I had a quiet Thanksgiving which is what I needed/wanted. I had a very nice dinner with my mom. She was not up to par so to speak so we had dinner in her room. She ate pretty well, but mainly rested. It is fascinating and heartbreaking to watch how holidays impact those with ALZ/dementia - I learn more and more every day. The residents know something is going on, but can't quite comprehend. There are more visitors at the holidays - which for many means strangers are walking in/out and bringing in stuff. They do get a bit jealous when one person is getting more attention than another and will act out accordingly. The holidays also mean there might be strange staff working and taking care of them. How would you feel if some stranger wanted to change you/touch you? Some residents got to leave for a little while with family and the return is not always easy. It's also hard for the family as they may not realize the resident has moved to another phase of the disease. The residents pick up on the stress/tension of the staff and visitors and it then manifests in so many ways.
My mind has been all over the place this past week. So much so that I had to write a list of topics that I may or may not cover in the blog over the next few weeks. As something popped into my head and caused me to pause, I added it to the list to see if it will be mentioned later.
I am a person that if I dream during my sleep, I don't remember, except occasionally. I usually say I must dream because I wake up exhausted although I don't know why. Well, the other morning as I woke up two words "spirit animal" and a picture of a "fox" were in my brain. I thought oh oh what does that mean? So as a learner, I had to go look these up. I used www.spiritanimal.info/
First: Spirit animals are typically associated with traditional as well as modern Western shamanic practices. During initiations or shamanic journeys, the shaman would find one or several animals that she or another person is associated with. Traditionally, the spirit animal is used for guidance. Think of your spirit animal as a guardian spirit or spirit guide. It can play the role of protector and provides guidance. It's like a "personal guide or protector" that has a personal affinity with the person it's associated with.
Second: The fox is often associated with the figure of the trickster, but as a spirit animal, it can also turn into a teacher providing guidance on swiftly finding your way around obstacles. If you follow the fox totem wisdom, you may be called to use or develop quick thinking and adaptability. Responsive, sometimes cunning, this power animal is a great guide when you are facing tricky situations.
In terms of dreams - have you ever thought back to what you dreamed when you were young? It popped into my head the other day that when I was very young I pictured myself as a teacher when I grew up. I would play school - I remember setting up a classroom in our dining room and my dolls were the students. I don't know when that dream changed - perhaps it was when I found out I was not a great student. Or perhaps had some not so great teachers, but somewhere along the way I stopped thinking about it. I went to work at 16 and never thought about it again. Through the years I studied and learned skills for my career, went and finished a college degree and received several certifications. For some reason last week the dream came back to me and I thought back over what I had done in my career. I realized that I did fulfill my dream of being a teacher in many ways. At a few points in my career, I was a trainer - which is the work version of a teacher. I unwittingly fulfilled my dream that I had as a child and did not realize it...guess I was not paying attention or perhaps present enough. Have you fulfilled the dreams of your youth? Can you remember what the dream was? Are you listening? Now, I'm not sure why this all popped up in the past week unless the universe is opening a new path for me. Guess it's time to keep an open mind/heart/spirit.
So fascinating to learn something new. I am continuing my growth in studying energy in December, I will go back to group meditation class and also will participate in Reiki II level certification.
I went to the movies last weekend. I saw "Daddy's Home 2" - it was better than I expected and I did laugh a few times. I had not planned and just bought a ticket to the movie starting next. At home I watched " LA LA Land" - It was okay and I actually used it more as background noise as I did a few other things. I took some time between Christmas movies to actually watch a few episodes of two National Geographic series I had recorded. "The Long Road Home" - a story of war and family - based on an event that happened in April 2004 in Sadr City Iraq. The series is based on the bestseller of the same name. The show is intense and powerful. Also, "The Story of Us With Morgan Freeman" - a documentary based on stories of humanity. This is the second series I have watched with Morgan Freeman and wow is he powerful as a teacher.
I am going to leave it here for today. The sun is up and shining and my coffee cup has gotten cold. I hope you have a good week. Be kind and patient as the week unfolds. Take care. Chat soon. Marie
The quotes today are from: 'POWER OF WORDS - QUOTATIONS AND PROVERBS" by MJF Lion Kishore Bansal
"FIND A PLACE INSIDE WHERE THERE'S JOY, AND THE JOY WILL BURN OUT THE PAIN."
"FINE MANNERS ARE A STRONGER BOND THAN A BEAUTIFUL FACE. THE FORMER BINDS; THE LATTER ONLY ATTRACTS."
"FEED YOUR FAITH AND YOUR FEARS WILL STARVE TO DEATH."