I practice “Ahimsa”

I took a World Religions class in the late ’60s, and the only concept that resonated with me was the Jaian concept of “ahimsa.” It’s the practice of non-violence to all living things, recognizing that all life is sacred. That means that I catch and release critters who lose their way and find themselves in my cabin. I don’t kill things on my property. I have a thriving colony of ground squirrels to prove it. And some gophers. I’ve also been known to help insects cross crowded sidewalks.

And I’m vegan, for the most part.

I have an inner teenage boy

There is part of me who loves superhero movies (Marvel) and Star Trek (Classic and TNG.) I now classify them as a documentaries.

I enjoy movies that are consistent with my irreverant, but not mean-spirited, sense of humor. Like Animal House, Ghostbusters, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Ant-Man and the Wasp. (That’s probably enough to get the picture.)

I’m an “Innie”

I’m one of those introverted, highly sensitive beings that people are writing about today. I was so happy to discover the research documenting brain differences between introverts and extroverts. (Thank you, Marti Olsen Laney!)

The new research explains a lot. Like why I would rather be communing with nature by myself, or hanging out with a few like-minded friends expanding our consciousness in deep discussions. I’ve been known to go to parties and make small talk, but I don’t stay long unless I can connect with a kindred spirit who is interested in going deeper. It’s an innie thing.

I’m all about keeping my brain happy and not on fire.

I beat Legends of Zelda 1 and 2

The shadow at the end of Zelda 2. Really!?! Just when you thought you had won!?! Life lesson: Uncleared trauma will kick your butt. Every. Single. Time.

My news sources

I get all my news from Colbert, Noah, and Oliver. I can’t take the news any other way. And for the latest metaphysical news: Gaia.com.

I rebuilt a sports car engine

I rebuilt a Fiat 124 Spider engine with a friend in the ’70s while in graduate school in Iowa. Imagine my surprise when the instructions for the Weber dual-downdraft carburetor rebuild kit were all in Italian! I figured it out. There was a schematic.

Loved that car. When it was running.

Downside: I knew every tow truck driver in Iowa City.

Upside: I knew every tow truck driver in Iowa City. (They were awesome.) And I was even offered a job as a mechanic at one of the shops. But I stuck to psychology. It was a tough choice, but probably for the best.

I have a rich internal life

I am never bored. Ever.

I rescued parrots

I rescued parrots for a couple of decades. My favorite was a wild-caught African Gray (Timneh) who we named Beavis after the character with the same name. (My son was in middle school at the time.) He was not tame and did not like humans. Why would he? He was captured from his home in Africa and put into the pet trade for profit. His encounters with traffickers were probably not pleasant as he made his way to the States.

The home he found here was not a good match for a being of such great intelligence. I paid to rescue him and he was brought to me in his tiny cage in the back of a pickup truck.

We developed a relationship. He would not perch on my hand, and I did not expect him to. But we would share food. He flew back to his cage on request, but his real superpower was opening cage doors. 

I can’t stand cages.

I changed my name to “Avianna”

It honors my connection to birds. And flying things. And freedom.

I hired a Ghostbuster once

I had a house in Lake Arrowhead that was not selling. After the Tenant-from-Hell (No kidding. Me and the neighbors all had restraining orders against her.), I put the house on the market. It wasn’t selling, no matter how appropriately priced or beautifully staged it was. I found out about a Ghostbuster who cleared houses. Within 24 hours after he cleared the house of negative energy and invited all the nature spirits to return, I had a cash offer and closed in less than 30 days. I’m a believer.

I know all the lyrics to 24K Magic

Although I can’t sing, or play an instrument, or read music, I’m the best audience ever. It’s such a joy to be in the presence of talented musicians who flow creative energy and share their gifts with the world. Magic. I try to “keep up.”

Favorite Documentary

The Day the Earth Stood Still. (The 1950s version with Michael Rennie and Patricia Neal.) I have the movie poster in my bathroom. Not kidding.

It’s not easy being human

I believe that we all do the best we can.

It’s impossible to know why someone is on the planet, or to know what lessons they wanted to learn, or what experiences they wanted to have, or how far they have come from the traumas they have experienced, or how they wanted to play their part in the evolution of humanity toward more love and compassion. We can’t ever know those things about people. And we’re only guessing about ourselves and our reasons for being here. So I try to stay out of judgment.

But damn. The political climate in the late teens is testing my resolve.

I have a pussy hat

I knitted one with my own little hands. And I have marched to protect the earth, for health care, to support the Parkland students, to treat migrants with compassion. The list goes on. Unfortunately. But now I can finally say that I am officially politically awake.

My Heroes

In addition to my spiritual teachers: Greta Thunberg and her mission to save the planet, Danny Sheehan, Chief Counsel for the Lakota People’s Law Project, Jane Goodall who still has hope, Dave Garcelon and the Institute for Wildlife Studies who saved the Catalina Island Fox, wildlife rehabbers, naturalists, park rangers, my friends who are artists and musicians and fellow spiritual journeyers, people who are happy and passionate about their lives, and people who post instructional videos on YouTube. You can learn ANYTHING on YouTube.

Bucket List Item: Ghostbuster location tour of New York City

Life highlight: Visiting all the Ghostbuster locations in New York City with my son. Spook Central. The Fire Station. The restaurant in Central Park where Louis Tully turns into a dog. Columbia University. All of them.

And visiting the Hayden Planetarium, home of Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Favorite thing there: The Dark Matter movie.

I listen to “The Voice”

Not the TV series, but an actual voice that speaks to me. The first time I heard it was in the early ’80s, and it said very clearly, “Remember who you are.”

It started my spiritual journey and has always led me to more Bliss. And now we’re in regular communication.

I have been taking notes from this higher source for decades, and it is invaluable in offering a higher perspective of love and compassion for situations in my life. I also channel messages from this higher source for my friends.

I was surprised in the Spring of 2019 when the messages began to include information of a more global, less personal nature. I have been encouraged to make this information public, and I’m working on a website NotesFromSpirit.com.

I’m becoming more galactic and multidimensional

My beliefs: Chance that we’re alone in the universe = zero. Chance that the physical third dimensional reality is all that there is = zero.

So what else is out there? Or in there? Inquiring minds want to know.

Favorite book

The Afterdeath Journal of an American Philosopher – The World View of William James, channeled by Jane Roberts. Not a New York Times bestseller, but beautifully written descriptions of William James’ life after “death.”

Philosophy 101 takeaways

When I started college I was a philosophy major for awhile. I changed my major to psychology when I had to face the unpleasant fact that there was no “Philosophers Wanted” section in the classified ads.

Two things that have stayed with me from my Philosophy 101 class are Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty and how everything that appears solid, isn’t. Wait. What? Good for a ticket down the rabbit hole.

Good to know

I can pass for normal when I want to, although I rarely want to.

Some favorite words to live by

I might quibble about the letting go of desires part, but it’s what you would expect from a Buddhist: