Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
Our fears don’t stop death. They stop life. ~ Rickson Gracie, a Brazilian 9th Degree Red Belt in Jiu-Jitsu
Defeat is not defeat unless accepted as a reality- in your own mind. ~ Bruce lee
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or lo, there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. ~ Jesus
The kingdom of heaven is within you; and whoever shall know himself shall find it. ~ Egyptian Book of the Dead
In order to actualize our Dharma, we must first clean our emotions and psyche. This in turn means enduring many sacrifices. We come to understand what Sophocles meant when he wrote: “Nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse.” ~ Michael Tsarion
Head these words, You who wish to probe the depths of nature: If you do not find within yourself that which you seek, neither will you find it outside. In you is hidden the treasure of treasures. Know thyself and you will know the Universe and the Gods. ~ Oracle of Delphi
Quinn: They come here looking for the magic, hoping to find romance, when they can\’t find it anywhere else. Robin: Maybe they will. Quinn: It\’s an island, babe. If you didn\’t bring it here, you won\’t find it here. ~ Harrison Ford and Anne Heche, Six Days Seven Nights- 1998
When my dad went to Vietnam in 1967, he took out a one million dollar insurance policy in case he didn\’t make it home. I was 4 years old. From that moment, I can remember our family talking about death and dying. As we grew in years and understanding, death and what we wanted to happen to our body was regular dinner conversation. It wasn\’t brought up every night, but enough times that we knew we could bring it up and it would not seem strange. I thought everyone did this.
We were not a religious family though my dad grew up in church. Mom had mixed feelings due to how she and her siblings were treated when they occasionally attended. Church people invariably expressed pity for them since they were poor and shabbily dressed. I had read Bible stories and went with friends once or twice to church, but I had no real connection to Christianity. I had heard of Heaven and Hell from my grandparents, but an after-life concept was not in my thoughts as a child.
My first funeral was for my paternal grandfather. He was not a nice person and I was not overly fond of him. I went to make sure he was dead. I had a puppy die a few years later and I took that passing much harder. After a while, more distant family members died, but no one I spent much time with. Death was this amorphous entity that visited others, not those people immediately around me. I can\’t say I had a fear of dying, nor fear of my parents\’ death. I was more afraid they would just leave, willingly abandoning us and I would have to raise my siblings. When my parents passed in 2019, I felt only relief for they both suffered much in their last years. We were all grown and my worst fear did not come to pass.
Fear is a natural emotion and can save your life in specific circumstances. Constant fear is quite harmful as most of us have found these last two years. We have had our world up-ended with no means to pick up the pieces. If the saying, Going to Hell in a Hand-basket were happening now, I would assert that the hand-basket was taken away as well. Our usual support systems were locked away either through governmental means or by our own fear of what our actions would cause those we loved.
During our forced isolation we became disconnected from each other. Now that things are winding down, getting together as before can induce a different kind of anxiety. It\’s like we have to re-learn our social skills and find a way to sit closer, see people\’s faces and interact like the adults we want to be. When we were masked, separated, and more anonymous, it was easier to think of folks as potential enemies. Now we come face to face (pun intended) with our previous actions and our personal fears.
In the coming months, we may be put in even more uncomfortable situations. We may need to care for a family member who may have been healthy pre-covid but have succumbed to the stress of the past two years. Our children may have difficulty getting back in the swing of learning, socializing, and feeling secure. It might be likened to a collective divorce where we aren\’t sure which side of the family we will live with from week to week. Readjusting our equilibrium will be challenging. Our resilience will be tested.
At the end of the day, we are all afraid of death. It is the ultimate fear. All other calamities that befall us can be gotten through. Contemplating our own death or the demise of someone dear to us is not something we in America are used to doing. The past two years have brought this eventuality upon us in sharp relief. Where do we begin this conversation? How do we want to face this inevitability? What can we do to comfort those facing death, their own, or a loved one? Perhaps you want to start with the practicalities, such as burial or cremation, funeral or celebration of life, family only, or community. This can help you ease into deeper conversations.
Contemplate your own beliefs regarding an after-life or if your essence dies with the body. What legacy do you want to leave behind and not just the material items listed in your Last Will? Before any hint of your impending death is known, tell folks how you feel. Ask forgiveness and make amends, if possible. Forgive others who have hurt you, if that is weighing on your heart. You may desire to leave a written or recorded statement for those left behind. It is never too early to do these things. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. Live while living is possible.
Blaming outside elements or people for our suffering does not make our suffering go away. As we look deep into ourselves, we can find peace. It is there if we are intent on finding it. As the quotes at the beginning say, we bring everything with us we could possibly need. It is up to us to discover and plumb our depths. Whatever we are looking for, whether fear or love, we will surely find it.
Cathy Denton
Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
This information is not meant to scare you or think that humankind is doomed. Humans are amazingly resilient. When we have access to full information, we figure things out pretty quickly. Some of this info is not readily available to those who are not looking deeper into the media story. Research is required to get a fuller picture of what we are all dealing with not just on a global level, but a personal one as well. If you suspect some of this info is misleading or wrong, please do your research and let me know what you find. I want to present facts within context if possible.
