The Peaceful Journey

In Loving Memory

I have just realized that one of the advantages of having my own somewhat public place here in cyberspace is that it allows me the opportunity to write whatever I want. I say that because I have just reviewed the obituary written for my aunt and although it contains all the "necessary" facts, it doesn't include anything important to me.

It doesn't mention the little Easter bags she always made for me with fabric covering an oatmeal canister, with special treats tucked inside. Nor does it talk about all the dresses she sewed for me until the time came, in Jr. High, when all I wanted was something with a label inside that said Bobbi Brooks. 

However, later, when I was ready, she gave me the lifelong gift of teaching me how to sew on her treadle sewing machine and I began to make my own creations. 

The newspaper doesn't mention her amazing lemon meringue pies or how she gave me her secret tips for perfect piecrust. There was no place to applaud her for being born in 1920 and living though one of the hardest times in our history in one of the poorest areas - and never letting that define her.  I didn't know how to include how important her example was to me of a woman having a career - still fairly unusual in the 1950's world of wives who stayed at home.

I couldn't insert a picture of her in her glamorous sundress (complete with a strapless bra - who knew!) when she would visit us in the summer.  Nor was there room for the reels of her home movies, made with a Kodak movie camera - capturing my childhood in silent black and white fuzzy images.

How would I tell about how she taught me the importance of eye cream and how to paint my nails? But how she also loved to ride her donkey and hunt deer and pick up pieces of turquoise in the mountains of eastern Arizona?

And mostly, there was no place to describe how I now see her hands when I look at her wedding ring on my finger.  And remember all the times she let me try it on and told me someday it would be mine.  And while diamonds are not really my style, I love that I see her in that ring and feel so connected in a very tangible way.

In an obituary, often a list of accomplishments is included.  Her three inch column in the small town newspaper includes such a list.  But in my mind, her greatest accomplishment is not mentioned. For me, the most important thing was the difference she made in one girl's life - mine. 

And for that I will always be grateful.

In loving memory

Blanche Campbell McGaha Hall

June 20, 1920 - February 24, 2012

 

you’re already perfect

Today, I can think of nothing more to offer than this excellent post by Leo Babauta on Zen Habits.

  (Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow Leo on twitter .)

 

‘Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.’ ~Lao Tzu

"A lot of people come to Zen Habits (and read other personal development blogs and books) because they want to improve something about themselves. They’re not satisfied with their lives, they’re unhappy with their bodies, they want to be better people.

I know, because I was one of those people.

This desire to improve myself and my life was one of the things that led to Zen Habits. I’ve been there, and I can say that it leads to a lot of striving, and a lot of dissatisfaction with who you are and what your life is.

A powerful realization that has helped me is simply this: You’re already good enough, you already have more than enough, and you’re already perfect.

Try saying that to yourself, as corny as that might sound, just to see if it sounds true. Does it resonate as something you already believe (in which case, you can probably stop reading now), or does it not feel right? Do you feel like there are things you still need to improve?

The thing I’ve learned, and it’s not some new truth but an old one that took me much too long to learn, is that if you learn to be content with who you are and where you are in life, it changes everything.

Consider what changes:

• You no longer feel dissatisfied with yourself or your life.
• You no longer spend so much time and energy wanting to change and trying to change.
• You no longer compare yourself to other people, and wish you were better.
• You can be happy, all the time, no matter what happens in the world around you.
• Instead of trying to improve yourself, you can spend your time helping others.
• You stop spending so much money on things that will supposedly improve your life.
• You can be smug about it, like me.

OK, the last bit was a joke, but the rest is true, in my experience.

And here’s another realization that I’ve written about before: You already have everything you need to be happy, right here and right now.

Do you have eyes that see? You have the ability to appreciate the beauty of the sky, of greenery, of people’s faces, of water. Do you have ears that hear? You have the ability to appreciate music, the sound of rainfall, the laughter of friends. You have the ability to feel rough denim, cool breezes, grass on bare feet … to smell fresh-cut grass, flowers, coffee … to taste a plum, a chili pepper, chocolate.

This is a miracle, and we take it for granted. Instead, we strive for more, when we already have everything. We want nicer clothes, cooler gadgets, bigger muscles, bigger boobies, flatter stomachs, bigger houses, cars with leather seats that talk to you and massage your butt. We’ve kinda gone insane that way.

The sane thing is to realize we don’t need any of that. We don’t need to improve our lives. We don’t need to improve ourselves, because we’re already perfect.

Once you accept this, it frees you.

You’re now free to do things, not because you want to be better, but because you love it. Because you’re passionate about it, and it gives you joy. Because it’s a miracle that you even can do it.

You’re already perfect. Being content with yourself means realizing that striving for perfection is based on someone else’s idea of what “perfect” is … and that that’s all bullshit. Perfect is who you are, not who someone else says you should be.

Also, as corny as it may sound, I love you, completely and unconditionally, and if everyone else in your world betrays and abandons you, you always have me. :)

Now stop reading this blog, and go be happy."

**Thank you Leo, I'll do just that :)

 

Thrive or .....survive?

I've noticed something in my new city that I just love. 

The word "thrive" is used often - it's one of the taglines for our apartment complex, it is the intention at the food co-op.  I see it as the ending in emails from new groups I am joining.  Even department stores have it in their advertising.

I love the definition I found online of Thrive:  To grow vigorously, to flourish, to expand.  To make steady progress, to prosper.

Yes, I agree - what better desire could I offer than to thrive?

What has surprised me in all this awareness is how unfamiliar this word is to me - me who loves words, loves talking and loves the intention of thriving.  Yet, I don't remember using this word until Austin brought it to my attention. 

As I have begun to focus on thriving, I am aware of how familiar I am with what I suppose is its opposite.  To survive.  Interestingly, the online definition of Survive is:  To remain alive or in existence, to persevere.  To remain functional or usable.

