Category Archives: Food for Thought

Be like the Lynx

And then you suddenly find yourself in a lockdown again. Bizarre, from one moment to the next. Not the happy Christmas celebration at school, head over heels reorganization and the question “What to do with the holidays?”. How to deal with this?

As a SelfCoach-coach, I started thinking about that and my eye was immediately drawn to my Winter Plan cards. The first card of this 3-card reading shows what energy is flowing through me. And that is the energy of the Lynx. The description of the card says “observe”. And therein is the key to dealing with these developments, giving them a place and letting go of what you cannot use at the moment.

The Power Animal Lynx

The Power Animal Lynx stands for strength of mind, vitality and independence. It helps to recognize causes and overcome suffering. In addition, she supports increasing your own energy and resistance. She asks you to observe.

Ask yourself the following. How do you allow yourself to be influenced by the messages that you receive every day in the mainstream or social media? And what does that do to you? Are you tossed about by the pros and cons, do you find yourself feeling anxious about what is happening? What effect do all these developments and measures have on your own happiness and inner peace and inner balance?

I noticed it affected me a big time. In the beginning, I shared all the messages that I thought were true. In the meantime, by observing messages and what they do to me, I have discovered that it was precisely this fanatic reading and sharing that deprived me of all the energy I had. Now I only share messages that I think should be read. Not because it is pro or contra, but because self-thinking is addressed and with that SelfCoaching.

I also noticed that I was getting tired of messages. Always the same, always the same, always the same. I missed the beautiful, profound, humorous and personal messages on my timeline, not only written by others, but also from my own hand.

My choice in sharing messages has therefore changed. And all this happened by observing and listening and feeling what my observations do to me. Thank you Lynx♥

Do you also notice that all those shared posts have an effect on you? Then be like the Lynx. Observe the messages. Visualise yourself standing on the bank of the Message River and see all those messages flow by. Only the messages that stand out for you, because you find them interesting, or because they make you laugh, or because they encourage you, you will pick up from the river with your hands. Make sure that you are standing firmly on the bank, so that you keep a good balance.

Are you someone who is affected by all the new measures in his or her entrepreneurship, then be like the Lynx. Stop-Think-Do. You can only do this if you observe. What are these new measures? What effect do they have on me? What can I do to go on? What kind of opportunities and possibilities do they offer for me and my company?

Are you stuck? Don’t hesitate and ask for help. Through your network, or platforms you are connected with and yes, I also am happy to think along with you. Reach out! Together we are strong and together we will see more options than alone.

We may be literally distanced from each other, but we will remain connected anyway, as long as we reach out and make the connections ourselves.

The Lynx wants to give you the following affirmations to help you:

I rest in my midst and follow my path”.

I am willing to grow beyond my limits, new paths are opening up for me – now”.

With love,

Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\

#TheAlderScrolls #Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #SelfCoaching #PowerAnimal #Lynx

MAINTAINING FOCUS CAN BE A CHALLENGE

Today, with all the stimuli and information that comes towards us, everything that happens in the world, our country and in your own immediate environment, it affects you. It can throw you quite off balance and then the challenge to regain focus. To get you back on track, I wrote down for you how I ensure that I get and stay on track and achieve the desired results.

The Four Seasons Plan

I have been working with this plan since November 1 last year and I can truly say that it has brought me a lot. I am recovering from a burnout -depression – anxiety and I wanted to stay on track because of all the events that have taken place from the 1st Lockdown and are still taking place.

I have always been thinking in terms of opportunities and possibilities and I wanted to stay that way.

The Four Seasons Plan in combination with the Split Reading has done so much for me. When I added the Labyrinth and the Vision Board to it, it went a even a few deeper.

Given where we are now with everything that is happening, I have noticed that people around me wonder how to proceed and ask themselves what should I do, I thought it was about time to write down my approach for you, so that you too can start thinking in terms of opportunities and possibilities again.

Have fun discovering what you want and what you can do to get there.

