This blog is dedicated to my love of life. My intention is to inspire others to follow their passion; and to encourage love and respect of all beings. Feather Stone, Author of The Guardian's Wildchild
We are illusion junkies. From video games to movies, we seek escape. And what about those fantasies that inspire romantic novels. Honestly now, how many of you have an "x" rated fantasy? Okay, okay, everyone put your hands down. Wow, the heat in this room just rose by twenty degrees.
"Turn on the fan, someone! Hey, no pun intended."
An author's goal is to create the illusion that what you are reading is more than words on a page. You are to fall in love with the hero, fear for the protagonist, despise the antagonist - all as if the characters are living, breathing entities and you are part of the cast of characters.
This is what every reader hopes for. He/she surrenders to the fantasy, and reality is blurred so artistically, the reader is unaware of the seduction.
I love the magic of illusions. Painters are authority's of illusion, creating a 'moment in time' on a stretched canvas. An entire novel can be experienced in viewing some of the world's best paintings, seducing the admiring audience into not just seeing, but feeling connected to the subject on a personal level, perhaps even losing themselves into the scene.
One of my favorite hobbies is photography. Recently I observed a scene that was so beautiful, I had to grab my camera. It had occurred to me that if the scene was taken out of context, few would be able to guess what was in the snapshot. An illusion had been created.
So, just for fun, I'm challenging you to guess what is in the scene of the above photograph which has not been modified. I will offer a free ebook of The Guardian's Wildchild to the winner.
Hint? This was taken in front of my house.
Hmmm, I wonder if I could sell this as a masterpiece and make a ton of pesos?
"To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joyand a whole heart."
-- Pearl S. Buck
Many of us have been taught to do our duty. What reaction does this bring up for you?
For me, ‘doing my duty’ often means doing something I really don’t want to do.
My heart’s not in it. When this is the case, tasks may get done but there’s no gift to the world.
We do not truly serve if we give to others with resentment.
Perhaps we need to give ourselves permission to say no and look after our own needs.
When our own needs are met, we are much more likely to want to give from a full heart.
It’s not selfish to look after ourselves -- it’sessential!
"Nothing truly valuable arises from ambition or from a mere sense of duty; it stems rather from love and devotion towards men and towards objective things."
-- Albert Einstein
I’m quite proud of the Teaching and
Discussion Guide in the back of the School Edition of THE TRAZ. Adolescent
readers of THE TRAZ are at the age where they’re beginning to explore abstract
ideas. The Guide introduces them to the concept of symbolism in literature.
Some of the questions are specifically
designed to prompt youngsters to notice the messages the story conveys as well
as to ponder the relevancy of those messages to their own lives—no matter how
different their lives are from that of Katrina, the young protagonist.
“Have you ever done something wrong to
obtain a good result?” is one question. It explores the concept of ‘the end
justifies the means’. The Guide gives examples of several incidents in the
novel where characters follow this philosophy. It points out that youngsters are
following this philosophy when they do things like cheat on an exam in order to
please their parents with better grades, or when they lie to police to protect
a friend. It also looks at historic examples of this philosophy at work. Youngsters
are encouraged to discuss the value of the philosophy of ‘the end justifies the
means’. Is it a good philosophy? Sometimes okay? Always immoral?
Novels are a great way for youngsters to
safely explore alternate lifestyle choices and learn the relationship between
decisions, actions, and results. The fact that Katrina is experiencing the
adult world, more or less free from adult interference, intrigues youngsters;
the guide makes them think twice about the downside of that scenario.
The years between age 10 and 14 are
exciting ones for children. Their brains are developing new abilities and life
is presenting them with increasingly difficult challenges as well as offering a
wider array of opportunities.I’m thrilled
to participate in that journey, and not only entertain these youngsters but
also help them develop the skills they need to become successful adults.
This is a
great opportunity for educators and others who work with adolescents to sample
this novel and gauge its usefulness for the young people in their programmes.
Eileen Schuh is the author of THE TRAZ, a 'tween/teen novel written for at-risk children and the adults in their lives. She also authored SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT, an adult sci-fi novella.
She is celebrating the spring 2012 releases of The Traz (2nd edition ebook) and THE TRAZ School Editions (eBook and paperback) by Imajin Books
Born and raised in Tofield, Alberta and with ties to Edmonton and Strathcona County, Eileen Schuh now lives with her husband in the northern boreal forests of Alberta, Canada.
Schuh recently retired from a life of careers that varied from psychiatric nurse to journalist to editor to business woman.
She remains active in her adopted community of St. Paul and is surrounded by the love and loyalty of family, friends and fans—virtual, imaginary, and real.
Schuh's children and grandchildren are her inspiration
Become a part of Schuh's virtual family. Visit her at
This
review is from: The
Traz (BackTracker series) (Kindle Edition)
Hard-hitting and
gritty, Eileen Schuh's pull-no-punches novel The Traz is certain to elicit a
deep emotional response - and, hopefully, inspire some critical thought and
discussion about serious issues such as depression, suicide, gangs, drugs,
violence, and crime.
Thirteen-year-old Katrina is no squeaky-clean
heroine: thanks to a tumultuous home life, she's already deeply embedded in the
underworld, privy to, and participating in, drug deals and other shady activity.
Katrina is a genius, far smarter than other kids her age, and she doesn't fit in
- she prefers the excitement of the wheeling and dealing on the street to the
bullying she gets at school. An inheritance from her maternal grandfather has
made her wealthy, and his teachings about computers have helped Katrina get a
finger on the pulse of the burgeoning cybercrime movement that accompanies the
rise of the Internet (the books are set in the early '90s).
