It was Thursday morning and I was up early, finishing packing the car before dawn when I heard owl hoo-hoo-hooting in the neighborhood. I was glad to hear my owl sister friend, as it had been awhile since I had been aware of her. With my daily timing and the winter months she seemed absent, or at least to my awareness. It felt good to have her send me off on the way to Santa Fe. Denise had spent the night with our friend Deborah in Loveland, so I took my owl blessings and I headed to pick her up at 9am that morning. Little did I know of the magic and wisdom teachings owl was signaling that were in the air for the unfolding journey.

After I picked Denise up, we ruminated on the magic and beauty of the previous week as we drove the 7 hours to Santa Fe along I-25. The miles flew by as we laughed and enjoyed our blessings of our times so far, and also dreamed new adventures up that we were sure would come along as the next pieces of our friendship and partnership were revealed. About 1pm I got onto my cell phone with Karen Stuth, owner of Satiama.com, who is bringing the goddesses and my art work further into the world. We had been on the phone for maybe 15 minutes or so, when 22 some miles from the Colorado/New Mexico border I suddenly threw on my brakes and began to pull off the side of the highway. There were no cars around me which enabled me to come to a screeching halt to the side of the roadway, stopping and backing up some 100 feet or so. Denise didn’t know what was happening, and I kept saying, “There is an owl or some large bird on the highway… I have prayed for 3 years for owl medicine to be given to me from Spirit in such a way…” Though owl has been one of my animal totems medicine for this life, which I have recognized along the way, a blessing of an owl body in this way was big for me. I asked Karen if I could call her back, all the while knowing she was also somehow part of this magic.

Denise and I got out of the car and found a beautiful owl body awaiting, no blood, no destruction, though clearly this one had given its earthly body over to a truck or some vehicle to bring us the Spirit of the medicine in an earthly form. Great honor and initiation were recognized as we asked if this gift of owl medicine was for us. A clear “yes” was heard and we began prayers, an offering of tobacco with a mapacho and recognition for the Owl Medicine of Spirit being given. We could barely speak we felt so moved by this event. We pulled a black trash bag out of the car, which is unusual for me to have, so we could properly wrap our friend for her journey to ceremony in Santa Fe. There we would also have wise ones who could give us instruction on removing feathers properly, as well as the talons and how to dispose of the remains in honor and love and ceremony.

We put our friend into the back of the car and drove down the road, sharing our amazement and blessings, discussing the message and the medicine of owl. Several more hours on the road seemed to disappear into timelessness as the owl medicine was being received deeply within our hearts, minds and personalities. This Owl Medicine blessing event felt very big and an acknowledgment of the work we had been doing together… somehow a blessing being brought to ceremony to lock in a new cycle of partnership, as well as one honoring each of us and what more we have to bring to the world. Owl people can see through the darkness of the night, and the soul, both seeing and hearing clearly the wisdom and the teachings being given beyond the illusion of the darkness of the ego. Owl carries the Spirit of the Solar energy within the wisdom of the dark feminine, lunar light. Owl eats fear and brings one to the truth of the light within the world of the unseen.

Several hours have passed, and we were leaving a gas station in Las Vegas, New Mexico, only about an hour from Santa Fe. As we get back on I-25 I get a call from a friend who has been pursuing the shamanic path recently and is about to head to Peru for a time of unknown length, depositing himself in the wisdom teachings there. He called to make a time to meet before we both leave on shamanic adventures, his to Peru, and mine to Mexico for a sacred pilgrimage with the Huichol Indians. I was excited and told him of our owl experience, knowing he needed to hear this for some reason. As he listened all the hairs on his arms stood up. He got the significance and the sense of magic and honor we were receiving as he heard the story. As I was hanging up, my friend wished us more medicine on the road as we went to ceremony in Santa Fe. It was as if he knew more medicine blessings were just about to be deposited in our world when he said this. I had a thought, which I had also had earlier but pushed aside, that we would indeed be given more magic and medicine, such as another bird. Well, it wasn’t 15 minutes later,  just 45 miles or so outside of Santa Fe when I saw another bird down on the road exactly as I had before. Again, there were no trucks or cars around me so I could throw on my brakes once again and come to a quick stop, backing up to the owl lying there in almost the exact way on the ground, this time in New Mexico. Denise and I again jumped out of the car with our mouths and eyes wide open, amazed and truly speechless this time. Now each of you know that getting me speechless, her too, is pretty unusual!!

