Wednesday was the 3rd of what will now be four lessons for Reiki 1. So after a celebratory birthday lunch for my teacher (I made “fried” chicken, collard greens, “mac” and cheese, and biscuits), we began our lesson. After blessing and sanctifying the space, she said close your eyes and using your left hand (not my dominant hand), hover your hand over this deck of Zen cards and pick three. The three that I picked were Compassion, Wisdom, and Community. We laughed and she said yes those are you; read the backs if you would like.
Read moreA Spinal Journey
This last week I was reminded why it is so important to have someone to ask you questions, which hold a mirror up to your life in a new way. It wasn’t even that it was a question; it was more of an assignment. It wasn’t even the assignment; it was me and what I saw and came to understand about my life. I came to realize that my spinal problems all began during the time in my life when my support system began to disappear and the less supported I felt, the more problems I began to experience with my back and knees.
Read moreI am Interesting!
Recently, a fellow blogger, Ariffa, nominated me for The Versatile Blogger award. It was not like it was one of those big deal awards. It was one of those ways of getting to know other bloggers and to allow other bloggers to get to know you. It was a simple process. You had to list fifteen bloggers that you follow with links to their websites (that was the easier part for me). Then you had to list seven things about you that were interesting. This is where I found myself being stuck. I realized as I stared at this blank screen that I did not think I, or my life, was interesting. The two things I wrote down were not things that I found interesting or thought other people would find interesting, but maybe different or unique. That was that I had six parents (birth, foster, and adoptive) and that I used to say I was part Vulcan as my left ear has a slight point to it. Neither of which seems to fit the definition of interesting, or so I thought. According to the dictionary interesting means, “arousing curiosity or interest; holding or catching the attention.” The only thing I could think of is that sometimes I am able to arouse the curiosity and interest of my students through the material I share with them in the classroom.
Read moreOn Earth As It Is In Heaven
This morning I came across this quote from don Miguel Ruiz Jr.’s book, The Five Levels of Attachment. He wrote:
"The main job of the ego is to protect the false image of a separate self. One way it accomplishes this is by reinforcing the illusion of personal importance.Read more
Building my home
“and
half of learning to play is learning what not to play
and she's learning the spaces she leaves have their own things to say
and she's trying to sing just enough so that the air around her moves
and make music like mercy that gives what it is and has nothing to prove
she crawls out on a limb and begins to build her home
and it's enough just to look around and to know that she's not alone
up up up up up up up points the spire of the steeple
but god's work isn't done by god
it's done by people”
Finding my way to empty
It is always a confirmation for me when I am reading or learning something and realize I have been following those steps intuitively, not even realizing this was part of a process. The other day, for example, I found myself in a space of emotional pain because of something that had been said to me and it bothered me that I had allowed it to cause me pain. I could hear my mantra in my head, telling me to empty myself of the pain and allow it to be refilled by happiness. So I began by journaling about the situation, talking about it with a few people, and slowly realizing that what I need in my life is safety and security, which stems back to being given up for adoption when I was born. That understood, the dukkha (a Buddhist term for suffering) disappeared, and in its place was this sense of joy and relief.
Read moreGetting in touch with my Sara
When I was born, my Bubby (Yiddish for grandmother) gave me the name Sara Bella. When I was older, she explained to me that it meant pure beauty or radiance and that I was born to be a beautiful princess and leader of people. As a young girl, that always made me smile and it has been an integral part of my journey. The other day I was reading a blog on Bhakti and Sincerity that my friend Michael Neary shared with me. It begin by talking about how the sincerity comes from the Latin word “sara” which means wax.
Read moreTaking some quiet time
In case you were wondering where this week's blog is, I am taking some quiet time to refocus, rest, and rejuvenate. Be back to writing in this blog soon.
Getting Stronger
I was having an online chat with a friend of mine and she was wondering how I managed to stay so positive with my limited ability to leave my home. She could remember how hard it had been for her when she was confined to her home for 8 weeks post hip surgery. It was one of those questions that I knew the answer to, but at the same time made me reflect on the last 3 years since RGRTA eliminated the bus route servicing our area and virtually eliminating the paratransit services (aka LIftLine) to our neighborhood.
