Tuesday - The Day of "Karma"

Excerpted from Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents pg 81

"Tuesday is the day of "Karma"

Today we tell our children "When you make a choice, you change the future."

On Tuesday we agree as parents to do the following things with our children:

1. Talk about some choice they made today
2. Show them how our future was changed by a past choice we made
3. Explain right and wrong in terms of how choices feel."

Hmmm. I was frustrated by today and I think that I know the reason why. When I read this this morning, I read "decisions" - when you make decisions you change the future. And what I was faced with all day is the frustration of relying on other people to make decisions that were out of my control. And I talked to Finn about how my future was changed by a past decision I made - and I equated moving back to the states with the arrival of Finn - the possibility of Family. But of course, since that decision brought up all these memories of extreme challenges that we faced - it was a bittersweet discussion.

If I were to flip my day and think in terms of choice instead of decision, I could see I made a choice to interact with a breakdown at work with grace and compassion instead of anger, I could see that I made a choice to make it a teaching opportunity instead of one of discipline. I would have told Finny that when his Dad and I made the decision to become allies instead of adversaries - regardless of our circumstances - that there was no mistake that there was suddenly room to make our family bigger. And instead of being frustrated about my day yesterday, I could have made the choice to take ownership of my feelings and been fully self-expressed and clear in my expectations.

And honestly - until I re-read this this morning to write this post I wouldn't have made a huge distinction between decision and choice.

Choose love, choose life, choose to get in the game.

Love to you,
Patty

Monday - The Day of Giving & Valentine's Day...Perfect

Excerpted from The Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents Pg 69

" Monday is the Day of Giving

Today we tell our children, "If you want to get something, give it."

On Monday we agree as parents to do the following things with our children:

1. Invite them to give one thing to someone else in the family
2. Inspire them to receive graciously
3. Share a brief ritual of gratitude for life's gifts"

So at 16 months old, Finn is a pretty good sharer...kisses, food, books, colds ;) although Aunt Mary really likes that "one more kiss" that makes him cranky. And I tried before we went to bed to do a little ritual of gratitude with him which was really me saying that I was super grateful for him. But I wasn't inspired with a blog post story, I didn't feel like I had anything to share...

Then this morning I woke up at 6 and Finn wasn't awake yet so I contemplated another 30, 40 minutes of sleep or getting up and getting a move on the day. I thought about the Daily Goddess and wondered what I would share and then I remembered dinner. This is the first Valentine's Day I have spent with my family since high school and when I got around the table everyone had written cards and my dad had gotten us all a box of candy and I didn't do anything. My Valentine is in Costa Rica - I figured I had the day off!! I was feeling a little guilty, so I don't know if I inspired to recieve graciously but in thinking about this law this morning I really connected to the power of the little things. The smile, the acknowledgement, an email, a hug. None of these things cost money (which I have been focused on for the past 2 years plus) but they can and do absolutely have the power to transform a person's day, life.

It did make me think that it's time I played bigger, that it's time I stopped feeling self conscious and I just got out there and started playing the game. And Deepak Chopra is right - it's not about the time you spend on a particular activity - because at the end of the day yesterday I truly felt like I had failed at Monday, failed at Giving. It's about paying attention.

Love to you.
Patty

Dearest Goddesses,

It's been a very long time since my last post. I sort of felt like if I was stuck and couldn't really get myself out of this difficult time that I was going through, how could I possibly be a "voice" of the Goddess. How could I possibly provide guidance and support for people. I was acutely aware of the people who might be reading and I simply got self-conscious.

Over the years, the times that I felt the most powerful were times when I was connected to people, to my various communities and especially to spirit and it's been a long time since I've felt that connection - and this blog was a way that I connected - a chance to get out of my own way to share with the world and so it is time that I get over myself and start sharing again...and honestly, noone has to read it.

I took out a bunch of books from the library a few weeks ago in an effort to get some support about discipline. My little boy Finn is now 16 months old and just a vibrant life force and I so do not want to dim that source, but I also want to make sure that I set boundaries, so I wanted some help. One of the books I grabbed was Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents and I felt that old tingle of inspiration. I'm only a couple of pages in and he's described what the seven law are - and how they translate into in kid's speak and he broke them up in days of the week truly begin to practice these laws. It's not about the time that you spend on each of the tasks (he gives three per day) it's simply about paying attention. And perfectly - today is Sunday which was when he started his week and I'd like to share with you...

