<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001</id><updated>2011-09-28T18:17:25.668-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Thirsty by Lorraine</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>23</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-2795080391730501644</id><published>2010-12-31T20:26:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-12-31T21:23:55.047-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Thank You 2010</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TR62gD5Od8I/AAAAAAAAAFs/Ti6J5Cy8UqU/s1600/LoSquirrelSM.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TR62gD5Od8I/AAAAAAAAAFs/Ti6J5Cy8UqU/s320/LoSquirrelSM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557079652139169730" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;This year I learned alot.  I learned how to look at and love myself through another person's eyes and that at any time love, learning and spiritual awakening can happen in our lives no matter what we think our shortcomings might be.  Its never too late!!!  We are all ageless, timeless beings trying to find our way back to that source of unconditional love. In trying to know ourselves and be true to our potential we are cultivating our divinity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I learned that I don't know as much as I think I do!  I learned how to ride a bike off-road!  Its ok to do the dishes even when its not your turn.  That I can follow a recipe and cook!  I can be a little judgmental from time to time.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I learned how to close my eyes, jump and take some risks.  I traveled on the road for three weeks in a R.V. down south.  I finally got to kiss the ground where Georgia O'Keefe tred and wander amongst her sacred land of the Ghost Ranch, her home in Abiquiu New Mexico and cast my eyes on her beloved mountain the Pernadal. WOW!  I learned that I still have a great passion burning inside me to express myself as a artist.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hot flashes are better that beating on a dead horse, being paranoid or having a temper tantrum! Temper tantrums, understood, can be enlightening.  Helpful people can show up where you least expect them.  The Goddess is everywhere and magic is afoot.  Fairies exist!  Sometimes silence and stillness is god's way of saying, rest here because I've got something for you to do up ahead and your the only one who can do it! I've learned that restlessness is cured by immersing yourself in new area of study.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have learned this year that love is not something to be taken for granted, its something you have to work on and be grateful for everyday.  How precious is it to have someone love you even though they know all your flaws and failings.  Thank you creator.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Wishing everyone happy new year and to have a wonderful year of learning in 2011!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-2795080391730501644?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/2795080391730501644/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/12/thank-you-2010.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2795080391730501644'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2795080391730501644'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/12/thank-you-2010.html' title='Thank You 2010'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TR62gD5Od8I/AAAAAAAAAFs/Ti6J5Cy8UqU/s72-c/LoSquirrelSM.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-7276994980515664121</id><published>2010-11-29T10:59:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-11-29T11:25:03.288-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Archetypal Forest</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TPP9jSVT5OI/AAAAAAAAAFg/lUkMO5n1iqk/s1600/thesun.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TPP9jSVT5OI/AAAAAAAAAFg/lUkMO5n1iqk/s320/thesun.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545054348881683682" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;These days I find that my menopause is so in my face because I am in it, with no apparent escape. I am traversing through an unknown forest with no path up ahead and no way of escape behind. This is a dense, thick, wordless forest.  The worst part is I don't have a machete or compass to navigate the wall of green, that's when I sit down and cry or rage against the world.  A world it seems that does not understand or honor my change into becoming a crone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At times of deep transformation and spiritual change the loneliness is palatable.  My spouse thinks I am losing my mind and I feel that I am.  Losing it in order to it gain in back in a whole new way. Visions and dreams have been profound.  My partner who is quite sensitive has been seeing lots of spirit movement and paranormal activity around the house, but I see very little right now.  Even my invisible friends feel like they have left me or gone on a hiatus.  I just see the changes in my own body, and energy field.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In Native Spirituality we believe that when a woman goes through the menopausal change she takes on the energy of the Sun.  That is some powerful stuff, imagine if there is sunspot activity while this is going on.  She is meant to take this energy and channel for the benefit of her community, as a wise woman, elder, teacher or healer.  I hope I can measure up to the challenge.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-7276994980515664121?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/7276994980515664121/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/11/archetypal-forest.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/7276994980515664121'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/7276994980515664121'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/11/archetypal-forest.html' title='The Archetypal Forest'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TPP9jSVT5OI/AAAAAAAAAFg/lUkMO5n1iqk/s72-c/thesun.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-3816701616695529122</id><published>2010-11-26T10:33:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-11-26T15:25:19.897-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Travel is good for you</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TPACsqStnvI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/11p1oJnmtzA/s1600/Saguaro.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TPACsqStnvI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/11p1oJnmtzA/s320/Saguaro.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543934107583356658" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Recently I have been drawn to the southwestern United States.  I traveled there when I was younger, to me the area was very energetically charged.  Not having engaged in my spirituality as much as I am now I did not understand, why the draw?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My third trip in recent years and I am beginning to understand.  There is something there that reminds me of my past, and connects me to the very best in myself.  Sometimes it is good to touch base with a part of our home, the Earth, that you, for some unexplained reason are drawn to.  I believe something in our memory banks whether it is from this lifetime or a past lifetime wants us back there to draw strength.  The Earth is a living being, she is our mother.  She wants to nurture and heal us.  She also wants our respect, nurturing and healing back.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;When we travel on the planet, with love, awe and respect.  When we silently observe life's mystery, we can expect a few magical surprises and bring back into our lives a small portion of her great healing strength.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;" The force that through the green fuse drives the flower&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Drives my green age; that blasts the roots of trees "&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Dylan Thomas&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-3816701616695529122?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/3816701616695529122/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/11/travel-is-good-for-you.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/3816701616695529122'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/3816701616695529122'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/11/travel-is-good-for-you.html' title='Travel is good for you'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TPACsqStnvI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/11p1oJnmtzA/s72-c/Saguaro.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-4021870466732322830</id><published>2010-10-19T09:23:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-10-19T10:00:13.065-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Spiritual journeys</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TL3OAkgZioI/AAAAAAAAAFI/1bfD_yWs8G4/s1600/monumentvalley1.