Sunday, April 12, 2015

Double 6 Ranch Helping Special Needs Kids with Free Horse Encounters

By Aurora Ferrer
Those of us lucky enough to have met a horse won't soon forget the encounter. Horses are special animals. They have shared life with humans for thousands of years. They have carried our loads, tilled our farms, pulled our wagons and given us the freedom to travel far beyond where our feet could take us. Those that know horses know that horses have a sixth sense. A balanced horse can read the subtleties about people that most humans miss. Horses have an innate understanding of the energy we (humans) emit. And they have a special gift of being able to touch a human's heart like no other being. When a horse thinks enough of you to breath you in, to want to "know" who you are, there is no greater communion between two souls.  

 The folks at Double 6 Ranch know this first hand. They are real cowboys & cowgirls that have spent years learning the language of the horse and of his/her power to heal. Because of this, Double 6 Ranch opens their ranch and their hearts to special needs children, adults and their families for free. Many of these children would never have the opportunity to meet a horse let alone ride one if not for this program. 

 Having a grown son that was born with life-threatening health challenges myself, I know what a gift it was to see someone put a smile on his face. As a parent you see your child need to undergo so many painful and difficult situations on a daily basis that to see them experience even a moment of pure joy is a prayer answered. And the Double 6 Ranch folks and horses don't stop there, they invite all the kids in the family to join in the experience. No one is left out. Everyone gets to feel special and gets a much needed rest from the daily challenges they face.

 I could write about the special, meaningful work these folks are doing for days but I think the film clip and comments speak for themselves. Please take a few minutes to watch the clip and read some of the comments about their (child's) experience with the Double 6 Ranch Special Needs Program below.

 About the film clip: "The folks at Double 6 Ranch open their ranch and their hearts to special needs children and their families. Double 6 Ranch offers Horse and Ranch encounters absolutely free. They say a picture is worth a thousand words...these pictures speak volumes. These pictures share hope, freedom, love. The expressions on the faces of the kids, the horses, the families and the staff are priceless. 

 All I could think as I was making this clip was "I see angels...I see angels in the children, angels in the horses, angels in the staff". These pictures remind us that there truly are angels that walk among us...some on four legs.

 Thank you Double 6 Ranch for all the good you guys put into the universe. You guys are making the world better one angel at a time." 
Here are just a few of the many posts and comments from families that have experienced the free special needs day horse and ranch encounter:

 E.L. We brought a group of special needs children from Ft irwin down there and it was the best time, they loved every minute! I am thankful for all the people at double 6 ranch and their selflessness to provide such an opportunity to special needs children, especially since their isn't always a lot of opportunities for them and especially not free. Bless you all and I hope you all are able to help the special needs children for years.

 J.D. ...I just say down in front of my computer just this passed week and wrote a letter to double 6 ranch to thank them for an amazing day. ... my autistic grandson and my three un autistic grandkids thoroughly enjoyed the day. ...I left with a soft spot in my heart for what the staff at double 6 do for these children. ...

 E.H. We love the Double 6 Ranch and the overwhelmingly generous and kind people there. And I know the whole community who has benefited from their graciousness stands behind the Ranch.

 C.F.L.  ...We were at your very first special needs day at the rach. My son who didn't speak to others much instantly became a chatter box to the volunteers when they put him on a horse. Every time we come back he gives you a hug which is just not something he does to everyone. He trusts you. You saw my daughter's love for horses and offered to teach her how to ride both western & english and would never ever accept any form of payment. You did this out of the kindness of your heart and you saw something special in her. You taught her discipline and hard work. You even had her looking up horse facts each week so when she came for her lesson she had to tell you what she learned. She fell in love with the special needs program and it has been on her heart over the years to come volunteer. 6 yrs later you just allowed her to have her senior photo shoot at your ranch and again never asked for anything in return. You and your ranch has been a blessing in our lives...