Despite the
inattention of her preoccupied father and alchoholic mother, Katrina gets by on
her intelligence and clever subterfuge, until her relationship with her
much-older boyfriend takes a bad turn, and sudden tragic circumstances make her
an orphan. Alone, overcome with grief, and uncertain where to turn, Katrina is
taken under the protection of a biker named Shrug, and is instantly plunged into
the world of the biker gangThe Traz.
Of course, everyone within The Traz
has their own agenda and Katrina finds she must constantly walk a tightrope to
survive. Secrets, lies and betrayals of trust are par for the course - no one is
quite who they seem, even Katrina herself, who is at times a highly vulnerable
little girl and others, a mature woman full of dark, powerful wisdom. (I was
particularly drawn to Katrina's knowledge of woodland plants and their uses,
lore she learned from her paternal grandmother.
The legacy of her grandparents
is an integral theme, offering a stark contrast to Katrina's "family ties" to
The Traz). When undercover cop Chad infiltrates the gang and enters Katrina's
world, things really heat up - could there be life outside the gang for
Katrina?
Schuh's deft, tight writing doesn't give the reader much room to
breathe: the action and dialogue are visceral, relentless, and blisteringly
fast. The language is "street" and very strong - there is absolutely nothing
sanitized about this book, which makes it all the more relevant. The addition of
a study guide will be helpful for educators, parents, and teens, as this is a
book that simply BEGS to be discussed.
Community Comments
"Schuh creates complex characters and raw dialogue. This is a fast paced novel where redemption is found on the saddle of a Harley." –Garry Ryan, author of the Detective Lane mysteries.
"Raw and emotional with fast-paced, gripping tension, The Traz is a must-read for tweens, teens and parents."―Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author of Children of the Fog
"5-stars! Check out this dangerous ride today...I highly-recommend this book." ―Donna Carrick, award-winning author of The First Excellence
Feather: Thank you, Eileen, for sharing your amazing story. You have filled a huge void. It is sad to consider how many young people have been lost to addictive substances and making choices out of inexperience and lack of maturity. Thank you so very much for writing "The Traz."
I invite all visitors to make a comment, or just say hello to Eileen. Be sure to visit her at her website.
"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."
-- Annie Dillard
We lose the power of the moment because we're so rarely in it. We're reliving the past or speculating about the future. We continue to believe that tomorrow's the day when I'll be more capable, more wealthy, more fit and more loving.
Meanwhile, I'm just putting in time, dreaming of better things but not making any concrete move to realize them.
When you find yourself thinking of the future or the past, bring your awareness into the present moment. Really experience how you feel and what’s happening around you, without judgment. If we can treasure each moment, our lives will be rich, no matter what we have accomplished.
"Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered for they are gone forever."
-- Horace Mann
"
If, before going to bed every night, you will tear a page from the calendar, and remark, 'there goes another day of my life, never to return,' you will become time conscious."
-- A. B. Zu Tavern
FORBIDDEN
by Feather Stone
EPILOGUE
Eliza could hear the moans coming from the police captain’s small bedroom. He was alone. The frustrated man sought release from the primordial ache, the need to sew his seed, if only into the folds of his bed’s linen. Moans became grunts and a rhythmic breathlessness.
As she listened to him her body responded. She fought to suppress her body’s traitorous urging to go to him. The captain was handsome enough, but thankfully his permanent scowl had dampened thoughts to test the waters of seducing the man. Besides, he was Muslin. It was forbidden to have physical contact.
..... To read the remainder of this excerpt, please go to my "Forbidden" page. I welcome comments about what you liked or didn't like. Every Saturday, I will add the subsequent paragraphs. Note, this is the first draft. Edits are done daily.
After a rain shower I love to walk through my gardens, especially if the sun is brightly illuminating the drops on the petals. There is an energy of bliss, like lovers kissing. The colors zing with radiance. You can almost hear the petals giggling with excitement, being tickled so mercilessly.
Have you walked the path through an old forest after a shower, see the sun's rays bursting through the canopy? Were you dazzled by the diamonds on the ferns? Did you inhale the fragrance of the earth releasing its intoxicating perfume? Were you standing in spellbound wonder of it all and feel, in that moment, you were part of something very grand and magical?
Did you discover, for the first time, your immortality?
So you know that Stonehenge is in England and that it's old, very old. Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks. It is at the centre of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.
But did you know Stonehenge
has a dark side?
Allow me to introduce you to Pauline Holyoak, an award winning author, and one who is personally familiar with the other side of Stonehenge. In fact, she is the author of the trilogy wherein she tempts the menancing ghosts of Stonehenge. The setting of her first two books, Merryweather Lodge - Ancient Revenge, and Malevolent Spirit takes place within a stone's throw of this place briming with mystery.
I've read both of Pauline's books and I'm impatient to read the third book of the trilogy. It was impossible to put the books down. I had to see if the central characters were going to get out of their predicament or be consumed by evil. And the heroine's attempts to protect her family is complicated by distractions of a certain handsome gent. Hmm, I'm wondering about the good intentions of Jonathan.
I'm not the only one who's loving Pauline's books. Here's one review:
Pauline Holyoak has crafted a thrilling tale of vengeful ghosts, ancient magic,
secrets, betrayal, and past lives. Just a warning...don't read this book while
alone at night! There were a few spine tingling scenes that had me jumping at
the slightest noise!