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TL3OAkgZioI/AAAAAAAAAFI/1bfD_yWs8G4/s320/monumentvalley1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529802426675726978" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;It is so difficult to be back after a trip to your spiritual homeland, a place where one's mind and imagination can take flight.  This is the place for spirit to take hold of us and get our attention.  When we get out of the busyness of city life and take time to recharge and possibly get inspired.  I recently returned from a trip to southwestern United States where I traveled extensively in Arizona, southern Utah and New Mexico.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This trip was particularly satisfying because I was traveling with my boyfriend who is also very sensitive and spiritual so we shared on many levels our experiences.  It is so refreshing for me to have someone who shares and senses my experiences of the paranormal.  I have felt so very alone at times because no one sees or senses what I do.  After this trip I know my partner doubts himself a little less and embraces his sensitivity.  Which is a joy for me to watch as he blooms forth like a flower and lets go of a false self so many of us develop in order to blend into society's or our family's image of us, who we should be.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We visited Monument Valley, we talked about the valley as we were being toured by our Navajo guide.  The images we were seeing.  I mentioned that this whole area is sacred to the Navajo.  This was my third tour of the buttes over three and a half years, I suddenly understood that the buttes are mirrors to the soul.  The buttes would reflex back whatever you needed to see in your soul that is important in this time to your development.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A spirit greeted me during our trip.  Almost immediately as if sensing the communication, the guide shared with me there were water spirits located at that Mesa and described ceremonies they did to honor them.  Later that night we camped by the buttes and my partner and I both had healing experiences with the water spirits and spirits that came on the wind all through the night.  We both experienced physical, emotional and spiritual sensations that could not be doubted or refuted by his logic.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Its so important to travel to places you have an emotional or spiritual draw to, then to honor the spirits and ask for help.  They love to help us and are longing for us to connect with them.&lt;br /&gt;The Earth is waiting for us to heal with her.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-4021870466732322830?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/4021870466732322830/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/10/spiritual-journeys.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/4021870466732322830'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/4021870466732322830'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/10/spiritual-journeys.html' title='Spiritual journeys'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TL3OAkgZioI/AAAAAAAAAFI/1bfD_yWs8G4/s72-c/monumentvalley1.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-418618665841684548</id><published>2010-06-05T21:59:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-06-08T09:01:47.852-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Time travel</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TAs2mMOUDnI/AAAAAAAAAE4/3GTMPXiAb3Q/s1600/moose.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TAs2mMOUDnI/AAAAAAAAAE4/3GTMPXiAb3Q/s320/moose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479533401370529394" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here I am once again on the blogsphere.  I wish I was here more to talk with you all.  Its not that I don't get inspired to write, but my hormonal brain-fog has me focused on my book these days.  So much magic is occurring that I tend to record these events in my journal to be transferred to my book writing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There is so much negative news out there; the oil spill expanding its reach over the gulf, the G-20 summit here in Toronto which seems to inspire fear and overspending, sickness, death and poverty worldwide.  Not to diminish these events but to try to see the world in balance I share with you some moments in nature.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I just returned from Algonquin park and many moments of magic happened there.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Canoeing on a lake surrounded by a soft downy substance gifted from trees, which gently floated on the lake surface.  Our canoe glided over black endless waters, where light danced under sheer rock faces.  I imagined primeval forests inhabited by an ancient people who understood the language of plants and animals, the words uttered at creations grand moment.  The echo of my paddle dipping in the water, comprehending water's movement as King Loon graced us with his presence.  A moose crossed the road at dusk and enveloped me in a hush as he turned to look back.  He acknowledges me as silence salutes the moment and the black eyes of a primordial giant are reabsorbed into a veil of emerald green.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is difficult to return to the city with all its strange concerns.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-418618665841684548?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/418618665841684548/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/06/time-travel.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/418618665841684548'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/418618665841684548'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/06/time-travel.html' title='Time travel'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/TAs2mMOUDnI/AAAAAAAAAE4/3GTMPXiAb3Q/s72-c/moose.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-6271176140168968943</id><published>2010-03-25T09:33:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-03-25T12:00:06.801-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Violence and Healing</title><content type='html'>When I blogg here I am sure the topics that I write about other people are writing about all over the planet.  I can only hope to write in a way that may bring light and healing to others and that they can learn from my mistakes.  I so wish I had someone to mentor me when I was a young person and this is my dream is that others might read what I have written, gain some insight and heal.  I wish that for all the young people on the planet who’ve been hurt by violence at a young age.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the things I notice frequently in my practice is how often people are out of touch with their emotions.  We can only be taken advantage of by others, if we have unresolved issues from the past and are afraid to be vulnerable and feel our feelings.  Feelings energetically are the life-song of the universe and connect us to our Creator.  Often if we have experiences of violence at an early age we may close down emotionally in order to survive.  It is too painful to fully comprehend that our parents (or a trusted family member) are violating us (the people we depend on and that we love unconditionally as innocent children), are taking away our right to thrive.  We close down because the emotions we feel are too scary and powerful for our little selves to comprehend.  So we shut down in order to be able to be there.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This anger, grief and rage if unexpressed will come at us from the universe and we’ll continue to be drawn to it unless we look at this, heal it, bring it out into the light and learn to feel so we will recognize people who wish to subjugate us.  It has been a long journey for me to overcome the violence I endured as a child, my wounds have made me who I am today and one should not be ashamed of these dark places that have defined us from our past.  But I believe and am living proof that one can overcome and work with this painful stuff and use it as a force for creative actualization for ones own future.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-6271176140168968943?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/6271176140168968943/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/03/violence-and-healing.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/6271176140168968943'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/6271176140168968943'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/03/violence-and-healing.html' title='Violence and Healing'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-8156999104280579893</id><published>2010-02-26T09:55:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-02-26T12:07:01.358-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Olympics and Hormones</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/S4gdfkSNzcI/AAAAAAAAAEw/qut5Z76shs4/s1600-h/olympsym.gif"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 208px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/S4gdfkSNzcI/AAAAAAAAAEw/qut5Z76shs4/s320/olympsym.