The "buzz" in Indiana is, of course, the "500!" Hundreds of thousands of people will gather to watch cars race around the speedway. If you have attended you can attest to the fact that most participants rarely come to just watch the cars. It is a sight to behold to witness how human choose to be "entertained!" It is easy to make judgments about some behaviors, because the actions of some "characters" are beyond descriptive words! It is, truly, an experience! And as I write these words, I have to chuckle at my personal reactions to the first one I attended. Years later, after I had lived a little life, I realized it was an opportunity to "go beyond" my own sense of how people "should" or "shouldn't" behave. I am forever grateful for my very first Indy 500!
    With that said, I am grateful for the many experiences that have helped me stretch beyond my "itsy-bitsy" frame of reference in life. Throughout every single jaw-dropping, "oh my gosh" reactions in life, (and being raised very old-fashioned, I've had many!) I have grown as a sacred human being. I have to smile when I consider how the "moral judgments" I've made throughout my life actually helped me develop in wisdom. Each experience expanded my ability to show compassion  and love unconditionally in that I had to look at myself, notice my judgments, and take action to move in a different direction! Heck, I have decided some of those individuals "acting out" were actually much braver than I! At least they were willing to "BE" their authentic self and not care about others opinions!  I have spent a great deal of my life making certain I "do it right!"
    As the green flag is waved in life, race around at whatever speed you choose, take some risks and notice the amazing people moving along in the traffic with you. Then when the checkered flag is waved, notice that we all are really winners because we've shared the ride together!
 

    Beginning today with the solar eclipse, several big events are expected to occur over the next couple of months. They say it has been 18 years since the last solar eclipse. Many towns on the East coast have scheduled big gatherings to observe this event. Here in the mid-west we will not see much of it; however, the energy of the event will still be available for those of us seeking assistance with the changes within our lives.
    Imagine what this event means on a very deep level. The sun represents the Masculine, or in Native American teachings, the Grandfather. It carries the wisdom of the energy that takes us out into the world and really warms the dreams, creations, soul-level gifts that are sitting in our hearts "percolating!" The power within the sun really helps us bring forth and carry out into the world what we have to offer. The masculine energy gives us the courage to take the action needed to see those gifts come to fruition.
    The moon represents the Feminine, or in the Native American teachings, the Grandmother. This energy is what holds and births our gifts. It is in the quiet darkness within that our deepest dreams are created. As the moon shows her face in the darkness of the night, so in the silence within our hearts, we touch our core that carries our dreams. Within the darkened cave of our inner being, human guidelines and rules have little influence. This is why meditation is so crucial to our overall well-being in every level of our lives. It was described to me in the following way: Prayer is talking to God, Meditation is listening to the divine!
    The Creator of the Universe is giving us the opportunity to access the dynamic and powerful energy both the Moon and Sun have to offer. Why not use that energy to help "rebalance" your feminine and masculine (yin and yang)? If for only a few moments you "sit in the silence of your heart"and witness the intimacy between two very powerful forces, I am certain you will feel the passion within yourself conceiving new dreams!

It is that time of year to pause and recognize the Mother's in the world. Hopefully, we begin at home letting our "Mother" know how grateful we are for her. (whether it's an Aunt, Grandma, adopted Mother, teacher or another woman) Some people may have Mothers that raised them in such a way he/she has to "flip the coin" to see what they learned had merit in his/her life. As in any situation, we have to look at what we learned. If your Mother was harsh, overbearing, or generally not present, if you "flip the coin" you will see you learned how to be tender, compassionate and attentive if you will use the experience to become the parent to your children you wanted from yours.
Make no mistake, a Mother sets the tone for who we become. Through the manner in which she spoke to her child, to the way in which she fed him/her, she laid the foundation for how we viewed ourselves and the world. Perhaps it is because we were held in her womb for nine months (plus or minus,) felt all her emotions, heard her heart beat, and lavished in a protective cushion of moisture that created that bond. It most definitely gave us an introduction to the human race, and from there we came into the world with our first impression already set in place. For most of us, it was a grand experience! It was after we arrived we learned the "other" ways of life!
Finally, on this Mother's Day, if you are not a biological or adoptive parent, you still may be a "Mother" of some creation; some amazing idea, painting, or other artistic creation, or you may offer younger ones around you a gentle, loving recognition that he/she is important in this world. All of those components make up being a Mother. Here's to a fabulous day of remembering love comes in many forms, and always, it has an influence on someone around you, whether you recognize it or not!

   Three Amigas are sharing lemon mint water, homemade caramels and some giggles as one says to the other, "you look completely different than you did three days ago, what's happened?"  The second Amiga responds, "It's been a tremendous three days of healing," and she continued to share the events and people she had visited to assist her with making a shift in her life. (This Amiga broke her back in January and found herself in the thralls of stillness that led her to much time for introspection. Interestingly, she had been searching for a new way of being in her life.)
   She said, "I knew I was ready for something, just wasn't certain how to do it, so with a lot of patience, love and determination, it's finally clear. I feel more joy than I have for a long time, and I know what I want to do. I'm not certain how and where I'll do it, but I trust that will be made clear also."
   The third Amiga spoke up and said, "So, you did know how to 'turn your corner,' all you had to do was be patient, loving and determined and your clarity and joy followed. So, now you know what to do the next time you have another corner to turn!"With that, the three giggled very grateful they had each other to witness the unfolding of each other's hearts! And, that at least one Amiga knew how to make such delicious caramels!

