Healing Morning

My purpose is ___________.

2012-01-29T12:29:00.000-05:00

Photo: www.creepypasta.wikia.com

My talented friend, Tameka Mullins (Lyric Fire blog) posted this today on her Facebook page:

My purpose is _____________.

She shared her own impression of her raison d'etre in a beautiful manner and I loved the concept. I dashed off my own reply:

Good question! To write. To love. To recognize the beauty in those around me and give them a shining mirror to see their own beauty. To remember that my words have power and as such, to use them mindfully. To share my heart in an authentic manner. To see those obscure yet breathtaking moments around me and scribe them, painting them onto paper. I do much of this via the medium of writing, but I also do it by simply being Me. - SDS 1/29/2012

I was immediately struck by the thought that this would make a fun blog post, so I zipped off an inquiry and request to Tameka to use her idea here. She like the idea and here I am, tapping away at my keyboard.

It's an interesting, thought provoking question, yes? My purpose is ______________. The fascinating thing is that at any given moment, our answer can and probably does change. We change from moment to moment, after all. With each breath, there is potential for a new experience that will shape and change us.

If I had to boil it all down to an inclusive, all encompassing thought, I would automatically say that my purpose is to write. That's why it was my first response above. Writing is such an intrinsic part of my nature that it touches literally every part of my life. I write as a vocation, to make a regular living, and I write as an avocation, to please myself and satisfy my need to create.

Probably the other purpose that didn't occur to me when I dashed off my response above is another simple one: To grow.

That's why we're here on this Earth School, after all. To grow. To learn. To mature. To become that better version of ourselves on a daily basis. We do this by trying, failing, succeeding. We try on different hats to see how they suit us in myriad applications - relationships, careers, creative pursuits, healthy ambitions, places to live and travel. The list is endless.

Tameka's Facebook post gave me an immediate and entertaining challenge and I responded with a stream of consciousness flow of words. Usually when we do that type of writing, it is as visceral and truthful a response as you can achieve. So, in an interesting manner, I gave myself that same mirror that I mentioned in my own comment. I recognized some things about myself of which I am already cognizant and comfortable. When I read my words back, I smiled, because the picture painted was that perfect fit.

There have been times when I have engaged in similar writing exercises when the resulting picture wasn't as perfect a fit. There is value in that very thing, being confronted with thoughts that we didn't realize we espoused until challenged to give them voice. I've grown dramatically from such experiences.

Today's exercise was lighthearted, effortless and fun. Tameka's delightful response further in her thread was:

Wow, Dawn! What a beautiful purpose you have! You give good purpose! LOL!

Isn't that the BEST comment that she made? "You give good purpose." I think this belongs on a t-shirt, similar to the one posted above. I know I'd certainly buy it and wear it!

Why not take a few minutes and play this game with Tameka and I? Empty your mind, take a deep breath and just write. Don't over think it. Just let the words flow until you feel it is finished. Then read your words back and see what you learn about yourself. If you're so inclined, share here with us - I think it will be a fun experience for all of us.

I also encourage you to click the link for Tameka's wonderful blog, Lyric Fire and experience her writing. She is wonderfully talented and I enjoy myself every time I pay her a visit. Tameka, thank you for the inspiration for this post!

An ephemeral equation

2011-12-30T13:30:00.000-05:00

www.flickr.com/photos/monster/466981669/

We're approaching the end of 2011 and I've taken time to glance back through my blog archives for the year. Compared to the previous two years, 2011 was a slower pace of blog writing for me. The year itself was quite full of challenges on myriad levels, and that's where my focus and energy went. While I've never been one to embrace the concept of blogging daily, I do prefer to write more often than I ended up accomplishing this year.

This post isn't about typical New Year Resolutions. I've shared my thoughts on that topic many times since I began blogging (Just Say No!, Healing Morning 12/27/2010), so I won't revisit here.

What I want to concentrate on is recent events. I mentioned in my last post that life has improved slightly for me. As a freelance writer, I live a constant roller coaster ride with keeping work in the pipeline, keeping my name in constant circulation with networking groups and attending as many of those networking functions as I can. With that much activity happening on a monthly basis, you would think that work would be flowing with no problem. I would think that too, but it wasn't the case for the year of 2011. I have been through difficult, challenging times before, but I can truthfully say that 2011 rates right up at the top of the list of tough times experienced.

Why am I talking about this? Because somehow, in the midst of a truly scary time where I couldn't imagine things improving, they did. This is a quote from my last post:

"I have also just recently weathered some rather trying times where I wasn't sure how I would get from one day to the next. The darkness that accompanied those challenges was quite intense and looking back, I have no idea how I managed to maintain even a wee shred of optimism and belief that good experiences were in my personal pipeline. Somehow, though, deep within me, I did hold onto that small flame of belief. That small flame of pure love, of pure healing, of pure manifestation....it all rested deep within me, despite the trying times." With a Bright Spirit, Healing Morning 11/30/2011

I've been pondering this for the last several weeks, and even spoke of the whole experience with several friends. What strikes my immediate consciousness so strongly is this: somehow, despite all the fears, all the weariness, all the sense of self-defeat and borderline hopelessness, something within me stubbornly refused to give up. Somehow, some small spark of Life continued to fight the battle mentioned above and I presented enough belief to manifest a new contract. Let me stress that the environment of this new contract is as close to ideal as I can imagine. No small wonder, that, as I did sit down and write out those particulars more than once during 2011. What I speak of is sometimes called Life Mapping, where we write out our wishes and dreams for a specific purpose, then release the request with all its attendant specific details to God/Universe/Spirit.

I've done that many times in my life, and I admit that there was usually a healthy dose of doubt in the practice. This is rather amusing, considering that I believe in the concept for others wholeheartedly. It was for myself that I held back, that I entertained doubts and allowed niggling voices of insidious poison to creep in. That being said, I reference the above quote from my previous blog post and share the fact that something within me did persevere and refuse to completely give up.

Speaking with a dear friend on the phone during the week leading up to Christmas 2011, I talked about this realization and said, "Knowing that I was able to manifest such a wonderful result with this new work contract in the midst of such doubt, imagine what I can manifest NOW, as I am in a state of new awareness and absolute belief!"

That's magical and very powerful, that realization. Universal Law, for those of you who embrace the concept, dictates focusing on those good, positive feelings. Study the emotions and memorize how it feels to be in a space of abundance and happiness, so that you can replicate that feeling again and again.

This is challenging for many of us, staying in that positive emotion, and I am no different. My childhood mantra regarding finances is one that has programmed a negative energy for most of my adult life. This is where I am focusing daily energy to shift that pattern and change the programming. I am focusing on how I feel each day of this new work contract. I am minutely dissecting how it feels to be happy, to have money flowing into my daily existence, to know that security is being established. I am doing this so that I can amplify these emotions and project them outward so that this energy continues in a looping manner, bringing more of the same to my life on a regular and continuing basis. The challenge of this mindset is that it is an ephemeral equation. Belief is at its core, and happiness and positive emotions are the fuel. It is not a tangible thing at first. Tangible results DO occur, but the belief and positive emotions must exist first.

At a holiday party, the question was asked of us to talk about not a resolution for 2012, but of something we wanted to embrace for ourselves on a purely personal level. My thought was part of what prompted this very blog post, as I said that I had been thinking of how we behave as children. If any child is loved, they have an inalienable sense of entitlement in the purest manner. They simply believe that good things will happen and they believe that they deserve those good and delightful things. If there is one thing I can say with absolute certainty, it is that I am loved in this life. By friends and family, my life is richly blessed with love. Somewhere along the way, however, I lost some of that childlike sense of entitlement to receive good and positive blessings. Please note that I use the word "entitlement" in a positive manner, as it can carry negative connotations. What I am speaking of is that manner children have of believing in magic. I write about it quite often and I still carry a firm belief that magic exists, but I was also putting up roadblocks to receive good and positive blessings for myself. I am in the process of recapturing the sense of how that feels....that sense of entitlement in the purest, most innocent and faithful manner. Faith and belief are key words here.

So, if there is anything even remotely approaching a New Year's Resolution for me in 2012, it is to continue to give daily thought to amplifying and projecting my current level of success so that it can continue and increase in ways I have yet to imagine. I remind myself of my comment above to my girlfriend that so much more is possible. Limits are things we impose on ourselves out of fear. That much I know to be true, and it's something that I've excelled at over a lifetime...getting in my own way. I choose, now, to excel at getting OUT of my own way and existing in abundance. I know it is possible. I am living the result of my own wee kernel of belief that refused to be extinguished during the travails of 2011. I believe that that wee kernel of belief, that tiny flame that flickered valiantly in the midst of a great big boatload of darkness can be stoked. As I write this, in my mind's eye that tiny flame is growing into a nice, healthy bonfire. It warms my hands and face as the flames rise. Rather than being a destructive force, this is the kind of flame that does not consume in a negative manner. Or perhaps it does....perhaps the consuming is of those negative thoughts.

Whatever the case, it is clear to me that I can build this fire. I can increase my own prosperity. I can embrace the belief that I deserve success in multiple areas of my life. I can release my death grip on doubt and fear.

Many years ago, I was given a writing assignment to come up with a definitive sentence to describe what I wanted out of my immediate experience. This was the sentence that I came up with:

"I want to be like the fluffy seeds of the dandelion puff.....releasing from ties that bind me to a single existence to ride the winds of Life and be unafraid of where those winds will take me."

I find that sentence, that statement of intent to be a good one for the New Year of 2012. To all of you who continue to visit me here at Healing Morning and offer so many beautiful comments on what you find here, I wish you a beautiful New Year full of blessings.

With a bright spirit

2011-11-30T19:21:00.001-05:00

Photo:
http://flickr.com/photos/dancing_sun/4064774892/

Healing. The word itself is evocative. It conjures up an immediate visceral response with attendant mental images...memories, fears, dreams, wishes. Good health is vital to every living organism on this Earth School of ours.

When I think of healing, I think automatically of love and of Light. The pure vibratory expression of love is the most powerful form of healing in existence, in my opinion. When love is present, our whole body just relaxes and sighs, luxuriating in the peacefulness of that beautiful energy.

We know from a medical perspective that those who are happy, who feel loved and cared about, who receive regular hugs from loved ones - these are the people who heal more quickly, and who have stronger immune systems. I have always found the healing strength of such a simple thing as a hug to be profound. A simple embrace, the hug, and yet that simple thing can boost white blood cell count in the human body - the part of our blood system that fights off infection and wards off opportunistic illness - and sustain a sense of calm well beyond the physical experience of the hug itself.

Just the act of writing my thoughts about healing is increasing my own vibration - I can feel it as I type the words and thoughts. I spent a good part of the 1990s working as a massage therapist, but was never truly fulfilled in that career. The healing part and the knowledge of the human body fascinated me, but massage therapy in and of itself didn't really fit for me. What did resonate was energy work; what many might recognize as the Biblical "laying on of hands", or in the traditional medical world, it is called Therapeutic Touch among other names. I learned that I have an innate ability for energy work, and to this day, although I no longer practice as a massage therapist, I still embrace energy work occasionally. It is effortless for me and is a gift I can bestow upon anyone in pain, whether it is physical, mental, emotional, or as is most often the case, a combination of all of these.

When I stepped into the unknown world of blogging over two years ago, I had no idea what I was doing with the concept. It was something I was trying on for size to keep my mind occupied during a very dry period for my freelance writing career. I've spoken of this before and I will doubtless bring it up again - the title of my blog, Healing Morning, was divinely driven. I knew I wanted it to have something to do with healing, and the word "morning" was a play on my name, Dawn. At the time, I had no idea how absolutely appropriate a title this would be, or how the title would grow with me as I grew in my blog writing.

