their pipe, drum, rattle, medicine bundle, or with any object that may need more protection.

May you know the sweetness of life!

Judith

How do you become filled with joy when you feel like the bottom has dropped out of your life?

The answer is simple and complicated at the same time. It is about finding a place to start… a place to take a simple step. For me, that simple step is usually to go through the front door and go for a walk in the park.

When I am walking, I do not listen to music or to the radio or to a talking book. I listen to the wind as it rushes through the trees. I listen to the Bow River gurgle about the news from up stream. I listen to the various birds whistle and warble about their life. I hear the hum of the bees and the whirr of the dragonflies (in the spring and summer). In the winter, I hear the crunch of the snow, and I watch for the little animals that poke their heads out from under bushes or through a hole in the snow.

The life in the park is rigorous and simple. Find food, find shelter, stay out of harm’s way, and, in the down time, lie in the Sun.

How far have we humans come from the simple? How long does it take us to return to the simple.

I wish you joy in returning to the simple life.

Judith

I have four friends tell me that I expect too much of them. This makes me laugh because I expect them to be exactly as they are… imperfect humans. I realize that they have an expectation that they must be at their best when they are around me. I am not sure where that expectation came from. Perhaps it is a carry-over from their child hood.

These inaccurate expectations have caused our friendship to slip sideways. They feel it is too much pressure. Whether the expectation is real or not, it does cause problems. I believe that we all have expectations of people, of work, of sporting events, of family dinners, and of our family. Our expectations come from the way we see our perfect world, without any thought to the truism that perfection does not exist. In other words, we create our own reality with our expectations and then we are sad when the reality does not happen.

Moving forward, are you able to give up or at least cut back on your expectations?

Judith

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” – Saint Francis de Sales

Picture from https://wildlifepreservation.ca/western-painted-turtle/

Do you remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? They had a race, and even though the hare was faster, he lost the race because he overslept his nap, so great was his confidence.

We hurry every day to make it to work, to appointments, to pickup or drop off kids, to grocery shop, to clean the house and groom the yard, to exercise and to simply get from A to B. We have all come to believe that if we hurry, we will achieve more, and have more time for ourselves. The result is that we have great anxiety (stress) about not hurrying, and we get frustrated if anyone gets in our way when we are hurrying – be they spouse, child, other driver, or simply anyone in our path. We give ourselves indigestion, high blood pressure, trigger tempers, heart attacks, and speeding tickets! And, the speed at which we hurry does not make us happy.

What if we all did slow down in everything? Would we feel better? Are we confident that hurrying will solve the problem? Napoleon said, “Disorder is always in a hurry”. He said this in the early 1800’s, over two hundred years ago. It looks like Napoleon got it right! As more technology appears in the world, and as things speed up, disorder seems more prevalent.

We are bombarded with the ads on TV and radio that advertise sales, concerts, vehicles, new technology, and the last comment is usually to “hurry and get…..”. Hurry then becomes the threat of scarcity. Coincidently, disorder also leads to scarcity because “things” are not in the right place and therefore not available. What is interesting is that with all the “hurrying” that we do, especially over the last fifteen years, the waste is piling up in a hurry, too.

Projects are completed in a hurry, and resources are misused or misallocated and waste occurs. Buildings are hurriedly built and fall down before they are even used, and waste occurs. The list could continue. Hurrying doesn’t seem to work as well as the slow and orderly path. Even racers don’t hurry; they run a disciplined, well thought out race according to their competition in the meet.

So, will you slow down today?

Judith

AUTHOR – Judith Hirst has been writing spiritual and technical blogs for the last thirteen years. She is a non-traditional shaman who has studied with shaman teachers from different lineages. As well, she has studied and uses Dowsing, Body Talk, EFT, Reiki, Quantum Touch, Hypnotherapy, Angel Karma Techniques, Angel Therapy, and has taught Star Talker Training classes. She is a seer and medium. This blog post was originally posted under Judith’s blog in August 2008, and has been reprinted with her permission.

The Spring Equinox 2019 is on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. An equinox is the moment in time (not a day-long event) when the Sun stands directly above the equator and day and night are of approximately equal length.

In the twenty-first century, people are not in harmony with the earth, the seasons, and the shifting skies compared to the way our ancestors were in harmony with what went on around them. A good example of people not being aware is that so many pedestrians get injured or killed by cars because they are not paying attention.