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442632577830473154" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I don't know what it is about the winter Olympics this year but its really getting on my every nerve.  Maybe its because all those female hormones are raging through my system right now and its causing me to look at the world in an intense new light.  I'm not sure.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I feel as though if one is "not" into watching every little nuance of drama, competition, figure skating triple cow-saws or athletes calling press conferences to expound their agendas (and make themselves forever infamous in front of millions of viewers) then somehow I am not patriotic.  My boyfriend and I even had a heated argument because I did not share his enthusiasm regarding the video drone pulling him toward the t.v. set to watch something that was happening "live".&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I feel that the olympics is a corporate, elitist, agenda pushing vehicle that is no longer about the spirit of the human body and all that it can accomplish when pushed to its outer limits (without steroids and cheating of course).  Olympic athletes are even referred to as elite athletes these days.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We are so focused on ourselves and our own navel gazing that guess what, we forgot about the disaster in Haiti, the condition of our planet, our shrinking fresh water supplies and our out of control population density.  Oh I forgot to mention all the homeless that were displaced and the desperate conditions on the streets of Vancouver.  Now Vancouver is all shiny and new just in time for the Olympic fantasy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That my friends is why I do not participate in the Olympic apparition (a.k.a. the establishment of the spectacle), it might be a little lonely over here, but its a REAL lonely.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-8156999104280579893?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/8156999104280579893/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/02/olympics-and-hormones.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/8156999104280579893'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/8156999104280579893'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/02/olympics-and-hormones.html' title='The Olympics and Hormones'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/S4gdfkSNzcI/AAAAAAAAAEw/qut5Z76shs4/s72-c/olympsym.gif' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-1736931263909073269</id><published>2010-02-01T17:20:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-02-02T16:05:55.915-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Change</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/S2d_OuXJTcI/AAAAAAAAAEo/VJcoJCt_KcE/s1600-h/tungurahua-volcano.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/S2d_OuXJTcI/AAAAAAAAAEo/VJcoJCt_KcE/s320/tungurahua-volcano.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433451366385798594" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;I am going through menopause.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's something I want to talk about like crazy but I am noticing other women my age or older go mute on the topic, I find it interesting how few women want to talk about their process or feel good about it.  I blame our western cultural ideas about women, we are socialized to struggle and fight aging as if it were a disease.  The medical profession shoves Estrogen and Bio-identical hormones down our throat as if there were something terribly wrong with the aging process or that it is unhealthy.  Oh my goodness its just not right to experience a hot flash, night sweats or those embarrassing mood swings.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Well I got news for you sisters and I don't think I am the first one to say it.  This is a natural, beautiful and empowering process to go through and I might add, good for your health.  Especially if you go through it drug free and allow yourself to embrace aging gracefully.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am totally awed at what I am learning about myself by allowing my emotions and hot flashes free reign.  All the spiritual journeying I have been doing most of my life and my study of philosophy, creativity, the higher mind pales in comparison to the window I have access to right now; of the inner workings of my own soul.  Its like I am in a fast track MBA program, but its all about me, getting my voice, seeing clearly where I have given away my power in the past, along with all other creative yearnings and revelations about myself.  To top it off I didn't have to spend a cent on airfare or accommodations to go off to India, Tibet or walk the Camino to gain access to it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Menopause traveled consciously is the road to self empowerment and enlightenment ladies.  Experience it for yourselves.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-1736931263909073269?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/1736931263909073269/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/02/change.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/1736931263909073269'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/1736931263909073269'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/02/change.html' title='The Change'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/S2d_OuXJTcI/AAAAAAAAAEo/VJcoJCt_KcE/s72-c/tungurahua-volcano.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-2385512878370216828</id><published>2010-01-24T12:14:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2010-01-24T14:57:20.124-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Mothers</title><content type='html'>Sometime in life, it takes a happening, or a traumatic event which happens to someone else for us to take a step back and look at ourselves more closely.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A friend recently went through the very traumatic exiting of her only son.  This young man has expressed extreme negative emotions towards his mother which to me seemed a little excessive for what had actually transpired between the two of them over the course of time I have known them both.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It has made me look at the troubled relationship between myself and my own mother.  How that has been a source of numerous problems and wounds for me.  Sometimes I wonder "How extreme are my own actions or emotions against the person who gave birth to me?"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The problem here I think is we as a human species are way too attached to our mothers, yes that attachment is powerful, however our real mother (the goddess, the void) is where we really originate from.  Not the person who held us in her body for nine months and gave birth to us (not to minimize such an amazing feat).  At some point we have to take responsibility for ourselves and our own lives and not blame others (including our mother's) about what may or may not have transpired in our life due to what we believe is earlier unfair treatment.  We are the master controller of our own destinies and govern what we do with our own potentials.  That may sound funny coming from a psychic but outcomes are a result of certain behaviors and beliefs which are like hidden unseen arrows moving out from us long before our results come into being.  The universal sends messages, happenings, mirrors to us along the way so we may make course corrections.  Often the people we put powerful blame or negativity onto are our greatest teachers.  That is just the place we are to look to for greater knowledge of ourselves to ourselves.  Meditation is a great tool, but so is active engagement with this thing called life.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many years ago, about 2 years prior to becoming a psychic, I had a vision after a particularly difficult visit with my parents. I was in the harbor of Nanaimo, British Columbia sitting on a ferry waiting to be transported to the mainland.  I began weeping uncontrollably about my childhood, the still very present disharmony between myself and my parents.  As I looked out the window, the sunlight sparkling on the ocean water dazzling my eyes, I heard a powerful voice coming from the water.  "She is not your mother, I am your mother!"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I often go back to that day, that powerful vision that I received when those emotions come up about my mother.  I grieve the human wounded child tears that I still possess, then I try to go forward and embrace that I am a timeless, precious child of the universe here to discover my potential and try to the best of my ability not to engage in the blame game.