Kate Loving Shenk

Dear Goddess, It’s time to put my things away in preparation for the holiday weekend.  Not only that, but I also have to work. Noel babies will be received into the lap of Goddess this weekend, some early, some late. This will be their weekend to grace the world with their gifts we hope for many years to come.

The miracle of birth is just as powerful as the miracle of death. If we are honest with ourselves, one has the same feel as the other: The birthing bed and the deathbed are remarkably similar in vibration.

Recovery principles help to prepare for the death of our loved ones with one simple practice: Surrender. As we learn to let go of simple everyday moments that come and go, such as letting go of our possessions, letting go of the need to say words that have no relevance to anyone, we are practicing and preparing for the  inevitable moment when our loved ones pass on. When we practice surrender, we are also preparing for our own  inevitable passing.

Here are 12 ways we can practice the Art of Surrender:

1) letting go of the need to be right
2) letting go of speaking words that did not add to the betterment of the moment at hand
3) letting go of disappointment
4) learning to embrace reality in whatever form it appears to you now
5) learning to let go of resistance to “what is”
6) learning to turn trauma into great creative expression
7) letting go of judgment or criticism
learning to open your compassionate heart to the suffering of  people everywhere
9) learning to  walk a mile in your sister’s moccasins
10) learning to calm the process of thinking and reasoning
11) letting go of the need to receive material gifts
12) learning to give gifts of the Spirit to everyone you meet

How can you add to this list?

Om Peace Amen

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Dear Goddess, Today has a special light to it. It feels like the sun is already making her return. Is that possible? Usually it takes several days before I feel this phenomenon of the returning sun, but today I feel it rooted in my being.

The light is what this feeling is all about. the sky and the earth have a brightness to them as if a new beginning is in store for all of us.

Today I send special prayers to all of you as we gather our plans and strength to meet family and friends in this holiday, Solstice event. These gatherings are opportunities to love for the pure sake of loving. These gatherings are opportunities for forgiving  for the pure sake of forgiveness. Remember that the outer returning sun reflects the opportunity for the birthing of our  creative spirit of expression.

We are creative beings who thrive on expression and freedom above all else.

Where do your special creative talents lie? For there your Higher Power resides. There lies your legacy. Their lies your own personal gold mine.

We are all wealthy beyond measure. All abundance springs from this creative treasure trove. This abundance will never be used up. Energy begets energy.

Let us have gratitude for that which fuels us, today.

Om Peace Amen

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Dear Goddess, I can feel the momentum building for the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Today is the Solstice! Happy Solstice to you all!

If you all hop on over to my radio show page, you can hear the replay of D.D. Delaney’s one-man show of the Christmas Carol. He has perfected this performance and we were all honored to have him on the show to break open the season so that the true meaning of transformation could be experienced.

Scrooge is a symbol of what can happen to any of us if we shut down, emotionally.

Watching the news can shut us down, single-handedly, especially the news that tells the truth of the human suffering in the world today. What happens to me is I feel overwhelmed and suspicious of all governments everywhere. I feel like I want to do something to save the Bradley Manning’s of the world, for instance, but as we all know, it will take all of us to do that.

Feelings of outrage, while entirely understandable, somehow feels like a tired and worn out garment that needs to be discarded.

When we allow ourselves to feel connection to all people, to nature, to all creatures great and small, the world changes. A new light  falls upon the state of our inner world. We feel love. We feel joy.

As we look out upon the world, we see nothing but love and joy reflected outside of ourselves.

That is what happened to Ebenezer Scrooge. This is what happens to everyone the moment we make the choice to open up our hearts and feel the pulsation of life, and breathe fully into the truth of who we are.

That truth is the same for all of us.

Om Peace Amen

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Dear Goddess, I started to wonder if dogs hibernate during the winter months. Ulysses certainly seems more tired lately, and I  ponder if this is why he’s been a picky eater these days.

I asked our son this morning if his dog, Majesty, is sleeping more and eating less. He said that Majesty wants her food dish to be full, and that she guards it, but refuses to eat from it.

She also snuggles up under the blankets, and doesn’t really like to take walks.

Ulysses is snuggled up next to me as I write these words.

Do dogs hibernate or don’t they? Do people tend to sleep longer hours in the winter than in the summer? Is the energy of the winter more inwardly directed, and is the  Summer more outwardly directed?

In any case, I will take my cue from Ulysses, and strive to be more restful today.

Om Peace Amen

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Dear Goddess,  As we head towards the longest night of the year, I know that Ulysses and I feel more and more like hibernating. We feel like curling up in blankets with pillows all around, and we will watch the hustle bustle of the holiday season from a very relaxed position.

Gift giving became a topic of stressful conversation at work over the weekend. The standard question that people tend to ask is: “Are you ready for the holiday?”

What does “ready for the holiday” really mean? Are people ready to drop their expectations of each other? Are they ready to receive the bounty of the season, even if they do not get a single solitary gift?

Are people ready to drop all assumptions, past hurts, judgments and those “less than” feelings, in order to receive the greatest gift of all – peace on earth, goodwill towards man and woman?

Om Peace Amen

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Dear  Goddess, I must admit I was worried the last few days, because Ulysses stopped eating his food. I just couldn’t understand what was wrong with him. He was drinking his water, bounding out the door to greet people who were  coming to visit and skipping to the river to play with his ball.

I called Tom on the phone who was at work, and asked him what I should do. He said, “Did you sprinkle Himalayan salt on his food?”

Himalayan salt is different than common table salt, iodized salt or even Sea salt.

