all images and stories are the property of Catherine Beerda-Basso and are not to be used without given permission...thank you

Wednesday 29 January 2014

A Love Story...



There once was a girl
with hair that danced like fire
and eyes are dark as coal
She was born into the depth of despair
in a place and time
where her mother was forced to leave her
forbidden to take her home...



For in the mothers house
there breathed a curse
One that held the women of that blood line
in darkness.
They had been cut off from their true selves
from their sacred gifts
from their divine callings
and they had forgotten
who they  were.
And over time frustration and anger
had taken the place
of what was
and the child's grandmother
 was the angriest of them all.
She would not allow
her daughter to bring this child
one born our of wed-lock
into their home
and she turned away from the child
and held her daughter at bay
until the day the child was born
and left
and forgotten.



But the mother of the child
did not forget
She remembered
hoping one day
this child would return
and break the curse
that lay upon her family.
*
The child was taken in by another family
one in which the woman of the house
was barren
and longed for children
So the child became the last of 4
and began her life
far away from where she came.
*

The child was as vibrant as her hair
and as wild
she challenged the tidy life of her parents
often stoking the anger
that burned inside her father
fro his own tormented past.
It was not long before the child
realized she had a companion...
one of a darker nature.
At first she found comfort in this darkness
but soon
as she grew
the darkness grew from friend to foe
and seemed to have a hold on her
taking her into the depths of despair
just like those before her
To the outside world
she looked happy
but inside 
raged a war
In adolescence the war  at times
became so intense,
swirling with the burning anger
of her father
and it almost seemed to much
for her to take
and she longed for death.
She did not understand what or why
these things were happening to her
And yet
in the darkness of her hiding place
she would hear a voice
whispering to her
from a place she did not yet know...
"Don't give up
Don't give up
Don't give up."

So she would live to face another day.

As she grew into an adult
she accepted her companion
as the way it was
Feeling as if it was stitched to her being
she learned to live with it.
As a young adult
she ignored it
distract herself from it
self medicate and  
day-dreamed of something else.
But it remained
pulling her down 
any chance it could
and when she was alone
her mind would hurt
pulling her this way and that.
Torturing her very soul
And she wondered when would it end
and she wondered how.
*

And then that day came
when death brought to her new life
and she began to awaken
For indeed she had not been dead
as she had thought
She had only been asleep.
And as she awoke
to the world around her
she began to heal
she began to light seek
and by doing so
she gained strength
and knowledge
and wisdom
So much so
she began to not only be a light chaser
she also to on the role of shadow stalker
stalking her own shadows
finding our their secrets
and learning their language.
And every year that past
she felt her self
coming back to her true essence
One with out curses of the past
One that did not cling to old habits
old ways of dealing
One that was free
from all that had been with her
the curse of her blood line
and burn of her fathers anger
the confusion of a warrior mind.
And soon
without her even realizing
the despair was gone
the darkness lifted.
And it was then she realized
that indeed
it had been her who had clung to the darkness
it had been her who had clung to the despair
for it had been all she had known
and it seemed safe
in it familiarity...
And as this unfolding was happening
she had a dream
in which she was visited by an ancient
of her blood line
This woman
her great great great grandmother
told her of how this line had been broken and cursed
how the woman of her past had been shamed
from their gifts
how they had forgotten
and by doing so
had replaced all that was good
with a longing
and emptiness
bringing in the darkness of despair.
She went on to show the child
that she had been the one to break the curse
to set them all free.
That though she had suffered
it was not for naught
there had been purpose
there had been reason.
She took the girls hands,
now a woman
holding them and caressing them
telling her, her lifes purpose
showing her the gifts she held
infusing her with the power of her ancestors
and all those who stood with her.
Never could she have imagined
the possibility of such freedom
and yet
her heart knew
all this to be true.
*

The child,
now a woman,
did eventually seek out her birth mother
to let her know
of the freedom
to let her know
all was well
to let her know
she loved her and was not angry
And the birth mother wept
at such news
and let the freedom wash over her
as best she could
for her heart had been broken
and scared so deeply.
But to see her daughter
with the hair of flames
and eyes black as coal
set a part of her free 
unlocked a piece of her 
that she had hidden away.
*

No curse is too strong for Love to over come
For it was Love that had whispered to the girl
in the darkness
It was Love that gave her just enough light
for the step she was on
It was Love that held her and guided her
when she was lost and confused
I was Love the coaxed her
to keep searching for the birth mother
It was Love that carried them both
It was Love
Divine Love's Kiss
that awoke her spirit
and brought her back
to the land of the living
The Land of the Living Free. 
*


Love and Light



 



Monday 13 January 2014

Well hello 2014....




only 13 days in and we already feel like old friends...


this year has come on hard and fast...
but 
I will not start here
I will back up a bit
for it has been a while
I know
but life is like that
especially with family holidays
or as I called Christmas this year
"These the Holy Nights"





I choose to wrap myself with in my family
whoever would show up
and enjoy
Enjoy that I have them
the montley crew that we are






I choose to be...
and to light candles for these that I love


pray for healing
pray for joy
pray for eased pain

I choose to wait in sacred anticipation
I choose to wish and let go
I choose to be


Indeed these were The Holiest of Night

New Years was brought it with close friends
a good Italian dinner out
kids now old enough to sit at another table
then back to the house to visit and enjoy each other
till it was time to welcome the New Year
and sing Happy Birthday to a special boy



and lite some fireworks
soon after which
 the moms went to bed
while the rest of them stayed up 
into  the wee hours of the morning...
good times
with great people.



