I’ve always been told I have a good imagination. As a child, I could hear everything talk to me. I carried on lengthy conversations with our family dogs. I could hear the trees telling me their history. I shared these…
Sailboat Metaphor
This morning, while reading my daily inspirations, I was reminded of my first sailing experience on Lake Superior. The first of many sailing trips on that beautiful lake, we had been on the sailboat for perhaps a couple hours when…
Peace Breathing
Yesterday, I thought a lot about my teacher friends who returned to school after a difficult weekend of watching the scene at Sandy Hook Elementary unfold. I contacted a few of them during the day, others contacted me, and I…
Are We Brave Enough?
This past weekend, many of us found our thoughts continually navigating toward the terrible tragedy that occurred in Connecticut. An armed young man first shot his mother and then went to the local elementary school and proceeded to kill 20…
Channeled 12-12-12 Message
Last night I attended a Circle to hear the message of the significance of 12-12-12 and 12-21-12. I had forgotten to bring my journal, and so I will just note what I remember or how my brain assimilated the information…
Soften the Heart
“As humans, we take turns letting go and being hit. Love softens this process, and peace slows it down, until in the moments that are blessed, we seem to play catch with what we need.” Mark Nepo, The Book of…
We are the Water
“Take a pitcher full of water and set it down in the water – now it has water inside and water outside. We musn’t give it a name, lest silly people start talking again about the body and the soul.”…
Opening Our Hearts
This week in yoga, we are working on opening our Heart chakras. On Tuesday, during one of my classes, I had a revelation. Putting my revelation to paper seems simple enough, but when I said it in class, it was…
Patience
Patience is probably my least favorite virtue. And by that I mean, I struggle with it on nearly a daily basis. In the morning, I wait for my son to get from his 40 minute shower and get to work.…
Being
Today I practice “being.” I am present in this moment that brings me to my laptop. Later in the morning, I will be present in the company of a friend. Later still, I will be present in my massage. And…
An Attitude of Gratitude
I went to bed last night thinking “an attutide of gratitude.” I dreamt all night about “an attitude of gratitude.” I woke up with “an attitude of gratitiude” on my mind. I guess that is what today’s blog is about.…
Inviting Quiet
There has been a lot of chatter lately. The kind in my head. The chatter that keeps you unsettled and that offers a sort of nervous energy. It leaves doubts in my brain. It sees the short-comings in others. It…
Acts of Kindness
My mind has wandered toward the idea of acts of kindness this week. On Saturday, I will be attending a benefit for a woman I have known for most of my life. On Facebook, there is a page set up…
The Full Moon
We’ve all been affected by a full moon, right? If we work with children, we see how it affects them. Their energy increases, they are chattier, fights break out more because their boundaries seem to disappear. Those who work in…
40th Anniversary
Today marks the 40th anniversary of my dad’s death. While I have no regrets because this is what was meant to be, there were times in my life when I thought, this moment would have been even better with dad…
Mom-Worry Mode
Today I am in my “Mom-worry” mode. The youngest son has had a bad cold since last Friday, and it has caused him to miss work yesterday and now today as well. He has spells during the day when he…
Appreciation
Older now, you find holiness In anything that continues. Naomi Shihab Nye As I read this, I was reminded of another expression I heard often while growing up: With age comes wisdom. Both are very truthful. I laugh often as…
Say the Word
This weekend, my friend and I were working on a sewing project. As we were moving along through the project, it became apparent to us that we had underestimated the number of items we were making. As we laughed about…
The Drum
This weekend, I joined a group of people in making our own drum. It was a really cool workshop, and I just absolutely love my drum. Each time I walk by it, I give it a little tap, or I…
Wisdom
I remember just after Robbie, my oldest son was born, Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped. Jacob was a boy of about 12 years of age. To this day, he has not been found. My world was shattered. Here I had brought…
Participant or Observer?
