In the desert where I live, it is a bit colder than usual for this time of year.
The snow has come and has gone,
robing the Mountain in majestic white.

I was not going to write something to send out this year,
but as Mr. Lennon once said,
Life is what happens
when you are busy making other plans...

He also once suggested that we give Peace a chance,
and encouraged us to see and vision
- to imagine -
a world in which all of us could experience true oneness,
happiness and joy.

Today, I beheld that wonderful diversity of the place where I live

And remembered.......

This is the one season of the year
in which so many diverse peoples
in so many parts of the planet
celebrate
in the many wonderful ways
the coming and returning of Light.

In this time of year,
all of the holidays,
no matter what their origin,
or who borrowed what,
represent the global gathering of souls,
past and present,
who found reason to be especially aware
of the giftedness of life.
It is truly a magnificent celebration of life itself.

I celebrate with all of you,
in the many ways this time
and our many beliefs
call for us to celebrate,
and truly,
from my heart,
wish you wonder,
love,
gratitude,
appreciation,
joy and peace
during this time of remembering
our unity and oneness.

To all the Web of Life,
I greet you as Sister and Kin.

Blessings,
Karen

A Thanksgiving Greeting


My life this time around has spanned almost 60 years.
That will seen like so few years to some,
To others, I am old.
And in reflecting upon those years,
I can truly and honestly say -

My hear is filled with gratitude
for the blessings
The challenges
The many ups and downs,
ins and outs,
The beauty and richness
of the way of my spirit
and for what I have contributed
to others, my communities and the planet -
in both challenge and blessing

Today, I will stand by the Ocean
and seek Her stillness,
Knowing that the unending waves
are but the expression of her own gift of life, passion
and great Mystery.

Blessings to you today.
May this time be the reminder
that we are more than what the day will offer us.
And enjoying the time with friends, families, co-workers
and others who are part of our journey in this life,
we all can find that stillness of deep gratitude
that moves our lives closer
to the expression and reality
of who we truly are.

Happy and blessed Thanksgiving
Karen

A Little Reminder

You know, there are time when we just need to hear something positive. So here goes:

Today, I am in Santa Fe, NM. Sitting in Starbucks, checking e-mail, doing some internet work, and enjoying a Vente Chai. "Ad Gurey Name" is playing on iTunes, and the sun is shining through the windows. Folks are gathered for a Saturday morning sip of java, or that ever-tempting blueberry muffin...

And I am reminded, looking around the place, just how precious we all are. Each of us. In our diversity, our laughter, and even our venting (going on at the table next to mine).

Always remember, we are Light! We are brilliant and radiant Presence. And we do make a difference, no matter what our situations may be. I know this to be true, and I reverence each one of you, as sacred, beautiful, and wondrous Being.

I am continually amazed at the capacity of the human spirit, and the capacity of Earth to bring through her divine compassion through the simplest of gestures. It is a blessing to be present to this sacred event - the awakening of heart. And I wish for each one who reads this a day of marvelous enjoyment of simply being alive in these miraculous times.

You are miracle - creation steeped in the deep wisdom of our species, breaking through the trance into a bright and radiant awareness of Love personified. It is Who we are - our Destiny - to be that very Awareness.

Take heart in the struggles of the day. It is only for a passing time. Look to the Light that is within, and celebrate your True Self. Take time to remember your divinity, and share that divine impulse with all that is in your sphere. You shine. With a beauty that dazzles and awakens.

You who have lost someone today, be at peace in the awareness that this passing is both release and blessing.

You who struggle with addiction, know that the learning you have gained will bless not only your own life, but that of others as well. Stay in the moment, and let the hurt wash from you like Rain on the Mountainside.

You who wonder at the decision before you, take heart. Your choice that you ponder is the right one for you at this time. You are learning to trust yourself again, and yours is the blessings of knowing your self.

Blessings to you - each one you are very special, and each one inseparable from the One.

Love is the Heart and Soul of Who We Are
Compassion is that unifying energy that reminds us of this reality.
Peace is that state of inner stillness amidst the turmoil
Joy is that wonder we all have.

Nurture who you are today!

Blessings and love,
Karen

Resurrection and Beyond

There is a saying:

"The sun always rises"
and we know this to be true,
but our knowledge is based in
the experience of seeing a sunrise -
Experiencing it each day
since our kind came into being.

We have attributed it to many beliefs:
The loving compassion of a higher Source,
Science and astronomy,
Magic
or many we have simply taken it for granted.
But yes, it does return.

The ancient Egyptians believed that each evening,
the depleted Ra entered into a journey
of death and resurrection.
During this twelve hour quest,
Ra was subjected to numerous challenges.
This nightly journey cleaned and renewed
So that once again,
Ra emerged whole and vibrant,
radiant in the new dawn.

In the Jesus way, the journey was one of
recognizing Source from within.
"I am the way, truth, and life"
It was not an arrogant boast,
but the simple recognition of his True Self.

May this Resurrection Day
bring us also into this awareness
of our True Selves.
We pass through the realms
cleansing and renewal
and emerge once again filled with life -
brilliant and radiant.

As you are Light,
so let your light shine!

