Wisdom from the walking trail

It’s all about frame of mind…

Whatever you do …. if you decide before you do it that you hate it or will hate it then it’s probably not going to be an enjoyable experience for you. (This isn’t always true.. but mostly true.. there are always those exceptions

If you set your mind to be open to the task.. then who knows.. you may end up liking it or at the least .. not minding it so much.

I started out in my most recent “battle of the bulge” thinking that adding a workout to my already busy day was just going to be that much more work for me… it made just getting to the gym a real chore… talking myself into going and not giving up all the way home up until I actually stepped foot into the gym and then from there I would have to talk myself into staying on the bike while I was there just to get through the whole workout.

Then suddenly a funny thing happened somewhere between getting there.. being there and finishing my workout…. My thoughts went from dread to I now look forward to my workouts! How can that be??????

Well I wasn’t going to give up on the workouts .. it is my mission this time around to win this battle… and so I might as well try my best to find a way to like what I’m doing. So I did! I found something in the gym that I absolutely love .. that would be the swimming and the sauna .. hee hee LOVE IT! I save that for last .. I go in do my rounds with the weights .. do my 30 minutes of cardio and then my reward is there waiting every time.. time to swim .. which is also a great workout so there’s an extra benefit to me.. and then after swimming as many laps as I can handle .. off to the sauna I go.. there is my meditation time.. time to just sit and relax and sweat off a bit more weight at the same time.

So now it’s so much easier to get through my workouts .. so much easier to get to the gym .. and all in all I feel better.. I don’t have that looming dread hanging over me at the end of my day.

As soon as my thoughts changed from negative to positive .. everything clicked and my world became a whole lot brighter. This was something I needed to do regardless of how I thought about it so I might as well turn it into something enjoyable.

I’m lucky that my thoughts changed so quickly .. just 5 weeks into my battle.. if only they had changed years ago maybe I wouldn’t have such a large battle.. but that’s in the past and for now I’m concentrating on each day as it comes.

Message of the day:

When you have a task before you and you’re feeling that dread … look around and see if there is a way to see the positive and embrace that part of it.. even if it’s something small.. a little bit of positivity goes a long way!

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Stripping it all away

This is a vision I had a couple of years ago and thought now to be a good time to re-share with you my experience…

The Milk Ceremony ~

I was laid out in circle completely naked as the clan mothers cleansed me with milk. They carefully poured milk all over my body taking care not to miss any part of me. Once this was done pieces of leather were laid over my more private areas and a medicine man then came into the circle. He carried with him a large shell of smoke to once again cleanse and bless me and the area before he began his medicine.

What happened next was something I would have never imagined. It was as if I had many layers of myself on me…. Like layers of clothing it was as if I had layers of flesh that had built up over the years. The medicine man stood at my feet and with gestures he pulled off each layer one by one. With each layer he pulled off and threw behind him, I became brighter and more clean looking. It was just like when one lightens their teeth and with each application they become a tad bit whiter. Behind him as he threw off each layer, there were helpers that would quickly pour special water mixed with milk and herbs onto the ground where his gestures seemed to have thrown the layers. Also there was a bundle of herbs smoking just on the far side of the area that yet another helper would continuously fan so that the smoke filled the entire area behind the medicine man.

These layers of me were… well….. they were ideas, behaviors, thoughts, actions and habits that I had formed over years of living. Things that had attached to me through all my daysin this life. I was being stripped away of everything. Stripped down to the bone but the medicine man went far beyond flesh and bone … he went all the way down to the core of me.

It took quite a long while to strip away all my layers .. seems as though I must have collected quite a lot in this life thus far. When he was finally done stripping away my layers, I saw something amazing and unexpected. I was made up entirely of light. Laying there still, glowing oh so brightly.. and to my amazement I could see certain parts of me a bit brighter than the rest. We read about and are taught that our bodies have these Chakra points… the points in your body that hold the most energy…. Seeing myself in this way….. confirmed that to be true.

It was as if I had the whole of the universe inside me… made up of every constellation imaginable. Some say were are born of the stars .. after seeing this I would certainly believe that to be a truth. Once I was stripped down to this level the medicine man and his helpers along with the clan mothers, sat down and formed a circle around me…. They sat there for a very long time chanting in a meditative prayer. They did this until the sun came back up.

