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Dear Sacred Heart, It’s a very exciting day today as its New Year’s Eve… it’s our last day of 2017! This is a terrific time to celebrate all of our accomplishments for this last year, and be grateful that we’ve come out the other side of a few challenges too. It’s time to stop and smell the roses :-) It’s also a wonderful time over the next week or two to reflect on our life lessons, learn from what’s worked and what hasn’t. With all of that in mind, it’s also good to make time for our inner world… to see what kind of emotional and spiritual messages are true for our soul’s journey. Perhaps we may want to tweak our life path by having some new year’s resolutions? Hmm… sounds good! I wanted to share some exciting news. We’ve got a new video that addresses this, that’s inspiring to take a sabbatical to have the time to connect to our deeper self. So even if you have to go back to school or work after the holy-days, we can still make some ‘me time’ in the evenings and weekends and set some ‘boundaries’ with our peers that we are unavailable for a bit. We all have an aspect of the yin/feminine (inner world) and yang/masculine (outer self). Most of us have been socialized by culture to be more in our masculine selves, despite our gender. So taking some time out to reflect our own truest of feelings and re-assess ones life path is crucial, that we don’t stay numb and avoid the yearning that our spirit desires for a more fulfilling journey. We were created unique to any other being in the entire Universe… so no one can possibly love ourselves as good as our self.  Please check out our new video called “My Sabbatical Vow of Intention for Harmony” (click the above image to go to YouTube). It is a kind of like a ‘karaoke’ style video. You might want to watch it twice… once to get the vibe of it, and the second time, to follow the subtitles at the bottom as an ‘affirmation of your own vow of intention’. It’s fun and it makes one feel good to share deeply inspiring words together, as support to move forward into this fresh year with magical intentions. Happy New Year for 2018! Much love & blessings, Priestess Sahara “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire Universe, deserve your love and affection.” ~ Gautama Buddha
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My Review of the Past 3 Years! Photo by George Gliszczynski Dear Sacred Heart, I trust you are having a wonderful Holiday Season making time for rest and rejuvenation and a little playtime. I am thinking of you and sending big ethereal hugs your way. I hope you can feel it! It has been about three years since we left Canada and since I wrote my last newsletter. There is much to catch up on, so this will be a more Personal Newsletter. The last time I wrote, my partner and I had just got married on our 20thAnniversary! The very next day we had our Moving Away Party. It was a very special weekend of family, friends, and out-of-town visitors. After that, we spent the remaining time packing up our stuff for our move to our new home in Ecuador. We are genuinely grateful for the large turnout of our adorable Canadian amigos who helped us load our container on time to get to the port… mucho gracias! Finally with a much needed rest, we headed off for our honeymoon vacation and new adventure! We took a cruise throughout the Caribbean and totally indulged in island hoping with romance, rest, food and entertainment. Afterward, we finally took our flight from Florida to our new home in Ecuador! I felt as if I was twenty again! We lived in our big empty house for a few months sleeping on the floor on a foamy mattress, eating sandwiches in the stairwell (which became our dining room :). Soon we began to enjoy the Zen-like feeling of emptiness, waiting for our container to arrive. Due to a strike at the port in Vancouver, it took much longer than we had expected.  Photo by George Gliszczynski So, here we are! Our Ecuadorian house is located at the edge of the city on the side of a big hill. Our large outdoor terrace overlooks the entire quaint city with truly a breathtaking view. My husband and I have taken many pictures of the glorious daytime and night time sky. It is like a meditation watching the many paintings the majestic sky creates for us to view. We especially love that there are no chemicals being sprayed in the air as in North America, so it is clear and unpolluted to view and clean to breathe. We can actually see bright blue skies now, and stunning sunsets. Even though Canada will always be our home, we’ve found a new sacred land that is our sanctuary…a little piece of heaven on earth <3 Our first year, 2015, was super exciting! I wasn’t sure if I was terrified or thrilled?! We just couldn’t stop smiling! :-) My dreams were amazing! However, without knowing Spanish, it was a challenge doing more legal paperwork, and running around attempting to get grounded and learn about our new homeland and where to buy stuff. We found a wonderful all purpose handymen, Tarquino, who basically with our help, totally renovated our house mostly by himself. This full-time job took nine months to finish and made the space our own. During this time, my husband suggested I go out as much as possible to get to know our new community. I began by accepting many invitations to lunches, dinner gatherings and house parties. As well, I found a lovely shamanic community and went to regular ceremonies. So much love was and still is exchanged with my fascinating new international friends. Most people I know are from the United States, and some are from Canada and Europe. I also have a few local Ecuadorian friends.  