Loving regards,
Elke) O (The Alder Tree /|\

#SelfCoaching #SepfCoachingByTarot #TheAlderScrolls #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #Attention #Nature #Inspiration #Druid #InTheFootstpesOfTheDruid #FourSeasonsPlan #SplitReading #Labyrinth #VisionBoard

INSPIRATION FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 19th, ’20

Limited Lockdown week 2 …

Schools have started again …

And I’m sitting at my keyboard thinking I’ve had enough. Enough of the measures, enough of the restrictions, enough of contradiction.

But here I am in the middle of it and well I have two options, continuously thinking about all the limitations …

Or…

I focus on abundance, see the sun behind the clouds and the little miracles that are always and all around me.

I would like to choose the latter. But I am only human and know that one day is easier than the next. And what can I do if I feel the negativity is starting to enter my thinking?

Then I choose Self-Coaching through my Oracle or Tarot cards. I think about what my pain point is and ask my cards how I can stay in line with positive thinking, thinking from abundance.

Since the new measures last week, I notice that the negativity of the mainstream media is starting to take hold of me again and I don’t want that. To turn this around, I draw a card every day to help me keep my focus on thinking from abundance.

Today’s Food for Thought comes from the Whipsering Woods

Friends

The most unlikely friendships can form; like variegated lichens on hard rock, they create a tight bond.

This reminds me of the TLC initiative of a Facebook friend who has started cooking for a senior in her apartment building. Completely according to the measures, from a distance, safe and yet connected. Connecting in this way, with attention for each other and each other’s needs, that is one of the miracles of our time.

Even though we may be physically separated from each other through the measures, there are so many ways to connect with each other. So if you miss friends, family, colleagues, change your focus and go from “missing” to “connecting”: what can I do to stay connected?

Perhaps you can help them by doing errands or by talking by a window visit. And broaden your horizons. Everyone is sad to read all the messages about the seniors in our society. Perhaps there are seniors in your immediate environment who are alone and feel lonely. See if you can find a way to connect with each other.

Put a note through their mail box and say that you will come for a window visit for a coffee/tea conversation. And during that conversation ask how they are doing, whether you could mean something by, for example, doing groceries for them or cooking a meal. Make clear agreements, for example once a week, contact about cooking by email… Whatever feels right for you.

And you can also do this to non-seniors who due to illness, disability, or other causes by the measures feel alone, lonely or disconnected from society.

In the old days, a community always took care of each other that way. Simply because that was the only way. Today there are countless ways, neighborhood networks, Social Support Act. However, rules often apply to this, which means that people fall between the cracks.

I hereby express the wish that we will act from TLC thinking and during this bizarre time be there for each other, support each other and pay attention to each other, by window visits, by video calling or in any other way. And that we all become a colorful collection of variegated lichens.

For me, this card is a nice reminder to also find contact through other channels. I am looking forward to next Thursday, when I first have a digital coffee/tea appointment in the morning and another one in the afternoon. I love my husband and son dearly, but every now and then it is just so nice to catch up with friends about completely different things.

If you’d like contact by a digital coffee/tea conversation, know where to find me💚

Have a nice day and week!

With love,

Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\

#Nature #Inspiration #Attention #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #TheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #SelfCoaching #DayCard

The Lost Shoe

Last Tuesday I cycled home when I noticed a shoe alongside the bicycle path. I think we’ve all seen a lost shoe, that lonely shoe alongside the highway, road, in the forest or in the city. It has always surprised me and left me with so many questions. Who owned that shoe? Why only one shoe? What could this mean? Is the owner of the shoe doing well?

Last year I got a question from Natascha about “The Lost Shoe”. She had seen a lost shoe for 3 times in a row that day and she wondered if this could be a Signal from Nature. And if so, what that signal could be. I love such a direct question! I did some research and yes, also with a lost shoe, Nature gives you a Signal with which you can coach yourself. In response to my meeting with the shoe last Tuesday, what can such a shoe mean?

The shoe as a symbol of power

The shoe has a lot of symbolism around it. Traditionally it has been a symbol of power. The firmness with which the Earth provides support is a measure of power. A person who is firmly in his shoes and therefore stands firmly on the earth, is powerful. That symbol of power goes back to Ancient Times. Servants walked barefoot and the ones in charge walked on shoes.

