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Natural Cycles of Sleep

by 8hummingbirdway

This post is from DailyOM Inspiration. (link below)

Our bodies are naturally encoded to respond to light and dark — sleeping with the rhythms of Mother Nature.

The human body evolved to fall asleep soon after the descent of night’s curtain and to wake with the appearance of the dawn. Sleep cycles were governed by patterns of light and darkness for thousands of years, meaning that for much of history, humanity has enjoyed nine or more hours of sleep each night. Our bodies are naturally encoded to respond to light and dark and sleep with the rhythms of Mother Nature. In the present, artificial light has changed the way we schedule our day-to-day lives, and most of us slumber for less than seven hours at a stretch. It is possible, however, to come back to natural sleeping cycles by making a few small changes. When our bodies and minds are attuned to the world’s natural rhythms, we feel calmer, more centered, and more energetic while awake. Sleep is more satisfying because we afford ourselves more than enough time for restoration and rejuvenation.

Our reliance on indoor lighting further compounds our disassociation from the natural cycles of light and darkness that would otherwise preside over our sleep. You can mimic the passage of the day by changing the quality of the light. Sleeping without heavy drapery or shades is best, so you can wake up with the sun. If sleeping by a window without a curtain is not an option, you can use a dawn simulator lamp that imitates the sun by growing steadily brighter with the coming of morning.

You will likely discover that changing your sleep patterns to be in sync with the daily cycle of light and darkness is easy and that you feel more alive when your sleeping. Your waking rhythms also will be in alignment to those of the Earth. Nature’s own phases will be your guide to wellness, granting you more waking hours in the summertime when you will benefit greatly from spending time outside and ensuring you get plenty of sleep in the winter when you likely need it most.

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The Perpetrator, Shame and Punishment

by 8hummingbirdway

[I wrote this post back in January. It was part of looking back at myself and at cultural issues that concern me.]

I am going to share my belief that our culture could and should advance to the point where the perpetrator of harm is helped to release shame.

Why? Because shame is a block to healing. Because the abused person often becomes the perpetrator. And because if we do not see to the wounds of the perpetrator, we perpetuate the harm.

Before one can change ingrained patters of unhealthy and harmful behavior, they must release the shame that comes along with those patterns – whether perpetrator or injured party – often one and the same.

What is shame? Here’s my definition: Shame is the belief of inherent depravety and wrongness of the self.

What does shame do to an individual? It keeps them down, separate, and stuck in imbalance. This imbalance is deeply harmful and limiting. It also is the trigger that initiates undesirable behavior that harms others and the greater community.

I know something about this. I used to carry shame. As a person who was sexually abused. As a child of parents who did not always treat me as a treasured being. As a liar. As the oldest daughter who did not always treat my siblings as treasured beings. And there you have it. The shamed one shames others. It spreads more surely than any virus.

Most of my life I carried shame. It is a heavy load. It stopped me from applying for jobs I was qualified for and would have excelled at. It stopped me from speaking up for myself, expressing my ideas, even talking to others. It stopped me from feeling at ease in my skin – from dancing or singing around others. It stopped me from being at ease with sexuality. I could go on.

I am fortunate that I was able to sustain two marriages and raise three children. I could have done better. I have my regrets. But in the family arena I navigated well for the most part.

I am not sure when the shame actually left me. It was in the past 3 years. (I’m 68.) It was a spiritual journey of coming to terms with my mother, with myself, and with Spirit/Source/ God. A year ago I started posting on Facebook about my shamanic practice. It was only this past summer that confidence was finally born within me, enabling me to offer journey circles to people I didn’t know, enabling me to call forth this website, giving me the opportunity to share the contents of my soul.

Shame is harmful and dark; it destroys people and relationships.

I do not support the current paradigm of prison. It’s inhumane – and it’s another thing to be ashamed about.

Healing should be the focus if one must be separated from the society at large due to their behavior. Not in a punishment that adds deep insult to injury and sets one up to fail on their release. Education and rehabilitation are given lip service, but no personal account that I have ever heard includes true opportunity – except for the occasional opportunity to interact with those who have a healing intention – either inmates or others.

I’m aware of the current pattern of releasing individuals who don’t obey the laws. I am not suggesting that there should be no repercussion for actions against others or against property.

I am also not saying that I align with every law.

I simply cannot see how we can heal humanity without ensuring that all humans have the right to the basic necessities of freedom, food, shelter, clothing – and work in a respectful environment.

