Sunday morning I became an official Sunday School Teacher. No, there is no badge of honor, trophy, or official document to hang on the wall. I do receive the joy of being around children, learn to lead them, and play fun games. Oh, and I get to color.
The week before had been the training time. I was the helper and also observed the teacher to know what to do the following week. As the observer, it looked so easy. I saw what could be done better, how to get them more involved, and how much fun I was going to be for the kids. I would waltz in the following Sunday morning and have them captivated and spell-bound for an hour. I would not push my philosophy down any tiny throats but rather have them so enchanted with what I we talked about that they would simply absorb the message of "Fruits of Goodness". The little sponges of knowledge would leave after an hour with me and become the healthy beautiful gifts of God/Goddess that we all know them to be.
Well, I did a pretty good job, but I don't think anyone was transformed or even mystified by my presence.
What I had hoped to accomplish was to stop the trite automated answers that I often see children giving to adults. For example, ask an eight-year-old what is something kind that she can do for her little sister. The child will tell you that she could share her ice cream or give her sister a hug when she is crying. That sounds so sweet, that any adult will feel good about the words given.
But fifteen minutes later when the sisters are coloring and the younger one wants the blue marker that the older sister has, watch for 'no-way-I'm-going-to-share-with-you-look' and a possible kick under the table. That is the reality of children. The sweet stuff they generally lay on so thickly in Sunday School is just a front to divert the attention of adults from their true nature.
But my class was going to bypass the bullshit and just say honest things. Because I am just that good.
Oh, I was so naive.
After putting the kids into a circle, we all said our favorite animal, and acted each of them out together. That part was fun. Then, with my magic and charm and charisma, we would all say what good thing we could do for the animal. In my mind, this was brilliance. But those little buggers were too quick for my ego. They dazzled me with sophisticated answers about cleaning the earth of pollution in order to be good to the animals. As soon as they had thrown me the biscuit that I was so gullible to believe, they ran off to color the really cool wooden animal cut-outs.
It was then that I realized that I had just been scammed by the best. The darlings had told me what I wanted to hear so they could be done with the lesson and I could feel good about what I had taught them. They were so smooth, I almost didn't catch on to the fact that I had been swindled of actually making a difference in their lives.
The reality is, kids just want to have fun. No matter how much we want to sneak in a lesson or a message about the Goodness of God/Goddess/Universe, they want to enjoy life and not learn about it from an adult. They want to play. And, when I think about it, I'm down for that.
Heather Leigh
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Drumming Circle and Shamanic Healing Ritual
Walking into the small metaphysical store, I was greeted by over a dozen people sitting on cushioned chairs in a circle. Two women with free falling hair were off to one side with wood and animal skin hand-held drums, each standing in front of someone who had also come for the Drumming Circle and Shamanic Healing Ritual. After paying for the experience at the counter and finding a seat next to my friend, Lauri, I approached one of the drum woman for what I learned was called smudging. Asking my permission to smudge, she rhythmically tapped the drum, starting above me and working her way to the floor. Each tap she gave I felt the vibration entering entering my body and stress pouring away. At the floor, she smacked the ground, drummed her way back up, and repeated the process when I was turned away from her.
Securing my seat and a gourd rattle, the teacher led us in an exercise in which those with similar hand drums tapped twice and us gourd rattlers followed with two shakes. We practiced a couple of times to get the rhythm of a train and to bring us together as a group.
As I never heard her name, I will call the teacher Strawberry for the color of her hair. She informed us that we would be searching out our Spiritual Animal Guide. This guide would later answer a question.
In order to protect us on our journeys, she invited a jaguar to watch over us. Standing within our circle, she proclaimed a beautiful chant inviting the elements of nature, earth, wind, water and fire, and the four directions to guide us.
Next, Strawberry led us on a guided meditation to a field in a natural setting of our choice. I chose a grassy landscape with flowers nearby and watched as a blue butterfly joined me. From there, Strawberry pulled us down to our roots like a tree and had us continue down, down, down until we came to our place inside linking us to our deepest inner roots. She encouraged us to walk down our path, parting grasses, and asking for our individual spirit animal guide to present itself.