I was then shaded by some structure that they built and left there in a meditative state until the sun had gone back down. As I began to grow back a new layer of flesh and bone… I was given a token or gift from each person in the circle… they placed these gifts inside me. It will be up to me to find these gifts and use them when the time is right. The medicine man’s gift was a large crystal.. it was squared in shape .. not pointed and not entirely clear.. it was a milky color and a bit off white.

This ceremony leaves me in quite a state of reflection. I can certainly see the point of it and feel quite blessed to have been part of such a sacred and healing act. In fact beyond the words describing the ceremony I feel quite speechless.. not knowing exactly what to say… yeah I bet you never imagines that either!! hahahaha.

On that note I will leave you with this one last thought… maybe we should all take a bit of time to look at ourselves and the many layers we have collected over our lifetimes… and do ourselves the favor of shedding those layers that bring us negativity, pain or those thoughts and behaviors that simply hold us back in life.

Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Which Way Are You Headed?

I started out with no clue what to post for today's wisdom ... and then a thought hit me... WHAM!


So here we go!


Which way are you headed?


Are you walking toward your dreams.. or are you just sitting on the side of the road waiting for your dreams to come hopping along?


I don't need to tell you that sitting on the side of the road waiting for things to happen isn't the way to get to your destination... because you already know this... but maybe what you didn't realize is that you were sitting on the side of the road.... maybe you thought you were moving toward your dreams...


Step back and take a good look at the path you are on and what you are doing as you walk forward ...


Do your actions show progress toward your dreams?

Are you moving too fast? too slow? jumping around? dodging the obvious? walking in fear?

Can you do more?

Can you step it up a notch?

Are you giving it your all?

Are you doing your best or could you really do a little bit more?


Life will never be our idea of "perfect" there will always be things missing or out of order from how we perceive that they "should" be ... but at the end of the day .. if you have given it your best ... and know that without doubt that you have done all that you can do ... YOU WILL FIND HAPPINESS. Having part of a dream is far better than having nothing at all.


Walk in the direction of your dreams ... Believe in yourself ... And be the best that YOU can be.. whatever that best is ..


Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Remember When….

Remember When…

Remember what it was like when you were little?


When there really was a man in the moon that listened to all your prayers and watched over you as you slept....


When you looked at frogs, bunnies, bugs and lizards as your friends who had their own home and families in the garden .. and how you just knew they understood every word you said even though you spoke different languages...


When a mound of dirt suddenly became the tallest mountain you would ever climb.... and how wonderful it felt when you reached the top!


When you would see a falling star and you closed your eyes as tight as can be and made a wish straight from your heart....


When bed sheets and blankets made the best secret club house ever!


What happened that you stop seeing the world like this?


It's the same world ya know....


All you need to do to bring the magic back into your life .. is believe .. believe as you did back when .. with your whole heart and soul ...


Really... that’s all it takes...


Remember yet?


Open your heart to love and you'll begin to believe again ..


Just because you have grown taller doesn't mean your adventures have come to an end ...


Come on... take my hand .. I'll walk with you for a while .. until your eyes are once again open and the magic is real and no longer just some words from a fairy tale.... come on.. what are you waiting for ... let's go!


"Your life is only as good as you allow it to be"


"Allow more"



Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Are We There Yet?

When it comes to that moment of Spiritual enlightenment … that moment we find ourselves atop the mountain … that place we have been searching for our whole lives … that place we believe to be at the end of our path … it’s not about that moment at the top … it’s about our journey getting there.



It’s how we walked the path on the way… how we carried ourselves… the lives we touched… and the changes we made in ourselves.



It’s not a race … and not a competition.. it’s not about being better than anyone else .. it’s about your own growth.



On the way to that mountain top… what did you learn?

How have you changed?

When you look out at the view and see the path you walked… what do you see? How do you feel?



Was it a good life?



Food for thought….



