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MONDAY’S POEM: Karma
Through the past few posts I have written of my travels to Wisconsin for the annual “homecoming” pagent in my home-town of Blanchardville. All experiences have their lessons. All paths and destinies are driven by karma. With my experience of traveling back to the family farm of my youth still fresh, I reflect some of my musings in the following:
Karma
There’s always more to burn:
Fuel to feed the great fire.
Travels through life in the mire
Lead to more lessons to learn.
Brothers of three generations
Differ in extraordinary ways.
Their life-paths twist through a maze;
Destinies driven by their limitations.
Karma is complex to unwind;
The source is a tangle of lives.
The weaving together of so many tribes
Forms a patchwork, one of a kind.
When love is the thread for the stitches,
The patterns emerge in fine hues.
The patchwork of reds, purples, blues
Renders a tapestry depicting life’s riches.
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
PS: If you are in the Annapolis, Maryland area, I am beginning a new series of Qigong classes next Monday, October 7. Check details here.
An Appreciation of Goddesses
I have noticed I am not writing about The Goddess much lately. I have to get back to the reason for this blog; for men to get in touch with The Goddess!
I offer you three stories from the last few days:
Story 1: I met my youngest niece for the first time this week. My youngest brother had a daughter last year. I hadn’t been back to Wisconsin, where they live, until my return for “homecoming” (as I’ve written extensively about these past few posts). She is now about a year and a half and every bit a Bredeson! She is cute, precocious, both shy and full of energy and life. It was a joy to meet her!
And I learned from her, this young goddess with all the makings of a beautiful Venus. She taught me the joys of innocence; her smile was brilliant and unaffected. She taught me about simple pleasures; picking grass and examining it with intense curiosity. She taught me to play; her relaxed approach was filled with fun and laughter. As I think of her now I smile recalling her initial reticence and her final warm hug and kiss for Uncle Rich.
Story 2: I returned from Wisconsin to an empty house. Rosemary was off to a conference/retreat in Baltimore. While I had another “goddess” to keep me company, Tara, our Lhasa Apso, my human goddess didn’t return until Wednesday evening. And when she did I experienced a new radiance and a bright smile that I had missed while away. She was full of light from the conference, brimming with ideas and a renewed enthusiasm for the work we share. There was more to this than just a short absence and a week’s separation. There was a glow, a lightness of being that I was delighted to reconnect with. My goddess was not only home again, but revved up and ready.
Story 3: Rosemary and I attended a concert last evening. The Mediaeval Baebes are in Maryland for the Renaissance Festival this weekend. As a special treat they appeared in concert in Annapolis Thursday evening. We have been fans of this group from London for a number of years and make an extra effort to see them when they are near.
These six women have voices of goddesses! They sing incredible, originally arranged and orchestrated, carefully researched songs from the ages. They are a truly gifted group; their songs run the range from deeply spiritual to the highly sensual. They are fun, witty, exuberant and talented. They are not only “baebes” they are goddesses!
Three stories, three encounters with goddesses. I am truly blessed! I offer these stories as both reminder and enjoinder: look for the goddesses in your life and honor them. They are beautiful, loving, kind, compassionate, brilliant and strong. They deserve your attention and your affection! The Divine Feminine is truly coming into her power as we move deeper into Aquarius.
And don’t forget about your Inner Goddess. Nurture Her!
What’s the Message? – Richard’s Commentary
As if to emphasize both Rosemary’s and my recent posts, The Divine Feminine offer a message urging us to look for the messages!
One of the take-aways I have is there are messages available to us in everything; everything we see, hear, say, feel, think, even in what we write! Rosemary channels The Divine Feminine and she writes it down as it comes. I write myMorning Pages as part of my practice; and sometimes they write themselves with little or no conscious control on my part. These too are signs and messages we need to attend to.
And sometimes these messages are hard to take; sometimes we would rather ignore them than absorb and act on them! The Divine Feminine say this about that:
Sometimes the messages are blatant and are held in your face so that you cannot miss them. At other times the messages are subtle and might be repeated many times before you realize that they are, indeed, messages for you to interpret. When you are aware that there are messages available constantly you can notice the many forms in which they come to you.
Whether the messages are blatant and we ignore them or subtle and we miss them they will be repeated! We are here to get the messages and to act on them. This is transformation.