Taking off shoes indicates showing respect. Priests in temples usually walk barefoot. And when you visit people, it is also a sign of respect to ask if it is desirable or appreciated when you take your shoes off at the door because of religion, customs or hygiene.

This symbolism can be translated to yourself in the sense of: when you are properly grounded, you stand firmly on the ground, on Mother Earth.

You are full of confidence and you stand for who you are. You stand like a rock, in your power and in balance.

The Magic Shoe

Besides the shoe as a symbol of power, there is also the magic shoe. Like the ones Hermes wore as Messenger of the Gods and God of the Roads and Travelers. He was wearing winged sandals that could make him fly. This allowed him to take off from the Earth and move rapidly over land and water. This is linked to the symbol of freedom and also the symbol Air. The magic shoe makes gravity and sluggishness disappear.

The symbolism of the magic shoe is related to feeling free of obligations, of what holds you back and helps you to easily step over obstacles.

You feel free to go wherever you want to, there is nothing that can stop you.

The shoe as a mover

The shoe can also be seen as a symbol for movement, even though it is more the foot in it that provides the movement. The shoe as a mover represents your path of life, the journey that you’ve started at birth and that ends at death. Because yes, however you turn it, we are all on our own journey on this earth. We all have fellow travelers, some of them have been traveling with us all our lives, others travel with us for only a brief moment and some are just passers-by. Either way, you travel on your own strength and responsibility. You choose the way, the direction, whether you continue or go back, whether you walk in circles or straight ahead.

The symbolism you can see in this, is that you are responsible for the choices you make in your life. If the choice does not fit or if you are not happy with it, change direction and take a new path.

You are responsible for the choices you make in your life.

Literal message from Mother Earth, the stone under your sole

Through the shoe we make contact with the Earth and through the Earth we also get energy and messages sent to us. Sometimes very basic like a stone under the sole of your foot that makes you stop for a moment to get it out from under the sole of your foot or shoe, so you can continue walking again. It can be the same with something in your life. You would like to continue, but you may have to finish something before you can continue. As long as you don’t, it will haunt or hurt you. Only when you have solved or finished it, then that stone is out from under your sole and you can continue walking your path in life.

If you feel you cannot go any further, first finish what you are doing or solve your issues, then you can continue freely on your path on life.

The shoe in dreams

The shoe we find on the street can also remind us of a dream in which shoes have occurred. When the shoe appears in a dream, it usually indicates our feeling about how we experience life. If you wear tight shoes, you experience life as difficult and you feel trapped or limited in your growth and development. When your shoes are comfortable, you will experience that you are in the right place and that you are successful in the things you do. If you wear dirty, worn-out shoes, you are encouraged to take a closer look at your spiritual path or the path of trust that everything will be fine. If you buy shoes in your dream, it means that you have a long way to go before you reach your goals.

To find out which Signal Nature wants to give you with the Lost Shoe, it is important to listen to yourself by asking yourself questions, such as the following:

  • How grounded am I? What currently unbalances me? And why is that?
  • What do I feel when I see that shoe, do I feel a desire for freedom or do I feel lost? And what’s stopping me from being free or what makes me feel so lost?
  • Do I feel relieved because I finally lost that old shoe so I can take a new path? Or do I want to go in a new direction, but do I have to finish something else first before I can leave that old path behind?
  • Am I still on the right path? Or do I take a road that leads nowhere?

The Lost Shoe I encountered on the way home clearly gave me the message that I have to finish something first before I can take a new path. In my case, releasing old patterns that no longer serve me, that no longer benefit me, that just hinder me from being who I am. Previously I solved patterns like that through cognitive thinking. But after breaking down for the umpteenth time, I have now opted for body-oriented therapy. Because it is the emotion that is triggering a feeling and that triggers the survival pattern. And then I can reason cognitively all that I want, the emotion has its own way. Now I get to know, accept and own my emotions and my feelings. Very uncomfortable for me to work that way, because it is new to me and it challenges me to go way beyond my comfort zone. But I am very grateful that I left the familiar path and taken the unknown one. It brings a lot of insights, peace and recovery of my own strength and power. And even though the process I’m going through right now means that I am slowing down, even sometimes come to a stand still, it is more than worth it. I am regaining my balance and my self-confidence and that makes me stand again with both legs firmly on Mother Earth ♥

Have you ever encountered a Lost Shoe? And what was the shoe telling you about yourself?