Since January 2020, Americans along with most countries in the world have been dealing with a virus called SARS-CoV-2, covid for short. The Chinese have a longer history with this virus by at least a few months but the actual start date is debatable. Several mRNA vaccines to mitigate this virus were implemented on a wide scale in late December 2020 and early January 2021 under an emergency use authorization. The statistics for how many people have accepted these vaccines have been exaggerated both ways with as few as 30% of the global population and as many as 75%. Some countries such as Israel, Seychelles, and Gibraltar have a near 85% vaccination rate.
As of December 24th, 2021, the VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) has logged 1,000,229 adverse events with a wide range of symptoms. There have been 23,891 life-threatening events with 35,650 permanent disabilities incurred after vaccination. Incredibly, the reporting system has logged 21,002 deaths. To give context, the Swine Flu vaccine was discontinued after only 25 deaths were reported. What makes these numbers even more serious is that VAERS has disclosed that not every event gets reported, perhaps only 1%. Past analysis indicates we should multiply these numbers by at least a factor of 40, then we might be in the ballpark. To give this data some context, ALL the previous vaccine-related deaths reported to VAERS since 1990 (total of 29 vaccines & 8 of these are on the child vax schedule) are only 9,434. Thirty years worth of reporting vs. one year of one vaccine.
In the beginning of the virus pandemic, we were not offered relief of our symptoms until we became too sick to be safe at home. Possible solutions were poo-pooed such as hydroxychloroquine despite its 50-year history of safe usage and weekly use in African countries to this day as a malaria prophylactic. Later on, Ivermectin was also put on the do-not-use-under-penalty-of-law list. Interestingly, a number of other countries, including Uttar Pradesh in India with a population of 240 million, have used this 30+-year-old drug with good results saving thousands/millions of lives when used in the early stages of the illness. The drug was found to inhibit viral replication and modulate the immune response. It is true that both these drugs were initially used to treat parasitic infections. Since their inception, scientists have found other uses for these medications including Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis with HCQ and now covid using either drug with numerous independent studies to prove their efficacy.
A virus, including covid, prefers a certain way to enter the body. Depending on the type of virus, it can enter through respiratory means such as a cold, flu, or measles; through animal/insect bites such as malaria or rabies; through the mouth such as rota-virus, enterovirus 68, or mononucleosis; by way of sexual contact as in HIV or genital warts; through the means of blood such as hepatitis or AIDS. Parasite infections can happen through similar means using dirt, fecal material, blood, contaminated, raw or undercooked food, contaminated water, and infected animals. When you are exposed then touch your eyes/nose/mouth or open wound, you could become infected with a parasite. Since these mechanisms of infection have similarities and deleterious results, this may be why HCQ and Ivermectin seem to have an effect on the covid virus. The virus may be hitch-hiking on the parasite.
A virus is not a living organism. It is a piece of genetic code that needs a host in order to survive and replicate. In order for a virus to \”live\” in you as the host organism, you must provide opportunity and be permissive. Opportunity is through the various means described above and the virus must find a cell that will let it in, which is being permissive. A virus gains entry through receptors that are on the outside of the cell, much like a lock in which you need the correct key to get it to open. Once it manages to gain entry it then takes over the cell operation like the mafia takes over a business. Its mission is to replicate and take over more cells until the immune system kicks in and removes the virus or there are no more cells to conquer. As an airborne virus, we have all been exposed to covid at this point, so the opportunity has been accomplished. What does it take to be non-permissive?
Vitamin D is not really a vitamin. It is a hormone because it has receptors in the body just like other hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol. These receptors are found in most human tissue cells except the liver, muscle, and brain. Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) activation is required for nearly 3000 human systems to function properly. Besides the immune system, healthy bones, and teeth, VDR activation plays a role in liver and drug metabolism and its detoxification reactions. It regulates calcium and phosphate in the kidneys. Nerve Growth Factor (NFG) is enhanced by VDR activation. It interacts with the sexual reproductive processes. Vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of numerous chronic disorders including type II diabetes, cancer, infections, and cardiovascular, autoimmune, and neurological diseases. Low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of non-Alzheimer’s dementia. The vitamin D receptor is the lock that the covid virus wants to break into.
*Update: After further medical research, the first area the virus attacks are the Ace2 Receptors. Afterwhich, the VDR is triggered. So, it seems there is a middleman before the VDR lock is breached. (March 13, 2022)
Vitamin D deficiency is a problem for most people in the world. More than 65% of Americans don\’t have enough vitamin D to keep all of their systems operating in optimal condition. In the past 2 years, that number has surely increased due to isolation, lock-downs, and fear. Sunshine is the best way to obtain this vital nutrient. Very few foods have enough D in them in quantities that are easy to eat. Supplementation is the easiest way to get more but government-recommended amounts inhibit most from getting enough to do any good. The RDA of vitamin D for adults under 70 in the United States is 600 iu (international units). For those older, 800 iu is recommended. The problem is that amount is not enough for a population that is deficient and has been traumatized by warnings of illness, loss of family, loss of employment, robbed of socialization, and banned from places of worship. Trauma and constant stress force your body to dump its stores of nutrients quickly to attack the problem.
