Parting the Mists

Here’s to a lovely Thursday! Holding love for all other people can seem daunting (and let’s be honest, some folks don’t make it easy), but we sometimes we need to remember that everyone is moving through this life the best they can in that moment. Remembering this can help you not take things personally and to not engage with those just seeking drama. Blessings!

PRAYER FEATHER

MEANING: Love is flowing in to you and through you. No matter what an individual is saying or doing, love him or her anyway. Gather your inner forces; silently and secretly love deeply and fully, with every ounce of your being, even if someone isn’t fulfilling your expectations. It’s easy to love people when they’re acting wonderfully; the true challenge is to love them when they aren’t.

NATIVE SPIRIT WISDOM: Feathers in native cultures often represent a connection with the Creator. Birds often symbolize messengers between the two-leggeds (humans) and Spirit. This is your time to love and be loved. The love that you send out into the world comes back to you a hundredfold. There are times when the small concerns of everyday life need to drop away and be replaced by the majesty of your being – this it that time. Prayer feathers are decorated feathers that can be used for many purposes. In some traditions, prayers are placed into the feather – you can hold it to your heart or between your hands as you focus on your prayer – and then tied onto a bush so when the wind blows, it carries the prayers to the Creator. Another kind of prayer feather is a decorated feather or a decorated bundle of feathers that are used for smudging (sacred smoke) ceremonies. The smoke it to cleanse the space as well as carry your prayers upward.

THE JOURNEY: For a day, love each person you encounter. Imagine a golden ray of light from the center of your heart radiating at the center of the heart of that individual. Notice how great you feel by the end of the day.

Native Spirit Oracle by author Denise Linn and artist Charles McStravick