At 14, Emily travels from her home in Canada to the
English countryside to visit her aunt and uncle on their farm called
Merryweather Lodge. Emily soon gains the attention of two ghosts - a mysterious
young girl and a terrifying creature Emily is certain wants to kill her. Could
these spirits be connected to the string of murders in the area? Only one person
is willing to believe Emily's story - Jonathan, the teenage son of her aunt and
uncle's neighbor. Emily is certain she knows him, but how? Determined to lay to
rest the ghosts of the past once and for all, Emily returns to Merryweather
Lodge five years later. She is reunited with Jonathan, and together they uncover
how their past lives are entwined with the restless spirits haunting them
today.
Merryweather Lodge - Ancient Revenge, the first of a new trilogy,
is a completely engrossing story that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Pauline Holyoak described the places, events and characters so vividly, I could
easily picture myself there. When Emily felt the cold chill of a ghost nearby, I
could too. I would describe Emily and Jonathan's romance as flirtatious in this
book. Nothing hot and heavy yet, but it establishes the foundation for things to
come. With its suspenseful, fast paced plot and colorful characters, this book
will appeal to a wide rage of readers, including fans of mystery &
thrillers, suspense, and paranormal romance. It's also a must for those
interested in Celtic and Druid magic (like me!). I received this book free from
the author in exchange for an honest review.
Pauline Holyoak was generous with her time in granting me an interview. I was so intrigued by the story's plot and characters, I just knew the author would be fascinating. To discover that she has received a Reader's Favorite Award in 2011 for her book was not surprising.
Hello Pauline. This is such a great honour to have you here.
To start off, could you tell us a bit about yourself? Of
course. I grew up in Southeast
England, in a coal mining village lovely nicknamed, “The Place
That Time Forgot.” I immigrated to Canada when I was 21 years old. I
came, in search of adventure and a new life. I now live in Alberta with my sports crazy husband, a
cantankerous ginger cat named Sam U.L. and an adorable Sheltie named Maggie
Mae. We have two grown children and one grandchild, on the way, yay!
Describe your
books as a tweet(140 characters or
less) A chilling tale of love, passion, sorcery and sacrifice; laced
with mystery and tied with humor. Inspired by the authors own experiences in a
remote little cottage near Stonehenge.
When did you to
start writing? As far back as I can remember the pen and paper have been
my faithful companions and storytelling my forte. As a child I was shy and
reclusive. I lived in my inner world of fantasy and make-believe, preferring
the company of Mother Nature and my imaginary friend, to that other children.
Often, I would sneak away from the mundane adult world, find a private retreat
and imagine. There in my own little sanctuary with tools in hand, I’d conjure
up all kinds of intriguing tales and colorful characters, then I’d read them to
my imaginary friend. She was always so attentive.I
have always been a writer.
Do you have a
specific place where you write? My favorite place to write is at my
antique desk, in my bedroom. It sits under a large picture window that looks
onto a park. It inspires me.
Your book covers
are amazing. Who designed them? Thank you.My
publisher has seven talented book cover artists. I get to chose which one I
want to design my covers. I tell them what I want and we work together to
create a captivating picture. Book one of my trilogy was designed by Nancy
Donahue, book two by Gemini Judson. Two very talented ladies.
Just for fun- What is
the strangest thing on your desk right now? A tiny spider! I will have
to gather it up onto a piece of paper and put it outside. My mom always said,
“It’s bad luck to kill a spider.”
What are your favorite kinds of scenes to write (humorous,
action-packed, romantic, etc) and why? I would have to say,
action-packed and scary scenes. They get my adrenaline pumping. I like to put
myself in my protagonist’s shoes, to feel the fear, the thrill or the pain.
What part of writing do you find most difficult? The
editing!
What writer, book or series has been a big inspiration to
you and your writing? Anne of Green Gables. As a child I fantasized
about moving to Canada,
living in a big house, in the country, with a wraparound pouch just like Green
Gables. What a gifted writer Lucy Maud Montgomery was. And her character, Anne
Shirley, had a wild and vivid imagination, just like mine. She was my hero.
What was the last book you read that you really fell in love
with or that blew your mind? The Forgotten Garden – By: Kate Morton. A
marvelous writer! A marvelous read! I must say, The Guardian’s Wildchild – By:
Feather Stone, was pretty marvelous too!
What inspired you to write your Merryweather Lodge trilogy?
This trilogy was inspired by my own experiences at a remote little cottage near
Stonehenge. Every summer, when I was a child,
we would visit my aunt and uncle at their quaint and mysterious little cottage
on Salisbury Plain. It was called Scotland
Lodge and was situated not far from the historical Stonehenge.
My uncle worked as a farm hand for the local squire. My aunt tended the manor
house. It was there as I roamed free, deep within the English countryside, that
I experienced joy, enchantment and some very strange and frightening
occurrences. It was like a fairytale kingdom with a sinister twist. The
memories of my summers at Scotland
Lodge stayed with me, as a sort of nagging unsolved mystery all my life. A few
years ago I revisited my childhood wonderland ( the old place still emanates a
strange and eerie essence) and was led by some mysterious force into concocting
this story and writing this trilogy.
Any advice for beginner writers out there? Write
something every day. – Take a writing course. -Don’t
worry about rejections. Learn how to cope with them and move on. – I have
discovered that perseverance, patience, and bold determination are what most
published authors have in common.- Find your niche, find your genre and write,
write, write! Create a website and keep a consistent online presence.
