Love Signs

I am currently re-reading Linda Goodman's Love Signs. This is by far my favorite book on astrology concerning relationships.

#Astrology #Relationships #Love #Compatibility

~ Love & Light ~

Nanny Cassidy

Recently I read an article about nanny dogs. It seems that in the early 1900's they were quite common. For parents who wanted to ensure their children were protected at all times, it was a must. A puppy was usually introduced to a child in its infancy, and the bond grew strong, the child and nanny literally growing up together. The majority of these dogs were pit bulls, a loyal and protective breed, but nannies of all breeds and sizes watched over their human children day and night. You may remember Nana, made famous in Disney's Peter Pan. Nana was responsible for caring for the children of the Darling family. She even gave them their nightly medicine! A top notch nanny indeed. Anyone who had a pet as a child can relate to the sadness of the scene wherein Nana is taken out to sleep in the dog house for the evening, upsetting the Darling children. Even one night away from a beloved pet can seem the cruelest of punishment. Below are vintage photos of children with their nanny dogs.

As I read the article I realized that my sister Sara and I had a nanny dog too. He wasn't a pit bull, nor very large in size. He was a small, scruffy, West Highland White Terrier and we called him Cassidy. Now, he wasn't the only dog our family had when I was a kid. We also had Sassy the Sheltie, Magic the Collie, and Sunny the Golden Retriever (not all at the same time, of course). All fine dogs in their own right, but none a nanny. 

Nana and the Darling Children

My father came home after work one night with a scruffy brown puppy. My mother wasn't happy about his solo decision to adopt a dog, but after hearing his story she decided he could stay. The people who owned him had recently had a baby and for whatever reason didn't want Cassidy anymore. If they had any idea what a loyal and protective companion he would have been for their kid, they surely would have regretted the decision. My mother set about to bathe Cassidy that night, and when he emerged from the tub he wasn't brown at all, but stark white from head to toe. His fur stuck out in all directions like he had licked an electrical socket and he looked more like a mutt than a pure breed. Still, he was sweet, and quiet, and stayed with my sister and I through night and day. 

When I was a kid in the late 80's/early 90's it was still the norm for children to wander the neighborhoods during the day, playing with friends and riding bikes. No matter where Sara and I went, Cassidy would follow. If we went inside a friends home to play, he would wait patiently in the yard for hours until we came out again. If one of us fell and hurt ourselves my mother swears she always knew something had happened because Cassidy would run back to our house alone, alerting her that something was wrong. (We should have named him Lassie, right?) Once, an old woman who walked her poodle on our street, gave my sister a spanking for petting her dog without permission. Cassidy charged at the old woman barking and snarling and if my memory serves correct, he bit her (or at least he was accused of biting). It did not matter. My parents would never get rid of our dog. If he had attacked someone, it was for very good reason.

Cassidy was, to this day, the smartest dog I have ever known. He taught me about loyalty and unconditional love. I believe that little dog would have done whatever necessary to protect my sister and I. He eventually went to live on a farm or wherever it is a child's dog disappears to once he is old and ready to die. It was heartbreaking but deep down I knew it was time for him to go. Cassidy had lived his life in service, with a most important job. He really was a nanny dog. The best nanny dog a girl could have hoped for! 

Childhood Easter photo with Cassidy

~ Love & Light ~

   

Mabon: Autumn Equinox

Tomorrow marks the Autumn Equinox, the first day of Fall, known to pagans as Mabon (May-boon).  Now the days and nights are equal once again. The weather is cooling, the harvest is winding down, and we prepare for the long cold months soon to come. This is the time we reap the fruits of our labor. Some Mabon customs would be giving offerings to the land, bringing in the harvest during the full moon (Harvest Moon), gathering seed pods and dried plants, making corn dollies, and fermenting grapes for making wine, among other things.


Mark and I got into the spirit and drove into Springfield for the Cider Days Festival on Historic Walnut st. (the festival continues tomorrow if you didn't make it today). We missed this annual event last fall, only hearing about it after it had occurred, so I was happy we would be going today. Phil and Carrie even came out and joined us.

