Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

This month, we continue our exploration of the Gaia community through the eyes of a remarkable member.

NO TIME

Across time’s silken ribbons I weave,

dancing with abandon.

Slip from life to life

My life soul develops in hidden realms,

secret places uninhabited by the modern world.

I slide through millennia. 

This mind I carry

this spirit, will not be fettered

By linear rules. Time and I have never seen

eye to eye.  We have no need for each other,

mutual disdain.  There is no connection.

©2008 Hillora Lang


She is new to Gaia, having joined a few weeks ago, yet like other members who join us, it is as if she has always been a Gaian.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hillora Lang: Beautiful name.  Evocative. 

Sanctuary Caretaker:: Right in keeping with the feelings of many Gaians, who think of Gaia as a sanctuary. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let us explore Gaia with Hillora by following her activities, as her beloved cats must follow her around her home, giving tips, pointing her in directions we feel she’ll enjoy, while asking her about her life and how it swirls around her online experience. I have a feeling that we will learn as much as she does!

Hillora’s status announces  that she is ”exploring her life, building her soul, repairing her karma, and caring for every homeless and needy animal that comes into her world.”  Yes, we will definitely learn much this coming month.

Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Welcome, Hillora, and I too am looking forward to our February explorations with you. 
Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Thank you for your kind words of welcome! I am really looking forward to this amazing opportunity to get to know new people and widen my circle of friends.
 
OM Bastet - is your name taken from the Egyptian Goddess of Cats? (The one to whom I pray for the health and happiness of all the little furry beings whom I am blessed to call my family!)

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

The poem that you have shared with us, Hillora, is really evocative. It led me to one of my favorite sites for photos, Trekearth, where I found a photo that seemed to go along with it. This is the link: http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/6621/img_7575.jpg

That’s the best way to share photos on this thread! Just link, or attach by the “Attach Images” box below the textbox. Not copy-paste.

Hillora, you joined as the Gaia community was changing its textbox. We’re still learning how to work with it–together! How has this change been for you?

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi Hillora,
 
crystal blessings on your journey with your friends on Gaia
 
Love Taikunping

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

I guess that I was pretty lucky to join when I did, as I wasn’t so used to everything that it was difficult to face changes. It’s all still pretty new to me. I am having trouble getting back into the Books section, wherein I was going full-steam posting my “library.” But I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it all before long.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Changes/books

Hi Hillora; you make a good point about changes! When we enter a website, we expect things to be new, and are in learning mode. Once we get used to it, it’s more difficult to get back into learning mode!

Question: I remember seeing your post about posting books in your library. Did you get a reply on that thread? I wasn’t able to find it in Gaia Support so I’m not sure where it was. But it’s worth reviving the issue so that the devs can look it up.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Changes/books

Hi! I did find a link somewhere in the Big Purple Box at the bottom of the page, which kind of took me where I wanted to go, but not really… I haven’t followed up to see if it will do what I want it to - look up books on Amazon, and add them to my list - but I will try this week sometime to see what happens.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi, Hillora - congratulations on being the February featured member!  [warm smile]  I’m excited - I’m really looking forward to the sharing that will happen this month.  And I have a sense this will be a great way to for you to make new friends and connect with some that you already have on different levels.



bright crystal blessings -



Sylvia

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Thank you all for your warm welcome! I am so excited to be a part of this wonderful, supportive community. As you may know if you’ve read my profile, I am recently diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. So to be given the opportunity to connect with real people across this planet is a true blessing! I never dreamed that I would be where I am today, and to have all of you along to share in my journey is truly empowering.
 
Discovering Gaia is like an amazing sociological experiment for me, as I learn how to interact with the world and express myself successfully. I hope that the journey brings more and more blessings into my life, as it has already with the friends I have made here at Gaia. Thank you all, and I wish you a life as full of blessings and wonder as mine has been!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Thanks for the lovely picture. Rose quartz with a rhodochrosite (?) heart. Rhodochrosite is one of my favorite stones!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi, Hillora - it’s a rhodonite with quartz heart - close to rhodocrosite with somewhat gentler energy.