Soon, a jaguar was weaving around me. After I saw this sleek creature, Strawberry let us know that the jaguar walked amongst us (I saw the jag before she told us about him! I love when intuitive stuff happens). Continuing on, I walked through tall grasses and saw deer and the blue butterfly, then a big brown bear. The big, soft gentle bear and I were soon wrapped together on the ground, hugging and playing, and rolling. Then the teacher said bear was amongst us!
Although I felt a kinship with the bear, I did not feel that this was my guide. So I asked to meet my animal protector and expected to have another animal come to me. Instead, I found a wolf inside of me. Boy was I surprised. It came out of my core and allowed me to hold him. It was warm and soft with thick, silver and white long fur. In holding him I was in a place of deep safety, support, loyalty and love--with a bit of a wild streak.
Strawberry called us back and instructed us to have a question to ask our animal guide. I formed my question: What can I do to be a vessel of God? Strawberry is a smart teacher. Rather then asking for ourselves and being bogged down with our own wants and expectations and self-satisfying filters, we heard the question of someone else in the group. Nicole, sitting next to me, and I swapped our questions.
Teacher led us back to our animal guides and I asked the wolf Nicole's question. The answer is private so I won't reveal what I learned. I will say that she understood the message and that it was relevant.
Via Nicole, her guide sent this message: stop saying exactly what outcome I wanted as it may be different then I think. Don't be attached to the outcome, don't judge, and that my health was getting better. All that she said made sense to what I am going through right now.
We closed with another drum and gourd train rhythm.
The vibration of the drums when performed by a healer can range from a relaxing experience to core change at the spiritual level. Shamans are able to guide us to answers that we seek, visions, and harmony. They vary in what they use for guides. Strawberry asked for animals, which I am also in favor of doing. I hope that you will try out both drum healing and a knowledgeable Shaman on your spiritual journey. Guides help us to be more efficient and keep us on our path.
Namaste,
Heather Leigh
Securing my seat and a gourd rattle, the teacher led us in an exercise in which those with similar hand drums tapped twice and us gourd rattlers followed with two shakes. We practiced a couple of times to get the rhythm of a train and to bring us together as a group.
As I never heard her name, I will call the teacher Strawberry for the color of her hair. She informed us that we would be searching out our Spiritual Animal Guide. This guide would later answer a question.
In order to protect us on our journeys, she invited a jaguar to watch over us. Standing within our circle, she proclaimed a beautiful chant inviting the elements of nature, earth, wind, water and fire, and the four directions to guide us.
Next, Strawberry led us on a guided meditation to a field in a natural setting of our choice. I chose a grassy landscape with flowers nearby and watched as a blue butterfly joined me. From there, Strawberry pulled us down to our roots like a tree and had us continue down, down, down until we came to our place inside linking us to our deepest inner roots. She encouraged us to walk down our path, parting grasses, and asking for our individual spirit animal guide to present itself.
Soon, a jaguar was weaving around me. After I saw this sleek creature, Strawberry let us know that the jaguar walked amongst us (I saw the jag before she told us about him! I love when intuitive stuff happens). Continuing on, I walked through tall grasses and saw deer and the blue butterfly, then a big brown bear. The big, soft gentle bear and I were soon wrapped together on the ground, hugging and playing, and rolling. Then the teacher said bear was amongst us!
Although I felt a kinship with the bear, I did not feel that this was my guide. So I asked to meet my animal protector and expected to have another animal come to me. Instead, I found a wolf inside of me. Boy was I surprised. It came out of my core and allowed me to hold him. It was warm and soft with thick, silver and white long fur. In holding him I was in a place of deep safety, support, loyalty and love--with a bit of a wild streak.
Strawberry called us back and instructed us to have a question to ask our animal guide. I formed my question: What can I do to be a vessel of God? Strawberry is a smart teacher. Rather then asking for ourselves and being bogged down with our own wants and expectations and self-satisfying filters, we heard the question of someone else in the group. Nicole, sitting next to me, and I swapped our questions.
