Author: 8hummingbirdway

I'm Annie Breglia and I'm on a mission to help heal the planet one soul at a time. The ancient way. The way of the shaman.

Eternal Damnation and Evil

by 8hummingbirdway

For some reason the concept of eternal damnation never held much impact for me. Perhaps my soul knows it is not a reality.

A relationship with the Divine has always held promise and love and blessing for me, never fear.

That’s all I have to say about eternal damnation, but evil is another matter.

For a long long time – most of my life – I did not believe in evil. I believed, and still do, that most people are based in love. Life can cause us harm and lead us astray …and one can lose their way, following false “gods.” Is that evil? I choose not to perceive it that way.

Regarding individuals who seem predetermined to cause only havoc and harm, I have no answer. I would have to know them personally to be convinced that any person is evil. So far I haven’t met anyone I would bestow that description upon.

After I learned to assist the dead in crossing over to the light, I started to encounter beings that seemed to be strictly “power over” type beings. They want to and manage to control other souls for their benefit. I’m not sure exactly what the benefit is – but I quickly learned to increase my personal protection. I was also guided to “look away,” and that is all that is required for me to avoid them.

I do not practice this work without being accompanied by a specific helping spirit that I’ve been directed to have accompany and guide me in this work.

Because I have a passion to help others, it’s my natural inclination to help. However, these beings are not looking for help. Looking away allows me not to be drawn in by what I now call dark beings. I don’t pretend to understand them, but I do recognize them when I encounter them. I have the ability to banish them from a person or location, and to free any souls under their control. I then assist those freed souls to cross over if they want to. Otherwise, they will have to be banished as well if I am doing a Shamanic Clearing.

I have a friend who has been deeply challenged by life in this physical realm. She was raised in loss, abandonment, betrayal, and abuse. In more recent years, she been tempted by the darkness, or evil power. She sees or is shown avenues where she could gain power. She has discussed it with me many times, and I have worried for her. I pulled her back with reason and love, but more was required.

She recently experienced a healing process that seems to have mitigated a great deal of the pain she has been carrying AND has eliminated this connection to the darkness. I am extremely happy and hopeful on her behalf.

I have known one other person who has shared with me his experience of a few “offers” from the dark side. He declines all such offers or pressures, and has on occasion called God and Jesus to his aid. Happily, this has always worked for him.

Another person I know repeatedly experienced the presence of a dark being in his home after looking at pornography. His partner experienced the being as well, and their dog whined. I advised him to banish it with words. It vanished, but then returned.

This was before my ability to help. Fortunately, I was able to find another person to do a clearing of his building.

During my spiritual search, I explored Wicca for a while, but I was not comfortable with the concept of spells. Were curses far behind? It seemed they might be.

I’m confident that there are many Wiccans who practice only in love.

I am grateful that I have not been tempted by or even aware of evil for most of my life.

It is only by my commitment to helping others that I have come to acknowledge it’s existence.

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.

Happy Solstice!

by 8hummingbirdway

Around 6:45am I was blessed with this sight on my walk home from the community garden.

I have heard from multiple sources that our planet is ascending on this day. I have never heard of such a thing, but there is much I don’t know.

I support ascendence, for mother Earth will take us with her.

Are you ready to step into and new and better self?

Blessing to all.

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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.

For more “Inspirational thoughts for a happy and fulfilling day” …

https://www.dailyom.com/inspiration/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=inspiration-feedback&utm_campaign=inspiration-feedback&utm_content=thumbsup&aff=2202&acct=35454965
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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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