If you have any questions about this or about self-coaching, feel free to ask me, I will be happy to help you.

With love,
Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\ 2020 ©

Sources:

#TheAlderScrolls #Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #SelfCoaching #SignalsFromNature #Shoe

The Cards Are Turned

From left to right:

1. Hawk ~ Messenger

The Hawk, with its extraordinary vision and high vantage point, has the ability to see what others cannot. Hawks are associated with the realms of the Ancient Gods. Jupiter and Mercury both had Hawk as their ally and Horus is portrayed with a Hawk head. Hawk is often called”messenger of the Gods”. To see a hawk or hear its shrill cry can be a warning to be more aware. Look to all the details and omens to pause and reflect on what may be amiss. Hawks mate for life and the pair raises their young in a strong and secure nest. Hawks look out for family. When embroiled in family issues take flight and breathe the fresh air. Too much emotion can cloud Hawk’s clear vision.

If Hawk calls you it may be wise to spend some time studying the currents of life and follow where they lead. The wind with its power and direction will be your guide. You can fly and reach the sky. You are stronger than you think, braver than you believe and wiser than you know.

Questions you could ask yourself:
~ Have I lost my “bird’s eye view” and am I missing the obvious?
~ Is it time to get more focused on family or goals?
~ Am I listening to the Messengers of God/Spirit/The Universe/Mother Nature?
~ Has emotion clouded my perception?

2. Ram ~ Perseverance

The majestic bighorn sheep, or ram, is a master of agility and bravery. They navigate rugged terrain at incredible speeds and land with confidence on the narrowest ledge. They have sharp vision and an acute sense of smell. All of these traits help the bighorn sheep survive. The male ram has a unique set of horns that spiral out from his head. They never drop and the grow throughout the bighorn’s life, symbolizing his fine mind. Horns are an extension of the skull and have been called natural antenna for the intuition. The Ram is a competitive lover. Be on guard for aggressive tendencies in your love life. Jealousy should be avoided.

If Ram calls your attention, you have success on your side. Ram urges you to use your fine mind to your advantage. You will persevere and go to great heights to succeed. Your reserves of strength and courage combined with your intuition will help you navigate the toughest circumstances. Call upon Ram to make you brave in the face of risk and get ready to take a leap of faith. Your many talents will help you with sure success.

Questions you may ask yourself:
~ Have I been locking horns to avail?
~ Have I been banging my head against a wall?
~ Have my sexual desires distracted me from my goals?
~ Have I lost my balance over conflict?

3. Loon ~ Intuitive

The call of the Loon stirs the soul. Their sounds evoke reverence and imagination. Loons have a complex communication system that is highly evolved. Loons are powerful and intuitive. Knowing from within comes quickly for the Loon. Their flashes of insight and imagination are highly developed. Loons mate for life and teach ideals of family and fidelity. Loons are excellent partners and parents. They often carry their offspring on their backs. Loons are also excellent communicators and they relate well with others.

When Loon arrives of you hear them call in your life, it may be time to pay attention to your own intuition and be discerning of your situation. Insights and answers easily rise from the depths of your subconscious. Family love is important and you protect the ones you love.

Take time at dawn on the still lake of your mind and connect with your song. Be vocal. Chant. Love your family. You will always succeed if you listen to the wisdom within. Look to your own reflection to see how beautiful, unique and elegant you are.

Questions you may ask yourself:
~ Am I ignoring warnings from my loved ones?
~ Am I so busy that I have forgotten the sanctuary of love?
~ Am I communicating my feelings?
~ Am I brave and speak my truth?

