WE ARE THE ONES WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

Warmest Wintertime Greetings!

Well, I can readily proclaim that our dear Mother Nature has certainly been busy as of late. As most of you know, winter, which arrived one week ago, has definitely arrived. If you've been watching or listening to the news, staying away at the time-being from drama (which is my suggestion in order to enjoy this lovely time of year), focusing instead on the weather, you've noticed that town upon town across our country have witnessed relatively explosive visits from the sky. On the first day of winter, there were record floods in Ohio, tornadoes in Kentucky, ice storms across the North East.  Warm air blasted into cold, wreaking havoc on those in its path, both human and nature.  Hopefully, you understand that we shouldn't rely on the fact that the weather pattern we've witnessed and recorded over the past 100 years will remain constant. No. In fact, if indeed it correlates with history, weather will be like nothing modern man has ever witnessed. I do not say this, however, to frighten anyone, on the contrary, I make this statement to give you a heads-up, the weather will change as it has since the creation of this planet billions and billions and billions of years ago. We just need to accept this fact and keep our heads up, our ears and eyes open and maybe, just maybe, make different choices as to how we wish to go about our daily lives. Where we choose to live. What we choose to drive; feed our children and ourselves; how we wish to heat and cool our homes.

In the third installment of the White Bird Series, Little Blue Star, BOOK ONE is titled THE SACRED FOUR CORNERS accompanied by a Message from the Hopi Elders from Oraibi, Arizona about this new Age we began entering one year ago: December 21, 2012.  The Hopi's message is a direct indicator of steps to take to ensure a safe transition through the Ages. The message says:

We have been telling the people that this is the eleventh hours

Now you must go back and tell the people that This is the hour

And there are things to be considered. 

Where are you living?

What are you doing?

What are your relationships?

Where is your water?

Know your garden

Create your community and be good to each other.

And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

This could be a good time.

There is now a river flowing very fast.

It is so great and swift that there are those that will be afraid.

They will try to hold on to the shore.

They will feel they are being torn apart and will suffer greatly.

Know the river has its destination.

The elders say we must let go of the shore,

Push off into the middle of the river,

Keep our eyes open, and our heads above the water.

See who is in there with you and celebrate.

At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally.

Least of all ourselves!

For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.

The time of the lone wolf is over.

Gather yourselves!

Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.

All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we've been waiting for.

As I've stated many times in my blogs and numerous times in my books, indigenous tribes throughout the world understand and have prophesied various occurrences in this time we are moving through.  In different ways, using other words, they've delivered this message describing a particular way of life and attitude. Many, if not all who still live close to the land and their creator, accept these ways as appropriate in this time of adjustment earth and humanity are moving through in order to transcend into the next dimension of existence; namely the Fifth Age: The Age of Illumination or the Age of Humanity. Either way, it's an Age where mankind finally comes into their own. As the Hopi claim, the time of the lone wolf is over.  My interpretation of this particular statement is; we should not consider ourselves separate from one another any longer; we are and always have been connected.  Actually the entire message above can have its own interpretation and most likely does, but I chose this message and included it my book as it is profound, encapsulating this time in history so remarkably well. Also, of course, because in "Little Blue Star," Crystal, my lovely Avatar, visits with the Hopi and whether or not she unveils their particular secret--which she should do in each book if her travels are successful--will be revealed to the reader.

So, in this particular message, the Hopi Elders say at the end, 'we are the ones we've been waiting for.' Many, many souls from all walks of faith still believe that a grand Messiah is going to mysteriously manifest and step out into the public one day, delivering a message and casting aside all the suffering, pain and hunger humanity has struggled with since the beginning of time. I, as do others, believe otherwise. I believe the we, every single human being , are the masters, the messiahs, not just one man or woman and each of us has the ability to cast all suffering aside.  I've mentioned in my other blogs a shift in human consciousness is occurring right now.  We as a human race are being re-wired, our DNA is changing, our children are showing us ways to do things we never imagined, our patterns of thinking are different than merely ten years ago. All one has to do is pick up the newspaper, or more likely, go online and 'google' DNA detection and they can discover all manner of new-found and often times radical ways to detect various layers of DNA under the electron microscopy.  If one digs deeper, however, using more refined keyword searches, they can see how scientists are now aware that DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) isn't just a data source of life responsible for cell growth, death and structure, or a molecule encoding the genetic instructions for life, or the hereditary material in all humans and other forms of life, rather it is much more profound, complex and grand than that. It's a chemical blueprint that the Human Genome Project could only encode 10% of. This tells us that 90% of our DNA has not been coded. Actually, only 4% of our DNA is responsible for the 23,000 genes each human body has. There's a lot about our DNA we don't know!

Like I often do, I diverted off the path of my message, so now I will return:  We are the ones we have been waiting for. Slowly, but surely, humanity is awakening to the knowledge that they are more than just eating, breathing, sleeping, talking machines: Underlying their every day machinations lies a slumbering giant ready to accept the fact that they are divine, deserving of their divine birthright with powers greater than ever imagined.
And so, on this day, it is with the greatest pleasure that I share with you a gift, part of humanity's birthright, a reminder from your ancestors and guardian spirits how extraordinary we are.  I will do this by sharing a passage from "Crystal Blue Sky," Book Two in the White Bird Series.  Without revealing too much for those who've not read this book, I'll just say that Crystal was given a message from an ancient priest in gratitude because she saved his clan from an extremely unpleasant demise. This priest is Kahuna in the Order of Kane, a direct descendant from the long line of Hawaiian priests, a high priest of the Mo'o clan who knows the ancient secrets of the dragon. As I promise readers as they travel with Crystal they too will learn the ancient secrets of the divine human. Here is a message of Ho'ala Huna which means, 'that which causes an awakening to the sacred reality, a spiritual path that stands in complete integrity with itself, a way of life to observe the world and a spiritual science that lets us understand and expand our spiritual world.'
This passage is taken from "Crystal Blue Sky," pages 254 - 257. The person speaking is Kahuna, the ancient priest from the Mo'o clan, describing to Crystal the Seven Principles of Huna:

“Every human on the earth is a piece of God and knows everything. We will help them remember that which they have forgotten. Let us talk a bit about how to create your own reality: What applies to one, applies to the other. This is what your scientists are beginning to discover and what every human being is capable of. It is all just a matter of human awareness expanding which will need to happen for the great awakening that humanity deserves.

“What I share with you now is much of what humanity has forgotten. These are the seven principles of Huna.” [9] The old man looked directly into Crystal’s eyes. “The first is this: Ike, The world is what you think it is. This is very simple. If you think the world is bad, then it is. If you think the world is good, then it is. You can change your perception of the world anytime you choose. The world is what you make it. You are the creator of your world. You are not the victim of your world or anyone else’s. One cannot make another feel bad if the other does not choose to feel so. It is time the people of the earth know this reality. Humans are powerful creators and can manifest anything they so choose. And so, your life is a self-fulfilling prophesy.

“The second principle is Kala, There are no limits, everything is possible. Whatever you want in life you can have, but be careful what you wish for. Humans are made in the Great Spirit’s image. They are amazing creators and they can create anything whether it is peace or chaos. Most humans have forgotten how powerful they really are and they blame others for their lives. They have created everything they experience as a means to understand and ultimately to become empathetic to those who choose to experience a similar situation. It is easier to love someone with a compassionate heart than it is without one, and it is just as easy to create a difficult life as it is to create a peaceful one. Humans need to remember that when they listen to what their heart tells them to do, instead of listening to their mind telling them what they cannot, there are no limits to the beauty in the possibilities.

