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The Legend Of The Sun and The Moon

Jun9

sun-n-moonThe History Of How The Sun Loved The Moon

“Tell me the story about how the Sun loved the Moon so much he died every night to let her breathe.”

Oh and yes, it’s breathe. You take in a breath that allows your lungs to breathe. Seems there has been some debate about that too.

The quote itself has captured the imagination of people world-wide. But what is the story and where did it come from? What’s the history or origin of the phrase? Who said it? And what’s the whole story?

I’ve spent a good deal of time searching and delving into the history of this phrase. And continue to search, for the original source. My initial assessment hasn’t changed. No one actually knows where it originated. So far…

Some believe it’s a spin on a much earlier folktale “Why the Sun Chases the Moon”. But there’s no real factual evidence linking these two together. Mostly supposition and that doesn’t make the link clear. It makes it a theory based on opinion. Not good enough for me.

Whither it’s a claim that the story was inspired from the Bible, the Australian Aborigines, Indo-European Pagans, the Norse, the Mayans, various Native American Nations or any other variety of cultures, people want to be “the originators” of this grand phrase and subsequent story. It’s such a great line, everyone simply wants the quote to come from “their” cultural origin and their history.  Continue reading →

What To Do With Intolerance

May30
Do I Get eMail! Egads!

Do I Get eMail! Egads!

Taking The Bait Or Rising Up Against Intolerance

It’s that time again… I get eMail. Boy do I get eMail. Some of you have started your own spiritual centers or business and have sent me messages about eMails like this one. You’ve asked how I might handle this situation or respond to that one.

When I get an off the wall email, I’m trying to share them and share how I handle responding to them. Sometimes not responding isn’t an option. People are coming to you out of a sincere perspective that you might be able to help them with their problem, or question. If you’re going to put yourself out there with a spiritual shingle and claiming to be a teacher or minister/priest or any type of expert, then you’re going to have to find a way to respond to everyone. No matter how crazy or annoying their email to you might be.

But there some tricks to figuring out if an email really needs a response or not. Sometimes you’ll receive a correspondence from someone trying to scam you, or get you to respond to bait you into a fight that they can then use against you and your reputation. Don’t take their bait!! Walk your walk and rise above their attempts to undermine your goals and your journey.  Here’s my latest “baiting for a fight” email. Continue reading →

Thoughts Of Maya Angelou

May29
Thoughts & Prayers

Thoughts & Prayers

A Woman Who Gave Us All Something To Think About

A statement from Wake Forest University, where Maya Angelou had been professor of American studies since 1982, said: “Dr Angelou was a national treasure whose life and teachings inspired millions around the world.”

Women of my age and older have a lot of thanks to extend to Dr. Angelou for her tireless work to bring equality to all people, regardless of race or gender; or anything else for that matter. Her work for civil rights, human rights, and women’s rights always gave us all something to think about and ponder through her poetry and words.

On May 28th, her family posted this message on Dr. Angelou’s facebook page:
Thursday, May 28, 2014
Statement from Dr. Maya Angelou’s Family:
Dr. Maya Angelou passed quietly in her home before 8:00 a.m. EST. Her family is extremely grateful that her ascension was not belabored by a loss of acuity or comprehension. She lived a life as a teacher, activist, artist and human being. She was a warrior for equality, tolerance and peace. The family is extremely appreciative of the time we had with her and we know that she is looking down upon us with love.
Guy B. Johnson

There are so many tributes to her and her life, what she meant to the world, to African-Americans, to women and others. I won’t even try to put into words the legacy she leaves behind as I think it would pale in comparison to her own words and to what others have written over the past few days about her.

For my own view of Dr. Angelou, I’ll remember her for her comments on spirituality and the words she used to share her journey to finding her own path of faith. She was raised Christian, but went on a discovery to find her own essence of spiritual life. Continue reading →

An Unexpected Visitor

May24

We Have Bats Up In Here!

