Nature

Several years ago, when we were living close to Redding, CA, for my husband’s birthday on July 13, I wanted to make it rain.  The summers were very warm as the valley heat flows up and settles in the pocket of mountains surrounding the Redding area.  I told him I was going to ask Spirit for it to rain on his birthday; he gave me “the look” that basically said he did not think this was going to happen.  The temperatures ranged from 95 to 110 degrees every day with no breeze.

 

For several days before his birthday, I asked Spirit to make it rain on his birthday and then expressed my gratitude.  I had such certainty and intensity that Spirit would respond to my request in spite of the outward appearances.

 

July 13 arrived and around mid-morning, clouds came up and a small rain fell over our area.  It wasn’t much, but I was out the front door in a flash dancing around holding my hands out and my face up to feel the rain blessing me.  My husband was right behind me.  I kept telling him, I told you it would rain today, I told you – this is your birthday gift from Spirit.

 

This has been repeated over the years when I see a need for rain, want to surprise someone, or want to refresh the Earth.  This past week it came to my mind again, so I kept repeating the phrase “rain, thank you for falling.”  Then I expanded it to be “rain, thank you for falling on all of fires in California.”  Then I expanded it again to be “rain, thank you for gently falling wherever there is a need.”   I meant that to include all of the Earth wherever water from the heavens would assist humanity, animals, plants, the air, and nurture, refresh and replenish all.  Spirit again answered directly here in my area with clouds coming in and a small rain falling to refresh the Earth.

 

Spirit does not always answer me in the time I want, but I know with absolute certainty that I have been heard.  I trust that rain, or whatever I have called for, will be forthcoming at the right and perfect time in Divine Order.  I let it go as I know I have done my part and Spirit will do its part.

 

Reggie is not a fan of rain too much as he does not like to get wet, put on his raincoat, or walk around in the water.  He thanks Spirit for the fresh water that he has to drink every day and that provides the trees and plants what they need to grow so he can run and play underneath them.  Reggie and I calling with our hearts and souls and Spirit answering is such a gratifying relationship.  Nancy and Reggie

It is Spring my favorite time of year as everything is budding out, the air smells so fragrant, showers of rain come to refresh everything, and it is still warm, rather than hot, during the day with cool nights.  Spring has a softness to it that soothes my soul.  It is a time of growth for my Spirit and I feel the shifts and changes within me.  Soft, new knowing and visions bringing me deeper connections with All That Is, like a caress.

 

Last weekend I bought lots of potted flowers and a flat of flowers plus two cantaloupe starters to plant in my back yard.  It is the most beautiful serene oasis with a mini-orchard, a mini-forest, surrounded by trees, lush flowers and plants in the ground and in pots.  When people walk out on the porch and see my back yard, they comment that it is so peaceful and beautiful.   Frequently I thank the previous owners for all their work in planning and creating this special place.

 

Right away the next morning, I lugged three bags of Indoor/Outdoor Potting Soil to the backyard, along with all of my pots, cantaloupe starter, and flat of flowers.  I got my gloves, fertilizers, digging implement and went to work.  I had in my mind that I could get this done by early afternoon and enjoy looking at them while I sat on the porch in the shade.

 

Well, it took me two days to plant the flowers as I underestimated the time it would take to dig out the old roots from last year’s flowers and put new potting soil in pots that had none, get the soil fertilized, watered and ready to receive flowers.  I have a lot of pots.  It reminded me that it takes time for my Spirit to get ready for change and I choose to be patient until changes are complete because they are creating a more aware, beautiful, loving me.

 

I had so many flowers, I had to plant them around the outside of my new 4′ x 4′ garden box.  Only two of the flowers died, and those were in the garden box where they get all day sun.  I was happy they could go to The Other Side and bless the gardens there with perfect flowers, stems, leaves, and roots.  I sent them Divine Light and Blessings for their journey  and thanked them for coming to me for a little while.

 

Because I had so many new pots and flowers, the drip system needed to be expanded.  This meant that I hand watered these new little flowers every morning and evening so they would have enough water to thrive, not just survive.  As I watered them, I told them how beautiful they were and how happy I was to have them in my garden blessing me and Reggie.  The drip system is in and I no longer need to water them every morning and evening, but I still go out and look at each one, tell it I love it and thank it for blooming and bringing me so much joy.

 

Reggie is not into flowers too much, well, actually not at all.  He is into what is crawling underneath the flowers that he can catch and play with.  There is such as thing as too much fun.  Last year, he was having too much fun tearing through the flower beds and tromping them down, digging underneath and digging out the plants, so I had to put up a little fence to keep him out of the main flower beds.  It reminded me of people having so much fun, but not being mindful of what they are doing, then others having to set boundaries for them.  It brought the awareness that the Spiritual rewards of self-monitoring are much more fulfilling.