While reading Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening this morning, he spoke of our either being a participant of an event or an observer of the event, but that if we try to be both, we are split in two.…
A True Honor
Many years ago, over ten I am sure, I was contemplating getting ordained as a minister through a woman who is a great spiritual channel. She was offering about a year’s coursework, and then you would receive your ordination. I…
Visiting the Akashic Records
Yesterday I spent the day with an energetic group of women at an energy retreat hosted by Laurie Wondra. It was a day filled with Spirit. A great way to spend 11-11, as we opened our portals for moving into…
Breathe Through the Tension
Breathe in love. Breathe out love. Just keeping that reminder out there today. Yesterday, tensions were very high, and I woke up this morning feeling that today will be even worse. We are reminded to diffuse the situations we find…
Breathe
Breathe in love. Breathe out love. Last night in America, we held our presidential elections. The American people decided to re-elect President Obama. Being a Progressive, the moderate Democrat Obama is not my perfect candidate, but Mitt Romney displayed so…
Go Out and Vote Today
I am not telling you who to vote for. You will vote your conscience. Remember that you are voting not only for the good of the country today, but for its good four years from now, ten years from now,…
The Hunter’s Widow
I am a Hunter’s Widow. Since that first fall of dating my husband 30 years ago, I recognized that I would forever be a Hunter’s Widow. In those first five years as a Hunter’s Widow, I would miss him so…
The Busy Bee
We all know that person, or maybe we are that person: involved in many community projects, always stepping forward to chair an event or be the boots on the ground. We admire that person for the community activism, for their…
Healing Energy
My friend, Laurie Wondra, who channels messages from the angels and guides, put out this prayer that was given to her by the masters. It is used to provide heaing for those who are suffering right now. I’ve put the…
You Don’t Own Me
I try to stay away from political topics on Facebook. I treat that place as a place to have fun, re-connect, and be inspired, for the most part. I do have another website that I visit to discuss politics. It…
The Energy of the Full Moon
I was awakened by the energy of the full moon last night. Well, actually, I was awakened by a full bladder, but the energy of the moon kept me awake for a couple hours. My friend, Laurie Wondra, posted this…
The Effort of Listening
During the day today, take five minutes and stop making, stop doing, stop thinking, and just listen.
Changing Beliefs and Values
This morning I’m thinking about how hard it must be to be a politician. I know, we are all so tired of the political ads and promises and flip-flops and attacks on the opponent, it’s hard to feel bad for…
Journey Through Life
There are many people struggling right now. Sickness. Death. Loneliness. Fear. Separation. The list goes on. There are many voices crying out the eternal question, “Why?” Today I share my perspective. From my perspective, and for you to understand my…
Learning Our Lessons the Hard Way
As my younger son reached his teenage years, he went through a period of rebelling that we weren’t expecting. And each time we had to sit down to discipline him, he would explain to us, “I guess I have to…
Back to Reality!
I feel like I was on vacation this past week, though I was still working, for the most part. Jeff had left early Wednesday morning to hunt geese and ducks in Canada, and so this week has been “off.” Add…
Singing as a Form of Prayer
Yesterday, I was asked by several people to pray for their loved ones. It was just that kind of day. One person’s father was diagnosed with leukemia. Another person’s daughter was driving her horse trailer with three horses right toward…
Releasing Old Energy and Labels
Last night, I attended an energy circle with Laurie Wondra, a very powerful spiritual intuit and teacher. Part of our discussion was the coming “end of world” prophesies and what we thought that might be. No one expects a doom…
Manifesting Love!
I continue being reminded that the Universe is manifesting our greatest desires, and it is very important that we be careful with our thoughts. Strong emotion is coming through right now, and it is really important that we not try…
Does This Path Have Heart?
So many times we are faced with decisions. Do we start a new career? Do we end a stale relationship? Do we move to another city, state, or country? We are never sure if we have made the right decision…
Be Careful What You Ask For…
This morning, I am reminded that the Universe is manifesting our every desire, and we must be careful for what we ask for. I was recently in a pretty intense conversation with another woman who was struggling to FEEL emotion.…
The Art of Letting Go
I have a friend who has recently retired from a career of working with children. I smile as I talk with her because there are so many similarities in how each of us faced retiring from the children. Right now,…
Prayer for Healing
Today we ask for healing for ourselves, our family and friends, our community, our country, and the world. Let it be. You need Adobe Flash Player to view this content.
Menopause and Peri-Menopause
Yesterday I was reminded how important our perspective on our lives is. I attended a yoga conference on working with yoga through our time of “the change.” Just the title should have cued me into the negative connotation this training…
Those Emotions…
During our Circle on Monday, many emotions were brought to the surface for all of us. For myself, the emotions attached to an issue I had thought I had dealt with pretty well, and so I was surprised, when it…
Telling Our Stories
Last night our Women’s Circle offered some powerful healing for us all. We started off with a healing meditation for ourselves, and then we offered a Kundalini healing for others we had set intentions for. And then it was time…
Rare, Not Perfect
From Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening: “We are in moments pure and ageless as light, and with the very next breath, we drop things or bruise the treasures of a lifetime. We need to soothe ourselves, not blame ourselves.…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a theme that continues to come up, for those of us who like to examine our lives so we can live them to their fullest. I have dealt with most my issues that needed forgiveness throughout the years.…
Stubbornness
The political season is upon us, if you aren’t aware through the many ads seen on televeision or the updates on the news. Too many people, unfortunately, are apolitical and will not even vote. Another large group of the population…
Healing Meditation
This week I have been reminded that there is much healing to be done in the world. As our bodies prepare for the next transition of our evolution, many people are having chronic and acute illnesses that are requiring prayer…
Reunions
This weekend I celebrated my 30th class reunion. I was so nervous about it, and I have no idea why. I have attended all my reunions, and this is only the second one I have not served on the committee.…
I Don’t Want To Be That Person…
I don’t want to be that person… the one that took the easy road because of its convenience, though lacking joy. I don’t want to be that person… the one that wasted so much of her life on drugs and…
World Peace Day
Tomorrow, September 21, is World Peace Day. What would you do for peace in the world? In 2011, my goal was to gather women to figure out a way to bring peace into the world. We determined that protests wouldn’t…
Love. Passion. Compassion.
