Celebrating the Giving of Gifts

The giving of gifts, a long honored tradition that applies to almost every celebration we 

humans conjure up certainly takes center stage during the Christmas season. 

On the surface of our modern day world, marketing and retail corporations would like us all to believe the world's financial state relies on brisk Christmas and Boxing Day (After-Christmas) sales. Millions of dollars are spent promoting a frenzy of consumerism and blatant 

overconsumption.

Ya, yawn, we all know this, really, BUT...

Come on Scrooge it IS Christmas!

The giving of gifts is still something that we all enjoy doing, anytime of year and I celebrate it. 

In my opinion I've acquired the philosophy that;,

When a gift is offered, the giver also gains a gift of their own. They are reminded of their own 

abundance and good fortune and affirm it through sharing that abundance with another. 

Sharing with whom there is a great emotional or respectful relationship seems to me to charge the circumstances with that much more good energy for all.  Consequently I would say that 

the promotion of abundant gift giving during Christmas may actually be doing us all more 

good than harm because it has a healing affect on us. Despite all that seems to be negative 

about the whole system of consumerism, when it requires overconsumption by the masses to satisfy the beneficiaries, it may at least help the masses feel good. And feeling good is where we all want to be, what we all want to feel, what we're all searching for in our lives.

I received a gift today from Jerry & Esther Hicks and the group consciousness known as 

Abraham, it's a great reminder and I wanted to share it because it is one of the most important things I've learned in the past and I know many others will benefit from remembering this! I'm much more interested in allowing improvement and so this was an important reminder for me!

Most people do not realize that as they continue to find things to
complain about, they disallow their own physical well-being. Many do not realize that before they were complaining about an aching 

body or a chronic disease, they were complaining about many 

other things first. It does not matter if the object of your complaint is about someone you are angry with, behavior in others that you 

believe is wrong, or something wrong with your own physical body. Complaining is complaining, and it disallows improvement. 

--- Abraham

I enjoy listening to the audio work of Jerry & Esther Hicks and the group consciousness 

known as Abraham, there's an interesting website at abraham-hicks.com a lot of their material is available to download. However purchases are limited to credit card payments at the 

moment.

Hoping you are abundantly celebrating your abundance through your holiday giving and 

receiving, however way you enjoy going about that!

With love,
...from the garden

Celebrating Celebrations!

Celebrations seem abundant at this time of the year. Back in October some were celebrating the end of Ramadan, and Canadians celebrated their Thanksgiving. Then there was Halloween, followed by Remembrance Day on November 11th and Americans celebrated their Thanksgiving later that month. Hanukkah is just winding down today to be followed by Kwanzaa, Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's Day! So much to celebrate and so much fun to be shared for so many people!


Family occasions, company parties, religious and traditional holidays are all different in their scope but celebrating them seems quite universal. Whether formal or casual, families, friends and co-workers generally want to share goodwill and good wishes during these times. It is also heartwarming to see how people get together to help others less fortunate, that they too can also participate in a variety of holiday celebrations. 


These times can be difficult for some people, perhaps they've no family nearby or family members are no longer living. The loss of a loved one around such times of the year can be depressing, even devastating for some. We last my Dad two years ago, just a month before Christmas and this year is the first time we've even felt like decorating for the Christmas holidays, even though we still cooked a traditional meal and enjoyed some time with my daughter and her family. In some ways the holiday seemed a bit of a drudgery that reminded us more of our loss than of the special time of year that it is for our family.


This year we've chosen to return to our family traditions and have reminded ourselves that Dad would want us to carry on with them and take the time to enjoy them. So to honor his memory we're moving forward and keeping him in our hearts while we set out decorations and plan some fine breakfasts and dinners and prepare for another visit to see my grand daughters! Young children are truly a joy to included in holiday celebrations because they remind us of the simpler things that are so worth celebrating; like the first snow and making a snow man or snow angel and being first down the toboggan hill! Their glee is such a joy to experience it helps bring everything back into perspective and makes us realize we have so much to be grateful for.


Hoping you have been enjoying  your own special celebrations with others that you hold dear and that the traditions you know are honored and kept in a special place in your heart.  


In celebration with you, and, as always,
With love,
...from the garden

Celebrating Dream Time and Sleep

Today I celebrate dreams, dream-time and sleep. Thought I'd bring that one forward because many of you who know me well know my day is somewhat upside down compared to most. I work a straight midnight shift and so when many of my friends are heading off to work I'm winding down my "day" and preparing for a good and restful sleep. The schedule works well for our family, allowing someone to be home at all times to tend to my mother's needs and keep our dogs well supervised and give them the personal attention they thrive on.

I'm finding a split sleep schedule actually works well for me. Though it seems counter to any sleep advice I've heard. However one thing I have read is concerning older adults and their tendency to get their  sleep in two or three sessions. I am one of those people who rarely sleeps a full 8 hours, 6 or 7 has always been my norm and now I find I get that time in at least two separate sessions. As a creative person I am finding this schedule is enhancing my creative energies. It's as if I can pull creative ideas from my dreaming time through to my awake time much more easily, and I have read that this may be a more natural process than I've realized.