Aha, now we are on a road I know.  In fact, if "survive" gave frequent traveler miles, I could go anywhere!  I have been thinking of how often my attitude is one of survival - "just get through this" - "just hold on" - "just survive".

I see why I am not called to add "survive" to the bottom of an email!  While surviving is certainly desirable, it isn't exactly inspirational.  It's kind of the rock bottom of my desire for you. Pretty much a given.

But I love that I have become aware of this contrast, and how in each moment I can make a choice - to come from survive or to come from thrive. 

While not discounting surviving, I want to become best friends with thriving. With growing vigorously, with expanding.

Thank you Austin for this new view.

May you thrive!

 

A New Perspective

Isn't it just lovely when we notice how the Universe is supporting our requests? (Keyword here is notice).  I admit to often speeding through life, not noticing the support that is right beside me.  And then, something happens and I notice.  And am so grateful. This happened this week.

In my last post, I admitted to feeling very vulnerable and scared while experiencing all the changes in my life at this time.  It helped a bit just to write the words - holding all this in takes so much energy with very little return. And then, the most caring help arrived, completely unexpectedly. 

A few years ago, a friend gave me Mark Nepo's book, "The Book of Awakening".

I love how beautifully he writes, but sometimes weeks go by without me picking up these words of wisdom.  However, a few days ago, I just randomly opened the book (it's compiled with dated, daily thoughts) to August 5 and began reading.

I'm going to just copy what Mark says, as I can't imagine adding to his words.

 

The Chick being born ~ 

Every crack is also an opening.

When in the midst of great change, it is helpful to remember how a chick is born. From the view of the chick, it is a terrifying struggle. Confined and curled in a dark shell, half-formed, the chick eats all its food and stretches to the contours of its shell. It begins to feel hungry and cramped. Eventually, the chick begins to starve and feels suffocated by the ever-shrinking space of its world.

Finally, its own growth begins to crack the shell, and the world as the chick knows it is coming to an end. Its sky is falling. As the chick wriggles through the cracks, it begins to eat its shell. In that moment – growing but fragile, starving and cramped, its world breaking – the chick must feel like it is dying. Yet once everything it has relied on falls away, the chick is born. It doesn’t die, but falls into the world.

The lesson is profound. Transformation always involves the falling away of things we have relied on, and we are left with a feeling that the world as we know it is coming to an end, because it is.

Yet the chick offers us the wisdom that the way to be born while still alive is to eat our own shell. When faced with great change – in self, in relationship, in our sense of calling – we somehow must take in all that has enclosed us, nurtured us, incubated us, so when the new life is upon us, the old is within us.

Thank you so much, Mark  

 

 

A Field Report from Calling Off the Search

Three weeks into calling off the search.  Such a small span of time and yet such a huge shift in perspective. 

I have to admit the first week or so, I felt a little panicky at the disconnect. I felt a bit abandoned, forgetting that I was the one who had cut the ties.  I felt out of the "cyber loop" - who was I without the constant information stream?  The trail of link to link had been my habit. As I put books on the shelf, I was afraid that they contained that last bit of information that I so desired.  As I unsubscribed to newsletters and then no longer had much email, I felt unseen. I questioned the wisdom I had felt in making this decision.

At first I was at a loss as to how to spend this time.  I was not used to open stretches of unscheduled life.  I felt bored, scared that I was going to become unproductive.  I didn't know what to do with myself.  I had no idea of the amount of time that would become available when I decided to sink into just being.

And then, much to my amazement, a whole other world opened before me.

My days found a different rhythm. The amount of time I usually sat in front of my computer catching up on "everything" morphed into time I could sit outdoors.  I no longer grabbed a cup of coffee and jumped in to check my email - I sat outside and watched the squirrel climb to the very top of the cedar tree for the sweetest berries.  I began to journal because I wanted to, not because it was the plan listed in the latest book I was reading.  I found myself pulled to the oils again; ready to create something that speaks to this change.  A blend to support stillness.

During this transition time, I've been thinking about the difference between a guide and a teacher.  For me, a teacher brings things for me to learn, things I don't know, things that have been labeled as, and perhaps are, important.  And I am not discounting teachers in any way, I am just exploring where I am today in relationship to teaching.  A guide, however, shows a path and I am left to explore it.  In my own way, with my own photos taken without assignment, absorbing what I am noticing at this moment.  A guide allows flexibility.  I can have a guide without the search.

So for this time, I am traveling with a guide who encourages lots of free thought, free time, freedom to examine and decide what my truth is.  A guide who is supporting deepening my life in my own way. In three short weeks, this adventure has advanced from terrifying to deeply nourishing.  Yes, maybe I go days without looking at Facebook, some days the computer never gets turned on, and yet, I am filled with a new energy.  It is softer, quieter, more authentic for me.  I have discovered a place within myself that is what I have sought outside myself for so long.

Isn't it interesting how calling off the search has led me to the very place I had so intensely sought?  I have no idea if this is a lull in the journey or a new path.  And that is what makes it so interesting.  Learning to live without an agenda, open to possibilities.

 

Welcoming Home

The often quoted phrase "you can't go home again" was always fine with me. Why would I want to?  I grew up in a family (and yes, I do believe with all my heart that I made this choice) where I never felt at home.  I left as soon as was possible for me and never looked back.  Yes, I continued some relationship with my birth family, but never through a sense that this was my safe place - you know, the one where supposedly they always have to take you in.

(By the way, who makes up these ideas?  Maybe they are just lyrics in a song that are remembered endlessly, who knows??)

So in moving back to Austin, I did not experience that feeling of coming home.  Austin is a new city for me, which just happens to hold some people I love dearly.

And yet, this weekend, in a completely unexpected way, I experienced coming home.