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My heart and prayers go out to everyone struggling with mothers and mothers with their children!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-2385512878370216828?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/2385512878370216828/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/01/mothers.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2385512878370216828'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2385512878370216828'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2010/01/mothers.html' title='Mothers'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-7437624430363815513</id><published>2009-11-23T18:19:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-11-23T18:59:15.419-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Hello Love</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SwtI5-rntEI/AAAAAAAAAEg/udYZ6CLKsIk/s1600/JAYcropped.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 274px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SwtI5-rntEI/AAAAAAAAAEg/udYZ6CLKsIk/s320/JAYcropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407495938504111170" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Hello, hello, hello.  Its been a while since I have communicated with you out there in cyberspace, please accept my sincere apologies as I have fallen in love.  Yes! It's true.  Cupid has pierced it's arrow into my heart, and with that pierce comes all the excitement and anxiety that accompanies falling in love.  The doubts.  "Can I do this again." The flutter of my heart anticipating that first kiss, "Will it be good!" Yes!  Finally the question everyone asks me when they see me for a session, "Will it last?"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My answer to that or what I am discovering this time around, is the "lasting" is in the effort we put into love.  Love must come first from yourself, toward that one love, one relationship with self and one's connection to creator (God).  I believe when we love ourselves first, love for another one flows from this place like a fire which we stoke and tend, for them and for ourselves.  One of the best things I did for myself this time is I took a five-year break from intimate relationships (for the first time in my life) and learned to love myself first, with all my flaws and vulnerabilities, before I started dating my current boyfriend.  In fact I remember precisely one month before I met him I had just finished attending an advanced painting class (where I felt I made great headway with my skills and understanding) a quiet gentle understanding poured over me, "I love you Lorraine."&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;About one month later I went out on a first date and was at peace enough with myself beforehand to be able to recognize the kindness and understanding that radiated from an enlightened soul that I could partner with.  Looking into the deep mirror of self that love brings, being willing to learn from what I see, enjoying the journey.  On the back of a motorcycle in my case!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-7437624430363815513?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/7437624430363815513/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/11/hello-love.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/7437624430363815513'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/7437624430363815513'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/11/hello-love.html' title='Hello Love'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SwtI5-rntEI/AAAAAAAAAEg/udYZ6CLKsIk/s72-c/JAYcropped.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-7759039190859401173</id><published>2009-08-10T14:27:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-10T14:52:18.238-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Raven: A.K.A. The Police</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SoCRpsQ7mgI/AAAAAAAAAEY/QhaGMQ4q-JE/s1600-h/Raven.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SoCRpsQ7mgI/AAAAAAAAAEY/QhaGMQ4q-JE/s320/Raven.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368450901268470274" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;To psychics or anyone that works with energy the way we do, our pets are a most precious resource.  It is true that they are our familiars, it has been my experience with my cats, as you know from my earlier article about Mojo, my second feline friend.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mojo has a playful, sensitive energy about him more like my second half.  Raven because I rescued him from the street still has those "street smarts" and has more of a warrior type energy to him.  I had a different cat who fought off dark energy or warned me, and when he died I distinctly heard Raven say to me, I'll be doing Besito's job from now on.  Time has shown this to be an accurate portrayal of Raven.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A peculiar event happened my first evening I moved into the apartment I now live in.  I had seen some dark energy moving about the apartment as I moved in but I thought it was just my stress (I hate moving) or coming from my new neighbor downstairs whom I wasn't too fond of.  As myself and the cats ensconced ourselves in the bedroom (my only room set up), the dark shape came into the room, Raven stood on all fours, looked at it and left the room.  He never does this no matter what he sees so I knew something was there.  I was too tired so phoned a trusted colleague and got them to do a remote viewing.  Confirming what myself and Raven picked up, there was some kind a ghost in the apartment.  I worked with this energy and got it to move on to the light.  But it took a month to finally clean the whole place.  I found out later from my next door neighbor that someone had hung themselves in my part of the house.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I felt so good that I had cleansed the house and helped that energy move towards peace.  Raven always lets me know if there is darkness in my perimeter, where as Mojo shows me whats out of balance in my body as he tends to absorb whatever is affecting me.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-7759039190859401173?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/7759039190859401173/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/08/raven-aka-police.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/7759039190859401173'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/7759039190859401173'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/08/raven-aka-police.html' title='Raven: A.K.A. The Police'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SoCRpsQ7mgI/AAAAAAAAAEY/QhaGMQ4q-JE/s72-c/Raven.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-6590454995118886012</id><published>2009-08-04T19:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-04T22:47:20.360-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Along Came a Spider</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SnjvGr1Zr6I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/x8LQzqsp73c/s1600-h/spider.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 297px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SnjvGr1Zr6I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/x8LQzqsp73c/s320/spider.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366301854136905634" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;This spider was making a home near my back doorway.  The wind blew out her web and I await her return.  This is my second summer here at my home and both times a spider made her web in this spot near my entryway.  Let me tell you a little bit about the spider and why I love her.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;First of all being a writer I love her because the spider is the totem animal for writers, the alphabet is said to hang in her web.  For many Indigenous nations she represents creation and she is an important figure in the Navajo and Hopi creation legends as spider woman.  She is associated with first woman, the spirit woman who weaves all of creation.  Spider woman has the dual ability to create and to destroy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Then the concept of sound enters my mind when I think of being a writer and the power of words, both spoken and written.  The universe is thought to have started by many people (both Indigenous people and scientists) by sound; a rattle or the big bang.  When ever I look at a spider I am awed by her power.  She also represents the mother energy, both nurturing and destructive.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is know by psychics and healers that creation always begins in the mind.  Thought, word, deed is the order of creation and this is law because we all originate from this moment of conception called the big bang.  That is why it is so important to be conscious of what we put out into the universe because at some point in time this energy will be mirrored back to you.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-6590454995118886012?