Thank you for inviting me
to your blog Feather.
For information on purchasing my books, please come visit me at
Ancient Revenge (Merryweather Lodge #1)
by Pauline Holyoak (Goodreads Author)
4.29 · rating details · 21 ratings · 16 reviews
Emily couldn’t wait to visit her Aunt and Uncle in their quaint and mysterious little cottage near Stonehenge. But it doesn’t take her long to realize that her fairytale kingdom has a sinister twist. One night in her attic bedroom she is confronted by an evil entity that would taunt her for the rest of her stay and long after that. Who is this hideous creature and what does she want?
When Emily meets the gorgeous Jonathan McArthur she is infatuated, consumed with lust and an odd familiarity, as if they had met before. Will he be coaxed by the peculiar old gypsy to enter the dreaded woodlot? Can the bloody ancient curse be removed before it’s too late? And will Emily ever get to feel his lips on hers? A chilling tale of love, passion, sorcery and sacrifice; laced with mystery and tied with humor. Inspired by the author’s own experiences in a remote little cottage near Stonehenge.
Malevolent Spirit (Merryweather Lodge #2)
by Pauline Holyoak (Goodreads Author)
4.73 · rating details · 11 ratings · 6 reviews
It’s Christmastime at Merryweather Lodge. Emily has returned to the cottage from her home in Canada; after the untimely death of someone she loved. Will she be able to celebrate a traditional English Christmas in her aunts enchanting little cottage or will she be tormented by the hideous creature, again? Was Emily’s attempt to banish her unearthly adversary successful? Will her aunt disclose the secrets she has been concealing for so many years? What will happen when Emily’s best friend comes to visit her? What secrets will she reveal? Will Emily ever get to make love to the man of her dreams? A chilling tale of love, passion, sorcery and sacrifice; laced with mystery and tied with humor. Inspired by the authors own experiences in a remote little cottage near Stonehenge.
“Manifestation is the act of making something invisible visible. It is the act of turning something abstract into something concrete and something potential into something real.”
-- David Spangler
If we study our existence, it seems that moment to moment, we are either experiencing or manifesting life.We dance these 2 steps continuously. We are touched by life and then we respond and touch life back.
Let's review the basic 2 steps in our dance through life.
Step 1 is to bring awareness and consciousness to our experience. If we are feeling tension or discomfort of any kind, we can choose to relax, let go of all thoughts and feelings and accept what is, without resistance. This letting go process dissolves those tensions and moves us to an expanded viewpoint.
Step 2 requires a shift. Instead of letting go, we open to allow in - to receive insights, higher concepts and new perceptions. If we choose to act on these insights and ideas, we can ground them through action into form.
So the journey with step #1 lies in moving from our reactive, limited awareness to experiencing a new, higher and more inclusive reality. As we let go of the limiting beliefs that hold us back, we find we naturally open up and let in the inspiration, insights and guidance that are always available to us.
From this expanded, subtle, creative point, we can consciously begin the manifestation process.
To dance to step #2, hold that new energy. Be with it. Listen to it. Allow it to materialize into ideas, creativity and form. Allow the higher concepts to downshift through levels of creating - from insights to concepts to values to ideas and to clear next steps.
Manifestation occurs when spiritual, causative and qualitative energies descend into heavier energies and into form.
Universal energies gradually become more specific. It is a journey from the invisible to the visible created by 3 key steps:
intention (will),
imagination (our unique ideas) and
attention (single-mindedness focus).
To ground your higher aspirations into form you can:
Affirm it.
Visualize it.
Express it.
Write it.
Draw it.
Discuss it.
Reflect on it. Review it.
Meditate onit.
Focus on it.
Create creeds, rituals or mantras about it. Repeat it.
And often our desires and creations run into roadblocks. Co-creating requires overcoming inertia, distractions, fears, attachments, rationalization,second guessing, limiting beliefs and lack of self worth. As these arise, we go back to step #1 and use awareness processes to dissolve these manifesting blocks so we can connect with a higher, more causative energy for step #2.
Master this process and you will master your own life. Any time you want to create something new, use conscious presence to break free of limited thinking and move to a new liberated space. Be open and trusting to allow inspiration to arise. Inspiration will alwaysbe aligned with your unique desires, needs andexpression.
Draw on imagination to flesh out your idea. Then follow your heart for ways to ground the vision.
If you have any comments on this creation journey, let me know at john@higherawareness.com
~ John
“Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become areality.”
-- Earl Nightingale
“By believing passionately in something that still does not exist, we create it. The non-existent is whatever we have not sufficiently desired.”
-- Nikos Kazantzakis
I'll get there, eventually. I'm aiming for December to have completed the first draft of Forbidden. About 50000 more words to go - a rough estimate. As I average 1000 words a day (when I write), it should take me only 50 more days. However, my life is full of twists, like the plots in my stories. So, given time off for good behavior in my writing cell, I often escape to my gardens, visiting family, shopping, knitting, photography, geneology project, painting, the list goes on.
The single most important belief in Islam, and arguably the central theme of Islam, is that there is only one God. The name of God is Allah, which is simply Arabic for "the (al) God (Ilah)." The symbol at the left is Arabic for "Allah."
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, practiced largely in the Middle East and North Africa.
Although there are many important aspects in daily living
which are Lawful or Prohibited in Islam, for the purpose of this article, only
the most common ones will be discussed together with the reasoning behind why
it is either forbidden or allowed.
