Whole Living Today

by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain!I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithlessand therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it’s not pretty, every day,and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

by
Oriah Mountain Dreamer

“We wait all these years to find someone who understands us, I thought, someone who accepts us as we are, someone with a wizard’s power to melt stone to sunlight, who can bring us happiness in spite of trials, who can face our dragons in the night, who can transform us into the soul we choose to be. Just yesterday I found that magical Someone is the face we see in the mirror: It’s us and our homemade masks.

“All these years, and a last we meet.

“Imagine that.”

From “Running from Safety: An Adventure of the Spirit” by Richard Bach.

* Narcissus is a painting by the Italian Baroque master Caravaggio, circa 1597-1599. It is housed in the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica in Rome.

It is through dreams that our subconscious mind communicates with our conscious mind. Herbs have been used for centuries to enhance dreaming and sleep. Scent is the most direct route to our minds and recollections. Traditionally, certain herbs have been used for specific purposes.Herbs can be combined and sewn into an herbal dream pillow and tucked inside your pillow case. Herbal dream pillows have been used for hundreds of years to affect dreams. Different combinations of herbs evoke different types of dreams. Herbal dreams pillows were once called comfort pillows and used in sickrooms to avoid the smells of illness and to ward off the nightmares caused by medicines.

Here are a few:

• Anise: repel nightmares
• Basil: protection & psychic dreams
• Bay: wisdom & clairvoyance
• Catnip: relaxing
• Chamomile: peaceful sleep
• Dill: promotes sleep
• Hops: healing & restful sleep
• Lavender: peaceful sleep & clairvoyant dreams
• Marjoram: relieves depression
• Mint: vivid dreams
• Mugwort: visions & prophetic dreams, aids in remembering dreams
• Rose: peaceful, happy dreams & clairvoyance
• Rosemary: to avoid nightmares & headaches
• Thyme: peaceful sleep, psychic powers & attracting faeries
• Valerian: deep rest

Herbal Dream Pillows by Mystic Naturals

July 10, 2006 Full Buck Moon

Way back in the beginning, the Native American’s gave distinctive names to each of the full moons to keep track of the seasons. The name applied to the period until the next full moon.

July’s full moon is most commonly known as the Full Buck Moon because the new antlers of the buck deer begin to emerge through his forehead.

It may also be known as the Full Thunder Moon because thunderstorms are more frequent during the month of July.

Reiki (”ray key”) is an ancient Japanese method of energy work to promote healing, stress reduction and relaxation.

The Principles of Reiki

Just for today I will live the attitude of gratitude.

Just for today I will not worry.

Just for today I will not anger.

Just for today I will do my work honestly.

Just for today I will show love and respect for every living thing.