You’re welcome - I call that kind of bead work touchstones - and that one resonated with me like you do - gentle radiant love.


appreciatively -


Sylvia

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Making friends

Sylvia, you make a good point [and bring a lovely gift!] I think that groups are a good way to make friends. I met Hillora on a group and then saw her profile and was inspired, and we became friends.

Hillora, what’s your take about making friends on Gaia? 

We’ve had several discussions in this group about making friends. If you like, take a look and chime in wherever you ‘d like; I’d love your take on them, here or in those threads.

Inviting friends…really! 
Should I or shouldn’t I? Declining friends’ invites

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Making friends

I keep discovering new groups which inspire and excite me on Gaia - I just hope that I can do justice to them all! I think I may need to drop out of some, just to keep things manageable. They are a great way to meet new people and make friends.
 
 
 
I want to ask for your input on friendship here. Is it okay to have different levels of friends, from people whom I talk with frequently, to others I befriend but don’t contact too often? I love being connected to all of these wonderful, inspiring people, but worry that I’m not as “good” a friend as I should be. What do you all think?

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hillora, I know already about your talent & love for words but this poem is beautiful,
 
thank you my friend,
 
Mike

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Thank you, Mike! I am rather new to poetry, always having been a prose person. You know how you get a silly idea that because other people are so-o-o good at something, that you don’t want to make a fool of yourself for trying? Well, I have been that way about poetry for far too long. So - what the heck! - I decided to “just do it” and see if I was any good. I still don’t know, but your kind words make me think that I should keep trying!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Thank you all so very much for making me feel so welcomed and cherished here. I am so excited to be featured - it’s a magnificent opportunity to make connections among this wonderful group of people. I’m looking forward to “playing” with everyone this month!
 
 
 
Please be patient while waiting for my replies to your kind queries. I only have access to the Internet at the college, or at a friend’s home, so there may be a delay in my responses. Don’t ever think that it is because I don’t care - I will be here as often as possible!
 
 
 
Blessings of happiness and fulfillment to you all!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

It’s time for me to go home and feed the little beasties, and the big one - myself! I’ll see you again on Monday morning, if not before! Have a great weekend!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi, Kathy! Thank you so much for your kind welcome and support.
 
 
 
Every crystal has a different use. The best guides I’ve found for their application is the Love Is In The Earth series. I’ll add them to my booklist as soon as I have time.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

See you when you can get back, Hillora. 

The Book section used to give complete access to Amazon, but with the ability to put any book there into our Gaia Bookshelf. Not sure about nowadays.  Yes, my name is from that Egyptian Goddess, thanks for asking. In her role or function as the goddess of “spiritual bliss” or “spiritual ecstasy” embodied. 

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Making friends

I forgot I wanted to reply about whether it’s OK to have different levels of Friends here, that we interact with more or less often.

My understanding is that everyone accepts that some Friends are frequently in our lives and communications, and some less so, and some much less so. That’s just the way life is.  We kinda go with the flow about whom we interact with, or sometimes we get an urge to reach out to someone we haven’t been in communication with for awhile. It’s all fine.  That’s my perspective.
Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Lovely to see more of you Hillora. Give my love to your cats. I really love your poetry. It says so much and I connect with the thoughts and feelings you express. I suppose that’s what makes a poem successful is when people connect with it. Isn’t this lovely bringing out our hidden talents in a sympathic supportive place. I find I feel inspired to be greater than I am here.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hello Hillora!

It was nice reading your profile page about it being a rare thing to be born in this place, in this time, and how we are all connected. With all the things we do during our days I feel it is easy to forget how special each moment we have here and now is.

When the going gets tough I find myself thinking, “This is how life is going to be always and forever.” We must believe that our lives will be what we want them to be. I quote this from your home page because it is a great reminder to me that I can place my belief in the negative or in the positive. I think I’ll jump back on board with your line of thinking and ‘believe my life will be what I want it to be’ and it already is a beautiful life!

Thanks and Smiles!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi, Amber! I have to admit that it took quite a catalyst to get me to focus on the positive - brain surgery! When you come so close to losing it all, and scoot back from the edge, then things start looking very good about living and life!
 