In order to keep the covid key out of the VDR lock, you need enough vitamin D circulating to activate the VDR processes in the body. Nutritionists and other scientists who study how the body has evolved and what it now needs have shown that for a regular person with no medical or emotional issues 5,000iu daily is the minimum amount needed. For those of us who have lived through years of processed foods, inadequate exercise, poor sleep habits, and constant stress, we need more. Even if you have lived a healthy life up until 2 years ago, the constant stress and fear induced by media, family, friends, and our own emotions about it all require we top off the tank and consume 10,000iu daily for a while. Blood tests may show you are over the RDA limit in your blood. The toxic effects of vitamin D do not happen at such low doses, in spite of what the out-of-date testing indicates. Optimum D in the blood is between 75 and 120 ng/ml.
There are some conditions that can inhibit your VDR from operating properly and not using the vitamin D available in your body. The Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Lyme bacteria, and Gliotoxin, produced by numerous fungi can obstruct the VDR and make it hard to do its job. Another common negative influence on this receptor is Wifi radiation or electrosmog. Statin drugs block the utilization of D due to lowering cholesterol where Vitamin D is made. Cancer patients also have a difficult time absorbing Vit D. For those people who are vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine, it has been shown that the spike protein is found throughout the body and not just in your arm. It also tries to use the vitamin D receptor thus inhibiting/high-jacking not just your immune system, but all the other areas that the VDR regulates. Getting enough vitamin D to flood your systems so that some of it will get into the cell is a way to get past these would-be gatekeepers.
To promote Thriving instead of just Surviving, there are a few adjustments we can make if we are so inclined. The items I will recommend are things I am doing to live as well as I am able. When I find something that is better than something I am doing, I adjust accordingly. Generally, care must be taken with any of the supplements if you have kidney or liver issues. I have seen a Functional Medicine doctor for a few years now and am pleased with his advice along with bringing my research to him so he will know what I am doing. By seeing him, I get the lab reports that are pertinent to what I am trying to correct for my body. I have done a lot of emotional clearing- setting healthy boundaries, forgiving others and myself, & practicing meditation- so that my stress level is manageable.
Vitamin D tops my list of supplements. I took 10,000iu daily for over a year and am now at 5,000iu as a maintenance dose. At these doses it is good to take K2 with it as it sends the calcium that Vit D regulates into your bones instead of soft tissue i.e. when forming kidney stones. DrBerg.com has the combo on his site as well as Vitacost.
N-acetyl L-cysteine (NAC) is a non-essential amino acid. When it was found to be of use in reducing the inflammatory response in covid patients, the government decided it could no longer be OTC and is now mostly available by prescription. There is more info at \”Fight Coronavirus with NAC” – Dr Neil Nedley on YouTube. I take 750mg twice a day. Find it at PureBulk.com online. My inflammatory marker dropped 6 points after one month of use.
Chaga is a mushroom powder that is common in Siberia. It seems to promote longevity and health. I get mine through Vitacost online. I drink 2 scoops daily in hot herbal tea but it can be taken in any hot drink or food like cooked oatmeal or the like. It doesn\’t taste like a mushroom but rather like a creamer for coffee. My sleep has greatly improved by using this food.
Be creative. Find something you can get lost in and brings you joy. An activity without the use of a screen is best. With so many folks working or schooling from home, limiting screen time can lessen anxiety and promote good sleep habits.
Get a few minutes of sunshine (or at least fresh air!) to lift your mood and acquire natural vitamin D. The darker your skin is, the longer you need to stay in the sun. Sunscreen blocks vitamin D absorption, so be careful of burning. Also the further north you live the longer you need to absorb the same amount in a southern area.
Find something to laugh about, even if it is just yourself.
Let those you love know how you feel. Don’t wait!
Forgive others (and yourself) for past mistakes, conflicts, and trauma. Forgiveness releases you from the pain of the event. It does not absolve the one you forgive of wrongdoing. You become free to live your best life, not the life they tried to give you.
Decide not to live in fear. Make peace with the idea of death. Talk with family & friends about what you want when you die (for we all will die one day). Make it okay to discuss issues that keep you afraid. Once it is in the open, fear dissipates. It is even okay to laugh.
Read, listen to music, enjoy yourself and any quiet time by reflecting on any beauty you find.
This is the research I have found to be helpful and the recommendations I use every day for myself. I am not a licensed physician and do not prescribe medications. Please, do your own research, talk to a trusted doctor or follow your own intuition. Your results may vary. I wish you health and happiness as you learn to thrive at this time.
Cathy Denton
Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
Theil – You are loved. Indeed you are love itself. Consider a game. A game where all the players are limited to certain moves. The players are able to move only in certain ways and react in certain ways and be in certain ways. The game is involved but simple at the same time. You must traverse the board and move in ways that prolong the game but also bring the game to its end in a satisfying way for all the players. You may think that limits are bondage but in the limits, there is potential and satisfaction.
Me – How is there satisfaction in limits?
Thiel – Katana, limits test your mettle*. They make you think, feel, and remember who you really are.
Me – Doesn’t the remembering of who I am make me frustrated that I can not act in a limitless way?