Again, we repeated our asking if this were for us, as well as our prayers and gratitude to Spirit for such a profound gift, a miraculous giving and message. This was truly somehow an initiation into owning some of our own gifts in this life for being able to see and hear wisdom within the darkness of this world, to be the bearers of light and healing… to humbly accept this and the abundance spirit has for all of us. It was quite apparent that this was also a message of abundance… there is more than plenty to go around as we each own our uniqueness and authentic expression in union with one another. It is time to accept this power, to bless it, to honor it, and to hold it with great conviction in every thought and action in this world to the best of our ability. Be the power of the light and the wisdom of Spirit within the darkness of a world wanting to be reborn! A new cycle is upon us. We are the mid-wives of the new.

The magic did not stop here with the blessing of the second owl. As we acknowledged these events on the drive, from picking up the owls on the side of the road, to me hearing them in the morning, we both began to see the thread of messages Spirit had been giving for some time leading up to this event. An owl guide, Merlin, had appeared to me twice the week before. First, I knew he was there for a client. Yet, on the second day that Merlin came into a healing session, I knew he was there for me, teaching me more about healing and moving energy with sound. Merlin also wanted me to experience how miraculous things can be when we trust Spirit is working with us in the unseen at all times.

We continued onto ceremony in Santa Fe, taking the owls to the labyrinth on this beautiful land, sending prayers with the sacred tobacco smoke through their bodies, receiving blessings over and over again with this series of events. We buried our friends in the plastic bag in the snow for the night following their prayer and smoking ceremony, leaving them to receive the blessings of the night ceremony. The next day we would get the proper tools for taking their wings and talons and releasing their physical bodies to Mother Earth.

The next morning we gathered the tools and found a spot on the land to ceremonially remove the wings to serve as healing fans, as well as feathers, and the talons to serve as extraction tools in healing. It seemed all the teachers of this methodology disappeared once we were ready, leaving us with some informal information about what to do, and the tools necessary for accomplishing the task. I felt confident and somehow quite knowing about our next steps. We said more prayers, offered more tobacco and laid our friends out one by one to release their forms and their gifts to us. Denise assisted as I moved boldly into the dis-assembly process, pro-curring four beautiful wing fans, four amazing talons and a box of owl feathers to share. We salted and blessed the bodies and buried them on the land as we thought we were to do.

Later that day we were told we could not bury the carcasses on this land, for reasons the owner had for how they set space on their land. Though we felt this such a sacred experience to plant our fellows here and the ceremony we did around it, we did as was desired by the land owner, and we ceremonially, prayerfully unburied our friends and drove up to the national forest. We asked Spirit and our owl friends where and how we should honor their remains. As we did this I got the guidance to bring them home with me to Fort Collins and to do a ceremony for them on my land here, in my medicine wheel. It became clear to do a fire ceremony, offering their remains up along with all the fear they were willing to take for all of us to Spirit. Shamanically speaking, when an animal or bird dies, or even a human, their spirits will often agree to take along some suffering, pain, and fear of their loved ones that is held in this world. This ceremony felt like it was one of alchemy not only for their bodies, and us personally, but also one for my community, for all who come to this land and healing space, as well as one for that of humanity.

Upon my return to Fort Collins I unpacked the car and smoked all the parts of the birds again, the wings, the carcasses and the box of feathers. Sunday morning I built a fire in the fire pit which is in the middle of my medicine wheel. This is the first time I have worked with it since the winter snows, and I was quite grateful as I reconnected to the power of prayer, ceremony and this land. As the fire began to roar, I smoked these sacred bird carcasses again, sending out prayers for all who have walked on this land, and for all who have yet to come, all the while receiving many blessings that connect me to the unity in all life, and in all death. I felt connected at the deepest levels of spirit, knowing these beings had brought teachings and blessings far beyond what I have read in any books by another. I was experiencing a knowing through my own personal experience, far beyond intelligence of the brain and personality. There was a deep love within the experience of honoring all life, a respect within and without for every part of our journeys to love. There was the sense of great guidance and love of the divine feminine birthing the Christ within all of us in our new cycles. It seemed owl was there helping to see beyond separation and ego by dropping into the knowing of our hearts, forgiving what has been judgment and fear.

