LIR 52015 weekly - Naihwaz & PerthroR

I have learned a new aspect of Naihwaz this past weekend - that of the sacred fire, the fire created to purify the offerings, to request aid and blessings, to accept the bounty that comes. In my mind, this translates as making the fire, and the objects, sacred. Which leads one to wonder, just what does sacred mean?

I think, I feel, sacredness is connected to that feeling of Nirvana, of accomplishment, of awe and wonder and joy so deep it's difficult to express. And isn't that what we feel when we finally reach home, after a journey? When we finally accomplish our goals? When we finish a great book, or hear an amazing song, or see a beautiful science theory?

We feel the moment is sacred. We may even feel the item or event is sacred. Hopefully we also feel sacred ourselves, for that moment.

What if we could be in that moment all the time? What if we allowed ourselves, our movements, our thoughts, our truths to be constantly awesome, amazing, and sacred?

There is no need for bells or whistles, for jewelry, outfits, or feasts. Just an acknowledgement, a silence, an acceptance of the tools, the moment, the transition. A knowing that it is, they are, we are, sacred. Because, whatever we have and however we have practiced, these moments will never be again. And we have given of our best.

So this week Naihwaz asks, what is sacred within our hands, within ourselves here at the end of this transition? What is celebrated, now that we have arrived on our personal shore? Can we, further, allow the tools and gifts and moments to just be, simple and sacred (in whatever fashion you consider sacred), without trying to make them more, or less, than they are? Can we allow ourselves to be, in every moment, sacred, purely ourselves, no adornment necessary?

PerthroR chimes in with a thought. To really celebrate, feel, allow the awesomeness of this moment, perhaps wait before running out to celebrate with your clan. Allow that moment of silence, of pure personal appreciation. Allow yourself to rest, explore the tools, the shore line, the end of your journey. We have worked on and from our truths for a very long time. This may only be one shoreline, one storm, one situation or emotional discovery on our path, but we deserve to appreciate it for ourselves. Not to dilute it with the party, the celebration.

We deserve to make the moment sacred with the silence and fullness of our regard.

Granted, PerthroR may also be a question, or an answer to a different question. Even without the desire to give each moment its own sacred space in time, this may be a good weekend to just sit back and breath. No big parties, no rush to connect with your clan. Allow yourself and your body (and your tools and your thoughts) time to process, settle back into shape.

As I type this, I realize sometimes we float a long time between the end of the storm and settling into shore. It's not that the distance is long, or even that we're adrift. It's simply that it takes that long to process all that has happened and apply it to the new world we are in.

So, allow yourself the sacredness of the moments it takes to celebrate your scientific discovery, to appreciate all the amazing work you have done, to replay the song or reread the book, to find where you are and what you have. There is no rush to connect with your clan. They will always be there. And it can be easier to find the sacred truths in ourselves, if we each have the space to process all the awesomeness personally, before muddying it with the opinions and perceptions of others.

Who are also uniquely sacred.

To view the video, please click HERE (after 2:30 pm MDT on 5/21/15)

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Before I rush off to do the upload the next thing, I just have to say. The sacred part I will enjoy practicing.

The not partying, gathering, celebrating with my clan? Not so easy. I'll have to think about that one. I mean, yes, not only would it help me process, it would help me catch up on all the things I want to DO with all the insights and tools and...

Let me put it another way. I often think, when I encounter Naihwaz, that it's saying yes, you can make do with these few [insert tool names here]. But all it says is you'll have what you need (and conversly, what you need is what you'll have.) 

Long pause for a perusal of what I have - when it comes to ideas, projects, happy to do's and necessary to do's - I have a lot. Insert expletive of your choice lot. And another party next weekend. It does make sense to settle in, buckle down, physically process some of my to do list. 

but.

But?

"But I really want to see the Avengers on the big screen," she whispers. I wonder if I can tell myself it's self care? Will I believe it? It could even be my truth. 

I hope you have a great week!