I went to a slumber party - my first in about 44 years - with 2 of my closest friends from high school.  Through the miracle of Facebook, we had reconnected somewhat, knew a bit of each other’s lives.  Because, at almost 63, I am still terrified of my mother seeing me drinking, the suggestion to have dinner together turned into me sleeping over at one friend's house.  Then we all decided a sleep over would be so fun.  There we were, 3 friends who haven't seen each other in four decades, staying up late and sharing secrets in the dark.

What was so amazing to me was how easily our sense of friendship and trust just flowed right into the evening.  There was no awkward pause when we didn't know how much to share or how to respond.  There was some sort of cellular trust that allowed us to be much more honest than we knew how to be as teenagers.  Collectively, we had a lot of life under our belts and instead of creating distance, it magnified how much we all have in common.

Granted our lives could not have been more different.  One of us is very educated and has traveled the world and made discoveries about herself that have dramatically changed her life.  One of us has chosen to remain in our small town for all this time, and yet her life has not been ordinary in any sense of the word. One of us (me) has tried to escape the inescapable until I surrendered into it.

But as we each shared a chapter in our lives, we gave each other permission to share more.  And as we got down to the true realities of our lives, it became so apparent that we were still those 3 girls who often spent the nights together.  We have just grown up.  We have become more understanding, less judgmental than our teenage selves.  We have been in hard places and made both poor choices and brilliant ones.

And we have survived to tell each other about it.

As we drank a lot of wine, I thought to myself that we are just like the wine.  We have gotten softer, rounder, more complex with aging.  Now there is more to enjoy, to appreciate than when we were young.  Face it, we are just easier to drink!

So I am revising my concept of coming home.  In these hours, I felt as at home as I can ever remember feeling. 

Here I had no secrets.  These women "knew me when" and they still welcomed me with open arms and hearts.

I have come home!

 

Today's "Ah Ha" moment.......

You know when you have what Oprah calls an "Ah Ha” moment?  When you feel a shift - whether it is physical, or mental, or emotional?  I call them Magic Moments, because they are usually so unexpected and always such a gift.

I just had one!  Let me share:

There is a lot written for those of us who aspire to blog about regular, timely posts.  Seems right.  Yet it's been 2 weeks since I felt any inclination to write anything.  I have just wanted to rest, to be quiet, to absorb our new life. 

And felt moderately guilty - hey I have that "to do" list just like you.  It's just sitting there, waiting for some "dos" to get done.  I have blamed the move, the relentless heat, the fires for my lethargy.  But I have struggled to try to do something, anything productive. 

This morning I open my email and read Meredith Murphy's blog post - "resting is not doing nothing". 

"Ah Ha" moment big time..  Meredith and I haven't spoken since I have been in Texas, however it feels like she has written this for me. 

In this post, she quotes a post from someone else who inspired her (don't you love the chain of insight the internet can so easily provide?) using the example of an eddy in a stream.

Meredith gives this definition of an eddy from a kayaking site:

"A river eddy can be a lifesaver for a paddler. They offer a place to rest, relax and scout the perfect line ahead.

When you’re in an eddy you shouldn’t have to paddle at all, or at least, very little because there is no water flow."

Yes, I am resting in an eddy!  And it is a lifesaver. :))

I suddenly realize why I am so drawn to the hawks I watch each morning from our balcony.  We are right at the tops of the trees and there are lots of birds in the skies.  But I love most of all the way the hawks use their wings to get into the airstream and then how they just glide.  Effortlessly.  Beautifully.  Allowing the air to carry them.  This is what I want to experience.

On my desk, my journal is open to a page where I have been listing what energizes me and what drains me.  As I go through the day, I check in and see which column I am operating from.  I love the simplicity of what energizes me - the list uses single words, it's a small list right now.  Simple.

Conversely, the list of what drains me seems to have developed in sentences.  Lots of words, the frustration so evident just by glancing at the list. I think my spirit wants to really impress me with what I need to let go of. Perhaps right now!

So for this moment, I am in my eddy, quietly becoming aware of what lies ahead.  Choosing the part of the stream that energizes me, moving away from what drains me. 

Remembering that "resting is not doing nothing".

Please feel free to join me! 

 

 

What's Luck got to do with It???

While I must say that synchronicity has become quite common in my life, I am still blown away by it.  Maybe chalk it up to a child's wonder or just the programming of the world at large, but I still  surprise myself with the big "Wow" that comes as I watch things come together in the most amazing ways.

Today is no exception, but I will get to that a bit later...

I woke up thinking that a good blog topic could be "The Luck Factor" - many have commented on the ease with which our house has just sold.  The usual response has been "you are so lucky".  And while I don't think I am in the business of correcting everyone's viewpoint, I feel I need to give credit where credit is due.

You see, my very core belief - on a cellular level - is that I am responsible for the energy that I create for myself.  I have this comment printed out on my desk to remind me.  I totally believe that "Thoughts become things" and so I try to think good ones :)) 

I want to be responsible for the energy I bring into each encounter.

So when we decided to sell our home, this is where we began.  My husband and I set the intention that this would be easy, that we would not listen to all the negativity that came forward like a tidal wave about the real estate market in Los Angeles. 

We would just focus on the end result - a sold sign in front of our house and an easy move to our new life in Texas.

And it was easy.  In a mere 3 weeks, a lovely couple with a small son bought our home, inspections and appraisals sailed past (there were a few bumps, but easily resolved), a gorgeous apartment was leased in Austin and the movers are scheduled.

I don't chronicle all this as some accolade to myself - instead this is to remind you that this is available to each one of us. 

The only area we totally control (and fortunately the most important one) is our thoughts.  And our thoughts create the life we lead. 

The reality is that reality is flexible - it bends as we project what we desire. It acknowledges the story we are telling and runs with it. One of my greatest gifts is a husband who is quick to point out when I steer into the messy mire we often call REALITY and remind me that I get what I see.  (For this, I am sometimes grateful!  LOL)

So this post is not offered as anything except proof that this works.  I don't have special powers or gifts that you don't have.  We all have as much access to this as we wish.  It's something that just requires a little practice and the burning desire to live our lives in a new and different way.

Now to my opening subject - synchronicity.  After I got the urge to write this today, I opened my emails and there were 4 - yes 4 - emails supporting this very concept. They could have been written for this very blog.  (and yes, this is actually how I start each day - 4 or so  lovely thoughts to set the pace)

Okay Universe, I get it!

First:  My Daily Message from the Universe:

"A Life Coaching Tip from The Universe:

The time will come, Karen, and it will be sooner rather than later, when your greatest admirers and protégés will look at your life - your achievements, possessions   and passions - frown a little and sullenly say, "Yeah, but for you... it was easy." At which point you should conceal any yearning you may possess to either object or laugh hysterically. Instead, lovingly look them square in the eye and say, "Yes, and it can be easy for you, too." The Universe"

 

lovely syncing, don’t' you think?......

and then I opened My Daily Dream Builder from Mary Morrissey

"A life properly lived is an easy luxurious life.  It's not supposed to be difficult, but we can make it that way with limited thinking, low expectations, or failing to see ourselves as we really are.We are infinite beings of life --fun-loving gladiators of the Universe --adventurers just being human with eternity before us.  We have power over our thoughts to shape us. Remember that today.  You are a gladiator of the Universe. You have power over your thoughts."

 

Gee Mary, I couldn’t have said it any better.

Next came my daily message from Abraham-Hicks

  "You are the thinking, Vibrating attractor of your experience; and the thoughts you think determine everything about the life that you live. As you turn your attention toward the positive aspects of the personalities and behaviors of others with whom you share your planet, you will train your point of attraction in the direction of only what you desire. Not only does the power of your thought determine which people make their way into your life, but the power of your thought determines how they behave once they get there.--- Abraham"

 

And finally a note from Neal Donald Walsh

"You cannot see the solution, of course,if you are convinced it is not there. 

So you must have great faith in life. Do you have great faith in life? 

Now would be a good time to show it. Smile.  Relax.  It'll all be okay."

 

 Can you see that everything is conspiring to help us make this leap of faith?  I believe that as each of us makes whatever move we can in this direction, the impact is felt by the entire world. Every choice we make begins to change the collective consciousness of this world.

Isn't this a revolution you would love to join?

Hello to an old friend.....

One year ago, I started this blog, A Peaceful Journey, to expand on my aromatherapy work - or so I thought!

Looking back on the 58 posts, I am astonished to see that I have never written anything about A Peaceful Path or my aromatherapy blends. Wow - what is up with that? 

This is a huge part of my life and yet, as I have chronicled my journey, how could this sincere love not be mentioned?  So, maybe today is the day to acknowledge what has been a huge part of my path for the last 5 years.

The story goes....... 

I had left a corporate job and was a bit lost (enormous understatement!). 

I was working as a personal organizer and the owner of the company had a huge bag of these little bottles in her car trunk.  As we were looking for a folder, I pulled out the bag and began to explore.  One tiny bottle just pulled at my heart.  It was like inhaling all my past memories - the scent was unknown and yet so familiar.  And I felt at home.

It was a fairly obscure essential oil called Palo Santo - holy wood.  I don't know what lifetime it touched deep inside my heart, but the effect was palpable and could not be denied. I was hooked - I wanted to know more.

At the time, I did not see the irony of the fact that I had spent the last 25 years working for an international fragrance company.  It began to seem I had been in training before I even felt this calling! 

I took classes to know more, and what I learned was that my experience with this energy would be different than what I would learn from my teachers.  I was so strongly drawn to the emotional shift I felt with the oils, the way their energy and mine combined to create a new space.  The oils led me to crystals and color and sound energy and a whole new world opened before me.

I was profoundly changed.

A Peaceful Path was born and today it continues to change along with me - workshops have been added, new friends have been made, and who knows what lies ahead on this journey.

Today, what brings me the most happiness, the most joy is the connection with those of you who are also drawn to these blends.  I am so honored that you have allowed a part of me to become a part of your practice, of your work, of your life. 

Everyday, I pause with immense gratitude that I have a tiny part in the journeys of so many lives.  I am awestruck that those of you whom I respect as my teachers also respond the energy and the love in each tiny bottle.  These blends have allowed me to take part in so many lives, with my closest friends and with those whom I have never met, but share these sacred vibrations.

So now I have finally written a post about what began this journey - it only took me a year!  I want to close by offering thanks to each plant, each flower, each seed for the gifts they have so generously given to us all and for allowing me to share their journey.

Thank you!

Learning to Travel Light

I am so sorry to admit this fact - the truth is that I usually find other people's dreams moderately interesting at best and frequently kind of boring.  But as a gentle Libra, I politely listen.  A bit ironic, since I am about to share the dream I had last night.  (Isn't that often what happens in life?)

So, if you can indulge me one paragraph, or maybe a few, about this dream, we'll move along to some thoughts we can share .

In this dream, I was somewhere in another country and my Mother was there to bring me home.  I was amazed at all the stuff I had to pack, how did I even get all this here in the first place?  Not only did I have every piece of clothing I own, but lots of weird things (I mean really weird - like a Baby Fry Daddy! and no, I did not do drugs last night!! ) 

As I looked at the 5 or 6 suitcases that still wouldn't hold everything, I thought - Screw this - and just took my new clothes I had just bought in my real life on Monday at the Gap.  They are totally different than anything in my wardrobe and I just love them.  Ah, no more worries about extra baggage fees, no more trying to stuff everything in, no more rush. (Can you believe I would worry about extra fees even in my sleep! - of course if you know me , yes, you can). 