   Spring has arrived with great warmth and it is a delight to see the birth of nature at its very best. Spring rains have been steady and consistent which has contributed to the rapid growth. Why, you can sit on your porch and almost hear the stretching of leaves, grass, and various plants as they emerge from their winter's hibernation. Such a fertile time of newness that offers each of us the opportunity to consider what we would like to bring forth this season. 
    Winter is a time of stillness, of resting within our homes as we wait to see what the cold season will present. This year in Indiana, we saw little snow; instead, we had the bareness of the winter. For some that represents death since everything is pretty drab. However, for things to be birthed there is a dying away that must occur.  
   With spring in front of us, now is a good time to consider what we would like to see grow in our lives. Each of us have something we are ready to put aside and something we would like to focus our energy and time to create. So, now is a good time to take the steps needed to see it put in some shape or form. Spring is a time to birth those dreams, actually take action to see material results from something we have on our "bucket list," "new year's resolution," or whatever word we choose to describe something we have always wanted to do.
   Through the spring rain, we are given the symbolic reminder that gray skies produce the very element needed to feed the fullness of the beauty we observe during the next six months. Our personal "gray days" can produce the same richness in our lives IF we will see it as a feeding of our dreams rather than a hindrance to their manifestation. Now is a good time to use what seemed "gloomy" as fertilizer for the outgrowth within that germinated during the winter months.  Here's to spring rains that enrich, nurture and support those "seedlings" that knew they could be something very beautiful!

Recently, a friend of mine has been dreaming about a picture being auctioned for charity by a sorority to which she belongs. She has loved hummingbirds for most of her life and this painting was of one. The other day she shared how very much she wants that painting for her home. As my other friend and I were listening to her speak so passionately about the painting, my friend asked her where she would place it in her home. The friend wanting the picture quickly responded she did not know since she had not hung any of the pictures currently in her house.

It was so delightful to watch her realize this would be her very first picture to hang in her home. It is a joy to witness someone claiming a "first," even if it's merely hanging a picture! After all, this is not just "some" picture, this is one that holds great meaning to her. Within just a few seconds, she quickly identified the "spot," and shared with us where it would be.

Today she called and said the picture also had a dragonfly with the hummingbird, and she had just hung a dragonfly figure beside the entrance door to her house.  She knew there had to be some significance to that, so she called me to ask what medicine the dragonfly carried.

She was thrilled to learn the dragonfly carries the energy to burst through illusions. That whatever belief you have that is limited, outdated, or simply doesn't "fit,"can be carried away with the dragonfly. It was amazing to realize that this painting she loved so much, carried the message that when you break through the illusions in your life, you find your true JOY (which is the medicine of the hummingbird.) As a healer, she was "over-the-top" excited about what has entered her life. She broke her back less than three months ago and has been given the opportunity to be idle so her dreams can become very clear. Now, at the perfect time, she has realized what the past three months have been all about.

What a gift artist give to us, and what a gift, those willing to truly "see" happening in their life give to world! May the dragonfly enter your life to help you burst through your illusions so the Joy may enter the world, one person at a time, and it can begin with you!

While writing in my journal this morning, something very important jumped off the pages. Anyone who knows me will tell you I look for the positives in every situation. Granted, sometimes it takes some searching, but, it does work. One can always find something they can glean from the experience that will help them stay focused on what is working, rather than what is not working. This morning was no exception. 

What was realized this morning was how very fortunate we are to live in the United States. With all the hubbub about our differences, politically speaking, what is splattered all over the media is who is "right" and who is "wrong," regarding social, economic, and spiritual concerns. Elections have a way of bringing up our differences and putting them "on trial" for all of us to pick who's "right" and who's "wrong."

This morning I was reminded how blessed we all are to live in a country that allows such free expression. How marvelously open we are to speaking about our differences; and, when all is said and done, most in this country are open to listening to the various views. Oh, sure we get "fired up" about views completely opposite from our personal ones; however, consider how fortunate we are to be able to have them openly discussed. Many countries do not have such freedoms.

So, consider the blessings we have when someone begins speaking about their views that are strongly different from our own and remember how fortunate we are to live in a country where we are not physically punished for such openness. Hopefully realizing that will give us the opportunity to step back and move away from the emotions of the differences and really listen with an open heart. Every view represents something someone feels in their heart, and listening from that perspective may allows us to "hear" them differently. We may not agree, and that's perfectly fine, but at least we can realize it's another perspective someone has that's different than ourselves. It does not mean one of us is "right" and the other "wrong," it's comes from a place of two different ways of seeing things in life. Somewhere in the middle common ground can be found. 

In this country, we have the personal freedom to accept their views as their views, rather than personal differences that can often create strive. It is one of the most precious freedoms we have in this country - the right to choose - and it is based on our individual beliefs. Just as importantly, people are taking a stand when what is spoken from a heart lacks love and respect, and, they are having an influence on bringing change to such unloving actions. As we move in this direction, there will be more peace among us, rather than animosity based on wanting to be "right." Instead, we will are given an opportunity to come from compassion - now how tremendously uplifting is that! I am so very grateful to live in such a country!