Shifting your perspective (the way you look at things) is one of the most powerful ways to change and improve the quality of your life experience.

When you are able to adapt your point of view about the things happening in your life, and the meaning you give to people and events, then you can experience sudden and dramatic shifts in the circumstances of your life.

I invite you to try it for yourself and see! You can discover firsthand the tremendous power and freedom in your ability to adapt and change your point of view. Your whole worldview and the quality of your life experience can suddenly change when you shift your mindset.

When my son was a young boy, I used to tell him stories to teach him by example the results of a character’s behavior in a story. Learning a few basic principles about how life operates can help you to live a more fulfilling and rewarding life, as well as save you a lot of heartache and suffering.

Children (and adults too) can learn best when seeing the practical results of misguided perceptions and behaviors. I’d like to share a few of these stories with you in a series of storytelling blogs.

I’ll conclude each story blog with a recommended oil to use that fits the principle being introduced and an archangel to assist you.

Many flowers have blossomed, many seasons have passed since a Chinese Emperor learned the lesson that breathes all life.

A long, long time ago there lived a Chinese Emperor. His name was Taio Li. A most auspicious name for it meant, “A powerful and distinguished person who will achieve a lot.” Taio Li felt it was his destiny to create magnificent beauty in his kingdom. During his reign Taio Li became famous for creating a palace so splendid that it was reported to reflect the very essence of power and beauty.

Surrounding his palace were magnificent topiary gardens. Each more exquisitely manicured and ingeniously designed than the next. In one section of the gardens was a topiary devoted exclusively to the wild animals of Africa. For miles elephants and lions, gazelles and zebras could be seen as if roaming free, right up to the edge of a magnificent forest where they abruptly stopped. 

The Imperial landscapists had failed to contain the forest's unruly growth. So it was left to grow wild and untamed. In the forest lived a Nightingale. 

Upon completion of the Emperor’s gardens, a  proclamation was sent to all foreign dignitaries announcing the completion of the Emperor’s palatial estate. Proudly heralded as the world’s most splendid palace and gardens it was equipped with every gadget of the day and surrounded by exquisitely manicured gardens. Not a single weed was to be found in the Emperor’s palatial gardens.

Traveler's from around the world came to admire Emperor’s palace and gardens.  And everyone agreed, after hearing the Nightingale's song, "That is the best of all!" 

One day the Emperor heard these words and asked, “Where is this Nightingale?  I command that it appear and sing for me!”  

But where was the Nightingale to be found?  No one at the palace had ever seen, or heard of it. Finally, a little kitchen girl spoke, “I know the Nightingale. Every evening I listen to hear its glorious and heart warming song.” 

The girl led the Emperor’s ambassadors into the forest and pointed out a little brownish-gray bird, up in the boughs of a tree.

“Impossible,” they exclaimed. “It looks so dull and ordinary.”

“Dear little Nightingale,” called the kitchen girl, “our gracious Emperor wishes you to sing for him at the palace.”

“My song sounds best here, in the green wood,” replied the Nightingale. Still, the Nightingale came to fulfill the Emperor’s wish. 

The palace was festively adorned for the Nightingale's performance. The loveliest of flowers graced its passageways. In silence everyone watched the Nightingale upon its golden perch until the Emperor nodded for it to sing. 

As the Emperor sat, quietly listening to the Nightingale's song, tears came into his eyes and ran down his cheeks. The Nightingale's song had touched his heart. 

Taio Li decided that the Nightingale must remain at the palace. It was kept in a golden cage and given twelve servants to attend to its every need. Twice daily the Nightingale was allowed out of its golden cage and made to stand upon a golden perch and sing for the Emperor. 

One day an impressive package arrived. It was marked The Nightingale. The Emperor thought it must be a present for the bird,  but instead found a mechanical nightingale. 

“Truly amazing,” he exclaimed.

The mechanical nightingale was made of gold and ornamented with jewels. Enticingly it stood, rigid in the golden sunlight. When wound-up the mechanical bird bobbed its head, up and down, while moving its tail. It could sing the same song thirty-three times without tiring. 

The Emperor thought the live Nightingale should see this modern wonder. They could sing together. But where was the live Nightingale? With all the commotion no one had noticed it fly away, out an open window.

“What does it matter!” said the Emperor. “We have the best bird right here.” 

The mechanical bird was made to sing until everyone knew its song by heart. Then it was placed upon a silk cushion next to the Emperor’s bed and given the title, Magnificent Royal-Imperial Singer.

Soon after the Emperor became ill. The word passed that he was dying. As he lay in his opulent bed, scarcely able to breathe, he opened his eyes to see Death sitting upon his heart. Death wore the Emperor’s golden crown upon its head and grasped the Imperial sword in its hand. 

All around ghostly faces peered at him. Some were gracious and lovely to behold while others were grotesque and ugly. These were the Emperor’s good and bad deeds visiting him in the last moments of his life.

