Full Moon

Tonight is a full moon and the skys are clear with no clouds to hinder the view of our glorious mother moon in her splendid fullness, she radiates her full light big and strong in this time of strength, love and power. A time of new beginnings, starting afresh and creating from a blank page. This energy last for 3 days prior and 3 days after the actual full moon.

Photo Source http://sacerdos-vibhahegde.blogspot.com.au

At this time the moon is in her beautiful and radiant Mother aspect and we give praise to all mother goddesses such as Anu, Hera, Isis, Demeter, Freya, Luna, Diana, Spider Woman, Chaos, Frigg, Morrigan, Ta - Urt.

This gender association is a generalisation, and (as with most symbolic meanings) there are departures. Moon symbolism in Native American tribe (Navajo, Eskimo, Pueblo come to mind), along with African, Japanese, Maori, Teutonic, Oceania, and Sumerian-Semitic groups refer to the moon as a masculine force.

It is a very intuitive time and we are able to have confidence and see everything with full awareness and we can productively work with our intentions concerning matters of the home, money, progression, renewal, cycles, transition, balance, love, fertility, dreams, creativity and matters of emotion can be cleared in this moon power. A time to share knowledge and enjoy the fruition of our labours or release what is not working in our lives. Quiet inner work and meditation is very empowering. Symbolic of the height of power, the peak of clarity, fullness and attainment of desire. The nature-wise, and cosmically conscious Native Amercian Indians recognized the full moon in each month as having a specific outstanding restorative quality.

Photo Source http://www.sufficientself.com

Know that the intention you put forward is “out there” in the universe and time is gathering all the circumstances and other people’s intentions and time frame together to make this happen the best way for all concerned. Planning medical treatments such as operations and inoculations are also better not done at this time of the month as wounds bleed more and form more scar tissue.

What is intriguing is the means by which the moon wields her force and influence. She is considered a luminary, but she produces no light of her own accord. She is reliant upon the sun’s light to reflect (mirror) her image to our earthly eyes. 

This method of projecting light makes the moon a symbol of subtlety. Clarity, reflection, and indirect deduction are gained by passive means. Where the sun will boldly bear down its blaze upon a given philosophical subject – the moon softly enfolds our attention – illumining our psyche in a gossamer glow that is more open to esoteric impressions.

Photo Source http://blog.christinamalone.com

The full moon affects the gravitational pull on Earth and all related with it, from tides to body secretions and blood circulation. The body is made up of 70 to 80% of water. It is assumed to also have an effect in any kind of electromagnetic energy and because the spiritual world is believed to manifest in some EMF frequencies, spiritual manifestations and activity might be enhanced under full moon.

It has been known for centuries that the full moon can affect people’s consciousness and behaviour. We all know from astrology that each of the planets, and the sun and moon, have an influence on our feelings, emotions and consciousness. The moon affects our emotions because the moon influences water; just as the moon causes the tides, it exerts a pull on the watery components of our body, and we feel this as emotions.

Our body has a field of energy – the aura – which is the same as the aurora or magnetic and gravitational field of the planet. We are all One, a part of the Universal Life Force; and it is natural to be aware of the greater cosmic system, which is as much a part of our consciousness as our brain is.

As human consciousness evolves and moves from the individual awareness to an awareness of greater integration within the whole cosmic system, we also expand our understanding of the unity of life and develop a love of all things, in the realization that We Are All One.

Photo Source http://www.wisdom-of-astrology.com

The time of full moon gives us a great opportunity for meditation which is a powerful tool in the service of humanity, when the mind is employed as a channel for receiving light, love and desire for good, and directed to all human consciousness. At full moon the earth and sun, the solar centre and energy force of life on earth are in alignment. When we are centred we are best able to make the intentions of our continued path to walk clearly. The energies of Full Moon can be instrumental in moving forward towards your goals.

"Meditation is the soul of rhythmic nature, as everything in the universe. The soul lives and breathes her way through it. The rhythmic nature of the soul of meditation should not be overlooked in the life of the aspirant. There is an ebb and flow throughout nature, and the tide of the ocean we see the beautiful representation of an eternal law. ... the idea of the cyclic response to the impulse of the soul finds itself behind the activities of morning meditation, the recognition of the noon and evening recap. In aspects of the full moon and new moon, we have a greater ebb and flow. "(Alice Bailey)

Take the time to observe, mediate, and work with the moon for yourself. Connect with her many faces, and apply your intuition to your life goals. If you work with her she will shower you with inspiration, expansion, and liberation.

Sight

After a dear friend and mentor and my wonderful husband both had cataract surgery this week, I thought I would talk on the wonder of sight and how very fortunate we are to have been blessed with the ability to see.

From the moment you wake up in the morning to the time you go to sleep at night, your eyes are capturing all that happens about you during the day and recording those events. It is the sense of sight that is considered the most complex of the five senses.