“The third principle is Makia, Energy flows where attention goes. And you, young Crystal, you did that earlier when you showed yourself that you did not hurt yourself. This is a simple principle. It is time for humans to remember they are pure consciousness and consciousness is pure energy. All that is done can be undone in the spirit of pure love and harmlessness. To have a life of abundance and health—which is a natural state for the human being—give attention to wishing that for others, as well as for yourself, and it will be returned to you. It is an energetic exchange that is universal and helps to break the mind free of the belief that humans are merely human. If you wish others pain and misfortunes beware, for it is the same energetic exchange.

“The fourth principle is Manawa, Now is the moment of power. There is no past nor is there a future that exists in the now moment. When you are in the now moment, you cannot regret the past, nor can you worry about the future—both do not exist. The only moment that anyone has any control over, is the now moment. That is where their power is. To free the mind of regret and worry is to find peace. Peace and an awakened spirit come in remembering to stay consciously aware of the now.

“The fifth principle is Aloha, To love is to be happy with. Living together in harmony is how humans were created to live. They were not created to live in chaos or disease. Intolerance, prejudice, and an unforgiving spirit create imbalance and disharmony. To love and accept each other, even though you may not agree with another’s choice, is to honor them as divine spirits living their divine path. All humans are little gods, some with great egos and they forget to make space for the other little gods. When everyone remembers to make this space, peace will once again prevail on earth. War, which is an unnatural state for humans, will thus be unnecessary. Human’s natural state is to love and be in harmony with each other and nature. When they individually begin to return to that state, then they will be happy, and will be unable to cause harm.

“The sixth principle is Mana, All power comes from within. Mana is life force energy, and Ho’ala Huna reminds us that each life is a divine opportunity to develop ones spirit. In learning how to master their spirits, our ancestors learned how to master the flow of life energy. By learning how to master the flow of life energy, they learned how to master their Divine ability to create. By taking personal responsibility for how they created their lives, they grew in terms of personal enlightenment and empowerment. God is not found in a particular place of worship, but in the essence of one’s spirit as All That Is. Everything outside of oneself is nothing but an illusion. The reality of oneself comes from within. That is where the answers are, and ultimately, where power comes from.

“And the last principle of Huna is Pona, Effectiveness is the measure of truth. What is the truth of the river that flows without a dam?” The old man asked her.

Crystal shrugged her shoulders.

“The truth is where it naturally flows,” he smiled. “When something is done effortlessly and effectively, without force, then that is a measure of truth. Many times humans use force to get what they want. They manipulate and they cheat their way into what they feel is their true path.  The truth, however, does not need to be forced. Like the current of the river, it cannot be forced to go a certain way. If one were to sit in their canoe, trusting that the current take them where they need to go, their journey would be much easier than if they struggled with their paddle. If the current takes them over rough waters, and if they trust themselves, accepting that their journey is one they chose themselves, then they will arrive unharmed, full of new knowledge.

“When humans learn to listen to that voice in their heart, the one that says ‘turn right, or don’t do that,’ then and only then will they discover they have an internal guiding system that will never fail them. Truth will be measured effectively when they listen with their hearts, instead of their minds.

“All of these principles work very well together, and once mankind begins to realize how simple life can be, and how much in control they really are, then their lives will once again be balanced and harmonious.”

(The footnotes refer to material adapted from "Huna Kapua," by Serge Kahili King, found on various websites. To learn more about Serge, follow this link. http://www.huna.org/)

We are the ones we've been waiting for; you, me and your family. We are the masters, the healers, the way showers, the light workers, match holders, deserving of all things good.  Embrace the fact that freedom is at your doorstep if you choose it to be, but remember with freedom comes great responsibility. If we are indeed the ones we've been waiting for, divine humans awakening to a new reality, we should heed the Hopi's message and begin practicing the Seven Principles of Huna: Simple secrets to a compassionate life.  These are not difficult instructions. Maybe as we enter into the year 2014, a year described by many as the year we'll see great changes all over the world, we should cloak ourselves in these principles and begin viewing the world not just as a place to live, but as the grandest home in all the universes combined, where humans live together peaceably, with cooperation and compassion, brilliant angels having one helluva fantastic human experience.

Have a very, very happy New Year and we'll talk soon.

Namaste,

PB

PAINTING A PICTURE OF MYSELF

Good Morning!

Being that I'm smack dab in the heart of promoting my books in the White Bird Series, I feel compelled to share a bit of background about myself and my story: why I began writing it, what I hope to accomplish, who inspired me to begin, where the information came from, and how my characters came into being.  I will mention also that I've included a Mission Statement on my website which explains a lot, but not everything.  Feel free to drop by and read it, at your convenience of course.

So then, where to begin? I guess as any good storyteller can tell you, starting at the beginning is probably best. I am an entertainer. Yes, you heard me correctly. At the heart of everything lives a young girl who was born to be in the limelight, however, it didn't really work out because she, she being me, was, and still is at times, extremely shy.  How can someone who shrinks when looked at by a stranger be the center of attention? Good question, and one that took me dozens of years to understand and then conquer.  I don't know when this began, but let's say it started in the school-age years when I first walked through the school's doors.  Immediately, I knew that I wanted to go home...and stay there. Forever.  Homesick on the first day of school is probably more common than I'm aware of, yet to me it didn't matter. I'll never forget how my stomach flip-flopped and my throat felt like someone had shoved a sock into it. My knees shook, my lip trembled, my head throbbed and I was terrified I was going to do something horrific, like throw up, or worse. Home is where I wanted to be, where I felt safe, where I could be myself and play with my dolls, where I didn't have to pretend to be someone that I was not, brave and confident, not someone who was going to burst into tears because she was terrified of the unknown. At a very young age, you see, I was already too concerned about what others thought of me. For those who understand, it's a hard cross to bear, not trusting others to like who you really are.  Anyway, because of this uncertainty, I shoved my enthusiasm for life down and kept it there until I felt safe enough to share it.  My mother has claimed over and over that each year in school, my teachers would basically tell her the same thing at winter conferences. "Paula is finally coming out of her shell. She is such a quiet thing, but I can see she's finally getting comfortable here." Again, for those who know me, you can understand. It takes a bit for me to warm up, then, bam! Silly me comes bursting out! Fortunately for me, I have a solid handful of girlfriends I've known for a good 30-40 years, they and my family know me better than anyone and they can attest to this fact.  I'll be the first one to make a spectacle of myself, as long as they are with me of course.  Their unconditional acceptance of who and what I am helps me feel strong in the face of the unknown.  Well, I could go on and on here, but I think you get the picture. As the years have gone on, I've gotten more confident to be myself and let others see the real me, but it's still not easy, something that most likely I'll work on my entire life.  