Have a nice week!

With love,
Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\

#Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #SelfCoaching #CardOfTheWeek #SpiritOfTheAnimalsOracle

Card Of The Week

Which animal has a message for you this week?

Choose from left to right 1, 2 or 3 and tonight I will turn the cards.

Have a nice week everyone💚

With love,
Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\

#Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #SelfCoaching #CardOfTheWeek #SpiritOfTheAnimalsOracle

LD Day 30 ~ Renew

Nature continuously renews itself year after year.

Today several media reports have come to my attention and I find them worrying. And although I wonder how truthful these messages are nowadays, I still get the feeling that if only a fraction of them is true, I still find them worrying. I try to shake off this feeling while teaching my son at home and I manage reasonably well. With my full attention I guide him through his lessons and we have fun with some word jokes and various exercises that are on his plate today.

But a certain feeling continues to gnaw. Until today I managed to keep that worrying voice out of my system and out of our home. Why does it make itself heard now… Does it have to do with the fact that the messages have touched a sensitive chord in myself? And the answer is yes. That’s exactly it. I can place everything from the medical point of view. But I can’t place what’s going on from the human rights point of view… And now it is up to me to find a way to deal with it.

I thought that a good time to consult the cards and I got:

And while I was thinking about the Wheel of the Year, the seasons and the way nature recovers after disasters, like those horrible forest fires in Australia, it dawned on me.

I am now in the middle of it and I live day by day. I stick to the rules of the game (I think that sounds better than measures, for the time being) and I have my own thoughts about everything. I can’t put my finger on what information is true and what is not, so I take everything for both true and false. The truth will lie somewhere in the middle. There is also such a thing as our Dutch saying: even if the lie is very fast, the truth will overtake him in the end. And I also think of my beautiful sister-in-law’s saying:

My chain of thoughts allows me to being able to reach that desired mode to deal with it.

Where we will be with regard to before or after Corona, I have no idea. We are in the present. Nature is my coach, guide and source of inspiration. She shows me that even if an event is a very destructive one, there will always be a renewing process afterwards. And the way of dealing with it all is the following. When I find it difficult to deal with current events, I go outside and wonder how Nature around me wakes up from hibernation, how birds are busy nesting for their little ones and how the blossoms slowly give way to fresh green leaf. Nature renews an that brings me peace and through me it brings peace into the world around me.

Have a lovely evening and night,
Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\

#Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #LD #DayCard #SelfCoaching #Renew

LD Day 29 ~ Time

Only 8 minutes and today is already yesterday. Time flies. I already had that feeling before the Lockdown, but since the Lockdown even more. And suddenly I really had it with that feeling. The running, the flying and the hurrying. Why? What for? In my case usually because of self-imposed obligations. And then as I lay in bed and thought about the day, I asked myself what did I enjoy today? To whom or what did I really give my attention? And that didn’t make me happy. Because I want to do what I do with my full attention. What an eye opener! And oh dear what a pitfall I keep on tumbling into way too easily time and time again:

  • Just this, and that and then …
  • Yes, of course I will do that …
  • Never mind, I’ll do it in a second …

But once in a while I will get a very strong wake up call. Like tonight.

Tonight I finally took my new mobile in use. Everything transferred, everything installed and completely happy. Like I do every night, I wanted to check what I have planned for tomorrow and then I found out that with the reset of my old phone my Do-Not-Forget-note disappeared into the digital void. Oh dear. And now? Because, well, I have that note to help me remember what I have to do, so I don’t forget anything in the madness of the day. Okay, there was way too much on it, but I would change that. I promise. Hmmmm. So I quickly made a new one and promised myself that I will automatically remember and add everything to it.

And then this beautiful card emerged from the deck. With a truly striking message. Thank you ♥

Time

Embrace the dew drops of life before disappearing with the morning sun.

And I’m going to do just that. Enjoy every moment. Our son’s home schooling, which I really enjoy. The crazy shopping nowadays. All on- and offline meetings in the form of a smile or a conversation or a reaction. And above all replace the “I have to”s by “I want to”s. I am already very curious about the altered choices I make compared to my note.