Teacher led us back to our animal guides and I asked the wolf Nicole's question. The answer is private so I won't reveal what I learned. I will say that she understood the message and that it was relevant.
Via Nicole, her guide sent this message: stop saying exactly what outcome I wanted as it may be different then I think. Don't be attached to the outcome, don't judge, and that my health was getting better. All that she said made sense to what I am going through right now.
We closed with another drum and gourd train rhythm.
The vibration of the drums when performed by a healer can range from a relaxing experience to core change at the spiritual level. Shamans are able to guide us to answers that we seek, visions, and harmony. They vary in what they use for guides. Strawberry asked for animals, which I am also in favor of doing. I hope that you will try out both drum healing and a knowledgeable Shaman on your spiritual journey. Guides help us to be more efficient and keep us on our path.
Namaste,
Heather Leigh
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Question The Solidity Trees
I've been musing over the space between the atoms. Once I had a science teacher, or from a book--I don't remember where the information came from, explain how far apart the nucleus of an atom (comprised of the protons and neutrons) is from the electrons.
Picture a professional football field. In the center of the field is a football: this is the nucleus. The electrons are tennis balls orbiting around in the outer area of the stadium seats. That leaves a whole lot of unaccounted for space. If you think about all that emptiness, why don't we fall through everything? There is more space than mass going on here.
It has to be our minds believing that there is enough mass in atoms to create solid surfaces. But the reality is that there is more space in a tree trunk then mass. Shouldn't the tree look like a ghost? Shouldn't we fall right through it if we lean against it? Slipping through makes more sense than being able to use it as a place to rest our backs on.
Also, from what I understand of quantum physics, our thoughts can alter our football fields. We can increase the nutritional value of food by giving thanks before eating. We can turn water molecules from gross, ugly structures to beautiful pieces of art. We can transform our diseased body into one of health by focusing our thoughts on love, joy, the health that we already possess, and even laughter.
I'm not quite sure how these two ideas effect one another, the empty space and the power of our thoughts, but I suspect that they do. There is room for change because there is so much space.
Bringing this altogether, it is obvious that we create our circumstances. If we have such powerful minds that we actually believe that emptiness with a dash of atoms equals solid surfaces, then we can create anything we want.
What are you going to create today?
Heather Leigh
Picture a professional football field. In the center of the field is a football: this is the nucleus. The electrons are tennis balls orbiting around in the outer area of the stadium seats. That leaves a whole lot of unaccounted for space. If you think about all that emptiness, why don't we fall through everything? There is more space than mass going on here.
It has to be our minds believing that there is enough mass in atoms to create solid surfaces. But the reality is that there is more space in a tree trunk then mass. Shouldn't the tree look like a ghost? Shouldn't we fall right through it if we lean against it? Slipping through makes more sense than being able to use it as a place to rest our backs on.
Also, from what I understand of quantum physics, our thoughts can alter our football fields. We can increase the nutritional value of food by giving thanks before eating. We can turn water molecules from gross, ugly structures to beautiful pieces of art. We can transform our diseased body into one of health by focusing our thoughts on love, joy, the health that we already possess, and even laughter.
I'm not quite sure how these two ideas effect one another, the empty space and the power of our thoughts, but I suspect that they do. There is room for change because there is so much space.
Bringing this altogether, it is obvious that we create our circumstances. If we have such powerful minds that we actually believe that emptiness with a dash of atoms equals solid surfaces, then we can create anything we want.
What are you going to create today?
Heather Leigh
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Relationship Blockages Are Not Pretty
In this newest class that I am taking with Rev. Kathy Hearn, we are searching our source for what is blocking us from being a part of a healthy relationship. This is the core stuff that is so easy to ignore and so difficult to face. The stuff, the dragons and demons and childhood fears, that we throw habitually in the path of romantic love. Whether it be fear of abandonment and/or commitment, not feeling worthy, or issues with trust, it can keep us from experiencing the joy of having someone to play checkers with (I read that in a Jodi Piccoult novel and loved the phrase!) as we rock away on the porch swing toward a life time together.
