Rise Higher! With Angels And Ancestors

Finding Angels

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:47:43 GMT

Ever felt an angel's breath in the gentle breeze? A teardrop in the falling rain? Hear a whisper amongst the rustle of leaves? Or been kissed by a lone snowflake? Nature is an angel's favorite hiding place.

~Carrie Latet

One of my clients was sitting in our session the other day, and she said, "All my life I have wanted to see an angel. I believe in them, but I have yet to see one!"

The thought struck me that so often we do not see what we are looking for because we have a set notion of what the object (picture, situation, furniture, clothing, etc) should look like. We therefore tend to ignore the items that are actually what we need, because we ignore them in the search for the "absolute".

Have you heard that our mind stores the images of what we see with our eyes? If we have never seen something before, then an image does not jump into our brain and resonate with a label. Yes, we all like to label things. The point is, if we have not seen it before, we do not recognize the item. There is a story that the Conquistadors were so successful in conquering the natives because the natives did not recognize the ships and soldiers for what they were. So, they welcomed them. Only a shaman was able to recognize the truth of the Conquistadors because he had been given their picture in dream time, and had been given an understanding of what it meant.

I loved the quotation at the beginning of this article because it suggests that so often we do not recognize the angels or their gifts, because we do not expect the action. The other thought that strikes me about this quotation is that it shows the link between The Divine and nature, and how we sometimes will call rain exactly for the label that we put on it, instead of looking for the teardrops of joy or sadness, as the case may be, in the falling of moisture.

I wish you angels in your life.

Miracles be with you!

Judy

www.angelsandancestors.com

I Love My Garden

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:02:01 GMT

"Chives in full bloom.”

© June 2008 Judith Hirst-Joyeux

In 2004, Roger and I decided that we would create a garden in our back yard, and that we would grow some of our own vegetables. The first dig of the ground was tough! We bought this fairly large rotor tiller to use to dig up the ground. Being from a farming background in Manitoba where we had a light soil, I though that digging the garden would be easy. Was I ever wrong!

I was not prepared for the river clay and stone base that was just beneath the thin layer of topsoil in the garden area. Being stubborn though, I hung on to the rotor tiller for dear life, and kept breaking up the ground. I had new found respect for our ancestors who tilled their land with hoe and sometimes horse and plough. Roger kept cheerleading from the deck that he was building, telling me that I was doing a great job. He needed to keep on hammering and sawing because it was June and we were expecting about forty or so guests in the next two weeks.

It took me three rounds of tilling to get the soil anywhere close to being in a condition to plant. I was shaking by the end of the second round and needed to postpone the third round until the next day. I did round three and decided that our soil needed some help. I added some bags of rich dirt and some peat, and tilled again. Then, because this was the first year, I planted mostly potatoes - to break up the soil- and some staples like lettuce and onions.

Since that first garden, we have experimented and added and dug out all sorts of herbs and flowers. The vegetables have been constant, and in some cases, now that we are in year five, have begun to self seed and cause interesting growth patterns in our garden. For example, this year we have spinach in the oddest places - in the carrots and around some tomato plants.

The one herb that has always done brilliantly (as one of our friends from the UK would say) in our garden, is the chive plant. I love the chives! They are green and purple - full of vitality. The chive is really a small onion, and it adds so much flavour to salad, soups, stews, eggs, casseroles, chicken, roasts, and potatoes. A baked potato without sour cream and chives is lonely!

Our chives are the first plant to come up every spring, and they are now in full bloom as you can see from the picture. We don't grow them just for looks, however. The chives do keep some of the nastier insects out the garden, and at the same time, the purple flower attracts bees that pollinate the other plants. Chives are also a herbal remedy that may be used to treat colds. Dried chives are made into an infusion and the cold sufferer drinks it one cup three times daily.

I love the colouring of chives. The green is for healing, and for the heart chakra, and the purple or violet is for the crown chakra. In keeping with our Angels And Ancestors mantra, it is a plant that does "Rise Higher".