The morning was spent in ceremony and the owl bodies were completely released into the fire. Alchemy, magic and miracles happened, seen and unseen. I somehow expect miraculous healings, great abundance, amazing awarenesses, in my life, in those around me, and in the world… for my heart is more full of love and it is already reflected beyond description of words. May you find some of this acknowledgment in your life experiences, calling owl to fly with you.

Owl Medicine brings a clear theme of seeing through the darkness so we are able to release the separation that is perceived between us all, and to honor the light within us, individually, and collectively. Owl is associated with the Goddesses Athena and Lilith, and the dark feminine. It brings the ability to acutely see and hear within the darkness, awakening one’s clairaudience and clairvoyance. Owl also transmutes fear and brings the golden light of wisdom, purifying us from the fears held in the lower consciousness of the human mind. Owl teaches us to look beyond our human circumstances to see the deeper meanings and blessings held in all life events, transmuting and alchemizing the mundane into the sacred. Owl teaches us to let go of the darkness in our own egos and struggles in life, moving toward the light and the Christ which is born out of the darkness and ignorance.

Owl brings great healing. I bring you this message at this time, hopefully encouraging you to sacrifice your fears to owl and Great Spirit. Give over what you desire to release to the fire of spirit. Your offering is a gift to yourself, and a ceremonial offering to the greater good for our planet and humanity. Calling owl to you will assist you in your greater abilities to transform your world and to live in greater love and power of Spirit. It is always working and apparent in all ways when you can see through Owl Medicine Eyes. This is a time of extracting the wisdom and secrets from the darkness of the divine feminine, releasing all fear of such great power, such great love and fertility for new beginnings.

May you be blessed with this wisdom and love.

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1. Come onto the floor on your hands and knees. Place your knees directly below your hips with your hands slightly forward of your shoulders. Spread your fingers wide, and push your hands down firmly into the mat.

2. Turn your toes under and lift your knees away from the floor. At first keep your knees slightly bent with heels lifted. Your body should look like an upside down V.

3.Tilt your pelvis so that your tailbone moves up toward the ceiling. Move your chest in toward your thighs straightening your spine. Slowly straighten your knees to the point where you feel a stretch in the backs of the legs. (If this feels difficult, place some blocks or books under the hands.)

4. Keeping your back straight and the tailbone lifted, slowly lower your heels toward the floor. (If you would like more of a challenge, take your hands to the floor and using the strength in the arms, lightly push your leg bones back, and lower your heels onto the floor.)

5. Repeat as many times as you feel drawn to.

Benefits: Calms the brain and helps relieve stress. Emotionally uplifting and energizing. Stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, feet, and hands. Strengthens the arms, legs, and upper back. Helps prevent osteoporosis. Increases circulation to the brain, improving memory, and mental clarity. Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet, sciatica, and sinusitis.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to know more about the teachings of Christine visit her yoga blog at www.innerlight.blogspot.com

© written and modeled by Christine Wushke, Photo’s by Dianne Wushke.

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Thoughts are energetic expressions that form a pattern, and every pattern has the potential for manifestation. On a personal level, what you embody within your consciousness is what you will create in your reality. Mutual states of consciousness act to increase the potentiality for the manifestation on earth. From global catastrophe to massive spiritual awakening, what you choose to intend affects us all.

As my human family expresses their will upon the earth, I observe my reaction. If a judgment or fear arises, I begin the process of healing through gratitude. The results are surprising. At times, I am able to witness those who create and cause pain from an unconditional space. In this space of neutrality, I can direct my energies to affect the whole. These soul empowering experiences are increasing the more I move out of reaction and into observation.