As I mentioned earlier, I am an entertainer being as I love to entertain, make people happy, tickle their funny bone, push their buttons, excite them, unnerve them, inspire them to find their passion. When I was five or six, my sister always reminds me, I wrote a play in our basement, then urged the neighbor kids to be in it.  I think it lasted all of two minutes, but it was a start. I wrote stories, made up card games, forced my parents to watch me and my friends act out commercials, you name it, and all the while I carried around with me a story about a girl, brave yet unsure, unaware of her abilities yet aware there was something unusual about herself, something special: she was born for a purpose. (A hint about my own purpose.)   As the years went on, this story slowly settled into the recesses of my imagination, then disappeared.
In 1986, my girlfriend and I became owners of a clown business, Miles of Smiles, and Axel the Clown, me, was born. Now I had a license to perform, act child-like, be insanely silly, bop people over the head with animal balloons, chase kids around with my over-sized scissors threatening to chop off their locks, delighted with their shrieks of glee. Basically, do anything that I wanted. When I put my clown pants on, watch out, I'll find you...  Being a clown satisfied a deep down need to entertain and this worked for a while, but very slowly the story about the young girl crept into my dreams: a story about a young girl who was born to somehow save the world. 

During the 1980s I discovered, then fell in love with divine metaphysics. I couldn't get enough. My mother and I went to class after class, workshops, weekend spirituality conferences, traveling to England, Sedona, Hawaii, Canada, anywhere there were known vortexes where we could tap into other realms, I was there discovering that there was more to life than I thought. I was more than just a mere human. I was an angel having a human experience. Wow. I was special!

 Then in 2000 I was introduced to certain groups that I mention in the Acknowledgements in my books who opened my eyes and heart even more. These channellers helped explain so much about the aspects of the divine human, then slowly, oh so slowly, my story began to resurface.  I had already sat down in 1995 at a very archaic computer and began pounding out a story about a young girl named Alex Farraday. She worked in a bookstore and loved a boy named Larry, a young man whose heritage was Lakota. He was the only person who could see her blue aura.  I dribbled out a few chapters, but my kids were small and I needed to be present with them, not at my computer, so I put the story away but never, ever forgot my characters.  As I explain in my bio, the characters evolved, their names changed but the story remained the same and then voila, something incredible happened in 2009. I was hit with the Adam Lambert bug. After seeing his performances on American Idol, something magical happened the story was unleashed.  I can't explain what happened with this guy. Every time that he sang I thought I was going to jump out of my skin! I got so excited! (This happened to me in my teenage years with Elton John.) Adam (hence the name Adam in my story) touched a cord in me that literally ignited Crystal's story. Whether or not it was the fact I thought he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen, his incredible voice, the way he moved, his sincerity, his passion to be real, to be himself, he inspired me to finally embrace the fact that I am a storyteller and I do have a story to tell.  I also adore Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, stories and/or movies that transport you to other places. I thought to myself, why not blend my passions? My story about this young girl and boy, sharing my love of divine metaphysics and how this knowledge can make ones life so much happier, and magical realms where characters transcend you into another time and place. Crystal Blue was born and so was her story.

The premise of my books is this: In reality, mankind and the earth are moving into the 5th Age. Because we are shifting into an Age never seen before in the history of humanity there are going to be certain occurrences, in the animal kingdom, to nature, and with people and institutions that some might find frightening, unimaginable, heartbreaking, and many might fear their world is ending.  What I hope to accomplish with my stories is letting readers know in a roundabout way, through Crystal's travels, that everything is going to be okay. As my Mission Statement explains, I hope to encourage everyone to look at their life from a higher perspective, to see the bigger picture. The world is not going to hell-in-a-handbag, the world is going through the greatest compassionate shift in the history of humanity and it will get intense. We've already experienced certain weather events never seen before, the jet stream is changing, the ice caps are melting, fires are destroying millions of acres of forests, floods are wiping out cities, tornadoes ripping apart communities, animal species are disappearing, governments are falling.  Even though these incidents are heartbreaking and terrifying, they should not be feared but rather embraced.  We as a species are evolving into higher conscious beings and change is necessary.(This being said, I in no uncertain terms, feel apathetic to those whose lives have been turned upside down. Compassion is the lesson for this lifetime and this is what everyone needs right now.)
  Okay, back to Crystal's story. In reality mankind is moving into the 5th Age. We got that part. Now, in comes Crystal Blue. In Book One, Illuminating Crystal, readers are introduced to my heroine who wears her long dark hair in dreadlocks, a testament to her rather rebellious nature.  As the story goes along, readers discover that she's not your ordinary teenager. After finding an ancient manuscript in the basement of the bookstore (the manuscript is the Akashic Records in 3D,) Crystal meets some rather interesting characters and subsequently undergoes an intense transformation harnessing her with unique gifts so she is able to walk between worlds. Her human template changes due to the fact that her DNA was adjusted and her pineal gland was altered, her hair even turned blue. Just like the masters who walked the earth before her, she now has the ability to transcend time and space, to walk where only the bravest shaman dare tread, within and between the many overtones of earth.  This needed to happen because Crystal is a Child of the Stars, born for a purpose: to illuminate humanity by uncovering ancient secrets held and protected by indigenous tribes around the world. Crystal's ancestor is a Goddess from the Stars, a Star Warrior who made a contract with the ancient caretakers of the earth. If humanity survived until a particular date, if they did not annihilate themselves and the planet, then humanity would be shown certain gifts. Crystal's birth satisfied this contract and now it is up to her to see it through. She must travel the world within one years time, unveiling ancient secrets--the secrets of the divine human--as she goes which will enable mankind to survive the imminent changes ahead. However, she's a bit reluctant and would rather not go. After all, she's just found a bit of happiness in her life and would rather just stay at home (sound familiar?)  So basically, readers know this about Crystal: she's 18-years-old, she tends to swear, nothing too drastic just a 'damn' and 'bloody hell' now and then. She's just moved in with her older sister, Claire, a student at the University of Minnesota, and she doubts herself a lot. She's had a bit of a rough life, finding solace in her books and her music. And, she's fallen in love with the bookstore where she now works and with Adam. She doesn't want to go anywhere.  

So then what about Adam? What's his role? Well, for starters, he's the only one capable of seeing Crystal's blue aura.  These two have a special connection, yet they're warned not to get too close, otherwise certain destructive forces are at risk of being released.  Readers know this about Adam: He's handsome and when Crystal talks or even looks at him her ears begin itching and her palms start to sweat, which makes her want to scream. He's half-blooded Lakota and his eyes are arctic-blue, belying a certain heritage that's not from the plains of the Midwest.  He, along with the elderly Cosmo Attis, own the bookstore in Minneapolis where Crystal discovers this ancient manuscript.  As you can see in the picture I've provided above, there's a large black dog who looks at Crystal adoringly.  Readers who've read my books know who this is, but for those who haven't I will not divulge how and when he and Crystal meet.

There are many, many characters in my books.  If you visit Shelfari, you can meet some of these characters, but not all of them.  You can visit my website and read more about each book. What I've done beginning with the third book, Little Blue Star, is I've added a Cast of Characters so readers can keep track of who everyone is. 