One of the first things every Muslim child learns is what food and drinks are allowed (Halaal) and prohibited (Haraam) in Islam. With the exception of pork and animals or birds which tear their prey apart (namely: lions, falcons, eagles, hawk, leopard, wolf etc.), all other meat is lawful (halaal), in Islam; provided that these meats, meet certain criteria.
An important ruling to bear in mind is the fact that the meat of sheep, cows, chicken, buffalos etc will only be permissible if the animal has been slaughtered in the correct Islamic manner, which entails that the animal should not be allowed to suffer, it should be killed in the quickest and least painful manner
Any Alcohol, which causes intoxication, is forbidden in Islam. The reason for this being that intoxication has harmful effects on the individuals mind, his health, his work, every aspect of his life, in a nutshell anything that befogs the mind regardless of the quantity whether it be one teaspoon or a litre is forbidden in Islam.
Drugs such as opium, heroin, cocaine etc. like alcohol impairs the reasoning and effects sensory perception, and are therefore also prohibited.
Hitting a woman or made to suffer pain is prohibited in Islam, as it is an insult to a woman's dignity.
Gambling in any form is prohibited in Islam, whether it takes place in a Casino, or it is in the form of a lottery or for a charitable organization, any game of chance is considered gambling. The reason for this being that the person who gambles, depends on his winnings to support him and in the process gives up honest, hard work. Gambling because of its addiction is also a danger to the individual, because it dulls his sense of value; and in turn he becomes a danger to society.
Treating the parents, especially when getting old, without tender and without enough respect is forbidden.
Mistreating wives and children is forbidden.
Cruelty in treating animals is forbidden.
Cutting tress without justification and spoiling water of rivers and springs is forbidden.
Terrifying innocents and civilians is forbidden.
Hate against other cultures and/or religion is forbidden.
Feather:
I've always been interested in other cultures, not so much to identify how we are different, but to marvel at how similar we all are. I do admire the unique qualities of other cultures, making the human tapestry fascinating, diverse, and another wonder of the creative power of The One Most High.
As my second book's setting is in the Middle East, I'm absorbing as much information I can find about the Islamic population, their trials and tribulations, hopes and fears. This is not easy, though there is more information on the web than I could possibly absorb. The difficulty is in finding facts that are not colored by hatred or bigotry.
I've been a guest at a local mosque wherein the Imam was most generous of his time and educational material. "Find the middle," was his advice.
The second challenge is that I would love to interview people who are living or who spent a great deal of their time living in the Middle East. My objective is to learn about the lifestyle of the average Muslim - if there is such a possibility as an 'average' Muslim. Living conditions, I believe, vary greatly in a part of the world that has undergone invasion and internal turmoil.
My objective in writing this fiction novel is to be respectful of the Islamic culture, be realistic of the environmental conditions currently existing in the Middle East.
If you were to ask Margaret's friends and family to describe her, without any doubt they would hesitate to respond. It would be difficult to find words that describe such a dynamic, energetic, intelligent, passionate person.
My mother was complicated.
Friends would have recalled her love of laughter, seeing the humor in the situation. They would have commented on her honesty, saying what she thought, even if it wasn't popular or traditional. She had her own mind and spoke it. She respected the ideas of others but also expected the same from them. She was intolerant of cruelty, dishonesty, disloyalty. My mother never hesitated to express her annoyance or anger if her standards were not respected.
Friends would have spoken of the difficulty in keeping pace with her academic knowledge. My mother had a passion for the sciences. She had been raised in the city and enjoyed school, hoping to become a science teacher. However, due to poverty, her father required her to work to help support the family instead of completing high school. However, while mothering four wild children on the farm, she managed to continue her education via correspondence.
When I think of her, the vision that comes to mind is of fireworks. Fireworks – explosions of color, magical, fun, swirling, dancing, breathtaking, mystical. I was in awe of my mother.
In her youth, her fiery strawberry blonde hair and hazel eyes were but a frame for the beauty blossoming from within. There was no limit to her energy. She had a zest for life and discovery. She loved the natural world and its history. She had a passion for exploring nature’s trails, and treasured the canine companions which accompanied her.
She loved to learn, to educate herself. She studied French by correspondence and excelled. She learned to play the accordion as well as the piano. Not having access to a library, she collected books, developing a respectable sized library in her home. She borrowed books from the Edmonton Library (via the Queen's mail service), which she read, no, devoured and retained all that she learned - non fiction, archeology, anthropology, medicine, geology, history, and more.
My mother was happiest in her gardens. She relished digging in the soil with her bare hands to plant millions of flowers and vegetables. She never complained of the manual labour caring for the gardens in the hot sun, from seeding to harvesting. I recall her trying to hide her hands when we were visiting in the city. They had become calloused and stained from the hard work.
My three brothers and I had the benefit of wholesome food due to the work of our parents to provide the best. Most of our food was home grown – butter, jams, breads, vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, milk, cream.
Mom was an excellent cook and prepared delicious, nutritious meals.
The home was always clean, beds made, floors polished, shelves dusted; clothes were carefully and lovingly maintained. I should point out that for many years, the clothes were washed with a washing machine that was one step above the old scrub board. Clothes were hung outside to dry, even in the freezing winter. When her children came home from school, she was always there.
Her deep love for the outdoors and knowledge of nature was passed on to her children. Hiking trips along the river, mountain climbs, wiener/spud roasts, camping, swimming, skating, cross country skiing, and so much more were a major part of the family activities. She took her four noisy and rambunctious children for a week’s holiday in Jasper almost every year by herself. She took her daughters-in-law on trips to Hawaii and Mexico.
