Are you a person of faith

 Have you ever been asked your faith or your religion?

Why? Should it matter?

At this ripening age, I can comfortably speak to "religion and spirituality" and it feels good. This image summarizes my feelings/belief: 

Am I the only person who remembers (admittedly vaguely, but still...) coming from somewhere into this human body? 

Where I came from was unknown to me until my late Mother died and then it all made sense. It all came together. The circle was complete... 

Best I lay it out as I plan on blogging a thoughts on a few of my books and  how their messages all tied into this understanding of the world  around us - 

Our  Mother 

You and  I, we are related. We share the same Mother. We, all of us, humans, animals and the swimmers and crawlers and flyers...the mountains, the creeks, the trees and the flowers...Grandfather Rock and... I'm sure I made my point. We, ALL OF US, come from her and when we die, we go back to her - dust to dust as it is said in the bible. Thus, we are all related. We are all one family. 

Our Father

When our bodies were formed, we needed air. Our first breath, came to us from our Father.So it is that we speak of Mother Earth and Father Sky. 

Our Grandfather

Our Father gets his energy, which is substantial, from his Father the Sun. 

Every day, we all witness the power of the sun. And for those of  us who have lived long enough, we understand the wisdom of our Grandfathers and the value of learning from them. Thus, we do - We learn from the Sun!

We need but look to Grandfather Sun and follow his path through Father Sky. In so doing, we will come to understand how we should  live our lives as we become aware of the Sacred Teachings.

Our Grandmother

You will no doubt have already come to the conclusion that our Grandmother is the Moon. Of  course, you are right. 

Every night, she shines her light on Mother Earth and rejuvenates the reproductive powers which are needed for all the new life Mother Earth creates. 

There is so much that can be said about each of our shared family members...many books have been written and countless stories told. 

We have also come to learn that there are thirteen Grandmothers living on the back of Grandmother Moon - thirteen Grandmothers who watch over us and who are there to... 

....I had better stop as there is so much to share.

All Our Relations 

And finally, the piece that completes the circle. As with all things in life, everything moves in a circle. We are born - to our common Mother and Father. We learn from our Grandfather and our Grandmother and now... 

I remember being out in the garden with my dog...looking up into the dark night sky. My Mother had  just died and I wanted to understand.

Oh, I  knew where her body had gone. In fact, her ashes lie right next to my desk in my shack...and I carry a few in my medicine bag that hangs up tight over my heart. 

I knew where her body had gone but where was that sparkle I saw in her eye when she giggled or puckered her lips to kiss me as I readied to sleep? 

Where was that twinkle that was my Mother...and then, right then, it came to me. Remember the image that started me on this rant? Here...the one up on the right... 

Everything moves in a circle. We are all related. We come from her and we return to her. But what of that spark...that twinkle that  is usually refered to as our souls? What of the spark I think I recall claiming my body all those years ago. 

Well, if my theory holds true, and it could likely stand up against many of the world's oldest religions, my late Mother was there...a star among stars...my ancestors. 

If this is so, I will indeed be reunited with her and all my relations. 

And THAT feels right. 

Ready for 2023

 Come on 2023 - Let's get it on

Covid - mass killings - wars that never seem to end..these are all that must and that can be overcome. 

I have high hopes for this new year. This is a recent photo that Vicki took while we waited for our John Smith's bitter on tap at the Irish Times here in Victoria. Here I am doing my best to be chill. 

It would be easy and natural to focus on the dark side of our world; political, educational and personal. I think I was a more positive and upbeat child than most I knew but time has done to me what it does to so many - it teaches us to be cynical and critical. So it is that I have this itch that wants to be scratched. 

However, focussing on the dark side only feeds the dark and does not lead to enlightenement of any sort - thus...

Here we go...chill and upside - and ready to take on 2023!

Professional   

When Covid first hit, like everyone else, I was caught off guard. Over the past 20 years, I had traveled a million miles and spoken to a million people. That was as things were and, I thought, would always be. Then came Covid. 

Then came two years without stepping on a single plane. Two years without living in hotels and eating their food. Two years without speaking at schools and conferences which I had done for the no less than 20 years. 

But change forces growth and often for the better. Zoom! Teams! Meet...and any number of other platforms that allowed me to share learnings and ideas with students, educators and parents. 

Online and direct from my shack (showing here), I have presented to individual classrooms, groups of students in a larger formats, entire schools either in one central location or in their individual classrooms. 

I have spoken to school groups -  entire staffs, teacher staff meetings, pro-d... 

And I have addressed groups of parents and administrators all from the comfort of the desk in my shack. My friend and agent Chris also has learned to adapt and has put this page online for those interested in having me present virtually: 

http://davidbouchard.com/speaking/fees

I have now begun doing in person events and found that I have missed eye to eye contact. I doubt that I will ever do the kind of touring that I once did but I am ready to re-embark into a world I know and love, one that I thought gone forever. 

I have been back on planes. I have been back in classrooms and I have presented at public events. 

I have been reunited with old friends as shown here when I spent a magical day at Mother Earth's Children's Chartered School in Alberta. I couldn't have started off  with a better event, not only because of my friendship with Maxine, Ed and old friends there...but also because I was afforded  the chance to see, first hand, the unique, fantastic outdoor school that had taken so much time and energy to build. I now get to  share their success
with  others in a similar situation. 

Truth and Reconciliation has a long way to go but how can we not see what has already taken place. Land Recognition. Recognition of the thousands of children killed and abused in residential schools. Efforts being made in schools and public ventures to become involved, no matter how small a part that might play, in reconciliation.  

I was thrilled to be a part of a tremendous event at Calgary's Heritage Park where everyone involved with this beautiful facility gathered to learn and to honour every child. 

How can you become part of the process of reconciliation? It's through education. Educate yourself and those over whom you have influence. When we come to know and truly understand, we will learn to care as we should care. 

There are books and  movies and speakers who can assist you. I will, over the next few weeks, try to lay out a few strategies that might help you in your world. 

Keep it simple. Keep it respectful. Keep an open mind and an open heart and all will be well.