At present, I've written and published three novels in the White Bird Series. Illuminating Crystal. Crystal Blue Sky. Little Blue Star. I will continue writing and publishing these novels I've found are hard to categorize and written for a wide audience until Crystal's story is completed.  Each time Crystal visits, honors and meets with the Elder of an indigenous tribe, whether it's in North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe or Antarctica, secrets of divine metaphysics, or, secrets of the divine human will be shared and  I promise you this: there will be no less than 8 books in this series and I am honoring my promise to publish at least one, if not more, each year.  I understand how it is to finish a book and want to read more, especially if the characters and the story leave me wanting more! At the end of each book I post a release date and as yet have honored this and will continue to do so. After all, this is my passion: Writing. Sharing the fact that we as a species have already ascended into masters, we just don't know it. Now, we get to experience the shift and will bear witness to something never seen before in the history of humanity.  I can only hope my books will be embraced as a record of this event.  I now truly believe that my purpose for being here, being alive at this moment in time, is to share my story and entertain anyone willing to read it.  However, if I'm really honest about all of this, I don't really believe I have a purpose for living, but rather a passion for it. I don't think we need a purpose anymore, I think being alive and bearing witness to this shift, experiencing life is enough.  But finding and pursuing your passion can enhance life, breathe energy into it. Then, if one wishes to share their passion with others, I think it can magnify a certain light that can illuminate the dark recesses of another's own imaginings, help them to discover how truly special they are.

So then I bid you all adieu.  I hope that you've gained a bit more of an understanding about why I've written my books and what I hope readers can gain from them.  As I mentioned earlier, as an entertainer I like to make people happy, tickle their funny bone, push their buttons, excite them, unnerve them, inspire them to find their passion.  My greatest wish is that my books do this and I can touch an audience of readers so that they too can discover they are angels having a truly incredible human experience.

Have a lovely, lovely day.

Paula    

  

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Greetings!

Welcome to December! In honor of this festive time of year when we madly dash around, looking for ideas of what to buy for our loved ones, I've decided to partake in a few festive promotions.  First,  I entered my novel, Illuminating Crystal, Book one in the White Bird Series in Goodread's Book Giveaway.  Visit the link above and enter to win and I promise you'll receive the book before Christmas.  Secondly, as part of this month's promotion, Illuminating Crystal, Crystal Blue Sky and Little Blue Star, the first three books in my fantasy/fiction The White Bird Series, are offered on Amazon to Kindle readers at drastically reduced prices.  Illuminating Crystal is at present only 99 cents, Book Two and Three are available to download for a mere $3.99.  Then, beginning December 10 and running for five consecutive days, you can download Illuminating Crystal on your Kindle for free.  I can honestly say these are great prices for my books, all three well over 300 pages long.  Follow this link which will take you directly to Amazon's book page. 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Illuminating Crystal

by P.B. Morlen

Giveaway ends December 08, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

NOVEMBER; MONTH OF THE PLEIADES

Image borrowed from. http://www.sacredfamiliar.com

Good cold November day to you!

Yesterday I had a conversation with a nice woman standing in line at Target.  As I struggled to figure out which flavor of gum to buy (spearmint or lemon) she nonchalantly asked me how my day was going.  I responded that it was going quite well in spite of the fact that I was still struggling with learning how and why tweeters use hashtags (#), our furnace had gone out the night before so it was rather cold (luckily all three cats curled up on and warmed my feet) and, now here's the Piece de resistance, it's Tuesday and I have a blog to write but I cannot for the life of me figure out what to share. She smiled softly and said, "I hope the rest of your day is better." Well, I felt a bit silly as my complaints were rather minor, but I knew when I returned home I would head towards the computer and that thought instilled a thread of fear because I didn't know what I was going to write about. But then suddenly, something in the magazine rack caught my eye and voila, with an exaggerated sigh of relief, I knew.  The blogger Gods had been listening and saved me from an empty blog post. (I'll get back to this later.)

Away from my regular writing routine right now, my days at present are filled with 'tweeting' 'sharing' 'following' 'posting' 'favoriting' 'retweeting' 'liking' and 'hashtagging.' Now, don't get me wrong, I kinda like this part of the book biz. Being an indie author it is just as important to find readers, promote my books, and support others writers as it is writing my books.  And, every day I'm feeling more competent on Twitter, Facebook, and all the other social media sites imperative to indie authors such as myself who don't have a large publishing house backing them up, promoting their books, and stocking Barnes and Noble shelves with their novels. And, very importantly, I'm meeting fellow writers, artists, bloggers, book fanatics, and other like-minded individuals who I would probably enjoy having a cup of coffee with.  But let's be honest. I'd rather write.  So, since I am on a writing hiatus, which I will be off right after Christmas as I dive into Book Four, the fourth novel in my White Bird Series, titled, Blue Crystal Mountain, I've decided that my blog is where I can focus my thoughts, get them out, have a brief visit with my passion: sharing knowledge. So then what caught my eye in the store? Right on the front of a magazine, I forget which one, was a picture of three sisters.  Somehow the words, 'Seven Sisters' popped into my head, and being that I've been fascinated with these enigmatic, mythological creatures ever since I can remember, I settled on the fact that this would be perfect! Therefore, being that we are in the middle of the month of November, which, by the way is considered the month of the Pleiades because it's at this time that the Pleiades shine from dusk until dawn, I've decided to explore the world of the Seven Sisters, or, the Pleiades.   

First, I'll talk a little bit about the Pleiades star cluster, which happens to be one of the most distinctive groups of stars in the sky. This tiny star cluster looks like a tiny dipper of misty stars situated in the tail-end of the Taurus constellation. Some claim this open star cluster contains over 3,000 stars, is about 400 light years away, and only 13 light years across. The Pleiades is the closest star cluster to earth and the seven stars can be seen at night with the naked eye by everyone inhabiting the globe. Most prominent in the winter months, it can be seen from as far north as the North Pole, and as far south as the southern most part of South America. For those of you familiar with the famous constellation Orion, you won't have any trouble finding these stars.  Just follow the three stars making up Orion's belt, letting your eyes travel upwards and a bit to the right, past the V-shaped pattern of stars, which happens to be the face of Taurus the Bull , and then you'll find the cluster.  Not surprisingly, just about every culture around the world has a legend associated with the Pleiades, mostly involving tales of pursuit and escape, or legends suggesting a solution. Known since ancient times to cultures around the world, the Lakota Sioux refer to them as 'Wicincala Sakowin' (seven little girls) and the Hopi claim that when you die your spirit returns to the Seven Sisters, many, many other cultures provide their own story to the enigmatic little cluster of stars.  Follow the links I've provided below to read more about this.
Cherokee
Greek
Inuit
Navajo
Aztec

Sioux 

Hopi 
Japanese 
Maori

As I claimed earlier, I've had a fascination with the Seven Sisters, or the Pleiades ever since I was very, very young.  There's something magical about the myths surrounding this star cluster, something that grabbed on to me and took hold.  I'm not an astronomy fanatic or a star-gazer, but I'm drawn to looking up into the night sky, searching for this cluster, then my gaze always gravitates downward, past Orion's belt, settling comfortably unto the magnificent star Sirius, another heavenly orb that's always fascinated me.  And so, as I grew up, the one belief I always held on to was that I would write a book, or books, and I would include these sisters in my story.  At the time I didn't know how profound this would be as the series of books I am at present writing are highly influenced by these sisters, and / or the Pleiades.
In my book, Illuminating Crystal, Book One in the White Bird Series, the prologue introduces readers to seven women and one man.  Their names are: Akasha, Aurora, Athena, Anastasia, Alcoyne, Alectra, and Astra. The man's name is Adamas.  It is here, in the prologue titled, A Walk in the Stars, one sister, along with the man and a very large blue serpent, return to earth in a shower of stars to witness the greatest event in the history of humanity. Whether or not the reader knows this, the series has been set up to follow these two star travelers as they navigate through earth's heavy overtones. As the books progress through the series, the reader will be reacquainted with these characters, however, I cannot explain how or why as it might spoil a surprise. For those of who you have read my books, you are being to realize how and why. And for those of you who have not, here is a link to Amazon where you can look inside the book and read the prologue to Illuminating Crystal.
In Book Two, Crystal Blue Sky, Crystal becomes acquainted with two Elders, a Lakota Oglala Sioux and a Hawaiian. Both Elders tell her stories about beings from the Star Nations and an Atlantean Serpent, both coming from a place called the Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters.  In Book Three, Little Blue Star,  Crystal meets an enigmatic bright-eyed old woman who teaches Crystal about the stars in the Orion constellation and the Seven Sisters, explaining that this is where Crystal and her dog have come from.  I can honestly tell this to readers who've yet to read my books because it is no mystery that Crystal is a Child of the Stars.  And so, maybe now you're beginning to understand how important the Pleiades and the Seven Sisters are to my books and the unfolding story of my 18-year-old reluctant Avatar, born to illuminate humanity by the name of Crystal Blue.