During dream time our brains and our subconscious work not only on solving and assimilating the challenges of our day but also in expanding our creative and imaginative powers. That's something that I'm happy to celebrate. If you're familiar with the contemporary band Collective Soul they have a song that talks of dreaming, and of wishing that our physical reality could better reflect the beauty and magic of the time while we're sleeping. That our dreams and our reality could become the same. And that reality helps one to appreciate the world of our dreams. 

I think because our dreams know no limits it may even help us build confidence when in awake time we may feel less sure of our abilities and more fearful of hurts, real or imagined. Nothing however makes a person feel or even look better than a restful sleep. To sink into our comfortable beds, wrapped in soft and soothing blankets, we return to our subconscious world in dream time, a place we've known since before our birth and yet remember little of once we awaken.

Enjoy your dreams and your sleep time, it is universal to all active living beings and is as natural as breathing! 

With sleepy, dreamy, love,
...from the garden

Celebrating Passion!

What are you passionate about? The word passion applies to a whole lot more than romantic attentions but the effect of a passionate desire of anything is quite similar in it's energetic qualities. Professors who are passionate about the subject they teach can inspire their students to delve deeply into their academic studies and those students usually remember that teacher's impact for the rest of their lives.  Writers, passionate about their craft, can hold their readers spellbound through the thickest of novels. But just how did these passionate people become so enthralled in their work and in sharing their skills with others?

What makes these people different from the run of the mill teachers or writers or lawyers or athletes that do their thing but in a more lackluster fashion? Love seems to be the main factor to separate one from the other. And getting back to those romantic attentions, romance just doesn't happen without love. Think about this; sex, in and of itself is just another physical activity, but sex, coupled with love can and often is passionate and complex and far more satisfying. If that makes sense then it's not hard to transfer that same logic to all other activities in our lives.

While it is unlikely that every aspect of one's life is backed with passion, housecleaning for example is not everyone's cup of tea and yet for some it is their passion. Just as not every person is attracted to becoming a renown musician those that are passionate about their music seem driven to share their talent, and their love, with the world. Because a person loves the subject of their passion they seem to focus more intently on what they do and how they do it. They may have been at it for a whole lifetime or it may be a new discovery in their lives that simply sparks a love for and interest in a particular way of being or doing and always it is approached with enthusiasm.

So passion can't really be faked but people can learn to be more passionate in their lives. It just takes some self reflection, asking questions like; "What do I really love doing?",  "What interests give me a great sense of satisfaction?". By  focusing on the answers to those types of questions people can find hints to lead them to the activities and interests that they are passionate about. From there it seems the next step is in cultivating that passion, like a flower in the garden, allowing the passion to flourish and develop, until at some point one just does what they love and forgets there was ever a question like; What is your passion in life? 

Our world is filled with passionate people and it is also filled with people who are struggling to learn how to connect more fully with their own inner abilities and strengths. I am inspired by the passions of others and love to learn more about their lives and their loves. In particular I love their energy and their determined focus. Sometimes shyness or fear may hold others back from fully exploring their passions and my hope is these people will find their passions and begin to explore them in depth. A world filled with people who are passionate about their lives and the lives of others is a world that is exciting and inspiring. That's why I celebrate passion, I believe the more of it we have the better our world will be! 

Leaving you to ponder this and as always;

With love (and passion!),

...from the garden  

Celebrating the Gift of Forgiveness

Today I thought it might be best to celebrate forgiveness and I've a good reason for doing that as I have to ask for your forgiveness! Our Friday and Saturday were such busy days this week. I work midnight shift and my timing often gets a bit out of whack when I work overtime or have family matters to attend to and I had both to contend with this week. I am a little embarrassed at missing my 4th entry but will resolve to make it up to you somehow!


Forgiveness is a special human activity that gifts the forgiven and the forgiver. A win-win situation in my understanding. By forgiving anyone for what-ever slight or harm we've experienced we release ourselves from the focus of judgement and allow ourselves to return to a state of grace and well being. For by being in judgement we are, in fact, out of alignment with our best and highest good. By virtue of the basics of the Law of Attraction, where "that which is alike, unto itself will be drawn", we do ourselves much good to place our focus and attention on those things in our lives that make us feel good. Thinking of past wrongs, no matter if horrifying or not, focuses our attention in negative directions that will likely attract more of the same to us.  


Considering also the power of keeping one's focus on the immediate now moment in our lives. By being fully present NOW. Right at this very moment when we have the power to make choices we can choose positively or negatively but we can choose, we can do, we can be that which seems right to us at the moment. In the past, into the future we have less impact and are really just wasting our time placing too much attention in those directions. Right now is where energy and matter connect and we experience our lives in physical reality. That is the only time it happens. Everything else is not in real time, not in reality. The past, near past or ancient past, the future tomorrow or 10 years from now do not exist in reality, they are thoughts, memories and ideas. They can still be powerful forces in our lives but they are not in the position of power - We ARE, right now, right here! At least that's an opinion that is held by some people, myself among them. 


