Word Rich: Cosmic Turtle
Advice from a Sea Turtle: Be fearless. Always believe in yourself. Sometimes youโll have to dig yourself out of a hole you didnโt dig. Never forget where you came from. โ Source Unknown ********** Succeed and Soarโsย first, the 2022 โWordsโ series explored phrases that could helpย heal human experiences. ย The 2025 theme is astronomy, ending with this,ย The Cosmic Turtle. From Septemberโs Autumn Equinox to Decemberโs Winter Solstice, night lasts longer in Earthโs northern half.ย Utqiaฤกvikย (formerlyย Barrow),ย Alaska never sees the sun from late November to late January. Murmansk,ย Russia experiences polar night for forty days. The longest is, Longyearbyen,ย Svalbard,ย Norway. [See video at 3 in afternoon.]ย There,ย folks live in darkness from late October to mid February. At ancient gatherings, tales of the Cosmic Turtle explained the world. For Hindu people, Kurmaย supportedย Earthโs weight and keptย the world from collapsing. The Cosmic Turtle symbolizedย stability, strength, and endurance as well as the universeโs balance and harmony. Also inย India, the World-Bearing Turtle is called Chukwa. This member of theย Chelonioideaย family is popular because it cariesย the elephantย which holds the world. In China, the Black Tortoise named Xuanwu is one of four astronomy symbols. Ancient emperors built temples honoring this celestial being, believing it protected against floods and northern enemies. Xuanwuโs black color represented water and winter. In feng shui, Black Tortoise imagery is placed in the northern part of homes or gardens to protect and bring stability. South African Zuluย folkloreย contains a world turtle so large that, โit contains many countries and that one side of it experiences a different season than the other side.โ The Lenape believe the Great Turtle created North America, known to them as Turtle Island. While the story was recorded by Europeans around 1678, earthquakes and eclipses were discussed. Of those events, the people said that there was talk in their own country of a great earthquake, โwhich had happened in former times.โ And, there was still talk of a โremarkable darkening of the Sun because the turtle that held up the earth changed positions, blocking the light. See videos below Wikipediaโs article, โWorld Turtleโ shows how the creature keeps generating new stories. like Terry Pratchettโs Discworld series that occurs on a flat disc atop four elephants the ride atop the giant turtle Great A’Tuinโs shell. The great turtle named Maturin appears in the Stephen King ย novelsย Itย andย Wizard and Glass. The young adult novelย Turtles All the Way Down and film adaptation presentย the World Turtle. Here are more, modern World Turtle tales. Keep in mind, in dreams, turtles could mean a time to slow down, find inner peace and establish boundaries Here are more turtle thoughts, On my door, thereโs a cartoon of two turtles. One says, โSometimes Iโd like to ask why he allows poverty, famine, and injustice when he could do something about it. โThe other turtle says, โIโm afraid God might ask me the same question.’ โย Peter KreeftI I learn as much from a turtle as from a religious text. โย Dalai Lama If the road is beautiful, walk the road slowly; be a turtle, be a snail, and even better than this: Stop walking; live the road fully! โย Mehmet Murat Ildan Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. ********** Radiant Tree Books This Succeed and Soar book shares “Life Well Lived” words of wisdom and uplifting photography. This sketch journal offers encouraging wisdom about going beyond boundaries and making dreams come true. 5×9, 36-page, Trade Journal.ย $11.50.ย ย Preview 8×1, 49 page, Trade Journal,ย ย $19ย ย Preview Thanks for shopping! ********** This four-minute video presents the creation on Turtle Island, now know as North America. Click Here to ViewSee Also: Life Cycle of Sea Turtles, 2 Minutes Sea Turtle Hatchlings Scramble to the Ocean,ย 4 Minutes Sea Turtles 101.ย National Geographicย reminds that sea turtles have existed since dinosaur times and are bigger than human adults.3 Minutes
Select Videos, Winter Solstice Inspirations
In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.ย Albert Camus Each month, Succeed and Soarย shares short videos chosen to lift the heart and spirit, awareness and humanity. Saturday, December 21, 2024, the Sun paused its southward journey across theย Tropic of Capricornโs stars. After a moment, the Sun reversed course. For Earthโs northern lands, the Winter Solstice finished the yearโs longest night. For the next six months, sunlit days lengthen. Insights on this celestial turning point include, May you find peace in the promise of the solstice night, that each day forward is blessed with more light. That the cycle of nature, unbroken and true, brings faith to your soul and well-being to you. Rejoice in the darkness, in the silence find rest, and may the days that follow be abundantly blessed. โย Unknown Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it. โย Johann Wolfgang von Goethe All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. โย J.R.R. Tolkien These encouragements join others beautifully presented inย Renewal, my newest, inspirational book offered below. Following are short videos presenting different solstice traditions. Joyous holidays! Blessings, best wishes and enjoy the featured and accompanying videos below. Sandra Gould Ford Presenting art to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thing and inspire. Commentย ย Click Here to View.ย Unexpected Origins of Christmas Traditions 3 MinutesAlso see Winter Solstice in Cree [Native American] Tradition. 1 minute How to Play Dreidel, a Hannukah Game, 1 minute 30 seconds History of Yule Log, 3 minutes, Journals Record your dreams, hopes, plans and achievements in these beautiful, inspiring notebooks. Details: 6โ x 8, spiral notebook 120 pages, ruled on both sides Art printed on front Cover is thick paper stock. Back cover is medium gray Inside front and back covers have pockets for storing extra paper and pens View All Notebooks Thanks for shopping!