Along with the fact that these stars have captivated myself along with various cultures since antiquity, many tribes claim that they've come from these stars. In the links I provided above, especially for the Sioux and the Hopi, their stories allude to the fact that their ancestors were star beings, not mere earth mortals as other theories suggest. As I began exploring the world of the divine metaphysical, traveling the globe in search of teachers who could tell me who I was, where I came from, and why I was here, I began hearing about a land called Lemuria and beings called Pleiadians.  I was drawn to these stories from the get go, feeling a strong connection, a pull, a sense of home.  It was then that I began realizing why I held such a fascination with the Seven Sister stories. Why I was always compelled to look up into the night sky, searching for this magical cluster of stars. The deeper I dug, the more information I discovered about this ancient land and race of humans who are said to have come to earth from the Pleiades.  I began hearing these stories before I started doing research for my books.  It was only then that I discovered that throughout the ages various cultures have claimed they did not come from earth, but rather from the stars, and their ancestors from these stars shared with them an ancient wisdom some claim are humanity's birthright: the secrets of the Divine Human. Again, another integral piece to my books as this is why Crystal is now set to travel the globe.  Her mission, after all, and written on the back cover of Illuminating Crystal, is to travel the world and unveil the sacred knowledge held by indigenous groups, knowledge that will illuminate humanity.  Readers discover in Book One that Crystal's ancestor is a Star Warrior, an ancient Goddess who made a contract with a group of ancient beings, whose energies are held deep below the earth, many light years ago. Crystal was brought to earth to satisfy this contract.  I don't want to go into more detail, but it is not mere coincidence that I created this scenario.
I, as many others do, fully believe that many humans have the souls of these ancient Lemurians and are awakening to this fact, are feeling compelled to investigate these beings.  Because this is indeed the greatest time in the history of humanity, as we walk from one age into another without having to die in order to get there, many, many souls are awakening to the fact that they are not merely human, but rather something a bit grander.  As I explain in most of my posts, this is a time of awakening on planet and the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters are integral to our ancestral line.  This is my belief, I am not trying to convince anyone, rather gently nudging the one who resonates with these words to search out for themselves if this is something you can invest in.  And, as I've often done before, I'd like to share with you words channeled by Lee Carroll from Kryon, a favorite teacher of mine. For yourself, you can read about Lemuria, the Pleiades and the Seven Sisters of Creation.

And so, with a deep breath, I finish my blog post and feel very, very satisfied with what I've shared with you today.  Like a lot of the information I share, this is only the tip of the very large iceberg.  There is so much information out there about Lemuria, the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters, and the cultures who embrace their origins as being traced back to this star cluster.  If you are anything like me, you will not stop exploring until your eyes close for the night. Then you will continue dreaming of these light beings, and upon awakening, you might ask yourself, "Where did I come from?" And if you're anything like me you will not stop searching until you get the answer that feels like home.

With a fond farewell, I bid you Good day!
Paula   

THE FIFTH AGE: WHAT'S THAT?

Greetings!

Image taken from: http://compassionateaction.org

As some of you already know, I'm an author whose written three novels, "Illuminating Crystal," "Crystal Blue Sky," and "Little Blue Star," in the on-going fantasy/fiction/magical realism series titled, "The White Bird Series."  The books, of which there will be at least seven, are set in the year 2011, centering around my hero, an 18-year-old girl named Crystal Blue, born for a specific purpose: Crystal must travel the world, often times walking between worlds in inter-dimensional realms, meeting the ancients and revealing their secrets, preparing Mankind for the challenging years ahead as they and Earth plunge into and toward the greatest compassionate shift in the history of humanity. Or, in other words, transitioning from the Fourth Age into the Fifth.  Without writing the entire synopsis for "Illuminating Crystal," (which, by the way, you can find by clicking here,) revealing Crystal's purpose for being on the planet at this most auspicious time is pertinent to the topic of this blog: The Fifth Age and what it is. 

My books and what's really going on in the world today blend together in a way that makes it difficult to categorize them into a certain genre.  I tend to talk about my story and what's really happening in the world today as if both are real, and in a way they are.  You see, my character, Crystal Blue, has the unique power to walk between worlds. After finding an ancient manuscript in the basement of a bookstore, aptly named The Blue Crystal, she undergoes an intense transformation and the eleventh layer of her DNA is activated, and, her pineal gland is adjusted, changing her physical template, allowing her to walk between worlds, avoiding linear time parameters. She must walk these worlds to meet with the ancients in order to satisfy a contract made between her Star Ancestor and the ancient guardians of Earth. As Crystal travels this world and many others, she meets an assortment of Shaman, Medicine men and women, and other powerful figures who share ancient secrets; secrets meant to be shared with humanity but kept in darkness for centuries as these secrets are feared by powerful, dark energies that do not want Mankind to know how powerful they really are. Once Crystal learns of the secrets: the secrets of the divine human: she shares them with humanity via the Cosmic Lattice and they gain the wisdom of the Masters. This, as my books explain, are humanity's gift because they did not destroy themselves as ancient prophesies predicted.  

Billions of years ago, the earth was set up to support life on earth for a particular period of time, then, in order for humanity to evolve, earth was to be destroyed.  However, humanity fell in love with the blue planet and changed the course of humanity and Earth, proving all the ancient prophesies wrong which said: By the year 2000 the earth would begin shutting down, becoming a lifeless, black rock by the year 2012.  Well, guess what? We're still here! Due to an extraordinary event which developed under the prophesiers' radar, occurring in 1987, most notably known as, The Harmonic Convergence144,000 Lightworkers across the globe prayed for peace at the exact same moment, starting a shift in thinking and consciousness, launching humanity and Earth on a new course: A course for peace and subsequently allowing humanity and earth to transition into the next Age: The Fifth Age: The Fifth Hoop:The World of Illumination: The Age of Humanity, and this time, unlike times before, we don't have to die to make the transition.  Contrary to the doomsday, fear and drama mongers, we don't have to fear the Apocalypse. The scorched earth, Armageddon, the end of the Earth.  Well...It won't happen. And, what does this word, Apocalypse mean anyway? It was taken from a Greek word meaning "lifting of the veil."  That's exactly what's happening right now across the globe...the veil is lifting, the secrets of the ancients really are being revealed because we're waking up. We're beginning to remember who we are, where we've come from, and how divinely magnificent we really are. This is how our thinking is changing, how our consciousness is evolving into a higher dimension, a divine 5th dimensional level of consciousness. We are now in the process of moving upward and away from the present situation of believing that all humans are separate from God. 