You would think, as a result of the strong healing energies around me over a lifetime, that it would come as no surprise that this healing energy would translate into my writing. Yet, it has been a surprise. I did not know, to begin with, that my writing would touch others around the world and instill a sense of peacefulness, calm and healing. That was a vague goal, but at the time that I created this blog, I had thought to focus more on a clinical type of writing application. Instead, I found that I was being drawn to write from my heart and to allow a level of transparency that I had never dared to embrace. I began to share very private concepts here, and opened up about my spiritual side in a manner that I had rarely done before.

Again, to my surprise, the articles that I wrote that exposed very personal aspects of who I am, and my healing and intuitive abilities - those articles have, without fail, turned out to be the ones that have garnered the most interest, the most written comments and the most support. I've learned over the last two and a-half years that when I've written an article that makes me more than a little nervous about publishing it, this is when I'm writing and channeling a level of truth that needs to be shared. And that energy is received in similar fashion...in a very positive, honest manner. People respond in kind and tell me they feel a sense of peace here.

So, I continue to grow with my blog title. I continue to grow in my healing abilities and I continue to learn that my previous horizons are constantly being broadened. It is a very surreal experience at times. Just recently, I began to recognize a return to that childlike sense of creation that we tend to lose as we age. Children have an innate sense of acceptance that all will be well; they have an equal belief that good things will happen simply because those good things are wished for and anticipated with a bright spirit.

I have also just recently weathered some rather trying times where I wasn't sure how I would get from one day to the next. The darkness that accompanied those challenges was quite intense and looking back, I have no idea how I managed to maintain even a wee shred of optimism and belief that good experiences were in my personal pipeline. Somehow, though, deep within me, I did hold onto that small flame of belief. That small flame of pure love, of pure healing, of pure manifestation....it all rested deep within me, despite the trying times.

And then, in the midst of an admittedly scary phase, I felt the shift beginning. That knowing, that awareness that I've always had grew inside me. I clearly remember feeling it happening and I admit there was a bit of a struggle....a bit of lingering doubt that it was real. Yet the sense of rightness was so strong that all I could feel was delight and a sureness inside. A glowing, expanding welling of liquid, golden, pulsing brightness is how I would describe it. That is what the energy of pure love looks like to my mind's eye. Many who practice various healing modalities will point out that various levels of healing energy carry different colors and textures. I don't dispute this. What I am describing here, that golden, pulsing brightness is how I experience healing at its most profound. If I could invite you into my heart to see it and experience it the way that I do, I would do that very thing. Since I can't do that, the next best thing is to write it for you and create the image and the emotion, the textures and vibrations with words.

This article may seem to have very little point....just a jumble of thoughts about healing. I don't argue that point, as I'm writing from a stream of consciousness perspective, just allowing the thoughts to flow from my fingertips. I will go back and read through this and see if the progression is strong enough to publish the article. I think it will be, because I feel that same sense of rightness as I type the words. This jumble of thoughts is going to make absolute sense to someone...perhaps many someones. You will read this article and smile and nod, recognizing what I am attempting to convey. Your own deep well of healing energy and love will respond and there will be that magical "click" from me to you.

In this way, in this fashion, I continue to heal. Myself. My readers. The very air that I breathe in and exhale. The earth that I walk upon, as this energy overflows and spills down from my hands and flows through my feet as I walk. For those who study esoteric concepts of healing, this will make sense. For those who trust in the simple process of honoring the physical manifestation of that spark of the Divine translating into human form, it will also make sense. For those who are searching and wondering, looking for something that will lead them deeper into self-discovery, perhaps this article will light a new Divine spark. It's a beautiful and never ending cycle, of course.

With a bright spirit. This is how I write this article, at this moment. That would make a beautiful t-shirt slogan, yes? Healing is such a bright thing, yet very calm and sure. Peaceful and quiet, but also exuberant and full of that childlike sense of delight. I was asked to write an article with the word "healing" as the focus. I sat down to write and did so with a bright spirit. My hands are literally buzzing from the extreme level of energy that has been prompted as a result and I accept that manifestation in the same way....with a bright spirit. With a bright spirit, my friends.

With a bright spirit.

Quiet voice

2011-10-29T13:22:00.000-04:00

Photo: www.digitaljournal.com

If you're a regular visitor here at Healing Morning, then you're aware that I do my best to focus on positive topics. Occasionally, something happens that isn't necessarily a light, happy topic and I do discuss these things here. My goal is to always find the positive in the midst of the whole story.

This week, I experienced something on a personal level that was alarming. I was followed home to my townhouse complex by someone who saw me at a gas station/convenient store. When I say I was followed home, I mean this was someone I didn't know and I am convinced this person had very negative intentions in mind.

The whole situation played out in about 10 minutes' time, from start to finish, when I left the gas station and drove home. This was after dark, and I was alone, which is exactly why this person chose to follow me. A single woman, alone, unfortunately provides what most think will be an easy target and victim.

When the vehicle pulled into the lane of my complex, I was still inside my car. I had a couple of things happen that I now believe saved me from harm, and very possibly saved my life. Because it was dark, it's not always easy to see the numbers on the parking spaces allotted to each unit. My next door neighbor's car is usually my marker to recognize my own parking spaces, but he wasn't home. Because of this, I had parked two spaces over from my own numbered spaces and I was on the verge of backing out and pulling in again to the proper parking space when this vehicle appeared. It was driving very slowly down our lane, and at first all I could see were the headlights. Once it got level with my location, I recognized it to be an SUV that had been at the gas station when I was there. That started the niggling feelings of doubt, because no one on my lane drives a vehicle like that particular SUV. It drove on past me and I expected it to go down the hill to the last two units on this lane. It didn't do that. It pulled into the parking spaces allotted for the management office, then reversed, pulled back out and drove towards me, pulling into my neighbor's space.

At this point, alarms were going off in my head. I waited to see if this person would get out and go into one of the town home units and they didn't. The next time I glanced over, the SUV was empty. Again, I waited, but couldn't see the driver standing anywhere near their vehicle. I was far enough away that I should have been able to see their feet on the other side of the car, but it appeared no one was there. Thinking they had walked back down the hill, I did something incredibly stupid. I got out of my car and shut the door, but didn't lock it. Immediately, this guy popped around the end of the SUV and headed straight for me, walking fast. I, in turn, yanked my car door open, got in, slammed the door shut and locked it. I made sure to look him dead straight in the eyes and he veered away, walking past my car and started talking on his cell phone. I started my car and left, driving up the hill into the subdivision that backs up to the property of my complex. I parked where I could see the entrance of my lane, shut my lights off and waited. About three minutes later, that same SUV pulled out and left the neighborhood.

Several years ago, a book came out called "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin de Becker. I remember watching an Oprah show with him as the guest, and his comments stuck with me. Trust that voice of fear. What I can now clearly recall was that as soon as I saw the headlights of that vehicle turn into my lane, I was instantly on guard. Something felt wrong. As the rest of the story played out, I felt that sensation stronger and stronger. What I also experienced were whirling thoughts and a lot of self doubt. Women are raised to be polite and that very habit has most likely caused many unfortunate deaths over the years. The young man who followed me that night was clean cut, nicely dressed and appeared as pleasant as could be in the convenient store of that gas station. He even smiled at me as I walked in. I did the typical response of smiling back. When I was sitting in my car watching this whole thing play out, I experienced moments of doubt where I was rationalizing everything. "He's probably lost." "He must be a relative of my neighbor." "He's just parking here and walking down to those last units." All of those thoughts could have caused a terrible outcome if I had acted differently.

Reflecting now, I realize that my "mistake" of parking in the wrong space is probably what saved me from harm. If I had parked in the correct spot, I would have already been out of my car with arms full of bags, my purse, keys, etc., walking to my town house by the time that SUV drove down my lane. This guy would have been able to drive right up to me, jump out and grab me or do whatever it was he had planned. If I had been at my door, he could have run up and forced his way in behind me. So, that "mistake" was the main thing that changed the outcome that night. The other thing was my own instincts. I am not exaggerating when I say I could literally feel a sense of urgency pressing in around me. Perhaps it was my angels or Guides, or God/Universe surrounding me and attempting to communicate to me to not get out of my car, and to leave immediately. Whatever it was that I was sensing, I paid attention to it and I'm alive and unharmed today as a result.

It can be argued that I misinterpreted the whole situation, that this young man had no ill intentions. I do not believe that to be the case. The fact that he left the neighborhood after I drove away is a pretty telling sign. Now I am left with a very unpleasant sense of not feeling safe in my own home. Although I didn't walk up to my unit and identify specifically where I live, common sense indicates that I live at one of the units of the building I was parked in front of. I have taken steps to beef up the security of my town house and am looking into purchasing firearms for the house and possibly to carry with me. Mace will become a regular tool in my purse and on my key ring.

I've often said that as we live our lives, endless layers are stripped from our rose colored glasses. This incident definitely robbed me of a certain inalienable sense of safety that I used to carry around with me. All that I did was stop to get gas and pick up a bottle of water and some snacks on an evening after dark had set in. That's all. I wasn't in an unsafe neighborhood. I wasn't dressed provocatively. I wasn't rude to the young man in question; to the contrary, I was my typical friendly, smiling self. The harsh truth is that we live in a world that harbors people of dark nature. Those people don't need a reason or a trigger to urge them to make dark choices. Because of the choice that young man made, my life has changed forever. I don't know that I'm going to feel safe in quite the same way that I used to. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Many would argue that a healthy sense of suspicion and fear is a good thing. I don't disagree with that concept, but I do refuse to adopt a victim mentality or demeanor as a result of this experience.

The person that I spoke to at the local county Sheriff's Department told me that the fact that I stared at this guy, looked him directly in the eyes, was probably one reason he veered away from my car. I was told that by doing this, I made it clear I was not a victim in a very primal manner. I don't know if that is true, that that action made that much of a difference. I'm more inclined to believe that being in a locked car made the biggest difference, but I'm sure my direct stare made it clear I wouldn't hesitate to use my car as a weapon if any threatening moves were initiated.

The outcome of all of this was a happy one. I am safe and nothing happened that night other than me getting a big dose of fear. I have done all the right things, following up with the Sheriff's Department and filing a report about the incident, informing the management people at my complex, and taking steps to increase my own personal security. By doing all those things, you would think I would feel nice and secure, but I expect that will take a while. I haven't slept well since this occurred; I've been jumpy at night every time I've heard a car drive down the lane I live on. I suspect that's absolutely normal.

As for my rose colored glasses, they're still on my nose. The rose color has been impacted, I admit that, and it may take time for the color to come back to a stronger tint. I refuse to let this experience permanently damage my outlook on life. As many have pointed out to me, I was able to think on my feet, even in the midst of panic....and believe me, I was as scared as it was possible to feel when this played out. That answered a question for me - I had always wondered if I would be the type to crumble in the midst of true crisis and fear, or if I'd be one of the ones who is able to function and think clearly. Now I know. I'm capable of very clear, logical thought, even when I'm in a situation where I am feeling unsafe and threatened. Although I did make one colossally dumb mistake - getting out of my car - I acted quickly to turn that around and everything ended well. The only regret that I have is that I wasn't in a position to get the license plate number of that SUV. I would have had to get too close for that. The gas station has surveillance cameras on site, and they have been made aware of what occurred, with dates and times. The police report has been filed and is on record. I am hopeful that this person won't harm anyone in the future, but something tells me it will happen. I was fortunate to make the right choices in the midst of my own experience and didn't come to grief. Some other woman in the future might not be that fortunate.

For whatever reason, my own experience ended well. I paid attention to my own instincts and I'm okay. My emotional state and sense of personal security took some blows, but those will rebuild in time. I'm writing about this experience primarily to get it out of my system. That's what writing does for me. I'm also writing about it here to remind everyone that dangerous people are out there, dangerous circumstances can surround you without a moment's notice, and how you react is going to impact the whole scenario. If you haven't read "The Gift of Fear", I encourage you to purchase the book. I'm including the Barnes and Noble website hyperlink to purchase it. This is for the paperback edition and it is available in used copies for as little as $2.74. If you're unable to purchase and read this book, then make an effort to be more aware of your surroundings. I am speaking first to women, but this applies to both sexes. If someone is intent on inflicting harm, they're very possibly not going to be picky about gender.