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/6590454995118886012/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/08/along-came-spider.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/6590454995118886012'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/6590454995118886012'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/08/along-came-spider.html' title='Along Came a Spider'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SnjvGr1Zr6I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/x8LQzqsp73c/s72-c/spider.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-5788408062103512917</id><published>2009-07-29T11:46:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-30T20:52:59.433-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Garden that Never was</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SnJpC1bCCVI/AAAAAAAAAEI/aP92dJIMkSQ/s1600-h/garden.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 208px; height: 277px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SnJpC1bCCVI/AAAAAAAAAEI/aP92dJIMkSQ/s320/garden.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364465603572795730" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Here it is.   My garden.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I kind of like the wild mayhem that this garden presents.  Some have dared to refer it as weeds!  I want to be responsible though and say that I initially planned to do a garden this summer but just never got "around to it".  Sigh!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This summer has been a big lesson in focusing my energy, ok so I know it did not happen in my backyard, but it happened in other places and it was wonderful.  Being in the present moment.  Even though I liked Eckhart Tolle's book "The power of Now" it had one fatal flaw and is the reason why it does not teach this powerful lesson.  I found the book too long and philosophical, not really explaining why (in simple terms) it is important to focus our energy or giving techniques to do so.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The easiest way to focus is to concentrate with your full being only to the task you are presented with at hand, even if its brushing your teeth.  Try it, its not easy to do on a consistant basis.  When you do it feels like magic, especially if you can maintain this for hours.  I had that experience this summer as I began to engage with my painting and drawing after a 4 year hiatus.  You feel totally engrossed in the moment and lose track of time.  Another way to prepare the mind to be more receptive to focusing is meditation.  Also the more you learn to focus the better you can meditate.  When we learn this important skill we do not waste energy and react to life but live more fully in the flowing energy of life. With the skill of an archer we aim towards the result of the task at hand, then flow fully toward the next task.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Our life becomes a garden we carefully cultivate instead of life molding us to its ups and downs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;"The man who has daily enured himself to the habits of concentrated attention, energetic volition and self-denial in unnessary things will stand like a tower when everything rocks around him and when his softer fellow-mortals are winnowed like chaft in the blast."&lt;/span&gt;  Henry James&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-5788408062103512917?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/5788408062103512917/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/garden-that-never-was.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/5788408062103512917'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/5788408062103512917'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/garden-that-never-was.html' title='The Garden that Never was'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SnJpC1bCCVI/AAAAAAAAAEI/aP92dJIMkSQ/s72-c/garden.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-2223619517441520763</id><published>2009-07-27T23:42:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-28T11:36:58.474-07:00</updated><title type='text'>To the Centre of the Labyrinth</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/Sm9FPXRHcBI/AAAAAAAAAD4/mzjboyoQ99I/s1600-h/garbagedump.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/Sm9FPXRHcBI/AAAAAAAAAD4/mzjboyoQ99I/s320/garbagedump.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363581811467710482" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;In other dimensions there is no such thing as time.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is possible to extend one's boundary beyond form and time even in this dimension, when we observe our dream becomes our life and our life is our dream.  I had a dream last night where I stood at the centre of rings like Saturn's which converged to a point, hovering in outer space.  The focal point was presented as if it were a still, calm center, like the eye of a hurricane. The vision remained with me all day, even if what the day initially seemed to present was not ah, as poetic.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Today I walked, bundle buggy rumbling in front of me with two green bags of garbage on my way to the dump at Ted Reeves arena.  First I was on enroute to another location (which my neighbor pointed me to) but couldn't find the dump site. So I trundled along, sweating and feeling strange, otherworldly.  How can this be possible, I'm trailing around the city with garbage!  The workers at the Ted Reeves site told me where to go, not really as they are on strike and have to make it difficult I surmised.  I literally got lost in a labyrinth of houses, tree filled dead-ends, curving streets and curious people along the way who guided me to my final destination.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The journey which should have taken me 30 minutes took three hours.  I did finally unload my garbage where it should go, but it got me thinking about our process to becoming conscious beings. In order to do that one has to work through one's garbage.  The souls evolution has a curious winding and unwinding process to it.  Like a journey into and out of the labyrinth.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-2223619517441520763?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/2223619517441520763/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/to-centre-of-labyrinth.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2223619517441520763'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2223619517441520763'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/to-centre-of-labyrinth.html' title='To the Centre of the Labyrinth'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/Sm9FPXRHcBI/AAAAAAAAAD4/mzjboyoQ99I/s72-c/garbagedump.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-134498348843718160</id><published>2009-07-26T00:22:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-28T11:41:06.878-07:00</updated><title type='text'>The Mind's Eye</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/Sm9GDEtiGCI/AAAAAAAAAEA/icvMDcu3Nuo/s1600-h/clouds1.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 276px; height: 216px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/Sm9GDEtiGCI/AAAAAAAAAEA/icvMDcu3Nuo/s320/clouds1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363582699839821858" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;I believe it is in our minds and hearts that we are most linked to god.  In this age where reason seems to rule and everything needs to be proven, even people's most sacred and cherished experiences are being dissected under the critical lens of science.  I read recently that a study had been conducted to prove that people's near-death spiritual experiences were nothing more than a certain part of the brain being stimulated.  My answer is, "So and why?"  Could that not mean the reality that we live from day to day in all its wonder and dreariness.  Our capacity to see, smell a beautiful flower, feel love, hate, our memories and our future dreams are also a stimulation of some lobe in the brain.  Does it matter?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;My question is why does science, when its at its worst, want to diminish the power and beauty of life, of living.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have included an image of sky and clouds because often I get feelings, impressions, predictions and creative insights from gazing at clouds.  Call me flaky.  But I think its an important part of being human to imagine and inspire ourselves.  I know that my creator wants me to use my brain in this way as well.  The logic brain is a good part of us, but our non-rational (which is a ill-used part of the brain) is also an important part.  It allows us to fly free from the restraints of our body and our mortal life.  I believe that the experiences we have that are sacred and creative to us are just as important if not more so, than what a scientist in a lab might deduce sticking electrodes on a guinea pig's brain.  