Those two concepts help to highlight why forgiveness makes so much sense. By releasing those for whom we hold disdain, avarice or hate we remove our energy from making that emotion more important than our own happiness or sense of well being. We'll be healthier because our nervous system won't be churning and boiling with our rants, fits of depression, anxiety attacks or pity parties. Imagine the freedom we can feel by simply letting go of passing judgement upon another human being. The action may or may not be appreciated by the subject of your focus, they may not even be aware of your hurt or their slight, but that doesn't really matter in the scheme of things. 


Come to think of it, this forgiveness thing is interesting... because, really, it's of much more benefit to the forgiver than the forgiven. I think that's a fun thought for starting your day today; Go ahead and be selfish, forgive, and benefit greatly both physically and mentally by the activity! Gift your mis-givers with your forgiveness and gift yourself with the freedom to move forward in life with a better sense of well being!


Okay, I'm a believer that things always happen for a reason, so I must say I must have missed posting on the 4th just so I would be sure to include celebrating forgiveness in my list of celebrations for the month! Such an odd and happy coincidence I am glad to ask you for your forgiveness, because if you gift me with it you will gain so much and for that I would be so very grateful! What a happy circumstance this can be. In the end I guess I really can make this up to you and I'm hopeful you'll accept this little gift. ;-)
As always,


With love, 
...from the garden

Celebrating Science and Discovery

Today I'm inspired to celebrate science and discovery and the wonders uncovered through the dedication and determination of curious adventurers.

Just in the past year or two there have been amazing new discoveries in science. Some of these include the discovery of water on Mars, the new advances in quantum physics, the decoding of human DNA and new work with stem cell research.

Just yesterday an article in the Globe & Mail, a large Canadian newspaper, reports that a new study published in the scientific journal Nature suggests there may be three times the number of stars in the universe than was originally estimated by astronomers and astrophysicists. And while there will likely be years of debate before any agreement will be reached I find the idea quite enchanting to imagine we are sharing the universe with such a huge and almost unimaginable number of stars. In the order of 300 sextillion stars, that's 300 followed by 23 zeros and that is an incredibly huge number! Not to mention the fact that all those new stars will likely have their own planets and moons and meteors and star dust!

Check out the article yourself here.

Study triples count of stars in universe - The Globe and Mail

I celebrate all the great and beautiful starlight that shines upon us each night and the men and women inspired to explore the depths of our world, even questioning their old assumptions and shaking up their own "orderly" scientific world of knowledge in order to stretch our knowing that much further.

Not to mention that it's worth celebrating the fact that we're all here to witness such amazing news! What an incredible time to be alive!

Under a sky brimming with the most beautiful stars I bid you sweet dreams, and as always this is shared; With love, ...from the garden

Celebrating the Colors of Creation!

Today I celebrate the colors of creation! 

Have you ever wondered just how many colors there are in our natural world? They are limitless, it seems, even though some differences may be subtle. For example; when the trees begin to leaf out in the spring it is usually quite obvious that each variety of tree gives off it's own unique shade of green which, in a mixed forest, can display itself like a beautiful tapestry of colors and texture. Of course spring flowers and fruit are undeniably some of the most uplifting and exhilarating visions for people who live in climates like Canada's. After a cold snowy winter there is nothing more welcomed in a Canadian household then sweet lady spring!

Late November, here in my little corner of the world, helps remind me to celebrate colors because of it's nearly absolute lack of color. If we haven't gotten enough snow to cover and brighten the landscape the damp and dark days in November give the landscape a monochrome appearance which has a beauty all it's own but is more focused on texture in deep shades of grey, brown and green. This is in extreme contrast to the spectacular display of autumn leaves and flowers that would've graced the same landscape just a month or so before. Often November can be drab and dull, not just lacking color but also absorbing light so that there is little to be found. The striking differences help me appreciate the colours that exist throughout our natural world.


Colours have meaning to many people and others are affected by the presence or absence of colour in their environment. Red is associated with danger or power in many circles. Green, traditionally associated with money is now more widely associated with environmental issues. Yellow is a favorite here in the garden along with blue. It is a colour I believe represents cheerfulness and spring-time although others connect yellow with the need for caution.


I recommend throwing caution to the wind and letting your heart guide you to the colors that you are attracted to. Enjoy them and let their light vibrations soothe your very soul. Immerse yourself in colour when you are feeling down, depressed or lethargic. Wear a cozy scarf or a striking hat or tie in a color that suits your mood or enhances and uplifts your mood. Try it and see how it also affects the people around you. It may be fun to share your experiences here if you're so inclined or visitors might be interested in hearing your thoughts about colour, your favorite color, color memories and the like.


In any case have fun with color and have a great, color-full day.


With love,
...from the garden

Milestones to Celebrate - Beginning by Celebrating YOU!