“Music!  Music!” he pleaded, “so I can’t hear what they’re saying. You, my precious golden bird, sing, sing!” 

But the mechanical bird stood still and silent.  It was worn out inside. There was no music left in it. All was dreadfully quiet as Death sat, proudly gazing down at the Emperor.   

Then suddenly, through an open window came a wondrous song. It was the real live Nightingale singing for the Emperor. It sang an enchanting song about a peaceful brook, flowing through a scented garden. It sang of the tender feelings we have for our loved ones.

The blood ran revived through the Emperor’s heart. Even Death was moved to listen. The Nightingale continued to sing its enchantment. Until Death floated out the window. And the ghostly faces followed after it.

“Thank you!  Thank you!” cried the Emperor. “Most kind hearted of birds how may I reward you? I was a fool not to know the power and truth of your music. Your music lives and inspires life. You must always stay with me.” 

“No, I wish to remain free,” answered the Nightingale. “But, I will visit you in the evening and sing by your window. I will come and sing the news of your empire to you. You must promise one thing though.” 

“Anything,” promised the Emperor.

“Tell no one that you have a little bird who tells you everything and it will go all the better.” Then the Nightingale flew away. 

The servants came in expecting to look upon their dead Emperor and there he stood to wish them, “Good morning!”

Questions:

What are the key takeaways for you in this story?

Do you discern any differences between natural life forms and manmade objects? If so, what are the differences for you?

Which has more value for you? Nature and natural life forms, or manmade structures and inventions.

After Climate Change, many experts for both local and global affairs forecast the coming years with tremendous concerns in the development of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). 

Dangers Associated with A.I. include:

• Job loss - of course this does not need to become problematic if humans are able to adapt and begin doing more creatively driven type jobs. Automation could actually free people from mind numbing repetitive tasks and offer them opportunities to pursue what they love to do. Generally, society at large could change to support more creative, intuitive and artistic pursuits. Something humans are uniquely capable of doing, unlike A.I.
• Privacy violations - this can be a challenge if governmental bodies do not stay awake and ahead of the curve. We’ve been behind in helping the social media culture to develop safety protocols for all consumers.
• ‘Deepfakes' - this is another area where the legal systems must keep apace/ahead of the curve in the development of A.I. to circumvent fraudsters taking advantage of and disrupting the markets.
• Poor data giving rise to bad decisions. Technology and Research Development are the most cutting edge areas of employment. The coming age will continue to grow and expand in these areas for generations to come. Gathering fact based data for making decisions is crucial for making decisions. We must also become more intuitively aware, visionary and inclusive in how making certain choices can affect future generations.
• Socioeconomic inequality may be possible if the consciousness about how each individual makes a valuable contribution to the collective whole goes unrecognized. We need to make big leaps in our understanding about how the synthesis of an individual's contributions gives rise to greater well-being for everyone. In synergy, the sum of the parts is greater than any one individual. We are stronger together, united as one. This basic principle needs to be understood, valued and inform all of humanity’s decisions. 

Key Essential Oil to Align You with Nature
Use conifers, pines, evergreens, earthy, grounding and calming scents.

Galbanum (Ferula galbaniflua) - my #1 choice

Earthy, spicy, herbal, warm, woody, balsamic and piney

• An ancient aromatic plant oil
• Intensely green scent appreciated by perfumers
• Referred to as the sacred "mother resin"
• One of the oldest herbs
• Psycho-emotionally calming, grounding and balancing
• Contains rejuvenating, calming and balancing properties

An aromatic gum resin, Galbanum oil has been described as “intensely green.

An ancient plant aromatic oil, the galbanum plant originated in Iran, Turkey and Syria. Traditionally, galbanum was used for making incense. It is mentioned in the Book of Exodus for this purpose.

The ancient Egyptians highly favored galbanum as a holy plant aromatic. The reputed “green” incense of ancient Egypt is thought to be galbanum.

One of the oldest herbs, Hippocrates used it as did Pliny the Elder, an author and naturalist during the early Roman Empire who ascribed “extraordinary curative powers” to galbanum.

Some of the mythology associated with galbanum has referred to it as the sacred “mother resin.”

It's musty green scent is especially appreciated by perfumers. It has been used for making fine perfumes. Its rejuvenating properties may be useful for relieving a variety of beauty skin care issues. 

Psycho-emotionally, galbanum has a calming, balancing, and grounding effect upon the mind and emotions.

Archangel to Assist You

Ariel “Lion or lioness of God” - A creator angel, Ariel oversees creation in the physical world. S/he is the key protector of the natural world. S/he especially protects the wild animals of the natural world, the birds and fish. S/he oversees all of the elemental forces, air, earth, fire and water. An angel of environmentalism, Ariel protects the environment and assists with growing environmental awareness. S/he can help with manifestation power, abundance and good luck. The colors associated with Ariel are soft pinks, silvery whites and pale shades of blue.