-Lila

LIR 41715 No Rune / Ogham Nion (Ash)

Yes, continue to work on the basics. Keep practicing.

Remember, each moment is its own moment. Does each moment represent your full truth? Spiritual, political, emotional, physical?

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You might check out my Meanderings page for my latest rant about moments. The last few days have been challenging.

I refuse to believe that, at the base, we (humans) are simply creatures of pain and chaos, undeserving of any good fortune except through the hands of the Universe. That feels ugly, heavy, and irresponsible.

But I am unable to deny that some days, it is better to just go back to bed. That sometimes the truth of the moment is, "I feel like a bag of shards, and I don't want to play today."

It is so difficult to accept that. We struggle against it automatically, especially those of us who are optimistic.

But we feel what we feel, and denying the pain, or the sulk, or the indifference, is denying ourselves.

So, yesterday I accepted my pity party. I revelled in it. I became a full participant. I actually woke up happy this morning.

But some of the effort is coming back, so today will be a definite day of practicing.

The basics of the truth I am practicing is accepting the times when I'm not full stream ahead. I don't know quite how to meld the acceptance of grumpy into the happiness I prefer, but I do know the acceptance is the first step.

I don't seem to be expressing it properly. 

Um, the truth of this moment is full of a myriad of components - mixing both my desire and my reality, my emotional and my spiritual state, and, most importantly, acknowledging what my physical body can do in this moment. It's not stating defeat. (There is no defeat.). It's not even saying "It shall be this way forever." I used the words give up and give in yesterday, but it's really about accepting the current situation. Feeling every part of it. Breathing it in. Giving attention to all the facets. Then, changing them.

Because I can't affect anything until I acknowledge it exists. I can't fully accept something until I allow it to be what it is, in all it's fullness.

Here's another view: When I go into a new situation, I remove expectation of it and myself. I have no idea what is going to happen. I have no idea what it's going to be like. I will allow it to be. And allow myself to react accordingly, without prejudgement.

Perhaps EVERY DAY is a new situation. 


I hope you have a great day!
-Lila

LIR 22514 - Taiwaz & Perthro

Today's situation is based on past decisions, past actions.  Some choices were yours, but other people's choices affect us too.

So when you're celebrating your current fortune, you might take a moment to celebrate everyone who chooses.

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There was no one specific moment, but I did spend a lot of time contemplating the past, and which moments - well, which stretches of time, seemed the happiest to me.  

I know we can't go back in time; I know that change is part of my life cycle.  i seem to like the challenge of it, especially if the change creates a project, like moving into a new house or starting a new job.

And I know other people make their choices and those choices can affect us.  Like the house we had viewed and viewed again and made an offer on, and never received an answer, diverting us to a different choice.  

But every day is like that - small moments and big ones.  Every day is based off of previous decisions, ours and others.

Shrug.

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LIR 22614 - OthiloR

Today's answers may lie somewhere other than the traditional path.  Look not amongst the skills & gifts handed down from family.  Reach outside your ancestral box.

I hope you have a great day!
-Lila

11613 - Berkano

Today, others may want to nurture you: tough love, shelter, the extra piece of chocolate.  Will you accept?

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This morning, I used this rune reading to remind myself to give a little extra attention when I was actually dealing with real live persons, especially young ones.

This evening, my first thought upon examining my day was "no, sigh.  No one nurtured me today."  Then I realized that was false.  

It's true there were no overt moments of nurturing.  No serious sit down discussions; no unicorn shaped cakes with my name on.  No foot rubs.

What there were, was?, um... 
 ...what I had were small moments.  An offer to cook a little extra to share with me.  A sentence or two spoken from a person's truth.  A shared joke.  Singing together while the trombone played.  Even a picture on Facebook.

No big fireworks, but, like yesterday, little moments that lend strength to personal bonds.  Little nuggets to think on.  Little fireflies in the darkness of communication.

Maybe that is what this next cycle will be about. Witnessing, and celebrating, the little moments.

I hope you have a great day!

-Lila