Finally, pay attention to your instincts! If I had not done that very thing, I believe there might have been a very different outcome to my recent experience. Happily, I'm fine. Shaken, and changed as a result, but alive and well. I'm also appreciative of the support of friends and family when I made this experience known. Despite the fact that I knew this was not a good situation, I was falling back on "good girl" mentality and doubting myself, thinking I was unfairly judging the situation. With the support and encouragement of friends, I became firm in my resolve to report this incident. I am hopeful that by doing this, and by writing about it here, maybe other people will also avoid a negative outcome in their own lives. Be safe, everyone, and pay attention to that still, quiet voice of intuition and instinct. I believe it saved me.

Soft stillness and the night

2011-10-24T01:13:00.001-04:00

Photo: awesomestories.com

I'm feeling nostalgic tonight for some reason. I have been browsing through my Drafts folder here at Healing Morning to see what snippet might jump out at me to elaborate upon and birth a new blog article. This one seems to be it. A stanza from William Shakespeare:

How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank.
Here we will sit, and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears; soft stillness, and the night
Becomes the touches of sweet harmony.

I ran across this weeks ago, most likely on Facebook. It brought to mind summer evenings from my childhood, long before the advent of cable television and the internet. Indeed, at that time, we had three television channels and were lucky if two of them could be received on our antenna way up on the ridge where we lived. Thus, many evenings during warm months were spent outside in lawn chairs doing this simple thing....talking. And looking at the stars.

It was such a peaceful thing. Being with family, visiting, laughing together. Or just being silent and gazing upward at the expanse of stars. Some nights we would spread out a blanket to lie on, and it was then that I would imagine that the stars would drop down to touch my face. We lived far enough out in the country at that time that city lights didn't compete in the night sky and we could see the constellations clearly. The Big Dipper and the Little Dipper were always easily discernible...and we would attempt to identify other constellations from the Encyclopedia.

Balmy summer nights, filled with quiet conversation and cicadas humming in the background. The scent of freshly cut grass, blooming roses and honeysuckle would hang heavy in the moist night air. If it had been an especially good day, there might be the rare store bought treat of Jiffy Pop popcorn...that miraculous creation that we watched in fascinated delight on the stove top, the shiny aluminum dome poofing up as the popcorn popped inside.

Those days are long gone, and I remember them fondly. The Shakespeare snippet above brought the memories to mind, soft and misty, like an old photograph whose edges have been gently worn soft with time. Ghosting along my mind's eye, hovering there with wraith-like purpose, insistent to not be forgotten.

"...soft stillness and the night..." The words bring a slight ache of wistfulness to go back there again, to that back yard in the country on that side of that ridge...and let the stars drop down, once again, to touch my face.

As the plane goes down

2011-10-16T12:41:00.001-04:00

Photo: traveldestinationinfo.com

When was the last time you felt short of breath? After exercising? After laughing with friends? Rushing to a meeting? Or perhaps because of being ill?

In August of 2010, I dealt with a protracted bout of pneumonia. It lasted for well over a month, with the recovery process a long, grinding one. I wrote a blog about this experience, called The Manifestation of Wellness (Healing Morning, 09/27/2010) in an effort to better understand what was happening with and to my body. Most of us are aware that there is a strong mind-body connection that has impact on our health, although there are differing opinions on the veracity of this concept. Depending on which side of the proverbial fence you stand, it makes sense or it's a bunch of nonsense.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I am currently battling through another bout of pneumonia. What surprised me was that in my mind, I had somehow convinced myself that that last bout of pneumonia had occurred more than two years ago. Imagine my dismay when I searched for the blog article here on Healing Morning and found a clear pattern of approximately a year between recurrences. Granted, last year's pneumonia was in August and this year, it has hit me in October, but they both occurred in fall months and they both progressed rapidly to full blown pneumonia. Of course, many will say that this is simple logic - we're in the thick of flu season, with myriad viruses, bacteria and germs flying about in fall months. I don't dispute that logic at all, and I agree that it is definitely a part of the cycle and pattern I've detected.

What I'm looking at is the mind-body aspect. There are many esoteric tenets that have identified an emotional tie to specific health concerns. I have talked with friends who follow/practice some of these esoteric tenets over the years to identify what the emotional tie is with flu and pneumonia. The following are individual comments that happened during private conversations, so in the interests of protecting the privacy of all, I am not going to annotate a specific dogma, religion or person's name. I will say that I have discussed this topic with people from a wide range of walks of life, spanning many organized religions, esoteric tenets and even what we would call "mountain wisdom" here in the southeastern region.

One friend offered the following information:

"...fatal bouts of pneumonia and influenza usually result from an individual's inability to handle multiple fears and challenges overwhelming them in a shorter, more compressed timeframe. Usually the person is drowned in the flood of emotions (fear, anxiety, panic) that engulf them. The 'internal floods' manifest as severe lung congestion which cuts off their connection to breath and sometimes, ultimately, their connection to life."

Another opinion:

"...issues involving the lungs indicate a need to address grief that may have been tucked away and not properly dealt with..."

Yet another, of a mountain wisdom perspective:

"Anything around the heart and the lungs that is severe is telling you that you're literally cutting off your own air. You're allowing something emotional to grow to such proportions that it feels as though you're suffocating, and that begins to manifest physically in your body."

I think many of us can admit to being guilty of any of those three. We all battle fear based thoughts on a daily, sometime minute by minute basis. We all have had moments of loss where we didn't properly address the grief stages, whether from personal preference or from necessity of getting back into the hectic pace of work life, we've all done it.

When I began to delve deeply and pick apart the layers of my own life in this past year, I was able to easily identify areas and experiences that I could have dealt with more efficiently and more honestly. I say "easily identify" because when I began this process, it was with a borderline ruthless determination to put an end to this cycle of repetitive illness. I have dealt with pneumonia and respiratory issues most of my life, and I feel it is time to put stop to that cycle.

So, this inner searching had to be very honest. I had to admit to areas where I had possibly been sloppy in my own processing, or where I had avoided tending to my own emotions. THAT was the bigger wake-up call...that I was clearly slapped in the face with the fact that I had been regularly neglecting my own emotions. Those who know me well would say that I am a very nurturing, caring, loving person, yet there I sat, confronting my own culpability. There were both small and large issues where I had failed to care for myself properly because I was focused on caring for the world at large. Over time, this type of personal neglect is going to build up and eventually, something will have to give. The most obvious effect is illness, as all that toxic build-up has to find a path of exit. Now that this illness has set into my body, I am doing my best to ride the wave of it all and allow it to burn off what is necessary to be burned off.

Am I saying that I've been walking around in a constant robotic state, endlessly stuffing down my emotions? Not at all. What I have been guilty of, however, is of allowing myself to fall into what I call a "frozen state" when a slew of crisis points hit all at once. I think that's probably a common reaction, because it hits that instinctive, reptilian fight or flight response deep within our brains. We shut down on some levels in order to keep functioning, promising ourselves that when things calm down, we will address the emotional side of things. The reality of life, however, is that things rarely calm down. Life offers us a steady supply of challenges, scary moments, stressful experiences that lead to grief, anger, loss, frustration and more. My own life in the last calendar year has been chock full of virtually every aspect that I just listed, and I now am looking at the fact that I need to go back and address some of the emotions that I put on hold out of necessity.

I need to create a more timely approach where I am honoring my own fears and reactions. Everyone has a different freak out point - that thing or event that hits that will cause a meltdown to occur. I won't go into specific detail about my own freak out point, but I think the central, common denominator for most is a loss of control. We all have a very clear picture in our minds of who we are "supposed" to be, how we are "supposed" to project ourselves and how we are "supposed" to be perceived. Strong. Independent. Intelligent. Powerful. Happy. Successful. Plug in the label of choice - we all have a persona we identify with. It's when something....or many somethings....hit all at once and possibly jeopardize that persona that fears set in. Freezing up, for many, is the result. For me, that freezing up process is an internal one. While that can be a good coping mechanism for the short term, it is the long term fall out that I am now focused on mitigating. It's time to find a better method for dealing with high levels of stress, rather than putting them immediately on the side burner to tend to at some foggy future date that rarely receives true attention.

I know the habits I've neglected that are helpful - yoga, meditation, reading and writing for pleasure, spending time with family and friends, being out in nature, being artistically creative. The firm truth is that I need to get back to creating time for myself first. This is a malady that has reached epidemic proportions the world over, putting ourselves last. We all know that if we are not healthy, we are not going to be of any good to those we love, we are not going to be efficient co-workers, employers or employees. That analogy of the airplane going down is a good one - unless YOU put the air mask on yourself FIRST, you won't be able to be of any use to anyone else as the plane goes down.

In my own personal experience, how apt is that analogy? I failed to put my proverbial oxygen mask on throughout much of 2011, and the result has been that my body finally rebelled in a manner that mimicked my emotions....I got sick with a respiratory illness that rapidly progressed to pneumonia. I cut off my own oxygen supply, in a way, from freezing up over and over. From putting my own emotions on hold to tend to everything else in the world, I was communicating to myself on an emotional level that I didn't matter....and I slowly cut off the oxygen. The smarter move would have been to immediately reach for that proverbial oxygen mask, to take care of myself first, to establish a clear airway for myself first, so that I was given time to access tools to carry on.

As that proverbial plane goes down, reverting to crisis thinking has become a negative habit for me that I now need to change. Will it be an easy process? It can be, if I embrace change instantly, but that's not a realistic expectation. I'm like most people in that I adapt to change slowly, and my own spin on it is to be very methodical in my approach. Falling dramatically ill is as good a wake-up call as any, I guess. It's highly unpleasant to be this ill, so who wouldn't want to investigate new behaviors that can help to avoid a repeat of that experience?

I also want to stress that I am not indicating that I believe we are 100% masterful creators of every single illness that strikes us. I would not suggest that certain dread diseases are brought about by our own intentions, conscious or otherwise. I do, however, believe there is truth to some of the emotional tenets I've discussed here; I think that if we are not mindful of our emotional state, this, in turn, can possibly compromise our immune systems enough to allow opportunistic maladies a toe hold in our bodies and then illness can be the result. If there is even a fraction of truth to this concept, then it behooves me to do some personal house cleaning and put some clear focus into my daily habits and the care that I give myself. Yearly bouts of pneumonia are unnecessary and I am aware that each bout is dancing with a knife-edge of uncertainty as to the outcome. Pneumonia, as has been impressed upon me over and over by medical professionals, is not something to take lightly.

So, getting back to that plane going down analogy, we know that I'm not a pilot, obviously. I can't fly a corporeal plane. But I CAN pilot my own Life Path and I can make better, more conscious choices when I am in the midst of a maelstrom of stressors. I can choose better reactions and I can take care of myself FIRST, and don that oxygen mask as the plane goes down. That plane going down isn't necessarily a bad thing, because all stories have a natural life cycle. That is a topic for another blog, perhaps. For now, as this specific plane goes down, it is absolutely possible to save the flight by donning that personal oxygen mask. By saving myself first, I can do so much more for the rest of the world. Breathing is good, yes? I remind loved ones of this regularly, so it is with a gracious acceptance that I embrace the concept as well.

Grasshopper Thoughts, Vol. V, October 2011

2011-10-05T18:49:00.000-04:00

I've mentored many a writer in my adult life, taught many adult education classes on creative writing, and lent a helping hand to countless new bloggers. At some point, the question always arises of, "What do you do when you get writer's block?"