She went without nice clothes for many years, buying coats and dresses from a goodwill store. She organized speakers and courses for the women in the community. And, she had the most interesting paranormal experiences.
For example: On one cold winter day, she recalled feeling that something was wrong. She tried to ignore it but the feeling continued to nag at her, and more intensely with each passing minute. Finally, when she could not longer ignore it, she put her coat on and went outside. Not knowing why, she began to walk and walk in a direction that did not seem to be of her chosing. Finally, out in a field she nearly stumble over a new born calf, half frozen to death. She ran to get her sons to rescue the calf which did survive. This is only one story of many other unexplainable events that my mother experienced.
There are many happy memories. She and I would pack a lunch for dad working out in the fields on the combine. He would stop and the three of us would find some shade and enjoy the picnic of sandwiches, homemade cake, grape cool aide. I remember her teaching me how to skate backwards, or showing me the delicate techniques of crocheting or knitting. I remember the beautiful skirts she sewed and the sweaters she knitted. I remember her calm demeanor when teaching me how to drive our truck with the standard transmission.
She was a creator of beauty – frilly crocheted doilies and lacey tablecloths. Her photography expressed the life force of the country landscape. She could sing up a storm (sometimes in French or German though she didn’t understand all the words). She welcomed her grandchildren with open arms and some called her “Grandma Squeeze”.
I remember sitting at our dinner table, all of us their telling jokes and heaping the tastey food onto our plates. I remember her hanging clothes out on the clothes line with her chickens in the garden scratching in the grass. I remember the sweat pouring down her face while playing polkas on her accordian. I remember the smell of her wonderful baked bread and looking forward to a slice fresh out of the oven and covering it with homemade butter and jam. I remember the wonderful stories she wrote – a talented writer.
Writing Challenge: Psychosis - A severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality.
I'm looking for some advice. One of my main characters is a strong woman. However, due to a terrible event in her past, she suffers flashbacks when exposed to specific stimuli. She is aware of her descent into a hell each time these prompts occur and is able to manage it with the tools provided by her psychologist.
However, there are events which go beyond her ability to cope. She looses touch with reality and unless someone is present to help her, she is at risk in harming herself and others.
My dilemma is, in a romance novel, how far does one go in making this kind of scene real enough but not so much that it turns the reader off.
In my experience of emergency medicine, people are very uncomfortable with mental illness, will avoid contact with people who suffer from mental illness. So far, I've glazed over my character's problem until she's in a situation that is beyond her ability to cope. I don't want this book to shift into horror.
"I never know what the next lesson is going to be, because we’re not supposed to know; we’re supposed to trust ourselves to discover it."
-- Melody Beattie
How deeply do you trust your own guidance?
Always trust that you know what's best for you. To move forward in your life, gather information from the 'experts,' consider how their advice relates to your situation and then act only on what feels right for you.
What does your whole being (mind, body and soul) say ‘Yes!’ to?
You are the only expert for your own life.
"I trust so much in the power of the heart and the soul; I know that the answer to what we need to do next is in our own hearts. All we have to do is listen, then take that one step further and trust what we hear. We will be taught what we need to learn."
-- Melody Beattie
"Ultimately, we must learn to trust ourselves. When we do this intimately and intelligently, the world opens full of meaning before us. We find that we ourselves are the doorway to a fathomless understanding of the source of life itself. We need only to learn to walk through it."
-- James Thornton
Feather: This may sound really odd, but I access my inner 'trust' meter while choosing my groceries. I like to select items that are good for my body - plus a few that are just good for the soul - dark chocolate. While crusing the ailes I pay attention to signals from my body. It can be food that I may not be particularly interested in but my body is saying, "That's thing there, yes, that's what I need."
The signal? Mostly is a pleasure sensation, an emotional uplift, may make my mouth water. Sometimes I'll need to pick up the item, and do a mental body scan. If the body wants it, you'll know. Trust your body's wisdom.
What is possible ....
Each particular type of crystal or mineral can be seen as a key, and we can use these keys to access specific energies, whether that be for healing, meditation, protection, understanding, as well as a thousand other uses.
How Do Crystals Affect Us
We all have our own life/energy force, and we have energy points called chakras. We have seven major chakras, each has a specific function, when we're tired, stressed, unwell or depressed our chakras can slow down or even stop working (which really isn't that uncommon in the stressful society that we are a part of). Crystals are used by healers to help realign chakras, they can assist the healing process, and can be programmed for particular jobs.
Crystals Have Their Own Energy
Crystals have their own frequency/energy. Rose Quartz is a specific nurturing energy, A mother/love stone. If when you feel down you were to hold a cleansed Rose Quartz you will begin to harmonise with the frequency of the crystal, and absorb the feelings (frequency) of love and care into your aura.
Crystals can enhance, promote and help bring in chosen energies, for instance Tourmaline's help at times of change. Topazes bring clarity, higher perspectives, blue for emotional, golden for creativity. Diamonds is an amplifier and purifier, Rubies strengthens the will and gives courage, Emeralds helps to turn negativity into positively.
Choosing the Right Crystal For You:
The best way is to let your intuition guide you, if you feel really drawn to one piece, that’s the one for you.
It can be incorporated into jewellery or be raw pieces.
Crystals in their natural form are the most powerful. When crystals are cut, shaped and polished they can lose their natural force. However if the piece you like has been shaped and polished working and wearing the stone will bring energy and life back to the stone and it will perform its natural function.
