Acceptance

January 7, 2017 by

The new year has come and I personally have found myself struggling to connect with 2017. In my reflections, the theme that presents itself for this month of January is Acceptance. The holidays of 2016 had elements of loss for me, moving through a new phase of my life, a new phase of my family and children’s lives. Soon this month, America will have a new president and this too feels like a loss. In misfortune, however, there is growth and in growth I find a need to embrace acceptance.

I heard an interesting discussion on a program I was watching last night, two women discussing the unknown future. One said, “The future is dark (meaning unseen, not bleak), so to live life is to bring the Light into the day.” I feel a lot of this uncertainty in the future. The upcoming change in leadership of our country affects me on a deep and visceral level every day. I struggle to not let fear and confusion overtake the Light I wish to bring to my life and to the lives of others. Again, acceptance comes forward, acceptance of what I cannot change.

When I think about acceptance, it can sometimes feel like a giving away that is, to accept means I am not really getting everything I want and desire. There can be truth to that — yet when I look at the larger picture, acceptance can bring harmony, solace and peace. It can change my focus from loss of control and neediness to gratitude and grace. I read a book years ago, about forgiveness. It looked at forgiveness from a different perspective than other popular books and theories (i.e. in order to move on in one’s life, one must forgive). It focused instead on acceptance; forgiveness isn’t always necessary and sometimes it is a lie to one’s self. Acceptance on the other hand is a truth that can be embraced. Truly accepting hurt and harm that has come my way and being present with the understanding of it, brings peace, growth and release.

So, coming full circle, I am willing to accept my new personal chapter as well as this current consciousness that weighs heavy on my heart for our country and my fellow Americans. I accept this is a chapter for growth that is still in the darkness. In my acceptance, I am empowered to be present, to be vigilant in my convictions of what is the Light that I can bring to each day. This power cannot be taken from me. There is healing in acceptance. It is a place of strength to be aware and watchful, to seek to understand, to be ready to put pieces back together when needed, to bring the Light and my healing touch to all I do and to all I meet.

I send blessings to everyone as we move through this new chapter of personal and collective growth. The future is dark, but with acceptance, we can choose to bring Light into the day.

In this Light we will build unity and oneness.

Filed Under: Musings

Burnt Toast with Honey

November 2, 2016 by

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I had a wonderful growth experience this summer. It was filled, quite literally, with visits from family and friends, fun, adventure, excess and beauty for 10 weeks in a row. I rediscovered an aspect of myself that again and again can over-extend there are times this is a necessity and then there are times when I offer my willingness to give past the point of health and well-being. This was my summer. Come to its end, late August and I found my body and soul, every energetic fiber of my being was depleted beyond measure.
Awareness. I have reflected deeply on my tendency to give without consideration of depletion. It is an old habit to serve others first and then fill my cup. I continue to work on my fall back in this area and my summer experience brought that challenge full force.

What makes us each give beyond our comfort? There is a soft line and a hard line; my soft lines get pushed and moved each day as I prioritize and adjust to meet not only my needs but of those around me and to the commitments I have made. My hard lines are ones I set myself, when I am confident in my goals and set my boundaries clearly. Emotional attachment can blur the edges from soft to hard. We are often encouraged in our culture to give just a little more, and assume we will make up for it to ourselves later. Is this not the definition of success? Work hard and put yourself on the back burner?

Well, come September I was burnt toast. As I reflected on my own agreement to participate and invite in the depletion of my own energy, I realized that my boundaries had been shattered. I was short of temper and patience, moody and weary. It was time for repair, rest and renewal. My ongoing process for maintenance is one of self-care. I tend to my health weekly by seeing a fellow practitioner in a variety of modalities: massage, Healing Touch, Acupuncture, Food Spirit coaching and Heller Work. These modalities help me to maintain a high level of health and well-being. But in this time of renewal, what I found most helpful was returning to my core practice of gentle hatha yoga, mantra, silence and vibrational therapy to refill my energy field with vibrancy and balance. Use of essential oils became a daily practice and quiet walks in nature with my dogs helped too.

October became my clearing out. I joined a worldwide Whole Detox program with Deanna Minich, PhD that left me clean and operating at a high vibration once again. My affirmation from this program lives with me daily, I keep my body clean by eating pure foods. For me, the body includes all the bodies, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. The foods include all aspects that I bring into my life, thoughts, self-talk, devotion, relationships, boundaries and the food I eat. I feel well, I feel curious, I feel vibrant and able.

So now to venture forth. I have been laying the ground work for my life and business here on San Juan Island for the last year and I feel the pulse of fruition, the sweetness of manifestation. Meeting new people, making new friends, connecting with the community and other healers, feeling the land and the sea with all its animals and spirits and learning, always learning. I am ready to bring healing to those I encounter in each and every way. I travel to Oregon this month as well to bring my gifts to those that seek. I am holding the clarity of the power of boundaries from this amazing and fulfilling summer, giving a lot, yet just enough.