 
 
Beautiful rose - I need some spring in my life, when the weather is so difficult!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Thanks, Jenny! I always feel a little shaky about putting my Creative Self on view. It’s all so new to me! I appreciate your support and encouragement.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

wonderful cat photo

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Making friends

Thanks for the reply! I have traditionally had a difficult time in life making and maintaining friendships. I love having the chance to make many new friends, whether connected by personnal interaction, or just by the web of icons on my profile page. It’s just wonderful to know that I can reach out to so many wonderful people.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Congratulations, Hillora!
May many blessings of the collective experience come to you–as it did me–during this feature!
Enjoy!!!!
CG

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi Hillora!  I am so glad the Gaia Networking team picked you for this month.  Blessings & love as you enjoy the month of February on this great site.  I know I had a great month last September, and I’m sure you will enjoy this one.  Blessings, Kathy

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

I just wanted to take a moment to say “congratulations” on being featured this month, Hillora!
 
 
 
We share a few groups, but as yet, I have not had a chance to get to know you very well.
 
 
 
So here’s to a beautiful time of getting to know one another!
 
 
 
Many Blessings,
Mercale
 
 
 
A gift from a fellow crystal lover…

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hillora, delightful to have you as the featured member this month. What a wonderful way to settle into the community, and for us to get to know you better.


Love,


Nicole

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Mercale,
 
 
 
Thank you for the beautiful gift! Unfortunately, most of my crystals are packed away in a dark closet, due to an over-abundance of cats! But my vow this Spring is to bring them out into the light again, so that they - and I - will thrive!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Gaia and me

I asked Hillora:  Overall, on a scale of 1-10 how
important is the Gaia community in your life today?   What  factors
contribute to your score? What is it like to be a new member of the
Gaia community?


Hillora’s reply: 7 - I am truly enjoying the experience, but I
don’t feel any psychological reliance on it. It is very nice to connect
with likeminded people, and see what others are
experincing/feeling/thinking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Responses? follow-on questions? [Pl click on Reply to Post to discuss Gaia’s impact on Hillora and on yourselves]

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Gaia and me

I have to say that I am happy to see that you are in a “correct” frame of mind about your online experience, Hillora. It’s important for having an ongoing relationship here, to be engaged but also continue to balance our offline life with it.


Also, what you say about ’psychological reliance’ is very important.   

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hello Hillora !
 
I am so happy you have found our beautiful Gaia community and to be able to meet you here on line.
I am looking forward to get to know you better this month.
 
You loving cats and crystals I thought I’d bring you a little gift.
 

 
source

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Dear Alluvja! What a lovely gift! I am so blessed to have so many amazing, supportive, and giving friends here at Gaia. Thank you for your welcome!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Entering Gaia

Hillora, when you joined Gaia, how soon was it that you began to feel comfortable here?
Did you post an introduction in the Gaia Lounge or anywhere else?

We have a discussion  on how each member on Gaia can help by reaching out to newcomers.

Are you welcoming newcomers?

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Entering Gaia

Tips for newcomers- I send them to Jessica’s blog on exploring Gaia (sorry, can’t add a link as the screen has gone all strange), but it can be found on Jessica’s blog, or on my blog(where I copied it from Jessica’s)

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Entering Gaia

Exploring Gaia

is Jessica’s blog.  You have to push the button
Control “Open in new window” or you will be
routed off of this page.  
Thanks Mikey_Dee for the tip.  

OPEN IN SEPARATE BROWSER:
Hillora:  This artist, Sherstin Schwartz
shares some magical art that reminds
me of how your crystals make me feel.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Entering Gaia

I was comfortable immediately, though still learning how things work. This community was very much like my Soka Gakkai experience - family and friends from Day One!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Entering Gaia

It would help if people were more “complete” when posting their profiles. Some people say wonderful things in their blogs or journal entries, but their profiles are not very forthcoming, so I shy away from them. One must be “Internet-wise” after all, so despite my desire to meet new people, if I can’t get a feel for who they are from their profiles, I may wait to see who they really are.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Entering Gaia

Gr8 tip, Hillora. I’ve started a discussion on that [ Does your profile attract the friends you want?]

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Entering Gaia

I had asked Hillora:What would you advise someone who is joining Gaia today? 