I am aware that the color of one’s skin, the language one speaks, and the wealth in one’s bank account mitigate a great deal of “having to pay the price,” and this strengthens my feelings about the unfairness that exists in our legal system.

I do believe that we must, at least in our wealthy country of privilege, find a way to provide access to true wellbeing for all who are able and willing to participate in a functional way, and a safety net for those at risk, should they chose to employ it.

I believe we can and eventually will move forward to a open, loving and healing existence. I see the seeds sprouting all around me.

Once we find a solution to our current paradigm of shame, unfairness, imbalance and harm, I hope that we will spread the healing worldwide.

I am not saying that I know how to bring this to reality. I have confidence that if we were to make healing and personal wellbeing a true priority, those in powers could navigate much closer to this goal. I’m not saying our currently elected leaders will do this. I see no evidence of that possibility.

I will simply say that I believe all humans can be healed to a great extent, that they want to be healed, and that this should be a top priority and intention in families, in all our institutions – including schools, and in our legal systems.

Obviously there is a great deal of work to do.

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Refrigerator Wisdom #2

by 8hummingbirdway

The second piece of refrigerator wisdom came straight from my husband’s brother’s refrigerator to mine. I have always assumed it was put there by his wife. We women tend to be more sentimental. Regardless, I’m sure my brother-in-law aligns with the sentiment.

You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by loving an imperfect person perfectly.

This speaks volumes to me. And it has grown over time within me.

Love.

It’s perceived in so many ways.

The most important aspect of this message is that we must devote our selves to those we choose to love. I cannot think of a more important endeavor in this life. Our loved ones change and unfold as life goes on – and in response to life.

People don’t show all of themselves right away. Not because they are deceptive, but because they change. They are where they are in each moment. For example, different things are at play when one is in the business of falling in love. Charm shows up naturally. More smiles present themselves in response to feeling happy. Strong connection is on display as this love grows.

The same thing happens when a mother gives birth. She is biologically programmed to be attentive, protective, mindful, comforting, and nurturing in relation to her child. She even speaks in softer tones.

As time goes on, the person in each of those scenarios returns to the full spectrum of themselves. Their attention and focus eventually returns to the day to day aspects of life. Other responsibilities resume their position in the array of one’s life – work, shop, cook, pay bills, etc. Stress creeps back in and impacts that which began as something in a fairly tale. Love remains, but often must take a back seat to other realities.

Additionally, as life unfolds, aspects of who we are sometimes return to us …or show up surprisingly. When something happens (a birth, a job loss, buying a home, a death), we find that we carry parts of ourselves that we hadn’t known before. It may be a residual pattern from our upbringing, or it may be a new development that change has brought forward.

Meanwhile, our loved ones’ job is to expand their view and understanding of us. Compassion may be needed. Generosity might be required. Acceptance will be called forth.

The one thing we can count on is change. Being anchored in the words of this refrigerator wisdom above can help us keep our feet on the ground, remember what’s important, and call forth the inner fortitude and ability to sustain love.

I realize as I write this post that I may have to write something about leaving my first marriage.

Sigh.

Down the road.

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Repatterning for the Great Evolutionary Advancement

by 8hummingbirdway

On lighter note, I recently finished reading Repatterning for the Great Evolutionary Advancement, channeled by Norlen Linn.

It’s not an easy read, but it was compelling. And it has changed me.

The words themselves are encoded with transforming energy and facilitate change.

I experienced significant shifts in patterns and I felt impactful releases.

This book supports the ongoing transformation of humanity.

It is a harbinger of and for our future.

There is so much within the book that it is challenging to convey. It facilitates connection of heart and mind and soul. It points us toward love. It assists the release of fear. It tells of intentional transformation of our DNA by light-beings that surround our planet at this time. It mentions a degradation of humanity that we are recovering from. It provides a pathway to return to the original “blueprint” (my word) for humanity.

This is a sacred text, in my opinion.

Having had a long friendship with Norlen, the channeler, and a deeply supportive and impactful relationship over the past year with Sri Pune, the channeled entity of 5 frequencies, I reside in complete trust.

Norlen and I met when we began to learn and study shamanic ways in 2016. Her website is norlenlinn.com.

I highly recommend embarking upon this journey.

Reach out to me it you would like a copy of the book. It is not widely available yet.