Excerpted from Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents, page 55:

"Sunday (Law One) The Day of Pure Potentiality

Today we tell our children "Everything is possible, no matter what."

One Sunday we agree as parents to do the following with our children:

1. Lead them in a few minutes of silent meditation
2. Inspire them to appreciate the beauty and wonder of Nature
3. Show them the hidden possibilities in familiar situations"

So after reading this, I packed up my little boy in his winter jacket and hat and mittens and we headed outside so I could "inspire him to appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature." Once we got outside I was stuck. What was I going to talk about? So of course we are surrounded by snow, so I told him about individual snowflakes and how they are all different but join together to make all of these snow drifts and when the sun comes and melts some snow it can become ice (which was what we were walking on). Then all of a sudden Finn starts going crazy mooing. (His first words beside hi and bye were not Mom or Dad but MOO. We were approaching this big wooden bear, so I figured he thought it was a cow, but then I looked where he was looking and saw the moon in the sky! He was going crazy for the moon! And suddenly, I am completely inspired over the beauty and wonder not only of nature but of my amazing son.

So - I will keep sharing these laws and my days of paying attention and look forward to reconnecting to my spirit and the world outside of my head.

Blessings,
Patty

Choose Peace

Dearest Ladies,

I think genetically my worry bone kicks into high gear during stressful times and in asking for some guidance/direction last night from Living With Joy by Sanaya Roman – I came across the following that I wanted to share with you. Choose peace ladies.

Love to you,

Patty

“Inner peace means releasing attachments to anything – to having a person act the way you want or to having the world work the way you expect. When you let go of those attachments, you will find your life working even better than you could have expected or planned. It does not mean giving up control of your life; it means coming from your own center of peace at all times.

Right now, make the decision that you can bring inner peace into your life. Make the decision that you´re going to open your heart even more, be more compassionate, more understanding, more loving, and more forgiving of everyone you know. Form a picture in your mind of yourself going through the next week, and see yourself coming from totally new level of peace. See the smile on your face and the joy in your heart.

Take one thing in your life that you would like to feel peace about, something that possibly you have been reacting to, and make a mental image of releasing, forgiving and letting go, finding inner peace with this issue. Ony you can create inner peace. From that space you will see the world you experience reflecting it. Other people, events, and situations do not need to trigger a reaction in you. If, instead, you maintain this center of peace, you will change those events that used to disturb and upset you. If they do not change, it will no longer intrude on your sense of well-being. You can find your center, your soul´s light and your inner being reflected and carried out in the world you experience."

Spiritual Constipation

Dearest Goddesses,

I apologize in advance for the metaphor, but I just couldn´t resist.

Being pregnant, I have been experiencing some issues with elimination – nuff said. So as I was feeling a little uncomfortable, I couldn´t help but relate that physical feeling to the emotional feelings that I´ve been having and I felt like it was more than physical - I was spiritually, creatively, emotionally constipated, stopped up, clogged, blocked.

The key is movement. That is certainly what we hope for when the issue is physical and I think it´s also the key when it goes beyond the physical. Movement. Physical movement, energy movement…Taking those baby steps.

SO – what is the solution? What is your spiritual, creative, emotional equivalent to eating lots of fiber and drinking lots of water? Remember, the key to feeling refreshed is movement – that´s the goal. What are you going to have to do / what are you going to have to give up in order to get things moving?

Fiberous food for thought.

Love to you,

Patty

Lost: Funny Bone – Reward Offered

Dearest Goddesses,

Over a year ago, I randomly made a list of the Goddess Oracle which is how I am presenting them. I am shocked at how they constantly seem to be showing up in my life. Uzume – this week´s goddess represents laughter. This weekend I turned to John and said that I felt like I had lost my funny bone. And then with the most intense sadness, I broke down and tried to recall the last time I had let myself go and just have a good time – to that core of fun. I was reminded of my lost funny bone when I was watching this commercial with all of these kids just playing in a pool – splashing. When did I stop laughing? When did I start taking myself so seriously? When did things stop being fun?

If you´re feeling like me – check out Uzume´s ritual – and take it on as a creative project. Write out the "story" of your life right now and then watch it play out like it was on a stage. (Extra points if you really do act it out – like a monologue). And then what if Will Farrell or Adam Sandler were the stars of your story?