Hillora answered:
To get involved by commenting on others’ blogs,
answering the Questions and Reflections of the day,
and by investigating the profiles of those
whose blogs/postings they feel in sync with.

This is a great way to discover people who you’d like to be friends with, and can then invite them to be your friend.

I think it would be great if people would be proactive about this - I found it rather sad when I followed a posting back to a member’s profile, found that she had been a member since 2006, and had only 6 friends.

I understand that people have busy lives, but I would love to have seen her reach out to others and “make friends”. This is a very safe way to reach out to others, and coming from someone with a social disability, that’s saying a lot!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

OMG ~KES, what a delightful find that Sherstin guy’s photos are !! My oh my !!!


I’m with you, Hillora, I like a communicative and informative profile. What kinds of things do you like to see on a profile? (We can answer on Meenakshi’s new thread.) 


I also look at people’s photos. I figure the people I resonate with are going to have at least a few photos I can relate to, the kinds of photos that a “real person” would share. Do you feel that way, too? 


Oh, and by the way, I have a bunch of great animal (mostly cat) photos you are welcome to look at. I think cats or animals are a tag in my photo section. 


~KES, I have a “control” button but I don’t have an “open in new window” button, that I can see. Can you tell me more specifically?


Isn’t that wonderful you felt at home right away !  So many people find Gaia very special that way. People can “feel the difference” here even after 5 minutes of looking around. And we are all helping to co-create this community to continue to be that way, all of us here. 


Blessings, OM

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Wonder-filled at meeting you Hillora!
Thank you, Gaia for bringing Hillora to this space.

Hillora I’ve just visited your profile page and also sent you a friendship invitation.
Your life is an inspiration more than words can say.

I so look forward to this journey with you and learning more as you share your travels with us

much love
HummingBird

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

‘control’ on the lower left on keyboards… only ‘opens in a new window’ for a hyperlink that you have moused over OR PUT THE HAND ICON ON THE LINK

and highlight. - example to get to Gaia Networking Feature Member:  Hillora


So that the communication isn’t cut, please open what the writer is trying to hyperlink in a new window.  it takes practice but works.  :-)  I wish everyone a sweet day.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Ageless

Hillora, why have you called yourself a “312-year-old human being” on your profile?
And when did you first discover you were “Ageless”?

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Glad you liked the crystal, Hillora. Lol, my house is full of them. They’re tucked away in windowsills, sitting on bookshelfs, hanging on the wall, sitting on the floors, neatly organized in boxes, and tumbled on the bedside tables!
 
 
 
With all this talk of profiles, I realized I hadn’t been over to yours in awhile, so I took the liberty of stopping in this morning.
 
 
 
I am reminded of the many reasons I chose to become your friend.   : )
 
 
 
I think it’s wonderful that you’ve managed to go back to school (which is something I’m absolutely dying to do!) I had to laugh at myself last night as I sat at a high school basketball game with my son’s boyscout troop. Some boy walked by carrying a Geometry book and I noticed an urge to literally jump up and grab the book so I could look through it and do some of the problems, lol. How’s that for desperate to go back to school!  : D  I’m really proud of both your decision to go, and your courage in making good on your decision..
 
 
 
Also, I know a number of people with Aspergers - though most of them are children or teens - including one of my own sons. Unfortunately for us the county we live in is *terrible* at diagnosing and treating aspergers. The school told us basically that as long as he wasn’t failing his classes there was nothing for them to help him with (which is not true, but they are VERY stingy in our school district when it comes to spending money on the kids. The doctor wants school feedback, the school in effect says “what problem?” so they can save a buck, and my son is lost in the middle.
 
 
 
Meanwhile he has no real friends, and has a hard time working in groups at school.  So if you ever want to share something you’ve learned along the way as someone with that diagnosis, I’ll be sure to pass it on  :) 
 
 
 
Also, I was wondering how many kitties you have. We just have one (super-spoiled), but it sounds like you have lots of kitty love to share!
 
