~~~Gratitude~~~

a humble bumble

waiting watching ~ arrival!

breath ~ peaceful relief

~

orah

I have to admit I have a little bee arrival anxiety.  With all the bee trouble in the world I get a bit angsty in the late spring when I haven't seen the Bumble Bees yet.  This week they finally appeared!  I am ever so, completely, GRATEFUL for Bees and all the pollinators who make our food possible!! <3

I kept honey bees with my dad when I was a girl.  I lived on the edge of suburbia then.  We had a larger than average yard and in house that was built before the sprawl started to happen.  There was a very large vacant lot across the road for most of my childhood.  It did turn into a subdivision in my teens :(  Anyways, the beehive was one of my favorite places to hang out as a girl.  I would spend hours watching them go in and out of the hive.  It was here I learned that nature was peaceful and had no wish to harm.  You leave us alone, we will leave you alone.  I was never stung while watching the hive even though I sat only inches from their home.

A few year back, before the knowing of Colony Collapse Disorder http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/animals/bees.asp?gclid=CL-wtrHBxbcCFVSe4AodpmYAqAI thought I might take up beekeeping again.  I was worried that my many vegetables and berry plants were not getting enough pollination.  So I started researching and preparing for the endeavour.  (this was before we had the internet) I read books and contacted Cooperative Extension.  This all lead me to a the head Apiarist for the State of Maine.  I got him on the phone to get further advice.  He was a super curmudgeon!  Very gruff with me and wanted to know why I wanted to keep bees anyways!?  Well, I went on about my pollenation worries.  He cut me off and gave me a speech about only those who truly love the art of beekeeping should be beekeepers and the wild pollinators will serve me just fine!  Well! I became more determined than ever to have bees...by golly..who did he think he was...oh yeah the head apiarist..but telling me off...!!?

Meanwhile, I had recently finished the book Behaving As If the God in All Life Mattered by Machaelle Small Wright (see Amazon Link at the side) a book about co-creating with  nature and some of the principles of animal communication. I kept getting "messages" not to keep bees.  Just one stumbling block after another but I still remained determined! Until one morning I awoke from a very vivid dream.  I actually sat bolt upright from my sleep with the vision of the face of a giant bumblebee in my face.  I "heard" "we don't want them (domestic bees) here!  We will take care of your plants!".  I stopped my beekeeping pursuits that day.  When late spring finally came that year I never before or have since seen so many bumblebees in my blueberries!  You can believe me or not!  But, since that day I have believed in animal communication and have taken many more steps to be a co-creative life on this land where I live!  

Speaking of animal communication....

Yesterday morning as I was about to start transplanting my tomato teens...I heard Raven not too far off.  So we did a little back and forth squawking at each other.  I was photographing my planting set up for a future blog when Raven flew right over me and did a little hover flight above me and croaking!  It felt like a very nice howdy do!  Believe it or not...Raven and I are friends!

  It is my intention, each Sunday, to share something that fills me with Gratitude. 

I write ~~~Gratitude~~~ with the wavy lines to represent the gratitude ENERGY~~~~~! 

I hope you will join me and share your gratitude moments. 

~~~Amen, Blessed Be, Namaste'~~~

{pause & see}

Spring is slowly turning to summer here in Maine.  I paused to see the last remnants of autumn and winter.  Enjoying the the random placements by nature and things that seem beautiful just where they are.  This feather and leaf 180 degrees from each other.  I am quiet...marveling....then...... 

CRRROAACKOK

It is friend Raven!  Again, when my camera is ready.  I keep my eye on Raven and begin our mimic talk.  Raven croaks 3 times, I croak 3 times.  This goes on for a bit when I hear the swoosh of wings behind me.  I spin and snap this photo...it is another Raven!!

I turn back and Raven #1 is still sitting on the branch speaking.  Then from behind this Raven another Raven materializes!  3 Ravens or at least that is how it appears to me.  I stood there croaking with my friend for a bit more.  I was overcome with a feeling of "YES" and "THANK-YOU".  Raven took flight and I was alone....well as a lone as you can be when connected to the "All is Oneness".  I had to call for Runa for over 5 minutes as she had taken my distraction as an opportunity to have her own adventure!  (stinky dog!)

Reiki Story

My Reiki Practice was called Three Ravens Reiki until I took on the experiment of an office in the Town of Waterville.  I thought "Reiki with Orah" might be more explanatory...better---"branding"---something I have learned from Etsy.  Back in 2006 when my son was entering puberty and there was a clear shift going on as my role as mother I started to desire something else...  I was in a hungry exploring stage.  I thought of going back to school to possibly become an RN.  But nothing was really shaking out.  

I had a friend at the time going through a relationship struggle.  Before a visit she asked if I could help her figure out her animal totems since I was "into that sort of stuff".  So I bought "Power Animal Oracle Cards" by Steven D. Farmer, Ph.D. at Amazon.  I read the directions (I am a direction reader that then proceeds to free form it ~~~my ying-yang).  

I decide to pull a card for my Self.  I shuffled the deck and pulled the Raven Card. Raven is "Own your power...Trying to keep yourself little by denying your power so you won't be a threat to anyone merely keeps you in a false bubble of safety. Of course, at least that way you won't get noticed much or stand out.  Well, that trick has worn out its welcome....So stop doubting, worrying, or making excuses, and own your capacity to be a powerful magician.  Use these gifts to help make this a better world for all beings."  Well, I said aloud...this card is not for me!  So I shuffled the deck again. (only one of each animal in the deck) I pulled Raven again.  This sent chills up my spine.  But my type A science self shuffled the deck again...you guessed it I pulled Raven.  Then I said "ok! I'm listening".

I went to visit my friend.  On the way home I saw THREE RAVENS on the side of the road!  The word REIKI popped into my head.  I swear, I didn't know what Reiki even was...but I found out!  And synchronicity, after synchronicity lead me to where I am today as a Reiki Master Teacher with a very fulfilling home based Reiki practice.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I had been thinking that Waterville situation wasn't compatible with me or my practice.  I do not enjoy being in town so much.  Plus, my Reiki practice doubled at home, even with fewer hours and a moderate rate increase. (I only charge $30 for a full session in my home).  So back when I saw Fox I started "feeling" I should let go of Waterville and return to my Three Ravens Reiki name. Seeing the 3 Ravens was confirmation.  As I have been writing this morning I have received 2 calls for Reiki appointments and Raven has swooped by my window.  I am surrounded by truth and wonder!

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com/2013/04/fox-thoughts.html

This a regular feature I plan to include in this blog.  I try to see something new each day.  It is part of my practice in "seeing".  The art of seeing is essential to any creative work in my humble opinion.  My favorites are the ones that stop me in my tracks!  Like so many folks I have a very busy mind that I struggle to quiet.  But by creating this practice it has given me many opportunities to pause and be with a new wonder.  I love to wonder about wonders.  These little seeings can be just the jolt my creative process needs to get out of a rut.  But mostly they provide a pause which is that moment of peace I need to heal from a frustration. These seeings are grounding for me and bring me to the present.  I will admit to laughing out loud with joy over some of these discoveries. They are a moment of childlike wonder!