That's the age old nemesis, isn't it? Writer's block, artist's block, musician's block....it isn't career specific to just writers. We all hit moments where inspiration just refuses to flow. It has been 29 days since I last posted here at Healing Morning and this is outside the norm for me. While I am not of the blogging daily approach, I do tend to write at least once or twice a week. I won't go into the reasons for my recent dry spell, but I will share that the answer I almost always offer to the question above is, "Just write. Don't focus on whether it's good or bad...just sit down and start writing. The very act of being in writing 'motion' will often wake up your writing Muse."

Another favorite tool of mine is to Grasshopper. If you follow me here at Healing Morning blog, then you're familiar with this concept. Grasshopper Thoughts is a process of just allowing your mind to flit....or hop (like a grasshopper) in myriad directions with no logical focus. I find it to be therapeutic to do this. It can be as entertaining to write this way as it can be for people to read it, and it allows a glimpse into that writer's soul in a curious manner. Little tidbits, little gems, little windows into who they are.

So, in the time honored tradition, I now commence Grasshoppering to encourage my own Muse to release her death grip on my normally prolific writing.

I'm a fan of the good, old fashioned Emery board to file my nails. Yes, I know that all manner of new inventions exist for this, including metal nail files that are touted to be better for your nails. They don't work for me. Metal nail files take forever for me because I'm fortunate to have nice, healthy, strong nails. Nope, give me a traditional coarse grit Emery board and I'm happy. Besides, those metal nail files make my teeth hurt with the sound they make on my nails.
Some genius person took the Cool Whip concept and morphed it into chocolate Cool Whip - bless their hearts! I'm not a big sweets eater and can go long stretches without eating ice cream, sometimes longer than a year. It's just not a temptation to me. Once in a blue moon, however, chocolate Cool Whip, still frozen is ideal.
I opened an old book the other day, and from its pages fell a perfectly pressed sprig of Lily of the Valley. I lifted it to my nose and it still carries that beautiful fragrance. I think I pressed that flower there when I was wee, and it remains to this day my favorite old fashioned flower. It was a delicate, floral time capsule moment to my adult self from my very young self and I was assailed with lovely memories.
The last time I bought Crayons, they smelled different and I was devastated. How could Crayola do this?! Whose idea was it to tweak the formula? No doubt it was done to save money, as that drives any corporation's bottom line, but it made me sad. The aroma of Crayons is iconic, or it used to be. It's still close to the original smell, but different. These are the moments when I stubbornly dig my heels in against change.
I was driving my Mom somewhere recently, just out running errands, and I said something to make her laugh unexpectedly. We glanced at one another and smiled, that silent "I love you for who you are and how I feel when we're together" communication. I'm blessed.
Someday, someone is going to invent a way to prove that creative people are NOT airheads, dingbats or incapable of remembering things. We just think and process things differently, but we manage to get everything accomplished. I'm serious - someday, someone will invent a way to quantify this fact. And THEN you'll all be sorry! ;-) Just sayin. *And if this way has already been invented, then I'm the first to cheerfully declare that I TOLD you so! :)

I think that's plenty to get the writerly thoughts warmed up. With luck, it won't be another 29 days before my next post. For now, Grasshoppering has done the trick to shift the logjam loose a trifle.

Astonishing light

2011-09-06T03:09:00.001-04:00

Photo: www.messagenote.com

It was a small thing, really. Just a quick glance, a social smile shared between strangers walking into a building. He politely held the door in a gentlemanly manner, allowing me to precede him inside. Yet something about him seemed sad to me. We separated in the foyer of the building, going in opposite directions. I accomplished the business that I came there to do and walked back outside.

It was a stultifying, hot summer day. We were in the grip of a killing heat wave and drought at the time, so I wasn't inclined to linger in the parking lot. Yet, I did linger. I glanced about and noticed an ornamental park with benches in the shade. I can't explain why I chose to walk in that direction and sit on one of those benches, but I did it. The heat was oppressive, so much that not even the wildlife seemed to have the energy to make accustomed nature sounds. It was quiet in the manner only a humid summer day can be.

Perhaps five minutes after I sat down, steps approached and paused, causing me to look up. It was the man with the sad eyes, holding two frosty bottles of water.

"Can I join you?"

I smiled and nodded, and he offered me one of those bottles of water.

"I saw you through the foyer window and thought something cold might be appreciated," he said.

I accepted the kind gesture and we began to chat. I could tell something was beneath the surface causing his eyes to look sad, but I didn't probe or press. He was kind and cordial, and the conversation was pleasant. We discovered a few things in common, discussed the local area, and drank our cold water in the shade, sitting on that park bench. It occurred to me that I had snacks in my purse and I pulled out two packages of those cheese crackers with peanut butter. When I offered him one, he appeared to be delighted.

"A feast!" was his comment. We munched in companionable silence. Another several minutes passed, with more conversation.

Finally, he looked at me with a very serious expression.

"Today, I was going to go home and turn the gas stove on in my kitchen, blow out the pilot light and let nature take its course. I felt that I had no other choice. I went into that building to visit my lawyer and make sure all my legal papers were in order so that my family would be taken care of."

This was the cause of the sadness behind his eyes. I knew that whatever was happening in his life, I was not qualified to counsel him properly and I said as much. He smiled, shook his head and placed a hand over my own.

"You're imminently qualified, young lady. There's a light about you. A brightness in your smile that you shared with me when we both walked into that building. You didn't have to even look at me, but you took a moment to acknowledge me...and really SEE me. It mattered, and I wanted to thank you. I was hoping I would see you before you left that building. And somehow, I got lucky."

We talked some more, and he revealed that his business had failed due to the lagging economy. His house went into foreclosure and he wasn't able to continue to pay for his two kids' college tuition. I didn't have a lot of advice to offer; mostly, I just listened. He was a lovely man. Clearly intelligent, well spoken, obviously very well mannered, and just as obviously tormented on a very elemental level. We did not know one another at all, save for that unexpected meeting at the front door of an office building, and a shared impromptu drink and snack on a park bench. For me, it was a moment to simply be there for another person who was troubled. I never once felt uncomfortable, or pressed to create a miracle. I didn't have that power. This man's life was in an admittedly challenging place. I doubted seriously that anything I could offer could make much of a difference. What I did know was that listening was something I could do. So, that's what I did.

We lingered there for about 90 minutes, in that humid summer day. I refrained from using the word "should" in any part of that conversation, simply because I strongly felt that he didn't need to hear what I thought he should do. I figured he had probably heard many "you should's" as he struggled to cope with the challenges in his life. I did ask him to seek some form of counseling, because the thought of this very kind man ending his life alone, defeated and sad was heart breaking. I also asked him to take my phone number and promise me that he would text me, at the very least, for the next five days, so that I knew he hadn't given in to the temptation of his earlier plan to end his life. He agreed to this request.

Eventually, our conversation ended. We sat in silence and he finally looked at me and smiled again. To my eyes, it appeared that the sadness had eased somewhat behind his eyes.

He stood and offered a firm handshake, then gathered the debris of our water bottles and snack wrappers. He took them to a garbage can, then returned to walk with me towards our cars in the parking lot.

I wanted to hug him, but refrained because I didn't want to presume or cause any awkwardness. We stopped at my car and I smiled and reminded him of his promise to text me for five days.

"I will do that. In return, I want you to promise me that if a day hits for you in the future where you feel sad, or defeated, or that you're not making a mark on the world, promise me that you'll call me. Maybe then I can return the favor. You made a difference today, and you did it with a smile and being a genuinely beautiful person. God bless you."

And with that, he put a hand briefly on my shoulder, then he walked away to his own car. In the proceeding five days, I received a single text each day that said, simply, "I'm still here." On the sixth day, the text that came said, "I'm smiling again."

These days, he occasionally sends a random text, and we have developed a friendship that is solid. I have met his family; his children are now back in college, and he and his wife are in a stable living situation. He is in a different career and seems to be recovering well.

Why am I relating this story? I don't know. I actually thought that I would never share it on a public level. I never felt it was my story to reveal. And for the most part, I remain devoted to protecting this friend's privacy by not giving his name or any other personal information. The other day, I read a quote on Facebook that has always been one of my favorites. It was on my sidebar on my Facebook page and it was from the "On this day in 2010, this was your status..." section.

This is what my status was on that day in 2010:

I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being. - Hafiz

Obviously, I found that quote to be beautiful when I posted it to my Facebook wall in 2010, and when I saw the repeat post on my sidebar, I was prompted to share this story. I posted the quote again on my Facebook wall, and added this comment:

*How's that for a good reminder of our own beauty?*

I didn't have any special skills, or any magical answers for this gentleman that I met unexpectedly that summer day. Something...a set of circumstances...brought us together and I was led to take the steps that I did. Happily, they resulted in a positive outcome, with not only this man choosing a different outcome, but with a genuine friendship that continues to this day. The above Hafiz quote was a good reminder to me that many times, we're given chances to make a difference. And sometimes, that difference can occur just from sharing that "astonishing light of our own being". Sometimes, many times, that alone is more than enough to make a profound difference.

Look me in the eyes

2011-08-28T16:40:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of Aglet Photography

Eye contact. I wrote a short blurb about this in a recent blog post. I did that because I had had the subject on my mind for several days. It had me pondering and as I said to another friend, when I start thinking, the inevitable outcome is that I start writing.

We all know the old saying that the eyes are the window to the Soul. I agree with this 100%. Each of us is different in the manner that we connect with others. For some of us, making and maintaining eye contact is simple. Just something that you do. For others, it is a challenge, and something to be avoided at all costs. This is a protective mechanism, and usually happens for good reason. If you delve deeply enough with those who are careful with making eye contact, you will find a lot of trust issues beneath the surface, married to a lot of painful experiences.

I think everyone has heard the old axiom that "the eyes are the window to the soul". Most of us will agree that people who don't make significant eye contact impart a less than trustworthy vibe. This is a snap judgment, of course, and may be an unfair one, depending upon the situation and the individual.

For me, eye contact is important. In every relationship that I have, I want that strong connection to be there. Friendship, family, business connections, as well as more intimate relationships - all need to have that level of connection, trust and the sense that you are being seen, being heard, and being embraced.

Gazing wordlessly into one another's eyes. That is profound. The wordless part is usually what causes people to become skittish and glance away. When you meet a person who doesn't do this, who engages in that gaze without flinching, this is an incredible moment. Thoughts wash through the mind, emotions are triggered, and a sense of being the very center of that person's immediate world exists. Pretty powerful stuff! This creates a level of willing, intentional vulnerability, meaning that you allow yourself to become vulnerable in that moment and with that other person. It also creates a bond, that wordless moment, that is indefinable. And really, definitions aren't always necessary.

That experience, that wordless gaze, is a microcosmic moment that doesn't require anything else. Fleeting, yes. But with lasting impact. Moments such as these can be a catalyst. From one moment to the next, the world changes. Perhaps not in an earth shaking, cataclysmic manner, but change does occur. And thinking follows. Pondering, absorbing, reflecting. All from one long, quiet shared look between two sets of eyes.

We each have those experiences that we remember as being a turning point. Something occurred to stop time, briefly, with enough dramatic force that you felt the shift as a tangible instant. Your own personal earthquake, where those emotional tectonic plates were rearranged, permanently. From a glance, you ask? Yes, for me, from a glance. Well, a look is more to the point, as a glance is of short duration. Maybe a new word needs to be created for that long, steady, quiet, powerful exchange. "Staring" doesn't fit, as it robs the experience of depth and warmth.

Whatever label you choose to apply, there is great value in giving yourself to such a moment. Looking into another person's eyes for long, long moments with no words, no nerves, no agenda, and no reserve is profound.