We've reached a happy milestone on our Facebook Page, where what used to be called "FANS" we now have over 100 of you who have "liked" Our Enchanted Garden!


While that may not sound like a huge number, I am honored to see all of you and I am amazed by the diversity of people who regularly visit from around the world. Some of you are local friends, some are family, and the majority of you are people I've never met personally save for our meeting in Our Enchanted Garden.  


From Australia to India, to Lebanon, Switzerland and Uruguay, we are as diverse as Nature herself and scattered around our beautiful globe. Through the wonders of internet connections we have come together to share our love and appreciation for the natural world we live in. 


So this first day in December I celebrate each and every one of YOU! You are amazing and you are welcome here in the Garden! Your participation inspires me beyond words and I am so glad to meet you all. If you are interested you are welcomed to post photographs of your own garden or other gardens you admire. You can begin a discussion, post a note, your poetry or even share a video with us all. I welcome interactions and look forward to getting to know you better.


I also invite any suggestions you may have; subjects to cover or requests for products or artwork. Perhaps there's an image you've seen that you'd like converted to a mug, a postcard, some stationery or even a framed print. 


I truly appreciate and enjoy your participation on our page, here at our blog, on our Website and for your support through donations and through purchases at our Zazzle Gallery . Thank you so much for becoming involved and joining us in celebrating Nature, the natural world and the human spirit immersed within it!


With immense gratitude and, as always;
With love,
...from the garden

Postcards with Autumn and Thanksgiving themes

Thought I'd play with some of my new autumn photos to make up some pretty postcards for the season and the holidays.
Postcards just seem to make sense to me. With all the concerns of wasting paper I considered what most of us do with the envelope after we've received a card in the mail; we toss it in the recycle bin! With a postcard there's less waste and the card can still be hung on a fridge or bulletin board. Heck they make durable bookmarks too!
A few turned out so well I thought it would be nice to highlight them here;

Sun Kissed Autumn Stream Postcard by OurEnchantedGarden
See more Autumn Postcards

This is one shot that really pleased me. Mainly because it demonstrated the windy autumn we had, inspiring the title for this image: Autumn Whispers in the Wind.

Happy Thanksgiving Postcard by OurEnchantedGarden
See more Autumn Postcards

Another pretty autumn image was inspired by the planter at our front door, using some cartooning effects this softened and romanticized the subject. Autumn Floral;

Cartooned Autumn Floral by OurEnchantedGarden
See more Autumn Postcards

I'll add more in the next entry once I've worked up another few postcard ideas! There are often lovely photo opportunities this time of year and I've a good selection of favorites to work with! These are fully customizable - you can add your own text on front or back, even add a personal photo on the back if you don't want to write a long message. A great way to stay in touch in a traditional and eco-friendly way!
Give them a try and see what sort of fun you can have sharing with your loved ones and letting them know you're thinking of them!
Enjoy!

With love,
...from the garden

Well worth their cost!

Well worth their cost!, originally uploaded by Our Enchanted Garden.

At $30 a piece these are well worth the cost. The sharp thorns will discourage the U of G students from stealing our flowers & decorations (have lost so-o-o many things to the drunken U of Goo Hooligans!) - will stop the neighboring parents from laying their bikes along the property line when dropping their kids at school ( You won't believe what those adults did to our fence! It was such a pretty fence!) And will discourage neighbor dogs from eliminating on the garden proper. (Such is the urban nature of our little front garden!) That combined with the colourful antics of the plant itself really put them in a class of highly useful planting material!

In summer the plants have a distinctive mottled leaf of green, white and pink. Come fall they take on their pretty glow and then turn a deeper red-purple until their leaves are ready to fall in winter!



It's like having several plants in one. I call it our animated hedge!

Go Forth in Excited Anticipation - that new ideas will bubble forth!

This quote is one that really resounds with me today!

There is nothing that you're wanting to know that you do not have the capacity to understand fully. And there is nothing that you're wanting to know that the Universe does not already know that you want to know, and has already begun the process of answering. And so, go forth in excited anticipation that the new ideas will continue to bubble forth, and that the Universal Forces will continue to come forth in loving, benevolent, eternal answering to that which you are about. There is great love here for you. We are complete

--- Abraham

Esther and Jerry Hicks share excerpts from their workshops and seminars as daily quotes. Some days the quotes are incredibly in tune with where my own thinking is focusing. Love that Synchronicity!


Enjoy your own going forth and receiving in this miraculous world of ours!


With love,
...from the garden

In Tension or Intentions; Through the 10-10-10 Gateway, Choose Your Focus

These are incredibly creative times. You may have noticed the quickening pace of the physical world we live in, this is now heightened by the shortening daylight hours in the Northern Hemisphere. Are you feeling tense, witnessing the tensions of those around you or frightened by the tensions that seem to keep rising in all corners of the earth? You are not alone! Conflict, frustration and anger seem to be the by-product of our evolutionary spiral into the next levels of human experience and co-creation! Choosing your focus wisely in these times can help you through!

