November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Click Here to see her in Heaven at her home in Missouri.

November's interacting guest writer is

   Deborah

Happy November… Deb!  I am proud to work with you this month and look forward to others contributing and having a great time from your waterfall setting stage and blissful smile and warm hospitality.  I will ask some questions from time to time and help moderate to set the stage.

Thanks for being in the limelight sharing new adventures & stories. Prior to answering questions if there is anything you want to share about what its like living in this heavenly part of the country, we are interested in all you have to say.

We will start the questioning with:   1~ Overall, on a scale of 1-10, how important is the Gaia community in your life?   What  factors contribute to your score?

Anything you want to say before we start we all welcome Deb to our Gaia stage and look forward to a delightful month getting to know you.

~Kathy

Gaia Networking Mod

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Congratulations Deb.

I can honestly say I know a Gaia celebrity, worked alongside her and everything!!!

It is easy to see why you were chosen Deb, you are a very confident, sweet, honest, humble and wise lady, a lady in the best sense of the term.

I'll hop out of the way and give someone else a go.

Lots and lots of cuddles

Your born to cuddle eccentric Aussie mate (and fellow pod mod)

Andrew

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

What an absolutely wonderful choice!!!!!!!!

Congratulations, Deb….
Enjoy, dear one!,
CG

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb, Congratulation on your moment in the spot light.
All that's been mentioned and a piece of cheese on top.
Let me open the door for you.

and let the light shine bright.
~lars

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb, I know  you from so many places on Gaia: our work together on your pod Living Metaphysics and on 50stars; as an Ambassador; and someone on Gaia who looks at the community as a whole.

I enjoy the authenticity of your sharing, when you blur the divide between your offline and online life.

What  l love to read about, in your writing and blogs; is the outdoors that you are so much a part of.  You had once written about counting the frogs [or was it tortoises?] –could you tell us more about this off-line activity?

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

~KES,

It is amazing that when you were writing this, I was hugging the Sycamore Witness Tree at my sacred place, looking down the creek and thinking, “I really do live in heaven on earth here”.  Wow, that's a bit of synchronicity to start my month off right.

I promise to elaborate more but have to run off to prepare dinner, so it will be a few hours most likely.  I will say that this place where the photo was taken was the first place my husband took me to when I came here, we camped out there.  I remember realizing immediately how blessed they were to be stewards of such a place.

In Missouri, these places are called Shut-Ins.  They are waterfalls of a low sort, places where the rocks shut in the water and it tumbles down a ways.  The following is excerpted from ”Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri” by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources:

“As typically used in the Missouri Ozarks, a “shut-in” refers to a gorge cut by a stream whose valley is locally constricted as it cuts through or between resistant igneous knobs. Upstream and downstream from the shut-in the stream commonly has a relatively wide or open valley and, in some cases, the stream seems to be preverse as it elects to cut a canyon through an isolated mass of igneous rock instead of going around it as a sensible stream would.”

“A majority of the Missouri shut-ins are in the St. Francois Mountains area of Washington, St. Francois, Madison and Wayne Counties, with Ironton and Arcadia near the center. Another important area lies east of Eminence.”

I live in Madison County.  Our shut-ins is named Klondike and is not well known.  This is the first place where I went to pray but I later took possession of the place where my husband and I were married, the place where, I was thinking it, as you were writing it.

Until I can come back and say more about where I live, as I think fewer now have access to the kind of wilderness where I live, and so may find that interesting, you could visit my first blog after coming to Zaadz, where I describe the place that I still live today -

http://yhd52754.gaia.com/blog/2007/4/one_room_farmhouse 

More to come I promise …

Deborah
or you can call me Deb
or you can call me Deby
or whatever form suits your fancy 

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

KES -

My Sycamore would appreciate such a fine image of itself.  It is a bit taller in the trunk and more spindly in the leaves but it thinks of itself so … oh yeah, and bent in the trunk from the floods pushing heavy stuff at it when it was young.

My Sycamore is wise beyond its years and a very dear and loving heart.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Congratulations Deb!  And *thank you* for your first installment of sharing your heaven with us.



loving blessings -



Sylvia

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Meenakshi,

Peeking in, while starting the grill for hamburgers, since the warm day feels like picnic weather still.  I can give a quick answer about the Frogs & Toads in my life, by linking this blog I wrote about it -

http://yhd52754.gaia.com/blog/2007/5/harmony_in_the_form_of_frogs_and_toads More about “the wilderness” later tonight…

It is heartening to be so warmly greeted, by so many of my closest friends, so quickly.  I love you all.

Deb

________________________________________________

{mod note–I added her frog:]  ~ Deb's Peace Frog ~

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

You certainly deserve to be spotlighted, Miss Divine Deborah!
It is an Honor and Pleasure to be counted among your friends and I am delighted to Celebrate YOU!

YOU…for ALL that you do, for ALL that you Are…
You are a Cherished part of the Zaadz/Gaia community!

And oh my, oh my…you live in THE Madison County? As in the movie? Ahhhh I knew you were made from the stuff of legends ;-)

Thank You, Deb…your friendship and presence here is a Bright Blessing!

All My Love, Respect and Admiration,

~Ariela

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb—I've only known you for a month or so, but I feel like I've known you much longer. Glad to know you, too, because you're a positive/authentic presence here on Gaia…you contribute so much to the site and to all of us.

Thank you for your friendship—and congratulations re: being the featured member this month. You truly deserve this honor! 

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

very exciting deb and you deserve to be this months featured member. you have always inspired me.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Dear Deb,

Congratulations with being November's Star !

I remember, first glancing upon your profile, the first words I read

Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipper 

I thought immediately YES I like ! and I was sold!
As someone who grew up and lived most of her life  in cities, it somehow resonated strongly with the deep yearning I have always had for being closer to the heartbeat of Mother Earth.

I enjoyed reading the link you just posted on your home and how you live. Great picture too.

I feel really honoured to have you as a friend, as well as appreciate the wonderful  Living Metaphysics Pod  and look very much forward to getting to know you better throughout this month.

hugs,
Lucienne

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Congratulations Deb!  I look forward to learning more about the area you live in and reading your tips on navigating this wonderful community.  I am interested in sustainability, gardening and creating a healthy world for all to enjoy and care for our planet.  Blessings to you, Lee

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Oh my Dear Friend Deb!

I bow deeply to you & celebrate you
Congratulations, Deb…. you have been very special in my life on Z/Gaia! Especially in our (private) Grandmother's Group:)
where we celebrate our lives and support one another..

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Hooray for Deb!  I'm glad to see you getting recognized here!  =)

You've taught me so much already in the short time we've been speaking to each other.  Really helped me get my life back on track, and get back into the groove of things.  :)

Congratulations Deb!  You deserve this!

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

What Lucienne said reminded me wanted to tell you, Deb: I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said Tree Hugging Dirt Worshipper and I got quite disoriented, wondering whether I was home online or in a store parking lot. LOL !!!!!!!!!

Sometime last summer, I think it was, I wondered “Who would I love to see as the Featured Member for November? Who just makes sense for that? [by whimsical criteria]” and the answer inside me was “Deb! Deb! Deb!” I suggested you to the other mods here, who were amenable.

But then Meenakshi decided to run that contest for the November slot, and I thought “Oh well, maybe we'll feature Deb sometime later.” Then, fair and square, you won the contest ! That was thus a synchronicity, not a coincidence, in my experience !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So here I am joyfully adding my little frog voice to the chorus here, saying the same things: What a remarkable person you are, how inspiring, how dedicated, how loving, how wise, how giving, how REAL, how growthful, ……….

We are fortunate to have you in this community, and I am blessed to have you in my life as a true Friend of the Heart – and we are gonna rock and roll this month !!!!

In the Love We All Are,
OM Bastet 

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

OM, dear friend -

You just knew I would love this story, didn't you?  Now Meenakshi and I have great respect for each other.  She could be forgiven, if she questioned whether I would really have the time to devote to this that it needs, but I'll do my best … I can do almost anything for a month - LOL. 

I just love this, that you were thinking it should be me and then, Meenakshi thought, well let's make a contest and the Universe (Source, God, All That Is, whatever) was so determined that it would be me, that it guided me to read Meenakshi's mass mailing, so quickly that it WAS me. 

Now, this may not seem remarkable but I know that timing was very remarkable.  I even noticed it at the time and thought, well, it probably isn't the answer I gave, it's something else, and I'm not trying to be the Featured Member for November anyway.  It's not like I really want that but I am already having tons of fun, seeing so many friends in one place, saying such nice things about me.  A once in a lifetime opportunity to be sure.

Too, too funny.  I love it.  Yep, I'm connected to something bigger than my little life and I know it and It knows I do LOVE it.  Anyway, the Universe has spoken and so, here I am.

Thanks for letting me know it was destiny, OM.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb, I remember realize how thrilled we mods were at all this unfolding. And how happy am that you agreed, inspite of all that you do.

I love the way the outdoors is coming into your thread.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Yes!! It just had to be Deb this month, somehow. I've just read your first blog, Deb; and can see that you started as you continued…not separating Zaadz and later Gaia from  your daily life, but expanding your One Room Farmhouse    to include the many of us who are here.

I can already see a tip forming that I'll later ask you to share!

Re: Featured Member Deb- sharing offline life

Deb, could I request you to add your perspective to the thread Privacy on Gaia? Methinks you would bring a valuable viewpoint to that topic.


We have new members on this pod; and sometimes people ask what is the right thing to do. So your view, as you share quite freely, would help a lot.

[I did warn you that a request for a tip  was coming!]

Re: Featured Member Deb- sharing offline life

Thanks for the Gaia Networking break… I helped Deb on the special request as it covers some important safety tips.  And  now, back to Deb..

Re: Featured Member Deb- sharing offline life

Meenakshi,

I have shared my perspective on the topic within that thread you have linked.

It has come up a bit from time to time since joining Zaadz, now Gaia.  I'm not the strongest on protecting privacy for myself but I do judge the safety of who I interact with from within and trust the guidance I receive from that inner self and do follow it.

Deb

Re: Featured Member Deb- sharing offline life

Don't miss this “hidden” piece of the Deb puzzle in the Privacy thread -

http://pods.gaia.com/z_network/discussions/view/297817#358463

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

What a stroke of luck, I'm a bit of a night owl when it comes to Gaia and tonight I can stay up an hour later and it will be an hour earlier and so, I think that's a fortunate coincidence for the first day of my month as featured member.  But I am a bit tired and so I don't promise to stay up half the night, though I sometimes get a second wind around midnight-1am.