I remember when Jeff and I were engaged, and, as required by the Catholic Church, we had to attend some sessions with our priest to determine if we were ready for this big step in our lives. He asked us…
There is a Season
This morning I am reminded of the beauty of autumn. As I gaze out my window from the couch, I see the corn plants, nearly orange, ready to be plucked for silage. My flowers are losing their shimmer, and I…
Healing By Telling Our Story
I was reading about the idea of healing by telling our stories, and it made so much sense to me. I was remembering when a friend of mine had lost her husband and another friend lost her son. I remember…
The Moon is a Reflection
This morning, I read a passage about how the moon, in all its magnificence in our nighttime sky, is just reflecting the sun. In other words, its brilliance comes from another source. On it’s own, it appears to be a…
Lean Into Learning
Every time we reach beyond what is familiar, there is that necessary acclimation to what is new. It is the doorway to all learning. We needn’t be afraid of it or give it too much power. We simply need to…
Nature vs. Culture
Are you a child of nature, or are you a child of culture? I was reading The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo, and this is the question he asks. A child of nature is one who does something and…
Walking Our Life Path
Sometimes it is easy to forget that we make our own way in this life. Though we are influenced by others, either directly or indirectly, we walk the path of our life on our own. We CREATE the path. This…
Channeled Message
Listen, children, for your world is making some really big changes now.It’s important to stay centered and balanced during these changes. It is easy to get caught up in the energy of the day, but you must let go of…
In the Spirit of Spur and Strike
Anyone who knows me, knows I look for the deeper meaning to events in the world and in my own personal life. So I have been waiting patiently for the reason why my two dear kitties have come into our…
I AM
Many of us are familiar with positive affirmations. We use them as we set upon the course of self-improvement. We use them to set goals for ourselves. We use them to take ourselves out of our current situation and into…
Fear
Fear is a powerful emotion, and it keeps us from moving forward. We deal with fear in our lives on a regular basis. We are fearful of not finding love. We are fearful of not finding the right job, the…
Live Your Worries Through
Live, I say, live your worries through and your spirit will wake from it’s fever, and you will want others like soup. ~Mark Nepo I really like this quote from Mark Nepo, as it brings me comfort, as a worrier.…
Back to School
Today, for the sixth year, my teacher friends will be going back to school for workshop week, and I will not be doing so. It’s funny, I still have that beginning of the school year feeling, though I have to…
Setting Pure Intentions
In order to make our dreams come true, we must take action rather than wishing for what we want. ~Daily OM I am planning the next fall retreat for Saturday, September 8, and it is all about bringing abundance into…
Word for the Day
Enthusiasm: Greek origin: en (one with) and theos (the divine) May your hearts be filled with enthusiasm this weekend! Peace and JOY!
No Destination In Mind
The best trips ever are the ones with no destination in mind. When I was a teenager, my friends and I would drive around and try to get lost. We knew we could find our way home, eventually, but our…
Manifesting Our Thoughts
I cannot stop reminding people to watch their thoughts carefully, because we are manifesting our thoughts very rapidly now. What does this mean – manifesting our thoughts? It means that the thoughts we are having are coming true. So if…
Understanding Feelings
Not to feel is to stop the heart from breathing. ~ Mark Nepo Sometimes we get into a funk. Things don’t go our way, and we face disappointment and sadness that life doesn’t resolve itself as we’d like. We wish…
The Day I Found Me
Well, just as Rome was not built in a day, neither did I find myself in one day, but there was a pivotal moment that changed my life and helped me find out who I was. Life is truly hard…
Drumming Circle
Last night I had attended a drumming circle. It had been some time ago that I had attended these, and so it seemed a bit awkward at first for me. I had not brought a drum, and so I hummed…
Mondays…
It’s Monday morning… again. 🙂 How does the weekend go by so quickly? I can’t believe, even after being retired from the classroom for now six years, I still get Monday morning jitters. I always feel as though I have…
Random
I read this, this morning, and thought it worth sharing: Random is the instant a horse at full speed has all four hooves off the ground. That is the original meaning for the word random. I never knew that. The…
Growth
For us to grow in any way, we must die little deaths. We have to release the old so that new growth can spring forward. I love my flower gardens, and I spend some time in them each week, clearing…
Channeled Message on Changes
Greetings! There is much excitement these days about the Mars Rover that you have sent into space. You exploration of other planets is extraordinary. However we are here to caution the people of your planet. Mars cannot be “owned.” There…
Saturday In the Park
A big thank you to those who attended Derby Days Yoga in the Park with me on Saturday! I was humbled by the experience and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Being Born… Twice
I was reading Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening, and he talked about the release of a chick from its egg in a way I had never thought about. There is great significance to that moment for us. A chick…
Channeled Message on the Heart
