FOR THE BIRDS

It occurred to me as I stared out at the feeders today,
that there are way too many bluejays,
and too many chickadees,

scarfing up the black-oiled sunflower seed.
They are both so common and they eat so
darn much of the pricey feed that I have a hard
time appreciating them.

Meanwhile, the visit from an amazing red-bellied woodpecker
this morning made my bird feeder day.

So here is my question:
if the red-bellied woodpeckers

were as plentiful as
the bluejays and chickadees, and the bluejays and chickadees
were as rare as
the red-bellied woodpeckers...

You get the picture.
I'm pretty sure I would be delighted with blue jays and
chickadees.

Realizing this, I try to remind myself to be grateful for all of the
birds that visit. Every single thing in nature is a miracle.

P.S. Meanwhile, bluejays have rich symbolic meaning. Check it out.

To Reduce Stress Try Chanting the Chakras!

Maybe you know all of this already. But for those of you who don't, the chakras are energy points in the body.  There are seven  of them. Says Wikipedia:

"Their name [chakra] derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning", but in the yogic context a better translation of the word is 'vortex or whirlpool'."

Chanting the sounds associated with the chakras is like giving your energy body a kind of vocal massage up and down your spine (each chakra is associated with a different color light.)

It's easy to chant the chakras, and it doesn't take long at all. If you have five minutes to spare in the morning, set a timer and then make these sounds one by one (taking a big breath in before chanting each chakra):

Chakra one, corresponding to the Crown Chakra at the top of the head and the third eye in the middle of the forehead: Say "EEEEEEE" 

Chakra two, corresponding to the Throat Chakra: Say "AYYYYYYYY" 

Chakra three, corresponding to the Heart Chakra: Say "OHHHHHHH" 

Chakra four, corresponding to the Solar Plexus Chakra: "UUUUUUU" 

Chakra five, corresponding to the Lung Chakra: "AHHHHHHHH"

Chakra six, corresponding to the Reproductive System: "MMMMMMMM"

Chakra seven, corresponding to the Base of the Spine: "SSSSSSSSS"

Try making each chant as long as you can. Over time, you will find that you go on and on with the vocalization!

If you do this chanting daily, you will be amazed how much they help reduce stress. One artist friend of mine, Barbara Beach, says she chants the chakras "to tune herself up in the morning."

Thanks to my energy healer and long-time friend Denise for instructing me in chakra chanting! I hope it works for you as well as it has for me!

Good luck with this, and have a good day!

Winter Scene From the Window

Grey ice below a thin layer of snow.

A single black crow, its wings writing,

lifts into the towering pines.

The sun throws elephant shadows

over the hillside.

The crystal sky is so blue.