So the cats are in the bathroom getting into something. I go in and find the shower curtain rod halfway down the wall. I go to push it back up and I notice this big brown something on the wall. Now it’s the bathroom, so the first I think is ..yeah..poop. How the hell did poop get on the wall?

Ok, so it wasn’t a rational thought and I look closer. Uh..How the heck did this little guy get in here?!!

The Bat by Springwolf 🐾 ©201405

Click the Image for a Larger View

After the realization that it was a bat, comes the heart pounding OMG!! Ok, how am I going to get him out of here without hurting him or getting me bitten? I ran the cats out of the bathroom and closed the door. Which in and of itself was also irrational, the bathroom door had been open for several hours and he didn’t come out. So why would he come out now that I knew he was there? Right? Shut up, this isn’t your irrational moment! 😉 Continue reading →

Reflecting On Ladybugs

May23

ladybugWhat Can Ladybugs Say

It’s spring time and that means all of nature is coming out of its long winter’s sleep. And that includes the Ladybug.

Seems like a lot of people have come across these formidable little creatures this year. I’ve received emails, messages and even one or two people in person have asked if I know what Ladybugs are trying to tell us when they come by.

According to Wikipedia:
The Ladybug is known as Coccinella magnifica
The Coccinellidae are a family of small beetles, ranging from 0.8 to 18 mm (0.0315 to 0.708 inches). They are commonly yellow, orange, or scarlet with small black spots on their wing covers, with black legs, heads and antennae. Such color patterns vary greatly, however; for example, a minority of species, such as Vibidia duodecimguttata, a twelve-spotted species, have whitish spots on a brown background. Coccinellids are found worldwide, with over 5,000 species described, more than 450 native to North America alone.

They are called Ladybirds, Ladybugs, and even Ladycrows. Continue reading →

The Faery Portal

May20

A Simple Short Story

A dear friend of mine saw a picture yesterday that inspired her to challenge me to writing a story. I’m up for the task. This is for you Carol.

Oswald West State Park in Northern Coastal Oregon. — Candice Allen

Oswald West State Park in Northern Coastal Oregon.
— Candice Allen

The Misty Faery Portal
by Springwolf © 2014

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, a young woman was lost and walked along a barren path in the middle of a misty forest. She wasn’t lost from her home or village, but from her heart and mind.

Her spirit was broken by struggle and hardship, tragedy and sorrow. She wandered through the woods in search of something, but she did not know what it was. Only knowing that she could never find it. She always returned late each afternoon to her tiny modest shack on the edge of the forest. A simple place that she called her house. A place that was remote and far from everyone and everything.

One night she sat before the fire and tried to stay warm and dry amidst the leaky roof as a storm raged outside. She began to cry and spoke out loud, to whom she did not know.

“Please help me find my way. Help me find the home where I belong. Give me the materials to make beautiful cloths and a garden that can fill my plate at night”.  Through her tears and grumbling stomach, she sobbed as the night waned. Finally, falling asleep in the wee hours of the morning, weary and weak from exhaustion. Continue reading →

Unsolicited Advice is Always Self-Serving

May17
Feeling Put Upon

Feeling Put Upon

Why Does Advice Sometimes Backfire?

I try to spend a little time during the week reading in my favorite magazines or news stories that peak my interest. This week, I found one that hits home as it’s close to something I posted on FB a few weeks ago concerning how we sometimes make assumptions about other people’s lives.

“Giving unsolicited advice is what causes problems. Advice is often preceded by a judgment or an evaluation—which is based on our interpretation of a person or situation. Although you may sincerely intend to help or assist someone, giving unsolicited advice sends a variety of underlying messages which are all based on assumptions, and which are almost always perceived as negative to the person receiving the unwanted advice. As a result, advice often comes across as judgmental, authoritative, or self-serving.

When we give unsolicited advice, the judgmental assumption is, “You can’t figure this out on your own,” or “I don’t trust you to figure it out.”
     