So, in real life and in my novels, this is where we are now...today..at this moment in time...October 30, 2013, just having passed a galactic alignment, the end of a 26,000-year astronomic cycle, winter solstice, 12/21/2012. Which, by the way, the ancients spoke of, they knew it was coming. The Egyptians knew about it, aligned their pyramids toward the stars. The Hopi, Aztecs, Toltecs, Druids, Incas and other indigenous wrote about it.  And, the Mayans developed their calendar accordingly, ending on 12/21/2012. (There are some theories swirling around that they didn't really end their calendar on this date as they gave some prophesies past 2012.)  Follow this link for more information about the Galactic Alignment and what this shift means to humanity and the universe.

Ancient groups spoke of these times as the great shift, not the end of times as modern doomsday sayers have been pronouncing and now look a bit foolish for having done so. However, we really are at the end of times, the end of an OLD time and the beginning of a new consciousness for the planet; a compassionate consciousness. Okay, so what does this mean? We've just come out of a 26,000-year astronomic cycle heading into what? As I mentioned before, the greatest compassionate shift in the history of humanity. Here is a quote taken directly from Book Three, Little Blue Star, explaining a bit about this new world.  Heather and Violet are Hopi women that Crystal and David, her traveling companion, are at the moment staying with.

“The Fourth World is passing away,” explained Heather. “At this moment in history, we’re passing into the Fifth World where the human race will begin transitioning from the current pattern of civilization to a radically-different way of living.”

“A world,” added Violet with a smile, “where society will be shaped by the feminine paths of cooperation and non-aggression: living in conscious harmony with nature's ways.
What Violet and Heather are saying is that the emergence, the reawakening of the divine, sacred feminine is at hand, necessary at this time to re-balance a world powered by excessive amounts of masculine energy, allowing humanity to transition back into oneness consciousness with God by the integration of the Divine Feminine into the hearts of every human being on the planet. In and of itself, divine masculine energy is wonderful for our existence, yet our world has become out of balance and this creates serious problems. A masculine driven society is shaped by the desire to achieve, having complete self-control, using only knowledge to make decisions, ignoring our intuition, acting without considering the ramifications of our decisions which clearly has harmed the planet in uncountable ways.  Divine Masculine energy is about obtaining, divine feminine energy is about receiving. Follow this link for an in-depth view of the Sacred Divine Feminine/Masculine.
Now, as we transition into this new Age, the Fifth World, the powers that be, both human and planetary, will be shaped by cooperation and non-aggression; aspects of the gentler side of humanity's nature, the divine feminine side, a source of gentleness and compassion, with attributes of stillness, intuition, receptivity, insight, creativity, forgiveness, healing and wisdom, giving comfort to those fearing we'll never find a solution to all the violence, war, poverty, disease, and illness so prevalent in today's society.  Coupled with, but not driven by the Divine Masculine, the Divine Feminine society is said to set us on a course for peace, bringing balance that is needed to the planet; a course where the planet can provide enough food for its population; a course where society understands another's viewpoint and need not go to war; a course where greed does not fuel those who pay the healers and the practitioners; a course where humanity cherishes its youth, ensuring its choices will not adversely affect the next seven generations to come.
And so, as we enter into this next phase of our existence, I cannot help but embrace the fact that we, as a human race, have achieved the impossible.  We've gone against every prophesy ever spoken that we would never be able to survive because we're too selfish.  On the contrary, we're wired, as a species, to comfort and find others to share stories with.  We're wired to be emotional, loving, helpful, creative creatures and, as I have said in my other blogs, we are the greatest beings in all the universe, bar none.  Every other being in the universe is watching us, encouraging us to succeed in this game called life.  I, for one, feel we've only just begun to play.
Namaste,
Paula    

COMPASSION FOR THE SUFFERING: HONOR OR AID?

Over the last few years, I've buried myself in my writing, my research, my family and my friends, all the while keeping one eye on current weather patterns, political uprisings, and trends in technological research and

science, doing the best I possibly could not to get emotionally involved as that often proves toxic to my sanity and ability to deal with my own life.  The world is much smaller than it was twenty years ago, subsequently it's much easier to be fed news about events occurring one hundred miles away or all the way on the other side of the world.  It's often extremely difficult not to get emotionally charged and dragged into another's heartbreaking drama when it often times seems the world is going to 'hell in a handbasket.'   The world is filled with humans of all types; those who harm and those who do not, those who watch others harm without interfering, turning away, not wanting to become involved; and those who interfere, who work tirelessly to expose and shut down, arrest and incarcerate those who should be held responsible for their harmful actions, and those who allow another to experience their full potential of suffering by not interfering. Many claim we are in the greatest compassionate shift in human history, but why does it seem that everyday more and more people are suffering?

Billions of souls on planet earth experience suffering in some way or another.  The Masters, those who've walked the earth with elevated consciousness, declare that we are here to experience life in all its dimensions and struggling makes us stronger.  E.A. Bucchianeri, in his book, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly, says this about Jesus's suffering:"If Christ is God, He cannot sin, and if suffering was a sin in and by itself, He could not have suffered and died for us.  However, since He took the most horrific death to redeem us, He showed us in fact that suffering and pain have great power." The bible verse, James 1:2-4 says this about suffering. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Helen Keller, a tragic, yet powerful figure who overcame huge obstacles said this: "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience, through trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." Kahlil Gibran, author of the infamous book, "The Prophet" says this: "Out of suffering has emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars."

So my dilemma is this: If I see a homeless man or woman, should I have compassion and feel sorry for him or her? Should I try to help if they have not asked me to? Should I look upon them with pity because I have a home to go to? Or, should I honor them for their choice? Should I let them evolve in their own way into that most massive character with scars? Should I acknowledge the fact that they are learning what they came to earth to learn? Should I take home their worries? Do I even know what their worries are? Can I presume to know them better than they know themselves? How about the millions of souls in Japan after the tsunami? How do I as a compassionate human being fall asleep at night knowing how they suffer? I live thousands of miles away, yet the media coverage brought it into my living room and it was extremely difficult not to be moved by the devastation.  As a compassionate human, what can I do for them?  They are experiencing trials and suffering, and according to Helen Keller, their souls are strengthened because of the tragedy. Millions of animals a day lose their lives in kill shelters, by hunters, poachers, brutes who gain pleasure in torturing and killing innocent animals.  How can I stand by and let this happen? How can I not inflict the same atrocity upon them, as I am sometimes want to do? Children suffer at the hands of adults who should be protecting them, not hurting them, exploiting them, destroying their chance at ever having a normal life.  How do I as a compassionate human being allow these horrors to happen? Are they seared with scars, making them massive characters? Does their pain and suffering have great power? I don't know about you, but if I am alerted to anyone, especially an animal or a child, who is being harmed in some fashion or another, I cannot stand idly by and let them gain a greater understanding of themselves at the hands of a brute even if it means placing myself in danger.  Compassion for their suffering compels me to act, to alleviate their suffering, to save them.