In a recent gathering with many gifted lightworkers we learned to help ourselves through this "Eye of The Needle" in human history by focusing on what we wish to create in our experience. To focus intently, using our inner guidance to help us feel those creative intentions as if they already exist on the physical plane. To even intensify those thoughts and feelings with emotional strength, pushing gently against the veil and using the intense creative forces of the 2nd dimensional levels to help catapult our intentions and desires through to the 5th dimensions in manifestation.

Focus on what you want from life, in life, for life. Other focuses will charge your experience with the tensions and fears that are swirling in the mass consciousness and you may find yourself angry, confused and frustrated, caught in a vortex of fear generated in the 4th dimension. Be careful what you wish for, as these are potent, energetic times and the universe wants only to grant you your souls' desire - be sure you are clear on your focus, in your best and highest good, as the universe is poised to deliver whatever you are calling to you.

Take heart in knowing there are cosmic energetics helping to add light in what can be these dark, heavy days. Recent solar flares and the presence of Hartley 2, a relatively new comet  currently gracing our dark night skies are showering our world in cosmic love, starseeds and light energies and can assist us in maintaining a sense of grace & ease in the midst of turmoil and chaos.

Additional help can be found in neighborhood spiritual groups, if one doesn't exist in your area try getting a few friends together to help each other. On the internet you will find a wide range of self help, self development, spirituality and lightworker resources and groups that can provide a virtual gathering of like-minded people. Let your heart guide you to where the information you need at this time can be found. One site that is comprised of meditations and classes aimed to help those inspired to serve the greater good for Gaia and human kind is Katherine Wright Desai's web site; Vitability.com/Aquarian Energy Healing and the page the preceding link will take you to features attunements, including one for the 10-10-10 gateway as well as others in the archives.
You can listen to the class we attended Thursday evening, where (links are listed below) we worked specifically on helping strengthen our ability to stay in a state of grace and ease, to be energized with love and joy and less affected by the chaotic energies of the masses.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen on Computer:

http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WCZV9bjr

Download Audio:

http://vitability.audioacrobat.com/download/Trinity_of_Rays_Joyfilled_Change.mp3

It is a powerful meditation and discussion that can help settle some of the nervous, edgy energies you may be feeling and can be listened to several times for added benefit and full advantage. It can also serve as a sampler for you if you are searching for an on line resource and gathering place in which to develop your world service skills and contacts. I have experienced several guided meditations and classes and have enjoyed very positive effects from the work I have participated in. Feel free to explore if you are guided!

Here in Canada we are also celebrating our Thanksgiving holiday this weekend and it seems the timing is perfect given the gratitude I feel to be so fortunate to be able to participate both in our family celebrations and in celebrating the ushering in of a new age of humanity through the 10-10-10 celestial gateway. It is truly an amazing time in history and to participate in such positive endeavors helps all of us, helps our earth and our existence as we face the challenges of the human spirits' evolution in our lifetimes! 

Life is awesome! Live it like you LOVE it!

To my Canadian visitors; Have yourselves a very Happy, Healthy, Joy-Filled Thanksgiving and Thank You for dropping in for a visit!

With love,
...from the garden

I received an e-mail from Katherine Wright Desai regarding a positive attunement meditation session to prepare us for both the full moon energies and the upcoming equinox. If you have time today do join with us and share in the loving, caring energies that come forth by being in communion with others of like mind.

Hope you can make it later today, I look forward to sharing the positive energies with you! 

Here's Katherine's e-mail; ( and don't be shy - feel free to share this with any friends you think might be equally interested.)

Come and align to the positive only aspects of what is

in store for us cosmically and astrologically the next

two weeks.

Come be in communion with a boost and whisper of

light to help you stabilize and get through.

Friday  - 12:00 p.m. New York Daylight Time

                              5:00 p.m. London Time

                              9:00 a.m. Los Angeles Time

                              12:00 a.m. (Midnight Wed/Thur) Bali Time

  

check time in your area:

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html 

We all need relaxed sanctuary energy - as we approach equinox our brain 

functioning may be a little off - as the pull of the 

magnetics are shifting.

Best bright blessings,

Katherine

P.S. Invite or share this with your friends.

P.P.S. Open to all who seek and need it and supported by donations and
ongoing subscriptions by people like you.
Donate here:
http://www.vitability.com/aquarianenergyhealing/id121.html
  

 book a private energy healing session with Katherine:

http://www.vitability.com/aquarianenergyhealing/id33.html 

8709 Cold Spring Rd.
Potomac, MD 20854, USA

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?zBxsHGwMtCzs7IzsrMxMtEa07BzMrEwMHA==

I know I can benefit from a boost and a loving whisper of light these days. Life seems to be it's busiest as the days get shorter. A re-calibration of my energy levels might be just the thing to help set things right for the next few weeks!


With love,
...from the garden

Event Schedule for Sacred Wisdom Centre - Guelph, Ontario, affordable experiences in the arts.