I love my garden! May you be blessed with happy gardening.

Judy

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There is no where to go but up!

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:48:06 GMT

"There is no where to go but up!"

Some days, life seems to get you down - clients cancel, your energy is low, and the weeds need pulling. We all have these days. When ever I have these days, I find that going outside, even doing yard work, changes my mood. As my mood rises, my perspective changes, because I can move out of the story, and stand back and look at what is really going on.

And so, last week, I went outside to change my perspective. I went to the green house to water my flowers and trees, and yes, to pull a few weeds in the garden. When I rounded the corner of the greenhouse, I saw green growing up around the poplar logs that were stacked against the wall. Because I glanced at them, I actually thought I saw weeds growing. (Yes, we see what is on our mind!) I ignored them for the moment and went into the garden and began pulling grass and weeds out of the spinach. I dumped the weeds in my pail, and when I looked up, I got a really good look at what was happening around the logs. The picture says it all. The logs, with out any dirt or water, were sprouting. And, they were sprouting in several places! I found this amazing! So I got my camera and snapped the picture.

In previous writings, you may remember me saying that when Spirit wants to get your attention, it will resort to any means to get the message across. Here I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself even though I will be the first to admit that I have a very wonderful life, and that Roger and I are blessed. Spirit, however, wanted to make sure I got the message so it put these miraculous little plants in front of me.

And Spirit was saying, "You think your life is tough? Look at these sprouts that are my children! The parent was cut down and sawed up. The wood has been lugged all over. And you have stacked it up to burn. It has been snowed on, rained on, and your dogs have dragged some of the logs all over the lawn and chewed on them! They have no dirt for food. They have only the moisture from the rain. And yet, look how they shine! They could start out and say that life is too tough. However, they grow on. They know the only way to go is up!"

Okay, I felt properly chastised. And, I also marvelled at the tenacity of an organism's life force. These logs were cut last fall by the City when they cut down diseased or damaged trees along a major street in Deer Run, the area that we live in. The logs had sat there almost eight months, and nothing happened. And then suddenly, the cellular blueprint in the poplar logs activated, and the tree began to grow again, in multiple replications of itself. What a demonstration of the will to live! The growth is beautiful and touching. How could someone fail to see the beauty here? How could you not help them?

These logs now have a temporary home, dug into our garden, until we decide what part of the yard they should be planted in. And, yes. I did feel a hundred percent better after seeing the logs. I realize that at any time in my life, the only way I have to go is up!

Rise higher!

Judy ( judy@angelsandancestors.com)

Spirit Stag

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:30:41 GMT

This picture was forwarded in an email, and the properties on the picture say "Rare White Stag Scotland".

"My heart's in the
Highlands, My heart is
not here,
My heart's in the
Highlands a chasing
the deer."

ROBERT BURNS

When I look at this picture, I am in awe that this young deer looks so perfect! It feels like there is a mysticism at work in where the stag appears and how he seems to be looking out wards. Note that he does not look towards the photographer.

I was reading about the meanings of colour. I read that white is thought to represent light, goodness, purity and perfection. The colour white also suggests faith and purity of spirit.

If the meaning of the colour is true, then it follows that the white stag has a very real message to bring to everyone. What is he trying to say? He looks perfectly at home in the rough, rocky ground. Perhaps his message is to look beyond the tough going, for it will be better. Or, perhaps his message is simply "Have faith! Life is getting better."

The picture makes me think of the Irish myth about Finn mac Cumhail. He is said to have led a band of warrior called the Fianna. The story goes that he and his band cornered a beautiful white deer, which his hounds then refused to kill. That night Finn was visited by the goddess Sadb, who explained that a spell had turned her into the deer Finn had chased, a spell from which his love could release her. Though they became lovers, the magician who cast the spell reclaimed Sadb when Finn was away repelling a Viking raid on Dublin, and though the Fianna searched the land, Sadb could not be found.