Another idea is, couldn't our science dollars be better spent finding ways to clean our dwindling fresh water supplies?  I got that idea today staring at the scales on a goldfish...&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-134498348843718160?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/134498348843718160/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/minds-eye.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/134498348843718160'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/134498348843718160'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/minds-eye.html' title='The Mind&apos;s Eye'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/Sm9GDEtiGCI/AAAAAAAAAEA/icvMDcu3Nuo/s72-c/clouds1.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-4343721800168165277</id><published>2009-07-23T16:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-23T20:11:10.012-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Mojo the Magic Cat</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SmkmK6sl2fI/AAAAAAAAADg/iT6dFyMTlHk/s1600-h/mojosleeps.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 252px; height: 224px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SmkmK6sl2fI/AAAAAAAAADg/iT6dFyMTlHk/s320/mojosleeps.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361858800358119922" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;The cat pictured on the right is one of my babies Mojo.  He's been in my life for just under two years and from the moment I met him he has been a teacher to me.  I was first introduced to him in a dream when a small kitten appeared with a nametag in his mouth, Mojo.  A friend alerted me to some kittens just six months after losing my beloved Eddy.  I wasn't ready for another cat but as soon as I saw little Mojo's face I remembered the dream and quickly made arrangements to adopt him.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What an amazing little cat he is.  I live in a long hallway of an apartment and I would be in one end there was Mojo, I walked along a long hallway and there would be Mojo to greet me at the other end without brushing past my legs.  Was he popping around inter-dimensionally.  I couldn't figure it out.  How was he doing that?  It became our game as he would do it time and time again.  I kept feeling something very mysterious was happening but could not explain it.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One night I was meditating.  The cats often come into the room and meditate with me.  I believe they love the energy.  I have a drawing table right across from where I meditate.  As I opened my eyes to come out of my meditation I watched in amazement as a shadowy shape across from me, seated on the table slowly materialized in the form of Mojo, my cat.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So I had my answer, cats are magical, the wierd thing is I feel Mojo is only doing ahead of time (and so easily it seems as if to say look here this is how you do it) what I've begun doing very intensely in menopause.  Astral-traveling, sometimes I have such difficulty getting back into my body after a I wake up that I've got to lay down for a few minutes to re-enter the atmosphere like an astronaut or something.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Mojo continues to sleep as pictured above, lick his paws and look at me as if to say, c'mon catch up would ya!!!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-4343721800168165277?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/4343721800168165277/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/mojo-magic-cat.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/4343721800168165277'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/4343721800168165277'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/mojo-magic-cat.html' title='Mojo the Magic Cat'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SmkmK6sl2fI/AAAAAAAAADg/iT6dFyMTlHk/s72-c/mojosleeps.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-3735360066725290790</id><published>2009-07-18T13:07:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-18T13:56:52.565-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Dark Night of the Soul (and a cup o joe)</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SmIzGncwH7I/AAAAAAAAACw/_5SOeWWQckQ/s1600-h/cup+o+joe.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SmIzGncwH7I/AAAAAAAAACw/_5SOeWWQckQ/s320/cup+o+joe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359902695286120370" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;I think its the simple things in life that get us through the hard times.  Part of my spiritual development is when I get accelerated or go through changes with my antenna (psychic gifts or as I like to call them spidey senses) I experience what has been know by spiritual folk from time immemorial as "The Dark Night of the Soul".  To put this into very basic terms its what ever you have deemed not ok about yourself (family members who are stuck themselves or society at large may have told you as well some behavior or gift was inappropriate) or quality you might have that you were shamed about.  As humans we relegate this to the unconscious.  The only problem; it is usually those qualities we have learned not to like about ourselves and to subjugate, that are a more authentic expression of who we are.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If we are growing spiritually, developing our soul, and living our life's purpose here on Earth we must go through these times of cleansing in order to excavate the old outworn ways of being, heal, die to those beliefs and bring in the new.  Sometimes if we have been holding back our growth, this can feel very unpleasant and create a great deal of havoc in our lives.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;That is why I like to focus on the simple things in life to get through those times.  Like for example a good cup of Joe.  What you see here in the photo is a cup of coffee in a fav mug and my construction worker's thermos I got for fifty cents at a garage sale.  Just seeing these items in the morning and brewing my organic fair trade coffee helps me to get through the worst of the ugly meanies that seem to surface at this time, in order that I can break through and be the beautiful butterfly that I am really meant to be.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-3735360066725290790?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/3735360066725290790/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/dark-night-of-soul-and-cup-o-joe.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/3735360066725290790'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/3735360066725290790'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/dark-night-of-soul-and-cup-o-joe.html' title='Dark Night of the Soul (and a cup o joe)'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SmIzGncwH7I/AAAAAAAAACw/_5SOeWWQckQ/s72-c/cup+o+joe.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-4480830932525128948</id><published>2009-07-04T20:44:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-06T16:24:18.700-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Michael Jackson's Untimely Death</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SlAsLvzd7sI/AAAAAAAAACo/10PNioJc6HU/s1600-h/michael_jackson.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SlAsLvzd7sI/AAAAAAAAACo/10PNioJc6HU/s320/michael_jackson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354828537266040514" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The reason my prior post took so long for me to finish writing and upload is because I have be cut open to the core about the mystery and enigma that is the extraordinary musical talent, humanitarian and probably many, many other things to people around the world, Michael Jackson.  I do believe humanity has lost a precious and vulnerable soul, a being of light.  A truly loving man who gave of himself to a world who loved him, judged him and scrutinized his every move since he was six years old.  Imagine that Mr. Jackson has been under the critical lens of the public eye, surrounded by body guards since he was a very young boy.  I can not comprehend, along with the emotional and physical abuse he suffered at the hands of his father, how this must have impacted him.  Being a survivor of child abuse and domestic violence myself, Michael's passing with all it's bizarre ritual attached to it be it from his family, aids, fans or the press, has opened up all my own wounds for re-examination.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The grief I feel is not only for Michael Jackson and how I have to admit to myself I did not understand what an amazing contribution this man made to the world, for love, from the purist part of himself. The grief I feel is also for myself, and all others who are sensitive.  Who feel so deeply and can be so hurt by the cruelty of the world sometimes. I immediately felt, OK, I'm not reading or listening to gossip anymore because I see what it does to a person, their image, among other things what it does to ourselves.  