This was the thought in my last Grasshopper Thoughts post (Grasshopper Thoughts, Vol. V, August 2011) that prompted this blog article:

Look me in the eyes when we're together. During conversation, during quiet moments, just a glance is sometimes enough; other times, a long and meaningful moment is profound....show me who you are in this way, and I will do the same. - SDS, August 2011

Mirrored affirmation

2011-08-16T13:45:00.003-04:00

Photo: www.invitinghome.com

I have a dear friend that I think I have loved more moments than I can count through the mists of time. We don't often get the chance to spend large blocks of time together these days, as life is hectic and family, work and responsibilities cut into leisure time. This week, we were lucky to connect and spend a good portion of a whole day together and it was just sublime.

This girl is someone that I trust implicitly. She's a true heart friend in those indefinable ways that build a solid friendship. We've found over the years that we either tend to mirror experiences in our respective lives, or one of us is just completing a cycling of an experience that the other is just embarking upon. In this way, this reflection provides guidance and a sounding board for both of us, when we have sufficient time to spend together and really get caught up.

Our recent afternoon and evening was that proverbial breath of fresh air for me. We played, which is always good for the Soul. We saw a theatrical production that some friends both acted in and directed, then we had a late meal and stayed downtown to watch another theatrical production on Knoxville's Market Square. In between all of this, we shared what we had both been doing since we were last together. Much time had passed since then, so there was a great deal to cover, and cover it, we did.

She is in a truly good place in her life. Settled, with someone she loves, her work life is growing and prospering and she carries that special glow that one does when everything is falling into place in Divine Order. Knowing her as I do, I was so happy to see her this happy, calm and peaceful....both inside and out.

The even greater beauty of it all was that she became a mirror for me. This time, she is finishing this particular cycle....or rather, she is sojourning it....ahead of me. Listening to her words and description of the steps, the decisions, the emotional healing she processed to get herself to that higher, more level place of allowing....it gave me that mirror. That road map or template of sorts. Because I am not that far behind her on a similar path, everything she was sharing was resonating brightly for me. I could see the logical steps she had taken, hear the wisdom in her choices and actions, and absorb the clear outcome. She is happy.

This reflection she gave me instilled hope in a new way for me. Mind you, it is never difficult for me to focus on positives. I tend to be a fairly sunny natured individual, and prefer to focus on those good, happy, uplifting moments. That being said, I flounder like everyone else when it comes to personal dreams, hopes and wishes. We are all so adept at getting in our own way for these goals, and I am no different. I do have conscious intent, however, to be fully, mindfully engaged in my own growth. What a lovely thing when I am given a gift of recognizing that this growth need not be so onerous, challenging or difficult!

Spending time with someone that I truly love and enjoy was the first gift. Nothing polishes up the heart more than that type of interaction, basking in the sheer enjoyment of someone dear to you. The second gift was being shown that reflection....that example that, "Look, this is how I did it, and it worked out beautifully." Sometimes the strongest lessons don't have to be imparted through bloody struggle and painful experiences. They can be, but I don't think it's necessary 100% of the time. What can be better than to witness someone a few steps ahead of you on a similar path, charting and negotiating their journey with determination, conscious application of intent and relative ease so that you may mirror their actions and experience a similar manifestation of ease?

Mirrors reflect. That is their purpose. We can choose to see through a warped lens and intentionally misread that reflection, or we can choose to gaze with clear eyes at the image. That's my choice, gazing clearly, and engaging with purpose. And the best part of this conscious process is that a day spent with someone I love gave me a mirrored confirmation and affirmation for where my own life is heading. In her happiness, I see a reflection of possibilities, and I embrace them.

Partly sleeping

2011-08-08T14:14:00.000-04:00

Photo - www.senelfy.deviantart.com

Have you ever had the sense that after some unexpected experience hits your personal horizon, you look back and realize that part of you had been sleeping up until that moment? I have reflected on this for years. It has happened to me countless times and never fails to capture my attention with each new occurrence.

A simple analogy would be when you buy a new car and suddenly you see that same model, same color car everywhere you go. Prior to purchasing that new vehicle, you never before noticed so many of the same car everywhere you traveled. Your eyes and your consciousness have been newly awakened to that recognition, where before, part of you had been sleeping.

This holds true with endless layers of who we are, where our lives are heading, where we have been. When a new person comes into our lives, and love occurs, we are stunned that we lived our whole lives without that love up until that meeting. This applies to friendship, to family and to intimate love, as well as to new experiences, studies, dreams, etc. It is almost beyond acceptance, once the love is realized, to ken how we survived without it for so long. Our heart was partly sleeping, waiting for that arrival of that person or that experience to wake up that spot that was reserved exclusively for them/it.

Talents lie partly sleeping also. Sometimes they awaken with a jarring crash, startling us with the all consuming need to dive in and embrace the newness, turn it in our hands and make a mark on the world with it. Other times, those talents are merely dormant, waiting for occasional awakening. This happens for me with various artistic endeavors. I can go for months at a time without any need to be creative beyond my daily writing. Then something happens to awaken the partly sleeping Muse and I hit a frenzy of creativity, producing a wide range of artistic expressions.

To me, it is an endless joy to discover something new to love....about myself, and about the people around me. Relationships are rarely static, and even in strife, we learn and grow. Areas that had been partly sleeping within the context of relationships are regularly nudged awake. We are never truly allowed to rest smugly on our laurels in that regard, and I see that as a positive. Complacency hasn't ever been a behavior that I embrace. I tend to be very active about communication so that all parties concerned can be clear and present with one another. I fail at this, sometimes rather spectacularly, but the intent is always to be present and aware. Because of this, I find that I am also equally aware when an area that had been partly sleeping suddenly awakens. For me, it is a tangible thing, something I can physically sense and feel stirring. I do my best to pay attention to that stirring, so that I recognize it for what it is. It's when I ignore the sensation that I tend to bump my toes a wee bit, so I do my best to be mindful.

Recently, in perhaps the past six months, I've had a whole slew of partly sleeping areas come to full wakefulness. These awakenings have spanned a wide range of experiences and relationships, some providing challenges to overcome, and all of them broadening my sense of Self and growing those newly awakened spots in my heart. I have a fanciful image in my mind's eye of early morning hush coming softly awake, birds beginning to chirp, dew glistening on grass, trees and flowers in a private meadow that exists uniquely for my Soul to process these occurrences. Oddly, this same meadow is a place I visit when I meditate, so who is to say it doesn't exist in some metaphysical manner. The awakening of partly sleeping facets is the important thing to experience, to be aware of as it occurs. I've never been a proponent of walking through life in an unconscious manner, so this awakening process is one that I enjoy. I learn so much about myself as a result. I've spoken about that endless refining of Self, of Soul, that we do on a daily basis. The concept I am speaking of here, of "partly sleeping" is just a metaphor for that daily growth we all experience.

The world is largely expansive, rather than contractive, and so are we as people. We are here to grow and learn, to push boundaries and embrace new experiences. With that in mind, I imagine that we are gifted with endless ability to expand as yet unknown partly sleeping facets. Traits, experiences, thoughts, loves and more. It is a satisfying thought to me, because it means we are never truly finished. We never learn it all, never experience it all....and at the heart of this thought is Love.

Through the waxing and waning, the ebb and flow of every experience, Love is the vital force at work. Sometimes it lies sleeping for years before the awakening occurs, but that space for that particular love...be it a person, a place or an experience...that space was always there, inside us, waiting for that awakening. We drift from one awakening to the next, continually learning. And the beauty is that there will always be another moment when something that was partly sleeping is nudged, gently or urgently, to come alive and take full occupancy of that space in our hearts. I just really like that.

Grasshopper Thoughts, Vol. V, August 2011

2011-08-05T12:05:00.000-04:00

I haven't grasshoppered in a while. I never know when the urge will hit me, and today was the day. I find this exercise to be useful when my head....my life, for that matter....is too jumbled up with stress to allow me to focus on one specific topic. This allows me to skitter about, skim from one thought to the next and do some mental house cleaning. So, here are the grasshopper thoughts that struck today.

When I breathe from my heart, it is never a mistake.

Sometimes the simple act of that breathing from the heart isthe most challenging thing on earth to do. I still do it.

Locking the car w/ the keys in the ignition and my purse andcell phone still inside the car is going to happen occasionally. I look at it as a reminder to slow down. Usually that happens after I throw a bit of aconniption.

I can love someone sincerely, but also not like who theyare. The two are not mutually exclusiveand both teach me acceptance….of myself and that other person.

The art of kissing should never be underestimated; view itinstead as profoundly valuable. Seriously.

Banana flavored popsicles might be bad for you because ofall the sugar, but they sure bring a smile.

When I was wee, my Grandpa assured me that fairies lived where wisteria bloomed. To this day, I still believe, and I still glance about on occasion to search them out.

I have accepted that having a poor sense of direction doesn’t makethe world stop turning.

Look me in the eyes when we’re together. During conversation, during quiet moments,just a glance is sometimes enough, other times, a long and meaningful moment is profound….showme who you are in this way, and I will do the same.

Embracing manners will always matter to me. Call it old fashioned, but I find it abeautiful expression of respect and, to me, it is worthy of continuing.

I will never understand the concept of curling as a sport. I get that it's a venerable sport, with rich history and culture behind it. I'll even watch it during the Olympics (because I watch everything during the Olympics), but I remain mystified.

Sometimes blackberries make the world a better place. It’s that simple.

Those are my grasshopper thoughts for the day. There are more, of course.....always. That's the nature of grasshopper thoughts. They're always lurking and leaping about. These are the ones I managed to corral and wrestle onto the screen.

Clearing the road

2011-07-22T15:01:00.001-04:00

Image courtesy of Bing images

I'm in one of those stages where life in general is on the verge of improving in myriad ways. Personal life is good, new work and projects are in the pipeline, so I can't complain about the near future. What I find interesting is that just prior to good things hitting many of our personal horizons, Life seems to throw some curve balls. I'm experiencing this myself, and I find it a curious manifestation. I don't know what the purpose is of hardships being visited just prior to prosperity manifesting, but it does seem to be a common experience. I know it isn't unique to my life, as I've discussed this with friends many times over the years.

A good analogy would be that you're driving along a beautiful road, enjoying the journey, only to keep getting slowed down by small or large landslides. You can see beyond the pile of debris to clear road, but you have to stop and clear the rubble away before driving on down the beautiful vista.

It could be argued that it's just Life...that it isn't necessarily a good or a bad thing, nor should it be looked at as any deep, dark cloud of Doom being visited upon us. I don't dispute that thought - Life does hand us all manner of energies. I've said time and time again that we define ourselves by how we choose to react to a given set of circumstances.

So, when you can see happy times within a fingertips' grasp, yet you find yourself also swimming against the proverbial current to get there, how do you deal with it? I find myself focusing on my breathing. When I feel conflicted, or scared that something insurmountable is approaching, I feel a sense of heaviness in my chest. This reminds me to search for calm, to stop the vicious cycle of fear based thoughts, and immediately choose to switch the focus of my conscious thoughts to something of a lighter and happier emotion and vibration. Does this work 100% of the time to ease that moment of stress? A great majority of the time, it really does.

Yes, the issues of concern remain, even when I am changing my conscious set point and pattern of thoughts. However, when I focus on happier thoughts, I'm better able to come back to that issue of concern with a more clear head. Solutions are more easily accessed, if I just take time to breathe through the initial fears. I admit that even knowing this fact to be true, I sometimes fall victim to those encroaching worries. They build up in our mind's eye with ferocious and astonishing speed, don't they?!

What I'm focusing on today is that my near future has a lot of wonderful things that are on the verge of happening. These things are mere weeks away and will bring some much needed stability and security to my freelancing business. On a personal level, my life is also changing and that energy is growing and improving, and is also mere weeks away from further clarity happening. It is the here and now that is a bit challenging and worrisome. I'm falling back on a lifetime of practicality to weather the temporary bumps in the road, and I'm very appreciative of having these coping skills.