This last meeting, we wrote a brief description of what we want in a relationship. After that, we were led into deep meditative awareness as a way to connect to the heart. We wrote down the energy blockages that surged out of the heart and onto the page until our thoughts were scourged. It took awhile but in the end, there was nothing left inside that was not on the page.
I wrote for a long time, but eventually everything was out. It was such a relief! Now those yucky sticky thick negative thoughts were on a notebook and not in my head. I felt lighter but also drained.
Next we asked the awful, soul drenching self question of 'why do I cling to these energy blockages'. Eww and gross. Do I really want to know this? Is there too much I can know about myself? How much of the Shadow within do I want to face. I mean, this could be worse then the days of tar and feathering.
I proved to be my own conqueror, faced the inner tar, and wrote down my part in the blockages.
It wasn't pretty.
The man I attract had better damned well be worth this self abuse. Oh, should I write that? It doesn't sound too spiritual and loving. Please don't tell my future partner I said that--it will be our little secret.
For homework, we are thinking up and repeating positive mantras destined to fill the cleared space with love and hope. Such as, if I've had experiences of feeling like I lose my self in a love affair, I can affirm that I am a powerful person.
Funny how the things that are designed through self awareness, with positive, thought out intentions, are so much lighter and enjoyable to hold onto. Mm mm, they just feel good.
If you try this whole technique at home, be specific in your blockages. Don't just write fear of abandonment, but exactly what you fear could happen. For example, if you got close to someone and they left you, you might care what the neighbors say. You might look bad to others and that is an ego basher. Did someone leave you when you were young and it hurt and was confusing? Dig deep and let it OUT! Hanging on is no fun at all!
In saying this, there is a reason you've held on to the junk like a blockage pack rat. Have you been too comfy cozy with your hoardings, been afraid of the beast within, enjoyed blaming others and playing the victim? Don't be shy in admitting your slinking shadow. One, no one has to read this because paper burns easily and two, once this is over you will feel better.
Rev. Hearn recommended the book, Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself, and I will be purchasing it soon.
Blessings with demon facing and filling in the empty space with love peace and hippie happiness.
Heather Leigh
This last meeting, we wrote a brief description of what we want in a relationship. After that, we were led into deep meditative awareness as a way to connect to the heart. We wrote down the energy blockages that surged out of the heart and onto the page until our thoughts were scourged. It took awhile but in the end, there was nothing left inside that was not on the page.
I wrote for a long time, but eventually everything was out. It was such a relief! Now those yucky sticky thick negative thoughts were on a notebook and not in my head. I felt lighter but also drained.
Next we asked the awful, soul drenching self question of 'why do I cling to these energy blockages'. Eww and gross. Do I really want to know this? Is there too much I can know about myself? How much of the Shadow within do I want to face. I mean, this could be worse then the days of tar and feathering.
I proved to be my own conqueror, faced the inner tar, and wrote down my part in the blockages.
It wasn't pretty.
The man I attract had better damned well be worth this self abuse. Oh, should I write that? It doesn't sound too spiritual and loving. Please don't tell my future partner I said that--it will be our little secret.
For homework, we are thinking up and repeating positive mantras destined to fill the cleared space with love and hope. Such as, if I've had experiences of feeling like I lose my self in a love affair, I can affirm that I am a powerful person.
Funny how the things that are designed through self awareness, with positive, thought out intentions, are so much lighter and enjoyable to hold onto. Mm mm, they just feel good.
If you try this whole technique at home, be specific in your blockages. Don't just write fear of abandonment, but exactly what you fear could happen. For example, if you got close to someone and they left you, you might care what the neighbors say. You might look bad to others and that is an ego basher. Did someone leave you when you were young and it hurt and was confusing? Dig deep and let it OUT! Hanging on is no fun at all!
In saying this, there is a reason you've held on to the junk like a blockage pack rat. Have you been too comfy cozy with your hoardings, been afraid of the beast within, enjoyed blaming others and playing the victim? Don't be shy in admitting your slinking shadow. One, no one has to read this because paper burns easily and two, once this is over you will feel better.