Today I am going to work on my channeled writing. Let’s see how this goes… You are beautiful. You ALL are beautiful. Why put so much worth into what others might think of your looks? Because you are BEAUTIFUL! You…
Gratitude
Today I am extremely grateful! Yesterday morning, we realized our kitties were both gone. After calling and searching for them for quite a while, I had to leave, with no kitties in sight. Upon my return a couple hours later,…
Full Moon Energy
Tonight is the Full Moon. That means Moon Salutations in tomorrow’s yoga classes! What is the energy of the Full Moon? Are people truly affected by the Full Moon? The short answer is, yes. As I mentioned in a previous…
Natural Diuretics
I was having lunch with a few lady friends last week, and our conversation turned to gaining weight. We each shared that we had gained 7-8 pounds this summer and were frustrated by our tight clothes. Since we are all…
Compassionate Healing
The Tibetan Buddhist tradition has a meditation practice called tong-len that asks us to breathe in the suffering of the world, to hold it in with compassion, and then to breathe out light. This speaks to the amazing power of…
Girlfriend Day
Yesterday was Girlfriend Day. I was able to spend a few hours with my besties, which was a rare occurance. In fact, I still had a birthday present for one friend that was three months past due. We laughed because…
Signs of Planets Adjusting and Changes Coming
This has been a difficult spring and summer for many people. Migraines are more active. Our body is really feeling the aches and pains from our youth. We are reliving some of our old issues that we thought we had…
Lessons of Simplicity
Last night, I returned home from a long weekend of sailing the Apostle Islands in Bayfield, Wisconsin. While sailing the islands, we spent about an hour at Manitou Island, where there is a fishing camp. The camp has a ranger…
The Energy of the Planets
Last night I attended an energy circle, and the discussion was about the energy of the planets at this time. Though I truly know nothing about the planets, except that during a Mercury Retrograde, we need to slow down and…
Chakras Changing
While meeting last weekend to plan the upcoming retreat, we were discussing the chakras. We talked about the number 7, but then Laurie got the number 11 as being significant. I told her about our changing DNA, and how our…
Retreating!
This weekend I met with a couple women to plan a retreat for this November in Playa del Carmen. I am so excited! The retreat plans are unfolding right now, but it promises to be a wonderfully life changing event.…
Letting the Dust Settle
So I mentioned over the past couple days that I am working through releasing expectations. My anxiousness is finally settling down, as the dust begins to settle and I discover love underneath that anxiety. In the outdoor yoga classes, with…
Giving Up a Part of Our Being
Have you ever given up a part of your being to please someone? Oftentimes, this occurs with the people we love. Who else would we literally give up part of ourselves for, after all? There have been times in my…
Releasing Expectations
Today I was reminded, once again, that my expectations may not match others’ expectations, nor should I expect them to match up. This has been a huge part of my life lesson. As a young child, I placed expectations on…
Our Mirrored Self
Who sees all beings in his own Self, And his own Self in all beings, Loses all fear. The Isa Upanishad I was reading a passage about feeling the intrusion of others in our lives. You know, the feeling of…
Moments, Not Words
In Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening, he speaks of the people who taught us to love, and he reminds us it was the moments, and not the necessarily the words, that made us feel love. I am reminded of…
Fix It? Or Live It?
Yesterday, we acknowledged that we are not responsible for “changing” others. True change for any person comes from their own making, with a real desire to be the change. And so we agree that we can only change ourselves. And…
Changing Others
As a mother of adult children, I am guilty of wanting them to turn out just the way I want them to. I want them to get into a great career, meet a girl, fall in love, get married, buy…
What Is Really “Mine?”
How many times do we refer to our loved ones as “mine?” “My” boys, “my” husband, “my” mom… All of these references, as though we actually own them! Buddhism teaches us that it is poisonous to try to own another…
Dealing with Old Issues
We are going through some interesting energy these last few weeks, and it looks like it will be staying with us for awhile. In this energy, we are now being pushed to release any old issues that we have. For…
Me, Without Labels
I’ve always had grandiose dreams of someday being famous. Truly. Ever since I was very young. Not in the “woman cuts off her hand in a meat grinder” or “woman goes on a shooting spree and kills 100 people” sense,…
Lifting Energy
Yesterday, I was lying down during an acupuncture treatment when all of a sudden I felt a sense of elation come over me. It was followed by a spell of feeling “dizzy,” which is the term I describe when I…
Sage
After the women’s circle on Monday evening, Laurie Wondra, our guest of honor, offered me some sage for welcoming her into my home. I have used sage before, and I have been around the use of the herb for much…
Women’s Circle
Last night we held a women’s circle at JSC. Our invited guest was Laurie Wondra, a very talented channel of angels, light beings, and others who have passed over to the other side. It was a wonderful evening, and I…
Monday Mornings
I am having a Monday morning moment. I was gone all weekend, at a fun clebration for my niece at a cabin up north. We stayed up late both nights, talking and laughing and reminiscing. And then I slept on…
Does God Serve Our Purpose Anymore?