Am I still harboring some fears, deep inside? Yes, to a degree, because reality can be downright harsh at times. To be fair, adopting a temporary hunkering down mode doesn't slow down or prevent all the good energy that is approaching; I remind myself of this fact quite often. Perhaps the bumps in the road are Nature's way of clearing out a bunch of junky energy. Sort of a way to clear the road by dramatic means....a catharsis. If looked at in this manner, then the series of troublesome moments that hit prior to the good stuff occurring can be looked at as a blessing. It is my habit to look for the positives in any situation, and these thoughts have been circling in my mind for the past several weeks. I would much rather find a way to appreciate these annoying little tangles in my path than to lament and embrace them, building them into an even larger ball of worries. I think we all know that focusing and pouring energy into a negative mindset just encourages more of that same energy to grow and manifest.

So, yes, Life sometimes throws us unexpected unpleasant moments right on the eve of wonderful things approaching. Is this some sort of Divine test to see if we're strong enough to persevere, strong enough to hold our faith, strong enough to keep smiling? It may be a modicum of all of those, and it may be none of them. It all depends on our perspective and our conscious choices. There's obvious merit in not giving in to despair. No one wants to dwell in such a sad mental and emotional space.

I like the thought of clearing the road for better energies to manifest. That empowers my Spirit, and lifts my heart, and it most certainly eases that heaviness of breath that was making itself felt. Choosing to look at this situation as a positive, this clearing of the road for better things to come, allows me to feel a rush of anticipation. A sense of sureness that yes, this is all part of the Greater Picture, the Greater Plan, and is a necessary piece of the process. It is a strong truth that before order can be created, chaos usually is the precursor. With that in mind, I am now better able to face these smaller bits of detritus littering my path, because I recognize that this is a clearing of discordant energies that no longer serve a positive purpose. Logically, if I move through these smaller moments of frustration and weather them with equanimity and a sense of Grace, they will clear away that much more quickly. I just have to be willing to roll my sleeves up and be purposeful in how I choose to direct my energies to clear the debris littering my personal path. It's the concept that is resonating the most strongly for me, so that is what I am choosing to embrace.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Silence is near

2011-06-30T11:58:00.001-04:00

Leonardo da Vinci's
Head of a Woman

I don't know if every writer is also a poet, or if every poet is a writer. I know that I consider myself to be both, as my Muse visits and sometimes decides to manifest in a manuscript, and sometimes the words come out in poetic format.

I rarely publish my poetry, as the majority of it is very personal. A dear friend recently posted some of her own poetry on her blog after a long spell of being wordless. Some of the comments that ensued about her poetry struck me as very profound, in that she mentioned poetry, for her, is usually grounded in difficult emotional moments. In the last couple of months, I've shared some of my own poetry with a small number of writing friends which has resulted in every single one of them urging me to begin publishing my poetry here on Healing Morning. I was hesitant, because as with Jane Prater Haislip whom I mentioned above, some of my poetry was written in very trying emotional moments. My hesitance was that if I shared my poetry, people would automatically read some of the darker content and misinterpret where I am emotionally today. Where I am today, by the way, is a very happy emotional place. That being said, I've noticed repetition kicking in about poetry all around me. When repetition strikes often about the same subject, that's a Divine nudge, in my opinion. So, I have decided to take a leap of faith and share some of my poetry here.

The poem below was written several years ago during one of the most painful emotional moments of my life. I won't go into details; I will just say that this poem flowed from an inestimable place that at the time seemed to be an endless well of sadness and grief. Because those emotions do seem to prompt the poetry Muse, I gave the emotions voice and identified the pain in the figure of Silence. I've written in the past about grief, and I continue to find it a very important topic that is sometimes....often...swept under the proverbial rug. Grief in its raw form is primal, and that makes many uncomfortable. I believe it is important and healthy to process these emotions. In sharing this poem with friends recently, many said that they felt this one would be of help to others in their own grieving process. This is why I chose it as my first poetry post.

Silence is near

I can hear the beating of my heart

the quiet closing in on me
pressing near with palpable force

Silence waits patiently

in the darkness, anticipating
my utter desolation

the incredible feeling of absence
it lingers with a bitter taste

jeering cruelly

ripping the breath from me
a heart punch

dancing gleefully in my agony
leaving me…

…bereft

my mouth open in a soundless scream
stripped bare
robbed of who I am

stark in the violence of loss

Silence smugly waits

witnessing
the empty shell of me

alone
no comforting touch of strong arms

no earthy smell of skin
no taste on my tongue to soothe

depths of despair
wrenching

scraping nerves already shredded and raw
digging without remorse

to reveal abandonment

Silence waits patiently
to enfold my shattered remains

wrapping me up

Turn your face away from the light

Dance with me here

I am so close to your love…am I not?
Mocking you with a shadow of sweetness

the shell of memories…a pitiful thing

the soft icy sound of her mad laughter echoes
insistent
in the chasm of my broken soul

the one sad note detected
is that of the two of us weeping

Silence waits patiently
hovering in the fractures of me

her touch a magnificent isolation

In your moment of blank emptiness

Only I remain to greet you

Despite the very sad tone of this poem, I feel it is one of the best pieces I have ever written. I remember writing it in one sitting, perhaps it took ten minutes, total, to write it. The sharp pain of grief poured out of my hands into the words, and I remember that for a short while, that night, I finally slept for the first time in days. It wasn't the beginning of healing, that moment, but it was a brief respite from the crushing pain I was experiencing. As I mentioned above, I am now recovered from that sad time in my past, and very happy. If, however, my writing in any form - be it blogging, poetry, a manuscript or a magazine article - can help someone who is in that first razor sharp stage of grief to feel not so alone, then it will be worth the uncertainty of baring my own grief to the eyes of the blogging world.

I am hopeful that people will read this and find something worthwhile to take from it. I believe that Silence has visited us all, numerous times, in her sad, slightly crazed form. Grief does throw us into a maelstrom of what I call "spiritual insanity" for a time. Eventually, that eases and we begin to heal. In my mind's eye, Silence absorbs those terrible emotions, the ones simply too horrific for us to bear, and she becomes our solace. In my own soft, sensitive heart, as fanciful as it may sound, I hope there is a place for her to turn to as well, after she absorbs those emotions.

Grief is necessary. We all know this. Without going through all the stages of grief, often multiple times, we cannot come back to a whole person, capable of moving forward. Silence was a part of my grieving and this poem was the result of her visit to me.

Give me tomorrow

2011-05-29T13:00:00.001-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

May 26, 2011 Update:

I wrote this article in December 2010 because I was a bit disappointed with the lack of media attention given to the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombing here in the United States. Memorial Day is approaching for us now, and I decided to re-post this same article because I didn't think I could improve upon it. What I will add is that I have found another website called The Veterans Site that many of you might want to visit. This site sells products and uses the proceeds to feed homeless and hungry veterans. Each product listed on their site indicates how many meals it will purchase. You can also sign up to receive a daily email reminder to visit their site and click their blue button at the top of the page; each time this button is clicked, sponsors of The Veterans Site donate money for meals for homeless and hungry veterans. 100% of sponsor money goes to charity, so I do this daily click. It takes perhaps 30 seconds to accomplish.

I dedicate the article below to my family members who have served in the Armed Forces: Ted Reagan, Wendell Reagan, Clayton Reagan, Charles Reagan, Ronald Reagan (these first 5 names are my uncles, all of which are my heroes and father figures), Kenneth Reagan, Tim Reagan, Steve Richardson, Drew Reagan, Christopher Taylor, Quincy Trentham (my cousins), Bill Sievers (my dad), Dick Nelson, David Reagan, Reece Reagan Jr., Curt Pickens, John Day (my cousins), Ben Barbie (honorary uncle), Sam Bright (great uncle), Edward Nelson, Fred Nelson Jr., Don Nelson, James Bennett (my cousins) and Papa Michael Long (my honorary dad).

Original article date, December 8, 2010

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I am paraphrasing this story from memory, from an article I read many years ago in Parade magazine. It was written by a war correspondent who started his career during the Korean conflict. He was cocky; sure he would go into the war zone and interview soldiers, then write brilliant articles and quickly make his mark in the literary world. He was dropped off at the front lines in winter and proceeded to make a nuisance of himself, badgering weary soldiers with what he admitted later in life were absurd questions. They were all exhausted, wet, poorly clothed for the winter weather, and not at all welcoming to his chatter and blustery manner.

One quiet soldier caught his attention. The reporter remembered that he had haunted eyes and kept himself aloof from the rest of his troop. When he asked some of the other men why that was, the answer was this young man of 23 had been there the longest and had lost over 35 close friends on his tour. A soldier of 23 years was considered an "old man" in that particular arena. Sure that this guy was the one to give him the story content he had been anticipating, the reporter walked over, sat down and began trying to interview him. No answers were forthcoming. The young soldier wasn't rude; he just sat there, tending to his weapon and ignored every inquiry the reporter threw at him. Finally, in frustration, the reporter threw out a banal suggestion.

"Tell me what you want for Christmas this year!"

Silence reigned for so long that the reporter had decided to give up and move on to another prospect when the young man with the haunted eyes finally looked up and pinned him with a weary stare.

"Give me tomorrow," he said simply, then stood up, weapon in hand and walked away.

The reporter said that he never forgot that simple lesson, and that simple statement. He said it taught him that vanity and hubris had no place on any battlefield and he learned that day that he had a long way to go before he could ever dream to reach a level of class that that young man with the haunted eyes projected with one simple statement. I do not recall the Parade article mentioning if this young soldier made it home from Korea. I like to believe that he did, that he made it home and lived a long, happy life, was able to marry and have children and that he enjoyed many, many tomorrows.

I apologize for not having the reporter's name to share; I believe he went on to win quite a strong level of acclaim throughout his career. I just always think of this story at Christmastime, and again at various significant military dates, when so many of our Armed Forces are far from home, and all of them are wanting one simple thing. Tomorrow.

Over the years, there have been a few similar instances where my heart and my imagination were captured. The bombing of the U.S. and French barracks in Beirut in 1983 is one such moment. Only days prior to the bombing, one of the national news stations had sent reporters in to interview some of the soldiers there. One beautiful young man was interviewed as he was in the weight room, working out. He was intelligent, well mannered, thoughtful in his responses and wanted one thing - for everyone in his troop to make it home safely. Two or three days later, the bombing occurred and I have wondered quite often over the years if that beautiful young man survived the bombing. 299 American and French troops perished that day. I'll never know the answer to that question, but I've always prayed he had many, many tomorrows to enjoy as well.

No one in this world, if they're in their right mind, wants or believes in war. I choose to be patriotic on many levels, as I wholeheartedly love my home country and I am proud of us as a Nation. I do not ever think that war is the best solution to any chaotic situation. That being said, when our troops are sent out to dangerous areas, I am going to be one of those Americans who strongly support their efforts. It is because of those troops, those men and women of the United States, and what they do every single day, that we remain free and protected, safe for the most part, to enjoy our own tomorrows.

During the Christmas 2010 season, I have a friend in Iraq who will be coming home soon. I met him through the Cup of Joe for a Joe coffee program on the http://www.greenbeanscoffee.com/ website. He is on the countdown stage right now, anticipating being home to spend the holidays with his loved ones. With just a bit more patience and luck, he will be home safely, embracing many tomorrows. *2011 Update: this friend did make it home safely; he is now preparing for his next active duty tour.* But we all know that there are just as many who had their tomorrows cut short. We see it every single day on the evening news. The numbers increase daily, and families throughout the United States (and other countries who have a military presence in war zones) get those dreaded official visits, telling them the fateful news.