The morning of the Chilean earthquake, I learned about a potential Tsunami in the Pacific. I sat down to be with Source and asked, “Is this necessary and for the highest good of all?” The gentle yet immediate response was “no.” A soul-knowing followed as I remembered to connect with the water elements and my guides to hold the intention of calm water and no harm. In this timeless space, my heart and soul were in authentic expression. I offered others the opportunity to cultivate an intention of no-harm in their own way. I let go and allowed what must be to occur.

As we collectively experience change on earth, we will simultaneously experience our responses. Any incongruent energy is simply an invitation to heal. Healing occurs the moment our soul recognizes and experiences truth. We must be willing to feel truth’s vibration within because truth changes reality. Once you experience truth, to create illusion becomes difficult and exceptionally painful. Truth opens your heart to divine connection and through mutual receptivity, you experience your soul.

I have found the process of spiritual awakening to be neither simple nor easy. To heal from duality and division takes courage, personal effort, a lifetime of dedication, and assistance from my human and spiritual family. I choose to create peace, one action step at a time.

©Althea Treakle-Provost, 2010 – All Rights Reserved.
http://www.theasheart.com
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Center for Spiritual Living
5801 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA

Carlton Pearson had an epiphany that changed his way of thinking and preaching from one of hell and damnation to one of love and inclusion.

In this inspiring lecture, Carlton will share his story of his own Conversation with God, a conversation that changed his beliefs and his message. And of his subsequent fall from (Pentecostal) grace that change his life and his lifestyle forever.

With the same passion, energy and gift for communication that made him a fiery lecturer, his message will lift you up and inspire.

He was branded a heretic by mainstream Christian leadership. His megachurch lost most of its congregation, which once numbered over 6,000. Even though he once was considered the heir apparent to Oral Roberts, his church buses were banned from the Oral Roberts University (ORU) Campus. A fourth generation minister, he was shunned by his own family. “They turned against me,” he says, “and even accused my wife (who is from New Orleans) of casting some sort of spell on me. My family thought I’d truly lost my way.”

You could say he’s been to Hell and back.

You could say that, if it weren’t for the fact that Carlton Pearson stopped believing in Hell several years ago. In fact, it was this surprising revelation that signaled the beginning of his so-called “downward” spiral from an Evangelical Charismatic Pentecostal mega star to shamed outcast.

Why has this charismatic preacher who was once the spiritual advisor to President George Bush and a member of the board of trustees of ORU suffered so much ridicule and loss? Because he said to hell with Hell and began preaching a gospel of inclusion, proclaiming that all people, including Muslims, gays and atheists go to Heaven. Boldly rejecting the church’s doctrine that promotes a loving God who sentences billions of people to an eternal Hell for not becoming Christian, he said, instead, that God loves beyond borders and Hell isn’t a place – it’s a matter of perception.

Pearson’s frank and controversial take on a number of subjects has earned him appearances on television programs such as CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, NBC Nightline, 20/20 and many others. His bestselling book, The Gospel of Inclusion, details his “heretical” views. A second book, God is Not a Christian, is due out in March.

Spend an evening with one of the most articulate, dynamic and controversial spiritual leaders of our time, the heir apparent to a new way of thinking.
Tickets: $40

Part of the 2010 Seattle Extraordinary People Series
Includes Joe Dispenza, February 26 and Robert Holden, April 30.
Buy the Series and Save! Series tickets just $99.

CALL 970-443-0732 TO ORDER TICKETS TODAY
OR visit www.bellaspark.com

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There are twelve zodiac signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. The twelve signs are like months of the calendar but based on the stellar patterns that appear during a particular time of year. For example, if someone says, “I’m a Pisces,” this refers to the time of a person’s birth at the time of year when the Sun is in the zodiac sign of Pisces. The Sun is in the constellation of Pisces at nearly the same time each year — roughly February 19 to March 20. 

Over time, astrologers assigned gems of certain colors to the twelve signs of the zodiac to help people influence the planetary energy in their favor. The earliest mention of a set of twelve gemstones is from the Bible. It has a detailed description of Aaron’s breastplate: “The first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz and emerald; and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; and the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper.”  The description of Aaron’s breastplate is believed to document a correlation between the twelve stones in the breastplate, the twelve months of the year and the twelve signs of the zodiac.