Thiel – Only if you allow it to frustrate you. There is beauty in the limit. It stretches you and helps you become more within the confines of the game. Everything you need is already there. A pawn is as great as a King or Queen if played to its full capacity in this game.
Me – Are we living in a game?
Thiel – All of life is a game of sorts. This is why humanity is obsessed with gaming. It is in your nature to play games because it is the template of life. You create your life in a limited way because of the infinite way your being is made and the way you live outside of the game you are in now. Is it not satisfying to achieve success when you overcome great obstacles? If it was all easy and you knew yourself to be as the limitless being we all are would you have the joy in the success and achievement? To come back to limitlessness is the reward for the limited life. There is a hunger within and a yearning to be with the Source but there is also a yearning to be within the limits of the game. It is a prize that is vied for and many ask to be in the game but only those who have the potential to realize its benefits enjoy the limits set forth.
Me – Is there an ending to limits put upon us?
Thiel – Yes. When you come back to Source for a new assignment. There are other games to play and other experiences to be had. We are never done with our lives no matter how they are lived. As your Yoda says, “We are not this crude matter.” We are not the skin you see or the heartbeat you hear. We are more than you can imagine or understand at this level but you do deep down understand and know just how limitless you really are. This is why you came here and now you are coming to the end of this particular game but the last hand has not been dealt. Some will cash out and take their pieces home but others will play on until the game changes hands again. The rules of the game allow you to ask for help, so ask as you need to. We are here and ready. Ask with your feelings not out of fear but out of expectation that the help you receive is perfect for the job at hand. It may not be as you envision but it will be for the benefit of all. This is all we have for now. Go in peace.
*Mettle – noun 1. courage; spirit 2. inherent character 3. on one’s mettle, roused to putting forth one’s best efforts
~I met Thiel in my meditations in June of 2015 during a Gemini Full Moon while Mercury was retrograde. They indicated that they were from the 6th & 7th planes. We had 29 conversations over 3 1/2 years. Interestingly, in astrology, the 29º in any sign is considered a critical degree. One of its connotations indicates a sense of urgency. Gemini is ruled by Mercury and both are concerned with communication. It is with urgency I share these messages with you.
Written By:
Cathy Denton
Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer star in the 1944 film, Gaslight. Watch the trailer at the link to get a feel for the movie that inspired the term. The American Psychological Association defines gaslighting as \”manipulation so extreme as to induce mental illness.\” It is now defined as to \”make someone question their reality.\” There is a memorable scene in which Boyer asks Bergman where a certain painting was that used to hang on a nearby wall. She walks over to a corner and pulls the painting from behind a large object. He scolds her for hiding it and praises her for putting it back on the wall. Later you find he was the one who hid the painting multiple times and each time blamed her until she accepted what he said as truth.
My husband and I watched this movie years ago when I was still on multiple psych medications. We both looked at each other and wondered if that type of manipulation was happening to us, perhaps by each other. It was a very creepy feeling. We were so disturbed by what we watched we did an astonishing thing- we watched it again after we took a bathroom break. It was like we did not believe what we just witnessed and had to make sure we saw and heard it correctly. Thinking about it now gives me the heebie-jeebies.
While I was actively under a psychiatrist and psychologist care, I had placed all my volition in their hands. The medication I was taking along with my family history of mental illness primed me for manipulation. I don\’t blame these people for my plight. They were manipulated by the prevailing science in academia long before I came along. I willingly handed over my problems to them so that I could absolve myself of the guilt I felt at being ill. \”You can\’t help it, \” they implied. \”It\’s in your genes or brain chemistry,\” they explained. They believed these things and eventually I did too.
A chance remark or a snippet of someone\’s story briefly heard cracked the careful facade I had cultivated of being a victim of my own mind. It was enough to allow an unclouded flash of doubt that began my questioning, and later on, a spark of hope. What if I didn\’t have to be sick? What if all my trust had been misplaced? Once I began looking at possibilities instead of what appeared to be an inescapable doom, my life changed. Oh, it didn\’t happen all at once, but in painfully slow incremental adjustments. There was a lot of accumulated trauma to resolve. My family showed me one way my reality would unfold. Instead, I discovered I could transform into a completely different way of being. The whiplash effect left me pretty shook up, to say the least.
There is a funny thing about questioning what you thought was true. It is much easier to question other areas of your life after that initial taste and even to wonder about things in the public sphere. Once I accepted the new trajectory for my health, I applied my research skills to questions I had about the world around me. I didn\’t have far to look. My health and spiritual awakening happened around 2004. In 2007, I opened my eyes to politics, science, education, and history. Once seen you can\’t un-see the wider picture. At first, I was devastated and angry with what I was uncovering. My father fought in a war that didn\’t have to be fought. The taxes we paid went to pay the interest of the government\’s loans from the Federal Reserve that our country could never pay off. Mental health could be recovered and not just managed as an illness.
As my spiritual awakening took hold and matured, I allowed my anger to subside so compassion could thrive. We have all been hoodwinked. Those in charge of the media, academia, Hollywood, and the government had their marching orders. True, they did not have to follow them, but when you have always trusted those with more (perceived) authority than you it is difficult to break free. I know. That first crack in the protective shell we all encase ourselves in is sometimes too much. Some people repair the opening with denial and attacking the messenger. Others use distraction so they ignore the inconsistencies that were glimpsed. It can be a frightening time. To admit, even just in our own mind, that we might have been mistaken about certain things is challenging in these cancel-culture-prone times. Eating crow or a slice of humble pie is never on anyone\’s top 100 list of favorites.