Tomorrow is not promised to any of us, this much is another simple truth. For soldiers, it is a daily tightrope and a tenuous journey they walk, rarely knowing if they'll have that next tomorrow. Regardless of your feelings about our presence in any wartorn country, I would hope that everyone can find it in their hearts to put those opinions aside and be supportive of our troops who are currently deployed. Send them loving prayer, send Care Packages if you are able to, do something like the coffee gift program, or The Veterans Site that I mentioned above. All soldiers deserve to know that their daily efforts are appreciated. I like to believe that the more support we all offer, the more loving thought and prayer we focus on our troops, perhaps the stronger the chances are for many of them that they will, indeed, see more tomorrows. For soldiers who make it home safely, the war doesn't always end there. They require medical and psychological help that is difficult to obtain. Many others reengage successfully with civilian life, and they are the lucky ones. Regardless of their journey, they all deserve appreciation, recognition and support.

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Godspeed and God Bless all the souls who protect and serve the United States Armed Forces. I wish for each and every one of them the United States soldier's wish from decades ago in Korea:

Give them tomorrow. Many, many tomorrows.

Light always follows

2011-05-18T22:46:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Do you ever write something to a friend...something of an encouraging or uplifting tone as they're going through a challenging moment...and come back to it later, finding yourself somewhat amazed at your own wisdom? This happens to me occasionally, often enough that it has forced me to accept two truths.

One is that I can say that I have reached a level of personal growth that I am clearly aware that I am used as a vehicle at certain moments to communicate the words that person needs to hear the most. I think this happens to all of us on a regular basis, if we're present enough to recognize the experience.

The other truth is that I have also reached a level of growth where I recognize my own abilities and strengths. Some of this awareness has come from comments from people over the years who have been completely unrelated, all telling me a similar truth about myself. The "properly raised" side of me struggles with the lessons instilled from childhood to not blow my own horn, to not push myself forward in a self-aggrandizing manner, to not walk forward in an arrogantly perceived fashion. Those early lessons behoove me to remain humble and to not represent myself brashly. All of that being said, it is a pleasant thing to come to a place in my personal growth where I am comfortable with the traits and strengths that I have honed over a lifetime; the traits that allow me to make a difference in this world.

Months ago, I was having an email conversation with a friend who was struggling through a rocky period. This friend had also blogged about their experience, and I had replied with this snippet:

"...it is also not necessary to walk a dark path alone. The truth is, rarely do we have to, if we would but realize it. Help, encouragement, friendship and a soft place to fall are all usually within fingertip reach...even if all that those things can do is simply provide a listening ear. Brighter moments are always on the horizon because it is a simple truth that darkness cannot endure. Light always follows."

At the time I wrote that passage, it struck me as a very powerful message. So powerful that I copied and pasted it into my blog draft folder, tucking it away for a future blog article. When I was writing those words above, I was consciously aware that I was being given a degree of assistance, as the words flowed so effortlessly from my keyboard. I had that moment of startling clarity where all the planets aligned, per se, and the simplicity of the wording gave me chills. When chills hit, you know that you've created something of such harmonic purity that it resonates at a very high level. At least, that's the message I receive when chills hit me after writing or reading something that I find to be profound.

So, this line of thought falls somewhat into the "chicken vs. egg" theory. Which came first - being aware that I was being used as a vehicle to communicate that message? Or reaching a stage of awareness that allowed me to be aware I was being used as that vehicle? Many would say that it doesn't matter, and perhaps that is true. I think there is no fault in claiming ownership of growth and awareness on a spiritual level, as those personal achievements are always hard fought and hard won.

One of my strongest talents in this life is the ability to weave words together to communicate my thoughts. Another strong talent is one that I haven't ever consciously honed - it is one that I have come to accept exists through the comments of people around me. For whatever reason, I exude a sense of peace on a personal level, as well as that same sense of peace being communicated with my writing. When I started this blogging journey and sat with a friend and her laptop to create this blog page, I had no idea how prophetic and ideal the title I came up with would be. The Healing Morning title continues to be appropriate, and continues to allow me to grow....or, more to the point, it grows with me. Occasionally, I will run across a passage I have written in the past and be reminded that I am definitely on the right path. The quote above was such a reminder.

I think we all question why we are here on a regular basis. We wonder if we're making any tangible difference in the world with the life we're leading. It can be a lonely reality for every single one of us occasionally. The comment above that I wrote to my friend had a dual purpose; one being to extend encouragement and support to that friend, and another being to remind me, months down the road, that I'm doing okay.

Photo courtesty of
http://www.johnwimberlyphotography.com/

There's that passage in the Bible about entertaining angels unaware:

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrew 13:2

Let me stress that I am in no way intimating that I am some exalted presence! Far from it. I do, however, think there is the possibility that when we are in a creative and/or loving state of mind, that our Spirit opens up to a larger degree, allowing inspiration to flow. Who is to say that this is not merely a different manner of entertaining angels unaware? Divine presence doesn't have to manifest in physical form for us to feel it and be inspired by it. I have heard many creative people claim an almost amnesiac state of mind when they have been in a firestorm of creativity - they feverishly go with the Muse, working non-stop until the canvas has been painted, the book has been written, the song has been created, the athletic event has been won. When they look back and attempt to explain or detail each step, it is a blur. All they can say is that a rush of unique, all encompassing energy took over and their body responded until the goal was achieved.

I talk a great deal about Light when I write. I find it interesting that I ended my paragraph to this friend with the comment that

"Brighter moments are always on the horizon because it is a simple truth that darkness cannot endure. Light always follows."

This is a message I need to remember on a personal level, because I, too, have moments that I lose sight of this simple truth. Whatever the source of beautiful inspiration that produced that thought, I find it a strong, clear message. Not everyone will read this blog article and find it to make the kind of sense that I am attempting to communicate. Others will read it and immediately understand what I am working to convey. This Earth School that we all inhabit definitely gives us strong challenges and those challenges take us on complicated journeys, weaving in and out of sunlight, passing through occasional dark, sometimes protracted passages. The message that I have learned over a lifetime is clear, and it is one I will continue to share....

Darkness cannot endure. Light always follows.

No Place Like Home

2011-05-07T23:35:00.002-04:00

Image courtesy of
Authentic Blogger

Did you know that moving ranks in the Top 3 most stressful events that can hit an individual's life? The other two are death and marriage. I, for one, am not a fan of moving. I know many people enjoy it, see it as an adventure and embrace all the nuances of change that come along with the experience. I accept that type of change grudgingly, although with age and time, I have found a way to cope better than I used to.

So, with that being said, imagine a dramatic drumroll as I announce with a flourish (because there simply must be a flourish) that Authentic Blogger has moved its presence on Facebook from the original group format to a new Page format.

Why have we chosen to make this move? Good question. The answer is that Facebook, in its infinite wisdom, recently made the arbitrary decision to do away with the original Facebook group format. They created a new and improved group format a couple months ago and apparently have decided that the common response to that new format has been sufficient to put a kill on the old group format. Those of us who "own" groups in the old format have been advised to either upgrade to the new group format, or allow our group page to eventually be archived by Facebook. We gave it some thought - by "we", I mean that I and the wonderful people who help me at Authentic Blogger, Dave Roy and Anahid Boghosian - and decided to not upgrade to the new group format. We decided, instead, to switch to a Facebook Page format and we published that page to live status on Facebook today. Although many of our members like the new group format, we felt that changing over to a Page format will best serve the goals we have in place for the future of the Authentic Blogger concept.

So, a few things are important to impart. The most important one is that Authentic Blogger hasn't changed in any way except for our "physical" address on Facebook. We are still the same blogging concept that all our members have grown to know and love.

We still advocate authentic interaction with fellow bloggers, suggesting that you take time to truly read content of blogs you follow, and take time to leave thoughtful comments on those posts.
We strongly do NOT encourage the "if you follow me, I'll follow you" mentality that is rampant in the blogging world.
We embrace building relationships with fellow bloggers.
We pledge to continue to provide a community and forum to mentor, support and encourage all bloggers on a worldwide platform.

Being the creature of habit that I am, I resisted this Facebook change for as long as possible. In fact, had Facebook not pushed the issue, I probably would still have happily kept the original group format in place for Authentic Blogger. Change, while perhaps not always comfortable, is obviously a good thing. It forces us out of complacent behavior and bad habits. It opens up new avenues, creates new relationships and experiences and provides fresh, new energy. With that in mind, I should be welcoming this new experience for Authentic Blogger with open arms. Well, don't get me wrong - I do see the value in this new chapter for us. That doesn't mean I'm all happy and chirpy about it.

I'm nervous as all get out, if I'm honest. We founded Authentic Blogger in December of 2009, with big dreams and little idea of what we were doing. To our surprise and delight, the concept caught on and was embraced immediately, and our presence in the blogging world began to grow. We set goals for membership and continued to be thrilled when those goals were not only met, but exceeded regularly. We've gone through many growing pains and changes in the past two years, and we continue to learn as we grow. I recognize that we'll grow in a positive manner from this change also. My own biggest concern is that we don't backslide. At our highest point of membership, our original group page had grown to 793 members. Now we're back to starting from zero with membership of this new page, and that's the part I can't help but focus on. Yes, there's an element of ego involved, I admit this freely. I am justifiably proud of what we have achieved with the Authentic Blogger concept, and it is important to me that we continue to stay at that high level of success.

Should I predicate our success on a membership number? No, I shouldn't. Do I? Yes, to a degree. I can't deny that I loved, and still love, watching our membership increase. The thought of losing all that momentum with membership during this move was not something I was happy about. I can report that as of approximately 8pm, EST, May 7, 2011 when we published the new Authentic Blogger FB Page, our membership has been busily zipping along and increasing at a rapid pace. That response is wonderful to see, and I'm happy to recognize many familiar faces of fellow bloggers hitting our new Page wall. In the coming days, I'm sure we'll continue to grow. I hope we'll be back to, or close to, our middle 700 membership in a couple of weeks. I realize that if we're not, I shouldn't internalize that or take it personally, and I'll do my best to heed my own advice. We've already received a ton of encouragement from the Facebook blogging community at large and that's just heartwarming! I have always looked at all the other Facebook blogging groups as a collaborative effort. There are a few who choose to be exclusionary, but the majority of them are driven by other wonderful bloggers who embrace the concept of helping one another.

For those who are members of our original Facebook group page for Authentic Blogger, you will find when you visit that page in the coming weeks that you can no longer post links on our wall. We disabled that feature and have posted the new link to direct you to our new Facebook Page for Authentic Blogger. We plan to leave the old group page up and running for a couple more weeks so that people who may have missed all the alerts and posts about the move will be able to find us. We also sent out an email to all original Authentic Blogger group members with all the details, explanations and the new Page link to find us. We hope that this move will cause a minimum of fuss and confusion and that all our friends and followers will be able to easily find us, Like our Page and get back to the regular business of posting their links on our wall and interacting with fellow members of our community.

In closing, we hope this minor change will not be a hindrance to the growth of the Authentic Blogger community. We value each and every blogger who has joined us, as you are the people who have helped us continue to grow, learn and succeed. We hope everyone will help us to get the word out about our new Page location on Facebook by sharing the link on your Twitter and Facebook walls. To make that easier for you, our unique username on Facebook is www.facebook.com/AuthenticBlogger. Feel free to grab the link and share with your blogging friends! In the immortal words of Dorothy and Glenda, the Good Witch,

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

"...there's no place like home....there's no place like home..."

We look forward to welcoming you back to the new home of Authentic Blogger on Facebook. See you there!

