Molly Larkin's Blog, page 2

For Veteran’s Day, Let’s Follow the Native American Lead

To me, Veterans’ Day, celebrated this Wednesday November 11, just isn’t enough to honor what our veterans have done for this country. We could learn a lot from how Native Americans take care of their veterans.

And I am deeply saddened by the lack of support and care our veterans receive today.

Yes, war is horrendous, and perhaps if women were running the world there wouldn’t be any wars.  But those who did their duty and fought for us deserve better than one day to celebrate them.

Why we shouldn’t celebrate Christopher Columbus!

I don't think we should be celebrating Christopher Columbus.

Imagine a foreign-speaking stranger walked into your house one day, claimed it was now his and threw you out, or even enslaved or killed you and your family.

Would you celebrate him with a national holiday?

Neither would I.

The Secret of the U.S. Constitution

If you’re like me, I learned in grade school that the U.S. Constitution was based on ancient Greek democracy.  Which was a creative stretch of the truth, since ancient Greece was not a democracy.

My research as to what children are taught today about the origin of our government is also disappointing, although there are some states that have updated the teachings to include Native American influence.

Apparently the Founding Fathers simply created it out of thin air, or were influenced by European governments even though there was no democracy anywhere in Europe at that time.

Summer Solstice at Stonehenge: live streamed this year!!

Have you ever wanted to watch the sun rise on the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge?  Well, this year you can because it will be live streamed!

The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and  the time to celebrate life in all its aspects. It’s also the first day of summer.

Solstice means “stand still” and refers to the way the sun appears to rise and set in the same place for a few days.

At Stonehenge in England, built between 2500 and 5000 years ago, the summer solstice sun at dawn rises over the structure’s Heel Stone and hits the Altar Stone dead center. Surely our ancestors knew something we don’t about the importance of this day.

It’s time to go back to the Original Instructions!

“In the beginning were the Instructions…

The Original Instructions were to live in a good way

and be respectful to everyone and everything.”

All indigenous people know about the Original Instructions:  the instructions passed down from the Creator, the elders, the ancestors, on how to live a life in harmony and balance with the world around them.

Sadly, much of modern non-Native society has forgotten. And that is what is wrong in today's world.

Memorial Day: More than the start of summer!

Officially, Memorial Day in the United States is a day for remembering and honoring all Americans who died in any war.

However, Memorial Day weekend also marks the beginning of the summer holiday, with people traditionally focusing on shopping, family gatherings, picnics and sporting events.  So we often forget the real meaning of the Day.

Of course, many of us are in lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19, and may not be able to do summer-type things.

But whatever you do, please take time out from this holiday weekend to say a prayer of thanks for those that gave of their lives so that we could live ours in freedom.

The heart of any home…

To find the heart of any home, the place where joy is born, where people feel nurtured and healed, nourished and comforted, look no further than the sacred kitchen.

And our kitchens are probably getting more use these days, as we’re staying home during this pandemic. That’s good, because a lot of healing can take place there.

Not being much of a cook, I never had much appreciation for kitchens. Living alone, I usually only have to cook for myself and always keep it simple.

When I attended Native American gatherings where women were typically involved in food preparation, I always bowed out and preferred physical outdoor labor such as chopping wood and carrying water.

But that all changed after a profound experience I had while attending a Sun Dance ceremony in the southwestern U.S. some years ago.

A new book on meditation during these trying times.

I hope this email finds you and your loved ones healthy and safe. As for myself, while staying at home these past weeks, I've been practicing all my stress-reduction techniques, and meditation is at the top of my list! It's the best way to calm oneself during these trying times.

If you've always wanted to meditate, but haven't had the time or haven't found the meditation technique that's right for you, I'm excited to share my new book with you:

Why I’m Hopeful… Our Golden Opportunity

The Covid-19 virus is giving us a golden opportunity to look at the way we live our lives, and the way the world functions. We shouldn’t want to return to normal, because normal didn’t work.

I hope we’ll all come out of this with a new commitment to live well on every level.

One of my favorite recent Facebook memes is:

“Kinda feeling like the earth just send us all to our rooms

to think about what we’ve done.” Luxepunk on Facebook

You’ll never walk alone!

I’m finding it hard to know what to say in these strange times. I’m still processing, as I’m sure we all are. But I do look for inspiration, and would like to share something I found today from conductor Andre Rieu. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.   I’m finding it […]