A great turn out at Cider Days 2013

Beautiful handmade crafts

Corn husk horses

After paying our four dollar per head admission we walked the busy street looking at the arts and crafts  while I pointed at every dog we passed as if I were seeing them for the first time. It was really fun to see all the different pups people brought along with them.

One of the many beautiful homes on Historic Walnut st.

Pumpkins, gourds, and a big ole watermelon!

I wanted a giant pumpkin but dreaded carrying it to the car!

We shared a cup of cider and watched some children perform a dance on one of the three stages. I imagine this was an exciting day for such young-uns performing in front of a huge crowd.

We watched a woman at the ApotheFaery booth spin wool into scarves and other whimsical creations. She later told us that she uses wool from three different breeds of sheep.

The ApotheFaery and her spindle

After passing the booth selling fudge for a second time, I decided we needed to take some home. I mean just look at those slabs! We paid four dollars for half a slab and let me tell you...It. Was. Worth it. Mmmm.

Oh, Fudge! Mackinac Fudge

At one stage we heard a jam band playing Grateful Dead style music and following them an Irish band. Before we headed home we stopped to listen to a man playing a small harp. He was my favorite. Carrie says she has seen him play at Gailey's breakfast joint downtown.

Now back at Chigger Chalet, I can see the big bright moon shining above the river. The windows are open, mulling spices on the stove, and a small fire burning in the fireplace under a mantle dripping in the colors of Fall. In this moment I feel gratitude, love, and joy. 

One of the best things about living in the Ozarks is the chance to experience the entire Wheel of The Year and the changing of the seasons. Wouldn't you agree?

~ Love & Light ~

Meaningful Traditions

We are entering the holiday season soon! We begin with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, next is Christmas (Hanukkha or Kwanza) and finally we welcome the New Year. Not everyone acknowledges these occasions and I myself never made much of an attempt to embrace them beyond my childhood. Now, in my thirties, living once again in the area I grew up in, near my family and happily married, these opportunities to spend time with family creating memories and solidifying traditions have new meaning and importance to me.

Some of the holidays Mark and I look forward to hosting in our home, others in the homes of our parents. A few of the holidays we like to keep to ourselves, just the two of us (Halloween is all about curling up on the couch watching scary movies). This will only be our second year together as a married couple and so we are still forming and molding our traditions and bringing our families together in the process. In 2013 I would like to begin to focus on a more sustainable holiday season by making gifts, using recycled materials or shopping second hand. I want our families traditions to include a respect for Mother Earth and a conscious decision to be low impact. 

What are some of the traditions you and your family have created over the years? Do you maintain any from your childhood that you have passed on to your own kids? Recipes, art projects, destinations you visit, movies you watch, songs you sing? I would love to hear how you and yours share the joy of the season together. If you have any "green" tips for the holidays I would love to hear about that too!

~ Love & Light ~ 

Sri Yantra: 12,000 Year Old Ancient Technology

Sri Yantra

What exactly is the Sri Yantra? (pronounced Shree-Untra) You can look to Wikipedia for the long and detailed description, but in short, Sri Yantra is a "sacred instrument". The Sri Yantra is a 12,000 year old geometric tantric ritual drawing used for meditation, concentration and creating one's desired outcomes, as described by Amish Shah. It isn't just the spiritual and metaphysical community that makes these claims though, much scientific evidence has been drawn to support the power of the Sri Yantra (If you're interested in the scientific studies, you will easily find them online).

What I would like to share today are the 9 levels of the Sri Yantra and how they can help you. The following descriptions of the 9 levels or layers of Sri Yantra are based off of descriptions by Amish Shah (he is a super groovy Inc. 500 entrepreneur and Reality Bender). Following each description is a question to ask yourself while meditating on the Sri Yantra and focusing on the meaning of each level. If you like what you read in this post you might be interested in Amish Shah's  Project Yourself community. I urge you to check it out.

Sri Yantra in color. Art by Ashutosh Goyal

The above image is small, I know, but it has the best color representation to help you as I outline the 9 levels of Sri Yantra. By meditating on this image regularly, it is believed that you will create the life you desire. Let's get started. 