It kind of brings out the cruelest, lowest part of our own nature.  We are not hurting Michael anymore, for he will live on in the hearts and minds of humanity forever.  We are really hurting and demeaning ourselves by continuing on this path.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I've decided here and now to focus on the positive energy Michael brought to the planet.  That is how I will always remember Michael Jackson in my heart, as an incredibly sensitive artist who (when he was at his best) felt so deeply the pain of the planet that he wanted to enlighten us and lift us up through his music and dance.  He was a person who took many actions (as well as donated millions) to improve situations for others globally.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Rest in Peace Michael Jackson, we will miss you!  My prayers are with all the fans who mourn for Michael Jackson at this time.  Peace.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;"Consciousness expresses itself through creation.  This world we live in is the dance of the creator. Dancers come and go in the twinkling of an eye but the dance lives on.  On many an occasion, when I am dancing. I have felt touched by something sacred.  In those moments, I felt my spirit soar and becoming one with everything that exists. I become one with the stars and the moon. I keep on dancing until there is only the dance."&lt;br /&gt;Michael Jackson, from Dangerous&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-4480830932525128948?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/4480830932525128948/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/michael-jacksons-untimely-death.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/4480830932525128948'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/4480830932525128948'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/07/michael-jacksons-untimely-death.html' title='Michael Jackson&apos;s Untimely Death'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SlAsLvzd7sI/AAAAAAAAACo/10PNioJc6HU/s72-c/michael_jackson.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-1228920514053254698</id><published>2009-06-23T13:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-04T20:43:25.859-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Wonder in the Everyday</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SlAgAIHc6II/AAAAAAAAACI/ynxRAy9ErcY/s1600-h/SWANS1JP.JPG"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SlAgAIHc6II/AAAAAAAAACI/ynxRAy9ErcY/s320/SWANS1JP.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5354815143494346882" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hello all.  I'm going through menopause, I don't know if this has anything to do with my experiences lately but as I have started to experience brain fog I decided not to fight it but go with the flow.  From what I have read, we experience brain fog as we are aging as women because our right brain (the intuitive, creative, non-linear side of our brain), is becoming activated.  If we allow ourselves to experience this instead of fighting it (by becoming more attached to the rational side) we experience being in the present moment and what that has to teach us.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Take today for instance.  I had to run some errands but took a moment to experience my surroundings, what I noticed is everywhere I seemed to go today on my bicycle there was this fluffy snowlike substance floating around that was detaching from cottonwood trees.  I decided to ride down by the lake and it was everywhere. The experience was like riding my bicycle through a snowstorm, it was even piling up in the curbs on the street and being stirred up by passing cars.  How lovely and magical.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Upon awakening, I had been experiencing a pain right around my heart area.  I decided to see what was at the bottom of that pain and tried to allow myself to feel it while riding through this mysterious snowstorm. Memories of my father flooded through me like yesterday and it seemed time stood still as I felt the pain associated with my relationship with him.  He never protected me from the violence of my mother when I was a young child, he was weak in the times he needed to be strong.  I thought of a movie that always makes me cry about this, Million Dollar Baby, when Clint Eastwood's character told Hillary Swank's character what her name meant, "my daughter, my blood", just before he grants her wish of euthanasia.   God just writing about it now makes me cry.  How important those words are to children, that we are loved and held in regard by our parents.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Further along my path I saw some swans. I stopped my bicycle to stand and watch them realizing, it was a family; mother, father and 2 babies.  I decided to get closer to them.  I walked along the water and sat down by the water.  Just then one of the babies jumped on its mother's back.  The sight was so beautiful and profound to me, the mother enclosed her baby on her back safely within her dazzling white wings, while he had a little ride in the water.  Right there I saw what I missed most, the play and fair regard I never experienced as a child with my parents.  I wept.  There watching the swan family I felt my heart healed a little, by the time I left the pain had subdued.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-1228920514053254698?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/1228920514053254698/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/06/wonder-in-everyday.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/1228920514053254698'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/1228920514053254698'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/06/wonder-in-everyday.html' title='Wonder in the Everyday'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SlAgAIHc6II/AAAAAAAAACI/ynxRAy9ErcY/s72-c/SWANS1JP.JPG' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-5452737925246883125</id><published>2009-05-29T21:51:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-04T22:30:52.685-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Ban on atomic testing</title><content type='html'>Please see link below explaining global policy on atomic and nuclear tests.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.earthweek.com/2009/ew090529/ew090529a.html"&gt;http://www.earthweek.com/2009/ew090529/ew090529a.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;People wonder why there is more cancer and disease in the world today.  Much of the information on how radiation affects us is not disseminated worldwide probably because it would send the world into a state of panic.  Due to of all of the atomic testing that has happened on planet Earth since the fifties and the radioactive waste (from the military and nuclear industries) we are virtually living in a soup of isotopes that we cannot see with the naked eye.  But it affects us, I find it alarming how people don't question why so many young people are getting cancer, or losing the function of their thyroids.  All connected to exposure to radioactivity.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now this is just a common sense question here but why do you think with all the years and years we have donated or raised money for cancer research there is no cure for cancer and  it seems to becoming worse, more widespread and killing younger and younger people.  Because its an industry that feeds unto itself which is actually using radioactive isotopes in the curing of cancer.  Great!  This is only my opinion but couldn't all this money we are raising be better used to clean up the environment we are living in so we don't get cancer in the first place.  I lost a sister to cancer and would not donate one dime to the cancer society, and my sister wouldn't have it any other way.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If we didn't make bombs in the first place (or guns) then they would never get into the hands of the wrong people, whomever's definition of the wrong people you want to adhere to.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-5452737925246883125?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/5452737925246883125/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/05/ban-on-atomic-testing.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/5452737925246883125'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/5452737925246883125'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/05/ban-on-atomic-testing.html' title='Ban on atomic testing'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-2502605868565185557</id><published>2009-05-28T14:05:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-05-29T09:14:20.462-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Rare White Tigers</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiAJ1PPY7UI/AAAAAAAAABY/gS1vO-gC87Y/s1600-h/sibwhitetiger.