While I realize that this story is Irish and the picture is Scottish, I connect the two because of the rarity of the white animal - deer. Many believe that a white deer is a messenger from the Divine. Or that the white deer intercedes when there is danger (shades of Harry Potter!). In all the stories of meetings with white animals, one thing is clear - when a white stag or any other animal crosses one's path, that person is in for big changes. Since this picture appeared in my email, I have had BIG changes in my life, and this appeared just weeks ago.

Perhaps the legends are true after all!

May your guidance be clear and your journey be merry!

Judy (email us at info@www.angelsandancestors.com)

Everyone Needs A Cheerleader!

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:12:42 GMT

The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in himself against odds, and

sometimes he needs somebody, his pal or his mother or his wife or God, to give him

that confidence.

—Clark Gable

Image from Microsoft Clipart

This quote by Clark Gable is a great reminder to us, to tell people when they do something "good". Many of us grew up in a culture where praise was not practised, and where criticism was the norm. I hear so many of my clients talk about the scorn heaped upon them by mother, father, teacher, older sibling, or even grandparents. The whole "you have got to do better" mentality, it seems, was created in an era when children went out to work and even marry in their early teens. Most of them did not complete school much past grades eight to ten, and where those with low self esteem verbally "beat up" others to make themselves feel superior.

Even the dictionary recognizes the multiple interpretations of criticism. The following definition comes from http://www.yourdictionary.com/criticism. Note that the third meaning is "the act of finding fault".

criticism Definition criti·cism (krit′? siz′?m) noun

the act of making judgments; analysis of qualities and evaluation of comparative worth; esp., the critical consideration and judgment of literary or artistic work
a comment, review, article, etc. expressing such analysis and judgment
the act of finding fault; censure; disapproval
the art, principles, or methods of a critic or critics
the scientific or scholarly investigation of texts or documents to discover their origin, history, or original form

Our society as a whole, does a really good job of finding fault. In fact, if we don't have someone or something to blame or to find fault with, in any given circumstance, we seem paralyzed and unsure how to continue.

Could you be a good cheerleader? Could you go around finding all the neat things that your child, spouse, co-worker or neighbours are doing, or have done? Do you have what it takes to instill confidence in someone? Since we are on some self analysis, let's ask these questions. How do you go about telling someone, especially a child, spouse, co-worker or neighbour, that they haven't done a particularly good job of something and yet give them the confidence to keep working at it? Are you doing a good "job" of helping those around you stand in their power?

Looking at Gable's quote, I realized how lucky I have been in my life. I have learned much about cheerleading from my sisters and my brothers. Each time I have taken a new step, regardless of how risky it seemed, my siblings were the first to call me and cheer me on. In turn, as the oldest, I work at "being there" to support them, and listen supportively to their journeys, as they have listened to me. I love that they will say, "You can do this! How can I help?" Having cheerleaders makes each new task or venture that much easier to tackle.

My friends are also some of the best cheerleaders that I know. Again, they are supportive and will come up with questions starting with "Have you thought about...?" Once we have discussed the issue, and the odds, they too are quickly ready to support me and offer help.

The head cheerleader for all that I do is my husband, Roger. He tries to make everything flow more easily, and he is quick to compliment!

I realize that with all the new businesses that I have started and all the tough jobs that I have taken on, there is one truth. People with cheerleaders are well equipped to tackle anything!

I wish you many cheerleaders in your life.

Namaste,

Judy

(www.angelsandancestors.com)

Chickadee Visit

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 18:34:07 GMT

“A Chickadee Visit”

Used with permission.

Every morning, and sometimes in the evening, the dogs and I walk in the provincial park along the Bow River. When we walk on weekends and evenings, my husband Roger joins us. And, if we are blessed, we are also joined by one of the wild ones. In this picture, the black capped chickadee came to talk to us. The time is early fall, and there is a flock of about twenty chickadees that hang around one bushed area of the park. Through the fall and winter, when they see me coming with the dogs, they fly around us and around my head and will sometimes land on my shoulders. If you have heard the song of the chickadee, you will understand that it becomes quite complex. By December, I was pretty sure that they were saying, "Here comes she!" and not "chick-a-dee-dee-dee!".

