“The body is a sacred garment. It’s your first and last garment; it is what you enter life in and what you depart life with, and it should be treated with honor.”
Martha Graham (American Dancer and Teacher; May 11th, 1894 to April 1st, 1991)
“Which comes first, learning to love our bodies or possessing a positive body image?”
“If you can learn to like how you look, and not the way you think you look, it can set you free.”
Gloria Steinem (American Journalist and Social Activist; March 25th, 1934)
“Don’t wait for the world to celebrate you. Carve your own niche. Focus on what’s great, forget what’s not. Find joy in your own reflection. Instead of obsessing about a body that’s impossible to achieve without a personal trainer, begin to discover how you can feel better about living in the on e you now inhabit.”
“A woman’s relationship with her body is the most important relationship she’ll ever have. More important than husband, lover, children, friends, colleagues. This isn’t selfishness–it’s just fact. The body is, quite literally, our vehicle for being–for giving, for loving, for moving, for feeling–and if it doesn’t work, it’s fairly certain that nothing else in our lives will work, either.”
Diana K. Roesch (Health & Fitness Expert; December 2nd, 1963)
“Today, instead of hating your body, make peace with it. Choose to consciously love and honor the sacred garment Spirit provided for this lifetime’s journey.”
“I am so appreciative that my genetics and health active lifestyle has yielded me youth beyond my years. I have always liked my body and valued the movement it has been able to experience. I have counseled many young teens to adult women on body image for over 30+ years. On this path, the main culprit preventing women from achieving their health and wellness goals has largely been their own invisible conversation in their head about body image and self-love. For those who were able to share honestly with me how they saw themselves, I was able to help be their advocate and accountability partner in changing both behavior and their physical appearance. For those looking for a gimmick or a quick fix, they largely stayed trapped in their own story and thus their insides tended to match there outsides. It is not magic, it IS self love and grace for the garment that the Universe gifted you to wear in this life journey. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Use it or lose it.”
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 116 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
The origins of Native American healing practice and ceremony are as diverse and rich as each of the hundreds of American tribes themselves. Nature has provided gifts that have been an important thread between native people and their spirituality. The Four Sacred Medicines (Tobacco, Cedar, Sage & Sweetgrass) have a historical and continuing cultural value to the spirit, physical & emotional well-being of native peoples.
Tobacco
Tobacco is shared as a gift, an offering to elders, healers and creator. Tobacco has a long-standing cultural history among native people, recognized as the first gift the creator bestowed upon the native people. As a ceremony in the sharing of the sacred peace pipe, tobacco symbolizes harmony & peace among those that share it with each other and their creator. Tobacco is an essential sacrament of Native American spiritual ceremony.
However, commercial tobacco used habitually is a carcinogen when consumed as a cigarette. As a result native people have sought to use naturally grown tobacco as part of spiritual sacrament. As the tobacco industry has historically engineered cigarettes to deliver nicotine as an addictive agent, tribes have looked to discourage the consumption of commercial cigarettes and nicotine for it’s addictive properties. “Nicotine has a pharmacological effect that crosses the blood-brain barrier intact.”*
It is believed that the movement to distinguish the use of Nicotiana Tabacum (commercial) versus the use of Nicotiana Rustica (traditional) began when native peoples sought to have traditional ceremonies with traditionally raised tobacco. Before the American Indian Religious Freedom act of 1978 it had been illegal to perform public native ceremonies with tobacco. As the commercial use (and abuse) of tobacco consumption became an abusive habitual culture, the need to appropriate traditional tobacco use in ceremony became greater.†
*Source: Dr. Jeffrey Wigand. †Source: American Indian Community Tobacco Project
Cedar
Cedar wood has antioxidant, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to purify your home. It has restorative uses when mixed as a tea, where it can aid in fighting infections. Cedar is used in sweat lodges and is often used in smudging. Western Red Cedar leaves have long been a popular internal and external medicine for painful joints among Coastal Native Peoples. They have also been infused for cough medicine, tuberculosis and fevers. The leaves make wonderful incense and are used in smudging for purification.