 
 
Our Lord Zander…

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Funny you should ask! I just added the following poem to my blog a few days ago:
 


AGE/OLD

 
Outside of time,
            outside the lines.
I am soul-touched,
            ambiguous.
I will break the rules,
            Never ask a woman her age.
            Never tell anyone how old you are.
            Don’t date yourself.
At fourteen
            I couldn’t become thirty
At twenty-nine
            I couldn’t imagine forty.
At thirty-five
            I swore that was enough
                        thank you very much.
            And started counting backwards.
At seventy
            I would be one again.
                        I lost count.
Gathered around the table
            with the Buddhist women,
                        I am filled with confidence.
“Ask me how old I am,”
            and someone does, laughing.
Two hundred and seventy-three.
            Don’t I look good for my age?
Next year I’ll be three hundred and twelve.
I will live until I die.
And then some.

 
©2008 Hillora M. Lang

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

this is a wonderful poem, Hillora. Thank you so much,


Love,


Nicole

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Congratulations, Mercale! It’s been such a blessing to be born with Asperger’s. I am so thankful that my disorder gave me the opportunity to ~grow~ into~ myself. It was very difficult, granted, growing up alone, unable to connect with others, but I would not have been able to discover who I am if I had been distracted by all of the garbage which society throws at us.
 
I have learned a lot about the condition from reading the plethora of good books out there. There are even guides to working with AS now, which can be very helpful. Check them out!
 
I’ve been lucky to connect with the University of North Carolina’s TEACCH Center, for autism research, and attend adults support group meetings. I’ve heard of groups for kids (maybe on TV) where the kids are taught how to listen and respond to others in a positive way. You see, for us social interaction is not natural. We don’t understand facial expressions, or other people’s intentions, so we have to learn what these things are all about. Something as simple as looking at a photo and asking your son, “What do you think that person is feeling?” can give you a way to guide him.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

In a profile, I like to see what is important to a person, be it spirituality, or doing good things for other people; I like to find out what favorites - books, movies, teachers, etc., we have in common; I like to hear people’s thoughts about what matters in their lives, so that I can see if we might be on the same wavelength. I especially appreciate honesty about their lives and what motivates them - after all, where else can we be perfectly honest about who we are, and not risk being ridicules or ostracized because of it? Here at Gaia, all quirks seem to be cherished. You know the old saying, “Do what you will, harming none.” I think that we are accepting of differences and diversity here, and I’m so happy that this is true!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Ah, you’re a crystal indeed. 312 years and counting. A baby in crystal terms! Thank you for sharing the poem, Hillora.

It’s interesting what you said about not being able to know what a person is feeling from looking at a picture. Where online communication is concerned, specially with those from diverse educational, cultural and language backgrounds, as on Gaia; we have to be even more mindful that we may not always know what the other person is feeling. That is why those smileys and emoticons and images are such a help!

“I think that we are accepting of differences and diversity here, and I’m so happy that this is true!”

I agree. And in a way, because we can communicate in a thoughtful way, we can also see the essence of those we meet here. In this space, there does not seem to be something that is a disorder and something else that is not. And even those diversities do not seem to make such a difference after all. A good reminder as we approach a day that the world is increasingly recognizing as a day of love; and hopefully, of the deeper aspect of love.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

This beautiful image was combined with my words by KES, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Thanks, KES!
 

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

I’ve had so many questions about the cats that I want to fill you all in. I am truly a sanctuary caretaker (not just a description of my soul, but my real job!) for the Ruffian Foundation Feral Cat Sanctuary. I don’t have the exact count at hand, but there are somewhere between 75 and 100 cats on the sanctuary now. All started out as ferals (born wild) although some have tamed somewhat to one person or another. They are not pets, however. Even so, I love them all on their own terms. Some who have become very tame, but suffer from chronic health problems (asthma, missing pieces like eyes or tails, diseases like feline leukemia) live in my home, where I can monitor their conditions more closely. The others live in various enclosures on the grounds, and I care for them every day.
 
 
 
Overall, I call them the Mythical Cats, because whenever I need a name for someone I turn to the mythic past, for heroes and heroines, gods and goddesses, and characters from ancient history to find a proper, fitting name.
 