Rev. Hearn recommended the book, Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself, and I will be purchasing it soon.
Blessings with demon facing and filling in the empty space with love peace and hippie happiness.
Heather Leigh
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Tasty Tarot Cards
Tarot Card Reader Lily's definition of the cards: Images that can represent both the physical and spiritual. You can think of an open-ended question, ask it, then draw ten cards that feel right. Each place has a significant meaning, as does each card.
Last night I received a Tarot card reading. In receiving a reading, I ask a question as clearly as possible then move the face-down deck of cards about the table until I feel that they are in the right place. Now I have put my question, with my energy, over the cards.
Next, the Reader, Lily, chooses which ten cards she believes will answer my question. They are her cards, so she must pick them. Putting these into a pile, one by one she places them into a pre-ordained order on the table, still face down. As she turns them up, Lily tells me what the cards mean, both in the card itself and in where it was placed. In reading each card, I learn the answer to my question, including the timing and different things that relate to the question.
A few days prior, during a self-reading of my Akashic records, I had seen a wide white door close firmly in front of me--some part of my life is over. When I turned around, there was no ground and all about me was floating in clear light blue air. There was a man in striped pants and no shirt doing some sort of magic tricks. Pieces of fabric were drifting about. I don't remember much of that place but was aware that magic was afoot and that whatever I wanted could be put together in this space. All that was needed was for me to think about what I wanted. Here, magic was reality
As I have been envisioning ten goals for quite some time, I assumed that this floating area must know my dreams so I waited for a door to open. I wanted to see what would happen next; no doors opened.
In getting back to the Tarot cards, I decided to ask how to best open the door that would get me to my goals, keeping with the highest good of all connected.
The results made sense to me. Much of it was directly in line with what I had been seeing in my meditations. I'm excited to find out how The Universe brings the ten goals to me. The reading was clear that they would be coming to fruition soon. Yey!
At the end of the Reading, Lily and I discussed our belief that the outcomes of Readings can be changed. If I decide that I don't want what the Tarot cards are telling me, I can change my current life path so that the Reading will be changed. If I want what is said, then I keep on doing what I'm doing. What a terrific opportunity!
Another helpful aspect is that even if we are intuitive, being in the middle of our own life, it can be difficult to step away and see where we are heading. Readers are, hopefully, an unaffected third party with less biased vision filters.
I am thankful that the Reading that was given revealed that what I have wished for is coming true even better than I have been imagining. Oh, but first there is predicted some challenge that I need to be ready for. Hmmm, wonder what the Universe is cooking up for me in her vast cauldron of dream stew. I asked for this dream stew, now I get to taste how it comes out!
Heather Leigh
Last night I received a Tarot card reading. In receiving a reading, I ask a question as clearly as possible then move the face-down deck of cards about the table until I feel that they are in the right place. Now I have put my question, with my energy, over the cards.
Next, the Reader, Lily, chooses which ten cards she believes will answer my question. They are her cards, so she must pick them. Putting these into a pile, one by one she places them into a pre-ordained order on the table, still face down. As she turns them up, Lily tells me what the cards mean, both in the card itself and in where it was placed. In reading each card, I learn the answer to my question, including the timing and different things that relate to the question.
A few days prior, during a self-reading of my Akashic records, I had seen a wide white door close firmly in front of me--some part of my life is over. When I turned around, there was no ground and all about me was floating in clear light blue air. There was a man in striped pants and no shirt doing some sort of magic tricks. Pieces of fabric were drifting about. I don't remember much of that place but was aware that magic was afoot and that whatever I wanted could be put together in this space. All that was needed was for me to think about what I wanted. Here, magic was reality
As I have been envisioning ten goals for quite some time, I assumed that this floating area must know my dreams so I waited for a door to open. I wanted to see what would happen next; no doors opened.
In getting back to the Tarot cards, I decided to ask how to best open the door that would get me to my goals, keeping with the highest good of all connected.
The results made sense to me. Much of it was directly in line with what I had been seeing in my meditations. I'm excited to find out how The Universe brings the ten goals to me. The reading was clear that they would be coming to fruition soon. Yey!