And write a list of things that make you laugh – things that are fun. Or write out times when you remember letting yourself go and having a great time. And then recreate it. Start adding in some fun. FIND YOUR FUNNY BONE!

I know I am desperate to find mine!

Love to you,

Patty

Uzume - Laughter

The following is excerpted exactly from The Goddess Oracle by Amy Sophia Marashinsky and the illustrations are by Hrana Janto. For more information on their work, please visit the following websites:

Amy Sophia Marashinsky: http://www.amysophia.com/
You can download the meditations included in the ritual suggestions at http://deepspiritualnourishment.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2

Hrana Janto: http://www.hranajanto.com/

Before the Rock Cave of Heaven

where Amaterasu Omi Kami, the Sun Goddess

had hidden her radiant face

where all the assembled Gods and Goddesses had tried

and failed

to lure her out

I stepped up to the Cave

with utmost seriousness

with grave determination

with proper decorum and a lofty mien

and with a bump and a bump and a bump bump bump bump

lifted my kimono and revealed myself in ways

that caused the mouths of the exalted ones

to water and fall open

Then I played puppet with my labia

and paid myself a little lip service

I heaved my breast over one shoulder

then the other over the other

and landed on my ass

with a bump and a bump and a bump bump bump bump

amidst the explosions of laughter and merriment

of the esteemed crowd

With breasts tied in a knot

my legs spread like a welcome mat

I called in the Spirits

and offered them my body

but they refused to take it

The crowd howled and laughed as I continued my dance

till Amaterasu Omi Kami couldn´t stand it any longer

and rushed out to see what was what

And thus did laughter

win the Sun Goddess from her dark cave

and bring light and warmth back into the world.

Mythology

Uzume (pronounced oo-zoo-may), ancient Japan´s shaman-Goddess, is credited as being the one to entice the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omi Kami, out of the cave where she had hidden. Uzume did a bawdy dance making fun of shamanic ritual. She exposed her breasts, she played with her genitals, amidst the howls of laughter of the deities assembled. So loud and enticing was the uproar she created, that Amaterasu´s curiosity got the better of her and she came out from her cave.

Meaning of the Card

Uzume begins her comic dance in your life to tell you it is time to nurture wholeness with laughter. Laughter causes us to relax, enables us to gain perspective, helps ease us through difficulties. Have you been taking life too seriously? When is the last time you had a good laugh? Are you able to laugh at yourself in a gentle way? Perhaps life is challenging you with such ferocity that you find it hard to see the humor in your present situation. Uzume says that wholeness is gained when you choose to laugh and see the humor in all of life´s challenges.

Ritual Suggestion: Journey to Uzume

Click the link below to download the meditation for Uzume for $1.50

http://deepspiritualnourishment.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=67

Find a time and a place when and where you will not be disturbed. Sit or lie comfortably with your spine straight and close your eyes. Take a deep breath and release it with a "ha, ha, ha". Take another deep breath and lift your shoulders up and down three times as you exhale. Take another deep breath and release it with a "ha, ha, ha" while moving your shoulders up and down as if you were having a good laugh. Take another deep breath and, as you exhale, see, sense or feel the Rock Cave of Heaven. Take another deep breath and, as you release it, see yourself standing in front of the cave. Enter the cave. It is warm and pleasant. A small dancing sun appears before you to light your way through the darkness of the cave. You follow the dancing sun, enjoying its playfulness, becoming more relaxed, more at ease. The sun leads you to the light at the end of the cave where you step out into the Underworld. There you are met by Uzume who warmly walcomes you with a big smile. She takes you by the hand and leads you to a stage area with some cushions in front of it.

She sits on the cushions and gestures for you to do the same. She asks you what you need. You tell her you need help seeing the humor, the comedy, in a particular situation in your life. She agrees to help you. As you give her the details, the entire situation is played out before you on the stage. Once you have finished, she claps her hands twice and the entire scene is replayed as a comedy, complete with clowns and your favorite comic actors. It is very funny and you find yourself laughing and feeling light and carefree. When the scene is finished, Uzume claps and the scene vanishes. You thank Uzume and she asks you for a gift, which you give to her with an open heart. She escorts you back to the cave entrance where you are met by the dancing sun. You and the sun dance your way back through the cave, feeling energized, refreshed, revitalized and as light as air. At the cave entrance you take a deep breath and come back to your body. Take another deep breath and, when ready, open your eyes. Welcome back!