When a wild animal recognizes you and pays attention to you, there is an expectancy that you will listen to them, and to keep the balance, provide something for them. Sometimes I take them the black seeds they love so much. However, many times, they don't eat the seeds; they just like to sit on my hand and "talk". We have learned so much fear in dealing with "wild" animals. It is interesting to me that we call them wild because they don't live with us. They live in a different environment, close to and part of nature. They happily share their knowledge with us, if we ask, and if we show respect.

The information that the chickadees bring to me include:

1. asking me to see with my innate knowledge of all things, instead of with my westernized logical mind. The chickadee's black cap is a reminder of the higher wisdom available to us.

2. showing me the truth about whatever has been on my mind during my walk that day. It the chickadee that brought me the message about teaching people how to clear their karma, and why we need to clear karma now.

3. reminding me to keep all things in balance - work, play, body, mind - and of course the chakras. Chickadee incorporates some of the chakra colors. The black on the chickadee represents the black/red of the first chakra. Part of one's balance is about being grounded, something that I work on to balance my meditations.

I love the chickadee's cheerful greeting. Even if I meet no other humans, I am acknowledged as being part of the woods, and the All. There is great comfort in the feeling of belonging.

May you have a chickadee visit, and may it bless you!

Judith

Visit Judith and Roger at their website, www.angelsandancestors.com. Drop them a note at info@angelsandancestors.com.

When Great Spirit Talks Through Deer

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:54:15 GMT

"A deer on the path at night!"

More and more, people are sharing with me the very strange encounters they seem to be having with animals - both domestic and wild animals. They are puzzled about the incident, and because the actions seem so strange, they roll the story over and over in their mind. Still, the person doses not get any satisfaction from trying to interpret the incident and feels slightly frustrated that "this big event" happened and they don't know why.

We human beings have lost our close connection with nature in general, and therefore, have lost our understanding of the language of animals and birds, and even the plants and trees and rocks that we may encounter. The language is both verbal and action or body behaviour specific.

In the picture above, the deer stepped out onto the path, in the fall, at about 9:30pm at night. Roger and I were both rather startled because she showed very little concern and just ambled in front of us, allowing Roger to snap a great picture of her. Since deer are usually quite timid and flighty, and because she looked at us quite pointedly from time to time, we knew she was trying to tell us something. Even though she looked ordinary, it was clear that she was not an ordinary deer! Deer have an acute sense of hearing and will hear noises half a mile away. This deer did not need to be on our path.

So, what was she trying to share with us? Deer have an ability to see very clearly in dusk and darkness, the times that they are the most vulnerable. Shaman believe that this gives the deer the ability to see the deeper meaning of life around them, and understand the symbology of the events around them. Well, that means that the message that she is showing us is about several things. We see her message as being:

1. Look more closely at the items that cross your path, for they have a deeper meaning than the surface message would appear. (Talk about symbology! In fact, the second level that shaman work with in a situation, after dealing with the physical, is the "symbol". Perhaps she was trying to communicate that to me since I was getting more and more activity in my Shamanic practise.)

2. When one walks an unknown path, there is truly nothing to fear. As deer hears and sees, she counsels us to tap more deeply in to our clairaudient and clairvoyant abilities to discern what is real and what is illusion. The illusion coupled with our fear makes all events much more dramatic and drains our energy.

3. Deer are universally regarded as beings of peace. How clearly deer was demonstrating to us that one can walk through life peacefully, regardless of what is on the path ahead of you! She also demonstrated that one may interact with others that are unknown, and have an uplifting experience.