The authoritative assumption is, “I know better than you,” or “I know and you don’t, so I have to tell you.”
     
The self-serving assumption is, “I need to give you the benefit of my advice to validate or to prove to myself how smart I am.” or worse “I need to tell you what to do, so I can be the hero that saved you from yourself.”

As a result, your judgement manifests through your advice and is often taken as a slight or insult, causing hurt feelings within the one you’re trying to help.”

If you want to help someone you care about, simply tell them that you’re thinking of them, you’re sending thoughts and prayers; and ask if there’s anything you can do, for them to please let you know. But don’t make assumptions about what they need or want. Continue reading →

Walking Your Talk Everyday

May15
Go Within And Learn

Go Within And Learn

Can You Stand Up To Your Own Standards

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I get a lot of email from folks around the world. I love getting email. Especially from far off exotic places. I love answering questions and hearing about the experiences of others as they traverse their own paths through life and spiritual exploration.

It’s a double edge sword being a writer and teacher of a spiritual path that has centuries of demonstrative propaganda to stand up to. There are wonderful moments of enlightenment, excitement when someone shares their “Ah-ha” moments, and the inner peace you feel when others thank you for helping them find their own truth within themselves. It’s a calling I’m proud to take and honored to share.

But from time to time there are nasty eMails that condemn my writing, call me names and are in general monstrous accusations of sin, guilt, damnation and so on.

Anyone however, can receive an email like this. How you view those emails might say a lot about you and your own spiritual thoughts and perspectives. It can be a litmus test for how far you’ve come on your path, where you are today and maybe even shed some light on where you need to go moving forward.

Do they offend you? Do you get angry or take them to heart? Do you feel the need to respond or do you simply ignore them. If you do ignore them do you still think about what you would have said and how you would have put them in their place had you responded? Do you carry their message with you even if you know their comments and attack on your character are invalid?

Yesterday I received an email and I asked folks on my FB page this question: Continue reading →

Psychoneuroimmunology

May3
OMG! Face Plant!!

OMG, Face Plant!!

When Alternative Information Goes Wrong – Losing Our Knowledge, Understanding and Wisdom from the Past

I read something today that annoyed me a little and felt the need to point it out.

I was looking for information to answer a question I was asked about the concept of how our thoughts create how we feel. The questioner found the work of Louise Hay and wanted more information concerning this approach for healing. Additional authors and places to look to broaden the understanding.

While I had a few resources, I wanted to find some additional and more academic sources to share. If you don’t know, this concept of healing from a science perspective is called: Psychoneuroimmunology. Say what? Yeah, it’s a big word but it’s not new. Not by a long shot.

The academic concept Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is:
…the study of the interaction between psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems of the human body. PNI takes an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating psychology, neuroscience, immunology, physiology, genetics, pharmacology, molecular biology, psychiatry, behavioral medicine, infectious diseases, endocrinology, and rheumatology. Wikipedia: Psychoneuroimmunology. Continue reading →

The 5 Minute Meditation For Balance

Apr29
wolfmeditation2

Take 5 Minutes To Balance Your Energy

Balancing Your Energies

Meditation in both forms of devotional and non-spiritual exercise has been shown to be beneficial for relieving stress, improving health and increasing productivity. But for many it’s more than an alternative medical approach to dealing with stress and anxiety. You can read more about the Proven Benefits of Meditation, even if you don’t include a spiritual aspect to the practice.

Too much of anything isn’t a good place to be. Living too much “up there” or “out there” can keep you from paying attention to the physical world you’re currently part of. Being flighty can create unwanted circumstances that cause you to drop things, miss things, or keep you from thinking clearly about what’s at hand or needs to get done.

Feeling weighed down, heavy or dragging across the Earth is also an extreme that can cause problems. It can pull you down into despair, sadness and create a lack of desire or energy to do anything that needs to be done. Continue reading →