Last night, I was watching a talk show in which they brought on a Quantum Physics scientist who asserted that, with the science out there, we don’t need to believe in God anymore. After all, science gets closer and closer…
Summer Solstice Energy
Yesterday’s energy was very intense. The storms had been leading up to it for the past few days, and it finally came to its resolution last night. We are currently working through old energy. Any old issues that haven’t been…
A Wider Horizon
The eyes experience less stress When they can look upon a wider horizon. R.D. Chin Sometimes I catch myself perseverating on a thought or problem which I can’t let it go. I may be worrying about one of my kids,…
Lightning
Last night, we awoke around 4:00AM to a very powerful storm. The lightning continued on, one strike after another, with no breaks. It was amazing and yet scary at the same time. Our plants love lightning. It offers the ground…
Old Emotions
This weekend was a wonderful gathering of extended family, with much reminiscing and laughter and some tears as well. We stayed near some of the family homesteads and so we got to see them all these years later. Our aunt…
This Planet Stuff…
I am always fascinated by the influence of the planets’ alignment with regard to the energy around the Earth. I have a couple friends who post information regarding these energetic shifts, and it astounds me how accurate these readings can…
Touch What Is Dear To You
I was reading today’s meditation and had to laugh out loud when I thought of how one of my yoginis might react to it. The meditation says we should not count objects in our heads but instead touch each item…
Beginnings
Today starts the new summer session of yoga! It is always so fun to take our yoga practice outdoors. To be in the Earth elements is very calming. Listening to the birds chirp, feeling a breeze on our bodies, smelling…
Suffering
Praise and blame, gain and loss, pleasure and sorrow come and go like the wind. To be happy, rest like the great tree in the midst of them all. Buddha’s Little Introduction Book Yesterday, I was talking with an acquaintance…
Creating Peace
The conversation of creating world peace comes up often in the groups of people I hang out with. Last year, a group of us met to discuss our ideas of world peace. We came to the conclusion that our endeavors…
The Deep Divide
I worry about this country. I worry about the deep divide among people regarding how to fix this country. I worry that our politicians have framed the argument around political party vs. issues. I worry that some relationships cannot be…
Opinions Are Not Always Truths
There is no need to seek the truth – Just put a stop to your opinions! Seng-Ts’an Our interactions with our loved ones flow from close interactions to distant interactions. Skype makes it easier to stay in touch with our…
Perfection
Our house is undergoing an interesting transition right now. The older son has graduated from college and is looking for a new job, while the younger son has come home from college and is also looking for a job. Or…
Showing Up
I am recalling, this morning, a time in my life when I was so completely confused and knocked down, and I had no where to turn. I had lost my ability to trust a loved one, and it scared me…
We Are Broken
“Only when the broken are healed, no matter what they have done, will we as a people heal.” Mark Nepo Mark Nepo used the example of Ghandi during a hunger strike, when asked by one of the warring leaders to…
Overthinking
I have fallen into a trap of overthinking these days. It has affected both my sleep as well as my hot flashes. It has been triggered by a simple change in my daily schedule and exacerbated by another discovery which…
Being Our Authentic Selves
So often we are reminded, while practicing yoga, to listen to our bodies and pay attention to what is going on within and adjust our poses to meet our needs for that day. That is good advice for off the…
Why Do You LIKE Yoga?
Over the weekend, I was with a group of some very good friends whom I have cherished for 25 years now. In the group of 11 women, only one of them has practiced yoga, and she has made some changes…
This Too, Shall Pass
I always welcome change, but I can honestly say, my body is affected by it, all the same. My younger son moved home fom college last week. There is always chaos in that transition. First, the laundry room becomes a…
Living Close to the Earth
I was having a conversation with some online friends last week. We were discussing how dependent everyone is on other people: we get our food at grocery stores, our medicines at the pharmacy, our building supplies at the big box…
Friendships
Honest friends are the doorways to our souls, and loving friends are the grasses that soften the world. It is no mistake that the German root of the word friendship means “places of high safety.” Mark Nepo Last night, after…
Challenges on the Mat
In yoga, we often face a difficult pose that we are afraid to try. It’s a pose that we just don’t feel capable of working with. We may think we don’t have the strength for it, or perhaps we are…
Intellect vs Intuitiveness
We all need to touch down with the source of life, again and again, in order to brighten enough to continue. Whether we make our way by playing or listening to music, my meditating, by painting, or loving, or reading…
Our Garden of Life
This is my favorite time of the year! (Well, to be honest, I say that in the fall as well, but I really do enjoy this time of the year, a lot!) This is the time of year when I…
Changing Ourselves
This past week, I have spent a lot of time thinking about change and transformation on the mat. I want to keep challenging my clients to take their practice to the next level. To try “just this.” This morning, I…
Joy!