We came away from this encounter marvelling at the beauty of the experience. I had a feeling of awe and contentment that was Roger's feeling as well. We both realized that Great Spirit had stepped into speak with us using one of the most gentle creatures that walks Mother Earth. We had received a blessing.

We wish you many wonderful animal encounters that will uplift your spirit and make your heart sing.

Namaste,

Judy and Roger

(See our July newsletter at July Tidings of Interest)

Summer Solstice June 20 2008

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:25:37 GMT

Picture copyright Roger Joyeux, used with permission.

This year, the summer solstice arrives at precisely 23:59 UTC on June 20, 2008. UTC is Universal Coordinated Time (reference Wikipedia and United States Naval Observatory.) In Calgary , then, solstice happens at 17:59pm or 6:00pm. Summer solstice is the time of the Earth Mother Goddess handing the cycle of the year to the Sky Sun God - Helios (or Ra). In the summer cycle, the God provides sun and rain to nourish the crops, and the Goddess rests, preparing for harvest in the fall. This is a time to let go of something that you have tried to control, and give it to the Goddess and God. It is also time to set an intention, and offer a service for the granting of the intention. It is also an auspicious time to declare your love for someone else.

At our summer solstice celebration, we celebrate Solstice using a Standing Stones Ceremony. The ceremony allows participants to each have an opportunity to let go of something and throw it in the fire. There will be a round for each person to set an intention and offer a "service". The service may be either service in some capacity or a blessing/prayer for someone needing support. Participants bring special objects and the knowing of what they want to give up and what they want to intend. Throwing sage or tobacco in the fire to strengthens the intention.

Karen Bishop of "What's Up On Planet Earth" has some interesting comments about the summer solstice. I am quoting from her June alert.

"Yes, we are now experiencing a brief period of peace, perhaps manifesting as exhaustion in some, fatigue, feeling drained or even spacey and lost, wanting rest and sleep for awhile, but all in readiness for the summer solstice.

And what a solstice it will be! This will be one of the most dramatic and intense solstices I have ever experienced. The earth will crack open energetically, releasing intense and highly vibrating energies which have been hidden for eons of time, and much will be revealed as we are catapulted into a very new energetic space as a planet where we have not been for a very long time.

The lightbearers needed to pull out in order to allow for more of the fall. We needed to be in a different space than what will be falling with even more intensity than what we have currently experienced up until now. We are not supposed to be holding anything up....much must go.

The unity consciousness is not taking hold as easily as it could. Many on the planet are not letting go as they could. In this regard, a more shaking up will be needed, and this will arrive with the summer solstice. We are being held back in order to be safe and secure. And after even more shaking up and digging deep, more individuals will hopefully be ready for the help and guidance the lightbearers can provide. They must be left alone with complete non-interference from us in order for them to find their own way, to be willing to allow for something new, to examine themselves and what is no longer working, to finally realize what is truly important to them, and to then be ready for a very new connection."

I wish everyone a very wonderful and clearing solstice! So mote it be.

Judy

See the June newsletter at Angels And Ancestors June Newsletter

What Have I Done?

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 23:22:42 GMT

Sometimes a sentence catches you - and won't let go. A quote by Michael Michalko who wrote THINKING LIKE A GENIUS: Eight strategies used by the super creative, from Aristotle and Leonardo to Einstein and Edison is one such quote. He said, " Do not ask the question "Why have I failed?", but rather "What have I done?" ". The concept is so simple it becomes brilliant.

All of our training has been about not failing, and if we have not performed as others expect us to perform - we are judged! We are judged as having failed, or as failures. What does this mean? It means that we have not failed! In fact we have done something that the other person could not do, and in some cases, would not even attempt. How is it then that they could pass judgement on us as failing.

The sad part of the whole scenario is that you and I have bought in to this. This is what we learned. So, we do not celebrate our achievements. Instead, we pass judgement on them as though there is a special rating system for each activity that we do.