Cedar is a powerful antimicrobial. Reflect on where it lives: cool wet forests where fungi and molds thrive. When you scratch cedar leaves or cut the wood, strong essential oils are released. These oils are cedar’s medicine to repel insects, molds, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Our ancestors discovered this long ago and used cedar’s medicine in and on themselves to ward off external forces.
Cedar leaf is a useful anti-fungal for skin and nail fungus. The tincture, infused oil or salve can be used topically and should be applied 2-3 times a day until a week after the fungus disappears. Fungal infections are pernicious and need to be treated aggressively. You can also soak your feet in cedar tea by steeping a cup of dried cedar leaves in about 10 cups of hot water. Let the tea steep until it is warm, and then place it in a bowl or basin large enough for your feet. Soak your feet for 10-15 minutes – a nice activity when you are reading or watching television.
Cedar promotes immune function through helping white blood cells to work better. By stimulating our immune cells to fight infection, clean up debris and denature cancer cells, we are keeping our tissues healthy. Doing several cedar steams a day can help to clear respiratory infections. You can also drink cedar tea by steeping a tablespoon of fresh or dried chopped cedar leaf per cup of water. Many herbalists prefer to steep cedar in cold water and let it sit for several hours or overnight. You only need to drink 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup twice a day to get a medicinal effect.††
The Origin of Cedar, The Grandmother Medicine • An Anishinaabe Aadizookaan (Sacred Story)
Long ago gete-Anishinaabeg lived in a time where the breath of forever life stopped. People got sick, at this time Nanabush was grieving the loss of his friend, and it was Nanabush doing that with his door way open. In another village, a grandmother loved her people and cared for the sick. She did everything she could for her community and help them recover, but she too became ill. In her fasting state the creator spoke with her about her love for the people. She returned and died that morning, then her body was placed in the woods. Her body grew out of the ground as medicine. The wind spirit blew her medicine into the air and the rain covered the people. The people remember this smell and medicine. Cedar, the grandmother that loved her people. – Story told by: Ogimaa Wab
Sweetgrass is the sacred hair of mother earth. It can be used as a purifying herb, as incense in smudging. Herbal tea made from the leaves has been used to treat coughs, sore throat & fever. Sweetgrass is a perennial that grows in the northern hemisphere of North American, Asia & Europe. The dried leaves are also used medicinally in herbal teas and essential oil can be distilled from the plant which is then used as a seasoning in foods and alcoholic beverages.
Sweetgrass has a vanilla scented aroma and contains coumarin, which gives the plant its characteristic scent. Coumarin has blood-thinning properties and some research has shown that coumarin and related compounds can be effective in reducing high-protein edemas, especially lymphedema. Though Coumarin in high doses is considered a carcinogen and is used as a flavoring agent in pipe tobacco, but is banned by the FDA as an additive to cigarettes.**
It is said that the sweet-smelling smoke cleanses the spirit and brings sacred messages to the higher planes of existence. It is said that “Wakan Tanka” (Great Spirit) understood messages better if delivered by smoke than those said with words.***
** Source: The Herbal Resource (www.herbal-supplement-resource.com) **Source: http://www.mcgill.ca
Marty Stomping-Elk
The elders tell us that it takes longer for us to heal today and the reason is because the old trails our ancestors used to find us have been destroyed….
So now our ancestors are having a hard time finding us to help us heal.
We are also told that was the first plant to grow on Mother Earth. When we harvest Sweetgrass, we get three bunches of seven strands. So there will be 21 pieces of grass, we do not pull it, this is the hair of Mother Earth. We braid the three strands of seven pieces right there on Mother Earth . Then we gently cut it if we want to state our intentions, we can bring tobacco, to show the Creator in our words, how we will use the Sweetgrass. We can offer something the plant can use, like water to the relations around it, it’s brothers and sisters, mother and father and so on, give them a gift of water.