I was touched to be described as a writer, since I have been writing since my early twenties, some children's stories for my daughter and nephew, one of which I did try to get published, and a novel (fiction) which was lost at about 3/4s of the way complete.  It feels good to be acknowledged as a writer, because I really enjoy writing, which is why some of my posts can become rather long, but I don't usually think of myself as a genuine “writer”, I suppose because I am unpublished.

It was a bit surprising to see myself called a ”humanitarian” because I have never thought of, or called myself such, so, I had to look up the definition in an on-line dictionary.  It says “a person promoting human welfare and social reform”, yes, I can see that in myself now.  Already being the featured member has gifted me with a new concept of myself.

I live on over 500 acres of mostly forested land owned by my husband's family.  The Mark Twain National Forest used to be to the south of us but, through political maneuverings over the years, a prominent local family came into possession of that land and, eventually, sold it to a paper company.  About 6 years ago, in a bit of poetic justice, a tornado came through and blew down 80% of the paper company's trees (and took out half the town that handles our mail).  We only lost about 6 trees along that border.  The paper company came in and salvaged the lumber, which was a great opportunity for my husband and then 18 mos old son to hike back there and watch the mechanized “tree chompers” do their thing.  The company replanted it in Pines and they are doing well and growing fast.  The thing about that land, that appeals the most to us, is that it is uninhabited. 

To our west, just past our neighbors along the road, is more empty, open land.  I've hiked to the west only once, it was a day long walk, and it was before there were neighbors there, whose property would have to be crossed through.  The second largest land owner (just over 300 acres) in our valley adjoins us to the north.  They've been here over 200 years.  To the east is the highway and some neighbors, many of whom are at least 2nd generation descendents or have been here even longer than that.  There was no electricity here until the 1950's and the one-room schoolhouse on our property was in use until the 1950's as well.  Much of the stability in our community is due to the rootedness of the people.

We have mountains that wouldn't be called such out west in states like Colorado.  The “mountains” on our property are just under 1,000 feet but can rise 200-300 feet from 700 feet quickly, on very steep slopes.  Taum Sauk is the high point for Missouri and is in the neighboring county.  It is just 1,772 feet high.  Mountains are what we call these because they are a bit tall to really be called hills. 

Two perennial creeks cross our property and confluence on the southeastern edge traveling on to the small river that eventually empties into the Mississippi.  The Mississippi is far enough away that we don't worry about its periodic floods.  Each of our creeks has shut-ins or small waterfalls.  There is an old roadway along the creeks, where pioneer families walked alongside wagons to flour & corn mills on the creek or to the little Walnut Grove white board church downstream, that is no longer used but it still stands. 

So, where we now live was a bit of a community at one time, perhaps with the same name as our shut-ins - Klondike - but the memory of any name is lost in history.  There is a small local family cemetery just up the road and when someone is buried there, that we know the family of, we walk up for the graveside services in our blue jeans.

I hike for about an hour every day I can, which is most days.  Living in such small quarters, home always with business and schooling the kids, it is the source of my sanity and a moment to be alone, I guard it fiercely.  We have trails all over the place and some days we spend a few hours doing maintenance on them to keep them open when needed.  A few years ago, we removed most of the old barbed wire cross-fencing and I can't tell you how much freer it feels not to have it.  I hike in all temperatures and all weather and we do have the full range of seasons, snow and ice in winter, jungle growth and heat/humidity in summer, flowers and floods in spring, or colorful leaves in fall.

There is a lot of wildlife here - coyotes, armadillos, occasionally bears or bobcat but they are rare, deer, possums, raccoons, mink, beaver, foxes, squirrels, all kinds of snakes (copperheads and timber rattlers are common poisonous ones) and small rodents of all kinds of many species from mice to ground hogs.  We have wood ducks and geese during migrations and a Great Blue Heronry on our southeastern border where several nests are in a small group during spring and summer.  I love that all of this life lives here with us and always realize the wildlife lives and belongs here as much as I do.

Being far from town (about a 40 min round trip to the county seat - our county is only 7,000 people, of which 4,000 live there) and being committed to organic, natural foods as much as possible, we combine our doctors and dentists visits in St Louis (2 hrs away) with grocery shopping at Whole Foods and other upscale grocers and tend to stock up with multiples of every item.  This usually means days starting at 7:30-8am and going until midnight or 1am at times.

Our water comes from a well and our trash is hauled in by ourselves to the transfer station and recycling center in our county seat.  Our sewer goes into a septic system.  The road to our home is dirt and so, our cars are usually pretty dirty looking when we go to the city.  We have 3 cats (2 outdoors ones that adopted us 2 yrs ago and love to hike the woods with us) and a 17 yr old indoor cat.  No dogs since we sometimes make 6 week long trips away from home and cats are easier to care for in general when away.

Well, this may be as much as you really want to know (or way more than you wish I had written ;-p) but do ask those “what do you do about?” questions, if they come up in your mind and I'll gladly answer.  So much of what our life is like here - quiet (not many car sounds), peaceful (dark at night with lots of stars) and private - I take so for granted, that I don't give it much mind.  We are environmentalists.  Our property is a wildlife refuge and forest preserve.  We are raising our children to love and know the land as much as we do.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

A very warm welcome, to you Deb, as November's Featured Member.
I can see already that it going to be a great month!

I have known and respected you, around Gaia for a long time
 -but now I really get to know you.
 
I love the way you write and I love what you have to write about.
You are truly blessed to live the life you do and I thankyou
so much for sharing it with us.

Peace and love,

Sandy

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I am glad for both you and the land, that each of you can care for and comfort the other…..Sounds like a wonderful sanctuary.
love and blessings to you and all you hold dear, my friend,
CG

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I can smell the cool clean air as you describe all that, Deb. It strengthens my body and soul.

Been meaning to mention also that one Cosmic Reason I suspect you are in this setting is that your children are probably sensitive to the intense electromagnetic pollution the rest of us don't even notice consciously (but it takes its toll on our bodies and psyches.) You probably live in a small fraction of that particular kind of pollution compared to the rest of us. How marvelous !!!!! 

Blessings,
OM

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

OM,

You remind me of how when I was pregnant with my older son, I hiked every day then, in big baggy bluejean overalls.  I would tell him what a lucky kid he was to have all this as his backyard.  I started walking him as an infant, alongside the creek at 3 mos, to get him to nap.  Later, I took him for about 2 years in a backpack carrier on my daily hikes, so he could nap in the quietness.  I did that with the younger boy too, but he was born weighing a lb+ more than the first and both were big babies (8lb2oz & 9lb8oz on my 5'0” frame).  So, I had to quit earlier with the younger boy. 

We never used strollers but always carried them on us.  My older boy taught me that I could compose songs and sing acapella - I had no idea before then.  I made up songs about the natural world around us.  Interestingly, after a very young age, the younger boy NEVER wanted me to sing (I think it reminded him too much of the lullabyes I would sing, while I walked him to sleep).

My favorite song was about the flowers (sung roughly to the tune of Edelweis from the Sound of Music) -

Daffodils, daffodils, yellow flowers that bloom in the chill
February's cold, March winds, April rain, Daffodils
Gone again, back next year, full of cheer, Daffodils.

Quince, since, Daffodils, Pink flowers bloom hence
When they go, next we see, Violets, Phlox and Iris 3

April showers bring May flowers, a heavenly scent fills the air
Pale or bright, Pink Delight, Azaleas cover our bowers

Each year, I hope you see, they still bloom for thee
When I'm gone, perhaps you'll sing, this song of mine
Each spring and summertime

Daffodils, Quince, Azaleas

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Wonderful to join this celebration of Deb!
much love

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Congratulations Deb!
Love mia xx

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Yeah!  This is gonna be a great learning, sharing, growing month.
Congrats, Deb
Blessings, David

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Hi HummingBird, mia, HeyOK, OM, C.G. & Sandy ~  

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

KES -

I think we've seen gas down to $2.09/gal.  The high we saw was almost $4.

This is a poor community and a retirement community and so, the cost of living is much lower than other places but the availability of goods (Walmart is the best provider, which tells you something, not that I'm Walmart bashing because without them … ) and services is very limited and so, we drive 2 hrs one way for medical/dental and groceries, other things worth buying and to give the kids experiences like the zoo and science center, children's museums.

I am glad the city is both close enough and far enough away.  Those who are country folk would understand.  I am a very plain and natural person on the outside but extraordinary on the inside, as should be the case if one is authentic.  ;-p  LOL

I want to have fun, so keep bringing it on ! ! !

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Dear Deb,


The “10” doesn't really surprise me as I have come to experience your wise and loving Presence in many places here on Gaia.

The fact that you balance your presence here on Gaia with being the wife, mother, businesspartner and many other things that you are to people in your community,  deserves great respect. I often wonder how does one do all that ? But apparently it can be done and you are such a great example.

You said:  but I think there was a very deep yearning in me to share the spiritual side of myself with others, who are able to appreciate and resonate with such insights.     
                                               
The spiritual side of you has been an interest for a long time as you write. I wonder HOW did you share and express this before Gaia, if it wasn't something you could discuss with your husband.
Have there been people in your environment you could actually share some of this with?  And if not, how was this for you, how could you find a way to translate and imbed all this in your everyday life.

I've just been trying to imagine living in your environment, being such a rich spiritual person as you are and not being able to share in those terms, must not always have been easy.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Alluvja / Lucienne,

You asked -

>>>”I wonder HOW did you share and express this before Gaia, if it wasn't something you could discuss with your husband.”<<<

Good question.  No, I really had no one to share it with. 

My grown daughter has been aware but she spent very little time around me, as her father raised her along with a step-mother and a half and step sister and they were always far away geographically.  Yet, it was my daughter who told me about The Secret and said, “this is the stuff you have always lived”. 

I remember teaching her the Law of Attraction or Law of Cause and Effect as it is called in Science of Mind, as a child - when she thought she would get into trouble from her “parents” for attending a rock concert with me, that was totally harmless and that we both enjoyed alot.  We “visualized” the welcoming she would get when she got home and it eased her fears and it was as we practiced - all was well.

Mostly, it was a solitary practice for about 18 years after I married and came to live here (I did have access to like-minded people at the Science of Mind church I attended in St Louis, when I was single and living there alone) and I got a bit complacent about my practice, as there was no one to share it with, but it was there and it took on the natural elements around me for temple and environment.  I became a bit more Pagan.

Since coming to Zaadz, now Gaia, it has definitely taken on a bigger role in my life again, and some say I have blossomed, and I certainly can attest that it has felt that way.  The biggest decision I made was inspired, it was to start the Living Metaphysics pod as Helen and Denise/Flowerchild (moderators there along with Meenakshi and Gail/Spirit in Action) know I gave that much thought beforehand.  Yet, when it came to me, the name and basic format came to me all at once in my head and I knew it was the right decision to go forward.

