I have learned many lessons from people from all cultures, and I never know where the guidance and wisdom will come from – sometimes from the most unlikely sources.  We all have to walk that lonely walk around the wheel to first complete our own wholeness.  My Native American teachers as well as other wise ones have advised me to take the best and leave the rest,  stay in my heart, and the spirits will be there.    Continue reading ““You Have To Do It By Yourself, And You Can’t Do It Alone””

My 76th birthday was Friday.  I sensed that Mandi was planning a surprise, but had no more information.  She asked me to drive to West Linn, a suburb of Portland to a “restaurant”, and gave me an address, so I googled the address and it was a large structure with no signs.  As we entered, I could hear a drum and singing from above. Continue reading “Opening to recieve”

Our drums have few if any knots.  I cut one continuous strand of lacing and finish off my drums with loops and passing the end of my lacing through the loops, pulling tight to finish off the drum.  Drums can teach us so much if we learn to work with the spirit of that animal and tree.  The western mind isn’t trained in those ways, and how to approach the drum as your teacher, you as a student with an empty cup.  I love making drums.  In indigenous perceptions and cosmology, every thing is connected with everything else and your pain is my pain as your joy is my joy.  We are all shards of glass from the broken mirror, and spend our lives attempting to put the mirror back together again.  Most every spiritual teachers I have known are very humble people. Continue reading “Ease and Grace”

Who are you?  Where are you going?  Who are you going with? — Sam Keen

Many of us have books that have inspired us, taught us or are just like good friends.  I have so many books that have touched my life, the quote above being from “Fire in the Belly”, a book I read when I was working on my father issues, and set an intention to learn how to be a good friend and to have good friends of both sexes, but specifically other men.  I pondered those questions of who was I, where was I going and who was I going with, and that helped me so much in healing my “competition” addictions, and learn how to love my brothers.  The brotherly love is so important to me, and I am grateful I have a few of these precious people in my life.
As I grow older and approach the “forth ridge of life” the unborn and newborn – gold gate, I begin to search within for what is of deep value to me. Continue reading “Who Are You? Where Are You Going?”

To the question of your life, you are the answer, and to the problems of your life, you are the solution.”  —  Joe Cordare

Jasmine and I picked Mandi Sunday evening from her trip to London, and she had a good visit with her children and grandchildren.  I certainly have missed her, as I have been the chief cook and bottle washer around here.  it is wonderful to have her back from England!  Thank you Joanna, Bob and Martha and Ted and to all who have helped me through my severe neck pain and offered help while Mandi was away! Continue reading “Shamanic Journeying”

“One’s own self is well hidden from one’s own self.
Of all mines of treasure, one’s own is the last to be dug up” — Nietzsche

We are coming up to the Spring Equinox, and I have been recovering form a severe pain in my neck, which has forced me to slow down.  I joked in my meditation group Sunday night that my pain in the neck (Jasmine) was meeting me here at 6:30, as if my pain were created by Jasmine.  Pain is a signal, so rather than smashing the pain with “pain killers”, I listened to the voices in my own head, and was able to detach from the committee, and focus back on my breath, and still my “mad monkey” mind.   Today my range of movement is expanded. Continue reading “Spring Equinox”

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly.”
~ Langston Hughes

I once heard that your vision has to be bigger than you are. When we ease our television time and focus as the eagle on our own visions, the ascension happens. As we move toward the light of the Spring Equinox, we honor the direction of the eagle in the east. The story of the firebird is told in many cultures – the great bird that all other birds see as creator. Continue reading “Hold Fast to Dreams”

“We gather together to ask the lords blessings.”  Old baptist hymn

A lot of my fellow 12 step travelers on the happy road to destiny come to embody the wisdom taught by the simple laws of confession, restitution and service.  In preparing for Spring Equinox ceremony, it is good to go within for soul searching and do an honest appraisal of our strengths and weaknesses, and do the reparation work of listing  all of the people who we have harmed (beginning with me) and became willing to make amends. Notice daily our mind talk and to correct our course when off course.  I aspire to live in a way that does not create new wreckage.  Restitution is for the soul, and restores us to sanity or balance.  This is walking my talk. Continue reading “The Happy Road to Destiny”