Photo Source http://www.scientificpsychic.com

As you focus your sight on an object beams of light bounce off it and into your eyes through the cornea, which is located on the surface of your eye - a protective coating so to speak. The light rays then pass the pupil the dark centre of your eye into the lens. As you keep looking at objects the iris of your eye the coloured ring around the pupil shrinks or expands depending on the amount of light available. The lens focuses the image through a jelly like substance called the vitreous humor onto the back surface of the eyeball called the retina.

This retina has 150 million light sensitive cells called rods and cones within only a surface of about your thumbnail. The rods identify the shapes while the cones identify the colour, once this information is collated it is sent to the brain upside down. The brain then turns the image the correct way up and tells you what you are observing in the visual cortex area of the brain. A new born baby sees the world upside down until it develops and learns to turn the picture the right way up.

Due to the sensitivity of the eye it has the eyelid, eyelashes and eyebrows all assisting to keep it free of dust, dirt and sweat particles. Then we have tears which will form to wash away any particles that do make it into the eye cavity keeping it clean and moist. We blink every 2 - 10 seconds for 1/3 second which means your eyes are closed at least 30 minutes a day just whilst blinking, all this happens to ensure the eye is clean.

Photo Source http://worthwhiletreasure.wordpress.com

So much is happening in such a small amount of time each and every time you view something. Now think of all the work that is happening instantaneously as you scan a room, look over a landscape or look at the very fine detail or an insect etc.

Cataract surgery is the removal of the natural lens of the eye called  the crystalline lens that has developed a cataract. Metabolic changes of the crystalline lens fibres over time lead to the development of the cataract and loss of transparency, causing impairment or loss of vision. Many patients' first symptoms are strong glare from lights and small light sources at night, along with reduced acuity at low light levels. During cataract surgery, a patient's cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a synthetic lens to restore the lens's transparency.

Following surgical removal of the natural lens, an artificial intraocular lens implant is inserted. Cataract surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist in a surgical centre or hospital, using local anesthesia, usually causing little or no discomfort to the patient.

Photo Source http://en.wikipedia.org Magnified view of a cataract
in a human eye seen on examination with a slit lamp.

The Ancient Greeks believed that eyes emitted a small beam of light that allowed them to see. This makes sense as Theia, goddess of sight, mothered the god of the Sun, Helios. Theia is said to be the female counterpart of Aether. This makes sense as she was a daughter of Heaven and mother of the Sun, Moon and Dawn.

Theia (pronounced THEE-ah) is the Greek Goddess of sight and the lights of the sky. She is one of the Titans, daughter of Gaia and Ouranos (earth and sky), and sister-wife to another Titan, Hyperion, God of observation. The Titans were the powerful beings who preceded, and gave birth to, the Greek Olympians. Their three children, Eos(Goddess of dawn), Selene (Goddess of the moon), and Helios (God of the sun), were the personifications of the lights of the sky. Theia also had dominion over precious metals and gems, which seemed to shine with their own light, and was associated with an oracle at Phthiotis in Thessaly, under the title Ikhnaie (the tracing goddess) which could shine light on the future. People came to see the light concealed within the darkness of their problems. Theia’s name, which means “sight,” is also seen as Thea, and she was alternately known as Aithre (clear sky), Euryphaessa (wide-shining), and Ikhnaie (tracing).

She represents the faculty of sight and the ability to assess situations clearly, the removal of the blindfold of self deception.

Photo Source http://en.wikipedia.org In the frieze of the Great Altar of Pergmon in Berlin
the goddess who fights at Helio's back is conjected to be Theia.

May you both heal speedily and go on to see the world more clearly as a result of the wonderful surgeons who used their skills to remove your cataracts. Enjoy the unimpaired quality of vision again noticing that the colours are brighter, images are sharper, and objects that were hard to see before surgery are back in focus again. With your improved vision overall life satisfaction and enjoyment of all will be immeasurable.  

Lakes Entrance

Staying at the farm in the Lakes Entrance area of Victoria was so restful and soul nourishing. With no other properties near the farm I had a profound feeling of being alone in nature. No mobile signal or internet being available also allowed me not to be distracted by the everyday workings of the world as I sat on the verandah viewing the paddocks with sheep, cows, pigs, geese and numerous bird life and the sounds of nature for company makes you take time for yourself that is otherwise sometimes lacking.

Our cottage at Kookaburra Farm Stay.

Farm grown vegetable garden.

Kookaburra Farm Stay's beautiful tranquil garden at the farm.

This mother pig had given birth a few weeks before we arrived at the farm.

Four very healthy baby piglets.

Geese were free range and a source for local restaurants.

Sheep were also raised on the farm and then supplied as meat products to the local community.

Listening to the earth wake each morning and go to sleep at night was something very special we do not hear in the city. Then there are the night sky's which can't be put into words, with more stars than you think are possible to view all the way down to the tree line. Just standing and watching in the stillness and dark makes one feel very humble.

We did drive along the Great Alpine Road to Mount Hotham standing 1868m one day and the country side was breathtakingly beautiful.

A rare site of an Echidna in the wild. We were actually blessed with two sightings of Echidna whilst in Victoria.

