30 Days + of Gratitude ~ Day 27

Having been in deep retreat in the mountains of New Mexico over New Years, my writing got a bit off schedule.  There've been a couple of double-entries of Gratitude in this series.  I'm being nudged intuitively to finish out the series going back to the single entry of five points for each day.  Still feeling into whether I'll continue the series beyond 30 days on this blog, and if so, for how long.  I'm still experimenting with the flow of writing through this blog.  My sense at the moment is that some other pieces are ready to have creative focus in the blog writing.

1. I am grateful for the power of firewalking this past Saturday, Jan 2nd.  If memory serves me, I took my 7th and 8th walks across the burning coals that night.  For me, at this time, it's an affirmation and a demonstration (to myself) of my faith in the Reality that transcends, and includes, what my five senses report.  There's far more to the process than I'll include here, and I would say I'm very much a student of the many lessons around fire, with much to integrate and discover along the way.  I can't speak for other walks led by other teachers or groups, but with the ones I've experienced, there's no gimmick.  Having been involved in helping with the preparation from the gathering of the wood all the way to supporting the walkers, I can say that the fire is real, very hot, and commands respect and humility in order to not be burned.  That is a lesson I'm continuing to learn about every powerful tool or medicine along the path.  Anything that holds great power for Awakening can easily be twisted and misused by the ego, and this is where the harder lessons seem to come forward.  In the way we approach the walk, there is a great deal of awareness, focus, intention, and humility cultivated...as well as fun and humor!  Getting too serious is just a different manifestation of a lack of humility, a form of pride that stems from insecurity...and a lesson I've gotten to engage with more times than my ego would like to remember :)
2. I am grateful for the continually growing willingness to trust intuitive flashes that are outside the box of what I may have some conscious knowledge or information around.  A more practical example is in treating the plantar warts on both of my big toes.  I've been getting flashes of keywords to google, an old book nestled in the back of my closet ("Back To Eden"), and other nudges around plant usage that I haven't seen any written materials about.  This morning these flashes were around specific essential oils to use, in particular, Frankincense.  When I googled the usage of Frankincense in wart treatment, there were entries speaking about successful treatment.  
3. I am grateful for the power of the spirit of Frankincense.  With so many uses and applications, the life-force of this plant contained in its plasma, it's resins, has the ability to awaken memories, open energy flows in the subtle systems, raise the energy of people and spaces to expansive and refined Awareness, as well as treating physical conditions.  Just this morning, I ran across a piece of information suggesting that it repairs damaged DNA, suggesting strong usages in releasing viruses from the DNA (where they take hold and replicate).  The DNA is the physicalization of one's karmic blueprint...all the thoughts, feelings, and actions taken in this and other lives are all recorded in the DNA.  Perhaps this is the physical correspondent to the famed akashic records said to have recorded all the history and future of All the manifest world.
4. I am grateful for my new subscription to National Geographic Magazine (thanks Mom!).  I'm completely geeking out on it.  The pictures are insane, and the articles are fascinating (like this month's focus on Bionics...they're actually hooking up bionic arms, eyes, ears, and more to peoples nervous system, and the brain is able to make these machines function the way the original human parts would have).
5. I am grateful for Facebook.  Yes, Facebook!  Really.  I am able to keep up on the lives of people I care about all around the world in meaningful and hilarious ways.  While it may not be the same as a live conversation, I feel like Facebook is one of the tools that shows how connected we all are, and gives ways to nourish and expand all those circles.  We haven't even begun to work into the power of collective wisdom, collective awareness yet...and it's already been great.  You get out what you put in.  Like a garden.  Maybe all of life reflects how we're willing to see it.