So I picked up the small suitcase and we left with no regrets.  I didn't try to straighten up the room or give the extra items away.  I just walked out and woke up. 

My first thought on awakening was that I wanted to go back to sleep and finish the dream - where had I been and where was I going?  Then I knew that was not the message of this dream.  This dream is about being who I am today.

So now we get to the good part - let's share.  I have carried so many things around for so long - always trying to get them to fit into the suitcases of my life.  I have all that history that somehow I thought I needed to drag through every change in my life.  Just like the extra baggage fees for too much luggage, I have paid a high price to cling to all this past.

I am different now - aren't you?  I have new clothes, new energy, a new passion and a lot of that old stuff just isn't useful any more. There are a few things I decided to keep - I mean, come on, I needed underwear! - but the choice of what I would take was selective and most importantly, it was MY CHOICE.

So now I ask you, are you also struggling with trying fit old habits, old ideas, old memories into your sleek new suitcase?  Maybe like me, you have some great new clothes - a new view, a new attitude, a new longing.  Wouldn't these fit into your new suitcase easier?  How fun would it be to travel lighter - to not have to check 5 bags - to just have a carry-on, knowing you have enough?

I am obviously loving this analogy - now I am thinking that whatever I might still need, I could find at my destination.  Wherever I am traveling to will have lots of new stuff - things I didn't even know I wanted.  And now I will have space for them.

So I am not sorry to ditch the Fry Daddy and the stacks of old clothing that are no longer me.  I am thrilled to have my 2 new dresses and a few cute tops - I am ready to exit from my journey and go straight out into life and grab the first cab.  No need to wait at baggage!

My Badges of Honor

I was a Brownie for about a week or two (any other Brownie drop-outs out there?) - but I do remember lusting after the older girls' Girl Scout Badges.

Fast forward half a century!  I have a new badge collection - and I didn't have to earn them.  I can sit back and just enjoy them.

These are the badges of blogs and sites I love - they are places that inspire me, make me re-think what I thought I knew, and urge my creative self to spring forward.

So, today's blog is a share day (you know my motto is "Sharing is Caring" - LOL).

Maybe you'll make a new friend or get fired up or even just chill out :)

I'm listing 7 today (with a few extra links thrown in for fun) and maybe soon, I'll share again!

Each badge is linked to the blog - just click on what calls to you.

My Smiling Heart

Jen Saunders is my hero - I love her art, her blog and her commitment to connections.

Stay tuned for her next launch, an eMagazine Wild Sister coming soon.

 

ABC Creativity

I just bumped into Andrea Schroeder and fell in love with her work. I can't wait for our move to be settled and I have time to sign up for her class.  She has amazing free downloads that got me started with opening to creative journaling and her blog is just so heartfelt.  ***Major Fav

 

Kind over Matter

I recently completeld a 30 day course with Amanda Oaks called "Be Gentle- be Love"- I received a post each day with a quality, some thoughts and prompts for me to apply it to my life.  This site is filled with goodies of all kinds and well worth the trip.

 

Roots of She

A great tribe of women you just want to hang with, filled with beautiful posts and other yummy stuff.  Plus links to other fab blogs and sites. Prepare to stay a while!

 

 

Goddess Guidebook

I popped in here yesterday and was hooked.  Goddess Leoni had me at hello! I want to participate in everything - I love the vibe, the visuals, the message. Why did I pack away my markers and glitter???? 

 

Brave Girls Club

And I quote:  'We want to feel alive, every day! We want you to feel alive again….we want you to get your dreams back….remember who you are and what you have always wanted to do with your life. We want you to LIVE A GREAT BIG LIFE!

So what is the GOAL of BRAVE GIRLS CLUB??????
WE JUST WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD, ONE BRAVE GIRL AT A TIME!!!!"

 

Big Sparkly Life

A col­lab­o­ra­tion between Jo Anna Roth­man of The Receiv­ing Project and Lau­rel Bleadon-Maffei of Illu­mi­nat­ing Souls. They are two amaz­ing intu­itive coaches who are col­lab­o­rat­ing to help you rock your world! Be sure to check out the blog section.

So I know you are going to have some fun and find some new buddies.  I would love it if you would respond with some of your favs - Let's join together and share  the wealth!

 

Saying good-bye...a love letter to our house

To my Dear House,

I realize I haven't told you in a long time, but I want you to know how very much I love you.  For so many years, I've been guilty of taking you for granted.  Yet, all the while, you have been so faithful to me.

So now, I want to take the time to honor you for sheltering me for over a quarter of a century. I remember when we first met; I was so scared to start this relationship.  You seemed such a big step for us; and I wasn't sure if I was ready.  

Were you scared too?

But our lives came together.  Your walls have held us through earthquakes and heat waves.  You have kept us safe and dry when the rains poured down and have somehow managed to stay upright when the Santa Ana winds blew through the trees, covering the yard with branches.  Your eaves have provided nests for the hummingbirds and the squirrels have played tag on your roof.

You were waiting when we brought our baby home from the hospital - all decked out in your new paint and wallpaper, ready for her arrival.  You gave her a place of her own and your very framework still holds the energy of her first steps, her laugher, her love.

You have been with us through fights and then the make-ups.  You have been the place we longed to return to at the end of the day or the end of a trip. You have been our HOME.

I have not always appreciated your loyalty.  Oftentimes I have ignored your love and only seen your needs - complaining that you have spoken up and we had no choice but to pay attention to your demands.

But for every time there has been a repair, an emergency, another "crisis" - there have been a thousand times you have been such a large piece of our happiness.

I grew into who I am today in your arms.  You have been witness to every step. You have provided such loving space for my friends to come together and explore our lives.  I am so grateful for all the many ways you have supported me.  