To your other question >>>”if not, how was this for you, how could you find a way to translate and imbed all this in your everyday life.”<<<.  Spirit was always there as my companion and so, I never felt alone, it was just solitary in practice.  I used it, whenever the need was there - someone was sick, there were money issues, I wanted to have a child, relationship problems, etc.  There is always a reason to practice ;-}.  Life just keeps unfolding.

Sometimes, I felt a bit alone, that is true, in the sense of human spiritual contact - no longer, thanks to Gaia.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

In my meditation hour, it came to me that I best give some background and context to a little remark that I made in response to Alluvja / Lucienne's questions.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Oh Deb ! You really got me smiling here:

“I became a bit more Pagan.”

I don't want anyone jumping to the conclusion that I worship the devil and perform bizarre rituals because nothing could be further from the truth, as those who know me best here would probably believe.
                                           
                                                         

I can't speak for others of course but i'm pretty sure no one here envisioned you doing a bit of devil worshipping under your tree.
I appreciate your explanation but can't stop giggling at this one. You know it never really occurred in my mind but now I have this  funny image …..(Lol) !
But you know Deb, it's All Good, You Know if  God is All Love Everywhere Present He's gotta love the devil at least a little bit….(LOL). 
Oh I don't mean to make fun of what you said because I realize you're earnestly trying to explain something and I totally respect that, but…… you got me laughing here girl!
LUV YOU. HUGS !




                                                 

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Alluvja,

I'm glad you're smiling and I was a bit tongue in cheek with that  paragraph but it occurred to me that some would not know what a Pagan really is, it's been so skewed over time, that it was best to out it before it could take root in someone.

Actually, the tiny bit of God I am able to comprehend does like that little devil the trickster.  Without bad, why would we seek good?  And how many times does the bad set us on a new path that is good?  And does the devil really exist?  I'm not sure I want to challenge him to prove himself to me.  Call me superstitious.

The closest thing I do recognize is what Eckhart Tolle calls the Pain Body.  It is an energy form that feeds on negative energy.  It can take over a rational human in a moment of irrationality and provoke suffering, pain and worse.  Tolle describes it as ancient and that is my sense of it.  We can deny the pain body any hold in us and it may still try to provoke through vulnerable others.

Think about what a really angry or irrational person looks like.  I've seen this entity like an overlay over the genuine human being.  The appearance of the face and eyes change.  One can choose not to see it, to ignore it or best of all seek the love and peace inside the afflicted person, extend compassion and forgiveness.

I was once in a situation where I was attacked by a large woman, she had hold of my hair.  She was 3 times bigger and very mean at that moment.  There was a handgun within reach, the thought passed through my mind in a moment of fear but I immediately rejected it as “no solution”.  She let go at that precise moment and the chickens outside the window in a coop began fighting.  I doubt I'll ever forget that experience.  Did an entity leave the room?, did it seek an outlet in other living beings?, was the timing simply a coincidence?  I can't answer, I simply know how it felt and impacted me at the time.

But thanks for smiling and for the cute litte icon of angel and devil playing see-saw.  To be human can be like the little one down below seeking the balance point of wholeness, stillness.  I am smiling too.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Thanks for the sharing of your ideas about this.

That is an interesting story about the woman and then the chickens. I'll guess noone will know what really happens.

But it got me thinking about what you said of how you relate it to Tolle's pain body. I always interpreted that as being something subjective within my own range of emotions and experiences and not as an entity by itself.
Now I know we're All One at some level so everything is out there as well but somehow I never looked at Tolle's pain body that way.
I understand all of us can tune in at any level so also into negative energy but to say it would actually be possible that would jump into chickens,  it preassumes a life of its own and I'm not sure if i believe in that.
Another thing could be that the chickens simply felt the energy.

Food for thinking.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Alluvja,
 

I delight to see a comment come in from you.  I love the way your mind works.  You prod me to review and search within myself, to clarify and understand more deeply, particular points.  Truly, I remain a student, always.  I am not an expert in anything, and especially in the subjects I will touch upon in response to your thoughtful comments.

I know only what I have pondered and experienced.  Ever I do try to bring up into my consciousness that self, often referred to as higher, which I interpret to mean of an order beyond the current time/space physical experience, what could be called an expanded sense of self or awareness or consciousness.  I know that in considering and contemplating Eckhart Tolle's concepts I feel an understanding and a resonance.  Language is so inadequate at times to try and describe something that is beyond the scope of language but we must try.

The experience with the woman and the chickens happened when I was too young to have much spiritual awareness, though I had a sense of a spiritual self in my early teens, a connection to God within.  I was in my early 20s.  The woman came into my room, I was sitting on the floor.  She was angry, I knew not why at the time nor do I know why now in hindsight.  She grabbed my hair and pulled upward so severely that it nearly lifted me off the floor.  The insight came all as a complete picture, the gun, the fear, the wish for the experience to end, the realization that the gun would not end it no matter what resulted and so, I chose complete non-reaction, I just sat there unmoving, not speaking.  Then, she let go and immediately I sensed the negative energy leave that space and then, immediately the ruckus in the chicken coop.

Can I know what happened or how or why?  No, I can not.  I know how it felt and your explanation is as good as any.  Yet, chickens are living beings, who am I to say what their consciousness consists of?, whether they have a pain body or not.  I know that energy is never contained and does move and diffuse.  Now, with some study and contemplation, I can see that the woman had a pain body, and it tried to trigger mine, to inflict suffering on us both. 

Tolle describes the Pain-Body in his book A New Earth as “semi-autonomous” (meaning partially self-governing, having the powers of self-government within a larger structure).  He definitely describes it as individual but also collective, as in the female, racial or national pain body.  In the Oprah on-line class he says “when I say that the pain-body can be considered almost an entity in its own right that lives in you, some people find that's a little spooky, but all that I'm trying to say here is that it's an energy form. Entity is another word for it.  So an energy form lives in you that you may not be aware of all the time because some of the time it is dormant, and it's only active for a certain percentage of the time.”

Eckhart describes the pain-body as needing to feed on negative energy and the frequency of those feedings depends upon individual factors not completely understood.  It can not have a life of its own, you are correct.  For it always needs a self or a living being to express physically the emotional energy of which it is composed.  Yet, many people act not like their “normal” selves under its influence.  They are “possessed” by it for as long as it remains active.

In trying to understand the pain-body, I think of the phenomena of channeling.  I have observed more than one person who channels on video tape.  It is as though the normal consciousness gets out of the way and allows a non-physical entity to take over the vehicle of the body.  The normal consciousness usually remains aware, is what my understanding is.  Often the voice and language are different than what one might expect usually from the person, the entity can control facial expressions and the mouth and vocal chords and make gestures.

I can not explain with any certainty why this is able to occur, either.  But I have personally seen a change in the energy body, of people physically present in my environment, when the pain-body arises and their facial features become contorted and their actions nearly unstoppable, somewhat beyond their personal ability to control.  How to explain?  Tolle comes as close as I can and there is no doubt, man's inhumanity to man stretches back to the beginnings of our collective awareness as humans and therefore, this energy form, this entity is ancient in its cumulative expression.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.  In no way do I seek to change them in any degree, for each individual contributes to the wholeness that is perfect.  I only seek to respond with what came up for me personally as I meditated on your comments.  I do not believe that most of us “seek to tune into” negative energy but it has its way with us however often.  Given a choice, we would not chose it, so what does happen there?  For me, there are always more questions, than absolute answers.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Dear Deb,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and elaborate answer.

I have witnessed negative energy just zooming out of somebody but then it just seemed to dissolve.
Anyway it's all powerful and interesting stuff.

Thank you for the video, I have a copple of Tolle's books,  as well as attented a lecture of him some years ago. I didn't  finish A New Earth yet, eventhough I've had it for quite a while, but I will pick it up again ( oh I still have so many books calling at me read me, finish reading me , ah it's all Gaia's fault , LOL!)

Well I'll be looking forward to the rest of Kathy's questions and your answers.
Hugs.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deborah,

It is so exciting to see you as the featured member for the month of November.  You mean so much to so many of us….it's wonderful that you can share all your wisdom and thoughtfulness with us on the Gaia Networking pod.

One of my first impressions when reading and meeting you was the deep and thoughtful way you look at many angles and perspectives before adding your own awareness to the mix.

It is such a treasure to know you and see you shine in the spotlight.
Love,  Kathy 

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Congrats to one of my friends.  :)   Enjoy the moment, and all the wonderful feelings being sent to you by people who care.   Just as you do.

Have the best day today and much joy,
Di

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Congratulations Deb!  A well deserved recognition, during the month when the harvest is officially over, and the land begins to prepare itself for a long, well deserved winter's rest.

Best…

Dave

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Dear Bubbles:

WOW, this is wonderful!

Why do I call you Bubbles, everyone want to know? I remember when we were first friends and your picture was surrounded by bubbles in the air! This seemed to epitomize your energies!

Bubbles! Your bubbly nature. Your enthusiasm and your verve for life…being a mom to two little guys! Wow…I am having a hard time with a puppy!

You have always been there for this community with your inspiring posts to the metaphysics pod each week, your commitment to assisting others and in your spare time…(LOL) checking blogs and occasionally writing some!

I think of the work you have done here, and applaud the love you have shared with us all.

there is no one quite like you Deb.

Congrats on this honor, of which I know you humbly appreciate. 

With much love and many hugs and lotsa Bubbles!

Aley

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Aley,

So, now that you've shared our little secret :-o, when you call me Bubbles on my grapevine, it will make a bit more sense.  Isn't this just the most wonderful thing for clearing up all those old misconceptions? or “I would have asked, but didn't want to seem impolite” thoughts.

Oh, so many of you have come, to wish me well going into this month, when I will be here so much of the time, and I dearly, dearly appreciate it and though I'd love to thank you each individually, just know - please - that I do cherish that you took the time to stop by, and the I AM reading every one of them ! ! !

Hugs-
Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Having fun with Enlightened Thinker…  The bubbles… :-) Kes

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb,
Congratulations on being this months bright and shinning star… and how beautiful you are…  This is so right and you so deserve it… I am so happy for you.. You do such wonderful things for so many people. May you always be blessed with Peace, happiness and joy in your life.  Much Love to you, LittleDove

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb, Congratulations! Sorry I've been so preoccupied this week with computer viruses or I would have dropped by earlier.