The dream is awakened when thinking I love you, and life begins when saying I love you, and joy moves like blood when embracing someone with love. Mark Nepo This year, I adopted a theme for my business: JOY! I…
Walking a Labyrinth
Last night’s Women’s Circle was at the Glendale Methodist Church in Savage. They have an outdoor labyrinth that is available for public use. (I was told this by the church secretary, so it is confirmed that anyone can use it.)…
Never Give Up
Every once in awhile, I come across a picture, film, or video that inspires me to tears. Last night a friend asked me to watch a video she had posted on her Facebook page. It moved me to tears. Sometimes…
Life Isn’t Fair, So What?
When I was growing up with a twin brother, we kept tabs on fairness. Whose piece of dessert was bigger? Who got to stay out later? Who went to more sleepovers? And so on… we kept track. This was enforced…
Super Moon Energy
I’m ready for this Super Moon energy to be gone. I don’t really understand HOW it works, but I can feel the pull of the Moon energy when I am trying to sleep. The Moon is the closest it can…
Our Daily Schedules
When I was teaching elementary school, I lived by the clock. I still vividly remember my schedule. Up at 6:15 and showered. Kids up and ready for school. Breakfast. Out the door we all went. Spend the next 9-10 hours…
Thank You, Son
Today’s blog contains a little bragging about my son. 🙂 My youngest son came home as a surprise, over the weekend. We were so thrilled to see him, and even though he comes and goes to be with friends, even…
A Leap of Faith in Yoga
Last night, I introduced a new pose in my advanced yoga class. I knew the ladies had all the prelimnary skills to achieve this pose. Their arms were strong from many sun salutations. We had spent a quite a bit…
The Leap of Faith
*I apologize for no blog yesterday. The website was very slow and did not allow me access at the time I had set aside for blogging. At one time or another, we all have to take a leap of faith.…
Attention to Our Bodies
In yoga the past three weeks, we have been working with our lower three chakras. Each week, we move up the chakra channel, and so we have 4 more weeks of chakra work ahead of us, and a week of…
Losing Control
Last night I went to an energy circle. There is a lot of energy movement going on right now, and many of us are feeling pulled into negative energy. Our thoughts have a hard time staying in the positive. We…
The Spirit of a Memory
“Memories are not images of loved ones returning to us. They are the spirits of loved ones visiting us.” The Book of Awakening I once had someone close to me share an experience so personal and so intense, he had…
The Blessings of Sages and Us Regular Folk
Yesterday, I was driving down the road, and there was a dead bird on the side of the road. As always, I said a prayer for the bird. My prayer for dead animals goes something like this: “Bless you, [bird],…
Our Relationships
In the movie, Jerry MacGuire, most of us (women) got all teary-eyed when Jerry says to his love interest, “You complete me.” What a beautiful sentiment, that another person is not whole without their lifelong companion. And I even used…
The Metaphorical Half Full Glass of Water
I am reading Breakfast with Buddha right now. It’s about a man traveling across the northeast of the US with a Buddhist monk. The man is your orthodox Christian who doesn’t particularly want to be sharing this car ride with…
Getting Into a Funk
It happens. We’re on top of the world, everything is going our way, and then we wake up one day and feel a bit “off.” We can’t quite put our finger on it, but we are definitely not in our…
Flow Through Life
Reading today’s daily inspiration, I came across this: “But watching the winter water of a stream begin to flow and thaw, over and over, I finally saw that to make it through the pain, I had to be more like…
Taking Risks
I’ve always been a bit of a thrill-seeker. I remember, vividly, jet skiing with my now-husband when I was 19 years old. It was perhaps my second time on a jet ski, and I was eager to show off and…
Walking Meditations
I am thinking about leading the next Women’s Circle on a walking meditation. There are three kinds of walking meditations that I have participated in. The first is just a general walking, usually in an inspiring location like a nature…
I Am Remembering Who I AM
On Friday, during our retreat, we had Lyndale come and offer us the most exquisite deep muscle massages. I prefer a lighter massage with more smoothing motions, but I looked forward to a deep muscle massage as something different. Deep muscle…
Acceptance
Acceptance is a term that carries so many different interpretations. It is a powerful lesson for me. In our second women’s circle in Jamaica, we worked with our “shadow self.” Our shadow self is that personality part of ourselves that…
This Place Called Heaven
On Monday in Jamaica, we encountered a rain storm. And it was a storm! We had been at the beach, watching the storm roll in during the afternoon. We decided we should probably cut our time at the beach a…
You Complete Me
While meditating during our first day in Jamaica, I was noticing the birds. They were actually adding a distraction, which we would notice throughout our trip. A great challenge for us as we practice our meditation concentration! I was thinking…
The Food in Jamaica
I need to dedicate one entire blog to the wonderful food we ate in Jamaica! Most of our meals were vegetarian, but when Alex learned that none of us were vegans, she also prepared foods with chicken and fish. Our…
Women’s Circles in Jamaica
I decided to make women’s circles a part of our Jamaican adventure. I knew that it would offer an opportunity to get to know each other, while also providing some time for Soul-searching, which is part of what a retreat…
The Healing Power of Sun and Salt Water
When I left Minnesota for Jamaica, I was healing my lower back. The healing process was at about 80% healed, but I could still feel tenderness when sitting for awhile, and my first forward folds always pulled in my lower…
Yoga and Meditation in Jamaica
The common thread that linked this group of women was yoga. Each of us had practiced yoga regularly, but most had a practice of once or twice a week. One was a lapsed yogini, with life situations that kept her…
The Best First Impression of Jamaica!