Soul Words: The Present Moment & Mindfulness
Winter Solstice Traditions 2-Minute Video Click here to View The Present is the point at which Time touches eternity. C.S. Lewis December 21 is Winter Solstice. Viewed from Earth, the Sun โmovesโ from the constellation Sagittarius to Capricorn. Above our planetโs equator, the yearโs longest night is experienced.ย In some places, the sun wonโt even โriseโ [for 40 days in Murmansk] , which requires making our own light, especially inside. For 2022,ย Succeed and Soarย promised healing, uplifting โSoul Songsโ at the eight celestial turning points. This yearโs octad concludes with:ย Mindfulness. Each of us is magical. We can time travel, experiencing our pasts and possible futures. These journeys can bring joy and security. Otherwise, asย Anthony Jamesย said, โRemind yourself: You can only deal with the present moment. Everything else is a memory, a hope or a fear.โ Theย Mayo Clinicย describes Mindfulness as, โa type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you’re sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment.โย Eckhart Tolle, author ofย The Power of Nowย added, When you make the present moment, instead of past and future, the focal point of your life, your ability to enjoy what you do and with it the quality of your life increases dramatically. [free The Power of Now download] Mindfulness benefits can include: Higher brain functioning, increased immunity and less anxiety [seeย Positive Psychology] Also, less depression, improved memory and stronger relationships [seeย Very Well Mind] How to pause and use all five senses to live in the here and now? WikiHowย offersย theseย 14, steps with pictures. ENLIGHTENING, SHORT VIDEOS: Let Go of What’s Keeping You from This Momentย [1 minute] Mindful Breathing for Anxietyย [4 minutes] How to Get Into the Present Moment in 10 Secondsย [5ย minutes] The Neuroscience of Mindfulnessย [9 minutes] Succeed & Soar! The Wisdoms Collection Shop Enriching and Beautiful Posters Click Here to Visit
Solstice
Face the Sun, and all your shadows fall behind you. โ African Proverb A meditation When ย hydrogen atoms become helium deep inside the sun, gamma ray photons erupt releasing light and heat. After a 40,000-year journey to the surface, sunbeams are launched. Earth intercepts one in every half billion. On December 21st, the space between this planet and its closest star is ninety-one and a half million miles (147 million kilometers). The distance shortens in the planetโs northern hemisphere as it again tilts toward the sun. Solstice. Winter and a celestial new year begin. Before kindergarten, I knew a sunbeam took eight minutes and 20 seconds to reach Earth because of a cereal commercial about raisins. My family lived on Delmont Avenue in Pittsburghโs Beltzhoover neighborhood. Across the brick lane, McKinley Park was filled with trees. Buttercups grew along the walk. I had a puppy and a tricycle that my mother painted with polka dots and wove ribbons through the big, front wheel. Back then, I believed I could run fast enough to keep up with the sun as it slow-poked across the sky. I also knew not to zoom beyond our neighborโs yard. So, maybe Iโll try outracing the sun next year. The Wisdoms Collection Shop Enriching and Beautiful Posters Click Here