See Norlen’s website at norlenlinn.com

Private sessions are offered in person and remotely by phone or video conference. Contact Annie to learn about hosting a class or workshop, to book a session, for sliding scale rates or to discuss barter arrangements …or for any other reason.

Bad Indians

by 8hummingbirdway

A Tribal Memoir by Deborah A Miranda

I resumed reading this book this morning after a month or so. It is breaking my heart. But those are just words. After I read all I could this morning I held the book against my heart and felt such grief. Just a few tears where there should be rivers.

There have been rivers.

The first part of the book tells the story of the “Mission Indians” of California, who were of multiple tribes and who were displaced, enslaved, and broken from the 1770s to the 1830s.

This brokenness continues today in their descendants. There is so much loss – of self, of knowledge, of pride, of well-being, of sacred ways, of connection to Earth, of the ability to raise and protect one’s children, of language, of truth.

I am not saying very much, I know. It is too much.

Truth is told in this book in a personal and heart-breaking way.

It was difficult to read at first; now I am gulping it down.

At first I encountered simply anger. I thought I did not want to read angry bitterness. But I pushed on because part of my current journey is to read the truth of the tribal people in this country. And anger is part of it, of course – as uncomfortable as that might be.

I barely touched tribalism in the 3 countries I visited in Africa this February.

This feather of a touch has awakened a yearning within me for the richness of the ancient ways. And of course – one of the places to look is to the people and the stories of the tribes of this land – where I was born and have lived my life.

I did not know anything about the native people in California. I have already learned, in the first section of the book, a great deal.

Peeking into the next section, I have discovered that a law was passed in the early 1850’s that facilitated killing Indians from the California goldfields. $25 was paid for a male body part (a scalp, a hand) and $5 for a female body part. Congress appropriated and paid out over one million dollars for this service.

Nixon revoked this law in 1970.

There is so much we do not know of the effort to rip those close to the Earth from their ancient and sacred ways …and to simply use humans for personal gain.

This book is historic, tragic, personal, generous, and so much more.

It is brave and proud.

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I Chose My Husband Well

by 8hummingbirdway

I chose my second husband well.

He speaks the truth, and he doesn’t feel he has to say everything he thinks. This is of primary importance to me.

He is very much a home guy.

He loves animals and plants the way I love children.

I am a gardener. I have been growing vegetables since my 20s – and some fruit bushes and trees. My husband gardens with an expertise that I don’t have. And he brought flowers to the garden! He bravely plants sunflowers right in the middle of the rows of vegetables – along with tithonia, zinnias, cosmos, and specific pollinators for his bees.

There are flowers everywhere! He just installed our summer hanging flowers – fragrant petunias and lovely fuchsia with the hummingbirds in mind – and other colorful blossoms as well.

He enjoys thrift shops the way I do – and he seeks out loves yard sales.

He loves music, as do I. We listen to live music fairly regularly locally and travel to see excellent musicians occasionally.

He loves the displays of nature and traveled to see 2 total eclipses with me! We also share a love of the ocean and the hills and the woods.

He is wise about money in a way that I have never been. Over time I have become more conscious and frugal, and he has stopped worrying as much about finances.

He got me bicycling and hiking and I got him eating more vegetables.

He participates in community theater! This is a love of mine since high school. And he’s very good at it.

He can be grouch in the morning when I am at my best, and he is at his best in the evening when I am sometimes a grouch.

I’ve learned from him to hold my tongue and he’s learned from me to let go of stress.

He is a lovely person to travel through life with, and to grow old with.

I am blessed by his presence in my life in so many ways – some of which took me years to recognize.

My gratitude is boundless.

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William Bartram on Native American Tribes in the 1700s

by 8hummingbirdway

This morning I read a passage from a book on William Bartram, naturalist in the 1700s. He was a Quaker and a peaceful soul who traveled to observe and identify species of plants as well as observing animals and humans.

My husband has been urging me to read several pages that describe Bartram’s view on the tribal people who lived on this land before Europeans arrived. He knows of my interest in tribal ways.

In the book, excerpts from Bartram’s writing told of how the native tribes helped the newcomers, how they extended the hand of friendship and trust to our ancestors. (I speak as a Caucasian of partly British descent when I refer to my or “our” ancestors.) He spoke of the similarities between the 2 ways of governments, industry, and worship. Great Spirit was acknowledge by the tribes to be the same as the deity that was worshipped by the “visitors.” They we open to adopt the religion, the practices, the currency and many of the ways of our forefathers. They were willing to accept decisions of our leaders in important issues that went beyond the considerations and matters of their individual tribe.