Regardless of the noise and activity around us, and the demands on our time, we can still practice being in harmony with the earth and nature. Spring Equinox is a wonderful time to begin looking at life in a different way. Since Equinox is about balance, bringing one’s life into balance is a positive way to move forward with a life change.

Some ideas are:

Make a date with yourself for once a week to walk outside, in a park, near a river, or through a forest, to feel the energy of the Sun, and to hear/feel/smell all the life around you.
Today, Equinox, have a small bonfire, and celebrate the changing of the seasons. Throughout this year, plan to have a small bonfire or whatever type of fire works in your situation, and have a few friends over to relax and talk about the miracles that are happening.
Sit outside, under the night sky, and watch the stars. If the city lights are too bright, drive to a large park or to a place outside the city to see the stars and contemplate where you want your life to be moving to – a goal perhaps.
Think about some new rituals that you would like to add to your life. Meeting a friend for coffee once a month is a great ritual.

Walk in peace.

Hello Questers! If you have a story to share or an idea for a blog or a series of blog posts, I would love to hear it. Please send your ideas to me at Judith-hirst@questers.ca. Or, send your idea to info@questers.ca.

A Line In The Sand or Co-creation?

This picture is from an email that I received. I do not know who the photographer is, however, that person did a great job!

What are the things in your life that are non-negotiable? Who are those beliefs/values conflicting with? Why do you feel so strongly about this issue?

These are some of the questions that came up for me the other day when I was stopping to reflect over a situation that caused me great emotion. For many of us, when we need to take a stand, we do it with every fibre of our being. We are so wrapped up in our view that we fail to see that there are other options.

When I was in a Leadership Training program back in 2000, one of the activities was to break down in to two teams. The Facilitator then drew a line in the sand on the volleyball court, and handed us a rope. The idea was that one team had to drag the other team over the line to prove superiority. Each day, in our activities, most of us still draw lines, standing on one side of the line and saying that our idea is the best or our belief is the best, or whatever.

The idea of co-creation is that there is not one side that is bigger or stronger or best. Co-creation is about doing what is best for all in the circumstances. Generally, when clever people think through a problem, the resulting solution is the synthesis of all the ideas and shows that something greater can occur when people work in harmony.

Did I mention that a soul-ution tends to bring people together, and create a community that is excited about tackling new challenges? When we are engaged in creating the best and most loving solution, we are happy; our soul is happy; and the Universe is happy.

Next time you need to draw a line in the sand, make it a heart!

Walk in peace.

AUTHOR – This blog is a reprint from a blog written by Judith Hirst on December 19, 2008, and is reprinted with her permission. Judith has been writing spiritual and technical blogs for the last thirteen years. She is a non-traditional shaman who has studied with shaman teachers from different lineages. As well, she has studied and uses Dowsing, Body Talk, EFT, Reiki, Quantum Touch, Hypnotherapy, Angel Karma Techniques, Angel Therapy, and has taught Star Talker Training classes. She is a seer and medium.

Silhouette

“Silhouette of an oak tree in early spring 2008”

Copyright March 2008 by Judith Hirst

I was flipping through some pictures and I found this picture that I’d taken in the early spring. The silhouette of the tree against the sky and the bleakness around it makes the tree seem dead. Yet, it is very active, and as one walks the path near it, the smell of sap beginning to rise fills the air.

In my musing, I realized that each of us is similar to this tree at the moment the picture was snapped. We come into this world, and we grow and learn. As people pass us by, they see the form or shape of us, a silhouette of what we look like against the background of a busy world. Yet, they fail to see who we really are. Like the poplar, our sap may be rising, but from all appearances we are not active, not productive, and not following our path.

I think about Eckhart Tolle who writes about himself sitting on a bench. He must have been a silhouette for many people that simply walked by him. How could they know what his potential was, and how much he would help shift the consciousness of millions of people around the world?

I remember a verse that someone once wrote in my autograph book. It goes like this….

Don’t worry if your jobs are small; Or if your rewards are few.

Remember that the mighty oak, was once a nut like you!

I think we are all much like the acorn. We are just starting out. It will be a while before our silhouette is big enough to contemplate. When we are ready, however, we too will change lives!

May the moments of frustration in your life lessen as the days pass and you grow more content.

May you walk in peace.

At Questers, we believe the world needs more love! Enjoy this Valentine’s Day and spread the love!