 

Reaping Spirit’s reward of doing whatever needs to be done with love, whether it be in a garden, self-monitoring, or setting boundaries brings me immense happiness.  Reggie is happy now and doesn’t notice his new boundaries any more.  Nancy and Reggie♥

While I was on the phone with the patio door open a few inches without the screen door pulled closed (it is off track and needs help), a big black bumble bee flew in.  It immediately caught my attention as it was very big and buzzing all around.  I got up, got the fly swatter, and attempted to shoo it back out the door.  That did not work!  Reggie got into the act.  Then the bumble bee disappeared.  After I got off the phone, I looked through the house but could not find it.

Then this morning, there it was in the window over the kitchen sink stuck between the window which I had open and the permanently closed window.  It was frantically trying to get outside through the window, its little legs clawing and clawing forward where it could feel the outside air.  The rubber barrier between the window was keeping it back.  It had been there all night trying to get out and I could tell it was getting too tired.  I noticed that it had a little white on its head.  I felt its panic and decided to get a paper towel, try to catch it, then take it outside, if it would let me.

This was a tricky process as I had to close the window enough to let the bee know that it would not get out that way without crushing it.  I wanted it to see that there was another way out if it would just back up.  So, I waved the paper towel between the two windows.  It backed out, then put the single sheet of paper towel over the bee and tried to grab it.  It immediately stung me on the index finger but didn’t leave the stinger.  It stayed by the window, didn’t go back to the area between the two windows, but was still frantically clawing the window to get out.

I then doubled the paper towel and carefully put it around the bee tucking in the corners.  I kept telling it that I wasn’t going to hurt it, that I was trying help it.  Its loud buzzing sound let me know it didn’t like being enclosed, that it was panicked and angry.  I ran to the patio door, opened it, and set it free.  Staying outside, I closed the patio door so it wouldn’t fly back in.  It flew off and came back around in a circle by me.  I felt like it was saying thank you.

When an animal or insect comes directly into my awareness like that, I often pull out Ted Andrews’ books, Animal Speak, Animal Wise, and Nature-Speak to see what meaning it has for me.  I will paraphrase his writing.

            One Bee:  The meaning of the number one in Nature is:  time to initiate; new beginnings;  take charge-leadership role may be upon you.

           Bee Colors – Black with White:

            The meaning of the color black in Nature is:  Black is found commonly throughout  Nature in both the plant and animal kingdoms.  It is often associated with mysticism, magic, and new birth.  It is the color of quiet strength and protection.  It can indicate a need for secretiveness and sacrifice.  Black is also associated with the feminine energies, the creative and intuitive.  When found with other colors, it often indicates a grounding and even a more mundane energy or issue at play.

            The white which reflects the energies of truth.  White is soothing to our spirit and even indicates the presence of spirits about us.  White is always a reminder to follow our creative inspirations.  If we have doubts about issues or activities or even people in our life, white is a color that reminds us to be patient.  The doubts will soon be alleviated.  We will get our answers.

Other Meanings:

            Bees are long-time symbols for accomplishing the impossible.  The stinger is often seen as a phallic symbol.  Most bees only sting once.  The bee is a reminder to extract the honey of life and to make our lives fertile while the sun shines.  The bee reminds us that no matter how great the dream, there is the promise of fulfillment if we pursue it.

From D. J. Conway’s, Animal Magick, the sacredness of the bee has a long history throughout the world. A superstition and some of the magical attributes are paraphrased.

A bee flying into your house means a visitor is coming.

            Concentration necessary to carry out a task.  Planning and saving for the future.  Prosperity.  Astral traveling to the real of the Goddess to better understand the cycle of reincarnation.  Talking to a deceased person.  Helping an Earth-bound spirit move on to its proper place.

This big black bumble bee had many spiritual messages for me.  It validated that I changed my ways of being and chose better ones.  It validated that it is time for me to initiate new friends and activities. Since moving here three years ago, I have gone to church and dancing but am wanting to expand my circle of social and spiritual friends.  This means exploring other groups and different activities letting my feminine creative and intuitive energies guide me, trusting I will find the perfect places for me.  This may mean letting go of something.

It is time for mysticism, magic and new birth within myself and with others while knowing that I have the quiet strength and protection to open to what is mine to experience.  The bumble bee brought me the message that my dream of having a companion is possible.  One sting (a phallic symbol) to my finger was a reminder not to let that dream go, but to allow the companion to come to me through my heart fulfilling me in new wondrous ways.  It validated that other hearts continue to help me extract “the honey of life”.

In my spiritual practice, I have helped Earth-bound spirits move on, so the bumble bee’s message is for me to keep on doing that.

I communicate with my deceased husband and many other deceased spirits, known and unknown, which expands me in unimaginable ways.

I choose to open to Spirit, to carefully listen to the messages that are sent to me in each moment.  I choose to call for help immediately when I get out of spiritual alignment, so that I no longer do the same things, the same way.  I choose to be patient with myself and others, no longer clawing to get where I want, but rather know that those called easily flow into my life.  I choose to let Spirit visitors into my house, my life, my world, and magic happens.

Reggie tried to catch the bumble bee to eat it.  It flew too high for him, but he barked at it and chased it around until he could no longer see it.  His job was to protect me and he made a valiant attempt.  He listens to Spirit and acts immediately, then happily goes on about his play or takes a nap.  Nancy and Reggie♥