The tribal leaders entered into agreements with the government of the white men and honored those agreements.

The people who inhabited these lands, ceded part of their lands and moved for the convenience and wellbeing of those who came from afar.

The native people who Bartram encountered opened their hearts to their brothers from across the sea.

The Europeans brought pottery and metal tools for cooking, agriculture, etc. They brought woven fabrics for clothing and other utility. The native people appreciated and traded for these items. After a couple of generations, passed, they lost the ability to fashion the tools they once made to, including implements of stone and bone to grind grain, to hunt animals, and to live their lives independently with the resources of the land. This made them weak when the tide turned against them. They could not defend themselves or even resume their prior independent livelihoods – trapping and trading and working with animal hides. They could no longer easily grow their own food. Their hunting grounds were no longer available to them.

It was not difficult to control, displace, or defeat those who had once reached out in trust and friendship, helping to secure the footing of the white man on these lands.

Bartram and a few others of his day were called “Indian lovers,” – a derogatory term. Their knowledge of and interaction with native people was not appreciated or aligned with the greater perspective of those of European descent.

There are aspects of this information that I did not previously know. I was especially not aware of how weakened the tribes were by there acceptance of the ways of the colonists. It does not take long to forget old ways.

I have witnessed this myself with the ways of increased technological solutions to life’s challenges. A man who once printed a local newspaper could not interest his son – or anyone – in carrying on his work. Very few of us know how to can or dry food, weave fabric, forge metal implements, create pottery bowls, or even plant a garden. It is worrisome to know that we can not survive on our own. Especially in a time when our structures seem so precarious.

My thoughts return now to my experience with my peace pipe when I lived in CT. The pipe was fashioned by a Native American woman in Illinois. My sharing of the pipe ceremony eventually led me to a confrontation with members of the Native American community in the greater Hartford area. LINK

Today I have a much better and deeper understanding of the mistrust the tribal people I encountered felt toward me.

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Refrigerator Wisdom #1

by 8hummingbirdway

Many of us have reminders or personal notes on our refrigerators. Along with vibrant artwork of children. My children, and even my grandchildren, no longer gift me with their creative displays. Hope springs eternal that more children will populate my life. They do require a lot of time and focus, but in my opinion they are the best kind of people – honest, open-hearted, loving and questioning.

But I digress.

I have 3 reminders that have been taped to my fridge for years. Every once in a while they have to be rewritten because they are important to me. These are deeply meaningful to me, and they caught my eye this morning.

This first one was told to me by the father of a delightful and caring woman who was in my son’s life quite a few years ago.

Use it up

Wear it out

Make it do

Do without

These words say a great deal to me and about me.

I am wired somehow not to waste things, including food, clothing, jars, plastic bags, cardboard boxes, rubber bands, twist ties, etc. I am one who saves scrap paper rather than purchasing notebooks. For me, part of growing vegetables in my garden is to make sure they are weeded, picked in their prime, and served up on someone’s table. If I am seeking some item of clothing, furniture, or a cooking pot, I first check the local thrift shops. And anything we no longer need goes there for re-use by others.

I pride myself in having a small footprint. This was a concept I ran across in my 20s, long before concerns about global warming. But they do align with respect for Mother Earth and not littering.

I have long recognized that our world is full of manufactured crap and most people have somehow been programmed to buy, buy, buy and casually throw away pretty much everything. Things, especially cars and clothes, must look good! They represent us! To me this is a tragic state of affairs – to let these things define and represent us.

We are not things. We are amazing beings. Our words and our actions are what truly represent us. Anyone can see this, especially a child.

My parents did not feel that keeping up with the Jones’s was their mission in life. For this I thank them.

I look like the weird kid in school class photos. I didn’t smile properly, I didn’t focus, my hair was not quite right, nor were my clothes. This disturbed me mildly for many years, but today I know who I am and none of that is what matters to me.

What matters is the way I treat others …and the wisdom I carry …and how I conduct myself. This is what I have been honing all my life, not having the most and the “best” stuff.

If you visit my house, it won’t be fancy. It contains favorite things that express who we are and it allows some space.

My husband is a lot like me, although he does like his vehicle to be perfect. I see him loosening up a bit, though, these days. His truck has some tools in disarray behind the seats the back – and a few rust spots!

I hesitated to share this message today. But the mission given to me was to write the contents of my soul. My 3 pieces refrigerator wisdom that have been with me for many years definitely qualify.

