On The Farm-ish
This is a messy time on the farm in between winter and spring. Muddy, cold. But signs are coming—the daffodils are emerging and the swans are back in the lake.
My best friend, Rachel, and I went to Puerto Rico to teach a TOOLS FOR RESILIENCY workshop on the island of Vieques. We met a group of women who were power house advocates and healers for the people of Vieques. We were hosted by my friend, Angie Martell, in her beautiful home. The workshop was funded by three anonymous angels, clients of ours, whose aim in life is to empower people. Mission accomplished. AND, we got to see sunshine for several days. The only travel issue was having our shoes taken by the waves on the beach. I was so enthralled taking photos, I didn’t notice Rachel running after them. Fortunately, she we brought extra dry ones for the bioluminescent bay (which was marvelous), but she was successful in retrieving them.
Our retired barn cats have made the house their home now, including accepting Stitch (relatively). He’s 2 1/2 now and is still learning about cats—mostly, they don’t play like dogs do. Charlie is the adventurer. He goes throughout the house, the basement, the upstairs and comes back with cobwebs on his head. I mentioned to a friend that I should make him go through the house at least once a month just to clear the dust.
Reading and ceremony are my thing this month. It feels good to dance with my ancestors, do ceremony in the mornings with my spirit guides and winds. If you get a chance, do some movement with Mother Earth or curl up in the stormy times with a good book—see THE BOOKSHELF for this month. It’s a good one.
Welcome to my heart
A Ritual For Developing Closeness With Your Animal Friends
A few days ago, I was helping a client with animal communication, and was reminded of some actions that my horses and I used to do with each other. These actions happened daily and became the “habits” of the very close relationship I had with each one, and the things I missed most when they passed.
In my chaplaincy training, my homework was to devise a ritual that one could do with an animal. As I worked with the client, it dawned on me that those treasured actions were actually a ritual that the horses and I did every day to affirm our relationship. They taught me so much over the 29 years they were with me. I hope in viewing this video, that you pick up some things you can do to deepen your own relationship with your beloved animal friend. Enjoy!
Cause of the month
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF HURON VALLEY. I have worked with the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) at some of their functions like the Walk, Wag & Run event they hold as a fundraiser every year. Located in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area since 1896, this nonprofit animal shelter has been serving the area for more than 125 years with well developed programs for animals and people. It addresses not only most of southeastern Michigan, but also participates in a network across the country that rescues animals from a wide variety of situations and helps to find homes for them. It actually began with a mission that addressed treatment of horses and children—“prevention, by all proper means, of cruelty to animals and children and the prevention of all cruelty by humane education.”
I’ve always admired the way this shelter is run—like a finely oiled machine that is well tended. As a well established no-kill shelter, it offers adoption, fostering, cruelty investigations, wildlife rescue, and trap/neuter/return services for community cats. In addition, the organization has developed humane education for youth of all ages, a significant volunteer program that supports the shelter’s efforts, and affordable veterinary care for adoptees and their families.
With the onset of the pandemic and other local traumas, HSHV offers a community pet food pantry, and opportunity for people to sponsor pet food drives, which we did through our clinic while it was open. There is also emergency shelter available for pet parents going through crisis situations.
HSHV opened a Tiny Lions lounge in 2016, near my home, where people can go to have coffee, wifi, and cats. It is an outreach adoption center for the cats, who roam freely throughout the facility. Cat movies are shown and cat events are held like Yoga with Cats, Trivia with Cats, Cats and Kids, and more. There is also an amazing gift shop for cat aficionados.
Each year, over 24,000 animals are served. HSHV has been recognized has having the highest “save rate” among all similar shelters in Michigan, and has been consistently recognized as a leader in helping shelters all over the country to become “no-kill”, highly effective adoption and service agencies.
If you would like to support their efforts either through donation or volunteer work, or would like information to work with your own local shelter, you can contact Development@hshv.org. See the website at https://hshv.org to read about their partnering efforts and financial transparency.
Healing for yourself and the world, is it time for you?
Most of you know that I am a shamanic instructor for Sandra Ingerman, a premier shamanic teacher since the 1980’s. In March, I will begin the year of shamanic courses with MEDICINE FOR THE EARTH and HEALING WITH SPIRITUAL LIGHT. Sandra’s book, Medicine for the Earth, is about healing ourselves to be able to heal others, our world, and our environment with simple, profound techniques that most animals, plants and nature use to renew, revitalize and repair the damage that humankind does with just daily life. We can do this, too.
The course brings awareness of toxic thoughts—ours and others, and offers healing for us to shift our thought patterns, behaviors and perceptions of each other to make this a better world. The course also brings awareness of our own divinity and how to use that for both protection and healing for ourselves and others.