Finding out we have been manipulated, gaslighted even, into believing things from trusted sources such as politicians, journalists, doctors, professors, our government, gurus, spiritual leaders, and parents puts us in a bit of a quandary. Who do we trust, if not them? How can we ever believe anything from anyone, if any of what we discover on our own is true? Can I even trust the sources I researched? What do I do with this information? Is everything a lie? All good questions. Some of this you may never know the answer to, at least in a quantitative form.
All we truly have is ourselves. In discovering who we are and not who we have been programmed to be, we can find answers that allow us to grow as new data is found. Truth is a moving target, in that respect. At one time, arsenic was thought to be a healthy addition to one\’s beauty regimen. Today\’s truth discounts yesterday\’s surety. Believe without the expectation that what you know now will be true tomorrow. Find what is true for you at the moment, what you can live with right now. Be open to what comes next. Embrace a bit of mystery and allow yourself to be unsure. Remember that the ultimate truth is as elusive as the last four digits of pi.
People that are sensitive to energy or perhaps suddenly become energetically charged, may want to remove those heavy, overwhelming feelings from their bodies. Empaths, those who regularly feel the moods, feelings, pain, or intentions, need to cleanse their aura of others\’ stuff. Allowing energy that you did not invite to stay with you can interfere with your intuition, physical being, and mood. Once you are cognizant of how you feel without others\’ influence, it is easier to identify when something is off. Practice this technique until it is automatic. Once it is on auto-pilot, just your intention stated in your mind will be enough to cleanse your field.
To be used whenever you come home after being out in public or whenever you feel a heaviness in your being. Good to use if you forgot to Bubble-Up before you went out. Can be used as often as you feel the need.
Stand up and take your hands and run them down the parts of your body (from top of head to feet) you can reach while saying these words:
By intention, I command the energies and entities that do not serve me for my highest good to be released from me and lovingly sent back to the Creator, into the light.
I release them from my front from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
I release them from my right side from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
I release them from my back from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
I release them from my left side from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
Use your hands to draw a circle around your body while saying these words:
I now, by intention, encircle myself with loving white light and repair my damaged aura.
Thank you!
It is done. It is done. It is done.
~ Knight, Death, and the Devil (Detail) Albrecht Dürer, 1513 The Metropolitan Museum of Art open Access Collection
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Saul Pender staggered to the rail as the storm-tossed passengers slowly got to their feet to join the others looking over the starboard side. “Where were they & what happened?” was the question on each person’s mind. “Daisha, check on the passengers while I send a message on the radio,” Darren requested as he looked at the bedraggled-looking people on the deck before getting to the helm.
“Is everyone alright?” questioned Daisha as she went from person to person to ascertain the health and safety of the travelers. “Here! Over here!” shouted HR. “My wife is not doing well! She won’t wake up! Help her, please!” he implored as Daisha, and Mae Belle made it to their side. Mae Belle put a wet hand to Gertrude’s forehead then felt the pulse at her wrist. “Is there a cot or bed we could get for her to lay on? She is unconscious and has a fever.” Daisha nodded her head and led the little group down the hatch to a room below deck with HR carrying the precious cargo.
“Damn! The radio is fried,” Darren said as he tossed the handset down. Saul had walked up about that time to hear the distressing news. “Do you know how to fix it?” asked Saul. “I’m no good with electronics. Why couldn’t this be a boat engine!” exclaimed Darren.
“I may be able to assist. I overheard Ms. Eleanor say she used to work for an IT company and provided phone support for customers. Perhaps she could help,” offered Saul. “It’s worth a try. Just staring at it won’t fix it,” Darren thought out loud. He strode over to Eleanor who was talking with Megan at the rail.
“Ms. Eleanor? Do you know anything about repairing radios?” he inquired. “Not the hardware but if you have a software issue I might be of some use,” she said when Megan spoke up. “I might be handy with the hardware part. Had to work on my police radio a few times when out on patrol. Let me take a look,” suggested Megan. Both women followed Darren to the helm.
Daisha came above deck after settling Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez below in the capable hands of Mae Belle and a well-stocked first aid kit. Daisha was used to seeing to her elderly aunt and uncle and the various care duties they required. She quickly assessed what needed to be done for the passengers above deck until help came.
“Mr. Pender, Mr. Patterson? Would you two get off the boat and see about setting up a camp in a sheltered spot? Perhaps you can see what damage has been done to the side of the boat as well,” she requested of the men. She then turned to Kate. “Would you help me see what supplies on board have not been damaged and we may need until help arrives, Kate?” she asked.
“Sure thing! Let’s see what we have to work with,” Kate said as the two women looked through the trunks and cabinets on deck before going below to reconnoiter.
May Belle bathed the sick woman’s face with a cool, wet cloth. HR sat next to his wife holding her hand. Mrs. Rodriguez lay there on the narrow cot with only an occasional whimper escaping her weather-cracked lips. “Do you think she will be alright?” asked HR of the older woman. He appreciated the tenderness she exhibited toward his dear Gerry.
