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

Monday 10 March 2014

Preparing for Pilgrimage...









I am getting ready to go back
I place of chaos and confusion
a place of  wild joy and free spirit

There are always so many emotions
that dance inside my chest as I prepare
but above all
I feel the blessing of knowing this place

Three sleeps and I will be leaving home
My oldest surprised me by saying yes to the call
My brother and niece will also be there
A very special trip this shall be
Family meeting Family

Here is one of my Soap Box Writings from my FB page
about this journey...

 This past week I had the good fortune of engaging in a wonderful conversation with a sister-friend,
about this very topic. She does healing works in the First Nations Communities where many of her people live in generational poverty. A poverty that began when the white man came, and stripped them of who they were.
We both agreed that there is a misunderstanding within the general population as to what exactly poverty is. For anyone who is involved in this kind of work, whatever level it might be, you know that this work is messy and the deeper you get into it the messier it gets. And you would know that poverty goes way beyond the lack of food or shelter.
Poverty steals so much more than nourishment from the body. Poverty strips one of all human dignity. It takes away ones trust in oneself and others. There are no dreams, there is not hopes for the future, there is no tomorrow only this moment and how you are going to survive it…poverty holds people captive from their spirit and all that gives life purpose. Generational poverty is not fixed by a full belly and a warm bed…that is the very surface, that is the easy part. Once you get past that the real work begins, and it is messy and it is slow. In our world you make a decision and you follow through with it. If it does not work there are many other options to go with. In the world of poverty decisions are not easy to come by and options….what are those???? Things that are clearly inappropriate in the financially secure world, become normaland common place in the world of poverty…things like brothers having sex with their sisters, and mom’s boyfriends impregnating their girlfriends daughters, boys being beaten by their moms boyfriends and those same boys easily getting a hold of a gun to go after said boyfriend. It becomes normal for a mother to leave her children for days on end, sometimes even weeks and it becomes the way it is when babies are having babies. What seems so easy, to the outsider, to fix, is so deeply engrained within the population that to loosen it, let alone remove it, is the deep, challenging work. (all examples are stories about some of the kids who are in our program)

World Statistics: (approx.)
10% of the worlds population own a car
50% of the world owns their own home
4% of the world own a computer
12% have access to one
3-5% have internet access
2-5% of the worlds population sleep in their own bed
30% have enough money to have a bank account

Mother Earth produces enough food to provide every person in the world at least 2,720 calories per day.
Ask yourself why we are not eating this way… 
Is it God who does this? 
Or is it those in power who have misused their positions?

I share these statistic not so you feel bad or guilty, but to give insight and awareness of our position in the world. It is easy in our society to feel like we live in lack. The media speaks of recession, global warming, loss of jobs, horrible violence and crimes; stories that cause us to draw ourselves inward feeling like there is not enough. They “forget” to tell us all the wonderful abundance love and giving that goes on… 
When we live in this kind of Fear or Lack we live with a perceptions that is another is successful there will not be enough left for us. There is the sense that is we don’t grab our “brass-ring” someone else will and there will be nothing left for us. With this way of thinking we become steeped in living competitively, pitting us against one another instead of working together. We live only in a physical reality, seeing all beings as separate from one another having access to limited sources.When the truth is, here in North America, there is more that enough. And here in North American we are actually living as a minority. The majority of the world does not live like us…not even close. This, to me, puts us in a position of responsibility. And the first step of that responsibility is learning to live in unity. Living in unity moves us away from ourselves and into a deeper relationship with others. Moving past the physical reality into the spiritual reality. Spiritually we are all sharing the unity of one Creative Source. When we live in this reality all sense of competition disappears leaving space for cooperation and unity to take its place among us and thrive. 

Through this work and living a spiritually infused lifestyle I have learned this:
When one heals we all heal
When one succeeds we all succeed
When one grieves we all grieve
When one is fed we all are fed
When one loves we all love

I challenge you my Courageous Soul Readers to accept your position of abundance in the world and take responsibility of it…whatever that looks like for you…we are not all called to do the same thing. All we do, whatever it is, has an effect on the rest of the world. It is a choice as to whether is it a positive effect or a negative effect. 

Thank you for reading my heart...
keep a light burning for me
until I return safely back home

Love and Light

17 comments:

  1. Wow! I love this post! Down to the bone with truth. Thank you! xoxo with love.
    Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. rooted in my truth sista!
      thanks for reading

      love and light

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  2. This is a really concise and well written testimony to 'spiritual truth' in 'my' opinion... You are a beautiful ambassador...Keep up the good work my ~>
    'Star Soul Sister',
    Hugs x

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    Replies
    1. thank you sister
      straight from The Source, to my heart to your ears

      love and light♥

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  3. so much love. xo.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I will keep a light burning for you sister... as you travel this road back to this place that holds part of your heart, may you find joy, hope and healing growing in the dark places. I know that you will bring much love and light to the people there.

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  5. thank you sister♥

    love and light

    ReplyDelete
  6. your thoughts on poverty helped me to know a lot about poverty in third world countries other than my own country...I knew about my country only where there is rampant poverty...but experts do not write much on the psychological impacts of poverty...people do not seem to care why crime happens due to poverty ...generally, crime is assumed as a law and order problem, which may not be. ...The gaps between the rich society and poor society creates such a confusion and a state of deprivation ...I hope all can work together to solve this issue ...I think we have to make both the societies aware through programmes on raising awareness...thank you for posting this, I appreciate you work...you are doing so much in this field...would love to read about your experiences in your forthcoming posst,
    take care,
    S

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    Replies
    1. Oh S, i so appreciate you insights in this matter...thank you so much
      sending you much love my friend

      Love and Light

      Delete
  7. Oh, I think I'm writing this on the fourth sleep!! Will you hear my well wishes before you go away??
    You know I'm with you all the way.
    This trip will be better than the last. You will be greeted with more open and loving arms, there will be more smiles.
    There's so much love and support all around you, how can it not go any other way?
    When will you return?
    Be well & take good care, mama!

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    Replies
    1. I hear you well wishes my friend♥
      thank you so much
      I am third day here and feeling far from home..loved reading this message tonight..feeling blessed

      love and light

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  8. Really love this post and thoughts on the spirit of poverty Cat. Very thought provoking and good to be reminded that poverty is not just a surface problem of food and shelter but that it needs a deeper healing and transformation of how we think and behave. Thinking of you and your son as you travel to Columbia xxxx

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    Replies
    1. bless you Sophie
      thank you for reading

      love and light

      Delete
  9. Positively beautiful words, I can sense your devotion and dedication to this community. You are full of light and spirit, so much that it touches the very essence of my being. So appreciative of light bringers, like you, that bring about change and inspiration to this world. xoxo

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    Replies
    1. &hearts♥♥

      love and light Mandy...our last night here...very mixed emotions

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  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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Your voice is welcome here, your connection appreciated. Love and Light