Friday, November 20, 2009

Missing Ducks

After meditation this morning, I opened my eyes. From the living room, I could see the pond nice and full from all the heavy rains. The water level had almost bottomed out over the summer. The nor'easter last week changed all that. The pond reminded me of life. How sometimes our energy is low and we feel drained from doing too much, whether it be physical, emotional, or mental.

Then change comes.

Something unexpected happens and we get replenished.

What seemed like a lost cause becomes a well-spring of opportunity overnight. Like this morning, two ducks came splashing into the pond. Their black and white heads bobbed in and out of the water. Now you see them. Now you don't. Inspired, I grabbed my camera and hurried to the pond. I crouched down by the pines and waited for them to emerge.

There was no sign of my fowl feathered friends. I hadn't seen them fly away, and wondered how long could they stay under water? I called to my guardian angel. Still no action, so I respected their privacy and returned home with just a picture of the pond. The ducks are there...under water.

Before long, they surfaced, bobbing up and down, leaving a wake in the water. I was content to admire them from a distance. Soon flapping wings, splashed stirrings things up. It would have made a perfect picture. I wished I hadn't given up so soon as I watched them fly away to enjoy the rest of the day.

In Animal-Speak, duck symbolizes comfort and protection. "Ducks can remind us to drink of the water of life as well as to nurture our own emotional nature. For those with a duck as a totem, it may reflect an inability to feel comfortable with most people in your life. It may reflect a need to find comfort in your own element and with those of like mind and spirit. Ducks can remind us that we're going to have such an opportunity."

Angelic blessings,

Karen

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Apple Sharing Time

I don't usually watch TV but the other night I saw a commercial for a vegetable chopper. It was simple. Put the fruit in the plastic box. Shut the lid. Presto! Neatly sliced fruit. Yesterday I had an apple in my jacket pocket. I put it there for a snack the day before and forgot about it. Elliot and I were out Christmas shopping and stopped for lunch at Subway. There's a favorite spot near the trees where we like to park and eat. After lunch, I opened the door to pour out the rest of my iced tea. Then I slammed the door shut. Crunch. I pulled the juicy apple out of my coat pocket. Somehow the car door sliced it right down the middle. What had been one was now two perfect halves. Who would have thought a car door could cut an apple like that!" I laughed, thinking of the fruit slicer on TV.

"Looks like the angels want us to share it," Elliot laughed.

Eating our golden delicious apple, we talked about how amazing the apple was cut so perfectly. What were the odds of it being in the right position in my pocket? And my jacket getting caught in the door while I was wearing it.

What happened seemed so deliberate that later I looked up apple in Nature-Speak by Ted Andrews. "Apple is a time for joyful giving; hidden knowledge, happiness and healing. In fact, apple was once considered an ideal Christmas treat. The apple tree is a loving giver, especially when treated with love and respect by humans. It thrives on human contact and teaches the power of sharing."


Angelic blessings,


Karen

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Photo by Karen Hauck

Every time I experience synchronicity, I've felt an overwhelming feeling of Grace that came along with it. As Plato wrote, "First a shudder runs through you, and then the old awe steals over you." Synchronicity is the language of the Angels. Several months ago I had one of those amazing angelic moments. It all began in the fall of 2008 when I was having trouble walking. The condition appeared overnight and had stayed with me for several days. I could hobble around but it was quite painful in the groin and hip.

Early one Sunday evening, my husband, Elliot, and I went to a nearby shopping center for dinner. On our way home, I was suddenly inspired to ask him to drive by the Walmart Garden Center so I could see the flowers on display. Elliot drove extra slow so I could look out the car window as we cruised by. Among the mums I thought I saw a tall statue of Mother Mary. She seemed oddly out of place, but curiosity got the best of me and in spite of my hurt leg, I went inside to take a closer look.

A beautiful 45" statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe was there on a shelf among the potted flowers. In her presence the Garden Center had all the grace and quietude of a meditation garden. It was odd how this was the only statue outdoors. I looked up at her beautiful serene face. The strangest feeling came over me. She had caught my attention because she was meant for me.

Reluctantly, I looked at the price tag. A bargain at $50. Our budget was tight so we left the store without her. In the parking lot, my intuition was nudging me to just trust and go back and get her. Somehow she was part of my healing. Not being raised Catholic, it was funny how I had a strong connection with her. In high school whenever I had a close call, "Hail Mary, full of grace," were the first words out of my mouth. I didn't know it was the rosary until my Catholic friend told me after she almost ran into another car and I blurted it out.

Elliot agreed that the statue was important. So we decided to trust. At the check-out, we had our first miracle. She was a bargain on sale for $36! Smiling, we headed home with a precious passenger in the back seat.

We brought her into the house and put her in the bedroom. Her lifelike presence was gentle and loving. A sweet fragrance of flowers filled the air, but I told myself it was from a scented candle, not her. I felt a gentle healing occurring within me. In a few days, I could walk again without pain. When my friend Larraine heard about what happened, she wanted to gift us the statue as a belated house warming present.

Coming near the year anniversary of Our Lady's arrival, I placed her in the meditation garden where we could see her from the bedroom slider. She was only there a few weeks when I realized it was time to pass her along to another. I wasn't sure who.