“Her fever will come down in a while. She just needs to stay out of the rain and wind. You say she had been having diarrhea and throwin’ up her food?” at HR’s nod she continued, “it ‘ppears she just has the stomach flu but being out in this storm didn’t help her none. She’ll come around in a few hours, don’t you worry,” she smiled at the anxious man as she pronounced her prognosis. May Belle handed him the wet rag and bowl of water as she stood to stretch her back. “I’ll be back to check on you all after I see what the plan is.”
Megan’s pixie-face screwed up in concentration as she held the small pliers in her hand and deftly connected two newly stripped wires to the contacts on the panel in the radio housing. She then re-soldered a connection on the circuit board to complete the repair. “Let’s fire her up and see what she does!” she said in her usual perky manner. Darren turned the radio on and was relieved to see the green ON button light up.
Eleanor tackled the scanner to see where the impending storm was tracking. She had to reboot the system in safe mode to reset to default settings and was rewarded with the start-up light blinking on the screen. All three had gotten the tech to work. Now if they can just reach someone on the mainland.
Adam and Saul found a spot on higher ground and began to assemble the makings of a fire. “Never thought I’d be roughing it on this trip,” observed Adam. “My usual idea of primitive accommodations is if there was no room service,” he joked as he watched Saul break a few more pieces of driftwood and stack them to the side.
“Yes. We are far from the Nassau Hilton. What do you do back in civilization, Adam?” inquired Saul. He brushed his hands off on his tailored pants and waited for Adam to respond.
“My family are lawyers in Chicago. What about you? Are you the CEO of something?” Adam asked as each man verbally danced around the questions posed by the other. “Of a sort,” responded Saul. “I connect people with others who need jobs done,” he further elaborated.
“Oh! You’re a headhunter! Do you have a special industry you hunt for?” Adam asked. Saul debated on answering his query when May Belle walked toward the two men.
“Ms. May Belle. Come to see if we were doing the job correctly?” Saul gently teased. This was one sharp woman. He decided a light hand was in order.
“You boys have enough wood to rival Moses and his burnin’ bush! Captain Darren sent me. Wants to let you know the radio is working and they are hailing the mainland for help. Do you boys need a hand with anything?” asked May Belle.
“We have wood for a fire though how well it starts wet is another question,” Adam answered.
Saul pondered a moment then asked Mae Belle, “Do you carry that Vaseline lip balm I saw you using earlier with you, Ms. May Belle? Let me borrow it if you please,” he produced a clean white cotton handkerchief from his pocket and smeared it with the lip balm. He then handed the tube back to her. “Adam let’s find some tree bark to help this fire along. Excuse us, Ms. May Belle, we will be back in a few moments,” said Saul as the two men walked toward a small grove of Sabal palms.
Mae Belle left the men to their fire project and went back to the boat. The wind had died a bit, and the rain had stopped, but those clouds in the distance looked bleak and menacing. “We’ve got some time,” she thought, “I sure hope help comes quick.”
Kate came up the stairs followed by Daisha who was carrying a bag of food for the weary travelers. “Well, at least we managed to salvage the packaged food items. Too bad about the fresh stuff. It was yummy! Oh well, it is what it is, I suppose,” Kate commented.
Daisha agreed and sat the bag down at a nearby table. “Come and get something to eat!” she called to the others on deck. “Kate, could you take these protein bars and water bottles to the men down there?” Kate scurried down the ladder and headed toward Adam and Saul. It felt good to be active and do something useful. Kate wasn’t used to being on the sidelines.
After some further adjusting, Darren tried again to hail the mainland for help. “MAYDAY< MAYDAY< MAYDAY- This is the Damsel 549- MAYDAY- We are at 23°37′.34″N 75°58’10.37″W run aground on Jim Cay. Need assistance. 10 passengers- We will be listening on channel 16- This is the Damsel 549- Over,” Darren called.
“This is Nassau, Damsel 549. We hear you loud and clear. What’s your situation? Over,” called the port radio operator. Darren and the others whooped for joy at the sound of the disembodied voice on the other end of the line. “Nassau, this is the Damsel 549. We have 9 people hail and hardy. One person is ill but not injured. The squall set us on the beach on Jim Cay. Damsel is not sea-worthy. Repeat Damsel is not sea-worthy. Assistance needed. What is your ETA? Over,” relayed Darren.
There was a squelching noise then static before the voice was heard again, “This is Nassau, Damsel 549. Attempting to contact assistance. Communication unavailable. Are you safe until morning? Over,” queried the voice. A collective groan was heard on the deck. Darren responded, “This is Damsel 549. We have water, shelter, and a first-aid kit. Send assistance when available, Over.” “This is Nassau. Affirmative. Over and out,” replied the voice from the port. “Well, folks. It looks like we may be here for the night. Daisha, how do our supplies look?” asked Darren.
“We are good for at least three days of water about the same with packaged emergency food. There are plenty of emergency blankets. Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez are below-deck and doing well with the first-aid kit. She is resting now,” Daisha informed everyone.