How about his scenario, much less graphic than the a fore mentioned, but sometimes tragic all the same.  Let's say, for instance, my son/daughter makes a decision that I am quite aware will place them in danger, or if not danger, the consequence will most likely be unpleasant.  If I am a compassionate human being, should I let them suffer? What if they don't ask for my help or advice? If I know they will suffer as an outcome of their choice, should I step in? Or should I allow them the greatest gift one can give to another; the gift of experiencing what they came to earth to learn.  Oh, it's a tough call and riddled with uncertainties, especially if a loved one is in trouble, begging for help as they've done dozens of times before, saying they promise they'll change if you help them one more time, and, you know they won't.  Maybe compassion for the suffering in this scenario is to allow them to feel the nip of the wringer, to experience their consequence, live their choice, otherwise you've taken away their opportunity to learn, you've stepped in and become their higher power.  Maybe compassion is honoring another's choice even if it interfere's with yours. Maybe compassion is honoring yourself enough to allow another human to struggle. Didn't Buddha say: "If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete?" In Buddhism, the ideal of practice is to selflessly act to alleviate suffering wherever it appears.  We may argue it is impossible to eliminate suffering, and maybe it is, maybe people are supposed to suffer, yet, according to Buddhism, we're to respond anyway.  And, according to Buddhism, having compassion for oneself is paramount to having compassion for others and puts oneself on the road to enlightenment. We should not ignore our own suffering.

Being a compassionate human, I suppose, does not mean standing idly by and watching another suffer if something can be done.  The key here is understanding if another is suffering.  Is the homeless man or woman suffering? Is the teenager stealing and selling drugs suffering? I know I cannot and should not be the arbiter of another's suffering, yet on the other hand, I cannot and should not be the arbiter of another's choice in how they wish to experience their life.  Compassion for myself has led me to this understanding.  Honoring another's choice, not interfering unless asked, understanding that if I do help it will not hinder my serenity, is the greatest  gift I can give myself and another.  Helping in service, not in servitude is how I determine when it's appropriate to step in.  Honoring another, lending a hand, offering aid is offering compassion, but not when it interferes with my or my family's safety, health or well-being.  These are things I must consider if I wish to practice compassion for there is often more at stake than offering a friendly hand.  Compassion is first and foremost something I must give to myself in order to be effective.  If I cannot help, I can honor the sacrifice others have made when they struggled with their suffering such as the victims of the tsunami tragedy in Japan and the victims of the recent earthquake in the Phillipines.

Humans are the highest form of life in the universe, so I believe.  There are no other beings with higher consciousness than a human being.  Seems a bit convoluted when there's so much drama, heartache, heartbreak, and sadness happening around the world.  But since we're in the greatest compassionate shift in human history I can only strive to believe that this shift is an inner shift contrary to what the media presents to us daily.  Around the world there are huge uprisings by those tired of the heavy hand of tyranny.  The compassion millions are beginning to feel for themselves has thrust them from their homes, demanding better treatment from officials and employers, cleaner water, higher wages, fair trade practices, democracy.  Compassion is not just about offering aid to the suffering, it is believing with your whole heart that you deserve better and you'll do anything to see it done.  Maybe the brutes of the world, those who harm, will begin to feel compassion for themselves and stop their brutality. A compassionate person does not inflict harm.  Buddhism is built on compassion and complete harmlessness.  My hope is this: One day, soon, humanity will have fallen in love with themselves so completely it would be impossible to inflict harm on themselves or anyone else, then, peace will surely come to planet earth.

And so, I go forth from today with compassion for myself first and foremost.  Knowing this to be true, I will do my best to alleviate my own suffering so that I might alleviate someone else's.  I will strive to hone my passion, for with this comes compassion.  I will honor other's for their choices and help if they ask if it doesn't interfere with my family's safety, health, or well-being.  I will honor and put into the highest light those who've chosen a life of struggle, of pain, and of lack.  I will not feel sorry for them, this will only dishonor their choice, but I will, if asked, attempt to alleviate their suffering to the best of my ability.  If I have to 'stand behind the short fence' when struggle and strife happen on the other side of the world, or even in my own neighborhood, I will if it means honoring another.  I will not become emotionally involved in the drama, rather I will infuse the situation with light and compassion and understand the outcome as appropriate to their life's plan.  This is not easy, but I will do my best not to add fuel to the fire.  My job, this time around on planet earth, is to anchor light, anchor love, and anchor compassion by being a match holder, a lightworker, a light house.  The light house does not get involved in the drama of the sea, it shines its light so that others might see.  I will do my best and hope I do not let myself or anyone else down.

Namaste,
Paula





   

AUTUMN...THE TIME OF THE CRONE

Autumn Greetings ~
Yes, that was me you saw yesterday. The woman riding her bike, nose in the air, tongue hanging out, teeth bared in a grin, looking like a happy dog with its head out the car window.  It was the most fabulous day ever. I just had to take it all in! The smells, the sights, the sounds, the tastes.

Borrowed from wiicantogether.co

This morning there's a soft, yet brisk quality to the air as crisp and golden as the apple. I close my eyes and imagine the comforting smells of Autumn: sweet, fresh red apples begging to be plucked from nearby orchards and put into pies, the dark, heady smell of smoke drafting past my window from the neighbors who love burning leaves, the musky, easily identifiable scent of crisp, decaying leaves as I walk through them, the strong, green smell of pine needles that can fill the air, the unmistakable, sweet scent of nutmeg or cinnamon sprinkled into a morning cup of freshly-warmed eggnog, the romantic, incredibly potent scent of the vanilla bean gracing anything its added to, the hardy, perennial scent of mint, and of course, the sweet, heady aroma of pumpkin that everyone relates to this wonderful, transitional season, whether it's still in the fields or baking in the oven.  Let's face it: I LOVE AUTUMN.  And, being a Scorpio whose birthday is a few short weeks away, it's no wonder.

But come Autumn, there's something else going on.  Every three months there's a change of seasons, a change in the weather, a change in the light.  Summer's days are filled with sunshine, giving little attention to the darkness of night.  However, come autumn, that all begins to change.  The sun begins to recede further into the southern sky, casting longer and longer shadows upon the ground with every passing day. We know in our bones that we'll have to give more attention to the darkness of night as the dark will begin sharing as much time with us as the sunlight of the day.  And in this changing of seasons and light, the Spirit Goddess of the Changing, sometimes known as The Crone, reminds us that, like change, which is inevitable, life and death are but a thought, a moment flashing past eternity. Not to be feared but each to be relished and enjoyed, like with the seasons, each has its own gift.  Autumn is a time for remembering all we have and all we can give. Like the earth herself, offering her bounty in her harvest, we too can harvest our bounty, offer our uniqueness to the world. Autumn is the Croning time,  a time of magic, a time of renewal of spirit.  Autumn allows us to reclaim our identity and status of the ancients, as Crones and Elders. Women are coming of age, accessing our wisdom and acting upon it. Croning is the process of becoming active, wise women, leaders , teachers and counselors who've held our world together with their wisdom and diverse life's struggles.  When you seek the truth, ask a wise woman.  
In all three of my books in the White Bird Series, Illuminating Crystal, Crystal Blue Sky, and Little Blue Star, readers have begun to discover that the Elders Crystal encounters have a certain wisdom about them, but they're not always women.  Men can become Crones with their understanding of this passage. For those of you who love reading, like myself, the book The Crone: Woman of Age, Wisdom and Power by Barbara G. Walker  is a book I'd highly recommend.   The Crone is one aspect of the Triple Goddess (Mother, Maiden, Crone) and is the most misunderstood. If you'd like to understand the aspect of the Crone Goddess better, check out these websites: 
The Crone
Embracing the Dark Goddess
The Wiccan Goddess - The Crone