 Post by Double 6 Ranch on Facebook from their latest special needs class: "We at the D6 would like to thank all the little Angels, and their Families for coming to our Special Needs program today,,, You give us the inspiration to keep doing this wonderful program. We also want to thank our great Staff and Volunteers,, Ty, Roger, Marcos, Scott, Rick, Duane, Marv, Ashley, Elsa, Edgar, Lester, Billie, Shar, and Jason. Once again, Thank you from the bottom of our Hearts..."






And the comments in response:
D.M. - mom: It was a wonderful experience and am grateful for everyone that was involved for my little ones. I look forward to it for the next couple months. Thank you! 

 B.B - Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. My son had a great day. As we were leaving I got the biggest hug and Tyler said thank you mom for bringing me here today, it's the best. Those words were ment for all of you who give of your time to make my son's day. You are blessings to us and our families.

 M.V. - Que dios les de muchos anos de vida para que sigan hasi q dios los vendiga siempre por querer a mi hijo edgar.

 S.S. - This is truly an amazing gift to the children....they are so blessed to be able to participate in this, to be so free, and the smiles were abundant, we are so grateful to you Ty, and your staff, your truly amazing people and my kids are hooked.

 It is inspiring to see the magic and healing that can happen when generous people and special horses get together to help others.  If your moved by their work please take a moment to follow them on their Facebook page and share their story. The more people that know about Double 6 Ranch's great work the better chance they have of continuing to do it. 

 Double 6 Ranch https://www.facebook.com/Double6Ranch

 Reviews of fb page link https://www.facebook.com/Double6Ranch/reviews





Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,

Monday, March 23, 2015

Native American Wisdom, Images and Quotes Collection

Our Native American brothers and sisters had an understanding of nature, balance and the cycles of life that elude many of us in the modern age. We've gathered some meaningful and beautiful quotes in this blog post. It is interesting to note how timeless these quotes are. While many years have passed from the time most of these quotes were spoken and technology has made incredible advances, the Native American wisdom still holds true today. 

 Here we share some quotes and wisdom by the original people of the Americas. We hope you'll find them inspirational.



"There are many things to be shared with the Four Colors of humanity in our common destiny as one with our Mother the Earth. It is this sharing that must be considered with great care by the Elders and the medicine people who carry the Sacred Trusts, so that no harm may come to people through ignorance and misuse of these powerful forces."

Resolution of the Fifth Annual Meetings of the Traditional Elders Circle, 1980


Humankind must be a steward of the Earth;
Caretakers for all that dwells upon it;
To be of one heart with all things.

Human beings must learn to share
the tears of every living thing,
To feel in our hearts the pain
of the wounded animal,
each crushed blade of grass;

Mother Earth is our flesh;
the rocks, our bones;
The rivers are the blood of our veins.

We are all children of God.
Traditions are open to anyone
who wants to learn.

Huichol Holy Man



When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money.
~ Cree Prophecy


 "What is life?  It is the flash of a firefly in the night.  It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.  It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset." ~ Crowfoot

"Once you have heard the meadowlark and caught the scent of fresh-plowed earth, peace cannot escape you." ~ Sequichie



An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life...

"A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. 
"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

"One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, self-doubt, and ego.

"The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. 

"This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, 
"Which wolf will win?"

The old chief simply replied, 
"The one you feed."


I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are, but rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.
~ Sun Bear of the Chippewa Tribe 


"How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of the Earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clear and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people.The perfumed flowers are our sisters, the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and the man, all belong to the same family."
~ Chief Seattle


"Hills are always more beautiful than stone buildings. Living in a city is an artificial existence.  Lots of people hardly ever feel real soil under their feet, see plants grow except in flower pots, or get far enough beyond the street light to catch the enchantment of a night sky studded with stars.  When people live far from scenes of the Great Spirit's making, it's easy for them to forget his laws." 
~ Walking Buffalo
"The old Indian teaching was that is is wrong to tear loose from its place on the earth anything that may be growing there. It may be cut off, but it should not be uprooted. The trees and the grass have spirits. Whatever one of such growth may be destroyed by some good Indian, his act is done in sadness and with a prayer for forgiveness because of his necessities...” ~ Wooden Leg (late 19th century) Cheyenne
"Flowers do not force their way with great strife.
Flowers open to perfection slowly in the sun. . . .
Don't be in a hurry about spiritual matters.
Go step by step, and be very sure."
~ White Eagle