Many Blessings,
Raventalker

I am More Than Just Me

I Am More Than Just Me



I’m not just me but also the flower, the nectar and the bee…

I’m the stream that travels around the bend .. I’m the river with no end

I’m a new born fawn on unsteady feet, I’m the mushroom that’s now a toads comfy seat

I’m the wind and the rain, I’m the woodpecker and the crane

I’m more than just me, I’m the dolphin playing in the sea

I’m the bear, once asleep now awake, I’m every pond and every lake

I’m the branch on every tree, I’m the ocean and the sea

I’m the grass, the weeds, the flower and the seeds

I’m the mountain, I’m the grove… I’m the reef in every cove

I’m the forest and the dale …. I’m the cry of the hump back whale

I’m far more than just one, I’m a part of it all

I’m more than the raven, more than its call

I’m not just one, I’m a part of it all



Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Message from Spirit

ok take two... lol...


Spirit gently whispers in my ear ... PURPOSE


Let go of the idea that you have to find your purpose as if you are not already living it.


We each have our own purpose and you may be surprised to find out that the purpose of life is the same for all of us.


It's in living ... living life well and becoming and being the best that we can.


We were born with love and in becoming who we are we struggle and sometimes think we have lost that love ... we haven't ... it's there... it's waking up to realize that it never left us.. not for one second .. it was just waiting for us to notice.


It's often hardest to see what's right there in front of our faces.


just sayin....


Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Are You Happy Now?

Are you Happy Now?


When asked this question, what comes to mind?


Are your first thoughts, those of well no.. I need to lose more weight, I want to get my teeth whitened, I need to make more money, I want to be loved more, I want more success, a bigger house, a newer car… etc.?

OR

Do your thoughts go toward all that you have in life and all the possibilities that await?


Happiness comes when YOU allow yourself to be so. Happiness doesn’t come from material things so having a bigger house, better job or whatever it is you “desire” in the material world won't mean that you'll be happy.


Take this time now to think about all the things that have made you laugh or smile.. I bet most of those things have nothing at all to do with material possessions… and more so on acts of kindness, friendship, family bonding, and basic human interaction. Maybe it was a child's laughter, or finding your very first 4 leaf clover, or watching the sunset or rise…. Maybe it was a kiss or a look... Maybe it was the look on someone's face when they had lost the plot… maybe it was your child’s first steps… whatever it was … I can almost guarantee it had nothing at all to do with something you “thought” you wanted or needed.. instead it was something that just came to you freely and without some supermarket price tag.


I’m not saying that life isn’t hard and that there are no tragedies …. I’m simply saying to take a moment and appreciate all the little things in life that bring you unexpected joy.. take a moment to appreciate those around you … tell those close to you that you love them and appreciate them. Hug a whole lot more and complain a whole lot less.


Take today to appreciate the fact that if nothing else in this world you still have life … and if you still have life you have dreams, hope and possibilities.


True happiness comes not from outside joys but those that touch your heart and make you smile…. From the inside out!


Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Uses of cinnamon

Uses of cinnamon



Healing Power and Curative Properties

Cinnamon leaves are used in the form of powder or decoction. They are stimulant and useful in relieving flatulence and in increasing secretion and discharge of urine. Cinnamon prevents nervous tension, improves complexion and memory. A pinch of cinnamon powder mixed with honey does the trick if taken regularly every night for these purposes.



Common Cold

Cinnamon is an effective remedy for common cold. Coarsely powdered and boiled in a glass of water with a pinch of pepper powder and honey, it can be beneficially used as medicine in cases of influenza, sore throat, and malaria. Its regular use during the rainy season prevents attacks of influenza. Cinnamon oil, mixed with honey, gives relief from cold.



Digestive Disorders

Cinnamon checks nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It stimulates digestion. A tablespoon of cinnamon water, prepared as for cold and taken half an hour after meals, relieves flatulence and indigestion.



Bad breath

Cinnamon serves as a good mouth freshener.



Headache

Headache produced by exposure to cold air is readily cured by applying a paste of finely powdered cinnamon mixed in water on the temples and forehead.



Acne

Paste of cinnamon powder prepared with a few drops of fresh lime juice can be applied over pimples and blackheads with beneficial results.



Other Diseases

Cinnamon is highly beneficial in the treatment of several other ailments, including spasmodic afflictions, asthma, paralysis, excessive menstruation, uterus disorders and gonorrhea. It is sometimes used as a prophylactic agent, to control German measles.



Other Uses

Natural Birth-Control: Cinnamon can be used for natural birth-control. It has the remarkable effect of checking the early release of ova after child-birth. A piece of cinnamon taken every night for a month after child-birth delays menstruation for more than 15 to 20 months thus preventing early conception. It indirectly helps the secretion of breast milk. Prolonged breast feeding checks the restarting of menstruation after child-birth, according to studies.

