Thirty-five years ago I spent three years with an inspiring
teacher. She taught me about life and valuing the time we've been
given on earth. She put it into perspective with a remarkable lesson.
She said each person was specifically chosen to come to earth during
times of great change with a mission to accomplish. The mission could be
discovered by turning to a psychic reader, or a course of study might
stir the fires of past-life skills needed now.
She
advised "doing the work yourself" by seeking answers through meditation,
dreams or journaling. She said be mindful of the time you have on earth
and know 
you've been given a limited amount of it. She said each of us had been
given a secret number when we departed the spirit world. It was the
number of years we have on earth and it related to our destiny and our
mission. She said use the time wisely and with purpose. So I asked her "How do we measure our time left and how do we accomplish our mission?"
you've been given a limited amount of it. She said each of us had been
given a secret number when we departed the spirit world. It was the
number of years we have on earth and it related to our destiny and our
mission. She said use the time wisely and with purpose. So I asked her "How do we measure our time left and how do we accomplish our mission?"
She'd
heard the question from many students before me so had a prepared
answer. She asked me a series of questions: "At the beginning of
each day do you set an intention to be better than the day before? How
do you spend your time and in what pursuits? Do you respond with
kindness and compassion to others? What talents or skills do you
generously share with others? Are you frivolous or thoughtful with the
hours of each day? Do you treasure each moment that you've been gifted
to be here? At the end of each day are you grateful to Spirit?"
Taking a jar filled with marbles from her altar she said each marble represented a 
year left in her life. When she was younger, the jar was practically
full but in the latter part of her seventh decade, there were only 15
marbles in the jar. Rolling them into her hands the visual made a
lasting impression. She explained that when she was a young girl in
South America her grandmother taught her the magic and medicine of the
earth and how to relate to all species. Her grandmother also taught her
about the finite number of years given to each person on earth.
year left in her life. When she was younger, the jar was practically
full but in the latter part of her seventh decade, there were only 15
marbles in the jar. Rolling them into her hands the visual made a
lasting impression. She explained that when she was a young girl in
South America her grandmother taught her the magic and medicine of the
earth and how to relate to all species. Her grandmother also taught her
about the finite number of years given to each person on earth.
To help her remember the
teachings, her mission and her lineage, the grandmother placed 85 stones
in a pouch. She said each stone represented her grand-daughter's life
expectancy. On each birthday she was to take a stone out of the pouch
and 
deeply reflect on the year just past. What had she done with the year?
How did she spend her time? Was it a year making the world a better
place? Or was it squandered? She said at first the bag appeared filled
with endless stones. But over time, as the stones began to diminish she
realized the value of time and how it was being spent.
deeply reflect on the year just past. What had she done with the year?
How did she spend her time? Was it a year making the world a better
place? Or was it squandered? She said at first the bag appeared filled
with endless stones. But over time, as the stones began to diminish she
realized the value of time and how it was being spent.
The questions always
cause sober introspection. But the visual of the glass jar of marbles,
diminishing with each passing year, is much more indelible. My teacher
is gone now, but the lesson of the jar of marbles remains. Her lesson is
use the time wisely! You never know how many marbles you really have
left!
Jo Mooy - March 2013