At the end of the Reading, Lily and I discussed our belief that the outcomes of Readings can be changed. If I decide that I don't want what the Tarot cards are telling me, I can change my current life path so that the Reading will be changed. If I want what is said, then I keep on doing what I'm doing. What a terrific opportunity!
Another helpful aspect is that even if we are intuitive, being in the middle of our own life, it can be difficult to step away and see where we are heading. Readers are, hopefully, an unaffected third party with less biased vision filters.
I am thankful that the Reading that was given revealed that what I have wished for is coming true even better than I have been imagining. Oh, but first there is predicted some challenge that I need to be ready for. Hmmm, wonder what the Universe is cooking up for me in her vast cauldron of dream stew. I asked for this dream stew, now I get to taste how it comes out!
Heather Leigh
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Past Lives Are Not Just Stories
For most of my life, I believed that past life readings were a waste of time. I mean, what is the sense of learning about something that happened before I was even born, and how could it be proven true? Fun, and interesting, maybe, but not relevant to this life time.
Then two Intuitive Counselors told me about two different past lives. One was of me living in a cliff cave along the ocean. People would gather outside my home and I would offer spiritual advise. This explained my fascination with the spiritual realm. Another was that I had once run an orphanage. After that reading, I saw myself in England running that orphanage during a deep meditation. In learning about that past life, I understood why I have a high ability to forgive in just about any circumstance except when it comes to the mistreatment of children.
Then during massages ( I was a massage therapist for a decade) I began to 'see' clients in different clothing, countries, and time settings and realized that I was reading their past lives. I saw them being mistreated, abandoned, having a spouse die young. After disclosing what I had seen to them, they would say that they had been attracted to that time period, or that what I had seen helped them to better understand their current life.
Through Akashic Record readings, it became easier to gain past knowledge. The discovery that I was once sold off into slavery by a father attempting to pay off debts gave me a profound insight as to why forgiving my present father is so difficult--I'm not just dealing with one father issue, another one is tagging along.
The mother that I was ripped away from in that life time made me want a life in which I would not be so attached to my mom. The pain had been too deep. Hence, this life time I choose a mother that was intensely keen on getting me independent as soon as possible; attachment is not strong.
Sharing my personal history is not something I am comfortable with on a public blog. I am doing this because learning about where I came from and what I have been through has helped me to forgive and accept both myself and others. It is in this vein that I hope to encourage you to have a past life reading from someone who knows how to do it.
Past life reading--not just for the fun of it.
Heather Leigh
Then two Intuitive Counselors told me about two different past lives. One was of me living in a cliff cave along the ocean. People would gather outside my home and I would offer spiritual advise. This explained my fascination with the spiritual realm. Another was that I had once run an orphanage. After that reading, I saw myself in England running that orphanage during a deep meditation. In learning about that past life, I understood why I have a high ability to forgive in just about any circumstance except when it comes to the mistreatment of children.
Then during massages ( I was a massage therapist for a decade) I began to 'see' clients in different clothing, countries, and time settings and realized that I was reading their past lives. I saw them being mistreated, abandoned, having a spouse die young. After disclosing what I had seen to them, they would say that they had been attracted to that time period, or that what I had seen helped them to better understand their current life.
Through Akashic Record readings, it became easier to gain past knowledge. The discovery that I was once sold off into slavery by a father attempting to pay off debts gave me a profound insight as to why forgiving my present father is so difficult--I'm not just dealing with one father issue, another one is tagging along.
The mother that I was ripped away from in that life time made me want a life in which I would not be so attached to my mom. The pain had been too deep. Hence, this life time I choose a mother that was intensely keen on getting me independent as soon as possible; attachment is not strong.
Sharing my personal history is not something I am comfortable with on a public blog. I am doing this because learning about where I came from and what I have been through has helped me to forgive and accept both myself and others. It is in this vein that I hope to encourage you to have a past life reading from someone who knows how to do it.
Past life reading--not just for the fun of it.
Heather Leigh
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