In my previous two posts last Thursday and Friday I wrote about “home” as in homecoming and my family farm in Wisconsin. I was hit by blatant messages every moment of my trip there last week. And I got the message! The home farm has been transformed by my two brothers who still live there. Of course this is their right; I gave up all physical and fiscal ties to the farm when our mother passed over five years ago. But until this past week there was a vestige of home for me there, residing in my heart. That was my boyhood heart. But experiencing the transformation of the farm well beyond what I remember growing up has had a profound effect on me.
I have experienced my memories of the home farm has a kind of longing; there seemed to be a rather small but significant empty corner in my heart reserved for the wonderful times I had there as a kid. Perhaps I held on to that emptiness so I could fill it, replenish it when I returned there. But this trip “home” there was nothing to fill; and I quickly realized there was no emptiness to fill either. There was no subtlety to this message. And there is no need to repeat it.
I am so grateful I not only received this message but got it. I am “home” now; I’m back in Maryland with my wife, my dog and my stuff. And I am complete! I left no part of me in Wisconsin and there is no hole in my heart for anything I may have once thought I left there. It is all transformed; all for the better!
Sometimes the messages are blatant and sometimes subtle; they are always there. And they keep coming at us until we “get it.” When we do get it and act on the messages there is a sense of freedom and expansion that is wonderful.
Are the messages you receive blatant or subtle? Do you act on the blatant ones and work to interpret the subtle ones? They will keep coming until you do; and then new ones will follow! It’s part of life.
ROSEMARY’S EXPLORATION: What’s the Message?
From The Divine Feminine:
“Dear Ones,
Help is here! We are working with your personal angels and guides to get your attention so that you can accelerate your personal growth in these turbulent times. Pay attention.
Sometimes the messages are blatant and are held in your face so that you cannot miss them. At other times the messages are subtle and might be repeated many times before you realize that they are, indeed, messages for you to interpret. When you are aware that there are messages available constantly you can notice the many forms in which they come to you.
The form is not as important as the content of the message, for humanity is beyond the point where the form of communication matters. It is much more important that, for the evolving consciousness of the human race, you learn what is the next lesson in your own personal syllabus and continue on your path of growth.
This is not the time to compare yourself to others on the path. Each individual is responsible for their own personal growth and the pace at which that growth is occurring. If you feel that you are not growing as rapidly as you wish, you are in total control of your growth. If you feel that the lessons are coming toward you too rapidly, then ask yourself why the Universe believes that you are ready for these lessons and you do not have the same confidence.
Planet Earth has no time to wait. All who have chosen to be alive in this moment of history have a role to play in the evolving consciousness and in the evolution of the Planet. While you may think that your personal growth is yours alone, that is not true. It is your responsibility and that responsibility extends to all of those around you.
This is why it is so important that you watch for signs, for messages that will guide you in your growth. Does a book fall off the shelf in front of you? Do you keep hearing a particular song? Are you seeing the same numbers or words showing up?
There are many ways that the messages can appear and, when you are open, you will recognize their meaning for you. If you are seeking and not finding, then ask for help from a trusted confidant or counselor. The messages are in front of you. There is no need to work too hard to find them. Relax and look around you. Be aware. Be conscious. Invite your angels and guides to speak to you.
Keep a journal of your dreams and your experiences. Notice patterns. Meditate and remain open to recognizing the signals that there is something important for you to receive. Pay attention to the different ways that signs appear to you.
It is not enough to get the messages and to recognize the meanings. You must also take action on the guidance you receive. Now is not the time to hide!
Be a carrier of information. As you learn, share what you have learned, even if it is just with one person. Connect. The Universe will bring you the connections that are necessary to the growth of all who are evolving.
Remember that your Soul chose to be on the Planet and a part of this moment in human evolution. Rejoice in the part that you are playing.
Be constantly asking yourself, ‘What is the message?’
And so it is.”
— Rosemary’s note: We live in exciting times. Participate FULLY!!!!
PS: Are you seeing patterns in your life but not sure what they mean? Do you receive signs and messages you want to interpret? Do you need help with your next step on your personal growth path? Apply for a FREE Discovery Session with Rosemary to explore your signs and messages! Apply Here
ROSEMARY’S INSPIRATION: What Crops Up Over & Over?