Read moreCreate a Beautiful Dream
This morning I was talking to Zoe’s friend Barb who had come to visit for a couple of days. We were talking about my blog on testicles, which she enjoyed and she asked me where I got the inspiration for my blogs. I told her I could find inspiration in just about anything. I look for a message from the Infinite in all that I see and do in life. Later this morning, I asked her to bring me one of three boxes of Toltec Wisdom cards in the guestroom and then pick a card, which she did. I told her this would be the inspiration for my journal entry this week. The title on the front was “Create a Beautiful Dream.”
Read moreTruth, Honesty, Integrity
I love, love, love our Living the Five Agreements group. I love all of our groups for different reasons, but this group, perhaps because we are all so comfortable with each other, is one that makes me wonder why I even have an end time on the group because we have NEVER ended on time. For the last few months, we have been doing something interactive. I had bought three card sets dealing with Toltec Wisdom, one box of The Four Agreement cards, The Mastery of Love cards, and The Fifth Agreement cards. Each month, we have taken the cards for a different agreement and picked one that felt right for us. Then we have spent our time together discussing the cards drawn by our group members.
Read moreWarm Fuzzies
I am not sure why I have been sitting here thinking about warm fuzzies tonight. Maybe because I love getting hugs and they feel like warm fuzzies. When friends and clients come to visit me, I get lots of warm fuzzies and they get warm fuzzies from me too. I remember reading a story years ago about warm fuzzies, so I went in search of the story. Unfortunately, it did not end the way I remember. But it still affirmed for me the need to share my love openly with others. Love is one of those gifts we have which we can never run out of in our lives. one of the things I remember learning while reading don Miguel Ruiz’s book The Mastery of Love is about how what makes us happy is when we share the love we have inside us. When I do not share my love with others, or myself it is as if I am giving others and myself cold pricklies, not warm fuzzies. The more warm fuzzies (aka love) that I freely share the more opportunities I provide for others to share their warm fuzzies with me.
Read moreTaking the Hogwarts Express
God has a real sense of humor. A few weeks ago, I talked about being released from fear. All I can say is that it was true for the moment. Since then I have had to face waves of fear that have risen from inside me. I had to look in what I call the mirror of truth and see through the fears, which have come rising to the surface. Sometimes it has felt like they were going, “so you thought we were gone, guess again. We’re back.” First, I had to work through my fears of anybody doing a healing on me. I had to face the fear that is within me related to “healings.” There was this immense power and clarity that came as I moved through that fear. The healing I had a few weeks ago, was healing and liberating. The other night the same person did another healing session on me and she said the energy was flowing more evenly. Hearing that news was not surprising, after all the first time my body was filled with fear about what might happen, what could happen, how I might respond.God has a real sense of humor. A few weeks ago, I talked about being released from fear. All I can say is that it was true for the moment. Since then I have had to face waves of fear that have risen from inside me. I had to look in what I call the mirror of truth and see through the fears, which have come rising to the surface. Sometimes it has felt like they were going, “so you thought we were gone, guess again. We’re back.” First, I had to work through my fears of anybody doing a healing on me. I had to face the fear that is within me related to “healings.” There was this immense power and clarity that came as I moved through that fear. The healing I had a few weeks ago, was healing and liberating. The other night the same person did another healing session on me and she said the energy was flowing more evenly. Hearing that news was not surprising, after all the first time my body was filled with fear about what might happen, what could happen, how I might respond.
Read moreThe Journey Continues
I have lived through some scary things in my life, but today I find myself pressing through a fear unlike any I have ever known. I am not sure when it all began or that I can even explain it. It started years ago, while I was at praise and worship service at a friend’s church. They are a very energetically charged church where people dance, run, jump, and “get their praise on.” I remember thinking, as I was bouncing up and down, “gurl, you do not need to be doing this.” the next morning; I woke up in pain and had trouble walking. I barely made it to the doctor’s office and saw one of the doctors on staff who suggested I stay in bed for a few days, alternating hot and cold packs on my back and taking some pain relievers and muscle relaxers. Nothing seemed to help. Days turned into weeks, which turned into months. Surgery was schedule and then cancelled. Scared I would never walk or drive again, I asked my doctor what more I could do. Acupuncture relaxed me and water walking seemed to help a little bit. Each day, I was getting a bit stronger, but I was not 100%. One night, my neighbor came down and said God had given her the gift of healing and was told to lay hands on me. It was not that I fully trusted my neighbor, I didn’t. After all, she was the one who would have prayer vigils with others praying that God would cure me of my sexuality. She was just starting when my friend Steve came by and he got swept up by the power of the Spirit in the room and began speaking in tongues, something I had never heard him do. As she prayed over me, I could feel this energy flowing out of me and this new energy flowing through me. Without even thinking about anything, I hopped up out of bed without my walker and went to the bathroom. It was not until I was on the toilet that I realized I had walked unassisted.