So many resources and gifts in this course, which covers two full weekends from 9am-4pm each day. We will discover the power of the elements in healing; how to work with power animals and teachers to heal; and how to connect with ancestors and descendants to find our gifts. We’ll learn about the shamanic perspective of illness and be able to connect with the spirits of the land and Nature, including the Hidden Folk.
All faith traditions are welcome. You do NOT need to know shamanic journeying skills to take this class, because all exercises will be guided. You will receive a recording and slides for each day of the class, so if you can’t make it in person, you can get the information in your own time. If you have already taken this class, you can repeat it for a special price. I update it each time it is taught with new information, so it’s never the same class you took before.
You can register here
I hope you can join us.
The Bookshelf
“If the confident animal, coming toward us,
had a mind like ours,
the change in him would stun us.
But his own being is endless to him, undefined, and without regard
for his condition: clear,
like his eyes. Where we see future,
he sees all, and himself
in all, made whole for always.”
Rainer Maria Rilke, from the 8th Duino Elegy
Anyone who has an animal companion knows how much spiritual capacity they have for holding space when one is going through a crisis, an illness or just daily living. Tami Simon, the editor, founded Sounds True, a publishing company online that offers a plethora of self-help and spirituality books, audio programs, and courses. Inspired by the death of her own dog, she has put together a beautiful collection of observations, memories and stories by well known spiritual teachers and leaders about their experiences with their own animals.
THE DHARMA OF DOGS: our best friends as spiritual teachers offers the lessons that each person received, the blessings in their lives that their canine companions provided to them. This is one of those books that you may want to read, one chapter at a time, allowing days between chapters to allow the words to melt into you, perhaps journaling how it affected you or reminded you of the blessings and gifts of your own animals over time.
Upcoming classes and workshops
CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Find full descriptions and costs of the classes and events on the website
Registrations are on the website except for Journey Circle. Once registered, a Zoom invitation will be sent to register to receive the meeting i.d. and passcode. If you have difficulty with a registration, please contact Judy at info@judyramsey.net. All classes and journey circles are recorded for your convenience.
March 2 & 16, 2023
Journeying Circle
If you know how to do shamanic journeying, you know that it is a path of direct revelation. Come join us as we explore different aspects of our life’s path, doing healing for ourselves as well as for the world.
Zoom registration required
contact Judy at info@JudyRamsey.net
7pm-8:30pm EDT
Cost is $25 per session or $40 per month to attend
Zoom
March 11-12 & 25-26, 2023
Medicine for the Earth/Healing With Spiritual Light
Explore the depth of your own inner light and its connection with All That Is. Learn how to transform the energy behind toxic thoughts and achieve balance in yourself and harmony in your world. You will connect with nature, spirit allies, and the elements to learn how to transform and heal yourself, your community and your environment. Suggested reading: Medicine for the Earth: How to Transform Personal and Environmental Toxins by Sandra Ingerman. Journeying skills are not necessary. All levels and traditions are welcome. This is a core class for the year-long program for shamanic studies, but one does not need to be enrolled in the program to experience this class.
9am-4pm each day EST, two weekends with a week between
Cost is $360 per person, $150 for repeating students
Zoom
April 29-30, 2023
Basic Shamanic Journeying
The shamanic journey is an easy and powerful tool used to access spiritual information. You will meet and begin to develop a relationship with a compassionate spirit or power animal who is coming forward to help you at this time in your life. The techniques will help you develop a self-directed practice of empowerment, allowing you to move safely, intentionally through the world in a balanced way.This class is a prerequisite to ongoing and more advanced shamanic studies.
9am-3pm EDT
Cost is $160, $75 for repeating students.
Zoom
May 4 & 18, 2023
Journeying Circle
If you know how to do shamanic journeying, you know that it is a path of direct revelation. Come join us as we explore different aspects of our life’s path, doing healing for ourselves as well as for the world.
Zoom registration required
Contact Judy at info@JudyRamsey.net
7pm-8:30pm EDT
Cost is $25 per session or $40 per month to attend
Zoom
May 6-7, 2023
Ancestors: The Power Within
Ancestors can be powerful allies in your practice, and healing our ancestral lines can help us heal ourselves and our families. Explore your heritage, deepen your connection with the grandmothers and grandfathers in ceremony, in initiation and in the shamanic journey. Prerequisite: basic journeying skills.
9am-4pm EDT
Cost is $180, $90 for repeating students
Zoom
May 27-28, 2023
Basic Animal Communication
Learn how to communicate with animals telepathically the way they communicate with each other. Step by step instruction with fun exercises. Open your natural intuitive skills.
Prerequisite: ANIMAL TALK by Penelope Smith.
9am-5pm each day EDT
Cost is $150 per person, $75 for repeating students
Zoom