When we burn Sweetgrass, remember these things: Its a kindness medicine…with a sweet gentle aroma when we light it. Its symbolic…there are 21 strands used to make a braid…
the first 7 strands represent those 7 generations behind us. Our parents. Our grandparents. Our great grandparents and so on for 7 generations behind us – Who we are and what we are is because of them – they’ve brushed and made the trails we’ve walked up until now… but the trails have been destroyed, we’ve lost our connection. The time has come to heal and reconnect with our ancestors.
The next 7 represent the 7 sacred teachings…Love, Respect, Honesty, Courage, Wisdom, Truth and Humility
The elders tell us how simple, powerful and beautiful the teaching are:
Love: unconditional affection with no limits or conditions that starts with loving yourself.
Respect: due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights or traditions of other, with consideration, thoughtfulness, attentiveness, politeness, courtesy, civility, deference.
Honestly: have a character of integrity, and honor be free from fraud or deception, legitimate truthful.
Courage: bravery, permitting one to face extreme dangers with boldness withstanding danger, fear or difficulty.
Wisdom: the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment the quality of being wise.
Truth: the face of the matter, veracity, sincere, candor and genuineness a determined in principle entirely by how it relates to things.
Humility: freedom from pride or arrogance, being humble, when we truly understand the teaching of humility, that we are not any better then anyone else and you are not any better then me. That at the end of the day we are simply human beings, this is what makes this teaching powerful and beautiful.
The last 7 strands are those of the 7 generations in front of us. Our children. Our grandchildren. Our great grandchildren. As well as those children yet to be born. It is important because everything we do to Mother earth will one day effect them… We have lost our way, Mother Earth gives us everything we need to heal ourselves and the Earth. We must go back to our roots and bloom.
Sage is a plant that is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region but has been naturalized to other warmer temperate climates, including North America. Sage is often used for smudging and as a preparation for ceremony.
Traditionally, the leaves have been made into a poultice and used externally to treat sprains, swelling, ulcers and bleeding. It was also commonly used in tea form to treat sore and it is also considered one of the good herbs for the coughs. Sage is considered by many herbalists to be a useful medicinal herb for treating eczema, canker sores, halitosis, gingivitis.
Garden Sage (Salvia Officinalis) has shown anti-fungal, antiviral, anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties that make it a useful weapon in combating many illnesses. Garden sage may be helpful in Type II diabetes for lowering blood sugar levels through Insulin support (although only a mild effect). Garden sage may be taken in tea form, added to foods while cooking, added raw to salads and sandwiches.
The herb can be found in tablet/capsule form. The recommended dosage is usually 400 mg taken one to three times daily. For all commercial products containing sage, the manufacturer’s instructions should be followed. The herb has also its uses in aromatherapy.√
√ Source: The Herbal Resource (www.herbal-supplement-resource.com)
Harvesting Male and Female Sage
Male sage and female sage have features that distinguish them from one another. Male Sage known as Buffalo Sage, is stemmed with leaves, while the Female Sage is stemmed with flowers. Male Sage is most commonly used in Anishinaabe medicine. Female Sage contains seeds that produce the next year’s crop. So it is important not to disturb the Female Sage root and allow the plant to flourish to sustain its growth through time. When picking Sage it is a tradition to offer a gift like Tobacco or a Smudge as thanks.
“Don’t you love it when some incredibly beautiful woman like Linda Evans or Cindy Crawford tells us that the real beauty secret is finding your inner light? No shit. But I’ve done the dame things these women have done to find my inner light and while it’s true I’m happier, I still don’t look lie them.”
Marianne Deborah Williamson (American Author, Spiritual Leader, and Political Activist; July 8th, 1952)
“We can’t all look like Linda Evans or Condy Crawford, but we can each look our best. Simplicity plays a part in striking the right chord of self. This occurs naturally as we begin to rethink how to put together our best look. Our authentic look. Gradually we learn that the ‘less is more’ approach applies to makeup and fashion as well as to decorating and entertaining.”
“Ironically, this desire to look our best comes after we have committed to our inner work. As we go within, searching for spiritual groth, we begin to blossom on the outside. Time well spent in meditation gives us more serenity, and it shows on our faces. Learning to love ourselves exactly as we are gives us motivation to move forward…”
“Why does working on our inner beauty produce outward charm? Perhaps it is because the two are inexorably connected.”