We need to change the way we think. We are unique; each of us is unique. Therefore, anything that we do is going to be different than the way others may perform a task. How we perform it does not mean it is wrong. Does a silver or bronze medallion winner at the Olympics go around saying that they have failed because they did not win the gold medal? Of course not! They have achieved a feat that only the person winning the medal ranking higher has been able to achieve. And, they achieved it at the same time. How can anyone dispute their success?

So the next time the task that you are working through does not go according to plan. Step back. Look at the steps and say, "What have I just achieved?" As the Law of Attraction says, focus on the positive. The results will come.

Have a brilliant time achieving!

Spirit Guide - Fairy Or Blue Penguin

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:47:01 GMT

This picture comes from Wikipedia from the Adelaide Zoo files.

I am writing this discussion of the Fairy Penguin as a spirit guide in response to a post from Anonymous which appeared on the blog on Spirit Guide - Penguin from March 6, 2008. Anonymous, thank you for writing such a great description of how Fairy Penguin appeared to you and for asking for some guidance about this appearance of a somewhat unique guide in your life. As you did not leave an email address, I was not able to respond directly to you. For those of you who wish to see the post, see https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=8315732063040319391&postID=6502386123181784848.

What I have learned is that when a spirit guide pops up in your life, it is there to help you focus on what is happening and what will be happening for the next week or two. To begin this blog, I needed to look up a picture of a Fairy Penguin because I do not know much about this animal. As you can see from the picture, the Fairy Penguin has beautiful colouring that reflects the message that it may bring to people. Some may call the feather colour blue, and others will call it indigo. Whichever, the colour blue is associated with our throat chakra while the colour indigo is associated with the third eye or brow chakra. So, what is the message in the colour blue? Fairy Penguin is telling you to speak the truth, or your truth which may be the same thing, depending on the circumstances.

This thought brings to mind the book, "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz. In his book, Ruiz lays out the first agreement.

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Are you speaking your truth? Are you walking your truth? Are you aware of a situation that is a lie or cover up, and is it time for you to "uncover" the truth? The throat chakra is about communication as well. Just as you ask what the Penguin is trying to say - the Penguin may be saying to you that you need to communicate more and with a different tone/technique than you are now using. If people do not understand you, it may be their challenge or it may be yours. Generally, it is both. Those around us mirror that which we struggle with. An interesting thought is that the throat is used to express the will of the Creator (or God/Goddess). Are you needing to express a spiritual truth that you have been suppressing? If so, this little Fairy Penguin might be telling you about new beginnings and to get actively involved in something that expresses the creative voice and will of Creator and Universe. What is it that has been nudging you in the last several weeks - a conservation type project - perhaps helping with the Fairy Penguin, or is it about taking an active role in your community?

If you see the blue as more of an indigo colour, then the message is bringing you an awareness of your third eye. The third eye is about "seeing" what is beyond the visible or beyond our concept of reality. The fact that you saw a Fairy Penguin that others seem to be missing. Remember that the "Fairy" part of the Penguin's name is about 4th Dimensional Reality, about magic and mystery, and about the unknown. Is your awareness growing? Are your psychic abilities now starting to present themselves? Are you doing anything - taking training, meditating - to help this process? The colour indigo is also a reminder that one needs to seek the highest truth (there is that truth thing again!) and usually the highest truth is that message or way of living that happens with Divine guidance.

The Blue Penguin or Fairy Penguin grows up to sixteen inches tall. His small size is certainly similar to what we believe the size of fairies to be. The white breast is associated with the colour of spirit. The dark and light contrast may be about moving between spirit and form, or between the light and night of the world. As the Penguin may move between the water and land, the little Blue Penguin also moves between the seen and the unseen. There is a very definite invitation in the "bark" of the penguin to take the "plunge" and move into the emotion and experience of working with the unseen. Remember too that water is always about emotion, so when an animal or another water related being speaks to you from the water, they are asking you to dive down into your emotions and examine them, and "swim" through them to get out the food or what you need and let the rest go.