Now we are about to part.  You will have a new family to love and shelter; and we will have you in our memories.  And I can promise there will be wonderful memories filled to overflowing with Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas decorations, birthday cakes and hamsters hiding out in Barbie's Dream House. 

Yes, I will miss you, but mostly, please know I will always love you. 

 

 

Creating Space for the Future

 

I wanted to write about how the energy so changed in our house as we let go of the things we no longer needed.  Then I got this lovely ezine from Marci Shimoff that just states it to perfectly that I'm just going to repost her thoughts.  Marci has been wonderfully supportive of A Peaceful Path and my blend  Happy Heart was inspired by her book, Happy for No Reason.

So here is what Marci has to say:

"Have you noticed that there are some people who can let go of things easily and others who hold onto things for dear life? Well, historically, I've fallen into that second category.

So, a few years ago, I decided to counter my tendency to hold on by practicing letting go. I did that by starting a ritual that I call the "give-away game." This is a feng shui ritual that consists of giving away or throwing away 27 items a day for 9 days in a row -- that's 243 things!

I've just completed my latest round of "give-away," and boy, do I feel lighter, clearer, and more excited about what I get to create next in life. I've done this practice three times now, and each time, wonderful things have happened: the stalled deal for my PBS show miraculously came through, the ideal business manager showed up in my life, and I lost 15 pounds, to name just a few.

Everything we own carries an energy with it. As we let go of old energies, it clears the space for us to open to greater new energy. It's amazing how letting go of old pots and pans can help us let go of the bigger things that hold us back.

I've had a lot of practice in the past few years in letting go.

Last year, my family went through a big clearing-out process as we prepared to sell our family home (the one we'd had for 58 years). As we sorted through my mother's belongings, I marveled at her ability to let go of things she'd had forever. Perhaps she had a sense of what was ahead (she passed away three days after the house sold).

But letting go of that home and so many of the items I grew up with (much of the furniture was still the same) was a huge challenge for me. It represented the ending of my childhood (yes, I know that officially ended many years earlier, but there were deep emotional ties that went with that home).

Then letting go of my mother, just days later, was like the Mount Everest of releasing challenges.

A few weeks ago, on the one-year anniversary of my mother's passing, my family visited our old family home. The new family that bought our home is fabulous. They've renovated, repainted, and decorated it beautifully. And, best of all, there was love and laughter throughout the house. It was thrilling to see the "baton" being passed to this family. Coincidentally, they have the same family configuration that our family had when my parents, brother, and sister moved in almost six decades earlier (one six-year-old girl and one five-year-old boy). Our letting go was their fresh start.

If you're ready for a fresh start in any area of your life, I invite you to try the "give-away game." Here's how to do it: 

1. Each day for nine days in a row give away or throw away 27 items. Notice what you're hanging on to, not because you love it, but because you're afraid to let it go.

2. Stand in your closet and touch or try on every piece of clothing. Ask yourself whether you want to carry that into your life ahead. If not, give it away or throw it away.

3. Clear out old books that don't have messages that speak to you anymore, vitamins or medicines you no longer need, kitchen items that are cracked or worn-out. (Or how about those half-used shampoo bottles from four years ago?)

4. Fix items that are broken (or get rid of them). Clean items that are dirty. Put your loving attention on everything in your environment to see whether it represents who you are now.

Then notice what happens in your life -- and watch for miracles. As you let go of things that carry old energy, you also strengthen your ability to let go of old ideas of feelings that no longer serve you. Then, you're freer to create a magnificent future.

After just finishing this third round of "give away," I'm already eager to start the next round.

Wishing you a beautiful letting go and fresh start,

Marci Shimoff

** Marci Shimoff is a celebrated transformational leader and #1 New York Timesbest-selling author. To learn more of her powerful techniques for establishing deepand authentic happiness and well-being, visit www.HappyForNoReason.com/

Thank you so much Marci for taking over for me this week - beautifully done

Karen

 

Why is "Easy" such a four letter word???

Today, while looking over a past newsletter, I saw this blog and as I reread it and realized how much I wanted to remember this, I thought I would just repost it here. So....

Thought for the day:

Talk about mixed messages - the word "easy" takes the cake!  On one hand, we reassure our children that a task will be easy, we want to live on Easy Street, we wish for it to just be easy.    Our dream is a life of ease.  And simultaneously, we discount anything that comes too easily, we comment "Well, that was way too easy", and we are convinced that an injustice has been done if someone "gets off easy".  How odd - we are reprimanded for taking the "easy way out" and yet we repeat the affirmation "Let it be easy".  Doesn't it feel that this push/pull relationship leaves us confused? Just using the word seems to create a conflict.    I love the word easy - I love that big red Staples button that is imprinted with EASY.  With my whole heart, I know I do not subscribe to the "No pain, no gain" concept. However, as I have been pondering this, I see that I have also often bought into the   "it really can't be that easy" attitude. Yet it can be.  This is an absolute fact.  Here is the experiment I have tried for the last 3 days (I'm kinda ADD, so short time spans work best for me - LOL).      I made it a point to notice when something was easy.  Then I stopped for a nano-second and felt immense gratitude for the ease. And guess what - I began to notice more "easy".  These were not new miracles; they were the very activities that appear in my life regularly.  But I began to realize that I had been so focused on the few things that were not easy that everything else just slipped by. I failed to appreciate how easy it is to take a lovely hot shower, how easy it is to connect to friends on FB, how easy my remote control works.  How easy to just hop in and drive my car, how easy to smile at the postman.   Why am I so surprised when I see so clearly that easy is a huge part of my life? And not the "discounted easy" - this easy totally rocks! Easy is a "four letter word" of the very best kind - right up there with love, good, kind, hugs. I bet you have an easy life too - if you look.  So I am challenging you to invest three days, and live consciously watching for "easy".  My guess is not only will you see the easy, but like me, you will begin to anticipate it. And what we pay attention to grows - hence, even more easy!    Maybe we'll all meet on Easy Street.. (please bring coffee and maybe a snack!)