Happy Valentine’s Day 2019

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” ~ Charles M. Schulz

“He is more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” ~ Emily Bronte

“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” — Victor Hugo

“There’s no substitute for a great love who says, ‘No matter what’s wrong with you, you’re welcome at this table.'” — Tom Hanks

“I would rather spend one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone.” — Lord of The Rings

“I choose you. And I’ll choose you over and over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I’ll keep choosing you.” — Unknown

“And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make.” — Sir Paul McCartney in The End by The Beatles

Send your ideas for blog postings and your comments about different blogs to Judith at Judith-hirst@questers.ca, and I will post them on the blog.

Picture from Wild Horses of Alberta Society

When I was born, my Dad was still using horses to pull the hay rake, haul the rack of bales to the barn, and to haul feed to the cattle, especially in the winter. Horses – black, brown, and pinto have been part of my life from Day One. I may go for a long time without seeing or riding or even speaking with horses. Yet, when I need that extra strength, or when travel calls, Horse shows up.

Many people have a passion for horses. Psychologists and psychiatrists link it to the need for male sexuality or for male energy. I think this is a 20th Century concept. Horses have been around since the earliest dinosaurs, and the people had a passion for the Horse then – or they would not draw it on cave walls or create horse symbols to wear around their necks.

Horses are about freedom! The earliest myths and legends talk about flying horses, Horses that spoke with and travelled with Gods. Since Man is not able to do that, then possibly Horses were more spiritual than man. We worshiped them! In Norse, Greek, Roman, Hindu, and North American Aboriginal stories, the Horse plays a key role. When Horse befriended our ancestors, man was able to travel farther and faster. The horsepower allowed man to do more work and encouraged settlement and stabilization of tribes.

There are many legends about wild horses all over the world. It is the spirit and zest for life that draws man to the horse. And, it is that same spirit that fires man’s more brutal nature to tame the horse and beat the spirit out of it. Some men believe that the Horse should not be nobler than man. So those people who have Horse as a guide are very much like the horse – they are fiercely independent. They are intolerant of restrictions on freedom. They are hard on their partners in relationships because the person with Horse spirit needs to be free. Horse appearing may be notice that you need to travel to new territory, either geographically or in spirit. Horse does not stay where the pasture is depleted.

Horse has a strict sense of status, based on leadership abilities and survival skills. There is always a dominant stallion and a dominant mare. The Mares call the shots about grazing, water, and moving, and most often settle disputes. The Stallion is the protector and the lookout. He will often be on high ground where he may easily see what is coming up around the herd.

All horses are protective of the young and the wounded or sick. Many who are healers have Horse Medicine as horses are natural healers. It is this healing ability that has led to the creation of so many healing – riding programs. Horse is one that likes to touch. The Healer may have the gift of healing in their touch. Horse will also gather the herd together to circle the wounded one. Horse probably taught our ancestors about “healing circles”, a gathering which is quite common in spiritual communities today.

Horse communicates with the herd via a shared consciousness or the “herd mind”. If you have been experiencing difficulties in communication with your family and friends and in work relationships, Horse may be telling you to use your other senses to discern what is going on, and to “see” with a bigger picture in mind. This will make your words more win-win oriented, and less inclined to sound selfish.

Enjoy your time with Horse as your guiding Spirit Animal, and may you travel to new places!

Walk in peace.

Tagged Spirit Animal

We often have a preconceived idea of who we are. It comes from how our family treats us and how the world outside the family treats us. Soon, it becomes our identity. Many times, it is a false identity.

When people tell us who we are, or tell us what we think and what we are to do for career/life, we abdicate our own inner passions. It happens all the time. We end up being lazy about establishing our own life. And, in doing so, we do a dis-service to the Universe. The Universe helped us get here so that we could make our own mark.

This year, spend some time with yourself, and determine if you are who you want to be, or, if you are someone that others created.

Walk in peace.

When you think of all of the hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, snow and ice storms, monsoons, and volcanoes, do you feel that they are the most powerful force on Earth? Most people do. And yet, they are not continuous. They are sporadic. They take time to gather energy. Time to build to a crescendo. And, yes, they do massive destruction.

These natural forces cannot rival the power of Love. We are made to be love. Yet, we still do not understand that we can choose “love or not love”. As we listen to the media reports of events this past year, it seems that many people choose “not love”.

As you contemplate the upcoming year, think about choosing “love”. Love that is unconditional and non-judgmental. Love that is full of light and wisdom. Love that offers peace and an acceptance of things we cannot change.

Walk in peace.

We, at the Canadian Society of Questers, wish each of you the most delightful Christmas. We wish it to be full of laughter, light, amazing food, little actions that become bright memories, and moments of peace and contentment.