"I am a red man. If the Great Spirit had desired me to be a white man he would have made me so in the first place. He put in your heart certain wishes and plans, in my heart he put other and different desires. Each man is good in his sight. It is not necessary for Eagles to be Crows. We are poor... but we are free. No white man controls our footsteps. If we must die...we die defending our rights." - 
~ Sitting Bull, Hunkpapa Sioux


"The land is sacred. These words are at the core of your being. The land is our mother, the rivers our blood. Take our land away and we die. That is, the Indian in us dies." ~ Mary Brave Bird 


"Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were.  The life of a person is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves." ~ Black Elk



"The old people came literally to love the soil, and they sat or reclined on the ground with a feeling of being close to a mothering power. It was good for the skin to touch the earth, and the old people liked to remove their moccasins and walk with bare feet on the sacred earth. Their tipis were built upon the earth and their altars were made of earth. The birds that flew in the air came to rest upon the earth, and it was the final abiding place of all things that lived and grew. The soul was soothing, strengthening, cleansing, and healing. This is why the old Indian still sits upon the earth instead of propping himself up and away from its life-giving forces. For him, to sit or lie upon the ground is to be able to think more deeply and to feel more keenly. He can see more clearly into the mysteries of life and come closer in kinship to other lives about him."
~ Chief Luther Standing Bear - Teton Sioux, Born 1868


"You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children that we have taught our children that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves."
~ Chief Seattle




Honor the Sacred
Honor the Earth, our Mother.
Honor the Elders.
Honor All with whom we share the Earth:
Four-leggeds, two leggeds, 
winged ones, swimmers, crawlers, 
plant and rock people. 
Walk in balance and beauty.


"The first peace, which is the most important, is what comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirirt, and that its center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. ~ Black Elk (1863 - 1950), Medicine and holy man of the Oglala Lakota, Sioux Nation

For more information about the Native American Culture and History visit out Native American Pinterest Board. 

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Candle Quartz Quick Reference

CANDLE CRYSTAL QUARTZ HIGHLIGHTS:

Candle Quartz Crystal, aka the Pineapple Quartz, Celestial Quartz or Atlantean Lovestar is recognized by a myriad of smaller terminations surrounding a larger central point. The smaller ones can be either very sharp, as found in translucent candle quartz, or almost rounded as is usually found in opaque crystals. The sides of an opaque Candle Quartz often look and feel like a pineapple. 

 Used in Meditation: Candle Quartz provides a gentle but powerful tool in self-awareness. Used for introspection it helps one find and identify emotional blocks and limiting thoughts by facilitating a better understanding of "the shadow" as referred to by Carl Jung. Known as a light bringer crystal it brings hope and comfort where there was unhappiness, hopelessness and pain. Said to resonate best with the heart chakra, Candle Quartz can help heal hurts, balance energies and encourage opening to the possibility of love.

 Used in Metaphysics: Ancient knowledge from Atlantis is said to be brought by the Candle Quartz. Legends say that they were given as heart gifts in Atlantis. Scrying or clairvoyance is often used to access this ancient knowledge and gain insight, though many methods can be used, including meditating with the crystal. Used to access information from the Akashic Records by advanced practitioners. 

 Used in Decor: As an abundance crystal they are helpful in any room where business there are business transactions because they are said to stimulate the prosperity of the business. Candle Quartz can be used to dissipate lower vibrations from ones character or environment, the presence of the stone in the environment acts as a clarifying agent " to turn shadowy/dark energy back to it's original state of light. 