Dried cinnamon leaves and inner bark are used for flavoring cakes and sweets and in curry powder. They are also used in incense, dentifrices and perfumes. Cinnamon bark oil is used for flavoring confectionery and liqueurs. It is also used in pharmaceutical and dental preparations. Cinnamon leaf oil is used in perfumes and flavorings as also in the synthesis of vanilla.







Many Blessings,
Raventalker



Life!

Spirit whispers in my ear this morning and so I must share the message I have been given...


Life! Life .. it's simple.. it's complex... it's up .. it's down.. it's here .. it's now.. it's this moment and the next.


I can't begin to tell you what life is all about ... ok well I could begin but it would never end...lol.. this blog would go on forever!!!


But what I can tell you is what it's NOT about ...


It's not about the pain - it's about growing, learning and repairing

It's not about the torment - it's about the healing

It's not about the hurt - it's about not hurting anymore .... or anyone

It's not about the miles - it's about every step along the way

It's not about the size of the battle - it's about holding true to yourself

It's not about the tears shed - it's about caring

It's not about the struggle - it's about the fight inside

It's not about youth - it's about the child within

It's not about money - it's about the treasure in YOU

It's not about what you have - it's about what you give


I could go on and on .. but I'll stop here ... I think you understand the whisper from here...


Life is about finding peace and happiness .. right here .. right now.. in this moment .. within yourself.


Enjoy it!


It's a gift we have been given ... E N J O Y I T!


It's in your own hands ... how will you handle it?


Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Finding your animal totems

Ok in the past few days I have had several conversations about how do you find your totem animal or animals .. and how do you know which animal is yours.... soooooooooooooo I thought I might speak a few words about this.


The first thing that I want to say is ... the below are my own thoughts and ways ... I'm not saying this is the one and only way and I'm not saying I'm right and everyone else is wrong... all I can do is give you my perspective and speak from my own experiences... so please don't take it personally if my view differs from yours or from what you may have been told by someone else..


ok whew .. now that the disclaimer is said and done.. we can get down to business.


Note #1 - First of all there were comments by one of my friends that she is connected to one particular animal more than any other and then she said that told her that her totem was something else .. her next statement was that she has never connected with that animal.


Well, I'm not saying that whoever told her what her totem was - was wrong .. that totem may be around her but not yet showing itself to her - but also I want to say that ... YOU are the one connecting with YOUR totem .. YOU are the one effected ... YOU are the one being guided - Don't worry so much about what others tell you - instead ... if you feel strongly linked to one particular animal or 2 or 3 or whatever - then that/those are YOUR totems.


Note #2 - You may have many totems throughout your lifetime.. some stay with you for long periods of time and sometimes forever and some come and go as they are needed. Sooooooo ... you meet someone and they tell you is your totem ... or at least that's what THEY see as YOUR totem ... and that may be true for that moment in time... but as your life progresses and you change .. your situation changes and all things around you change .. your totem may or may not also change. So don't get yourself stuck on ... "so and so said this is my totem so that's it .. forever" LOL



Note #3 - You will find your totem when you stop trying so hard to find it ..


It is not something to be forced or made to be.. when you relax and let things just be .. you will see...

You must allow your totem to come to you .. welcome it into your life and soon you will discover it has been there all along.. you will see the signs and have that DUH! Moment .. LOL...


When you push and push and try to force things to be ... the vision becomes blurred and unclear. We all have our totems.. don't worry you are not without one just because you are unsure of what it is. You just have to relax and allow it to show itself to you.


Note #4 - Stan Hughes has a wonderful book called Medicine Seeker.. in the back of his book he has a 100+ question survey to help you find out what totems you may have. It's a very in depth survey that may bring light to what you already know but may be suppressing.


Here's a link to Stan's page
http://www.facebook.com/people/Stan-Hughes/722647534#!/profile.php?id=100001401923003



Anyway .. I hope this has helped .. good luck and Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Daily Wisdom by Raventalker 1-24-2011

What? Shocked?


Why are you so shocked about how your life is going??? After all ... YOU are the one writing the book!


There is nothing we can do about the chapters we have already lived except to accept them as they were and move forward. How boring would life be if it were always perfect and there were no hills... no battles... no surprises or bends in the road.