So my first blog addressed the security of Jamaica. Prior to our trip, and even in my classes back today, I had several people ask me if we felt safe there. I needed to address that big elephant in the…
Sharing Jamaica
There is so much to digest from our week in Jamaica, some of it can be shared, some of it stays on the island. But I feel the need to write about our blessed Jamaican Retreat. This first blog is…
The Solar Plexus
In our yoga classes lately, I have introduced the classes to their solar plexus while they breathe. It is the space 2-3 inches above the belly button, in that place that we more commonly referred to as the lower rib…
Daily Restoration
Prior to retiring from teaching, I burned the candle from both ends. My day started early, getting both myself and the kids fed, showered, and off to school. Then there was the long, often frantic pace of the school day.…
The Flow of Life
How can you follow the course of your life If you do not let it flow? Lao-Tzu If you’ve been around me lately, you know I have been dealing with an aggravated back pain. My brothers and sisters and I…
Springtime’s Small Miracles
I returned from a short trip to Vegas to discover that springtime has already dawned in Minnesota. I will admit that it was coming, early, before we left on our trip, but since we have been gone, all the lakes…
What About the Children?
In our understanding about the need for our bodies to adjust to the new, higher dimensions, as painful as that can be, it is expected that there be much concern for the children and babies. What will happen to them?…
Why Must We Change?
That’s a very good question, and it comes down to our belief system. If we believe that there is more to this life on Earth than just a cosmic coincidence, then we might also accept that we have a purpose…
More on the 2012 Energy
I mentioned yesterday about the newer, higher vibrating energy of 2012. Let me explain this more. We are aware of our physical bodies, and we know they reside in the third dimension. But we are also aware of higher vibrating…
What’s Going On?
Yeah, it’s better, but it’s not healed. My back, that is. Sigh… Some interesting insights that I have observed but that need to be explored even more: My chiropractor said that this past week was his busiest with back injuries.…
Being Humble
Time for me to reflect on being humble. Two days ago, I re-injured my back which I had injured a couple weeks ago. Back injuries and I have a long history. My family claims it is a trait we inherited…
Limiting Our Relationships
In my thirties, I was struggling with some issues that I didn’t have a good grip on and decided to see a therapist. She underscored the issue right away. In my quest to create the perfect world for me and…
The Money Will Follow
The Law of Attraction was a big discussion piece a few years ago. Everyone rushed out to see The Secret and find out what was holding them back from their greatest potential. I actually didn’t see or read The Secret…
Saving for a Rainy Day?
