In this part of the world – the days are short – the nights are long – the weather is dreary. Many are experiencing darkness regardless of the weather, the time of the year/day. Darkness of the soul. Darkness of the mind. Darkness.
When the darkness seems to permeate, infiltrate, engulf, we must bring the light. we must send the light. we must be the light.
We can be the light as we focus on goodness not evil.
We can be the light as we offer a listening ear offer healing energy to a troubled world. hold the light for others, be present, be honest, be kind, be thoughtful.
We can be the light and reflect the Light of Hope and possibility by speaking up by speaking out by peaceful protest.
Where there is darkness … may we bring the light. Where there is darkness … may we send the light. Where there is darkness … may we *be* the light.
May we offer healing energy, prayer good thoughts. and focus on goodness even in the face of evil.
Don’t let the darkness of social media, the weather, conversations win. LIGHT – not darkness must be our focus. May our mantra be: Seek the light, Share the light. Be the light Welcome the Light.
To friends who are observing Hanukkah (a time to focus on light and peace) which begins today, and to all who are shocked by the murders at Brown University, U.S.A. and in Australia, remember … the darkness will not have the last word.
You are the light. I am the light. We are the light.
The Light will enter! The darkness will not have the last word.
I cannot stop thinking of the people in Ukraine, still living in terror as explosions deafen. Today, food shortages are critical, the cold and snow will soon gnaw at bodies, medical supplies and services are almost non-existent and visible exhaustion is on the faces of young and old alike. Fear is a daily reality.
Children who survive this assault by Russia on their country will have bitter memories of childhood, just as it was for those children who survived the Holodomor of 1932.
The Holodomor – did you learn about it in school? I didn’t or at least I don’t remember learning about it. The English translation to the word ‘Holodomor’ is ‘death by hunger’. It was a famine engineered by the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. According to the 2010 findings of the Court of Appeal of Kyiv, there were losses due to famine of around ten million people … ten million! And it wasn’t just famine that resulted in lives lost, but cannibalism. According to the Harriman Review, over 2500 people were convicted of cannibalism during Holodomor.
Today, explosions continue, life carries on in underground shelters, food and medication shortages escalate, and remembrances of the terror of the Ukrainian revolution grow as Ukrainians fear that the Holodomor will once again be forced upon them by Russia. With the news this weekend, the anniversary of Holodomor, it is beginning to sound more and more of a possibility.
The Holodomor makes the desire for independence from Russia, a “need” … much more than a “want. It makes it a life-long “need.” It is not surprising that Ukrainians are fighting – and will continue to fight and defend their country.
Resilient in the face of terror and threat of reprisal, they are led by a courageous man, President Zelinskyy, Cabinet members and the brave women and men who valiantly fight for and stand up for democracy. They are not just fighting for themselves. They are fighting for people everywhere that democracy is being threatened.
Many Ukrainians arrived in Canada as refugees after the Holodomor, so it is not surprising that Canada has stood with Ukraine for decades. In 2014, a statue of a child, entitled “Bitter Memories of Childhood,” was unveiled outside the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg to memorialize the Holodomor. There are similar statues in other parts of Canada.
We must not forget the people of Ukraine. We must not forget all who work and fight for freedom and democracy in Ukraine and other places in the world.
“Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be … in times of temptation and test, strengthen them and us … from trials too great to endure, spare them and us; … from the grip of all that is evil, free them and us.” (adapted from the NZ Prayer Book) Amen. So may it be. Amen.
These are difficult days. We need to gently nourish our bodies, minds and souls – even more so than usual. This is an invitation to do that.
A bit of background: decades ago, I self-published a specialty cookbook. It sold well in the US, Canada, Australia, UK … and publication expenses were met. A number of years ago, I received unexpected emails from people who had discovered the book and wanted to know if it was still available. Sadly, nope. But, I had a few copies, so sent those people a complimentary copy. I didn’t think much about it – until recently …
It’s become clear that hunger and poverty issues are escalating, and for many, about to get even worse. I wondered what I could do. I decided to republish the book with a different title (“Nourish Gently: The Soulistry Cookbook”) and do it for free. So I began to type —- and type —- and type … (hopefully there are not too many typos that didn’t get caught).
“Nourish Gently: A Soulistry Cookbook” is now ready to download, to use, to share for free. No need to sign anything. No need to give any personal information. No need to pay anything. It’s a gift and can be downloaded here: https://soulistry.com/books
You are welcome to pass on the link to others. Hopefully, an unexpected gift of “Gently Nourish” will put a smile on faces and in some small way, help in these difficult times.
Btw, the book is both cookbook and story. As cookbook, recipes are free-from additives, preservatives, refined sugar, chocolate, and also offers recipe suggestions for salicylate-substitution along with a whole lot of unexpected extras. Nourish Gently also tells a personal story which hopefully will encourage readers to make time to gently nourish and feed their body, mind and spirit.
This is not a “fancy” book, or a “glitzy” book; nor does it make any promises health-wise/scientifically/medically. If readers are in doubt as to whether the recipes might be helpful to them/their family situation, they are encouraged to discuss it with their physician and/or naturopath.
Nourish Gently is shared in the hope that it encourages readers to gently nourish their body through the cookbook recipes, and gently nourish their soul through the Soulistry Story.
Today is ‘Dia de Los Muertos’ – ‘Day of the Dead – November 2nd, every year. The first time I learned about Day of the Dead was the Disney movie “Coco” and as a result, I wanted to learn more about the Mexican holiday known as Dia de Los Muertos.
On November 2nd, ‘literary calaveras’ (satirical poems in which the poet writes about ‘Death’ taking someone to the land of the dead) are shared; altars (ofrenda) are made to remember someone who has died; and families visit the grave of loved ones, sometimes bringing a sugar skull to leave on the gravesite.