Have a wonderful day!

Walk in peace.

Gas station picture by Q. T. Luong

A Busy Christmas Eve

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn’t been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. He had no decorations, no tree, no lights. It was just another day to him. He didn’t hate Christmas, just couldn’t find a reason to celebrate. There were no children in his life. His wife had gone.

He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through. Instead of throwing the man out, George, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the space heater and warm up.

“Thank you, but I don’t mean to intrude,” said the stranger. “I see you’re busy. I’ll just go”

“Not without something hot in your belly,” George turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. “It ain’t much, but it’s hot and tasty. Stew. Made it myself. When you’re done there’s coffee and it’s fresh.”

Just at that moment he heard the “ding” of the driveway bell. “Excuse me, be right back,” George said.
There in the driveway was an old 53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front.

The driver was panicked. “Mister, can you help me!” said the driver with a deep Spanish accent. “My wife is with child and my car is broken.”

George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold; the car was dead. “You ain’t going in this thing,” George said as he turned away.

“But mister. Please help….”The door of the office closed behind George as he went in. George went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building and opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting.

“Here, you can borrow my truck,” he said. “She ain’t the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good.” George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. George turned and walked back inside the office.

“Glad I loaned em the truck. Their tires were shot too. That ‘ol truck has brand new tires……..” George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The thermos was on the desk, empty with a used coffee cup beside it.

“Well, at least he got something in his belly,” George thought. George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn’t cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator.

“Well, I can fix this,” he said to himself. So he put a new one on. “Those tires ain’t gonna get ’em through the winter either.” He took the snow treads off of his wife’s old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn’t going to drive the car.

As he was working he heard a shot being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, “Help me.”

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention.

“Pressure to stop the bleeding,” he thought. The laundry company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. “Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin’,” he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease. “Something for pain,” George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. “These ought to work.” He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. “You hang in there. I’m going to get you an ambulance.” George said, but the phone was dead.

“Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your police car.” He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio. He went back in to find the policeman sitting up.
“Thanks,” said the officer. “You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area.”

George sat down beside him. “I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain’t gonna leave you.” George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. “Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through ‘ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain.”

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. “How do you take it?” he asked.

“None for me,” said the officer.

“Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city.” Then George added: “Too bad I ain’t got no donuts.”

The officer laughed and winced at the same time.
The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun.

“Give me all your cash! Do it now!” the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

“That’s the guy that shot me!” exclaimed the officer.

“Son, why are you doing this?” asked George. “You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt.”

The young man was confused. “Shut up old man, or I’ll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!”

The cop was reaching for his gun. “Put that thing away,” George said to the cop. “We got one too many in here now.”

He turned his attention to the young man. “Son, it’s Christmas Eve. If you need the money, well then, here. It ain’t much but it’s all I got. Now put that pee shooter away.”

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time.

The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. “I’m not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son,” he went on. “I’ve lost my job. My rent is due. My car got repossessed last week…”

George handed the gun to the cop. “Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can.”

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. “Sometimes we do stupid things.” George handed the young man a cup of coffee. “Being stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin’ in here with a gun ain’t the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we’ll sort this thing out.”

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. “Sorry I shot you . It just went off. I’m sorry officer.”

“Shut up and drink your coffee.” the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn.

“Chuck! You ok?” one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

“Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?”

“GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?” the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, “I don’t know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran.”

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other. “That guy works here,” the wounded cop continued.

“Yep,” George said. “Just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job.”

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, “Why?”

Chuck just said, “Merry Christmas, boy. And you too, George, and thanks for everything.”

“Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems.” George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. “Here you go. Something for the little woman. I don’t think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day.”

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw.

“I can’t take this,” said the young man. “It means something to you.”

“And now it means something to you,” replied George. “I got my memories. That’s all I need.”

George reached into the box again. A toy airplane, a racing car and a little metal truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. “Here’s something for that little man of yours.”

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier. “And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that, too. Count it as part of your first week’s pay.” George said. “Now git home to your family.”

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. “I’ll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good.”

“Nope. I’m closed Christmas day,” George said. “See ya the day after.”

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. “Where’d you come from? I thought you left?”

“I have been here. I have always been here,” said the stranger. “You say you don’t celebrate Christmas. Why?”

“Well, after my wife passed away I just couldn’t see what all the bother was. Puttin’ up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin’ cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn’t the same by myself and besides I was getting a little chubby.”

The stranger put his hand on George’s shoulder. “But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor. The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will become a rich man and share his wealth with many people. That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man.”