Lots of love and big hugs,

Nicole

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I forgot to mention before, but was reminded on my hike today, of something else I like about living where I do - eating right off the land.  In the spring, we have Morel mushrooms, Black Raspberries, Blackberries, Wild Blueberries, Wild Cherries and Wild Grapes, in the fall we have Autumn Olives (little tart sweet red berries), Pawpaws (a tropical fruit somewhat like a cross between a Papaya and a Banana), other mushrooms, Coral, Chantrelle and Hen O The Woods, Rose Hips and Persimmons.  We also have a profusion of Black Walnuts, Hickory Nuts and Butternuts.

I was eating Rose Hips and Persimmons today.  I love that the food is so natural and close to life itself.  It is like the Garden of Eden here in that regard.

It gives a sense of security to know there are Wild Turkey, Deer, Fish, etc that could be eaten but we don't do that at this time.  It is just good to know that would be there, if needed.  For the time being, we prefer our animal neighbors to be alive and sharing our life experiences with us.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb,

I want to thank you for inspiring me so much , and I am so happy for you.
You are truly one amazing friend , and I love you big time!
Love, and light ,

Lori

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Hi Deb!

I am having such a grand time reading thru your blogs about frogs, living off the land, and spirituality! It almost…. almost… makes me wish I lived back on our 20 acres of bird estuary where I grew up without a television or city water!

I have morphed into a city girl with country girl roots… I know precisely how valuable a roll of Duct Tape can be, and am glad to know, in the city, I rarely have to use it… (my current roll is hot pink! ~grin~)

You are living a unique life in these United States where most of the population is concentrated in the urban areas and most people have no idea what their food looked like before it became Frozen Mixed Vegetables! I'm amazed that NONE of my friends know how to sew!

What?! Not even how to sew on a button? Nope. It's good to know there are people like you living close to the land. You're preserving not only the information but the 'feeling' the 'sense' of being at one with our planet and you're passing it on to the next generation!

I'm glad to see you on the stage this month with your unique perspectives, clear and engaging writing style, and most of all your smile!

amber

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

congrats, Deb!!  I am eager to learn more about you through this process; what fun!!

Blessings Dear Friend!!
~K

___________________________________________________

[moderator] -  Lori, Amber, Kelly & Lee ~ Your comments mean so much to the making of this community.  Thanks so much for adding to the fun in making this a great month for all who read and contribute.  

And  Kelly,  thanks for showing all your new profile.  We wish you success with your new venture.  ~Kathy

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I have enjoyed reading this thread.  Deb, you do live in God's Country with the waterfalls, hills and acres of natural land.  This link goes to my front yard in Eagle Rock showing the view from my neighbor's balcony.
Then my back yard has even more organic fruits and vegetables and we just had a Yam Fest where I invited about 200 people to dig out yams and roast them along with the other vegetables of this season.  It was a hit.

When you mentioned:   of something else I like about living where I do - eating right off the land.  In the spring, we have Morel mushrooms, Black Raspberries, Blackberries, Wild Blueberries, Wild Cherries and Wild Grapes, in the fall we have Autumn Olives (little tart sweet red berries), Pawpaws (a tropical fruit somewhat like a cross between a Papaya and a Banana), other mushrooms, Coral, Chantrelle and Hen O The Woods, Rose Hips and Persimmons.  We also have a profusion of Black Walnuts, Hickory Nuts and Butternuts.

I was eating Rose Hips and Persimmons today.  I love that the food is so natural and close to life itself.  It is like the Garden of Eden here in that regard.

It gives a sense of security to know there are Wild Turkey, Deer, Fish, etc that could be eaten but we don't do that at this time.  It is just good to know that would be there, if needed.  For the time being, we prefer our animal neighbors to be alive and sharing our life experiences with us.

Can you post pictures of some of these wonderful tasty things for us to see that part of the country?  I bet the soil is great for starting a garden too but it sounds like the wholeness of the foods is more how nature inteneded for us to have.  I like the idea that you can take your family on a picnic at your waterfall and be at one with them and nature. Thanks for sharing your adventures in Missouri.  It such a pleasure to read how you survive and with the internet can help bring these experiences on all levels including the spirituality aspect.  You are a good writer and as one of your audience, I feel you have brought us into your world.  I just had the pleasure of sending my gardening dvd's to a platoon in Iraq and go letters back from them that they are going to be building Victory Gardens upon their return.

Anyway, thanks for sharing about the food and the wonderful ways you are helping with the environment. 

May you and your family be continually blessed.
Lee

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

KES,

Yes, they classify Autumn Olives as an invasive now but it was “they” (USDA, Extension, Soil & Water Conservation) that encouraged farmers all over our area to plant them.  Now, they want them gone.  They spread all over but they are not really that bad of a plant.  Bees love the flowers, birds and squirrels eat the berries in fall and people in my family eat them too.  They are high in Vitamin C and Lycopene.  You can make wine or jelly from them but we eat them “fresh” right off the bush.

It is a Garden of Eden here, no?

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Nice edition, Kathy!
I like the visuals along with Deb's introduction to the land and all its inhabitants. This is is more like taking a walk with you, Deb….being introduced to all–the ones you visit with when you take those walks every day.

love and continued blessings, dear one,
CG

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Lee,

Thank you for the work you do spreading the word about organics, and for showing how one can be “at one” with the land, no matter where they live.

KES has granted your wish and put together a beautiful presentation of the available wild foods we enjoy for our health and nutrition where I live. 

I am hopelessly challenged to post photos in pods.  I've never been able to get it to work, I don't know if it's my browser or just a lack of skill to overcome the limitations or both. 

Thankfully, I have the “perfect” partner in KES because she is able to do this for me (and she's much more visually creative than I am too, what an unexpected blessing to have her personal assistance for my month here ! ! !) 

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Thanks for the tour of these natural fruits and nuts
in Missouri Deb and Kath! 
Its nice to be reminded of the treasure of earth
and wonderful to read about things form the wilderness. 
You are a true steward of the land and are helping 
future generations as well. 
What a wonderful example you have set.

The old time farmers
considered themselves–
stewards of the land
knowing that the soil’s been here
long before the farmer,
and it’s going to be here long
after we’re gone. 

As the soil passes from
generation to generation,
it’s all of our duties
to preserve it for the next generation.

So I think it’s important to keep all of these
modern miracle chemicals completely away from
our soil.  We don’t want to damage it. 
We want to keep improving it.

It’s been said that there was four feet of
top soil when Europeans first came to this
continent.  And because of our mis-use and
greed of trying to get everything out of
the ground that we could, because of our
poor farming habits in the past, erosion,
destruction by chemicals and pesticides,
it’s believed today that our average top
soil in this country is one foot.  So we’ve
already wasted three-quarter’s of our top soil.

I think its the duty of all of us to try to
build back what we’ve destroyed.
May you have abundance always,
Lee

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Lee,

You make a good point about stewardship and chemicals.  We signed up for a program 6 years ago with the USDA to protect the riparian buffer (that is the land that adjoins a watershed creek) from soil erosion by planting trees. 

We enrolled 40 acres on the combined farms (we had to get a 15 yr lease from my in-laws for their portion, because the government didn't expect them to live until the end, and my FIL did die last Nov 4th and my MIL is almost 87 yrs now).  We planted 18,000 trees of 15 different species (we were only required to plant 3 species and we planted them twice the density required).

The species of trees included Black Walnut, Pecan, Sycamore, Green Ash, No Red Oak, White Oak, Tulip Poplar, Sweet Gum, Bald Cypress, River Birch, Black Cherry, Black Oak, Shumard Oak, Ward Willow and Mixed Hickory.  For 2 years after that, my husband walked the rows and hand planted replacements - we added Cedar, Pine, Dogwood and Redbud to the diversity.

The government wanted us to kill off all the Fescue Grass from previous pasture improvement with herbicides before planting.  We refused.  They allowed us to mow between the rows, for 2 successive years, to give the trees a start.  I'm not sure that mattered to their growth really but it did make walking the rows easier.  ;-}

The trees are getting big enough to be noticed.  We call our venture a Forest Preserve.  We only have a minimal amount in pasture now.  It grows “wild”, except that we allow a local farmer to cut the pastures for feed once a summer.  It is always nice to be able to walk through the pasture afterwards because it is a jungle out here in summer.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb,
  Hearing what you are sharing, I am so glad that land has you and your husband to care for it, and your family has that land to care for you. To seldom is it a mutually beneficial relationship (usually with the non-humans getting shorted). It gives me joy to hear about what your family is doing to care for your part of the earth—and the benefits that you receive (physical and spiritual) from the land in return.

love and blessings, dear one,
CG

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I've done some things over the past 25 years for NN: Chilocco switching to Arrowhead, NN Mediterraneo, et al.  Anything I do for those guys is my pleasure.  Anything at all that I might help you with answering any questions in your area, just e mail me.  You are a fountain of wisdom on anything to do with nature as well.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Lee caught me quite off guard when I discovered that he had acknowledged our care for the land and this pod and thread in his personal blog today here -
I'm humbly … honored.  Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Hey Deb,

You give so much goodness to Gaia. Congratulations on your feature here. I loved the photos and learning about your home :)

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

We are blessed, as is often the beauty of the October and November seasonal blessings that make up Fall, for the synchronicity.

Reading your responses has been both infomative and inspirational.  Thank you for taking the time to respond to the questions so thoughtfully. 

This is sure to be an interesting month on this pod!

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

kudos deb…i am not surprised to find a very long list of entries with well wishes and your continuous sharing of enlightenment - in all ways:) what is left for me to say?…hum…time to lean on the poet in me:) so here's something for you…may you feel what is meant…and know how much i appreciate you.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Jessica, Jeepdog & Aki,

Thank you for the beautiful expressions which has much meaning for me.  I appreciate you for taking the time to share it with me. And Aki, I appreciate the poem & amazing pattern it creates for my eye.

Deb

Thank Yous from Nov Featured Member Deborah

Forgive me friends for a mass acknowledgment of your coming here, just to let me know you are aware I am. 

It touches my heart so, and there are too few hours in the day to give you each the personal expression my heart yearns to.

So know, whether I write a comment or not, that it means ever so much to me.  I read each and every one of your comments and picture you in my mind's eye.

Each goes deeply into my heart and my spirit is filled with the positive energy you send, so that I feel boosted in spirit, almost into a new trajectory, in my life as a result.

Of course, truth is, who can ever say the net effect of such blessings?, but effect - I do believe and feel - it has.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

“…net effect of such blessings….”

Maybe there is a love-joy-peace-compassion Body too, and it radiates!!!!!!!  So you ain't the only recipient of the energy we are feeding it with here !!!

LOL !!

OM

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Hehehehehe.  :D  Reading about all the yummy-sounding natural foods and especially the paw paw… I'm reminded of

this song from my childhood:

Also, reading what was said about straight-picked fruits and veggies compared to ones we get from the market makes me really jealous Deb.  D:  My mother and I actually had a miniture garden at one time when I was younger, where we grew tomatoes, but the memory of their taste doesn't remain in my memory.