Photo by George Gliszczynski The natural plant life is gorgeous, as we live in a type of bowl in a sunken valley with little mountains all around. Four energetic rivers flow through the town, so vibrant and alive! Due to the 8000 ft elevation, there are few insects and the weather is temperate with warm days and cool nights. It is kind of like the ‘land of eternal spring’. We get to have summer during December, so it’s quite hot right now on most days. And it’s like having four-seasons in a day, so I get to change a lot. There is no need for central heat or air-conditioning. The produce is awesome as there are so many fruits and vegetables to choose from including many exotic ones at amazing low prices. The cost of living is incredibly affordable, especially when it comes to the basics (ie: rent, property taxes, food, transportation, entertainment, hotels, travel). However, anything imported can be quite pricey too, such a clothes and electronics. But mostly it is greatly appreciated not having to stress about basic living expenses.  Photo by George Gliszczynski So with this new found liberation, our next phase began in 2016 when we joined a local theater club called Fishbon del Sur. My husband's career specialized in the ‘movie industry’ (aka Hollywood North), so it was perfect for him to explore theater. As for myself, this was my first love in high school and early twenties, enjoying the visual and performing arts! In Ecuador, we have met a lot of artists and entertainers… many quite funny so it was great to laugh again :-). Together, we created an original off-Broadway musical comedy called "Expats" with a great story on what it is like to be an newcomer and retire and play with friends in a new country and culture. We had many short live skits, video skits and wonderful songs with a few burlesque dance numbers! I did a little singing and dancing, and assisted with some rehearsal video and editing. This opened up a whole new world by reconnecting with my love for creativity. My partner videoed and edited the entire live production and the video skits, and produced the final DVD which was completed in early 2017.  Photo by Nathan Resnick My dear local friends were very thoughtful to put on a 50th birthday party for me in May. It was a celebration of a lifetime!!! Coincidently, one of my close friends also has the same birthday and was turning 70, so we had a ‘double decade’ birthday party together…what a blast! A few friends were also part of a band that played beautiful jazz music on the rooftop on a warm evening. Additionally, several friends performed for us for a good hour in the living room, with poetry, prayers, songs, dance, juggling and a monologue. Wow, what a treat! I did a duet dance with a girlfriend and we did the Charleston (…the happy dance)! I started to become a hermit after doing so much socializing. I began feeling quite burned out from my life in North America and the move to South America. Finally my health caught up with me. Too much emotional and physical exertion just overwhelmed me, and I had to begin declining the many invitations. I needed to recharge. It can be a little challenging when most of my local friends are retired with all the time in the world. Yes, I did take a three year sabbatical here, but I’m definitely not retired. I still desire being active with more inspirational projects to fulfill my life purpose. But as life would have it, I was forced to slow down. I inadvertently injured by shoulder by carrying too much weight in my knapsack and severely pulled several back and shoulder muscles. So, whether I liked it or not, I was out of commission for the last half year while my shoulder healed from the pain.  Photo by George Gliszczynski It was a great opportunity to rest a lot, and I managed to journal and dream about my new online Mystery School. I am grateful for my husband of twenty-three years, as we’ve travelled in the inner and outer world with our relationship through many wonderful moments shared. He is my best friend, and I’m thankful for our sweet partnership on a personal and professional level. For this new internet project would not be possible without his gracious support! Even though resting has been part of my healing process, I needed more. So at the end of this year, I stayed a friend’s house for almost two weeks as part of a one month cleanse. I ate raw foods, warm broths, thick vegetable juices, then fresh fruit juices, a water fast, then a dry fast, and then reverse… back to eating normal again… just before the holidays. Now my shoulder is no longer in pain, but I will have to do some rehabilitation from lack of use. The cleanse helped detoxify me on the inside, so my energy level has greatly improved. I hope to do another cleanse mid-January to focus on a few internal organs for more detoxification.  Photo by George Gliszczynski We have been mostly focused on continuing to fix up our house and getting settled. Our travelling adventures since coming to Ecuador have managed to take us to several quaint towns, indigenous villages and ancient ruins, all within a two hours radius. There are some stunning waterfalls, forests, valleys and exotic trees and flowers to enjoy. Although there are not many wild animals in this region, the birds are wonderful and the few insects are usually benign, big and fascinating. The all seem very conscious and aware. It’s always nice to get away and have a break. There is a little town nearby that has several hot springs pools to bath in. That’s always a treat! We sometimes check out the movie theater, live musicians, bands as well as the choir and symphony orchestra which perform in the magnificent 500-year old cathedral. Most entertainment is free!  Photo by George Gliszczynski As for you, my dear friend, I hope you too can take a breather during the holiday seasons to get some rest, celebrate your year and enjoy friends and family. Wishing you a happy belated Winter Solstice (Summer Solstice ~ for us in the Southern Hemisphere), Christmas, Hanukkah, and any other special holiday that is sacred to you.