It is such a pleasure when we have interesting visitors in Guelph. We are a small city that enjoys a different pace than our neighboring larger communities. As I can rarely travel to attend such talks & conferences I am happy to learn of this interesting event. Hope to see some of my area friends there and I’ll provide a synopsis of the talk afterwards for those who can’t attend.

Here is a link to the Sacred Wisdom Centre and a quote from their registration page.

Event Schedule for Sacred Wisdom Centre - Guelph, Ontario, affordable experiences in the arts.

Event Information/Registration LOVE IN ACTION with Marianne Williamson and Andrew Harvey View Flyer for this event Talk: Friday Sept. 17, 2010, 7:30pm-9:30 Harcourt United Church, 87 Dean Ave., Guelph $25.00 incl. HST Workshop: Saturday Sept. 18, 2010, 9:30am-4:30pm The Cutten Club, 190 College Ave. E., Guelph $195 incl. HST and a light lunch Two of the most internationally acclaimed spiritual teachers of our time will share their most recent work with an appreciative audience in Guelph this fall. Marianne’s book Return to Love, a #1 New York Times Best Seller set the stage for contemporary seekers with her famous insight "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure" Andrew’s life work profoundly contributes to a new world founded in universal compassion and sacred passion for all life. He is the founder of The Institute for Sacred Activism in Chicago and a prolific author and accomplished wisdom teacher. marianne.com andrewharvey.net

With love, ...from the garden

Check out our (experimental) survey

Using Google docs and some of their lovely templates I've created a short experimental survey which I hope you will be interested in completing and sharing with friends and family. I've never used Google's survey templates before so this test will provide a means to measure how their process works. I expect this will be a fun tool to help engage our readers and provide insight into your interests.


Results will be posted on our Facebook Page and here on our Walk In The Garden Blog. 


Your responses will help us determine our focus over this fall and winter to help others imagine and plan their own Enchanted Space!
Don't be shy, no personal info is required or shared. If you do provide your e-mail address we will use it only to send you word when updates are ready to release!

To visit the survey Click Here




I look forward to reviewing your responses! And, a huge thank you in advance for your participation!


With love,
...from the garden

There's Magic and Mischief in the Garden these days!

I'm writing from the garden, the dogs have finally settled since they were let out to the garden to play. They have been enjoying this summer very much and Our foster boy Billy, who has been neutered, has been enjoying extra attention from our Lab Daisy who's currently in heat! (Daisy will be spayed when she's a bit more mature in hopes to prevent any possible cancer later in her life.) needless to say it's been an entertaining week since the two love birds have been playing and wrestling. Daisy knows there's something really urgent she should know but she's still not quite sure what that is and she's quite energetic at the same time, comical! She's only 21 months old, not quite full grown and large breed so I think the more time I give her to fully develop the better. It's a bit of a nusance but we do manage!

John and I are lucky that we tend to have an inner connection with animals that allows us to appreciate their own worlds differently than most other people we know.  We are learning more as our puppies are growing and maturing and an almost wordless understanding is building between us. Such bonds aren't anything new or special really, anyone reading this would likely share a similar tale of the uncanny ability of *name of animal* to "read my mind" or understand weird commands. Animals have such fun personalities and when you really pay attention your can catch their uniqueness very well! I find their company that much more enjoyable. I find them fresh and energetic and playful, like children. And, like children they have tonnes of unconditional love to give.

That's also why we enjoy fostering so very much. Each of the 9 male dogs we fostered were different in such interesting ways and yet we were able to work with each of them and integrate them into our temporary pack. Daisy and our rescued Jack Russell Terrier named Mia have been amazing at their roles as foster sisters and they are growing into the roles so naturally and gracefully, really, with very few hiccups. Well, except for the barking thing...

My neighbors finally came over to visit in the spring about it. I was mortified for the dogs but also apologetic and I resolved to solve the issue. We do live in a dog neighborhood and now most of the other 6 or so dogs in the immediate vicinity bark more than our brood of mutts! We have used a range of techniques in order to help us, from muzzles and kennels, to halters and water squirt guns, we even tried that Bark-Off ultrasonic device. Lately though I can trace our success to a wonderful form of meditation and a radiating of peaceful love energy through the garden and beyond that I have been praticing and reminding myself to practice regularly. I sometimes chant a favorite Buddhist chant and enjoy the soothing energies it brings forward for me. I stretch, I breathe and I relax when I hear the dogs barking, ours or the others nearby,  I find it seems to calm things nicely and the dogs seem to enjoy it.

The inspiration to try this technique came following some on-going teleconferences and meditations with Katherine Wright Desai at Vitability.com and a group of fellow students. We were led over a 33 day period thorugh exercises to help us become more in tune to our true spiritual selves and able to maintain a centered joyful and loving balance in the midst of these energetic times we are living in! Tools and guidance and gentle nudges to help initiate the incorporation of a habitually balanced sense of being that is attuned to a feeling of oneness with the world, in love with life and experiencing the joy and wonder that exists in our world.