Dear everyone out there, enjoy every moment, no matter how big or small. And hold on to those feelings! Then, when you look back on the day, the week or the Lockdown, you will remember with a happy feeling. And if that’s not possible because you are being pulled by obligations? Think to yourself:

  • Do I have to or do I want to do this?
  • Will the world end if I don’t do it today but tomorrow?
  • And the most important one: What do I need right now?

Sleep well and see you tomorrow again!

With love,
Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls

#Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #LD #DayCard #Time #SelfCoaching

LD Day 28 ~ Caution

Walking through the Forest of Reverie, the secret of Caution swirls before me. I bend over and pick up the little card. I look at the lovely scenes on the card and my heart opens.

I think about what happened today. How the day started messy and now slowly comes to an end in love and harmony. The secret “Caution” brings a tender smile to my eyes and I think yes, this is good. I have been careful, taking into account my feelings, the feelings of the other person and the feelings we share. Because of this I left no footprints. Rather the opposite, the path is cleared of imperfections.

This secret, Caution, also reminds me of what I recently read in The Awen Alone. The path takes me by a side road to that memory. The Druid feels connected to everything and everyone around him or her. When he/she walks in the forest, he/she feels connected to the trees, the herbs and the plants, the birds and the animals. Because of this relationship, he or she automatically changes his or her life’s perspective. Eyes can no longer be closed to litter in the forest. Choices change with regard to groceries for example. And the goal becomes to make and keep the own footprint on Mother Earth as small as possible. This awareness creates responsibility and a desire to take care of Nature.

After this side road I continue on my path. A smile forms around my mouth when I realize that this attitude to life applies not only to Nature, but to every aspect of my life. When I feel connected to everything and everyone around me, me and you, us and they, we become all one. Then my feelings and those of the other are connected. Through this connection we can enter into a dialogue. We can through the dialogue and expressed feelings, perceive the need in those expressed feelings. This awareness also creates responsibility and the desire to take care of each other. Dealing with everything and everyone around me in that way, I mused further, ensures that there is peace in my environment, in the other and in me. And that surely is, I realized, a nice thought and a feeling to have nowadays.

When I am back at my desk from the Forest of Reverie, I enjoy my mug of warm tea and my thoughts. My heart is open, I smile and feel happy. The feeling of the warmth coming in through my hands and the sip of tea is as warm as the insight that the Secret from the Whispering Woods has brought me today.

With love,
Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\

#Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #LD #DayCard #Caution

LD Day 27 ~ Uncertainty

And then suddenly my LD Daily Cards I share to bring some motivation to get you through the day stopped. On day 13 I was not feeling well and on day 14 I thought ok, stop. Sinusitus just makes screens, daylight and reading a painful sensation. So I took a rest and cared of myself.

And that helped, I’m back 😀 and with a new deck, Whispering Woods. The cards reveal enchanting secrets from the forest. The secret of today is:

Uncertainty

The shades of gray in the fog will eventually disappear.

This card tells you that uncertainty eventually comes to an end. But in order not drown in the mist of uncertainty or to let your own Sun disappear behind an increasingly thick and dark mist, it is best to live in the here and now.

We currently live in a time of uncertainty and due to conflicting reports, negative reports, loss or being/becoming ill, uncertainty can become the predominant factor. It is sometimes damn hard to keep your focus on the positive.

The forest asks you to let go where you have no grip or control. Focus on what lies within your grasp. Like the bright Sun that shines, the beautiful blossom on the trees and all the fresh green that comes through again. Pay attention to what you are doing; gardening, shopping, playing with your children, making music, reading, or doing nothing but simply be. And you will notice that your own security is getting stronger. Certainty comes from within.

What can you do to increase your security?

Have a nice day everyone ♥

With love,
Elke )O( The Alder Scrolls /|\

#Nature #Attention #Inspiration #Druid #ElkeTheAlderScrolls #InTheFootstepsOfTheDruid #LD #DayCard #Uncertainty #WhisperingWoods