Adam and Saul came aboard in time to hear the news. “Saul and I have the makings of a fire in a small clearing a short distance inland. Do we have a lighter or matches?” asked Adam. Darren produced a fire-steel from the toolkit and handed it to Adam. “Looks like the hurricane is now a tropical storm and also turning away from our direction,” said Eleanor as she checked the scanner once more. “At least we don’t have that to worry about.”
HR came above deck to see what the commotion was. “Gerry is better. She opened her eyes and recognized me!” he exclaimed. “She asked for a drink of water. Is that okay?” he asked May Belle. “She can have small sips, not too much. Let me check on her,” the older woman answered as they both headed back below deck.
“Let’s get the rest of us off the boat and dry out by the fire. Saul? Will you and Adam lead the way?” asked Darren while the little band of wet travelers made their way down the ladder and across the sand.
Saul had assembled the bark with the Vaseline-smeared handkerchief near them. He struck the fire-steel, and the spark lit the now flammable cloth. In no time, the burning bark dried out the small driftwood sticks. Eventually, the flames were seen licking the larger pieces of wood making the shipwrecked crew dry, happy, and warm. “Ms. May Belle? How are Gerry and HR?” Daisha asked as May Belle arrived and sat on a nearby cushion brought from the boat. “They are fine. Both have fallen asleep. They need the rest,” she replied.
Saul found a seat near Eleanor. “What do you do when you aren’t repairing software issues on shipwrecked boats?” he asked as he turned to the tattooed woman at his side. “I’m here celebrating my newest best-seller- Love Wasn’t Part of the Deal.
“So you’re Katrina Ember?” said Saul. “My wife, Betsy has all your books. She doesn’t know that I found her stash just before I left for this trip.”
“Guilty as charged. I no longer work in IT, but those skills do come in handy,” Eleanor admitted.
“Come Daisha. Tell us a story,” Darren beckoned to her when they all settled down by the fire. The little band of shipwrecked people had made it through a harrowing ordeal, but when it came to setting up a camp and taking care of survival needs, he couldn’t ask for a better crew to be at sea with.
“Since you asked so nicely, I will oblige you,” she smiled at Darren who sheepishly grinned at her in return. Daisha warmed to her audience and attempted her best storyteller voice. She looked around the fire at the expectant faces and began her tale.
“Sit right back now and hear a tale, the tale of a fateful trip. It started from the Nassau Port aboard a tiny ship.” recounted Daisha in her mesmerizing voice.
“Tiny!” objected Darren looking deeply affronted. “Very well. A middle-sized ship” she amended. “The mate was a mighty sailor!” she said as she flexed her left bicep to the delight of the exhausted but chuckling audience. Their laughter spurred her on.
“The captain brave and sure. Eight passengers set sail that day for a Three Hour Tour, yes dear friends, a three-hour tour.” As she spoke, she held up three fingers for emphasis. Daisha’s voice dropped to just above a whisper as she continued describing the watery adventure. “The weather, it started getting rough. The middle-sized ship was tossed! If not for the courage of the fearless crew, the Damsel would be lost. Yes, the Damsel would be lost.” she finished the line in a resigned tone.
“The ship, she was aground now on a deserted island cay. Then after some fiddling with the radio, the help, it is on its way!” Daisha concluded the tale with a flourish. Her stranded and captive audience showed their appreciation with much laughter and applause.
They all chatted or dozed into the night. The morning found them sleepy and hungry when the rescue boat arrived. Their Three-Hour Tour was 30 hours in the making. The good news for Darren- no one asked for their money back.
Cathy Denton
Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
Thiel– You are loved. Indeed you are love itself. Consider the stars. Their movement and their aspect. They reveal patterns and places deep within to examine. They can guide your way or hinder your path. The new energy of the stars reveals the depth of our being. We are more than stardust and silt*. We are the brightness of the light and the warmth of the day and the shine that reveals our unique aspects. All of life has this characteristic whether we see it or not is up to us to search for it and know it exists. The way of your world is to not see, not look, and not know but those who do see and look and know are the ones who will find. Allow yourself to be as it is meant to be. Look up and see the patterns and aspects. Examine the world beyond your understanding and know that you can understand if you but will it to be so.
As Ed Harper (a local social worker and folk band artist) explained to shine your light and see to the end of the headlights is enough to stay in the movement of the now time that you measure. Your way will be shown in increments with a destination somewhat beyond your comprehension but not so much that you can not imagine it. Even your imaginings will not be able to fully see the beauty of the final place. But it will sustain you until you are ready for a fuller picture. Do not be discouraged with the journey or the process. It is all being revealed as you are ready to accept it and integrate it. Walk before running and you will not stumble. We will be here when you are ready for us again. Rest and renew yourself.
*Silt- earthy matter, fine sand, or the like carried by moving or running water and deposited as a sediment.
~I met Thiel in my meditations in June of 2015 during a Gemini Full Moon while Mercury was retrograde. They indicated that they were from the 6th & 7th plane. We had 29 conversations over 3 1/2 years. Interestingly, in astrology, the 29º in any sign is considered a critical degree. One of its connotations indicates a sense of urgency. Gemini is ruled by Mercury and both are concerned with communication. It is with urgency I share these messages with you.