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. “And how do you know all this?” asked the old man.

“Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again.” The stranger moved toward the door. “If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned.”

George watched as the man’s old leather jacket and his torn pants turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room. “You see, George,——- it’s My birthday …… Merry Christmas!”

*****************

This year, the Caribou have been in the news many times because of the declining herd size. Caribou are being threatened by man and oil exploration, by disease, by changing food sources, and by the constant surveillance by concerned scientists and wild life managers. This issue started about 2005, and has been growing. There are several articles a month that seem to show up for me. Then, I saw the CBC headline, below, and felt it was time to let Caribou be heard.

Canada’s caribou population disappearing at alarming rate

The National August 1, 2018 https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1290397763647

For years, creatures of the North like caribou, polar bears, Arctic foxes, wolves, seals, whales, narwhales, and walrus have popped up on my radar because of some sort of connection that we have.

I wondered what the importance of Caribou was to me at the moment. I always thought of Caribou as another “Deer”. If that was the case, then I should simply be seeing Deer. So, what is the significance of Caribou and these articles?

Caribou are slowly becoming extinct. They represented a way of life for the Inuit for hundreds of years. The stats are showing huge drops in the number of Caribou, and yet, there is nothing about finding many skeletons of Caribou in one area, showing that a mass hunting of the animal took place or that some disease wiped them out.

What immediately came to mind is “the old ways are not required anymore – the animals do not have to sacrifice themselves”. That thought made me think of the Monarch Butterfly disappearing. Perhaps the Caribou is now attuning to the next realm or realms and is slowly leaving the planet through an open portal.

Caribou is also about getting ready for new adventures. Every year, Caribou migrates to new pastures, and this happens twice per year. So, Caribou showing up may be a signal for long and wonderful journeys that will completely transform life. Caribou is also about courage – the journeys take a month or so, and the Caribou must swim very cold rivers and seas. At times, all one can see are the head and antlers. The message – keep your head above water (emotions and challenges) and simply keep going. Caribou never turns back.

If Caribou is showing up in your life, take a look at what you need to let go of, and prepare for the transformational journey!

Walk in peace.

The CHA WAKAN card – Tree of Life, #32, from The Lakota Sweat Lodge Cards by Chief Archie Fire Lame Deer and Helene Sarkis

In many traditions, the TREE OF LIFE is recognized – for all people see the tree as having roots buried deep in Mother Earth, and branches reaching up to Great Spirit, and Father Sky.

The Lakota say that the humans are like leaves – when we become a certain age, or ripeness, we leave this plane and go into the Spirit World. We die, our bodies go to the Earth, like the leaves from the tree.

The guidance on this card is one that is timely, as we move towards Christmas, a time that is very stressful for many people who either visit family or have family stay with them.

“Open your heart to all your brothers and your sisters and to all of creation, relinquishing your judgements and expectations (of yourself and others). Allow all our relations to be exactly who they are; accept all that you are.”

If you feel the need to judge or criticize someone tomorrow, stop and ask yourself – “Why does this bother me so much?” For, often what bothers us in others is what we can not deal with in ourselves. If we can identify why it bothers us, we are on the path to releasing that issue, like the tree releases the leaves. When we release something that has bothered us for ages, we feel a deep stillness and peace. The Shaman says that one must continually work on themselves– if you believe that you have dealt with an issue and yet you remember it, then the issue is not solved. Work towards Oneness and Peace!

Be compassionate…

Send me your comments Judith-hirst@questers.com

Thanksgiving is a time of remembering all of the good things that have happened through out the year, and then offering gratitude for all of the blessings.

For many, it is a time of sharing food and comfort. For others, it is about the camaraderie of watching football with family and friends, and sharing food and drink. For others, it is the thrill of gathering.. it does not matter what for.

Our ways of celebrating are as unique as each of us. We are all blessed to be able to celebrate however we choose to celebrate and with who ever we want to be with.

Grateful, grateful, grateful!

Walk in peace.

Heart Centred

A Morning Prayer for All

A Sunrise Prayer

To Be Filled With Joy!

Our Expectations Cause Problems

Why Do We Hurry?

Spring Equinox 2019

A Line In The Sand or Co-creation?

A Line In The Sand or Co-creation?

Silhouette

Silhouette

Happy Valentine’s Day 2019

Happy Valentine’s Day 2019

Working on Who You Are

Energy – Love Force

Merry Christmas 2018!

Ancestors Speak – Tree of Life