Feather:I have my favorite crystal - a raw rose quartz. Its an exquisite shade of pink. It fits perfectly within my hand as though it was made for me. I also have a rose quartz pendulum which has been put to work often.
I've never put complete faith in the various crystals to get me back on track, healed, or whatever was lacking. Since becoming a Reiki practitioner, I've experienced tremendous benefits from applying the Universal Life Force Energy.
However, the world of crystals made me sit up and take a second look at them a few years ago. A friend asked me to obtain some specific crystals for her. Normally a person should do this themselves but she did not have access to a shop. So with her note in hand, and intending to act on her behalf, I purchased the crystals and brought them home.
It happened that evening a crisis occurred in my home. Normally, I deal with crisis events well enough. On that particular night, I did more than "well enough." After the crisis was over, I was astonished at how well I dealt with the issue - calm, strong, fair, confident and without the emotional baggage or stress. I attributed my unusual strength to the little bag of crystals in my purse.
If you have an opportunity to visit a good quality crystal shop, go in and browse around. You may be drawn to one or a few. Pick it up and connect with it, with your heart. You may immediately become aware of its energy.
Most are not too expensive. And, ladies, here again, SIZE DOESN'T COUNT. What counts is your intention. Always, always, what is your intention?
Learn about the properties of the crystal that called to you and how to take care of it. Crystals like to be activated frequently and to remain with the original owner, if possible.
The most important rule? Have fun with your crystal.
Caution: I'll leave you with one word of caution. Be mindful of your subconscious intentions. Be honest about your intentions. Though you may be thinking one thing consciously, your subconscious may be thinking just the opposite or something different. Your subconscious is powerful. If you are not sure about what is in your subconscious, meditate. Ask the why's, declare your conscious intentions during meditation, and seal it with a "for the higher good" statement. You're good to go.
Last Friday, the bizarre sex laws of the USA were posted. Today, I'm hitting the world with my spyglasses, uncovering the FORBIDDEN and not so wonderful sex laws of dozens of cultures. And, it appears these laws are still on the books and, sadly, practiced in some places.
Why am I laboring on the subject of forbidden sex? This is simply an intro to my second book, FORBIDDEN. And, no, it's not about sex but more specifically about forbidden love, the kind that generally leads to those passionate and intimate liaisons between the sheets.
My heroine, Eliza, is forbidden to give any hint that she is in love with Hashim Khan, captain of the Persian police force, not because of differences in ideology, but because, ..... well, more of that later. I'll share pieces of FORBIDDEN's chapters with you over the next while. For now, take a peak at the strange sex laws, internationally.
Worldwide Strange Sex
Laws
They're surprising. They're baffling. And, often, they're
downright stupid. These laws about sex and sexuality defy explanation.
·In the Republic Of Ireland, if two people under
the age of 16 attempt to have sexual intercourse and fail, they can be
prosecuted. If they succeed they can't.
·In Tibet, many years ago, the law required all
women prostitute themselves. This was seen as a way to gain sexual experience
prior to marriage.
·The Asiatic Huns punished convicted male rapists
and adulterers with castration. Female adulterers were merely cut in two.
·The penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is
decapitation.
·In 100 A.D., the Teutons, an Germanic tribe,
would punish anyone caught as a prostitute by suffocating them in excrement.
·The vow of a Roman vestal virgin lasted 30
years. If she engaged in sex before then, she was punished by being buried
alive.
·In 17th century Spain, it was illegal for anyone
other than a woman's husband to see her bare feet. A woman could freely expose
her breasts, but feet were considered sexual and had to be covered in the
presence of men other than her husband.
·The Romans would crush a first-time rapist's
gonads between two stones.
·In China, women are prohibited from walking around
a hotel room in the nude. A woman may be naked only while in the bathroom.
·The early Christian church forbade couples from
having sex on Wednesdays, Fridays and of course, Sundays.
·Six thousand years ago, Egyptians, the first to
punish sex crimes with castration, would completely castrate a male convicted
of rape. A women found guilty of adultery would find herself without a nose,
the thinking being that without a nose, it would be harder to find someone to
share in her adulterous ways.
·Up until 1884, a woman could be sent to prison
for denying a husband sex.
·While not as extreme as the ancient Israelite
punishment for adultery (stoning), Greek men still had their fair share of
discomfort when their pubic hair was removed and a large radish was shoved up
their rectum.
·In Nepal, Bangladesh and Macao it is against the
law to view movies containing simulated lovemaking or the pubic area of men and
women. The law also does not allow kisses to be shown in any film that includes
actors from these three countries.
·There are men in Guam whose full-time job it is
to travel the countryside and deflower young virgins, who pay them for the
privilege of having sex for the first time. Why? Under the law in Guam, it is
forbidden for virgins to marry.
·In Hong Kong, a betrayed wife is legally allowed
to kill her adulterous husband, but may only do so with her bare hands. The
husband's lover may be killed in any manner desired.
The Sins of my Father .... An interesting phrase. I grew up believing my dad was as close to being a god as humanely possible. He was a big man. His hands were so large that they should have been licenced as a potential lethal weapon. Strange they were place on a man that couldn't harm a fly. He was a gentle, kind, and compassionate man. And he worked harder than anyone I know.
The sin?