A stone can have influence over one’s life. This idea finds its basis in the harmony and shared energy that exists between all things. The custom of actually wearing birthstone jewelry first gained popularity in Poland in the fifteenth century. That tradition suggested that wearing a birthstone during your birth month could heighten your energetic sensitivity for that month. But your zodiac gemstones are more than a symbol of your astrology sign. They actually receive the vibrations of the constellation and can strengthen planetary influences.

In ancient times, without modern scientific tools, ‘sapphire’ meant any blue stone, ‘emerald’ any  green stone and ‘ruby’ anything red.  Other gemstone names may have shifted over the years to mean different minerals; yet, despite that uncertainty, the tradition of zodiac gemstones remains.

Using my own intuition, I chose Piscean gemstones based on ancient principles and other guiding principles that might help alleviate problems associated with that particular sign. Choose the ones that resonate with you, dear Pisces.

Pisceans are friendly and likable, and yet can be very moody and introspective. Pisces is a watery sign, concerned with subtle emotions and secret mystical depths. Pisceans are not entirely at home in this world. They may at times prefer their inner life to this one. Pisceans are dreamy and full of imagination, and influenced by everything around them, being quite sensitive to the emotions of others. They can be strong when necessary, but may have a hard time making a decision. At their best Pisceans are truly compassionate, offering service, love and understanding to all. (www.astrograph.com)

For Pisces, amethyst feels like home. Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz. It appears transparent with pointed crystals. It may be a geode, cluster, or single point. Found throughout the world, amethyst is one of the most common crystals.  It protects your sensitive energy and soothes the weary Pisces soul. Amethyst enhances visions for the highly intuitive Pisces. As Pisces are restless, especially when it comes to emotions, Amethyst can help balance the nervous system and the brain. Wearing Amethyst maintains the inner space of your body and energy field in a state of balance and well-being.

Amethyst is a classic meditation tool; it allows ease into a meditative state, and maintains conscious awareness while in communion with the Divine. Amethyst is helpful for those who do not feel that they are native to the Earth plane, or who experience a constant longing for a ‘home’ on other worlds, systems or dimensions. Amethyst can also accelerate the development of intuitive and psychic abilities as well as provide a valuable protective tool for anyone doing that work. Amethyst harmonizes with all varieties of quartz, including rose quartz and smoky quartz.

Rose quartz brings compassion to the Piscean, helping to clear the emotional body.  Rose quartz’s name is derived from its color, which ranges from very pale pink to deep reddish pink. Its clarity can range from opaque to translucent to transparent, although most transparent pieces are rather foggy. Rose quartz is found in Brazil and Madagascar, as well as South Dakota in the USA. It helps dissolve boundaries of isolation and mistrust and can move you into the sense of union with the All That Is, the essence at the core of the heart. Rose quartz teaches you how to love yourself. This stone encourages self-forgiveness and acceptance and invokes self-trust and self-worth.

Smokey quartz helps Pisces to ground so that they are not overwhelmed by emotions; it appears translucent with long pointed crystals with darker ends and can vary in color from very pale tan to deep chocolate brown.  Its color comes from natural irradiation. Clear quartz can be made smoky
artificially by treating it with radium. Smokey quartz can be found in many countries including Australia,
Madagascar and the USA.  It can help a Piscean to come back to their body and the physical world. It lends focus and is useful for helping to bring dreams and inspired ideas into physical reality. Smokey quartz is one of the premier grounding stones. It can also help Pisceans to feel more engaged in the world and more capable of creating or changing their reality. Smokey quartz works in harmony with other grounding stones such as obsidian.

Background and supporting information for this article came from The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall, Wikipedia.com, The Book of Stones by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian.

Since she was a child Mary Ann Miller has been excited about rocks.  In an effort to help facilitate the metaphysical and healing properties of gem stones, Mary Ann began to design jewelry for herself and for her friends.  Mary Ann sells her rock collections and jewelry on her website at www.rockyourlife.com, which she runs from her home in Boulder, Colorado.  Mary Ann is a member of the faculty at Satiama.  Learn more about Mary Ann or to view her jewelry at Satiama.

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