Another series begins soon, the Thriving Series and I welcome my curious or lighworking friends to join in - who knows we might even participate together in something by pure coincidence and synchronicity! That might be fun!
With love,
...from the garden

Jack Russell in the Strawberries Greeting Cards from Zazzle.com

Working up some items featuring photographs of our rescues and foster dogs.

This is one of my favorite spring photos of one Jack Russell Terrier in the strawberry patch in early morning. She's making sure the squirrels don't get to the berries before we do!

Jack Russell in the Strawberries Greeting Cards from Zazzle.com Check it out, leave a comment or rate the image or pick up a copy or two for sending to your JRT loving friends!

With love, ...from the garden

Notes from my Grand Cross Meditation Experience

These are the notes I put together following my teleconferenced session with Katherine Wright Desai and her Grand Cross Meditation;

Excellent sensations. Katherine brought in an energy level that was well beyond our realms. Beyond Ascended Masters. A galactic energy that is embedded in the very fabric of our universe. Katherine described it as being part of the dark matter of space, the space between planets, stars and moons that holds it all together. The energy was very calm, peaceful, loving and all enveloping. In an attempt to give it a name Katherine chose; grandmother / grandfather energy to name it and I think it fits beautifully. Being a grandmother myself I felt a strong identification with it. Feel imbued with a sense of peace and contentment while still fully understanding the work yet to be done. Feel ready, fully engaged and capable.

That's what i was looking for I think! Engaged and capable to move forward. To continue to trust my inner guidance - wait - to trust it even more now as it's that much more aligned to where spirit is leading me! Oh JOY!
When we talked briefly after the session I told Katherine about my sensations. She felt that this energy is indeed stable in comparison to the earth's current energy level. Not that the earth is unstable but that grounding to her isn't as smooth as it has been in the past. Earth is experiencing the same changes and adjustments we are all going through and so it can be more difficult to get a calm sense of energy when grounding with her. This galactic energy seems to smooth out some of those jitters and feels helpful, likely for the earth as well!
With the summits, G8/G-20, happening in the neighboring city of Toronto, my heart energy is focusing on these leaders and their agendas, also on the protesters and on lookers, that they all may sense this peace and use it as their rudder while negotiating and communicating with each other.
Grand Expectations are my effects from this Grand Cross experience, and I lovingly send that energy, that message, to the ethers!
Grand Expectations indeed - for our world - for humanity - for life as we know it! Hoping you will enjoy the ride!

***Special thanks to Katherine for her dedication to assisting us all in these times!****

With love,

...from the garden

Lightworkers! Are you Attuned and Ready to Shine in these times?

The link on the title above will take you to Katherine Wright Desai's website; Vitability.com where you can explore additional information, audio files and text to support you in your work.

The link below is to a specific meditation which is very timely and can assist anyone in finding a good sense of center, peace or grounding, with much support from outer realms. This session allows a strengthening of your own inner sense of sanctuary. From that position you are better equipped to maintain your own steadiness while being in service to others. This is an excellent preparatory for attuning your energies prior to the upcoming lunar eclipse, this Saturday the 26th. 

please click here to download the Universe Soul Temple Sanctuary of Love Attunement....

http://www.vitability.com/aquarianenergyhealing/id119.html 

It's rare that I will send out a blog specifically to lightworkers. It seems however a very good time to share this information. I have experienced this attunement and can speak of it's effects as positive and centering.  If you have been feeling the pressures of late, no matter how the tensions may be showing in your life, it may be a good time to re-charge and reclaim your own sacred soul sanctuary.  This may help you in that regard.

Katherine has arranged a gathering by teleconference to work with the eclipse energy on Saturday morning,
please participate if you are feeling drawn - it is drawing you for a reason - let us join together in discovery and love!

Meditation begins at

 

                                  7:15 a.m. Washington, DC USA Time

6:15 a.m. Chicago time

                                  5:15 a.m. Denver, CO, USA

                                  4:15 a.m. Los Angeles Time

                                                   (Come even if you only have 1 eye open (the 3rd Eye)) 

 

                                12:15 p.m. London, UK Time

                                   6:15 p.m. Jakarta, Indonesia Time 

                                  9:15 p.m  Sydney, Australia Time                                 

                               

 

Check time in your area.

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

Call in a few minutes before the allotted time to be sure to get a spot. This call will work with Skype for those who use that feature. (I do!) Long distance charges will apply, for those who don't have an unlimited phone plan the call will likely last 45 minutes. This is an approximation only. 

Call in to;

Phone Number:  712 - 432-1690

 

And when prompted key in the entry code below, including the pound sign. 

 

Entry Code:   623 251 #

 

I look forward to participating with you in this meditation if you manage to find the time to be involved.

 

Be sure to share this invite with others - invite your friends or colleagues

 

And If you can't come, have your own gathering of like minded folks to connect & celebrate in Light in your own way. 