“As is inner, so is the outer.”
Gnostic axiom
“Women who realize thei full potential delight the Great Creator with their brilliance.”
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-20-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“I have mostly ignored or underestimated my outer beauty. My story whispered to me that I was unlovable, unworthy, not enough. I pursued my inner beauty in hopes of others seeing me and being able to overlook my outward packaging. Ho-Hum…not what I wanted my life to be. I want to feel beautiful inside and out. I strive to work on my own self-image daily.” (Heather Houston 3-20-22)
“I am really at a point where I genuinely like my inside and out. With love in my life for the first time where I can give it freely and receive it without reasons, I am feeling happier and more beautiful than ever. I really love my 50s and my 60s are going to be smashing!”
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 86-87 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“I did not lose myself all at once. I rubbed out my face over the years washing away my pain, the same way carvings on stone are worn down by water.”
Amy Ruth Tan (American Author; February 19th, 1952 ~ )
“Life batters us whether we are rich or poor, public or private. The wound we suffer may be an open cut or a slow, silent hemorrhage of the soul. On the outside we may look as if we’ve got our act together, but each of us encounters those dark stormy days when we feel very small, very fragile, and very frightened, as if we might shatter into a thousand pieces and break into heartrending sobs at something as simple as ‘How are you?'”
“When this happens we have to be kind to ourselves, not beat ourselves up. Leave that to the rest of the world. Our feelings are valid, our fears very real, even though they are probably not based on reality. Always remember that the best description of fear is ‘false evidence appearing real.'”
“When these occasions occur in your life, recall that your first duty is to love yourself into Wholeness. How to do this? By pampering yourself with simple pleasures and small indulgences. By treating yourself like the baby you are right now.”
“You don’t have to do everything and be everything for everyone else all the time. If you think you can’t possibly do one more thing without screaming or crying, you.re probably right. Start by saying, ‘no, I’m sorry. I’ve got a prior commitment.'”
“For, of course, you do. Today you need to be there for yourself. Remember, we did not lose ourselves all at once. But we recover our authentic selves one kind gesture at a time.
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-14-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“I’ve been blue lately. Missing my kids. Trying to understand why getting a job has been such a nightmare. I just need a break. I need to be kind to myself.” (Heather Houston 3-14-22)
“‘No, I’m sorry, I’ve got a prior commitment’ Is harder to say sometimes. However, learning to put yourself first is how we heal ourselves. This is one of the hardest lessons I have embarked on learning and yet I know it true to my own happiness.” (Heather Houston 3-14-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 80-81 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
Mary Lou Cook (Actress; December 12th, 1908 ~ August 17th, 2008)
“Today, we make peace with the past: with the bodies and faces we were born with and those that have evolved.”
“Here in this body are the sacred rivers: here are the sun and moon as well as all the pilgrimage places…I have not encountered another temple as blissful as my own body.”
Saraha, Sarahapa, Sarahapāda (known as: The First Sahajiya and one of the Mahasiddhas) (Tibetan Poet and Teacher; late 8th century)
“It will take a bit of doing, learning to love all our personal pilgrimage places. However, before genuine love can flourish, we must finally accept ourselves exactly as we are today. Not tomorrow or next week…”
“Remember, acceptance is acknowledging the reality of a situation…Most of us think of other women as beauties, never ourselves. But every woman was created by Spirit to be a genuine beauty. We learn how to reveal to the world our unique radiance only after we acknowledge it ourselves. Today, take your personal mantra: ‘I am what I am and what I am is wonderful.'”
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-13-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“It is so funny, yesterday I wrote that I should add a self-love mantra to my meditations and my request was answered with today’s reading. BRILLIANT!” (Heather Houston 3-13-26)
“I stop and pause in the mirror after every shower to marvel at the gift my body is for me…my temple. I am blessed to be almost 58 years old and have more energy and vitality than 20-30s somethings at work. I look much younger than my age. I work alongside a co-worker who is also a 1968 baby and 10-days younger than me. I look like her daughter. My physical fitness and career have kept me vital and energetic. Most of all I have found epic love has shed years from my temple. My husband IS the Fountain of Youth. I have proof as my bio-impedance scale says I am getting younger each year that passes. I love myself and my temple for the first time in my life.”