In the ways of the witch world, this is also a time known as Madron.  Madron, the Autumn Equinox, usually September 21-22, is a time of balance when both day and night are equal. The days start getting shorter, the nights longer and the weather starts getting colder. It is time to seek balance within ourselves, throw out the old, make way for the new. A time for release: regrets, arguments and mistakes cultivated over the year which can hold you back from moving on.  According to Pagans, Madron is one of The Eight Sabbats, celebrated with a Pagan Festival.   The Sabbats are major celebrations for a Witch and revolve around the Wheel of the Year and the changing seasons.  If  you'd like to understand this aspect of Autumn better, check out these websites:
Pagan Festival
The Way of the Witch
Mabon, The Witch's Thanksgiving

And so, with a grateful heart and a smile on my lips, I wonder as I wander through autumn. I wonder of the smells, the sights and the sounds. The tastes, the feel of the air and relish in this beautiful season.  I'll remember that I'm a Wise Woman, a teacher, a leader, one who's had her struggles and her joys.  I've learned from each life lesson, I've let things go: resentments, arguments, and mistakes.  I'll continually strive to seek balance within my life and to embrace the dark nights fast approaching.  I invite you to join me. Learn from The Crone. Embrace this aspect of yourself, the part that oftentimes is unseemly, for it is within this aspect that we've learned the most, embracing that part of ourselves that others sometimes cannot.
I AM THAT I AM.
Namaste,
Paula  

 

POWER ANIMALS

Watching the news lately, hearing stories of rescue and heartbreak, I cannot help but think about all the

animals that are affected by nature's fury.  This year has seen its share of historical fires, floods, tornadoes, and drought...and the wild animals in and along the path of these natural, oftentimes tragic occurrences, are sometimes overlooked.  In no shape or form am I advocating overlooking the people who need help, I am just, at this time, concerned about the animals of our earth who are affected as well.
Only, maybe I don't need to be.  Maybe they don't need my attention; my help.  Maybe they're just fine.  They probably know a lot more than I do how to avoid these natural disasters.  There is, after all, something called instinct; animal instinct.  Living so close to the land they are attuned to their environment, more so than humans give them credit for. I would bet that most species who can survive living in the wild probably know a weather related disaster is coming.   But, can animals really predict disasters? I would tend to answer; yes.  We've all heard of them: tales of dogs barking before a big earthquake hits; wildlife behaving strangely before the big hurricane; earthworms pouring from the ground just before a big flood.  Are these tall tales . . . or true?  My guess is it's a little bit of both.
So then I consider this: If I were to choose which animal's special "sixth sense" I would like to have, knowing that its particular sensitivity could help me before during and after a serious weather incident, which animal would I choose? I guess I would have to do a bit of investigative work and I cannot think of a better place to look than at the indigenous of our world and the practices of the shamans; medicine men and women.

In the Shamanic belief, shamans believe that everyone has power animals and are able to use that animal's spirit, lending to you the wisdom of its kind.  Hawks will lend their hawk wisdom; tigers their tiger wisdom, etc. And, they need not be only mammals and can be reptiles, insects or sea creatures. Shamans also believe that everyone has power animals to aid in overcoming illnesses and keeping negative energy from entering their bodies.  They believe that over the course of a human's life, everyone has several power animals, especially during their childhood, otherwise they couldn't survive.
So then what are the attributes of some of these power animals? Better yet, let's call them "Animal Spirit Guides."  We'll start with the bear, since I, for one, know that the bear and its talents has worked with me in my own life.  After all, I asked it to.   And, for those of you who have begun reading my novels in the White Bird Series, you have begun to understand that animals are a very important element in my story.  
When one looks for the attributes of each animal, focusing on what it represents as a power animal, there are hundreds of resources available on the internet.  If you'd like a book on power animals, "Animal Speak" by Ted Andrews is very popular. For the purpose of this article, I will be using information from this website: www.animalspirits.com. It is very popular and well-researched.

The Bear (Emblematic of grounding forces and strength) 

Bear Wisom includes:

• Strength and confidence
• Standing against adversity; taking action and leadership
• Using healing ability to help self or others
• Importance of solitude, quiet time, rest.
• The spirit of the bear provides strong grounding forces.

The Mountain Lion (Master Hunter known for its high intelligence)
Mountain Lion wisdom includes:

• Using leadership power wisely and without ego
• Balancing power, intention, strength.
• Gaining self-confidence
• Freedom from guilt
• Cunning

The Eagle (Symbol of spirit, vision and strength)
Eagle wisdom includes:

• Swiftness, strength, wisdom
• Courage, keen sight, healing
• Illumination of Spirit
• Ability to see hidden spiritual truths
• Rising above the material to see the spiritual
• Grace achieved through knowledge and hard work

The Elephant (Symbol of commitment, royalty and strength)

Elephant wisdom includes:

• Connection to ancient wisdom
• Removal of obstacle and barriers
• Confidence
• Patience
• Using education opportunities
• Royalty
• Strength

The Wolf (Symbol of wildness, social and family values)

Wolf wisdom includes:

• Facing the end of one's cycle with dignity and courage
• Death and rebirth
• Spirit teaching
• Guidance in dreams and meditations
• Instinct linked with intelligence
• Social and familial values
• Outwitting enemies
• Ability to pass unseen
• Steadfastness

The Spider (Grandmother Spider wove the web of the universe)

Spider wisdom includes:

• Weaver of the web of fate
• Wisdom
• Creativity
• Divine Inspiration
• Shapeshifting
• Understanding the patterns of illusion
• Female energy for the creative force of life

The Orca (Record keeper for Eternity)

Orca wisdom includes:

• Creator of the Cosmos
• Freeing the soul from the physical body
• Controlling rainfall on earth
• Soul memory
• Seeing the unseen
• Having the ability to convert raw material into stars, planets, etc.

What I have included in this respective list is just a tiny example of the hundreds upon hundreds of animals in the animal kingdom, each with its own special unique quality.  Animals are our spiritual teachers in so many ways.  If this interests you at all, there are many websites, books, seminars that share their knowledge. You can then begin researching on your own so you can begin learning more about the animals of our world and what they can offer, discover for yourself how each can talk to you and awaken the knowledge that lies deep within your soul. This particular way of looking at animals allows us to honor them for what they can teach us instead of exploiting them just as a food source, or for clothing, medicine, hides, oils, or entertainment. 

We will continue seeing nature rear its head, and sometimes we will feel insignificant against such fury.  But we need not feel as if we are alone.  The animals of our world have chosen to be here, just as we have and they are quite aware of what is going on and will offer their help if asked.  From the tiniest ant to the white sperm whale, each species communes with the earth and understands that the planet, the animals and mankind are at an impasse, moving from one age to the next.  Maybe we should watch the animal kingdom, see how it is reacting to these changes and learn from them.  When environmental changes occur as they are today, accepting and adapting to the changes is a key to survival.  The animal kingdom knows how to do this, mankind, however, still struggles.  I don't know about you, but my eyes will be on them, not the media, proclaiming our world is about to end.  And as I watch our beloved four-leggeds, winged-beings and creatures of the sea, I will do what I can to make sure that I, representing the race of human beings, honor them, respect them, cherish them and listen to them.  Or rather, if I happen to see an army of worms scurrying for higher ground--I will follow.

Namaste,

Paula