Level 1: Earth Square (the green area surrounding the circle). This level corresponds to the 1st chakra (pronounced Chuck-Ra) located at the base of the spine. It represents grounding and security in your life and is connected to success. Use it to connect to your core, bringing you more vitality, courage and self confidence. Do you really know what you want in life? Or are you disconnected and unfulfilled?  

Level 2: Sacral Chakra or 2nd chakra found in the middle of the pelvis. These are the 16 (yellow in our diagram) petals of the Sri Yantra. These petals represent the different types of energies and powers through which your soul understands, interacts, and explores the outside world. Your second chakra is the foundation of your emotional body - it represents sexual and creative energy. What do you desire...what do you really want? Financial liberation, health, love? 

Level 3: Solar Plexus Chakra or third chakra found behind your belly button. The 8 (pink in our diagram) lotus petals of the Sri Yantra. This level represents your personal power and self confidence. What do you need to make what you want happen? Money? Life partner?   

Level 4: Heart Chakra or 4th chakra found at the heart center. This level is represented by 14 (blue in our diagram) triangles and is connected to your heart. This chakra represents unconditional love. Here you can harness the very energy channels contained within your body to bring everything you truly need to make your desired reality happen. Who or what do you need help from to access what you want? Do you feel like you need more creativity, education or experience to get you where you want to go? Do you need a mentor, trainer or coach? Do you need more peace of mind? Attention to detail?

Level 5: Throat Chakra or 5th chakra located at the base of the neck. It is represented by the 10 (red in our diagram) triangles of the Sri Yantra. This level correlates with communication, self expression, and truthfulness. It helps you speak your truth, balance the flow of communication, wisdom, and learning all around you. What do you need to attract to actually implement what you really want? Are there resources you're lacking and just don't know how to find?

Level 6: Talu Chakra - a lesser known chakra at the medulla oblongata, the base of your brain. It is represented by the 10 (black in our diagram) inner triangles of the Sri Yantra. The trigger point of the Talu Chakra is in the roof of the pallet in the back of your mouth. This chakra connects us to the astral world as both a receiver of astral consciousness, as well as the main conduit in our communications with astral entities. What protections do you need so that you don't get knocked back down? 

Level 7: Third eye or 6th chakra located in the center of the forehead (pineal gland). It is represented by 8 (green in our diagram) triangles. This chakra is connected to your ability to tap into your greater powers of perception and clairvoyance. What is affecting your life negatively? DO you feel you just can't get ahead? A sense of negativity but no real idea of the source? Maybe you need to stop treating someone badly or someone needs to stop treating YOU badly?

Level 8: Crown or 7th chakra located at the center of the crown of your head. This level represents your divinity, spiritual being, and portal to the cosmos. It's correlated to the 8th level of the Sri Yantra represented by the (yellow in our diagram) primary inverted triangle. What would you need to accomplish to be truly happy? What current "reality" do you need to detach from in order to accomplish what you want?...the belief that you aren't good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, skinny enough?

Level 9: Bindu (Sanskrit term meaning "point" or "dot"). Represented by a red dot in the center of our diagram in the Sri Yantra. Are you completely clear and joyous about what will make you the most happy? Without this certainty and positivity, what you want and desire will continue to elude you.

Okay, so those are the 9 Levels of the Sri Yantra as described by Amish (and tweaked by me). You may be asking yourself, "That's great, Leanne, but what do we do once we've answered the questions and meditated on this Sri Yantra thing?" Well, fair question. In today's age of instant gratification and access to technology and information, we think we need immediate answers to all of life's questions. If that were the case we would all be fat (er...thin?) and happy. The truth is, the answers to those really important questions come from within, and one of the ways to get there is through meditation. By focusing on the Sri Yantra, thinking about the meaning of each level, and asking ourselves these important questions we begin to hear the answers within that will unlock all of the closed doors that we have come upon thus far, breaking down any and all barriers keeping us from living our ideal lives.

You can find many different prints, posters and art pieces of the Sri Yantra online if you would like to buy one for your home or meditation space. Easier still, you could just print off an image and hang it somewhere you will see it every day. Either way I hope you might do some research about the Sri Yantra on your own and maybe even incorporate it into your meditation practice. 