 
 
Hestia and Loki, Cu Chulainn and Dewi Danu, Alchera and Aisling, Aristotle and Agememnon, Rhiannon and Cerridwen, Kwan Yin and Aurora, and a couple of dozen others owe their names to the distant past.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi Hillora,
Every studio lot in Hollywood has feral cats.  Food is part of the budget to keep them well fed.  One year, a couple of employees at Warner Bros. thought they were doing management a favor and rounded them up and took them off the lot. Mice & rats came back shortly.  When management found out they ordered the employees to please return all of those cats or replace them.  Policy was released to all to let the cats just be.  I am close friends with a vet that is raising money to get a mobile unit to care for the fera’ls neutering.  They serve a purpose in life and I just want to validate you for the work you do to care for these critters.  I love the idea of naming them such special names… how cool!  It is fascinating how you care for these creatures who no longer need to eat out of garbage cans.  Ellen [OPEN IN NEW WINDOW] has a blog on rescuing animals.


Do you have a donation site for your feral cats?  It would be a great one to share.

Thanks for your note.  I really like the pic on your blog of your cats and would love seeing more pix.  They are so serene and very lucky to have you care.  I found this blog [OPEN IN NEW WINDOW] on what we can do to start to care for these animals but appreciate any input from you.  I like asking questions because its just great to get advice from an expert in this area.  
Namasté to you and the kitties..  ~♥~

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Thank you so much for caring about the cats! They have been a real gift in my life, providing someone to love and connect with when it was too difficult to reach out to other people (although that has now changed for me!) and to teach me ultimate patience and acceptance.
 
I’m so glad to hear that the movie studios are on board with protecting these helpless victims of humanity’s irresponsiblilty. They do fill a very special place in the ecosystem, and if spayed/neutered and fed daily, they can live in peace and harmony on the fringes of our communities.
 
I will try to put a link to the Ruffian Foundation website on my profile page. Thanks for thinking of it!

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Features

Hillora, when I asked you:

What features of Gaia have you used: blogs,
pods, e-mail, grapevine, bookmarks, quotes, etc. What have been your
experiences with each? Which would you like to know more about?
You replied:


Blogs, groups, e-mail, grapevine, books, profile. I particularly enjoy the
books section, and the fact that it will allow me, over time, to
perform a complete inventory of my library - something which I’ve
needed to do for too long.
I can’t seem to figure out how to enter my
“status” so hope that you can teach me how to do that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



From what I see, you have learned to change your status now!

BTW, have you set your status to be seen by everyone on Gaia or also non-Gaians?

I suggest that it is a good idea to Surf Without Logging In; that helps us to know what our own profile and blog looks like, to those who are in the community, and those who are not. It can help you to decide how to present your profile.
[How strange! The text above turned blue!]

I also hope that as you interact around this group, we can encourage you to provide tips on different threads. Each of our Rooms  is designed to showcase a particular feature of Gaia.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Features

I’m going to check on the status view right away. At first I thought that one’s status was more or less a permanent thing, but then I discovered that it was another variable, and could be changed daily, if desired. I don’t think I want to do it that often - I rather like having something to “live up to” there, rather than a “Doing the laundry today” type of status. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!
 
 
 
Can you give me some more guidance on the “different threads” you spoke of? I am trying to post in different groups, when I have time and feel inspired. But is there more that I could do?

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hillora, I am curious about how you experience people, compared to cats. I think the rest of us think the difference between the way WE experience cats (or animals in general) and people is obvious, and thus, the same for you,  but I am wondering, thinking it might be different for you. 


Can you put into words, or would you be willing to share, what makes animals easier, and people more challenging, why animals are more comfortable to relate to, what’s uncomfortable or distressing about people as such.


Like (these are just guesses) does it have to do with sensory overload, or that you simply lack the ability to interpret other people’s expressions of emotions so you can’t “empathize” with people, because of the Asperger’s Syndrome, and animals are easier to read, or they don’t care whether you can treat them appropriately or not (as much as people do,) or……….


I’m not doing a very good job of phrasing my question, but perhaps you get what I am meaning….


Thanks for any kind of answer you’d like to share.


Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

What a great question! To begin with, yes, it is very difficult for me to “read” people, one of the deficits of having AS. I simply have never been able to interpret what others are thinking or feeling. I also have to deal with “face blindness,” wherein I don’t recognize people (even my own family at times - very embarrassing!). Over my lifetime, I’ve become a pretty good actress, and learned to act as if I knew people who obviously recognized me, but I had no clue who they were. Now, I sometimes tell others right up front that I have this problem, and to remind me of who they are if we meet again and I seem distant or lost. That has helped a lot. I really have learned to put myself on the line, to lay it all out there, and people seem very understanding now.
 
I have always had a real gift for understanding animals, and for reading them. Unlike people, they have no hidden or ulterior motives, so this makes it easier. I have a great deal of empathy for them, and intuitively know what they’re feeling. I adore them, and they seem to do the same for me, so we can share our lives beautifully together.
 
It’s funny, but I consider myself fairly reserved and unemotional, especially in these “later years.” Maybe I was just too emotional as a child, but I was always in tears or feeling hurt by others. Maybe age has given me the confidence of experience, or I’ve just toughened up, or maybe my Buddhist practice and life experiences have simply removed a lot of the stress I felt before. I think I’m very even now, emotionally speaking, and I’m very thankful for that.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi Hillora, responding to post here. Glad you liked the question, and thank you for your thoughtful answer. 


I too have learned to be a pretty good actress when I’m in the situation where it’s too embarrassing to admit I don’t know who is expecting that I remember them ! Of course, this happens to me less often than to you, and certainly not with family members; that is indeed hard for you to deal with !!


I can see that animals might be easier to “read” in some ways, though most people of course find them less easy than humans are, to read. I know what you mean about always knowing what they are feeling, though, because I have a similar “gift” of attunement to young children, ages about 1 -5. I always know exactly what they are feeling, and what they are LEARNING at any moment, when most adults think they are just playing or engaging in seemingly random activity. I am able to tell what they are learning or practicing. It’s fun to know, and made me a pretty good preschool teacher. I’ve never been a mother, but that part at least would have been easy for me, to know how to amplify that learning.


My understanding about actually autistic children is that other people are unreal and alien to them, other people are simply “objects” to them, there is no sense of kinship, so the children would not be in tears or feeling hurt by the actions of people. Am I right about that?  So it must be different for children with Asperger’s Syndrome, right?


Thanks again, and I am truly glad to hear your life has evened out, and you found the resources you needed !!


Blessings, OM Bastet

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

It’s great to know I have much in common with other people, after all! Yes, AS is different than severe autism, more of a social dysfunction than a cognitive one. We’re “almost” normal, so it really can be frustrating when we connect.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! AS

I think this sentence of yours makes me understand it best:

“We’re “almost” normal, so it really can be frustrating when we connect.”
Thank you for this insight. Because that is why others may not know how to connect with you.

So would you say, Hillora, that it helps to be diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome? I notice that you have made it clear in your profile that you were diagnosed recently. Is it to help us know you better and not have too steep a learning curve [thank you!]? Because you are so strong about it; and so matter-of-fact. You have taken it as something for you to deal with; and not others to deal with.

I think that is what is so inspiring about you.
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Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! AS

I got this in my Inbox:
A quiz of 150 questions to find out if a person has AS. The great thing is, that they break it down by which questions show what you are.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

While waiting for you to be back on the thread, HIllora, I thought I’d post another question; I know you’ll be able to answer OM’s as well as mine!

Related to your post above; about the way you look at Asperger’s : you said it’s been a blessing for you. So looking from your perspective, is it still a disorder; or is it a gift that people unknowingly call a disorder?

I was wondering about this; and synchronistically, saw an email today about

“William Stillman, who also suffers Asperger’s. In his book: “The Soul of Autism:  Looking Beyond Labels to Unveil Spiritual Secrets of the Heart Savants” …
William asks the profound question, “If nuns, monks,and gurus are honored for going into self-imposed silence to seek enlightenment and wisdom of the ages, why do we label our children who sit in silence seeking that same wisdom even though it is not self imposed?”

I wonder what your thoughts are about this.
And also, is it easier for you to read people’s written expression than their facial expressions?

I ask, because when I read what you write, and how people relate to you and you to them; I would not have known you had a disorder unless you told me. I see the gift; but you must experience both aspects.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

I am so blessed to have found Gaia, and all of you wonderful friends and friends-to-be! You can only imagine how my heart is swelling with love and joy for you all, and your marvelous, insightful questions! Thank you!
 
Asperger’s truly is a blessing, although it has seemed otherwise in a world where everyone is expected to toe the line and fit the norm. It is such a marvelous opportunity for us to discover our soul’s truth and our heart’s purpose. It is difficult, make no mistake, to feel ostracized by our peers, and misunderstood by the world. But it is such an enormous gift, at the same time.
 
I have read that those with AS tend towards alternative religious paths, and that was certainly true for me. I was raised in a Methodist family, but have known from the age of fourteen that I was a Pagan Buddhist. Male-dominated religion simply never made any sense to me! How could a male minister or priest know what was in a female heart? I gravitated towards the Goddess, with a Zen outlook thown in, and while I never spoke of it to anyone, it brought me great peace and comfort.
 
I have always seen throughout my life, that the Universe gives us what we need when we need it, to learn from or experience. In my case, I was always presented with the right book at the right time, to educate myself and expand my awareness. The decades I spent exploring my soul with the guidance of the books which the Universe handed me have been unbelievably valuable to me and my soul’s development. The problem always came when I tried to take control of my life - I would always mess it up somehow, or take the wrong path. I have learned through trial and error to let loose the reins, and let the Universe guide me on my path. Then everything seems to go right!
 
 

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

“Swelling with love and joy”.
How appropriate, on a day devoted to love and joy!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Hillora! A day when the love you show as a sanctuary caretaker to cats and dogs must bring so much comfort and joy to them!

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Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hillora, when I was reading your posts, I’m going :”Oh, that’s just like me! That’s me too!” except that I have better recognition for faces than memory for people’s names.

But I realized why animals are so much easier to read, for you; which is truly a gift as not everyone can do that. It is because their emotions are expressed by the whole body –and we cat friends know, also by thoughts placed in our mind!–and not really by facial expressions.

Where I have synergy with you; is in feeling hurt by others in childhood. I guess many of us need to learn to toughen up, or get to know our inner strength. For me, it came with learning to reach out to others’ hearts, and realizing that most people are more thoughtless and unknowing than cruel or unkind.

And that there is no point giving the keys to my happiness to someone who is actually cruel. Lot of work there; and I am happy to find that you are now on the other side of it.

Question: what is pagan-Buddhism?

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

I am still something of a “baby buddhist” so don’t have all of the historical/religious references to draw on, but I believe that true Buddhism is expressed in the way we live everyday, mindfully, aware, and reverent. In Buddhist practices there is not a god or goddess, but rather the Universe is draws the lines. However, my child’s mind has been most comfortable with a Supreme Being to call on occasionally, and for me that is the Goddess, in all of her myriad cultural forms.
 
 
 
It’s great to know that I have not been alone in my struggles to understand the world and fit in somewhere. AS is a gift, wrapped up in a disability. You just have to survive and overcome the disability to find the treasure hidden inside.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora!

Hi Hillora,

You asked: “Can you give me some more guidance on the “different threads” you spoke of?”

Let’s explore together.

We have a Room on Gaia Networking, in which group cultivators/moderators give us information about their own groups. It is to help members find a group of their choice. Not an exhaustive list, but we are building it up. [It was suggested to us by  ~kes when she was featured on Gaia Networking!]

Could you click on  Groups / Pods we Love on Gaia , scroll through the list of threads there, and post something about any of the groups that you are a member of? Something that would help prospective members when they are wondering which group to join? Thank you! Whenever you have time. No pressure ;p

Thank you.

Re: Feb Feature: Exploring Gaia with Hillora! Groups

Hillora, thank you for your venturing out into the other Room and describing  your views on these groups:
Re: Collective Wisdom: Library of Community Threads-something you said here made me wonder [wow! is that how we met I wonder? Were we monks together? ]
Re: Walking the Labyrinth, daily practice and new resolutions. Yes, me too. Once I decided to leave groups I hadn’t been active in; but then I realized that I re-joined them again after a few months. Now I’d rather know about them, see if they’re active or not; and let the cultivator know I’m interested, even if silent, than leave.
Re: The Gaian Humor Pod! Laughter is always good. A good reminder. I’ve placed something about that in my status today!