I’m keeping my cup full, spilling sweet drops of honey onto each soul I meet.
~~ Blessings to all

Filed Under: Musings

Shining Light

June 11, 2016 by

With Dede January 2016Seems so much has been happening these last few months … my goal of posting a new musing every two weeks has been overshadowed by learning, letting go and life transitions. Very recently, my dearest Aunt and Godmother passed into the Light. She has had a most amazing influence on my life as well as the fact that I carry her name as my middle name. It may seem somewhat insignificant to some, but I have always held the responsibility that I will uphold this name, Lenora, with the highest of integrity. The name means Shining Light: People with this name tend to be idealistic, highly imaginative, intuitive, and spiritual. They seek after spiritual truth and often find it. They tend to be visionary and may inspire others. If they fail to develop their potential, they may become dreamers, or misuse power. (www.sheknows.com). Shining Light …. yes, this is the expression of my Aunt, in all she did, all she offered, all she gave. Such an amazing soul, she left a legacy for me to follow.

As I sat with her during her last days of this life, I felt her energetic body expanding and contracting. My sister and I were able to hold sacred space for a Hospice Reiki Practitioner who visited and after his session, my Aunt fell into a deep slumber that lasted 16 hours. I was inspired and curious. I have only worked twice before with someone in their transition between this world and the world of spirit. He shared some observations and encouraged me to work more with my Aunt to aid in her peaceful transition. As I worked, with love and compassion, I experienced the shifting in her energetic field. My experienced revealed a slow “shutting down” of each chakra center, reappearing and then disappearing until I could no longer locate the vortex of energy. The Hara weakened and let go in the center first (between the Tan Dien and the Soul Seat), next the Hara to the Earth Crystal let go, the Hara to the Angelic Crystal remained vibrant. The grounding connection from the Root chakra was the next to last to go, while the Crown chakra remained open and flowing. I was not with my Aunt in the last moments before she passed to the Light, but I intuitively understand that her Crown chakra slowed and “disappeared” … and then at some point, the Hara to the Angelic Crystal released — releasing her to spirit, her heaven of heavens.

It was such a beautiful process to witness, such a learning for me. I honor that she shared so willingly this experience to support the loving work that I have chosen, the work where I give unconditionally to others. I am inspired to learn more about the Transition to Light process. I will seek to volunteer with our local Hospice program and hope to help others to transition more easily and peacefully.

My heart is full, aching but full. I feel her Light, I feel her presence. I am so grateful for the role model she was and is, my entire life — to be most proud of my devotion, each and every day.

Filed Under: Musings

Boundaries

March 25, 2016 by

I recently returned from an advanced training class in energy medicine. I learned many new techniques and new aspects of the chakras and energy field that increased my awareness and understanding of how we hold and manifest dis-ease in our lives. Do you know that saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears?” My personal philosophy is: when the student is ready, the information, situation, client, opportunity, challenge appears to help that student consciously evolve. “Teachers” often come to me in different forms. “They” are not always a person, but as of late, a concept of self, a holding that needs release, a belief that needs healing.

The beauty of taking healing courses with other practitioners is that I get to learn new things from the teacher and other students as well as get to work on my own issues as part of the hands on learning. The depth of work can be moving, challenging and so liberating! In my recent class, I was personally working on issues around boundaries, speaking my truth and being heard, my personal power. Many issues for my clients, as well as my own, are rooted in family of origin. What a powerful situation we manifest in our lives – being born into a specific family with its bounty of lessons. Soon after returning from my class, the Universe (bless you) bestowed on me the perfect challenge to hold the energy shift I had uncovered and was learning about. I was ready! I was up for the challenge! And in my ability to be clear, speak my truth, stand in my own power, release and growth was realized.

Personal growth doesn’t happen in a straight line for any of us. I believe it is a magnificent spiral, and as we grow and change, we travel around the spiral, upwards towards consciousness (perhaps some call this enlightenment). I again found myself on the spiral, not on the same loop however, upwards, but again in the same spot/issue. Now on a new level, I looked at the issue from a different perspective. My boundaries were clearer, my voice was easier to find, and my personal power came much more naturally. Do I think this issue is now completed? No. I do recognize I have more work to do. Uncovering the root (so to speak) of my issue around boundaries is a gift and every loop upwards on the spiral enables me to be clearer. I do anticipate the day when this issue can be released to the Universe with a kiss and a wave. Until then, upwards I go!

Om Namah Sivaya

Filed Under: Musings

Shifting

March 10, 2016 by

I was walking South Beach this morning with my favorite two pooches and felt the immense energy of the waves crashing on the sand, boom, swish, boom, swish. The recent solar eclipse left a tail of wind in the islands, trees blowing so hard in the dead of last night that I could barely get beyond a dozing. Change. I’ve been reflecting on change. Eclipses are famed for their ability to shift our lives, leaving behind the old to bring in the new. I watch all kinds of change in the world around me, political, my aging parents and those of my friends, Spring sprouting in the tiniest of cobalt blue sand flowers, my sons moving and shaking in their young adult lives and the migration of hummingbirds sword fighting for the throne of the feeder perch. Boom, swish, boom, swish …. is the change the “same as this time last year?” No. I am different, I have shifted. I have grown even more grateful as I watch my dreams come to manifestation. I see the change in my husband’s eyes as he grounds himself here, our new home, our new life together. I also feel the change in my work. My healing touch feels solid, I am more confident, I feel more connected, I feel so supported. I trust in the process, even more today than I did this same time last year. The sunshine is brilliant today, the pup next to me softly snores, sandy feet twitching. Rainstorm and blowing yesterday, sunshine and soft breeze today … there it is again, boom, swish, boom, swish.

What is the change you are feeling?

What is the shift you are manifesting?

Filed Under: Musings