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 80 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“How women look and how their looks change in the course of their lives, is not a frivolous question…’How do I look?’ she asks as her eyes meet the eyes in the mirror. She listens carefully for an answer, because it might prove quite illuminating.”
Kennedy Fraser (American Essayist, and Fashion Writer; 1948 ~ )
“‘How do I look?’ Is a question all of us have spent our lives asking others. But now that you are on a path towards your authenticity you have reached the point when you need to gently ask yourself this loaded question. And, once having asked, you need to listen carefully for the answer. Better yet, when you gaze into the mirror you should ask, ‘How do I feel?’ because how you feel about yourself on any particular day will influence how you look more than what you are wearing.”
“…we need to change our approach to beauty completely. Personal transformation begins with a strong inner life. We need to let Spirit show us the way…Twenty minutes of meditation a day, quiet reflection, or a restorative walk seeking your authentic self will do more for your looks than you will believe.”
“If we go down into ourselves we find that we possess exactly what we desire.”
Simone Adolphine Weil(French Philosopher, Mystic, and Political Activist; February 3rd, 1909 ~ August 24th, 1943)
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-12-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“I think my meditation needs to include a mantra of self-love. I often wonder what it would be like to love yourself…love your protein sack…HHHhhhmmmmmm.” (Heather Houston 3-12-26)
“I find my inner beauty routine involves my morning meditation and devotion to my sacredness and the blessing I am. Remembering to judge nothing that occurs and remain in the world of acceptance has really started my days in better peace and tranquility. It quiets the noise so I can start the daily newly without the recording playing in the background.”
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 79-80 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
A Radiant Reflection: Projecting Your Authentic Self
“So many women just don’t know how great they really are. They come to us all vogue outside and vague on the inside.”
Mary Kay Ash (American Businesswoman and Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.; May 12th, 1918 ~ November 22nd, 2001)
“Few women know how great they really are. If truth were told, we’d all probably admit to feeling pretty vague about our personal appearance. Many of us would like to trade ourselves in for a sleeker version.”
“…flip through the catalogs. Cut out the pictures of the women you think are attractive and the clothing you’d love to wear.”
“Always remember that dreams–your creative visualizations–must come before their physical manifestations.”
“Create a collage of your ideal woman: find the perfect hairstyle, put together a fantastic wardrobe for home and work.”
“Since you have embarked on this adventure to awaken your authenticity and discover your own sense of style, be willing not to buy another item of clothing unless you absolutely cannot live without it. No more settling for something that’s not you or that’s second-rate.”
“Let the potent power of simplicity begin to work in your life. If it’s not authentically you, live without it.”
“Before my story began…” (Heather 3-9-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“This such a hard space for me to unfold. I have always been in a financial way that to buy myself anything for my wardrobe never went beyond the next racing t-shirt or sweat pants for my work. I feel like I have no sense of my own style and really don’t even no where to begin. My wardrobe has not evolved in over 20-25 years…UGH! I need to save money and hire a stylist to help me find that part of me.” (Heather Houston 3-9-22)
“I yearn to find my authentic style. One that is fusion for my busy life. I want classy, practical, sporty and elegant…LOL! Sounds like am impossible task. However, as a 2-Spirit woman, I believe I can find what works for me. I am in my birthday month and plan to get at least one item I must have.” (Heather Houston 3-9-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 76-77 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers–that perches in the soul…”
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (American Poet; December 10th, 1830 ~ May 15th, 1886)
“Not every one of our desires can be immediately gratified. We’ve got to learn to wait patiently for our dreams to come true, especially on the path we’ve chosen. But while we wait, we need to prepare symbolically a place for our hopes and dreams.”
“Faith is the very first thing you should pack in a hope chest.”
