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
deep meaning for those on the spiritual path where symbolic and
esoteric meanings are assigned to the numerical combinations. Most
people outside the metaphysical communities have no awareness that the
triple-digit dates are precise energetic focal points that open portals
from the physical into the spiritual and ethereal realms. 
There's general consensus that something unique is happening at this
time on earth and that we need to step up our intentions of purpose and
good-will. An elderly rabbi in Jerusalem recently suggested that world
peace was not illusive. He proposed that moderate spiritual and
religious leaders come together to craft a workable solution for peace
in the Middle East. He was convinced that if there was peace in
Jerusalem there would be peace between Arabs and the West and if there
was peace between Arabs and the West, there would be peace on earth. 
blueprint for the physical manifestation of the world coming together
as one. In 2012, that blueprint known as the Sands of the World
Mandala, will be constructed by the Sarasota community using sand,
earth, stones and sacred objects from holy, mythic and historic sites
from around the world. Collected and brought to Sarasota by hundreds of
people who traveled to these sacred places, this sand, the fabric of
our earth, will set into form a pattern for unity for generations to
come. The Mandala's geometric form, infused with the very mineral
essence of Mother Earth will impress upon the viewer in a tangible way
how world diversity within unity might look one day.
between governments and those in need, the Mandala has emerged as a
reservoir of hope on behalf of the citizens of the world. It's evident
that as the sands from around the world are placed side by side in a
sacred mandala, so too can individuals of all religions, races, and
belief systems be brought together to live in harmony. All it takes is
people believing it can and will be done. 
potent of all.
Like every situation we confront, there are always two sides. An Arab grandfather pointed to "The Wall" from the roof of his unfinished home. He said he used to visit his daughter before the wall was built. It took him 10 minutes by car but cars were no longer permitted through the checkpoints. So now it took him two hours to walk around the barrier. He laughed when he said Jesus couldn't walk his donkey to Jerusalem if he came back tomorrow.
the wall. "They" said the moderates are the majority but they've been silent too long. We have to stop the radicals on both sides of the fence.
violence and rigid opinions prove peace is as illusive in the area as it ever was. Into that restlessness we went, charged with a mission to hold a harmonic state of being while withholding all judgment on what was being observed. That was the peace pilgrimage to Israel we embarked upon a month ago.
In daily walks through this maelstrom of behavior and activity I felt the stone-like rigidity of centuries of beliefs and hurts. The people carried within themselves all the competing drama and pain of eons of cultural conduct. Meanwhile, the cold stones above, below and around held and mirrored those same bewildering passions and traditions. The stones felt like a colossal hundred foot high fortress constricting the heart of the city and its people. It was suffocating.
The ancient stones were breathing. There was a subtle rhythm in the walls that felt like the labored release of eons of weariness. With the people and all the religious and cultural baggage removed from the streets, the living stones could finally take a deep breath. I sensed them wearily breathing in and breathing out. In this brief respite of time the stones could recharge themselves until the next day's onslaught of emotional disquiet.