After reading all this, I'd like to say you've inspired me to try starting an organic veggie garden of my own…  Like you and I spoke about before…  Mother Earth knows her chemicals and life.  I don't think we humans truly know exactly what we're doing when we mess around with them…

Just curious, but how much time a day does it take to tend these crops, or do they grow natural without much tending?

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Oh, Kyle - I highly endorse your video.  I can't believe they threw Paw-paws in there and Prickly Pears ! ! !, well I grew up in El Paso TX, land of the Prickly Pears and was quite surprised to find them here in Missouri, though much used for Jellies and as veggies in the dessert, I have not used ours for food.

I am reminded by that video of how I told you to “intend” that what you need will come to you and it will as described, at the least the bare necessities, as in that song.

We grow the tiniest garden, no time for more.  Yet, I think I will put you in touch with Lee to guide you on that.  Still, last Sunday, my son discovered the most perfect, beautiful tasty Acorn Squash had grown from a seed tossed into our very low-tech compost pile.  We call such plants volunteers, for they are not planted, but simply grow where they can. 

You will find that the food you grow does taste better.  I find organics are tastier than conventionally grown and don't think it is just my imagination.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Hi Kyle,
You asked about the time it takes to grow your own.  At risk of scaring you out of your gardening ideas, let me expand a bit on the time and benefits.  First, if you start with a problem area, you have to know it's going to be a lot of work.  If you do raised beds, or boxed beds, as I've always used, I think the work is much easier over both the short and long term.  If you build raised beds, you'll need to fill them with really good topsoil and all the organic matter you can get: clean lawn trimmings, dead leaves, alfalfa hay, organic compost, etc.  Basically, any organic you can get that you believe wasn't exposed to chemicals of any kind.  If you visit my web-site, you can read what I wrote under soil preparation.  I'm constantly trying to improve my soil and re-create it with every planting.

Once the beds are full, planting itself takes very little time.  Since I don't have to have conventional rows, my spacing between plants is much less.  For instance, if the package says to plant broccoli 6” apart, with 30 inches between the rows, I'll plant them 1 foot apart, with no row at all.  I don't have to walk between the rows, which would compact the soil and make it less fertile.  I'll then put 2-4 inches of alfalfa hay, dead leaves, or straw all around the plants, and I have no weeding to do at all. 

With that done, there's nothing much to do except water and watch for destructive pests that might get out of control.  When those crops come out 2-4 months later, I have to chop up the leftover plant and put it in the compost bin, turn the soil over and re-plant.
The time spent actually working, on a year round basis, is in the neighborhood of 40-50 hours in total, or about an hour per week.  It's two or three or four months of doing almost nothing in any given bed, followed by a few hours of work in cleaning up after the final harvest, getting the soil ready to replant, and planting–and then water, watch and wait for another amazing harvest.

Let me know if I can help you any further, and best of luck to you!  I will always answer your questions on my website too.

Lee O'Hara
www.organichomegardener.com
______________________________________________________

Deborah,

Thank you very much for your story and your comments!
I was born in Kirksville, and lived a few of my childhood years around Columbia and Moberly.  It was really nice to hear of your adventures with your land in my home state.

My film was directed toward the city dweller, but of course my main focus was to increase awareness and show the ease and simplicity of producing real food.  You've done a great job there, and I applaud your standing up for doing the right thing!

Best Regards,
Lee O'Hara

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb…..your sharing here is making realize how much I need to get back up the mountain. When we talked during the time last year, I recognized the state of one regularly in communion with the Source (eg through nature). I recognized what I feel after my long walks on the mountain.
  Thank you for your regular visits into your land–for the land, and for what you bring back to share.
love and blessings,
CG

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

       …new question on Gaia Networking

Deb's Close Up of her prized Azalia

[2]~Deb! What do you most dislike about Gaia/wish would         change.  How are you helping to change that?  ~{mod}

I can't say I dislike anything.  I pretty much accept the reality of how things are, at least of how I know them to be, always knowing that I really don't know much. 

I wish it didn't take so much of my physical time but since I control that, it just is the way it is.  I guess I wish I could do more - faster.  That things would load faster.  That there would never be a big chunk of work lost. 

Now, I know all about saving first before hitting the send button but there is some odd sequence of keystrokes that I occasionally hit, which are sort of like sending me back to a main screen, say the pod home or my inbox list.  There is no “Un-do” button that can recover that work but I'm not technical enough to know if that could be added to functionality.

Nothing bothers me more than to do some work, which on the surface seems to have been a wasted effort by vanishing into thin air, but I try to be philosophical about it.  Maybe there was a glaring unintended remark that would have done some kind of damage that I didn't intend doing.  Maybe the next attempt, if I persevere and do it again, maybe it will be better.  So, that is the only thing I really dislike in this NOW moment.

I have actively worked to change something that I didn't like in the past though.  I fought long and hard against the “rating” system that came with the Gaia acquisition of Zaadz.  I felt it would hinder interactions that might be beneficial in the community.  I like the idea of people simply ending up where Spirit guides them to go.  I don't like the idea of an organization telling me who to like or who is a “quality” person because they can't determine for me, with the skill that Spirit can, what I need to learn or know.

I participate in the Seed program but it has seemed pretty much a waste of time to me and ineffectual since day one.  The more I learned the more it seemed that way to me.  But I do it because it is a community thing, it is time consuming and I could spend that time doing other more effective things.  Yet, I always give a new member or new friend the maximum of 3 seeds the first time we come in contact.  If I continue to have worthwhile interactions with them, I give them the other 2 I am allowed to give.  I always give a blog I comment on a seed.  My seed bank continues to grow and I can never give them away to any significant degree because commenting on a blog just gives them back to me.  I do the seeding because it is a community thing and a minor nuisance that doesn't really bother me all that much.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

KES -
Thanks for linking my Seed blog and for putting in here the Wild Azalea photo.  These bloom in profusion on our land.  You can smell them in the air before you see them.  Some are pale Pink like the photo and some deep or bright Pink.  They bloom around Mother's Day and near my birthday (May 27th), which falls close to the Memorial Day holiday each year and so, they are special to me, my personal flower.

When Zaadz was transitioning to Gaia, I also had a big problem with the “rating” system that attempted to place certain members above others and wrote many comments on Team blogs regarding my opposition to it.  It was eventually, thankfully, rescinded as un-workable. 

I wrote a blog Zaadz as Intentional Community and the Role of Elders that was eventually rated “hot” within my own list of blogs, about our transition from Zaadz to Gaia.  Here is the link which explains my thinking around that time with the ensuing dialog -

The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight~ BLOG

by Tomm Hartmann

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I've spent most of my “free” time this morning, and some this afternoon, reviewing the comments that went with this Zaadz as Intentional Community blog.  It is an amazing collection of Gaians that assembled at that time and reflects why this community is so exceptional, it is what we think it is, that makes it what it is.

Quite fun to see how little has changed in a year and how fears are usually proven to be exaggerated.  The Seeds stayed and I still distribute them but the “rating” system fell pretty quickly.  As I had believed, one can not reduce the value or qualities of a human being through a computer generated “score”.

I had not gotten all the way through the blog when I first posted this (actually I'm still not through it all, it goes on and on and on like the Energizer Bunny), and I will warn you (unless this kind of thing is fascinating to you) that towards the end, it gets a bit off topic into discussions of evolution, apes and Native Americans, pretty wild but that's how it goes at times around here.  I had totally forgotten it had diverged that way.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb,

Methinks 'tis the nature of humanity to express fears loudly, and to act on them lightly.

Too bad we all didn't have a greater discipline to increase the efficiency of our energies by aligning our thoughts, expressions and actions along the path of love.

D.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

It is just past 7:30 a.m. and already I have been given this year's flu shot at a clinic not far from the voting place, where my MIL and I went next.  So, all the civic duties are attended to and normally, I would just be waking up.  One of the beauties of working at home is that we go to bed whenever we are ready, which is usually very late in our household, and we rise when we feel like it.  I am much too fond of the quiet of the late night (when others are asleep) and equally of the early morning.  We live with natural rhythms and not alarm clocks (unless you want to count my old cat who always tries to wake me for breakfast before I am ready).  We live much by the cycles of the sun and seasons.

Without attempting to sway anyone's vote, I thought I would share a bit of my mental and spiritual political processes this election cycle and a funny story in realation to that and about life here where I live.  My husband originally went out for Hilliary.  I had no compliant against her but understood her negatives and the resistance she would face and therefore, thought that she would be unelectable but we did donate funds and tried to have a fund-raiser for her early on.  Here is a bit about Political Courage that I wrote at the time (May 2007) in the private Grandmother's Circle pod and what happened in that effort.

I was amazed by the synchroncity.  I didn't get to listen to much of the segment on Hillary as I arrived home 5 minutes. into the broadcast.  Never to worry, Newsweek is featuring Hillary in this week's issue.

Well, the ad came out on Wed. and so yesterday I mentally realized certain vulnerabilities due to the intense emotional reaction people have to the Clintons in general, and began metaphysically to try to counter the ones that popped into my mind - only the “right” people will notice the ad, only the “right” people will show up for the party.  Guess it's going to take courage to get through the next week news (the party is Jun 24th, $100 per person donation for Missouri Norton Wine, Organic Wild Caught Salmon, etc. etc.)  

Now, I'm glad for my recent experiences in the combative “macho” pod (Deb's new note about this reference - this was the rough & tumble Improving Us or Enlightened Baztards pod that some know about, which has been taken private by the Gaia Team over abuses of unsuspecting new members).

This morning I received a call from an 80 yr. old man and after asking some routine questions, including our location, which I gave out like a babe in the woods - he lit into me.  I was pleasant, allowing, agreed to disagree, countered a few stereotypical misconceptions and was beginning to tire of the conversation.  My favorite was when he told me 'bout his wife that she allowed her husband in mess around in the office.  I said “oh really, what woman can really stop her husband from doing something like that if he wants to.”  I really let it go on too long.  I eventually said, “I am a business person and I really don't have more time for this conversation today” and had to hang up because he was still going on and on and on.  We learned some lessons today - 

1.  qualify the caller, 

2.  don't give out location information (do that in follow up phone calls/e-mails before the event.) 

 3.  don't spend any time with obvious opposition. 

In our business, which involves environmental aspects and recycling, we never try to convince the disinterested, we never try to convert someone's negative opinion of recycled content.  We simply respond to those who are ready to play.  That is the same attitude we take with this event.  It may be that no one shows up or only a few.  It matters not really but I'm sure our political courage will be tested a few times in the coming weeks.