Yesterday, I shared my travel adventures. I recalled that money was holding us back from traveling for many years. We felt the need to save save save for our retirement. That’s a good thing, right? I mean, we don’t want…
See the World
People who know me, know I love to travel. I have been fortunate to have traveled several times to Europe, and Jeff and I often take a trip to Mexico or an island in the winter time. But I wasn’t…
Stretch and Strength
In yoga, we often move into poses and observe how, as one side of the body stretches in a pose, the other side of the body strengthens. So, while we sit in our one legged forward fold, we feel the…
Power
I just finished reading my daily inspiration, and I came across something interesting. Originally, the word “power” meant able to be, but it is now interpreted as to be able. I find that subtle difference very interesting. It is the…
The Eyes of God
Have you ever looked into a person’s eyes and thought you had looked into the eyes of God? I have had this experience a few times. The most assured place to find God by looking into someone’s eyes is to…
Ice Day
We dodged the bullet by not getting a foot of snow, but it apprears the world has decided to shut down anyhow. Ice. As I write this, I see a cop car with it’s lights on, going down the side…
Obstacles in Life
I am a worrier. I worry about my kids most of all. even though they are adults, and I am proud of what they are doing in their lives, I worry that they won’t get good jobs after college. i…
Stop Talking, Stop Thinking
Stop talking, stop thinking And there is nothing you will not understand Seng-Ts’an Perhaps the biggest lesson we can learn in life is to stop talking and listen to what the other person has to say. Stop forming an opinion…
Urgent Time
In some of my discussion groups with other women, we talk about the swiftness of time. Time moves so quickly, it is often said by the older generations. After all, when we were kids, our days dragged on forever. But today,…
You Need Faith to Find Your Truth
Many of us will seek and find a fulfilling life without faith. We build a confidence in ourselves, which is necessary when we meet obsticles along our path. We need to be able to move forward through the obstacles and…
More About Our Truth
Last night, as I was preparing to go to bed, some more thoughts on our Truth came to me. I was having a conversation in my head with a friend of mine who is struggling with finding her Truth. (Most…
Our Experiences Define Us
“If I had experienced different things I would have different things to say.” Mark Nepo Boy, doesn’t that ring true for us all? We are defined by our actions as well as the actions of those around us. Some of…
Living In Our Truth
I recall many years ago, I attended a private channeling session. It was my first session, and I was both excited and nervous about the outcome. After my loved ones from the other side had connected with me, and I…
Letting Go to a Higher Power
Last night I did something that I often avoid because it is so painful: I went onto the Caring Bridge website to check up on the health of our friends who are suffering. It was a tearful 45 minutes, as…
Annoyances
For the past week, I have opened the bathroom drawer that holds our toothpastes, deodorants, clippers, etc., and been extremely annoyed. My husband, while caring for a wound by wrapping it in a little bit of cotton and a bandaid,…
Spiritual Warriors
I was reading my daily devotional this morning, and today’s subject is Spiritual Warriors. Spiritual warriors are those that have had their hearts broken: by break-ups, death, illness, disappointments, failures, expectations of others, and so on. Spiritual warriors have had…
Valentine’s Day
Today is Valentine’s Day and the subject of love ties into this day. We fall in love. We grow into love. We experience love at first sight. We love our material objects. But the greatest love of all, is the…
Opening Our Communication Channels
I was reading my daily inspiration this morning, and came across this line: “The more we stuff between our heart and our daily experience, the more we have to work through to feel life directly.” The topic was to ex-press…
The Story of Our Lives
Is your life playing out how you want it to be? Is this where you wanted to be in your life right now? Are you the same person when you greet one person as you are with another? Is there…
Blockages In Our Lives
A few weeks ago, I was talking with a good friend of mine. She is currently in a career transition. The career she is transitioning from was a difficult one. Very stressful. For the past few years, there was no…
Wanting
There is a lot of talk about greed these days. Average people get turned off by individuals who own not one but TWO airplanes. Some people live on the street, while others own seven houses. Politicians toss around statements like,…
Taking On Other People’s Feelings
Over the years, I’ve come to realize something about myself. I am very sensitive to the thoughts, feelings, and even physical pains of others. This has been both a gift and a burden. It is a burden when you don’t…
It’s February
It’s 7:00AM, and it’s light outside. I mean, I can see out the window. I can see over by the Geis farm: the three silos that hug the sky. I can see down by the pond: the camera stand that…
“Reading” People
Upon first glance, I usually know more about a person than they will EVER tell me. I know what kind of day they are having by the look in their face, the set of their mouth. I can tell what…
Joined Heartbeats
When my mom was pregnant with my twin brother and me, the doctor insisted that she was having one child. Even though she had gained 60 pounds, he said she was just having one baby. After all, he could only…
Transforming from Doing to Being
I’ve always enjoyed watching ants. I love how they work together as a community to complete a project, which is most likely gathering and storing food or building an ant hole. Ants are constantly BUSY – doing, doing, doing. I…
The Busy Brain
Do you ever have a busy brain night? Of course, everyone does. For me, this occurred in the form of dreaming last night. I had a great adventure in my dreams last night. I can’t even remember the cause, but…
Being a Pilgrim
From today’s daily inspiration: “To journey without being changed is to be a nomad. To change without journeying is to be a chameleon. To journey and to be transformed by the journey is to be a pilgrim.” The Book of…
Inner World, Meet Outer World
In yoga, we breathe in through our nose and out through the nose. This breath is intended to filter the air we take into our body and filter the air we release from the body. This breath is meant to…
Opening Our Hearts
In our yoga classes this week, we are practicing opening our hearts. Our breathing is focused on taking our breath to our back heart on the inhale and exhaling out the front of the heart. On the inhale, we feel…
Being Kind to Oneself
Those four words in the title have almost become buzzwords for those of us who have been seeking knowledge through philosophy or through enlightenment. And yet it amazes me how hard it is to be kind to oneself. Over 15…