On The Farm
At this time of year, I am energized by the amazing colors of the trees. I go looking for that special leaf, usually maple, that has multiple colors. I am transformed when I look at the sunlight coming through the leaf colors like stained glass.
The migrating birds are another miracle. Geese rise from the lake as a gaggle and quickly organize into their delta shape for making the long flights together. If only people could organize as quickly.
I hope the season brings you much to be thankful for and that gratitude for all of us extends through the entire year. It is wise to live in gratitude. That emotion, more than any other, can regulate an anxious heart and nervous system. Being in gratitude, one sees where things come together, not just where they come apart. It raises one’s vibration so it’s easier to love All That Is, even the prickly parts. Joy and love are huge emotions, so those who have experienced abuse and suffering tend to protect themselves from overwhelming energies including joy and love. However, gratitude is an easier way to get to joy and love. It shifts perspective and opens the heart in ways it can manage. We can all find some small, and maybe even some big, things to be grateful for, and allow that feeling to guide us for awhile.
Important Resource for you
Talking with your veterinarian about end-of-life for your beloved animal companion is probably one of the most difficult conversations you will ever have. There is an important and helpful guide available free of charge when you go to www.BrightHaven.org. Founded as a 501C3 registered non-profit by Gail and Richard Pope, BrightHaven is a renowned animal rescue, hospice and holistic education organization. The site offers a variety of caregiver resources to help you help your animals live well each and every day! Their primary focus: senior, disabled & chronically ill animals. Staff have provided hospice care for over 600 animals and their people. When you go to the site, a pop-up will send you a free BrightHaven Vet Discussion Guidance: Navigating a Terminal Diagnosis. A good site to explore.
Cause of the Month: Smokey Chestnut Farm
In 2012, Smokey Chestnut Farm in Norton, Massachusetts, became a 501C3 nonprofit animal rescue sanctuary. Heidi Medas is the farm owner and caretaker of the herd of 14 horses, 3 goats, 3 alpacas, and 3 little pigs!
All of the animals who call Smokey home were in need of rescue, particularly the horses, most of whom were going to slaughter. Every year, thousands of horses leave the United States and are sent to Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia to be slaughtered for food.
What sets Smokey Chestnut Farm aside from many other rescues is the firm belief that the spiritual health of the animals is just as, or more important as their physical health. Partnering with the animals, Heidi and her staff grow strong heart connections to give hope, love and compassion to all forms of life. The organization promotes love and respect for ALL animals, not just those in its care. Volunteers include shamanic practitioners, animal communicators, massage therapists, as well as those who help with physical care.
If you would like to learn more about Smokey Chestnut Farm, or to donate toward their continued support, please visit the website at www.smokeychestnutfarm.com.
The Bookshelf
Sy Montgomery is a naturalist and author who has received numerous honors for her writing, including lifetime achievement awards from the Humane Society. In this fascinating account, she travels to aquariums in New England, Polynesia and Mexico to explore the world of the octopus, the remarkable connections they make with people, and the vibrant community that arises around this complex, intelligent and spirited creature.
In reading this book, I found some similarities with the film, My Octopus Teacher, which, if you haven’t yet seen, you should look it up. The observations that Montgomery makes are astounding and leave no question about the intelligence and unique personalities of the different octopuses that are featured. It is a fascinating read that was difficult to put down. Good holiday book!
Classes and Workshops
A NEW YEAR OF SHAMANIC TRAINING WILL BEGIN JANUARY 2024
“Shamanism” describes a life practice that is anchored in the natural world. The primary intention of a practitioner is to restore balance in oneself, in others, and in the community. It is the oldest form in which humanity has sought connection with creation and healing, and is found in cultural histories worldwide. As one of Sandra Ingerman’s approved instructors, I teach shamanic practice as a grounded, practical way to approach life’s path.
The trainings bring a person into balance with body, mind and spirit, and into living their passions, their authentic life’s purpose. The new year’s exploration begins with Basic Shamanic Journeying. Journeying is the technique by which practitioners gain their knowledge and guidance, so it is a prerequisite for all trainings except Medicine For the Earth/Healing With Spiritual Light. Subsequent classes use the journeying skills to explore ways of healing oneself, one’s family and others.
The core trainings in Sandra Ingerman’s curriculum are:
Medicine For the Earth/Healing With Spiritual Light
Extraction: Illness & Healing From a Shamanic Perspective
Soul Retrieval - dates TBD
Death & Dying - dates TBD
The trainings build on skills learned in the previous class, gradually bringing students into their full experience as a practitioner. There is lots of support along the way, and these core trainings are supplemented by classes that I offer to strengthen the process and to enrich the student’s knowledge of shamanic practice and its applications:
Shamanic Personal Safety: Creating Sacred Protected Space
Shamanic Gardening: Manifesting Your Dreams
I hope you will join me in this life changing training.