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Beka from Uganda

by 8hummingbirdway

Looking back to Africa

This man’s name is Ntende Beka Isabirye. I called him Beka (pronounced Bayka). He lives in the city of Jinja in the east of Uganda.

This man is following his vision to help others in a very significant way.

Beka brings forth the future of Uganda through technology.

I reached out to Beka recently in an email and received his warm response 5 hours later …re-igniting the fire and excitement of the time I spent with him and his team. I actually got to be ON the team!

Beka’s passion is to bring laptops to remote village schools without electricity, and to teach the middle school students there how to use laptops. He usually teaches 60 students at a time in 6 sessions. I was blessed to go along and assist a group of 6 students during my visit to Uganda in February. Beka started by introducing laptop terminology, the difference between a laptop and a desktop computer, including mouse vs. touchpad, how to turn it on, etc. Once the students have learned the basics about how to use the laptop and understand about charging and conserving electricity, he teaches them to use Word. The students are completely engaged by him and the lesson.

I do not know the specifics beyond the first lesson; Beka did mention enabling students to do research.

Beka and his team travel to the schools near Jinja, a city in the east of Uganda. Their intention is to give this generation of students the tools to succeed in today’s world, to attend college some day, and to do it all without having to emigrate to the USA. They want to keep the best of this generation in Uganda – to help them move forward and to support them to use their increasing wisdom and knowledge at home in Uganda.

Now they will have a leg up. They can produce a research paper! Perhaps they will be able to teach their friends. By the end of their series of classes with Tech Reach Africa, Beka’s organization, they will have joined the ranks of students who can have a hope of being accepted to college, as computer skills are necessary.

Beka and his team are changing the world.

When I was planning my trip to Africa, a friend said to me “What gifts will you bring?”

I had not thought to bring gifts. By the time I got home that day I had thought of my laptop in a box at home and found a person in my town to give it new life. Into my backpack it went and now it is among the laptops that are employed in the greater Jinja area. Here is a later photo of Abraham (adult on the left), who I worked with, and another adult getting in on the lesson – with the laptop I brought and a group of students at another school without electricity.

(The ICT label on the computer will eventually be Tech Reach Africa, a new name.)

Seeing the laptop in use and thinking about Beka, the work he does, and the time I spent with him as our host brings joy to my heart and soul.

I have more to share about Beka in another post. It this work excites you, please think about supporting Tech Reach Africa in their work with a donation, large or small. A small number of American dollars goes a long way in Africa. I expect to post an avenue to do this in the future.

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More about Bienvenu Kamwendo, our Congalese host

by 8hummingbirdway

Looking back to Africa

I’ve found a short video of Bienve, our host in Democratic Republic of Congo, that I would like to share with you. This man is remarkable. He suffered from the lack of reliable adult presence and guidance early in life, and he managed to turn his challenges into blessings later on – blessings for others.

I recently spoke with Bienve about his personal story. Bienve never knew his father. His mother was not able to care for him for reasons I do not know. He lived with several families in childhood. When he was able, he worked selling fruit and taking photographs of tourists and selling them for pennies.

Bienve’s ancestors are from the Nande and Hera Tribes.

I don’t know all the details of his journey, but I know that he managed to go to school and become an attorney in adulthood. He shared with me the fact that he adopted 3 children well before he was married, children that needed guidance and support. One of them, Sarif, lives with his family still, and works for Remember Youth for Change, the non-profit organization he founded in Goma. As does his wife, Clarisse.

This man is a remarkable and outstanding human being. I stand in awe of him. His vision is all about helping others. Through his nonprofit and with the help of his staff, he provides pathways for young Congolese people to learn sewing, business, leadership, computer skills, and carpentry. He provides opportunities for them to engage in art and music. He provides activities and school shirts for children in multiple refugee camps. He rents fields for refugees to grow their own food.

All of these offerings are changing lives, healing wounds, and opening the future for others.

Something that touches my heart most deeply is that when hospitals in Goma find children with war injuries, they call Bienve. Knowing that these children received their injuries because of being child soldiers, and cannot return home to their villages, that they are societal outcasts, they call the man who can help them. Upon their release from the hospital, they are folded into Remember Youth for Change. They develop new selves with purpose. They find purpose in helping others, and training is available to them in carpentry, painting and agriculture.

Here Bienve tells about Remember Youth for Change in his own words.

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