Here is Rosemary’s “Two-Minute” video for the week: What Crops Up Over & Over?
PS: Are you seeing patterns in your life but not sure what they mean? Do you receive signs and messages you need help with? Apply for a FREE Discovery Session with Rosemary to get help with the hidden messages for your life! Apply Here
MONDAY’S POEM: Balance
During this time of the Autumnal Equinox it is good to look for balance in our lives. I published this poem before, during another equinox. But it continues to speak to me and I hope it helps bring balance to your life during this time of equal light and dark. And the last line of this poem is fully in harmony with my last couple of blogs about “home” and “sense of place.”
Balance
Breathe in freshness,
The power of life in the Universe.
Breathe out love,
The acceptance of All in the Universe.
Consume deliciousness,
Every dish alive with energy.
Purge the waste without grief;
It is a meal for another.
Bring into the Universe all of You;
Your unique gifts are essential.
Let go of everything that is not yours;
There are others ready to serve.
Live your Life Purpose;
Your karmic journey is open.
Die as a Natural Human,
Fully embracing your sense of place.
©2013 Richard W. Bredeson. All rights reserved.
Harvest Full Moon, Autumnal Equinox, Homecoming and More
As I wrote in yesterday’s post I am visiting my brothers on the family farm in Wisconsin. I was here for yesterday’s full moon; it was huge and bright here as only it can be in the countryside where it still gets much darker at night than what I usually experience on the east coast. Here is where I got part of my starry-eyed wanderlust when I was a kid looking up at the brilliant night sky, the dense and bright Milky Way streaking overhead and the astounding constellations of the Wheel revolving through the seasons. I was thrilled to see the aurora borealis occasionally in the cold winter nights. And I always loved the rising of Sirius around the time of my birthday. The sky part of being back here hasn’t changed over the years; I can still come back to that.
To celebrate the Full Moon we were out in my brother’s garden bringing in a pail full of green beans, a few remaining peas, an awesome head of cauliflower and some still sweat lettuce coming back after welcome rain. So we did our harvesting for the day and are now enjoying the bounty.
And I’ll be here for the Equinox on Sunday – equal parts night and day. This will be a time for reflecting on balance. And it is good to be here in the place I grew up to ponder the balance in my life: the maturing urbanite and the farm-boy, the world traveler and the small-town bumpkin, the spiritual seeker with the grounded and earthy dirt-farmer son. It is always a good thing to look for balance, not just at equinoxes, but all through the year. Balance begins with inner reflection; the inner is always reflected outwardly. Outer signs of balance, like Sunday’s Equinox, are there to remind us to go inside to find the balance.
I must admit I am somewhat unbalanced by this visit to the family farm; as I wrote yesterday I have discovered it is no longer “home” for me; not even a little bit. I continue to reconcile, or balance, this finding for myself. I think I will be doing some grounding work when I get back to Maryland; the grounding that may have been a vestige of my youth here in Wisconsin needs to be transplanted once and for all. Or maybe it just needs to be replanted in my heart as the physical grounding to place recedes as an important element in my life.
Sandwiched between Full Moon and Equinox is my 50th High School reunion! I will be joining my former classmates for a dinner tonight. Will I recognize anyone? Yesterday my brother and I had breakfast in the hometown café; a couple was also in the restaurant; I knew I knew them but could not place faces with names. The wife recognized me not by my looks but by my voice! And I thought I had worked so hard to neutralize my Wisconsin accent! Betty Lou, three years my senior, looks much the same as when we rode the school bus together the seven miles into town. But recalling names is quite another matter. I hope they give us nametags so I’m not guessing wrong!
Saturday is the big Homecoming event: parade (my class will have a float of some kind since we are one of the honored classes), football (one of my nephews will play) and the evening “banquet” (I put this in quotes because it is probably not what you think; substitute glasses of milk for a fine offering of wine and you’ll get the picture!)
I’ll spend Sunday visiting and catching up with family. I fly home on Monday to get back to routines, qigong classes and a re-balancing. And I’ll take a piece of my old “home” with me in my heart.
Where do you call home? Do you attend school reunions? How do you balance all the experiences of “home” with your life now? Take a peak inside for the answers.
Please enjoy!