If my corner of the world is any indication I can say there are some very strong energies peaking and dancing through the cosmos and the earth. Here in Guelph, Canada, just 100 km west of Toronto, the energies of the gatherings of G20 and G8 world leaders are stirring things up not just in peoples' hearts and minds. Ottawa, our nation's capital, demonstrated the tensions deep within our earth by releasing a magnitude 5 earthquake just yesterday! I am amazed and grateful at our earth mother's calm action believing she has helped pave the way for less tension and more connection as these leaders pursue their agendas.
Did you feel the quake? I know many did - what an experience! What did you think?

With love,
...from the garden

Gone To Seed - an unusual arrangement

By a stroke of luck my camera works - a game that we are playing - one or two photos at a time.
Because I've often felt my most successful photographs are channeled more than created, this little game the camera and I are playing has some surprising and fun aspects. I am enjoying it and willing to keep playing while working on manifesting my next new tool!

such cute little flowers with seed pods too!

A different sort of planter arrangement!

I was thrilled to capture these shots! The mesclun lettuces mix and the spinach I'd planted early in spring had gotten very confused by the strange weather we had in May, rather than supply us with a nice early batch of fresh salad greens we received what appears to be an interesting arrangement of wildflowers!

I find them quite pretty and hoped I could snap a quick shot of them when I grabbed the camera thinking, what the heck it might decide to work today. A couple quick snaps later the camera stopped working again!
Whew, I thought - that was lucky.  Or is it, because it was just what was needed for the latest blog entry?

I have been so anxious over my computer and camera troubles of late I seemed to forget I can simply write...but a picture always adds so much more dimension to a story.

We have strawberries, this year we're growing them in hanging baskets and we're picking a half dozen berries a day - a great snack while out picking weeds or playing with the dogs. They're an odd hybrid that will bloom & produce fruit all summer and the blooms are pink or the more traditional white. I love the pink ones, cuties!

The cherries! Oh My! They are almost ready to pick and this year we got the netting up well before the little green balls starting hinting at some color. That means the birds might get the odd piece of fruit but they won't be stripping the tree clean before we've had a chance to see the cherries ripen to perfection! Yum! The robins and cardinals who live nearby have helped themselves to a few. The grackles and starlings who've gravitated to the big trees nearby knowing the cherries are there aren't so inclined to venture closer with the net in the way. This is our third year with the trees and it looks like it will be the first year we'll get to eat more than the odd sample.

Our grapes have just bloomed - the weird outer-space looking little flowers are transforming into groups of tiny green balls and we'll enjoy watching them ripen through summer and into September when their purple goodness will be savored in jam. If it's an abundant harvest I might try making some grape catsup (ketchup) it's something I always wanted to try!

We have a lawn again - only the odd patch of stubborn ground that's yet to allow the little green sprouts to break through it's tough skin! It's green and pretty and nice to walk on with bare feet. So much better than the mud pit we had in April! The dogs are allowed to romp on it again too - and they are as happy as we are about it! Though we still use the kennel area - it works so well and keeps the Jacks calmer when neighborhood kids are making noise in the school playground next door. It's also the easiest way to keep their potty "business" under control without having to hunt out the poop land-mines on the lawn! I just let them out of the kennel after they've finished what they need to do, they're usually calmer then too! I can imagine, as I'm rarely calm when I really need to go too!
.
Next job is replanting our front meadow! It became overgrown with unwanted plants that have choked out my prize sub-alpines. We're still sourcing out some perennials so haven't finalized our plans yet. If we don't finish it in early July we'll likely wait till late September and get it in place so it's ready for next spring.

And if you were wondering about the video experiments I'd alluded to in an earlier post; well gee id YouTube doesn't support easy uploading of those types of recordings! The nerve - I had a few trys at it and each recording got truncated, making it useless as a tool. Since then I've acquired another video editing tool that might help me. I'll be experimenting with it and if successful the results will show up here!

Our garden is our little haven in this wild and crazy world. A place to relax and re-charge. What's yours?

With love,
...from the garden

Designs for Father's Day, my Dad's Know; series and more!

This project helped me shake off my little funk and start moving with my inspirations. I got creative and, as things will happen when I'm in "the zone", I got very productive! We humans often operate on a pattern similar where creativity often follows a depressive episode.

Gee and wasn't there a full moon just Thursday? Ha Ha! As if on cue I put together 15 designs for Father's Day cards, plus a few fun & customizable "I Heart My Dad" items that will be released tomorrow! Check out my card designs at Zazzle. Don't be shy to rate them! Leave a comment if you're inclined. I would truly appreciate the feedback!

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

Of course the above zazzle widget also shows some of my other work in addition to the Father's Day items, 

enjoy & explore if you dare!

We lost Dad to a bizarre shingles side effect about 18 months ago and I'll admit it's been a tough haul since then. The Dad's Know; series has been very helpful for me - as I review my image stocks and recall some of Dad's quirky ways and connect an idea with an image I get to laugh and remember

With love,
...from the garden