Thank you for taking this journey with me, and I hope to share some exciting things ahead… such a my new Mystery School, which will include newsletter updates, blog posts, YouTube videos, photographs, and more!! If you’d like to comment on this Newsletter, please post your thoughts in my new Blog! I’ll send the link tomorrow. Thanks kindly. Much love, Sahara Dear Sacred Heart, I hope you’re having a fantastic weekend! This is a very exciting time as we get closer to the end of the year. Only two days left! I wanted to share our first video with you on the topic of ‘Loving Your Sacred Self during the Great Year’. We are so blessed to be on the edge of two astrological ages. In leaving Pisces and moving more deeply into Aquarius, the cosmic clock of the 12-Ages creates the Precession of the Equinoxes and moves us one step closer on its grand 25000-year journey to complete the "Great Year". It is such a RARE AND SPECIAL TIME, indeed! This video that my partner and I created for you goes into depth of how this might affect you on a personal level. This is good news! It’s such a perfect time now to go more deeply into ‘loving your sacred self’. In the video, I share some useful tips for you.  Please note this is our first video! We both had injuries this year which held us back from posting it until now. We had hoped for it to happen much sooner than the end of the year! I did mention 2017 a couple of times, but it’s still relevant as the GREAT YEAR is in beginning stages of creating a new world for everyone. We hope you enjoy other added stuff like animation and some playful elements :-)
If you like this video, please feel free to post it on Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media sites to help us get the word out! We also like to get feedback, so you’re welcome to post comments on YouTube about this video as well. Just click on the above image... and it will take you to my YouTube Channel. We’re grateful to connect with you and hopefully can share some interesting topics to keep in touch! Much love, Priestess Sahara  Dear Lover, I open my body to love's flow the most when I open with you sexually. Usually my body is something I use - to work, to play, to get things done. But when I feel your body opening to mine, my body remembers love. Your sexual surrender awakens me to a depth of love I rarely feel in my body during any other time of day. And through entering your heart and body with mine in love's deepest bliss, I open together with you to God. Your pleasure of surrender blesses my life and opens me in ways that feel new and deeper every time we make love. Author David Deida Excerpt from book :"Dear Lover: A Women's Guide to Men, Sex, and Love's Deepest Bliss"  The Charge of the Goddess Now listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride, and by many other names. At her altars, the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month and better it be when the moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place, and adore the spirit of me, I who am Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach all things that are as yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be truly free, you shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, all in my praise. For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on earth; for my law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideals; strive ever towards them, let nothing stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth, and mine is the cup of the wine of life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Vessel of Immortality. I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the Earth. Hear the words of the Star Goddess, the dust of Whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircles the universe: I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man. I call upon thy soul to arise and come unto me. For I am the soul of Nature, who gives life to the Universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded, in the rapture of the infinite. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. Therefore, let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinketh to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not, unless thou knoweth the mystery; for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire. Author Doreen Valiente (Starhawk adapted version)  Hymn to Isis For I am the first and the last, I am the venerated and despised, I am the prostitute and the saint I am the wife and the virgin, I am the mother and the daughter I am the arms of my mother, I am barren and my children are many, I am the married woman and the spinster, I am the woman who gives birth and she who never procreated, I am the consolation for the pain of birth, I am the wife and the husband, And it was my man who created me, I am the mother of my father, I am the sister of my husband, And he is my rejected son, Always respect me, For I am the shameful and the magnificent one. Isis: Goddess of Love, Magic, Fertility and Healing Written 3rd or 4th century BC, discovered in Nag Hammadi  Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking... so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. “Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.” Author Marianne Williamson Excerpt from, " A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of a Course in Miracles"  The Subject Tonight Is Love This place where you are right now God circled on a map for you. Wherever your eyes and arms and heart can move against the earth and the sky, the Beloved has bowed there – knowing you were coming. I could tell you a priceless secret about your real worth, dear but any unkindness to yourself any confusion about others, will keep one from accepting the grace, the love, the sublime freedom divine knowledge always offers to you. ~Hafiz  There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer: no disease that love will not heal; no door that enough love will not open no gulf that enough love will not bridge; no wall that enough love will not throw down; no sin that enough love will not redeem. It makes no difference how deep seated the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough, you would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world. Poem by: Emmet Fox  Dear Sacred Heart, When I grew up, this poem was often shared by my Mother, as a philosophical way of being. I know it's a lot to live up to, but it's made me stretch my comfort zone, when it comes to my view of humanity. When I was a teenager, my Mother wrote out this poem handwritten and framed it. I still have it today! I've meditated on these words throughout my life, as it's been an anchor as to what it means to be a human being in this world. I hope this 'love' poem brings you some medicine for your heart <3 Love & butterfly kisses, Sahara P.S. This post is dedicated to my birth-Mother! |
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