MIKELL'S HIDDEN TREASURES
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Mistletoe’s Lesser Known Virtues

12/12/2021

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​The legend states, "those who kiss  under the mistletoe
will fall in love and stay  in love."
​

Memories of mistletoe may be pleasant for some, but my most frequent experiences were sheer panic, as I realized, often too late, there was a cluster over head and the wrong guy standing next to me. 
Romantic novels, and some friend’s stories, give a different perspective. They describe an opportunity to finally have an  innocent kiss  with your heart's desire and  find out if there is a  special spark. If the legend holds true, this is followed by a guaranteed happily ever after. 

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MISTLETOE Caution - POISON
Gender: Masculine
Element:  Air
Planet: Sun
But this year, the coronavirus, masks, and distancing will eliminate what we have probably all thought of as mistletoe’s one and only role in holiday celebrations. We think of it as the  ‘kissing herb” and further examination probably  ends. When we apply labels, positive or negative, we tend to stop looking for other characteristics. 2020 has given us the  opportunity to view almost everything from a different perspectives, and taking a closer look at mistletoe may be surprising and beneficial!
Mistletoe, like most herbs, has a variety of folk names. One is All Heal, referring to its long, historic  role  in providing protection and healing. It has been carried to prevent, or cure, plague. It also ensures safety from fires and lightning, and will bring about good luck and fortune. Some sources  go  so far as to suggest there are spells using mistletoe to help you obtain immortality!
If you see mistletoe this year, I suggest  you abstain from kissing, but give some thought to attributes you might not have considered. We could all  use a bit of protection and healing from the plague, and mistletoe, all heal, will serve  us well.  
You might want to use the same approach with friends and family. What gifts and talents have been hidden in others  because they are over shadowed by a more dominant  label?   Holidays will be less  hectic this year and we’ll have more time to hunt for previously unnoticed treasures. Are there people in your life who have gifts and talents  you hadn’t noticed? Look beyond their most obvious talents and discover what you’ve been  missing!
Have  you discovered aspects in yourself that you have kept hidden? Do  you have interests  you’ve wanted to explore but haven’t taken the time to research or practice? You may  have an affinity  for music, but  focused  only on team sports. You might want to learn a  language and  study another  culture  so you’ll be ready  to visit exotic lands when  its safe to travel again. You might have  considered writing a novel but never made  the commitment to  follow through. These long dark days of isolation can give  us  an opportunity  to  explore and  develop new, or dormant, talents and skills. 

Nature is filled  with lessons.  Being more aware of mistletoe’s role in  lesser known virtues may guide  us to  insights about ourselves and  others we might not have considered. 
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Power in Gentleness

1/27/2019

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When people are born they are gentle and soft.
At death they are hard and stiff.
When plants are alive they are soft and delicate.
When they die, they wither and dry up.
Therefore the hard and stiff are followers of death.
The gentle and soft are the followers of life.

Thus, if you are aggressive and stiff, you can't win.
When a tree is hard enough, it is cut. Therefore
The hard and big are lesser,
The gentle and soft are greater.

     - Yi-Ping Ong, from the introduction, Tao Te Ching
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Why is Blue so Rare?

5/1/2018

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Yesterday was our final session for the Exploring Rainbows course. As with many of my courses, the workshop was set up alphabetically to prompt me to think more creatively. We went through the alphabet for each color, as well as the rainbow. The letter U  for each color represented something  "unexpected". This was the Unexpected reference in the blue section. 
​And yes, it's ok to be smart!
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Clarity

4/10/2018

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If waters are placid, the moon will be mirrored perfectly. If we still ourselves, we can mirror the divine perfectly. But if we engage solely in the frenetic activities of our daily involvements, if we seek to impose our own schemes on the natural order, and if we allow ourselves to become absorbed in self-centered views, the surface of our waters becomes turbulent. Then we cannot be receptive to Tao.

     There is no effort that we can make to still ourselves. True stillness comes naturally from moments of solitude where we allow our minds to settle. Just as water seeks its own level, the mind will gravitate toward the holy. Muddy water will become clear if allowed to stand undisturbed, and so too will the mind become clear if it is allowed to be still.

     - Deng Ming-Dao, from 365 Tao, Daily Meditations
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Perceptions

4/4/2018

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It's unsettling that there are such contrasting perceptions about Baltimore, a city I've grown to love. Yesterday I read a disturbing article detailing the police corruption through the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF). The article ended by saying "Baltimore can't run a school, a  police department or even a zoo". 

Admittedly, there is truth in that statement, and yet it disturbs me to see only one side of multifaceted city, so rich with warm and wonderful people, history, inventions, gardens and parks music and the arts . . . . It reminds me of a fable I read years ago. 
​

The Blind Men and the Elephant
~ John G. Sake

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all six of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant, 
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
God bless me, but the Elephant
Is very like a wall.