Dr. Mercola, on his website, Take Control Of Your Health, says that Himalayan salt contains all of the 84 elements found in the human body, and says the benefits are unparalleled.

Himalayan salt regulates the water content throughout the body. It promotes a healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly your brain cells. It promotes blood sugar health and helps to reduce the signs of aging. It assists in the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in your body.

Additionally, it helps to absorb food particles throughout your intestinal tract. It supports respiratory health, promote sinus health, prevents muscle cramps, and prevents bone strength.

The list goes on.

So I tried a light sprinkle of this after speaking to Tom. And bingo! He ate it enthusiastically!!

Today I added Nupro again and he ate it because of the salt. So I am relieved because he needs to eat, especially for my peace of mind.

Our animals are a test for us. They teach us to let go, to believe that no matter what the challenge, they are here no matter if they have passed or not.

They are always guarding our safety with their love.

Om Peace Amen

The Story Of Ulysses

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Dear Goddess, Ulysses and I are hanging out in the barn again today. We have a beautiful view of the woods, of the pasture, and of the beautiful Conestoga River.

Ulysses would rather stay in the barn than in the house all day. So he and I are in the barn, me doing my work, and him  taking naps. Every now and then he asks  me to let him out to do his business. Every now and then we’ll take a walk around the property and play some ball. Baxter, the great White  Pyrenees  who lives on top of the hill  is still with us in mind body and spirit. We go up to visit him occasionally, too.

We have a beautiful Shenandoah wood stove in the barn. It is so warm in here that I have to open the door a crack to keep the room comfortable for both Ulysses and me. Especially for Ulysses. I don’t want it to get too hot for him.

Ulysses equates the barn room with meditation. It is here that Ulysses gained the nickname, ” Zen Master.”

As long as Ulysses is happy here, this is where we will be spending our winter. Ulysses’ sense of peace will help me write, edit and  finish my books.

Today’s prayer prescription is dedicated to all of you who love your dog: for the love of dogs everywhere.

Om Peace Amen

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Dear Goddess, I just got finished with my mastermind weekly call with my friends Marjorie Moonfire  and Michael R. Collins.

All three of us really value this time together.  We explore the world of publishing step-by-step. Nowadays you can’t understand publishing without also understanding Internet Marketing. And you also have to understand the world of social media, like Facebook,  Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube.

This is why a support group is so helpful as we find our way in this special world. In reality, support groups  are important for everything that we undertake in this lifetime.

The biggest mistake we can make is to think we can do everything all by ourselves. I see this in nursing all the time. Nurses have this idea that they have to be perfect. They seem to be on the constant lookout for that weak link in your chain. Is this kind, respectful or loving?

Perhaps perfectionism in this case Is a cover-up for feeling less than. And in all fairness, our American healthcare system has put too many of our patients out to pasture. This is why so many of our healthcare professionals are in a state of chronic burnout. We feel guilty because we can’t help our patients, not when big pharmaceutical companies and the health insurance companies are making sure that our patients are not getting the care that they deserve, due to limited access.

So at these times, we find the help that is always there with the people in our lives who love us. We look to them for support, guidance and ongoing empowerment. We look to our higher power, Angels, and those who have passed on who  are still lending a hand to help us find our way.

The unseen forces are the ones who are making sure that we are protected.

Om Peace Amen

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Dear Goddess, Today we celebrate the letting go of all secrets: secrets that shame, blame, and otherwise place us in a position of remorse and sorrow.

Family secrets like alcoholism and drug addiction, still churn in the dynamics of the community and often dictate the entire fabric of  societies and culture.

When secrets are not revealed and liberated, we see dysfunction everywhere. Bruce Weinstein, the Ethics Guy, sets forth five principles of Ethical Intelligence.  When we fail to set sail to these principles as our guide in this lifetime, then the secrets we keep can sabotage our actions and intentions for the rest of our lives.

The five principles of ethical intelligence are as follows:
1) Do no harm
2) Make things better
3) Respect others
4) Be fair
5) Be loving

Even though our secrets kill, as we say in Alcoholics Anonymous, nevertheless as we take steps to release them, using these five principles, we are also liberating our lives for daily celebrations, for walks in the rain, for simple harmony with everyone who crosses our paths, today and every day. We liberate our conscience to do more good for everyone we meet in the world.

And a Conscience is a terrible thing to waste.

Om Peace Amen

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Dear Goddess, This is the only time of year when you can enjoy the long winter’s night. Yes, the days start getting shorter after June 21, but these last few days before the Solstice are the shortest and the most contemplative time of all.

The Lightning Bug season is also short but robust, as well as the cricket season in August and September. We heard crickets all the way throughout November this year.

The Christmas lights that you see on everybody’s home  are more a symbol of the  Solstice, of the returning sun. Celebrating the Solstice is a pagan practice, one that is experiencing a renaissance in these modern times.

The seasonal changes, as we are fortunate to have here in Pennsylvania, go through an entire metamorphosis in just a few short weeks, four times a year. Change happens all around us continuously,  in nature, within ourselves, within our cells and everywhere else in the world.

Since change is so much a part of our lives from birth to death, why do human beings resist the reality of that which never stays the same, in our experience here on Planet Earth?

But there is such a thing as the changeless reality that largely goes  unseen. These prayers, for instance, are written to the changeless reality, to our higher power, to the Angels, to our guardian angels and to all the saints and holy dieties throughout history who are still with us today.

Prayers reach out to that which is changeless, to that which is living, to that which gives us joy and gives the gift of Love.

Om Peace Amen

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