Deb

(that says something to begin with).  We live in a small, sparsely populated county (7,000 total).  It is religiously conservative and a retirement community. (That says something else; including not having alot of disposable income).  And if you need further understanding, look at how Missouri, and in particular our county of Madison, voted in the last two federal elections and that should answer any remaining ?s.

A couple of weeks before the event, we were traveling and I got a call from a woman in her 70's who wondered–who in our county could be such “good” Democrats.  We had a very pleasant conversation but she indicated that while active and willing to make phone calls, it was difficult for her to get out to an event.  Now, truthfully, my husband and I are Independents and not party dominated or governed.  The woman was in favor of John Edwards because he was for the “poor”.  It turns out that in the hours before her call I had a crash course in issues.  First, I had seen a “mini” debate between Obama, Clinton and Edwards (it was fairly evident from the welcome that Soledad O'Brien gave Edwards, who she is inclined towards).  It was on CNN and was something like Politics and Religion and sponsored by a religious group.

The most striking thing for me regarding Edwards was what he said about New Orleans.  That he would have a czar and it would not be “what are you going to do in 6 months but what did you do yesterday?”   I liked that.  I have a friend who is married to a native New Orleanian.  His family had a summer house on the beach in Mississippi, near Bay St. Louis, that was wiped out.  (We had visited there when I was trying to conceive the baby and my older son was about 3, now 6).  His parents and sister lost everything in the city of New Orleans.  Their home is not far from Slidell on a small acreage north of …

Lake Ponchartrain.  

They had pretty bad roof damage but were on the “right” side of the railroad grade and that protected them from the surge in the Bayou nearby.  They were personally lucky.  I am listening to 

 The Great Deluge 

by Douglas Brinkley on recorded books and it is fascinating.

The most striking thing for my husband and myself about Obama, was what he said about children 1-3 and families at risk, matching them up with a nurse/mentor and he actually used the word Nutrition.  Nutrition is something we personally pay a lot of attention to and believe in - having committed to organic foods when we conceived our first son (that entails a 2 hr - one way - trip to St. Louis, approx. once a week).  We have never heard a politician use that word before.  Hillary was really pounded.  She had a hard time looking her questioners in the eye when talking about religion (more like she was going inside for her answers) and I thought that hurt her in a visual way, even though her answers to the standard questions (ie about Bill and abortion) were good.  My MIL felt that Hillary is private about her religious beliefs because of her Methodist background and that was what was being reflected.  She did explain she had prayed all her life but, if she had not been a practitioner, she would have become one shortly after getting into the White House, when her husband was elected.  What was best about her, was how she sought middle ground with these conservative clergymen, indicating to me the kind of president she would be, a concensus builder.  A very womanly or feminine trait.

The next day, I read an article in USA Today that profiled 4 democrat and 4 republican candidates and average people who supported each.  It turns out that most of Edwards contributors make over $75,000/year.  Most of HIllary's make $30,000/yr or less and are women.   This fits right in with so many of the discussions here in this pod.      My personal opinion -                          

     I like Obama  but I don't feel he has the experience.  (I would not be unhappy, if he were to become the nominee).   Edwards should take care of his wife for the time being (because of her cancer - I know, she doesn't want him to but I'm dealing with 2 cases of cancer in my immediate family and I feel strongly about this, I think he should wait).  That leaves me feeling the best about Hillary and I consider Bill's experience and contacts a plus.

No one RSVP'd for our political house party.  Not a big surprise, we anticipated that might happen, but I also thought we might be surprised and someone would come.  So, we did cancel the event on the Wednesday before.  We sent in $100 for each of the two of us, (what we would have required of any attendees.)  It could be argued, that had we expected a smaller donation from attendees.  We might have had some takers but it wasn't worth it to us for less.  We also did not want to make it so inexpensive to attend that troublemaker's would consider it worth the price of admission to show up.  Deb~

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

CG,

As one of your dearest and closest friends, I am insisting that you get back out there and enjoy your mountain.  I had no idea that you weren't doing that anymore.  You need it.  Do it today and every day that you can.

That is a loving insistence of mine for you today.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Thank you, dear friend, for your love and your support.
Deb, I am sorry to have to say that I did not make it to the mountain today, but 'the mountain' came to me. 

  While I worked today, my muses visited strongly. During the course of the day the experience of their lingering presence put me in quite good (altered) spirits. For me, spending extended time with them is like being in the presence of a powerful mystic or saint–my energy field is considerably altered.
  I suspect they came in honor of your insistence.
  I am very near return to the mountain.Though I do not walk daily, I walk for a long time when I do go up. The weather and the  'conditions' are just about right again.

love and blessings, dear one.

Re: November's Ftrd Mmbr- Deborah -- sorta begng abt The Election

CG,

I just came in from my hike and I will share with you that I was full to the brim with quite good (altered) spirits.  A happy, hopeful optimism.  Very strong love energy.  I was dancing through the woods, until I was going up hill and it slowed me down a bit.

We must be flowing on the same wave … glad the effect for you was good as well.  I put mine to good use, in my own way.

Love you too, and wishing you only the best - always.  It's the anniversary of my FILs death, you may remember.  It was a glorious day as you may remember me describing it.  Unlike that day, I cried a bit today and in the privacy of the woods shouted my love and respect for him for him to hear clearly.  He said of my tears, “don't you remember how gloriously happy it was?” and I said “yes, and now that happiness returns and is one with a bit of sadness, but that's okay.  I miss you.”

If the election goes as I hope, he would have loved to be here to see that.  I do miss him.  He knows.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Deb, a question popped up in my mind that I'd like to pose for your phenomenal communicating skills…

As Zaadz and Gaia are continuously morphing and changing, I wonder sometimes how each member of the community feels they have transformed.

Do you think that being on Gaia has transformed you? Taken you out of your comfort zone, as much as it has placed you in a wonderful sharing environment?

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Meenakshi,

Being your Gaia Networking Featured Member for November has taken me out of my comfort zone ! ! !   ;-p LOL.  Really, so much attention is not really a comfortable position for me personally, even though at times it may not seem so, I really like being in the background, not standing out, not under scrutiny.

It is interesting that you directed me to the Privacy thread and then on Sun night I saw an article in Scientific American at my MILs about that subject related to social networking sites and felt a tinge of discomfort at how much I am sharing my private life and environment here.  There was a quote from someone at Sun Microsystems that privacy in the internet age no longer exists, to get over it.  It was also likened to living in the old days in a small community where everyone knows everything about you and there's no escaping those judgments.  Only the Internet's possible data lifecycle is very long.

So, I drew in my breath, even realizing how what I write is forever and my children may see it someday, I am just me and willing to be that authentically, as honestly, as my awareness will allow, and I am just trusting that the Source of my life, who has placed me in this position knows what It is doing.  I have some concern because our family is intensely private.  We did not even have a public wake or funeral for my FIL when he died one year ago today.  He donated his body to Washington U Medical School in St Louis to study the effects of his brain tumor.  Some time after that my son played with a headless doll and was going on about that and I wondered if my FIL was sending me a message that the school had secured his head (as we did make special calls to his drs to inform them, so that they would have the first opportunity with it).

Gaia has transformed me into a teacher, a mentor and a much more public personality.  Gaia's needs have called upon me, to address certain situations very publically, to share my perspective, as an obligation of community participation. 

Gaia's energy has been a catalyst for my own expansion of awareness via learning and interacting with others about my studies, beliefs, points of view as you and Alluvja often challenge me (thankfully) to do.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Deb,

Congratulations !  Your last post says much more about you than you realize…

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Congratulations Deb,
Thank you for your light and sharing here at Gaia and wherever you are.  Thank you for your love and kindness.
love and blessings to you,
Samme

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Hey Deb,

Having stood on the FM stage, I completely understand how you can find yourself in the discomfort zone.   Alas, I offer the following to help your comfort level if possible, on the discussion of privacy.

For the past 11 years, my profession has focused on implementing online information privacy solutions worldwide.  While I agree online privacy has a way to go, it is hundreds of times better than it used to be.

The quote you referenced from Sun Microsystems is old now, and was heavily attacked as misrepresentative of the commitments of responsible organizations who provide web services.

In fact, in the US, 40 / 50 States now have online Identity Theft regulations that require public notification of any security breach that may compromise a customer / member's personal information.  In the past two years, Citigroup had to provide written apologies to over 1.2 million clients that their information may have been breached.  It was estimate the one breach cost Citi almost $100M in notification costs and penalties.  Bank of America, and a ton of other huge companies and government institutions have had to notify their clients, and believe me, the cost of doing so is such that they will not let it happen again if they can avoid it.

There are 2 or 3 credible international standards for online privacy protection the best of which is the Payment Card Industry (PCI) standard created and enforced by the credit card companies.  While people may not trust big corporations, I can assure you the privacy standards do protect you and your information.

As long as you are sticking around on reputable sites, your information is pretty safe, although there are always risks, just as there are crossing the street.  

I think it would be fantastic if Gaia were to take a leading position for privacy protection amongst online communities, and to make it an important statement of our commitment.

I'd be happy to undertake a privacy audit of Gaia… but we can continue that conversation elsewhere.

Bottom line… don't let your concerns about privacy keep you from fully embracing the stage as a Featured Member… much is learned about ourselves and others when we are prepared to stand alone on stage… and as you know… it is always for the best, even if it is damn uncomfortable at times.


Privately yours,

Dave

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

KES -

That photo looks just like a view across our “spring” field.  It is named that for the multiple springs that pop up.  We intend to highlight them with rock borders some day in the future.  We also plan to have the water in our springs tested, so we know which are safe for drinking directly from.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Dave,

You more than any visitors, with the exception of my friend Centria / Kathy, do understand how it feels to be in this position.  I will say I am having a whole lotta fun - so far (not that I anticipate that changing) - but whatever comes - comes, and I am open for whatever the All That Is has in store for me here.

Thank you for an updated perspective on the privacy issue.  Yet, the prudent approach is to consider it all very, very public.  I am resolved to the ambivalence I feel about the issue, as regards this moment in time, and to trust my Source, who put me here. 

I think Gaia would be wise to consult with you about it, since you indicate more than the usual knowledge and awareness regarding such.  Thanks for speaking up.

It is my intention to fully embrace the experience and live the moment to moment nature of it, so that I will remember the uniqueness of this brief period of time - always. 

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Change and Flow

Deb, I applaud your decision to allow yourself to step out of your comfort zone!