It seems that I inherited his protestant work ethic. I'm not happy unless I'm doing something constructive. Well, that's a slight exaggeration. I will occasionally read a book - a guilty pleasure I've managed to excuse by convincing myself that it is good for my mind. Yes, I know those romance novels give more pleasure a bit father south than my brain, but it keeps the grey matter operational.
Back to my dad, Richard Bruce Cropley, a proud Scot. I never imagined him gone. He was too strong, too wise, too much the glue that kept the family together and the community a place of safety. And yet, there came the day I received the phone call. Dad was gone.
Your life changes in harsh and painful ways after the loss of a parent. It demands a child to grow up, put on the shoes of the parent, no matter how large the size of the work boots. The family's name and reputation is now squarely placed on the shoulder's of the offspring.
It takes time before children find their footing again, accept the status of being fifty something year old orphans.
Thankfully, my dad was an prime example of calm acceptance, of pushing through the difficulties, of never giving up no matter what.
As a farmer, he knew the challenges of keeping the family housed, fed and clothed during successive years of crop failures. I don't recall my father complaining about anything. Never said he was too tired or sick. If there was work to be done (and there always is on a farm), he simply completed all tasks without moaning about the weather or failure of equipment. Life and work went on, cheerfully and humbly.
My father's joy was his work. Yes, he loved his family and was the best neighbor anyone could hope for. But when he was on his tractor, milking the cows, cleaning the hog barns, he would sing. One of his favorites was "On Top of Old Smokey."
He was ever so patient. When I was about ten I decided I'd like to milk the cow. He probably knew it was more than my small lady-like hands could handle, but he was willing to let me try. He made sure my fingernails were trimmed, then herded Bessy into the barn. After a demonstration, he left me and the poor cow to the task. After about fifteen minutes, my hands were aching and I thought I'd gotten all I could from Bessy. Proud, I showed him the pail of milk, about a tenth of Bessy's capacity. He smiled and congratulated me, then went to relieve Bessy of the remainder of her ample milk supply. He never made me feel like I had failed. Ever!
Being his only daughter, I could get away with a lot more shenanigans than my three brothers. I could drive his prized Cadillac without permission. But the down side was that he never let me go to a school dance unchaperoned - UGH!!!!
In spite of the heavy work load, dad had time for his children - not as much as we would have liked, but if the work was done, we got his attention. He taught us to play chess, checkers, board and card games and, his favorite, cribbage. He was a champion at cribbage and few people were able to beat my dad. He cleared snow off a pond so we could skate. He took us on Sunday summer drives to a distant store for ice cream.
He loved to dance and played the piano beautifully. He enjoyed a peaceful retirement along with our mom and served as division councillor in the Leduc County. He was a friend to everyone to came to our home, doors never locked.
One of the many things I loved about my dad was his kindness to animals. In fact, they came first. All farm animals were looked after first thing in the morning, before he had his breakfast. There was always a dog by his side, faithful to him and only him.
"It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question."
-- Decouvertes
"The man who has no imagination has no wings."
-- Muhammad Ali
Imagination is a tool of the soul. Our imagination gives us the opportunity to 'try on' new qualities and perspectives in our life. Through imagination, we can explore our past, problems, patterns, processes, plans, perceptions, principles, passions and purpose to uncover new possibilities.
Without imagination, we stay stuck in the realm of the material, the past, the superficial and the literal. We remain one-tracked, instinctual and one-dimensional.
Our imagination comes from the soul, subconscious and senses. Only through our imagination can we become multidimensional, experience more love, create more beauty, manifest more results, change our conditions, rewrite the past, and connect with divinity, purpose and others.
"You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'"
-- George Bernard Shaw
"Reason can answer questions, but imagination has to ask them."
-- Ralph Gerard
Feather Says: Never doubt you have an active imagination. Its a powerful tool. Everyone possess imagination but you do need to exercise it to realize its full potential. Planting a garden, writing a story, arranging the furniture in your home, planning a meal all require you to access that mystical part that cannot be measured or graphed. You are a powerful co-creator. Believe it. Everything you see, hear, touch started with someone's imagination.
Dear Friends:This excerpt from Higher Awareness speaks volumes, and to act upon its message is not easy. Becoming self aware sounds simple, on the surface. However, it requires that we be completely honest with ourselves, undress the artificial coverings that serve the ego. In some areas, we need to recognize those parts of our being that we desire to hide or hide from - shame, fear, broken, unworthy, anger; in other areas we need to bless those parts of ourselves that are truly beautiful - creativity, compassion, sharing, humility, love. If we learn to accept ourselves in all its magnificence, Dark and Light aspects, then we can see the magnificence of every other being. Feather
Excerpt from Higher Awareness
Step into self-awareness
"Getting in touch with your true self must be your first priority." -- Tom Hopkins
Here are some different aspects of self-awareness: - Know yourself - Explore who you are: your defences, your blocks, your talents, your aspirations, etc. - Accept yourself - We are at war with ourselves when we resist or deny certain aspects of who we are. Acknowledge the truth of who you are right now - the positives and the negatives. Only when we own our present reality can we change. - Control yourself - Set clear, conscious intentions and discipline yourself to meet them. - Express yourself - Go to your heart to identify what has meaning and purpose for you. Live your truth. Identify ways you can give back to life and be in service.
We work on each of these aspects all the time. But as our lives go through cycles, we predominantly work on one of them more than the others. Which aspect are you more conscious of lately?
"Our lives improve only when we take chances ... and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves." -- Walter Anderson
"Adventure can be an end in itself. Self-discovery is the secret ingredient that fuels daring." -- Grace Lichtenstein