You have been given a great gift! May Fairy Penguin walk with you for more of your journey.

Blessings,

Judy

The Goddess Discordia

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 21:28:18 GMT

A plate depicting the Greek

Goddess ERIS from 520 BC

~Wikipedia

Does it seem to you that the world seems more mixed up – that there is more discord? Have you ever wondered where the concept of discord originated? Some think it stems from the crucifixion of Jesus. However, mythology tells stories of a Roman Goddess called Discordia. These records date back to 600 BCE. Her name means “disagreement” in the strongest possible way. In the military, this type of disagreement would be a mutiny or seditious activity. The Goddess who is in opposition to Discordia is called “Concordia” who happens to be the Goddess of Harmony.

Discordia was known for her warlike and aggressive behaviour. She is known as a vicious opponent during battles between the gods and goddesses, or between mortals. She aided both sides in war and was joyful in the pursuit of disharmony. Virgil writes that in her “down time” the Goddess hung out with the Goddess Bellona (a war goddess) and the God Mars (the god of war).

Mythology compares Discordia to the Greek Goddess Eris (who is the Goddess of Strife). History/mythology attributes the start of the Trojan War to the Goddess Eris. Eris was not invited to very important Greek wedding because of her affinity with discord. Still, Eris showed up at the wedding location. However, she was kept out of the festivities. In her anger, Eris disrupted the wedding by tossing a golden apple on which she had inscribed “To The Most Beautiful”. These words stoked high emotion and ego in the Gods/Goddesses and mortals at the wedding. The conflict caused a man by the name of Paris to abduct Helen of Sparta, and incidentally, start the Trojan War.

If you are experiencing high discord in your life, perhaps you have invited the Goddess Discordia to be part of your environment. A gentle way to un-invite this goddess is to do a simple thank you ceremony and ask her to return to her place of power where you may call upon her again, should you require her assistance.

Since periods of great change, such as the present one, come so rarely in human history, it is up to each of us to make the best use of our time to help create a happier world.

~ Dali Lama ~

© May 2008 Judith Hirst-Joyeux. Judith is a Sage-Healer-Shaman who works with the Goddesses and Gods, Great Spirit, and angelic realms to move quickly to the source of issues or blocks and helps the client shift the blocks to begin their own healing process.

Spirit Animals –Hare or Jackrabbit

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:53:00 GMT

White Tailed Jackrabbit found in western Canada – from Wikipedia.

Do you remember which Bugs Bunny cartoon is your favorite? Did you read any Br’er Rabbit stories as a kid? Or, did you read Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. Perhaps you have read them to your children? Any of us who grew up in the ‘60’s will remember the famed

song “White Rabbit” by the rock band Jefferson Airplane (a psychedelic commentary on using drugs by comparing the experience to fantasy story “Alice In Wonderland” Remember that the White Rabbit in “Alice” was a March Hare). These stories are all great examples of Hare or Jackrabbit as a trickster. Carl Jung states that the trickster archetype is: “a primitive cosmic being of divine-animal nature, on the one hand superior to man because of his superhuman qualities, and on the other hand inferior to him because of his unreason and unconsciousness.” So, what does this mean if you have Jackrabbit appear as a spirit animal?

First, Jackrabbit is the master of camouflage. He is seen and disappears in the blink of an eye. Jackrabbit is also very active at dawn and at dusk. This time of day is filled with wonder and is usually when fairies, spirits, orbs, and other things we associate with supernatural are most likely to be seen. Since Jackrabbit is about during this time of day, he is associated with the magic and mystery of the other worlds. Indeed, Faeries are said to ride jackrabbits between dimensions. For us, Jackrabbit reminds us that a leap of faith will take us to new worlds, and that just because something is unseen does not mean it is not real.