I've been telling my mom and friends and others–how much is asked for of a candidate for the American presidency. Far more than in other countries. To be in the spotlight for so long, have even a sneeze documented[and more that I blogged about so I won't get off on my own tangent!]—the point being; that we can feel so uncomfortable being even in an online spotlight where–face it–we are free to walk out any time we like; we can have our moods, and feel tired and thriled, make mistakes and so on…and here is the candidate who just can't get off once s/he gets on the campaign trail! Those around would not allow it.

A candidate is not just himself/herself but also the expectations of those around them.

In the same way, I think we get to know not only ourselves…but really ourSELVES when one of us is featured.

I think each of us finds within ourselves whether or not we would like to be featured; how much / little we'd like to share;  we feel with each member, and I think that one of us being in the limelight in this way, helps all of us to flow.

And that is always a good thing!  Like the Tao that you so painstakingly share in your pod.

[did I say I wouldn't make this too long? SORRY!!]

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Deb, lovely to see you here.. feels like a special time, this month… what will tomorrow look like I wonder?

I'm snowed under with my own and 20+ DDers NaNoWrMo, so it's sadly not a good month for me to share much here, but I'm with you in spirit, knowing you will be doing what you always do so beautifully, sharing, listening, sharing, listening.. all with your full heart and presence, available, vulnerable, being willing to take a look, and then another one, and then another. No one can do it quite like you, really.

Much love,
Sandra

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Thank you, Sandra. 

You and I go back to about the same beginning time (Day 1 here for both of us as friends and in the community) and I so respect your commitment to our community's interests generally and to creative writers throughout the community.  Really, I don't know how you keep up with Diving Deeper, it has to be a full time job.

I am sad only that I have not the time to really explore creative writing.  Maybe that some day … . that never seems to come.  You have the only “creative” piece I've written in the last few years in your pod.  The rest is just so practical, at least spiritually speaking, to my mind.  Not just for fun.  Come to think of it, the piece I posted there was the same as, all the rest, just described.  You see, I really do need to stretch my creative side - alot. 

Sorry to get all muddled and diverted in trying to simply say - that I treasure you and your friendship and the longer perspective our experience of going through the transition from Zaadz to Gaia has given to both of us.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Wow, I am MOST intrigued that both Deb and C.G. experienced (in my words) an unusually good mood today. Here is what I posted to a group at 1 PM today my time, Pacific time:

Wow, the most fascinating thing is happening. I just went and voted, and as I arrived home and was walking to my mailbox, I was overcome by a sense of life, self and world. From my toes up through my soul. The sense of living in a world that is clean, and in which everyone is respected and SAFE.

I have had this sense occasionally before, momentarily, but certainly it was unexpected today, and it is persisting even these last few minutes. [It is still here 4 hours later.]

I do not believe this has anything to do with Obama-Biden as individuals or their roles. I believe it has to do with a shift in the mass consciousness which they simply represent, are examples of. IMO politicians and political offices and roles and doings cause nothing, don't even catalyze anything. They follow. They are the froth on the crest of the wave, not the source of anything.

[And yes, I do have a skeptical part of me just watching with one eyebrow up and eyes wide open to see what actually does unfold. I am not a “True Believer.” In fact, even if these people are NOT of the best intentions, I think the mass consciousness is uplifting, and if the leaders don't match, they won't stay elected very long.]

I just wanted to share this very unexpected sense, in case anyone else here is experiencing it.
 
I have my own rather esoteric ideas of what might be going on, but for now I am just intrigued by this “pattern” and wondering who else might have felt unusually optimistic or in good spirits today…..

Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah - The Election

YES!!! I mentioned this feeling on another pod (the power of light) -

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- The Election

Yes, I think you just might, and so might all those who are moving with this particular flow !! Thank you so much for the confirmation, aki !! I look for patterns, and I see them frequently. This is one. Not just 5 of us either. Try millions of us. IMO.

What is the flow? It's simply going to be easier to be optimistic, easier to be positive, easier to be loving, easier to co-create our ideal world. Kinda like having the wind at one's back. Still work, but in a flow larger than we are. So, I suggest we be willing to BE more optimistic, more loving, more creative.

Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: November's Ftrd Member- Deborah -- The Election --and Coyotes

by deb 

 I walk almost daily alone through our woods.  We are fortunate to have 500 acres in the family and many more acres of wilderness adjoining us through which to hike and ramble.  Most of the time I like to have something to listen to, although I enjoy the nature sounds and sometimes that is all I listen to.  Listening to recorded books while I walk provides a real break from my home life, a mini vacation, and so I've been able to enjoy some literature that I would not have time for otherwise   ….  read more  …

Re: Walking with Coyotes

Ron 

Great story Deb. I loved all the details of what you were doing as you walked in the darkness. Created a level of tension. Ah.  Coyote. He can assume so many forms. This form brought you to an understanding about yourself. He likes to play with mirrors along the creek.

Josy 

Wonderful story!

Enlightened.thinker 

Great story !! Standing in the face of fear..

You also capture the essence of universal truths applied to great works irregardless of time. I love this part:

Listening to the old stories was like falling back in time, giving my life an interesting historical dimension, immersing myself mentally in another culture.  Realizing the enduring issues of being human and those ways in which our perceptions of morals and ethics have and have not changed

and this..
So in my fantasy mind state, I don't know whether they are really coyotes or changelings able to sound like coyotes.  How can I be certain without seeing them?  Does it matter?  What makes a creature magical anyway?  The changelings follow deer paths in the woods and I am on an old one.

Walking into the woods is part of the heros(heroines journey). It is stepping into the threshold of the unknown!!! I wanted to overcome one small fear because I thought it might make me willing to face other more difficult fears.
Lots of insight here…and your return to the dark place…a place of great growth..

Nice metaphor for your journey…nature as inspiration.

Best,
Aley

Sandra 

Deborah - 

I enjoyed reading this piece very much. It's powerful, full of wonderful detail, and I'm held in suspense most of the way (I was sure something terrible would happen.. I'm so glad it didn't!).

As Aley said so well - Walking into the woods is part of the heros(heroines journey). It is stepping into the threshold of the unknown.

Thanks so much for sharing your step into the face of fear, it's inspiring and encourages me to honour similar points in my own life.

I would have been happy to read even more 'sensuous' detail - I loved making the journey with you, and could have stayed there for some time. I wonder what would happen if you really slowed down, and re-lived the experience even deeper as you write? 

It is a good idea to post shortish pieces here, online reading is not so easy, so I appreciate that this was not a very long piece, but you can always post a story in several parts, letting each part sink in before you post the next.

Lovely work, I look forward to more!

~ Sandra

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Thanks OM, Aki & CG (and all that read this feature…)  I will add a bit to my story…  

If you read the blog I wrote regarding Obama you will see my reservations as I shifted my support from Hilliary to Obama, [mentioned a few comments from above showing pictures of Hillary and Obama.] .  My husband went sooner than I.

Around 4pm CST, I was restless, almost anxious or nervous, kind of trembling with energy.  I shared some of my hopes and fears with my husband, echoed by a status line in which I had posted a link to a YouTube of The Who doing We Don't Get Fooled Again to a backdrop of that worldwide web The World Is Watching after the Kerry withdrawal from fighting the Ohio results in 2004.

I took a Fleetwood Mac CD Say You Will with me and immediately the music transported me into such a bouyant mood that I was literally skipping and dancing down the dirt lane alongside the creek on a high as I have not experienced in awhile. 

I stopped at my sacred place and I will admit here, that I did pray regarding the election - for the outcome to reflect support for the highest good for all in the world and that the outcome be clear and indisputable.  Though I tried not to dictate a specific result, in my heart it was clear that a new beginning would be indicated, if it was Obama and if it was McCain, it would indicate a resistance to change.

We went to my MILs to have dinner and watch the returns on CNN (we have no commercial TV in our home).  It was a vindication of sorts to see Florida and Ohio each go to Obama, after the election irregularities with Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004.  Poetic justice.  I said a toast for my deceased FIL and my MIL did say he had been for Obama early on.

While we waited for the speeches, we were reflecting on what it meant.  I said Obama is not just black, he is white too, he is both and he is neither.  My parents are both adopted orphans.  I suspect my father is half hispanic.   For all I know my mom is half black.  Their records are too vague to know anything for sure.  I will often claim I am an albino african for fun because when I was in school and kids would say German or French, my parents could only tell me I was American. 

So, I grew up with little attachment to race but growing up on the Mexican border in El Paso as a white, caucasian as we were called then (blond hair, green eyes, fair skin), I was a minority race person and so, I know how that feels.  I know how it feels to compete for jobs with Mexican nationals whose cost of living is lower but they have work permits and so my wages must be lower to work at all, and as they are more fluent in Spanish, I am even less desirable.  That was my actual experience in my early 20s.

My husband mentioned that Obama does not have slavery in his background.  Then, I understood why the Rev Jeremiah Wright.  It was necessary for Obama to have that exposure, to truly understand what his wife understood from birth, but the extreme edge was not his personal predilection.  Oprah rejected that church so much she does not attend any but the Church of Oprah now.  My prayers and questions answered in a single night / insight.  Certainly, I had let go of that religious issue regarding Obama some time ago but now the puzzles pieces fit for me in an impressive display of spiritual backdrop.

    

106 yr old woman. Atlantan Ann Nixon Cooper

Don't say the deck is stacked against you because of race - yes, we can.  Don't say a nobody can't become somebody - yes, we can.  Don't say we can't survive the depression - yes, we can.  Don't say we can't face aggression - yes, we can.  Don't say you can't survive a natural disaster like a dust bowl - yes, we can.  Don't say you can't accomplish something big, like putting a man on the moon - 

Barack Obama,  2008 President Elect  

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- The Election

Thanks for sharing, Deb, yes I too went to friends' house because I don't own a TV. It was cool, bigscreen TV..

There was a spontaneous party in the streets in downtown Seattle. The media folks.were quite puzzled. This was just an ELECTION after all, not that our baseball team won the world series or something !! THAT they could have understood. It was funny.

I thought McCain's concession speech was noble and magnificent, and his audience very immature and narrow-minded. I thought Obama's acceptance speech was awesome beyond words. I have never seen him speak before. That just flowed from him, or through him, not memorized, no notes. Wow. And as a friend pointed out, there was no Ego there. It was all WE  WE  WE. And yes I too loved the reference to the 106-year old black woman, and the changes in her lifetime.

I hope I can find a copy of his speech somewhere. I want to re-read it.

And, the work has just begun and will involve many hands. I was glad to hear him say “Government can't do everything.” From my personal perspective, it can't really do anything, and the less it tries to do, the better, but at least people are feeling more empowered, that's the main thing.
 
It just feels as if the planet has turned a corner. Not that the USA is the BFD of the whole planet, but this election is, as I said earlier, froth on a wave, and the wave is worldwide.

Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- The Election

OM~  What a great moment to share with friends

Deb~  I thought it was a great story, and to compliment you on your selection of Obama and the process of looking deeper on the greatest good. He definitely is our President elect with a positive agenda when it comes to the things that I care most about.  “Yes We Can” I believe.

It's important that we all get involved and regardless of who you vote for…it's not just your right and your privilege…it's your duty as a citizen of what is still the greatest nation in the world. ~Kathy 

I leave you with appropriate tunes of Obama.  ~Kathy

Will I Am - “Yes We Can”

 Eric Clapton - “Change the World”
 
Extra Golden - “Obama” (from Kenya)
 
India Arie - “There's Hope”
 
Joy Division - “Candidate”
 
Kidz In The Hall - “Work to Do (Obama 08)”
 
Sam Cooke - “A Change Is Gonna Come”

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I thought as a European, and one who does have personal relations with the USA, I thought  I'd give you my impressions from our little great country accros the sea.

Yes We Can!

How interesting it is that it became the slogan for Obama in this campaign. Because it is so in sync with change and new approaches. Not just a few changes here and there, but real shifts of perception and new levels of acceptance.
We will see what happens, I've heard a lot o people say, ah in the end it's all the same anyway, but somehow I have the feeling this is different.
The intent is there and hopefully it represents the following of a change of consciousness that is going on worldwide.  And it ìs historical for a black man to be the president of the USA. I kind of feel the excitement of the sixties with the promise of a new wind and changes, only this one feels a lot more grounded.
I want to share that it's not only a matter of Americans anymore who becomes the president, it affect the whole world and therefore I am
happy with this outcome. I didn't experience the bad feeling in my stomach with McCain as much as I had with Bush, but he didn't deliver a Vision, just more of the same. 
I too Deb, had inclinatations towards Hillary at first because I rerspect her a lot, but it was also because  at that time I didn't know about Obama as much yet, yes I saw him on Oprah, but that didn't immediately convince me.

Anyway I thought it was interesting to share with you some of what's happening in my country. I think the majority of people here were definitely pro Obama, and in the big cities events were going on here and there. We allmost decided to go to the American Comedy Cafe but then stayed home. My daughter and her friends are in general not politically interested but they bought cake and goodies to come and watch the elections here! That says something!  They feel it involves their future too and that's not only because my daughter is half American, a lot of young people feel this way.
I loved  watching Obama deliver the speech too but  what most struck me were the people, it was not just excitement and joy, people were actually so deeply touched and I saw tears here and there,  it was very powerful.
Well this was my perspective from the lowlands. Thank You America, much of the world have been watching you and with this hopefully regaining a new sense of trust  to be proud of you again.

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- The election

Alluvia,

   over in your country watched the election too.  We are one! and Yes We Can… new slogans, hm?!

Thanks to the Internet  we are only a post away from each other.  Seeing your profile and discovering that you had posted 

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER 

means so much and it would be fun to know your songs that honor your country. Thanks for contributing such understanding and for bringing us closer globally.

We salute you with your flag… 

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- The election

Deb! I forgot about that beautiful story. It's really beautiful.

I'm giving a 'real life' workshop in Ireland, and one of the things we are talking about is the importance of creativity - of 'play'. I sense it's a kind of nourishment the soul needs, and we are so indoctrinated that it's not 'important' to play as adults.

What an historic time. What a great time to be a featured member, Deb. I 'knew' Obama would get in, but there was nothing like seeing the news this morning. I wonder if he can really make a difference, and then I watch the old pessimistic pattern of thought.

Perhaps this is truly a time for change. Perhaps it *is* possible to turn the tide. I've seen it happen in individuals, why not the world? I savour this way of being, of facing the light, rather than the dark. Yes, it *is* possible.

Much love to all,
Sandra

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- The Election

…”the importance of creativity - of 'play'. I sense it's a kind of nourishment the soul needs, and we are so indoctrinated that it's not 'important' to play as adults.”  [Sandra's quote]

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Good Morning to you All.

Doesn't it just feel like a new world today? 

Of course, we are the same but there was an amazing energy that some of us felt, though we knew not the meaning of it, at the time we were feeling it and it is that we shifted from one trajectory to another.  Like the booster on a rocket in space that changes its path, our path changed last night and the whole world is the better for it, I believe.

There is a new spirit of optimism, a reminder of what each of us may accomplish with our life, if we only believe that it can be.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

…..yes, Deb….a brand new world, of hope, intelligence, and 'sustainable' politics and policies that benefit the many….
CG

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Congratulations Deb! You more than deserve the recognition! And yes Wow I felt that shift too. Very powerful and somehow I think we are in a new world this morning.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Yes Deb, now on to the work at hand..

But can we celebrate a little more.., play , dream and sing together….

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Alluvja,

I think celebrating - at least - all day is totally appropriate and called for, under the circumstances ! ! !

I hope to visit Gaian Obama blogs later this afternoon and evening.

It is historic and should be savored.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Guys and Gurls, there's so much neat stuff going on.
Yes, we can. :-)

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I got this from Ariela too. 

You have to click on the little red link that says “View Original Site” to the right of the “Congratulations, Barack Obama” to see the funniest part - what it would have looked like if Palin had ended up in the Oval Office due to some misfortune. 

Mark my words, we've not heard the last from her but as a Dem partisan on CNN said last night, we can hope the GOP holds to the old ideas symbolized by her, instead of looking inward for the lessons that might allow them to retake Congress in 2010.  Or shouldn't we hope for the later for the good of all.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Glad you mentioned that, I knew something must be there for it had the title Palin as well. But it  took me a while to find it that very first link that got me to that. It was hardly visible on my screen. 

That IS a masterpiece Allleluja Genius, what a blast !
I counted around  25, did I miss anything (lol)!

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- New Earth now

aki said: Let us not sit back and “see” what he's going to do, let us do what we agreed to by electing him - be the part of “we” that can.

aki, as soon as i can get my status change to work again, i am putting that quote up, attributed to you in this pod. My profoundest  thanks.

~lars, I didn't listen to that music all the way through, but how come the actual URL is palinaspresident.us?????? – ok this got answered, I think.

Deb, yes, we can accept anything that's for the good of all. Don't underestimate the miraculous changes that will take place seemingly without effort. The planet we are currently on has shifted down to below the atomic level. Therefore, old causes and old effects no longer hold. As Kathy said, FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.
 
I checked in with someone else who is in touch with hundreds of people and she reports that many FELT the shift yesterday. This is not a deduction from events, not a mental conclusion, BTW. This is, as many of us have described here, a PERCEPTION/FELT SENSE that changed BEFORE the results were announced. – and for folks like C.G. the new “mood” didn't even seem to have anything to do with politics or the election !

Someone described it to me as that the atoms, which always radiated unconditional Love, now ALSO are radiating something new: BENEVOLENCE, goodwill to all. Everything composed of atoms, (including the hydrogen in space) must therefore inevitably radiate this benevolence and goodwill also. Those who choose not to align with benevolence and goodwill, will be in a different universe.
It's safe to be ourselves now.

Blessings, OM

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- New Earth now

OM,

I agree with you.  When I discovered that the energy I felt yesterday afternoon - before the polls had closed and results were coming in - was felt by others as well . . that those of us who felt it, realized it was non-ordinary or extra-prdinary, wow, I knew something special is happening in our world.

What will come?, I have not prescience for that.  But something definitely did shift and we are now in a new trajectory and it was extraordinary enough to be felt.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Deborah -- New Earth now

OM, here's the best explanation on the spoof from The Huffington Post.

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Thanks OM.

And thanks again for explaing the shift - I tried to find out in spritual meditation and was told I would be told in more technical terms…and here they are:)

I began to feel the shift in the middle of the night (before the election) by early morning I had stretched my body in so many ways while I was still laying down, it was like unconscious yoga - lol you could hear me clicking all along my spine and when I was done I felt so good physically I fell back to sleep for a while. I awoke (I'd forgotten it was election day - heck I'd forgotten who I was! lol) I looked in a mirror to see if I appeared smaller because I felt/feel lighter - it sounds odd but feels divine:)

Hey Deb…what if this is the beginning of peace:)…wouldn't that be all we've longed for…

we are one
aki

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Aki,

I'd settle for 2,000 yrs of peace about now …

May it be, that it is so. 

Obama has much good will internationally.  He can bridge so much that was misunderstood before.  We can certainly hold that light and see where it takes us.

Deb

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Well I guess 2,000 yrs would be a good start, Deb!
Must have been very moving for those of you who actually
'felt' the shift when Barack Obama was elected,
it certainly was a VERY moving moment-
even to us here, in Australia!

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I felt this shift too when I woke up Tuesday morning. It was part of the amazingness I felt when I went to the polls.

And I'll tell you, that shift just made McCain's dissapointed supporters at his rally sound that much more discordant. It's time to harmonize. That light, that warmth was deep and wide. It seemed like a whole new world.

Time to get busy on getting things in line with that.  :D

Many Blessings,
Mercale

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

I am heartened.

I am definitely not euphoric.  Nor celebrating.  There's work to be done.

It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.
                                                             - John Adams
                                
                                                       
Out of curiousity, I perused the blogs/discussions of both the right and left.  The same hateful rhetoric being spewed both directions.

Most people just don't get it.

As I wrote on What predictions have come true in your life? -

Perhaps the time for both sides (the “major” two political parties) to put the hate, the baked-in mean of red, blue, orange, and green memes mostly celebrated by the two parties, behind us.

I was definitely not “for” Obama as a candidate (in case there's any confusion, neither was I “for” McCain).  I'm one of those rare fraction of a percentage point that does not trust the Tier I politics of either party.

Yet, while I was not “for” Obama as a candidate, he has my respect as a President Elect, and on January 20th, will have my unfailing support as the President.  Will I agree with everything he does?  Hell no!  Yet, he, and my elected officials, will hear about it when he doesn't.

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppositiion; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.”
                                                  - Thomas Paine

We need to rationally support the President, and as free individuals exercise our RESPONSIBILITY to disagree when the time comes.  Mind you I said “disagree,” not “belittle,” “slander,” “spew rhetoric” in taking the lead as to what the far Left did with Bush.  Yes, Bush was wrong, but slinging hate is more so.

“Those who expect to reap the blessings of liberty must undergo the fatiques of supporting it.”
                                      - Thomas Paine

The time is to roll up our sleeves and continue to do what is “right.”

You must not only aim right, but draw the bow with all your might.
                                                           - Henry David Thoreau

Re: November's Featured Member - Writer/Humanitarian Deborah

Chris,

Thoughtfully well said, my friend.

Deb