 

I Found a Diamond!

I am so terrified of sounding too "out there", but I want to share something that I think is remarkable.  Actually I didn't want to share it at all, I thought I would keep it private and not have my family think I am sitting at my computer with a foil crown on my head!

But the results are too extraordinary and in my heart I love to share.

So here is the story.........

I love Jennifer McLean's Healing with the Masters though I seldom listen - my excuse is too little time.

(But amazingly I can play FreeCell for hours!).  

However, last week, I was so drawn to an email about the replay of her interview with Jacqueline Joy about Diamond Alignment.  I had never heard of Ms. Joy or this energy work, but I couldn't seem to delete the email. 

So I logged on and began to listen.

Interestingly, I didn't particularly connect to the "back story", but for some reason the energy level kept me listening.  And at the end of the hour, Jacqueline gave a 4-minute energy session and wow - immediately I was so hooked. 

She has created (or rather, it was created through her) this 6-minute energy program that I do not even pretend to understand and yet, I can unequivocally state that it is changing my life. Every morning and night, for 6 minutes, I log on to her website and am infused with the most amazing energy that is flooding my life with joy.

It's been a week - the first couple of days, I think I was too curious about the process to really open to the energy, but now it's my first thought in the morning.

More yummy than coffee (and it is well documented that I love all things caffeine), I can feel the energy swirling in my body.  But the physical sensation is just the beginning.  What I am noticing is the ease of my life, the opening to joyfulness.

Two days ago, I went to the UPS store to get 20 years of tax records shredded.  The tiny store was packed, the line was long and the boxes of paper were heavy and took up too much room.  And yet, it was like being in a parallel universe. Everyone - yes everyone - there was in this happy mood and talking to each other. Strangers telling each other about their lives.

How could this be Los Angeles - no one speaks to each other here! As I finally got to the counter and let go of my past finances to disappear into mulch, I noticed the laughter all around me.  I walked out with a lady who had been beside me and when we were outside, she looked at me and asked, "Wow - what was that?" We both noted that the entire 20-minute experience was amazing and something we had not seen or participated in before. Humans living daily life with joy filled ease.

Was it just my perception?  Who knows?

Yesterday I worked on a brochure with a dear friend - blame it on Mercury retrograde or Time Warner, but it kept snagging up.  Normally I would have gotten so tense as the work progressed at a snail's pace, but instead, the time was filled with laughter and lots of wonderful conversation and it was a fun-filled, happy time.

My viewpoint is inherently changing - I can feel it happen.  I am not just having joyful moments - I am joyful.

I know I recommend a lot of stuff - I seem to love to dabble in everything.  But if this calls to you, there is a free access button on the homepage.

Meanwhile, I'll be at the computer with my foil hat - communicating with joy!

 

 

Turn a Corner, Find a Miracle

Sunday Morning -

It is one of those days that make everyone want to live in Los Angeles. 

Torrents of rain have scrubbed even the dirtiest streets clean and it seems every leaf sparkles. 

I am out for a walk, loving the bluest sky, the hawk soaring above me, the palm trees looking ready for Oscar night. 

The sun's rays feel great on my face, but as I begin to warm up, I turn a corner onto a shady street.  And in the space of forty feet (about the width of a residential street in my neighborhood) - a miracle happens!

I look up and the entire vista has changed.  I literally gasp as I view our usually smoggy mountains, often not even visible, majestically dressed in brilliant white snow. I feel like Dorothy with her first glimpse of the city of Oz.  How could this be where I live?  I want to ring doorbells and share this with everyone.  Do they know that there is the most spectacular miracle just outside their door?

 A Course in Miracles teaches that a miracle is a change in perception. 

In the few paces it took me to turn a physical corner, my perception changed a full 180 degrees.  My previous view was lovely, no complaints - but this new view literally took my breath away.

And it hit me - this is life.  

This is the most beautiful picture of how life works.  I go along with my life. It's a lovely walk; in fact it's pretty awesome.  I'm not frantically seeking big changes. I'm enjoying the air, the sunshine.  For this moment, the status quo is fine with me.

And Wow!  Right in front of me is a big, big surprise.  Something so completely unexpected that I am just struck with wonder.

A corner appeared and I decided to turn. 

What if I hadn't noticed this corner?  What if I was just walking along listening to my iPod and staying on the same street?  It was a perfectly fine street.  There was a lot to appreciate.  It would have continued to be a lovely day. The sky would still be brilliant blue and the palm trees would be shining.

But because I noticed that I might like to walk on another street, because I was secure that if this turn wasn't to my liking, I could just go back to my previous route, I followed my instinct and turned a corner.

And this tiny action changed my day.

I know not every turn holds the glorious view of snow-covered mountains, not every decision leads to something worthy of photos and blogs.  But what I have taken from this experience is that I want to be aware that there are choices. 

I want to be conscious of the option of turning, without knowing the outcome.  I want to feel safe that my previous street is still there and I can turn around if I wish. I want to be "pleased and grateful for where I am, but eager for more", to very loosely quote Abraham-Hicks.

I know my curiosity will be rewarded with surprises.   I want to be open to see miracles.  

 

Recommendations for a Sunday Afternoon

 

For me, Sundays are for catching up - basically in cyberspace! 

I admit I am a blog junkie. For me, blogs are like ice cream - my favorite might be salty caramel (and it is) and yours might be rocky road, but it's all good!

Some just ring our chimes more than others.

In honor of this Sunday, I thought I would share the blogs I really love - you know, the ones that always get opened first! 

And you can feel free to add to the list.  I have this image of all of us at a huge table, drinking coffee and sharing our lives and I just want to thank Al Gore for making this possible

( NOTE: 1980's joke - for those of you under 40, everyone used to say Al invented the internet).