 Used in Physical Healing: Candle Quartz is used to help with spiritual healing of depression, vertigo, carbohydrate assimilation, insulin regulation, and headaches.
Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels:

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Valentines Garden Boutique 2015

You are invited to our Garden Valentines Boutique where you can leisurely browse our treasures and enjoy tea, biscuits and live harp music. We will only be open one weekend this season, Sat., Feb. 7th and Sun. Feb. 8th from 1pm - 4pm in La Mirada, CA. 

Mana Keepers has been known for its "Love and Gratitude" Shop for the last decade. Our Mana Keepers Love and Gratitude Shop specializes in stone hearts. We have many different sizes, styles and mineral compositions available. We also have a wide variety of crystals and minerals that have represented love, friendship and fidelity, historically, mystically and/or legendarily. Our new jewelry pieces and crystal carvings are breathtaking and are a beautiful gift of Love and Gratitude that will last a lifetime. And wonderful ways to say "I love you" and/or "Thank you". 

I know that some of you may not be able to attend so we will be adding some of our items here on this blog for sale starting Wednesday, Jan 14th. Once and item sells online it will no longer be available at the boutique so if you see a "must have" please order right away as most of the items offered are unique and we can't guarantee we can get another or similar item for the boutique.

Please feel free to share our boutique and online shopping with family and friends as inspired. 



Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Apophyllite Metaphysical Highlights

Apophyllite Crystals Keywords:  Spiritual Connection, Meditation, Angelic Kingdom, Healing, Purity of Heart, Psychic Vision, Protection stone for firefighters

 The meaning of the name Apophyllite, comes from the Greek words that mean 'get' and 'leaf'... referring to its proclivity to exfoliate like a leaf, when heated. These crystals come in a range of colors, but the most common are the clear or colorless and green. Apophyllite may be found in Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Britain, Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Canada and Australia, but the most prized stones come from Poona in India.

 Used in meditation: 
Apophyllite is associated primarily with the third eye and crown chakras. Apophyllite is known for its high vibration. It is said raise spiritual vibrations, and spiritually energize the entire being. The spiritual connection of Apophyllite makes it an excellent helper crystal for deep meditation, mystical vision, and inter-dimensional or astral travel. It has been used in fire-walking ceremonies during meditation preparation to protect the walker. When placed on the third eye chakra, it enhances clairvoyance and mystical vision. Apophyllite is also used to assist in contacting and working with Guardian Angels, Spirit Guides and manifestations of the Higher Self. Resonating at such a high vibration makes it very useful for clarity of mind and of heart. Meditating with Apophyllite helps to clear blockages and bring healing balance to the entire energetic body but works especially well for the third eye and heart chakras. It is said to help one to see the "truth" that is so often hidden by our limiting thoughts and beliefs. 

 Used in decoration: 
Used to invite Spirit and bring a sense of purity into a home by elevating the vibrations in the room, office, or sacred space, by placing one or more Apophyllite crystals around the room. No need to understand crystal grids or sacred geometry when decorating, use your intuition and let the Apophyllite do the rest. They have an excellent ability to transmit their energetic vibrations, making them wonderful pieces to keep in a conference room or a family room to relive stress, create an uplifting environment and to cleanse "lower" vibrations. 

 Used in Physical Healing: 
In traditional folk and crystal healing, Apophyllite is used for tired or stressed eyes by placing on the eyelids. It is used similarly in different body regions for respiratory problems, stopping asthma attacks, allergies, and health of mucus membranes and skin. 

 Used in Protection: 
Apophyllite is also considered a stone that lends protection from fire and those working with or fighting fire. The deep spiritual coolness is like a wild spring that engulfs its user in its protective vibrations. 

 *Green Apophyllite has the energies of clear Apophyllite, plus its own energies. It is a stone of growth, universal love, and nature. It is said to bring abundance. It is related primarily to the heart chakra and connects the heart to the Crown Chakra and Spirit.


Posted by at No comments:
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)