And now
here it is
2014
and I walk between two worlds
The world of abundance and blessing
peace and joy
and 
The world of grief and uncertainty
suffering and pain.


Life does not get much more real.

Truth be told
I walk with heavy heart
grief is not easy
but grief is real
and a reflection of my love
for those in my circle who are sick...


"surrogate mom", Yvonne and me

Angela and me

my mom...she has spinal stinosis

Me and Kelly

But along with the grief
there is excitement
and much hope for this year
with those I love
and myself.



Big plans are forming
Space is being created
Things are being let go of
and
Blessings Abound.

My word for this year is
FIERCE
I did not want it when it came
Repeatedly I went back
hoping to find something softer, gentler
The word kept bringing up emotions from a time
when I was told to "simmer down"
when I was "too much"
when my passion-IE: my fierceness
was presented to me as a negative...
and not acceptable.
So on the day
when I went back to see
if perhaps
just maybe 
another word had taken shape
only to find
FIERCE
waiting patiently
with a smile on her face
and an invitation to live in her hand,
a whisper came from deep within me
"this is a part of you...it is time to let it live once more"
and
I surrendered.
I took hold of the invitation to live
and I said yes to FIERCE!

I have to say
I felt a little scared
like
"Holy Shit-Fierce!"
and then

I felt whole

and past emotions and events bubbled up
I looked at them
honoured them
and then
 I let them go.
Because my lovelies
I AM fierce...
fiercely passionate about Living Free
and everything that comes with that!
And I will not deny that part of myself
anymore!

Along with this word 
came direction
"Slow and Steady"

It seemed like a contradiction to me
in a way
But upon moving past the labels
Fierce tends to be tagged with
I saw it made complete sense 
and offered me some containment
and safety...
for FIERCE can be dangerously wild and extremely hot
if not attended to in the necessary way
but with such direction
there is offered
a slow, deep, rich burn
producing an endless source of deep power
that fuels strength, fortitude, and stamina
to face the road ahead.



So I walk with fierceness
at a slow and steady pace.
Opening this year to pouring out my heart
in word, image and paint.


This space will be a place of story and image.
A little different from what it has been.
I will offer
legend and parable
forest tales
and ocean mystery
songs from the wind
and lessons from the earth
I hope you will come by
and indulge your senses
and open your heart
to the guided words of Spirit.



I walk between two worlds
it is where I belong
until the day comes for me to leave this place
here I shall be
here I shall remain...


where have you been called to be
my lovelies?
what word have you been given?

Love and Light

 

Friday 3 January 2014

Before I do anything....

I come to you my lovelies
to ask of you, your hearts.
The community of women
that I connect with in this space
have taught me so much
about Love and Light
and for that I thank you.
So now
 I humbly ask you to walk this walk with me
for a dear sister-friend of mine
one whom I met through this medium some
4 years ago.

This is the beautiful Kelly Clark
known to some as The Umber Dove
a talented artist of 
paint
metal
feathers
earth and stone
textile
leather
hearts songs
word and wonder
*

She is an exquisite creature
who I am so so very honoured to call sister.
*
She is on a grief field
and it is her second time on this particular field....
but honestly
her story is so much better in her own words
*

There is something I want to do for this beautiful soul
and I need your help to do it.
This Sunday, January 5th
at 8:00pm your time
whatever time zone you live in
I ask you to light a candle for Kelly
Say a prayer
Set up an alter
Write a heart song
Share a verse...
whatever it is your spiritual practice
leads you to do
and post it on your blog
and then let me know
and I will link it here.

This can also be done via Face Book
come to my page for details
search for Catherine Beerda-Basso 
if you are not already connected with me there.

My purpose for this is
for healing
Kelly's healing.
And also by doing so
we can equip Kelly and BC for the journey ahead
no matter how long or short
far or wide they have to go
they will know and feel the army that stands with them.
The Divine medicine given
The Divine prayer lifted
The Divine Love and Light poured out
will remain for them
strong and true
till they need it no more.


This is what I have been lead to do
to put out the call
for us to gather
for another soul
and in turn 
for each other.

I pray you will join me.

Love and Light my lovelies.

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” 
― Chief Seattle

other posts for Kelly:
Sophie 
Sammy 
Sue
Stephanie
Rebecca
Brandi
Marie
Shirely 
Lea 
Lynn