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, "Ho! What have we here?
​

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Missing Beethoven

3/23/2018

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Winter storms remind me of my beloved Beethoven. 
It was autumn when we found our 1820s farm house in Hunters Valley in south central Pennsylvania. We had the illusion of owning half a hemisphere. We were surrounded by forests, streams, fields, and state games lands and at the time, couldn't see another house from horizon to horizon.  One Christmas, a friend who owned a similar property, convinced me that we needed a little more activity on the vacant acreage.
So on Christmas morning, I prepared two large golden packages. They were wrapped so the lids could be removed immediately for the comfort of the temporary guests inside. The backs of the boxes were completely open to prevent the tails from being crushed, and the girls positioned them so all the feathers were hidden beneath the Christmas tree. Mike’s face lit up when he opened the boxes to discover two peacocks!
​Fast forward.
It was mid-April when I heard Mike on the phone with Ruth Buck, a reporter for the local newspaper. “Well, we have at least three hundred birds,” Mike stated casually. I stopped and turned. Stunned.
I knew the collection had grown - iridescent white peacocks joined the blues, there were Bourbon Reds, Bronze and Royal Palm turkeys, Golden Pheasants, rheas, Dia Rhea and Gonna Rhea (another story- these two made NPR news!).

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Lessons from the Broccoli Tree

3/16/2018

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This morning I posted this on my facebook and now sharing it here. Processing. So many lessons, thoughts, insights . . . bittersweet. 

Recently I read an exert from a book on values, listing significance as a value we all have.  I review my values annually at the very least - they include health, relationships, gratitude, giving, creativity, nature, etc. It hadn't occurred to me to include 'significance'. - what makes us feel important. 

Many  feel important through love, sharing, humor . . . but unfortunately, violence and destruction are what give others a feeling of significance. Either way, there are always lessons.
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A Book That Takes Its Time

2/11/2018

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An Unhurried Adventure in Creative Mindfulness
 Irene Smit
Astrid von der Hulst
and the editors of Flow Magazine


Today's treasure is several mini books within one, and also includes cards, a 30 page journal, numerous pages for reflections, a fold out map, stickers and cut outs! Below you'll find a sampling of the hidden treasures inside. 
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A few months ago my friend Janet gave me some wonderful magazines and since then, I've fallen in love with all things FLOW! I was doing a search for more magazines  and found this book by Flow's creators. It is a hardback book, yet even less expensive than the magazines, over flowing with delights!
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There are colorful tear out cards with a space on the back to add your favorite memorable moments and instructions on how to use them.
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The Joy of One Thing at a Time Booklet has thoughts and quotes on being present in the moment and space to add your reflections.
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There is a fold out Time Line with cut outs and instructions and cards with colorful quotes to use in snail mail, as book marks or affirmations.
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There is a 30 Day Journal with questions to guide you.
This is just a small sampling of the book's contents. It truly is a book that takes its time, encouraging present moment awareness, time to learn, create, reflect, to let go and ending with time to be kind. You will see life, and yourself, in a gentle, kinder way after you experience this book. 
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Turtle

2/10/2016

 
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Turtles are one of my totems. They have been significant twice in my life, both having to do with homes. When we purchased our 1820s farm house years - decades - ago, we made an offer equal to that of another couple who wanted to purchase the home. The owners accepted our offer because our girls had mentioned how much they loved turtles!
In April of 2011, when my home was flooded, I was planning to rebuild, and in the process waiting to move some place permanently. Dear friends came to the rescue, not just for me but for Zippy, my Puggle, and Rocky, my Main Coon cat. I will be eternally grateful! Rebuilding didn't work out and I eventually moved to Baltimore and lived in an apartment for several years until I purchased a home. 
During that time, it seemed that turtles were everywhere - on walks in the woods or by the river, in the park, in cards and designs, on jewelry. They reminded me that I had everything I needed and I should go slowly and not rush into anything. 
Today's treasure is an exquisite turtle pottery box from my dear friend Nancy. It reminds me of my journey and helps me remember the things I really need are on my back and in my heart. It also reminds me not to rush. The universe unfolds its miracles at the perfect time, and they are always much more miraculous than I could have imagined! Thank you Nancy!

More sketches

1/26/2015

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    Welcome!! I’m Mikell (pronounced Michael). If you love spicing up your life with herbs, recipes, decorating and crafts, symbolism and rituals like I do, I hope you’ll sign up for  my newsletter and free Enhancing Your Life with Herbs e-book!

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    Mikell 

    Mikell is a writer, artist and professional treasure hunter, finding the greatest treasures in the wonderful people who enter her life!

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