Blessings,
Karen

Between Death and Resurrection

This is Holy Saturday.
Jesus' followers acknowledge this time
as the waiting time
between his death and resurrection,
in the Tomb.

It calls us to reflect upon those times in our own lives
where we have died to something,
with the belief that we would rise again.
But the resurrection has not yet happened,
and we are left in that place of dark and quiet stillness.
It is in such a tomb
where we are faced with our inner selves -
and a time when we have the opportunity
to let fall away that which hold us back,
or holds us entrapped.

And we wait for the morning of light and freedom -
a rolling away of the stone, so to speak.

It is a wondrous time.
Alone in the dark stillness.
That place of potential - of new life waiting to come forth.
It is a seed time -
where what once was is transformed.
A time where what will be
is germinated and nurtured by that very stillness.

For those of you who celebrate this Mystery,
may this day be one of reflective listening
to the inmost stirring of your heart.
And for those who celebrate this time in other ways,
may it hold the blessings each tradition knows it to be.
Whatever your Path,
it is a holy and sacred time,
and it marks the passing
into new life.

Blessings
Karen

Old Souls

People with many interests who find it burdensome to sit in one place too long - these are the souls who are dreaming of home. Always with the thought that there is more, these beings have lived many many lives. There is nothing "new" for them - more a re-acquaintance. There is a look in their eyes that shows a deeper understanding of "what is", and they are easy to engage in spiritual discussion, for that is their true interest.

They are not necessarily in the spotlight, though some find themselves there not by their own desire, but in response to their life path. It is more common to find them living simpler lives. They have been on the stages before, perhaps for seveal lifetimes, and that focus no longer interests the. If they find themselves in the, these are the ones who will not be enamored and dazzled by what the spotlight brings. They prefer to simply observe what is going on around them, contributing and finding meaning, making a subtler difference but no longer feeling that they have to be the ones to change the world. At some point they come to the realization - they did that already.

The old souls are among us, as we are healed and nurtured in their presence, and in their being in our midst.

Sometimes it is disconcerting that they can seem so detached. They can appear so uninvolved at times, and it challenges the patience of others around them. This does not mean hey are without passion. Old souls are some of the most passionate beings on the planet. It is simply that their passion runs very deep and in that depth, the current i much slower. They are far more focused at hat level, though many tims they themselves are not aware of it.

The eyes and heart of older souls see a picture more vast. They do not have to work at it, it simply is the way they see. Experiencing for them involves using more than just the physical senses. It is more about recognizing the wholeness of the experience, not just the fragments. And this awareness and understanding brings for them a profound sense of humility and gratitude

Old souls want to go home. They understand thi physical life is but a moment in their very long incarnational existence, and this world of physicality is not their true home. They feel an attitude of stewardship, but ultimately it is just that, stewardship.

An they know that, although they refer to this and that, there is only this. They feel in their being that there is no separation in what is interior and what is exterior, and that these distinctions are only contrived. There is an acceptance about this awareness that enables sincere and genuine tolerance and acceptance of others. There is no longer the need to struggle for their thoughts and impressions to be heard by others. They know in their heart that ultimately all is brought into that awareness of oneness, and that is sufficient.

Old souls love life, but also love death. They are fuly engaged in physical life, but with the awareness of the death process. And they are not afraid of death. It is that threshold to home. One which they have walked through so many times before. They know what is there. There is no doubt, no hesitation, and no resistance. Many times, this is interpreted by others as a death wish, or a lack of a desire to live. For the old soul, it is simply the knowledge and understanding that there is really no death, and that what we see as an ending is simply a continuation. It does not bother an old soul when someone dies. They will feel the sadness of their loss, but they also understand that it is their loss that is saddening, not the passing of another. They will feel quietly the joy of the door opening, and will experience that touch of longing for home that death's reminder brings about. Old souls know how to be incarnate, and they have learned over and over what it is to be in physical form. They do not have the same stringent need to be imbodied as a learning experience and will oftentimes allow themselves to drift a bit. That far-away look sometimes is misleading. They are very much present, but "present" for them is not the same. Their sphere of being is much broader, and encompasses far more than just the physical plane.

Old souls incarnate for resolution, that sense of completion, of finally being full circle. There is a peacefulness and a wonder in old souls that reminds us all of the infinite beauty of lives lived.

So... how's your writing coming...?

A friend asked me that just the other day. I was embarrassed to admit I was having a lot of difficulty getting it started, although I have accumulated quite a few pages of material.

The person asking me that question is a published author, having written several books herself. She affirmed for me that getting a book started is one of the harder tasks in writing.

So, I came home re-committed to writing the book that, a year ago, I was convinced would be published by now. Still don't have the first line down, but I have decided to not let that be an issue.

I was told once (by the same person) that I needed to get the passion I have onto the page. That is the hardest part. Give me with a cup of tea and just mention the topics that interest me, and I can talk and share for days on end. Sit me down at a keyboard, and it is a whole different outcome.

Recording my workshops is an option. Tried that on several occasions. Problem is, I forget to turn the darned voice recorder on. That, I can work on.

And there's the blog that I can use as a springboard, which is what this post is about. I really want to write, and folks tell me I have something to say. So, as I said earlier, I am re-committing to the task, and with prayers and blessings, can work out a pretty decent book.

Whew.....