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiAJ1PPY7UI/AAAAAAAAABY/gS1vO-gC87Y/s320/sibwhitetiger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341279968290204994" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This week a rare Siberian White Tiger attacked a man (zookeeper) and killed him at a New Zealand wildlife park, there are only about one hundred and fifty of these tigers in the world.  &lt;span style="font-style: italic;"&gt;In the world.&lt;/span&gt;  You might not agree with me but I found it disturbing that the tiger was killed.  Earlier in the year at that same place another man (also a zookeeper), was cleaning the tigers cage and was attacked but survived.  It seems to me that the tigers were letting the zookeepers know to keep their distance, but there they were again so even when warned man takes a step in the wrong direction.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I find it interesting that a rare tiger is disposed of after doing something which is natural to it, and there are literally billions of us roaming the planet without much consequence against our actions of killing each other (in acts of war), despoiling our ow&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;n environment and driving an animal such as the resplendent white tiger into such a state of endan&lt;/span&gt;germent that all the white tigers are held in captivity such as the ones mentioned above.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I am surprised that more animals aren't attacking and killing zookeepers in other parts of the world if only to get their message across, we are going extinct and you people are responsible.  These are wild animals.  How would you like to be kept in a cage to be observed by some unconscious humans who think your a cute fuzzy kitty.  Wild animals are meant to be in the wild, free to roam and kill and procreate, thats what they do.  It is important to have these wild spaces in order for our own health and well being as they give off beneficial vibrations to the rest of the planet.  Perhaps this great and mighty tiger is trying to tell us something.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;h2  style="text-align: left;font-family:times new roman;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;The Panther&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: left; font-family: times new roman;"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;h3  style="text-align: left;font-family:times new roman;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;A Poem by Rainer Maria Rilke&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: left;"&gt; &lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style="text-align: left;"&gt;    &lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; His vision, from the constantly passing bars,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; has grown so weary that it cannot hold anything else.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; It seems to him there are a thousand bars;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; and behind the bars, no world. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; the movement of his powerful soft strides&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; is like a ritual dance around a center&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; in which a mighty will stands paralyzed. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; Only at times, the curtain of the pupils lifts, quietly—&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt;  An image enters in,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-size:100%;"&gt; plunges into the heart and is gone. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-2502605868565185557?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/2502605868565185557/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/05/rare-white-tigers.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2502605868565185557'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/2502605868565185557'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/05/rare-white-tigers.html' title='Rare White Tigers'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiAJ1PPY7UI/AAAAAAAAABY/gS1vO-gC87Y/s72-c/sibwhitetiger.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-5221344788651828430</id><published>2009-05-18T12:33:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-05-18T12:40:41.146-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hot Child in the City</title><content type='html'>Hello hello everyone.  Not meaning to rain on anyone's parade, or summer for that matter, but I have been receiving down my antenna for the past few weeks that it will be a short summer.  Today I just got proof.  One of my clients who just left, shared with me that a German scientist published some paper or other data that confirms that North America is in a cooling trend.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So there you have it, now its in writing on my end that this will be a brief summer.  The reason I am telling you this is so you will enjoy those hot days ahead my friends, then you will have some memories to warm you through the winter months ahead.  If your working inside on a hot sultry summer day, go outside over the lunch hour and take in those lovely rays.  As they won't be with us for long!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-5221344788651828430?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/5221344788651828430/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/05/hot-child-in-city.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/5221344788651828430'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/5221344788651828430'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/05/hot-child-in-city.html' title='Hot Child in the City'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9034665502211941001.post-8075966495803764005</id><published>2009-04-10T17:08:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-05-29T09:21:38.982-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Islands in the Sky</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiALgJdWgKI/AAAAAAAAABg/S91UVuCS13s/s1600-h/sedona.jpg"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 244px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiALgJdWgKI/AAAAAAAAABg/S91UVuCS13s/s320/sedona.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341281804984156322" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I just got back from Arizona and wanted to write a small note, regarding the Sedona region.  I am a professional psychic from Toronto, Canada and went down to Sedona hearing all kinds of stories from clients and friends about the "energy vortexes" in the area.  I visited four of the five major vortex sites in Sedona and did not experience anything unusual.  In fact I have had more spiritual experiences in my own apartment or walking the streets of Toronto where I am from than I did in Sedona.  I felt that there was energy there for sure but it is very unbalanced.  I also felt very sad about the tacky little town that has been built around a very beautiful natural area.  I very much enjoyed the walks I embarked upon among the beautiful red rock areas but the town of Sedona with its crystal shops, too many store-front psychics (no multicultural representation I noted), the exclusive shops of Teaquepaque and the "vortexes", felt extremely void of spiritual enrichment or healing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Its not a place I would send someone to find themselves.  I do believe the place one finds oneself is within, not with a crystal, or a vortex or even buying a Native American drum.  Beware people traveling to Sedona for the vortexes lie within your very own soul and most of all honor the beauty of the culture you originate from.  Enjoy the beauty of the region and do not tarry in this place to long.  I got sick after being there for three days.  I also received from my guidance that this is a good place to become unbalanced because the energies are too strong.  I find it interesting that a particular group of Native American peoples only go into the area once per year to conduct ceremony, they live outside the area.  Perhaps they are on to something.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/9034665502211941001-8075966495803764005?l=thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/feeds/8075966495803764005/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/04/islands-in-sky.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/8075966495803764005'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/9034665502211941001/posts/default/8075966495803764005'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://thirstybylorraine.blogspot.com/2009/04/islands-in-sky.html' title='Islands in the Sky'/><author><name>Lorraine</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01036992779783275161</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='32' height='30' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiCHiOLeIuI/AAAAAAAAABo/gV7spE1eqWg/S220/firstlo.jpg'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wWulCOzn8sE/SiALgJdWgKI/AAAAAAAAABg/S91UVuCS13s/s72-c/sedona.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