“I remember in high school my best friend had spoken about a hope chest. I immediately thought I needed one as well. So, what did I do? Hope…wish…pray my parents would magically read my mind and get me one. Why did I want one? Because the “Jones” were saying I should have one. Apparently those to be married should have one. In retrospect, this was ridiculous. What I was really hoping was that if it magically materialized, it would mean I was worthy, enough…loved. My story was working overtime while I was in high school. Being a late bloomer really sucked…always late to the party!” (Heather Houston 3-5-22)
“I really loved the authors idea of creating a hope chest per se as a wicker basket filled with books she loved to gift to her daughter on her 16th birthday. I am long past 16, and have an ask of my own mother. Share with me more of your poetry at different times in your life so I get a glimpse of who you are as a woman, my mother, a sister, a daughter and a wife. My mom’s share of her poetry from when she was 13 years old filled me with so much joy. I felt like I was actually getting to know…HER. I love you Mom!”❤️ (Heather Houston 3-5-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 72-73 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“Meditation is simply about being yourself and knowing about who that is. It is about coming to realize that you are on a path whether you like it or not, namely the path that is your life.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn (American Professor Emeritus of Medicine and the creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School; June 5th, 1944 ~ )
“…there are compelling physiological, psychological, and spiritual reasons why we should engage in regular meditation. It is the mortar that holds mind, body, and Spirit together.”
“…meditation is intentional concentration on one thing, which can be either secular or spiritual.”
“In this state creativity flowers, intuition leads to a deeper wisdom, the natural healing system of the body is engaged, our best physical and mental potentials manifests itself and we feel psychologically satisfied.” …Spiritual meditation, on the other hand…”will help you become aware of the presence of the divine in nature, in yourself and in other people. The love and joy that are inherent in Spirit–that are the very essence of Spirit–will begin to permeate your life.”
Dr. Joan Borysenko (Author; October 25th, 1945 ~ )
“…many different ways of meditating, depending on my inner needs: the golden mirror meditation, writing my daily dialogue pages, gazing into the flame of a candle, concentrating on a sacred word in a centering prayer, focusing on a poetic phrase to find deeper personal meaning, or setting out on a walking meditation.”
“…all-time favorite meditation is a small, moist piece of chocolate cake eaten with exquisite attention and tremendous gratitude. Any time we are fully present in the moment we are meditating.”
Dr. Joan Borysenko (Author; October 25th, 1945 ~ )
“I have a meditation practice I follow: 10-minutes in the morning and at lunch with a 5-10 minute Spiritual time-out to reflect on my day before bed. I also commune with nature daily for 30-minutes which consists of a walk or quiet sitting outdoors. Putting meditation in small chunks throughout my day reduces stress and keeps me centered.” (Heather Houston 3-2-22)
“If being present is meditation, then my life is mostly meditation. How magical is that?” (Heather Houston 3-2-26)
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 68-70 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
“You must have room or a certain hour of the day or do where you do not know what was in the morning paper…a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are, and what you might be…At first you may find nothing’s happening…But if you have a sacred place and use it, take advantage of it, something will happen.”
Joseph John Campbell (American Writer; March 26th, 1904 ~ October 30th, 1987)
“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-28-22)
1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower
“The request is to create a sacred space. I use my whole house as a sacred space with heartfelt and gratitude inspired trinkets, babbles and pictures throughout it to remind me wherever I am, that I am thankful and loved.” (Heather Houston 2-28-22)
“After reading ‘Rediscovering Your Sacredness.’ I endeavored to create a sacred space in my home where I could concentrate all of my spiritual energies. I choose the quiet of the morning after cleaning the kitchen from the previous nights cooking to sit in the candlelight of my alter to remind myself of my sacredness and to center myself spiritually before my day unfolds. This quiet early morning solitude fills my soul. Even my dog Kiva looks forward to my intentional breathing and words speaking into the sacredness of all beings. The days I miss this devotional time, I feel the energy of the world beginning to build up within me. Similar to Buddhist teachings, I welcome in the world energy and slough it off daily and return it to the Sacred Whole.”
–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 61-63 of 501.
I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.
My Distilled Life 