~ Love & Light ~

Sage Studio: A New Adventure In Yoga

Change is in the air once again, and I don't mean the weather. After neglecting my yoga practice over the summer months it looks as though the Universe has provided a solution. 

I was really enjoying taking classes with Beth Spindler of Teach to Inspire Yoga Education at MaMa Jean's. The drive into Springfield was a little far for me but her affordable rates made up for what I burned in gas. The other issue I had was that she only had one evening class I could attend and the chance of me hitting a morning class wasn't realistic. I ramped up my home practice and all but quit going to class over the summer. 

At the end of August, Beth announced that in addition to teaching in the community room at  MaMa Jean's, she would start offering several classes and teacher training at Sage Studio starting in September.  True to my experience, the Universe provides when you send out the call. My mother-in-law had recently given me a free yoga class voucher to Sage Studio! I needed no further signs and went on line to see the class schedule. 

Sage Studio is run by Shane Knox and Grace Rybarczyk. The two of them along with Beth are the current teachers at the studio. I was anxious to try classes with Shane and Grace and see how I liked them. If this was a good fit I might have a studio that is... 1. Closer to my house 2. Offers classes with my favorite teacher 3. Charges the same low rate for unlimited monthly classes as I was paying before 4. Adds variety with several different instructors.

First up was Grace. I went to her Stretch & Relax class this past Monday. It sounded like a nice way to ease back into my practice. The studio itself is clean, peaceful, and a good size. Grace was quiet, gentle, and grounding. Her class was a little more challenging than I expected (based on its name) but then again I am rusty right now. I enjoyed the class and was ready to try one of Shane's. 

Shane's class last night was a lot of fun! It was a Basics class but still challenging. Shane seems to be the Yang to Grace's Yin. He is loud, humorous, and energetic. I am just making these assumptions based off of one encounter, of course. He played fun upbeat music and talked about the importance of community amongst yoga practitioners. Needless to say, I am super dee dooper happy about having a new studio to practice at! 

Sage Studio

Inside Triad Wellness Center

1440 E. Lark St, Ste F

Springfield, MO 65804

417-866-2248

mysagestudio.com

~ Love & Light ~

Sweet September

It is still ninety degrees outside but the leaves are slowly beginning to fall from the trees. Soon it will be jacket weather and the perfect time to go camping! I have one place in mind, but was hoping to get some suggestions from you guys. We don't want to be in a national forest or anyplace remote... (I think my days of truly roughing it are behind me) just a nice campground with bathrooms. Where can we go in the Ozarks to put up a tent and sit out under the stars by a fire?


In other news, a lizard is living in our basement. It's just a tiny skink. We have a lot of them at Chigger Chalet. They like to live under the wooden box planters where it is dark and moist. They are beautiful, and have neon blue and yellow coloring.

Skink

Mark opened the front door a few days ago and a skink ran inside. It bolted under the basement door and vanished. Penny sleeps in the basement...for the sake of the skink I hope she doesn't find it. She doesn't kill things intentionally, she just wants to play, but inevitably her wee friends die. I hope it can find a way out of the house. 

On Monday we held our second annual family Labor Day party. The weather was perfect and the family had a great time gathering together to eat, drink, and have one last summer hoorah. I saw a lot of people on the river over the holiday weekend and one group of guys in particular caught my eye. I was on the bridge headed home from party supply shopping when I noticed a couple of guys relaxing on a giant raft. There was no traffic behind me so I stopped and took a photo from my car. It wasn't the guys that caught my eye but the super cool lounge raft. I suppose I knew these things existed but most of the people we see on the Finley are either kayaking, canoeing, or in small jon boats. I now know what I want to get for next summer. I went online and researched some lounge rafts from different companies and these things are pretty rad. The larger ones seat four, have cup holders and an area to sit with your feet in the water. They are inflatable so it will be easy to store in the off season and haul from place to place. Anyway, that was my exciting discovery (rediscovery?) over the weekend. Any of you have one or been on one? The picture I took from the bridge had to be cropped quite a bit to see the raft, so it is pretty blurry, I think you can sort of get the idea though.

Lounge Raft

I'll go ahead and wrap this post up here. I hope everyone had a nice Labor Day weekend! 

~ Love & Light ~