Grandview Lookout at Orbost.

The river was friend and foe to the locals unleashing mighty floods and leaving rich alluvial soil.

The original road bridge beside the new concrete bridge.

The slab hut was built in 1872 by settlers to Orbost living upstream from Orbost. It was reconstructed in 1987 using original slabs and building techniques. Orbost developed from 1881 as the population increased and settlers came to farm the rich floodplains. 

The Tourist Informaiton Centre in Orbost was the most wonderful surprise a shame there is not a prise for the most loved and well cared for centre in Australia this would surely win.

A gentle 15 minute loop track winds it's way through temperate rainforest on the banks of Cabbage Tree Creek with sheltered sitting areas amongst the Lilly Pilly and Yellow wood with vines twisting skyward and palms towering overhead. The Cabbage Fan Palm is the only native palm to extend into Victoria.

Cabbage Tree Creek walk was another stop along the road were we stretched our legs.

The view from Mount Hotham.

The Big Merino in Goulburn was wearing a splendid hand crafted scarf.

Kookaburra Valley Farmstay

We went for a drive along the Eastern side of the Peninsula through Merricks, Balnarring, Hastings to Tyabb. All lovely little villages with the friendliest people.

There were hay bales as far as the eye could see.

 

Hasting had a lovely marina.

We then went to Arthurs Seat, which was named after a similar mountain in Edinburgh Scotland in 1802. We walked to the Seawinds Gardens with it’s wonderful views a large 34 hectare park within the Arthurs Seat State Park.

A very large seat to fill at the top of the mountain. 

The park was filled with curious kangaroos.

A view from Bay Lookout.

At our accommodation at Nepean Country Club Resort these birds made a great welcoming party. 

We also went to the Famous Portsea Hotel right on the waterfront at Portsea. The end of the road atmosphere sets the scene for the million dollar holiday mansions of Portsea. Melbourne’s rich and famous have built here from the 1860’s through to the 1920’s and the buildings are statements sitting on the edge of cliffs overlooking the waters.

We had lunch at the Hotel built in 1927, seating on the terrace looking out over the bay with the most stunning views.

Looking back towards the hotel from the waterfront.

After lunch we went for a walk approx. 5 kilometres in length out along the Port Nepean Discovery Walk to the very end of the Mornington Peninsula.

During the last century in Australia with migrants arriving from all over the world it became essential to have quarantine for livestock. Many new settlers brought their own sheep, horses and goats to help settle into the new land. It was known that rinderpest and foot and mouth disease could rapidly infect local livestock so conditions had to be put in place to ensure the health of these animals. The jetty and holding yards were built at Observation Point in 1879. Later quarantine yards were established at Melbourne Zoo and Coode Island.

Fort Nepean is at the westward end of Point Nepean. The turbulent waterway between Port Phillip and Point Lonsdale is known as the Rip. Today the heads provide the sole access point to Port Melbourne. The rip is still considered one of the world’s most testing navigational challenges. Mariners of old described their passage through the treacherous currents and reefs as “threading the needle”.

Although the walk was quite long the views were well worth the effort.

The Fort Nepean & Quarantine Station from 1858 complex has tunnels and gun emplacements, the tunnels at the fort were extensive this one was going to the engine room down by the water’s edge.

This is the beach where Harold Holt disappeared.

We also drove to Lakes Entrance and stopped at Mt Barkly Lookout Kalimna.

A view of the entrance to the lakes at Lakes Entrance from Jemmies Point.

On our way to the Den of Nargun we came across this wonderful echidna going about his day.

The Den of Nargun has great cultural significance to the aboriginal people especially the women of the Gunnai/Kurnai community. Tradition has it that the Nargun lives there a fierce being of half human - half stone. The Nargun was feared because it took children who visited the rockpool. Spears thrown at it were reflected back to the thrower. The den a cave under a rock overhang once had stalactites hanging from it however visitors unfortunately took these as souvenirs. Some can still be seen today.

The Den of Nargun in the Mitchell River National Park and has the Woolshed Creek running through it.

Looking closely you can see me at Bluff Lookout where I stayed while Kevin walked down through the valley to the glen at the creek.

We drove through the park to Billy Goat Bend, where the Mitchell River has carved a natural amphitheater through the 350 million year old sandstone. The Mitchell River is the only major Victorian River that runs wild and freely from its source to the sea, starting as a series of streams from the moss bogs.

In Bairnsdale there is the most unusual Court House built in 1873 that we have ever seen.

We are staying in the Lakes Entrance area at Sarsfield on the Kookaburra Valley farm which is an idyllic cottage in farmland about 15 minutes drive from Bairnsdale. This is the view as we wake in the morning from the front door or bedroom window such a special serenity exists here no noise other than that from the birds.

The view once the fog had lifted. There is no phone signal and therefore no internet available so I am being forced to have a real peaceful time, Kevin is driving into Bairnsdale each day to work at the library and I am staying on the farm even the owners of the property go to work during the day so there is nobody around for literally miles and miles very peaceful and soul renewing.