Cathy Denton
Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
Metaphysical Girl: How I Recovered my Mental Health, 2nd Edition in E-Book format on Smashwords! The day has finally arrived to unveil my memoir detailing my journey out of despair, confusion, and a mental illness diagnosis.
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Cathy Denton
Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
“While living in South Florida, Dad’s family lived in relative luxury compared to many in the (early)1970s. They had an automatic indoor washer, an indoor toilet, a small cottage they rented out in the back yard, and the convenience of town living. Here (an East Tennessee 10-acre farm, mid-70s), there was no indoor toilet for nearly a year and limited bathing facilities, no insulation in the attic or walls with only an oil furnace for the cold Tennessee winters, and an outdoor wringer washer with no access to hot water. Grandpa sold his home to a preacher, who told everyone that Florida would sink into the ocean. He sold all their furniture, appliances, and whatever else someone would buy to lighten their load for the move. The land, of course, was sold to the preacher so his flock “wouldn’t have the burden of selling it” before the catastrophe happened.” ~Metaphysical Girl: How I Recovered My Mental Health
My parents lived through various weather events in the United States during their 75+ years on this earth. Florida is known for its hurricanes, electrical storms, along with its hot and humid days much of the year. East Tennessee has been subjected to tornadoes, large hailstones, flash flooding, snow, and ice storms, as well as humidity rivaling a tropical rain forest. Over the years, these events would lessen in intensity or increase in damage depending on various factors. The change could occur due to upper-atmosphere disturbances, solar cycles, lessening of the magnetic field, melting arctic ice, or volcanic eruptions along with other causes.
The planet we live on now is almost nothing like it was a million years ago. It has also changed a significant amount in the past year. This change is nothing new. The current Coupled Model Intercomparison Projects, CIMP6, tracks multiple variables to produce its climate forecast models. Clashes between theories and how to read the data are inevitable. An increasing amount of scientists are discovering that there are more variables to consider but the official sanctioned papers take precedence in many scientific journals. A different view with scientific research to back up its claims is at Suspicious Observers.
Earth\’s magnetic shield held stable for several thousand years. Since the mid-1800s, that shield is weakening at a much faster rate each year. It has lessened by 10% as of the year 2000 over the last 150 years. The last 20 years have seen an even faster decline. As the magnetics of the planet decrease, more cosmic rays are able to hit the earth. This activity can cause weather events along with health issues for people. This bombardment of solar frequencies is part of the reason why we are having so many climate-related occurrences. Our weather patterns have drifted to areas not prepared for this level of adjustment. In years past, the Sahara was green and lush. Now it is more of a wasteland where only the hardy and adaptable survive. Science Magazine published an article last February regarding the most recent magnetic shift- Ancient kauri trees capture last collapse of Earth’s magnetic field.
You may wonder why a person who encourages folks in their emotional well-being would bother writing about climate, especially in a way that is not the accepted view. I research everything that impacts mental health. Years ago I came across an Australian study that tracked suicide statistics. The researchers conducted their investigation over several decades. They found that the eleven-year solar cycle coincided with the rise and fall in the number of suicides. I had never considered natural outside forces, such as the sun, to influence a person’s health in this way. I knew about getting your Vitamin D and experiencing a lighter mood with the application of sunlight. Discovering cycles of events in space was new and intriguing. I ordered the Weatherman’s Guide to the Sun from the Suspicious Observers site as it listed the scientific papers and conclusions of researchers in health-related adverse effects of our Sun.
Besides behavioral changes, heart attacks, strokes, and neurological issues can be triggered by sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and cosmic ray influx. Adaption is our ticket to riding the climate wave of activity. If we are aware that certain events can happen, we can prepare mentally and physically. The official corporate climate modeling insists that we humans are the major cause of our planet warming beyond acceptability. More non-corporate scientists are delivering research indicating a Grand Solar Minimum in our future where the planet goes through a substantial cooling period. The two climate camps won’t collaborate and allow a better-educated guess for our future.
In my eclectic research, I also found that all the planets in our solar system along with many long-time studied stars and cosmic phenomena are changing at the same time our earth is going through its transformation. Unless the climate scientists are willing to admit humans are on these other planets, we can assume different reasons for the shift are to blame. There is so much we do not know about our universe, the galaxy, our solar system, the planet, and ourselves. What makes us so sure of our conclusions and so stubborn in adjusting our thinking?
We need to prepare. No matter if we get cooler or warmer, adaptability is key. If the climate scientists can\’t come to an agreement, we may have to just pick a side and go with that plan. For myself, after reviewing the evidence and listening to my own intuition, I am choosing the Grand Solar Minimum theory. I am taking some of the climate warming advice and reducing my footprint in regards to wasteful practices. I am also augmenting my skills so that I can prepare for the cold. Being self-sustaining is my goal. I feel sure there are others taking this road and perhaps we can join together. A community of individuals with various skill sets would be a handy thing to be part of, no matter what we face. Think about how you want to tackle the future and begin preparation. If not for yourself, then consider your expertise and pass it on.
Catherine Denton is a Metaphysician living in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Check out her musing on family, life, health, and various metaphysical topics.