So here is my short list to get us started:

My Smiling Heart - Besides her very fun and inspiring art, she is chronicling her year in Beijing. I live vicariously trough her eyes.

Ordinary Courage - Brene Brown continues to lead us on this journey to authenticity in such a personal way.

Brenda's Blog - Brenda explores spiritual and metaphysical questions in a way that is so accessible for me.  I always get amazing insights from her posts.

My Groove My Life - Meredith is my friend and my teacher.  And my life is always richer after reading her thoughts.

The Bold Life - This is a blog I stumbled across and just love - Tess has turned me on to some of the best sites ever!

Rejuvenation Lounge - So what's up with me and Aussies?  I seem to love Australian blogs and this one is always full of something positive, fun to know and easy to read!

Okay, I have shared - wanta add your favs?  They might just become mine as well.  :-)

 

 

 

Good Vibrations!

I've been practicing changing my energy - I have always known I could, but you know how sometimes knowing something and actually practicing it don't intersect?

I admit there are times I eagerly embrace this power and times when I don't want to be responsible.  I get cozy in my whiney place and even though it isn't very comfortable, it is very familiar.

But what I am finding out is the more I embrace a higher vibration, a sun-shiny energy, the more I long to have it be the familiar place where I live my life.

I love how there are just so many ways available - an energetic buffet with something for everyone. There is no single method - just as Abraham-Hicks says, "First reach for the joy and all else follows". According the Abraham's teachings, there is no judgment of what works for each of us.  Maybe it's a funny movie or a sit-com, maybe it's chocolate (this probably ranks higher than a maybe!), perhaps it is music, or meditation or a walk in the sun (or the snow). Maybe it's rolling on the floor with our child or our dog. Maybe it's three deep breaths.

 The point is we are in control and we have an endless array of tools available.

I personally use a combination of essential oils (now that's a shocker, isn't it?) and music to put me on the fast track to raising my vibration. Sometimes when I am aware of what is draining my energy, I use a specific oil blend to "reset" myself. And sometimes, when I just need a lift, I close my eyes and reach into my basket of blends and let the Universe deliver the perfect remedy for the moment. And guess what - it always works!

I confess to being one of those people who play their iPod way too loudly - but I love the feeling of soaring music literally coursing through my body. I have this CD that features quotes from Abraham-Hicks "Joy Joy Joy"  that I have listened to so often just choosing it on the playlist lifts me up! A sense of well-being begins coursing throughout my physical body and I shift into the energy I choose.

I think where I am going with this is we can all find what rings our chimes. We can be aware when we are not feeling the joy, the love, the fun that is our right and we can shift.  And the shift is fun and quick.  Our only decision is really just to acknowledge we are not in the place we desire and choose -

" To reach for the joy and then know all else follows."

 

 

 

Signs of the Times

Ah the world is changing rapidly and it seems the stars have joined the party.  With the discovery of a new constellation ("Ophiuchus" - they couldn't name it something we could spell?), we are all dancing a cosmic square dance and everyone is moving to the left with a brand new partner.

I'm not a big follower of astrology.  When my horoscope is good, I am totally up with it.  If I get a dismal, gloomy message, I promptly forget it. Needless to say, my guidance comes from the astrology column on the comic page of the LA Times.

But I find myself kinda liking this - a fresh start.  After being a Libra (ever so nice, fair, uh....indecisive), I find I am now a Virgo.  Yes, I always knew this in my heart!  People had paid me to organize their bills, their houses, their lives.  Order is a sacred word in my home.  When life starts to fall apart, instead of reaching for a vodka gimlet (perhaps the better choice), I tackle cleaning out a closet.  My life may feel out of control, but my  drawer is filled with military-like rows of color-coordinated socks. The feeling of powerfulness can come in many ways!

So what does this celestial change actually mean to me - the dabbler that I have admitted to being?  I truly believe we live in a time of rapid change.  Many of the beliefs that we have lived with all our lives are being challenged.  And just like those who resisted hearing the earth was not flat, it is our automatic response to resist the idea that life could be different that we have imagined it.

The ways a newfound constellation will affect my life seem very small. But being open to a new label, a new sign creates an openness that allows a comfort with change. 

So I ask - are you experiencing unexpected change in your life? How does it feel when the belief of a lifetime is tossed aside and you suddenly have a new part to play in the game of life?  Can you find the positive aspects, the fun and joy, of trading in your old sign and picking up a new one?

Now that I'm a Virgo, I'll probably need to make a list!

 

 

 

The Benefits of Pie

 

It's a lazy Sunday  morning, I'm having a cup of coffee and reading yesterday's newspaper when I come across a comment that I am choosing as my new theme:

"Sometimes it is important to make sure that there is space left for the pie -  first."

The LA Times has decided to feature an article on the popularity of pie and this guy is saying he regularly has his pie first.

A great take on "Eat dessert first".  I love it because being from Texas, pie ranks supreme.  Always the perfect ending - the reward for eating those veggies.  But how cool that it is also the perfect beginning!

I've forgotten this lately.  In the midst of running a business, learning to write, being a wife, "the pie" has gotten lost.  I've fallen into the familiar pattern of my childhood, when playtime came after all the homework and chores were finished.

I realize that I have pushed my pie to the end of the list of to-do's - you know that list that never ends and in fact seems to grow daily?

So I am rearranging the meal - a few days a month, I am going to eat my pie first,

Maybe this will be a very literal interpretation - pie for breakfast! Maybe it will be a day devoted to something I love that is not on my to-do list. Maybe it will be connecting with someone I love and sharing their pie.  But whatever form it takes, I'm going to make sure pie is not just included in my life but holds a place on honor.

Want to join me for a slice?

photo credit