About a month later, my son had a session with a gifted healer friend whom we hadn't seen in over ten years. Toni Ann came to our house for a visit, a reunion of souls. The subject of Mother Mary came up and I shared the story of our statue.

"Maybe you got my statue," she laughed. I couldn't believe it as I listened to her story. How she had called the same store looking for a Mother Mary statue, but when she came to pick it up, the cashier told her it was recently sold to a nice couple.

"Now, I know where she needs to go." I laughed as I hurried to get the statue from the bedroom. Toni Ann wept tears of joy. She had been in a devastating automobile accident years ago that left her physically handicapped. Before leaving the house with Our Lady of Guadalupe, Toni Ann gave me a beautiful blessing. I felt Mother Mary's presence fill my soul. Although the statue was no longer to be with me, the Divine Mother's loving energy was stronger than ever in my heart.

Angelic blessings,

Karen

Monday, November 16, 2009

La Princesa Barges Into the Beach

Photo by Karen Hauck

La Princesa was set adrift by the nor'easter last week when the cable snapped on the tug boat towing her to New Jersey. The 570-foot long unstaffed barge settled near the shore at Sandbridge Beach. This morning Elliot and I drove down to witness her return to the sea, but the high tide came and went. So her release is pending the evening high tide.

This incident got me to thinking about life. How sometimes in the storms we're blown off course, stranded, unable to free ourselves of our predicament. It doesn't look like there is a way out. It is good to remember there is divine timing. The tides come and go. We must be patient while waiting for the waves to carry us back into the flow. This is the stuff that builds faith. In the big scheme of things, often these delays are by God design. After all, La Princesa, didn't crash into the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel as feared, but came to rest in a remote part of the beach in Sandbridge.

Angels are all around us. And I believe the many prayers and loving protection of the angels helped her, as well as each of us, get through the storms and on to safer passage.

Angelic blessings,

Karen








Thursday, November 12, 2009

Blooming in A Storm

(Photo by Karen Hauck)
We're having a Nor'easter here today. With all the heavy rain and winds that began early this morning, I was surprised to see that a canna had bloomed in the storm. Gusting in the wind, she seemed to be waving to me. "See I made it! I'm blooming!" The funny thing was I thought this plant had seen its last bloom for the season. This waterlogged flower garden is one I dedicated to Mary Magdalene. In the summer that patch blooms with daisies, irises, zinnias, and cannas. Last week I almost cut back the cannas but then decided to wait for the first frost. So like this red canna some of us are late bloomers. Against all odds, we bloom in divine time, not ours and bring sunshine in the rain.

Angelic blessings,

Karen

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Angels and Music

In the her book Rediscovering the Angels, Christian mystic and author, Flower Newhouse writes that wheneverHandel's Hallelujah Chorus is sung, the angels of the astral and mental worlds join the chorus and their accomplishment is a thousand times more joyous and victorious than the human parts. Handel experienced a rare religious exaltation during the composition of the Messiah. For 24 days he was completely withdrawn from the things of this world so that he "dwelt in the pastures of God." When the Hallelujah Chorus was completed, a servant found him at the table with tears streaming down his cheeks. Afterward, Handel explained, "I did think I did see all heaven before me."

The Hallelujah Chorus has always been a favorite. I recall a fond memory of one special Christmas morning at church. My father-in-law was playing that piece at the beautiful pipe organ. The congregation was invited to come upfront and join in the singing. A blind woman joined the group. I decided to come along, too, in spite of my voice. A cloudy Sunday, as we sang and the tempo heightened, suddenly the sun burst through the clouds and poured through the window, flooding the area where we gathered.

Ever since then I was convinced of the power of that beautiful music. Years ago,I listened to it on my walks, inspired to keep moving to the rich melody that did indeed seem to make the heavens open up. Several years ago, a hurricane hit Virginia Beach. Elliot and I stayed at home to weather the storm. As the winds blew, we turned up the volume full blast on the boom box. The Hallelujah Chorus filled the room, no competition for the storm. Jayne Howard-Feldman, author of Driving Under the Influence of Angels, recommends playing that music while standing with your arms in the air, making a "V" chalice for the heavenly host to pour down their blessings upon you.

Married to a wonderful composer and musician, I know that when music is being played, the room is transformed as these heavenly beings come close to join in the celebration of song. Music is the bridge.

Many blessings,

Karen

Sunday, November 1, 2009

November 1 - All Saints Day

All the Saints by Fra Angelica

Today is the Feast of All Saints, celebrating the "communion of the saints", the phrase that states that the living on earth and the so-called dead in heaven are connected spiritually. Not even the grave can separate us. Looking through Sister Wendy's Book of Saints, here are a few of the many that are cited. Thanks to each one for their gift of courage to leave footprints of light for others to follow.

Saint Agatha, Patron Saint of Breast Disorders

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Patron Saint of philosophers, scholars, millers, spinners,clergy, wheelwrights, young girls

Saint Margaret of Antioch, Patron Saint of Childbirth

Saint Nicholas, Patron Saint of Russia, children, sailors, unmarried girls

Saint Christopher, Patron Saint of Travelers, Motorists

Saint Francis, Patron Saint of Animals, Ecologists

Saint Luke, Patron Saint of doctors, surgeons, painters

Saint John the Apostle, Patron Saint of Theologians, writers


Many blessings,

Karen