“Bringing a sugar skull to leave on the graveside?” What’s that all about? While I enjoy walking through cemeteries, am not afraid of death, or uncomfortable being with people who are dying, somehow, the thought of creating a skull and bringing it to leave on a gravestone, was a difficult concept to comprehend. Clearly it was time for me to do some research.
I learned that the tradition goes back to prehistoric times when people believed in a spiritual life after death and made an offering to the god of the underworld (Mictlantechutli) who was expected to guarantee safe passage to his world. Interesting! More research needed … and doing that, I learned that at that time, brightly coloured sugar skulls were part of the offering to Mictlantechutli, but, when Spanish conquerers arrived (all offering except for the colourful skull made of a sweet confection which was often placed in home altars as part of the offering to the deceased) were lost.
Then, in more recent times in Mexico, Dia de Los Muertos became a holiday – a holiday around death – and a very, very colourful one at that!
While I have no Mexican ancestry, I have never liked the idea of wearing black as a sign of mourning. Rather, I like the idea of celebrating … remembering the deceased with joy … wearing anything-but-black to funerals because for me, when family and friends have died, they are never entirely ‘gone’ … I keep them alive in my heart and in my memories.
I have a strong belief that I’ll re-connect with loved ones again … in some way. Not in a way I can explain – but ‘some way.’ Is that a certainty? No. No one can prove that such a re-connection can or will happen. But … is it possible? Why no?!
I’m a “possibility-thinker.” And until scientifically proven otherwise, I am going to continue to believe that when I die, in some form, in some way, loved ones and I will re-connect.
And in the meantime, time to celebrate (albeit belatedly), Dia de Los Muertos and remember my parents, my siblings, my husband, my grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends who have all departed this life. It is a special day to remember them with joy, celebration, and colour … and maybe create another sugar skull, Zentangle® style. 🙂
Thanks to Mexican culture for teaching me about this unique “Day of the Dead.”
For those living on the East Coast of Canada and the US, the Fall season is glorious in colour at this time of the year. Living on the West Coast, while the Fall changing of colours is a beautiful sight to behold, I admit to missing the red colours and the Maple trees and shrubs of the East Coast where I grew up.
When I saw these two in a friend’s yard yesterday, I couldn’t resist taking this photo. For me, it was TRIPLE “M” time: Magic! Memories! Marvellous! What a treat!
In the midst of deep concerns for the people of Jamaica as they face the worst hurricane they’ve ever encountered … in the midst of growing angst, concern and fear for the future of democracy in a growing number of places around the world … in the realization that bodies continue to age and medical services/supplies/medications are becoming harder to access and afford, Mother Nature offers TRIPLE M” moments of magic and memories that are marvellous!
Breathe – inhale the beauty wherever and whenever you can … if only for a moment. In that moment, the body, mind and spirit are engaged and experience calm, peace, hope. Magic! Memories! Marvellous!
In the midst of the political rhetoric/reality/anxiety in many parts of the word, this weekend, Canadians are marking Harvest Thanksgiving – a time and opportunity to express ‘giving thanks.’ Thanksgiving.
But these days, many struggle to find something – anything – for which they are thankful. Health issues, financial concerns, weather disruptions, faltering relationships, the political reality of our neighbours (from within and from DJT) complicate lives. It’s not easy to ‘give thanks.’
When I remember that “thanksgiving” is an “attitude,” not a feeling, I find it helps me look beyond and focus on an attitude change – a Gratitude Attitude.
Having a Gratitude Attitude Habit helps me extend my focus and be open to an attitude of hope, even when things may appear to be hopeless.
How to have a Gratitude Attitude? How about being grateful for yourself? Seriously … beginning with gratitude for ourselves is a great way to begin a Gratitude Attitude.
Here’s one way to cultivate this habit / attitude: Each morning, as you stand in front of the mirror, ready to brush your teeth, look in the mirror (hair likely uncombed, no make-up, haven’t yet shaved, grunge still in the eyes), think or say “Thank you Universe / God Creator (or just “thank you”) … for the gift of creation. Me.” Look into the mirror again and see the Gift of Creation. You!
Simple acts like keeping a Gratitude Journal, a Gratitude Box/Jar (click the ‘search’ bar here on Soulistry and you can read all about it) … sharing words of appreciation … volunteering … can cultivate a long-lasting sense of thankfulness, even in a world that can often feel overwhelming and anything but a place where one finds an attitude of gratitude easy.
Having an Attitude of Gratitude, grounds us and reminds us of the good that surrounds us.
A Gratitude Attitude can help transform the way we see the world. Perhaps only just for a moment … but it does work. 🙂
This weekend, whether Canadian and celebrating Thanksgiving as a holiday or not, may we all have an Attitude of Gratitude and “give thanks” and “live thanks” in some way.
***************************************** Nicole is on FB and IG … https://www.instagram.com/nicolesartbox/ Her words which accompanied her artwork: The flowergirl stands in the light Her glasses flow in lantern light She whispers dreams to stars above And fills the dark with gentle love.
Last night, I lit a candle for the people of the United States.
This night, I will light a candle again because many are bereft at the news and find fear the occupier of their thoughts.
Lighting a candle is a simple act but if I light a candle this night and you – and you – and you – and you light a candle this night for the people of the United States and the nights to come … whether we light a candle in our imagination in our prayers or in real time and space, may hope be lit.
It only takes one match to light one candle … one voice to light a conversation … one conversation to light a change in one person
Let’s light a candle. Let’s light many candles. Let’s light conversations. And who knows maybe those conversations will turn into votes.
At this point in time, it’s about HOPE even if we don’t believe there is hope.