It is not what comes your way that matters most .. it's how you handle it... how you get through it .. and how you move forward.


Don't dwell on past mistakes.. allow them to be lessons learned and move forward with better knowledge of what to do next time.


Find a moment right here .. right now to be happy ... wrap yourself in that feeling and don't be afraid of it .. sure it may only last a moment ... but you felt it .. you knew what it was .. and you were open to the experience ... it will be back! Just don't be afraid.. Allow it to come and go and you will find yourself wrapped in its light more often than not.


Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Returning of the Sun...

Returning of the Sun...



The days, now getting longer as they grow
The sun sharing with us it's warm and healing glow


It's time to think about what we will harvest this year
Ready the seeds... the time is growing near


Preparation and work go hand in hand
If we want to see something come from our plan


A bit of work and a bit of time
Take care of the details and all will be fine


Nurture and trust what you sow
When it's time to harvest, you'll know


Take care in all that you do from here on out
Fertilize your dreams and let go of all doubt


Soon the work you've done will be seen by all
A great harvest you'll reap as the raven sings it caw


So go now and make your plans
Get ready to work and don't fear a little dirt on your hands!



Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Where is the wisdom?

Where is the wisdom?

It is in every drop of rain... every ounce of pain.

It is in every laugh, every giggle .. it's even in the inch worms wiggle.

It is in every breeze ... it comes and goes with ease.

It is every blade of grass, in every day that has come to pass.

It is in the tears and collected through the years.

It is in every animal, every being... it's in everything, even those that are not seen.

It is in the silence and in the words, and carried on the wings of every bird.

It is in the wind, the earth, the water and the flame... and is known by many a name.

It is in the heart and in the soul.. is more than what you learn, its what you already know.

Where is it?

Where is the wisdom?

It's in the air and below your feet ... it's sometimes a trick and sometimes a real treat!

It's whats said and whats left to guess ... it's even in every jest.

It is more than an action, more than a word... its even sometimes quite absurd!

It's kind and its cruel... an can turn the smartest of men into a fool.

Where is is? You want to know....

It's here, there and everywhere you go....



Many Blessings,
Raventalker

One Thousand Times

One Thousand Times

One thousand times I’ve been born
One thousand times I’ve died

The years have passed by like a soft whisper in the wind
Days and nights gone without my knowing

One thousand paths I have walked
One thousand lessons I have learned

Tears I have cried for so many reasons
Smiles, laughter and love have helped me make it through the seasons

One thousand rights
One thousand wrongs

Blessings and curses bestowed upon me
Love, the miracle that always brings me back to why I’m ME

One thousand ways
One thousand times

One thousand pairs of eyes
One thousand ways to see

One thousand lips to be kissed
One thousand people, wondering if ever they were missed

One thousand ways to go
One thousand reasons to live again

One thousand times ……

Raventalker

Being the Messenger

Let me answer the questions that have been wandering through your head..
How is it I come up with the things I have said?


How do you see what you see?
With the inner eyes that Spirit has given me.


How do you hear what can't be heard?
I quiet the noise and say not a word.


How does Spirit sound?
Like the wind, the rain, the sun, the moon and the ground.


How do you know these things are true?
I have faith, the question is, why don't you?


What's the key to help me see more?
Our mind is like a hallway of many doors...


No locks, even though closed they may be
Just reach out and turn the knob - that's the key!


Open them wide and release your fear
Soon, you'll see and even hear


Empty your heart of all anger and distrust
To walk this way, it is a must!


Let go, stop trying to control


Let yourself be guided, taken by the hand
Soon you'll be floating with Spirit across the land


Visions will fill the eyes you didn't know were there
It's not a secret... everyone has two pair!


Forget what you thought you knew
Just let it come to you.


And now with a smile and a wink, you know what to do
Blessings for the beginning of a whole new view!


Many Blessings,
Raventalker

Inspiration

Today I'd like to hear your thoughts....


Let me be the student and you the teacher ...


Now... what is it you'd like to say?


What inspires you?

What gets you up out of bed in the mornings?

What keeps you moving even though you want so badly to give up or take a break?

What motivates you?

What lessons have you learned?

What makes you feel better?

What makes you smile?

What makes you sad?



What is it that you could share today?



Raventalker