We know Jackrabbit for her speed and keen eyesight and for her sudden movements and unpredictable behavior. We judge her rapid movements away from anything that “seems” to frighten her as being a “fearful” behavior. Jackrabbit asks you to pay attention to what is around you. When you “leap and bound” through life, you must be alert for opportunities that will help you or harm you. High energy is often associated with nervous behavior. In fact it is speedy decisive movement. Moving too slow can cause imbalance and growth is stifled. One may even end up in a rut. If you move too fast without stopping and looking, as Jackrabbit does, you may end up as “dinner” for someone else.

With Jackrabbit’s ability to move between dimensions, you may see him in your dreams, in the shadow world. This is where are fears are stored. Is your reflex action in most situations to “jackrabbit” back to your old, familiar habits/patterns/environment? If you keep dashing for safety, how will you move forward? Jackrabbit stops and faces what scares them to determine which way to move. This is a good lesson for us! We need to accept that we have fears, honor them, hold our selves with compassion, and know that fear need not paralyze us in our movement forward.

Remember, too, that Jackrabbit loves to play. She will tease other animals and make friends with them. It may be that Jackrabbit is appearing now to remind you to take time to play with your friends – to leap with joy and celebrate life. After all, life is worth celebrating!

For those of you who sort of remember the song, "White Rabbit", here are all the lyrics.

White Rabbit –

Jefferson Airplane

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice
When she's ten feet tall
And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Recall Alice
When she was just small
When men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving slow
Go ask Alice
I think she'll know
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the dormouse said;
"FEED YOUR HEAD

FEED YOUR HEAD!"

© May 2008 Judith Hirst-Joyeux. Judith is a Sage-Healer-Shaman who works with the Goddesses and Gods, Great Spirit, and angelic realms to move quickly to the source of issues or blocks.

What Have I Done?

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:59:00 GMT

Have a brilliant time achieving!

A Cherokee Boy's Rite of Passage

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:59:16 GMT

Many thanks to my friend, Roxanne, for sharing this great story!

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.

He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm.

The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, Great Spirit is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes all we have to do is reach out to Him.

Life Lessons

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:55:26 GMT

Many thanks to my friend Heather who sent me this great story of life!

Life Lessons:

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge
things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look
at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in
summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe
what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son
said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so
sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping
with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come
from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring,
the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Jessica, A Hippo's Tale

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:50:20 GMT

This is the heart warming tale of a wee girl called Jessica.... well, I will let you watch this story for yourself.

The Story of Jessica - A Hippo's Tale

Promise (Dolphin Song) by Olivia Newton-John

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:24:55 GMT

Video of Olivia Newton-John's Promise (Dolphin Song)

Promise (Dolphin Song) Lyrics
Artist(Band):Olivia Newton-John

(Olivia Newton-John)
See them play in the moonlight
Watch them dance in the sun
They're the children of freedom--everyone
As they care for each other
With no question or cause
They deserve to be treasured as a source of love
In their minds there are answers
And in time we will know
What the truth is about all we don't know
They have no room for hatred
Though they've suffered much pain
From the race we call human--who are afraid of love
If I can only help to right a wrong
With my dolphin song
Then I'll have done what I set out to do
If I can only make one man aware
One person care
Then I'll have done what I promised you
Let us hope it's not too late
And that we can amend
All the pain we have suffered on a friend
We were born with our freedom
Oh we were born with the truth
Then why do we abuse it
We could choose--to love, to love

George Noory of Coast to Coast with Doreen Virtue

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 02:14:32 GMT

This is a fascinating discussion between George and Doreen discussing Santorini and then discussing the Crystal children.

Indigo & Crystal Children with Dr. Doreen Virtue-Part 1

Is There Really A Unicorn In Switzerland???

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:52:47 GMT

Watch this video and decide for yourself!

Unicorn in Switzerland

Rare White Koala Bear

Judith Hirst-Joyeux — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:40:02 GMT

More and more wonderful natural phenomenon are popping up all over.... Mick the white koala bear has been discovered in Australia

Article on Mick