Read moreReleased from Fear
The other day I was going through some of my old poetry and found a poem I had written years ago, actually more like decades ago. I called it Afraid. I am not sure why it spoke to me. Perhaps it is because a friend asked me the other day what I am afraid of. So that question amongst others is what I have been meditating about this week. Sometimes I wish my brain would not be so deep and reflective, but that is how I am choosing to be at this time in my journey.
Read moreImagine a Judgment Free World
What would it be like to live in a judgment free world? I have been thinking about this question for several days now. While I would like to say I am not a judgmental person that would be a lie. I am probably less judgmental of others then I am of myself. I have come to realize that every time I judge myself, I am also lying to myself. I am telling myself I am too much or not enough of something. There are aspects of my life I have been able to stop lying to myself about. the ability to do so, has taken time as my inner jaguar has carefully stalked that prey, ripped it out of my mind and then dug deep until the root system, which was supporting the lie was ripped out as well. With some aspects of my life I have been relentless; others I have not yet chosen to make a priority.
Read moreApples are not always healthy
Growing up I was always told an apple a day keeps the doctor away. While that might be true in one sense, this morning I realized that there were other apples I have eaten throughout my life which in their own way shape or form have banished me from my own Garden of Eden. It is not that I was not aware of the things from my past that I had agreed to which were toxic, but this morning while listening to Don Miguel Ruiz talk about Adam and Eve, the serpent, and the Garden of Eden, I realized I too had listened to and internalized others knowledge. In doing so, I had internalized “apples” that was toxic to my emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Eating those “apples,” those pieces of knowledge that others had handed me telling me they were good in their own way banished me from my Garden of Eden.
Read moreWhen the Worst Possible Thing Happened
I was writing about courage this morning for our April newsletter and I began to realize how courageous I really am. I remember that season in my life all too clearly. It was about two years ago, July 2011, when we received two pieces of life changing news. Zoe was diagnosed with breast cancer and I was told that we were no longer in the service area for LiftLine, all within a few days of each other. I knew that treatments existed that would enable Zoe to battle the cancer and she has and she is still in remission and for that I am grateful. Crazy as it may sound, while that shook our world, it was the notion of not being able to leave my home and go to campus to teach, meet with prospective clients, apply for jobs, go out with friends, or even go to my doctor’s appointment or the grocery store, which made me face my greatest fear. Here I was a fairly independent person with a disability and then with one phone call I was told I had “limited” service. What that has meant is that in the last two years of calling for reservations, I have gotten them twice.
Read moreWhat I love about what I do is ______________
I have been wondering what I wanted to journal about, then I got an email from a client cancelling our weekly session. While I was grateful for some unexpected downtime in my day, what really made me happy was her reason for cancelling – a friend had invited her to do something fun and was choosing to do that. I enjoy my time with my clients. It is a spiritually gratifying time for me, however, I am always excited when I get to watch them evolve and grow and demonstrate healthy behavior. I found myself getting so excited because she was choosing to take advantage of this opportunity to have fun with friends. On a day when it is once again cold and snowing, the easier thing would be to stay inside and have a phone session. The challenging thing would be to go out in the snow and have fun. Her decision makes me want to do a happy dance.
Read moreEntering a Complaint Free Existence: The Journey Begins
A few weeks ago, I ordered 30 bracelets from A Complaint Free World and they arrived yesterday. My goal was to work with this organization and begin a complaint free movement here in Rochester, NY. Well Friday, my bracelets arrived and while in my head I realized that putting this bracelet on my head would be the start of something new, I was not prepared for what happened when I put it on and began re-watching the videos. As I did, I realized I had complained earlier in the day. It was not intentional, but I did complain.
My complaint free day began at 7:00 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013.
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