Grasshopper Thoughts, Vol. IV, April 2011

2011-04-29T02:15:00.001-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

A friend mentioned on her Facebook wall today that she had insulted her cell phone by dropping it in tanning oil. This drew me inevitably into a typical spiral of thought. I had to ask the obvious question: "More importantly, does the cell phone now have a lovely peachy warm glow?" Because that's the whole point of tanning oil, yes? I say "peachy warm glow" because that's about as close to tan as my skin gets. I got slapped with all the Irish genes in the family, while my brother, sister and Mom got the Cherokee genes. Unfair, I say. They all have that lovely true red-olive undertone to their skin and they stay dark year round. I have to work really hard to get anything resembling a tan, with the result being that I look like a peach with a smattering of freckles. *sigh*
And I blame all this angst on the warm weather that will demand short skirts, sandals and more exposed skin. In order to not blind unsuspecting onlookers, I'll probably have to bite the bullet and go for a fake tanner of some kind. At least then, freckles can be avoided across the nose. It's a trifle lowering to look like I'm twelve years old all over again, so fake tanning is the best option. If this friend hadn't gone and dumped her cell phone into the tanning oil, I could probably have avoided this approaching dilemma for another couple of weeks....

Who decided that Red Velvet Cake needed to be...well...RED?? And who thinks it really tastes good? I guess a lot of people do, considering how popular it is. To me, it tastes like a mouthful of sugary, bitter, red food coloring. But then, so do Peeps. Another friend (you know who you are...Marticus) literally lives for Peeps! It is one of his Happy Places, when Peeps hit the shelves. These days, they're pretty much a year round presence, in the guise of all manner of critters and creatures. They still taste like sugary, bitter food coloring to me.

Which brings me to birds. The real, live, chirpy kind. Specifically, wrens. The ones that keep climbing inside the exhaust vents outside my kitchen wall, finding some bizarre hidden opening into the townhouse, and ending up in my upstairs master bathroom. Twice, so far. Dawnie to the rescue, again, twice. My question is, wouldn't you think they'd get that the first experience wasn't all that fun, and that a second one makes zero sense? I would think that, but I guess I don't think in a wren-birdy fashion, because they're building yet another nest in the danged vent. Chicken wire over the vents (both of them) has been my request and strong suggestion to the maintenance crew of this complex, but hey, what do I know? They, the maintenance people, keep ignoring me and just keep tearing out the nest. Clearly, they're not familiar with how tenacious wrens are with nesting habits. I predict more wren home infiltration in my near future.

I am writing this Grasshopper post because it's late...2:00 am....and I'm hyped up from being overly tired, and this is a way to attempt to quiet my mind. Yesterday the southeastern United States was hit by a series of terrible, destructive storms. Death tolls were very high and damages were extreme. Today...tonight...as I spin my litany of Grasshopper Thoughts, I reflect on how blessed I am that I can sit here and yammer on about the very minor challenge of wren home invasions. I'm blessed that I know where my cell phone is, that I know where all my possessions are, for that matter....rather than being in the position of being homeless in the aftermath of a tornado. Tomorrow, I will continue to focus concentrated thought, energy and Light towards those who have been so deeply affected by this bad weather event. I will volunteer my time in the coming weeks and I will be appreciative of the fact that although last night was scary, I came through it intact, with a roof over my head and all my loved ones safe and unharmed. That's a fitting end to a Grasshopper Jaunt, if ever there was one.

Auto-pilot Journey

2011-04-26T19:15:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Has anyone had the experience of being hacked lately? In this electronic age, I doubt that many reading this post have been untouched by this nasty issue. It happened to me very recently, and in stages that I later learned were interconnected. It started with my Facebook account being hacked, then progressed a week later to my primary email account getting hit, and finally, my banking account was infiltrated. Each occurrence was time consuming to address, and annoying in the extreme. Thankfully, the majority of people who know me are aware that I wouldn't ever send spamming links (via email), or post similar links on my Facebook page. The banking account hacking was obviously the most concerning episode of this whole experience, as it could have had extremely damaging repercussions. I am fortunate that I bank with a federal credit union, and that my credit/debit card that was tied to this account was 100% protected. This did not, however, keep me from going through protracted clean-up of the whole mess. In fact, not a day has gone by in the two weeks since this happened without me remembering one more company I need to contact about the cancelled credit card.

Of course, nothing life threatening happened. Life didn't stop; I wasn't affected beyond having to scramble to make sure monthly bills had, indeed, been paid during the fallout period of the hacking event. What happened was that I was forced to go back to using my check book for purchases. Remember that? It used to be the commonplace manner of commerce for all of us. We wrote checks and we realized that big purchases might sometimes take longer to process, so we were more mindful of our purchasing activity. I readily admit that the convenience of having a debit card allows me to be less responsible with my spending habits. Debit cards post purchases so quickly to our banking accounts, and those accounts are immediately accessible via the internet that we all tend to whip that card out with very little thought these days.

So, in the midst of all this cleaning up of the multiple hacking events, what I recognized was that perhaps this series of events occurred as a wake up call for me. I am not suggesting that I zip around, madly spending with that debit card, or that I'm irresponsible with the money that I have. To the contrary, I'm probably one of the more financially responsible people you're likely to meet. That being said, I do know that that debit card encouraged me to be a bit more blithe with my finances than was necessary.

In the approximate ten days that I waited on my new debit card to be processed and mailed to me, I immediately became more aware of how I behaved with my money. Writing a check to purchase something takes longer than swiping a credit card; as a result, it forces you to move more methodically, more slowly, and to be more aware of what you're doing. As is my habit, when something of this nature occurs and grabs my conscious attention, I look for the deeper message.

Around the time all of this was happening to me, we were approaching Easter week. This high holy week is one that causes the whole world to slow down, to ponder very deep concepts, and to be appreciative on myriad levels. As is common of spiritual holidays, many people choose to release from their physical bodies around Easter (and Christmas and several other holy days). In my own personal sphere, two people close to me passed away. Both were unexpected deaths, as both people were vital, active individuals that no one would have expected to have to say that final goodbye to with such abruptness. Consequently, yet more moments demanded that I stop going through life on a bit of an auto-pilot status. Two beautiful Souls left this earth in an unexpected manner, reminding us all of the capriciousness of Life in general. There is Divine Order to the moment each of us quits this life, and there are also lessons to be learned when someone near us passes over.

Why am I weaving these occurrences together? Is it absurd to see a common thread in my life between being multiply hacked and the passing of two special people? What I am focusing on is that all of these events jarred me. They stripped my life down to some very bare bones, to a very elemental, quiet state. I was forced to go back to a more simple method of commerce, and I found that it wasn't necessarily a bad experience. It gave me clarity on some of my habits that had become sloppy and slightly unconscious with finances. We also become lazy with relationships. It isn't a harsh, condemning statement that I make here....it is human nature for us all to get distracted, to coast through life occasionally and to take a wide range of people and things for granted. We all do it. Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly.

It is only when an abrupt change hits our personal horizon that we wake up from our auto-pilot journey. The image above has the text:

Autopilot Off....Make A Sound
I found that to be a very profound example of what has been running through my mind as I contemplated writing this article. When we're existing in auto-pilot mode, or in car terms, in cruise control, we're doing so much less than we're capable of. In effect, we're muffling our unique sound. While every second of every day shouldn't necessarily be jam packed with mindful activity, there is definitely merit in identifying lazy behavior, or lack of attention to those areas, people and experiences that truly matter. Yes, I have days where I don't want the weight of the world on my shoulders and I want to simply exist, but for the most part, I admit that I want to be making sound. I want to be making a difference, and I want to be living my life out loud.

Therefore, as I continue to tidy up the detritus of this multiple hacking experience, I also give a nod of recognition and thanks to God/Universe/Spirit to the lesson contained therein. I got it. I saw it. I absorbed it and I made some necessary changes and adjustments in my personal life. The two beloved souls that crossed over during this time period are not ones that can be replaced. This is obvious. The loss of both of them leaves this world irrevocably changed, stripping multiple hearts of their presence, their smiles, their laughter and their unique energy. I was fundamentally reminded of how brief and fleeting this Life is, and these two losses, combined with the mechanical failure of being hacked, presented me with a strong opportunity to grow. These occurrences might seem to have no overlapping energy to those reading this blog, but for me, they had a penetrating effect on how I look at the world.

Will I go back to that old, familiar, convenient and comfortable auto-pilot method with my finances? Most likely, I will....to a degree. We do all embrace convenience readily, if we're honest. This lesson, however, went much deeper for me than simple financial responsibility. I do believe that from this point forward, I will have a much more conscious approach each time I swipe that convenient little card. To those who know me well, I am a proponent of living consciously. Of being responsible for our actions, thoughts and words on an immediate level.

I believe that every single thing we do has dramatic impact on those around us, and that this impact is far reaching. Science proves to us that we react on a cellular level to everything that bombards our physical and emotional bodies. The events of the past two weeks gave me several powerful nudges and reminded me that I've slipped a bit, here and there. These events were a clear indicator that I had been on a bit more of an auto-pilot journey than I would prefer. As a result, I've made adjustments accordingly, and I've taken time to put my ensuing thoughts on screen here. It is my goal to always be mindful, to always be engaged, to always be aware and to always be consciously interacting with my own personal experience and with those who weave in and out of my personal experience.

Sometimes the reminder comes in electronic format, and is a general annoyance to process. Sometimes the reminder is more extreme, and touches the heart with ragged claws, rending and waking us up dramatically. The multi-fold reminder, for me, is that living Life on an auto-pilot journey is not my preference. Instead, I will take the general annoyances as a wake-up call. And I will also take the deeper, painful personal losses and retain the stripe given. One experience nudged me to be more personally accountable on a financial level; two other experiences reminded me to be more present in personal relationships. And Logic tells me that each of these experiences cannot be successfully lived on autopilot status. When we turn our personal autopilot off, I daresay that Life does make a sound.

A mousetrap of the writerly variety

2011-04-13T14:30:00.003-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

For those who have been blogging for a while, you're probably familiar with the concept of guest posting. That's when another blogger invites you to write a blog article that will be featured on their blog. It gives you more exposure to a completely different demographic (depending on the focus of that other blog); you meet new people and if you're lucky, people will enjoy your guest post enough to investigate your blog and you'll grow your readership.

I don't do a lot of guest blogging, and the main reason is a simple one - lack of time. I am a freelance writer, editor and blogger, and also a social media management consultant. The fact that writing is both my avocation and my vocation means that I write a good 90% of the business week for myself and my blog at Healing Morning, and for clients. Whatever time is left over, I'm attending networking functions and meeting new people in order to source new contracts. Blogging on a personal level tends to get shifted to the side burner as a result. If you're a blogger, then you know one of the Cardinal Rules of Blogging is reciprocation. Given that I stay so busy, it isn't often that I have time for the guest blogging process. Occasionally, a blogging friend will invite me to do a guest post, and I do my best to accept the offer if it fits the general tone and theme of what I do at Healing Morning.

Anna L. Walls, of Anna's Obsession blog, recently asked me to do a guest post. So, here I am, ruminating on writerly things. I've written my whole life, and began to work in a freelance aspect with writing and editing about 18 - 20 years ago. I've had endless ups and downs, hot moments and long dry spells, as I worked to create a niche for myself. Recently, within the past 2-3 years, social media has afforded me an ancillary option to add to my bag of tricks as a writer, and as a result, my business is growing and thriving.

What the heck is a social media manager or consultant? It's someone like me who has strong writing and editing skills, who is also social media savvy and capable of taking on the social media management needs for various clients. This can translate to ghost writing blogs, to ghost writing newspaper articles, to doing research, to writing all manner of reports, to creating ad copy, to technical writing, and finally, to writing and scheduling daily/weekly social media wall posts for clients who are too busy to do it for themselves.

This sounds easy, yes? Like something you could dive into without a second thought and have immediate, over the top success. I wish that were true! The reality is that although social media is, indeed, increasing on an exponential manner on a worldwide basis, most business owners are still a bit vague about how social media can benefit their profit margin. Marketing is everything to every business, and many business owners haven't quite warmed up to the concept that social media is the strongest marketing tool available these days. At least this is true of the area where I'm located - the southeastern region is historically a bit slower to embrace new marketing concepts and trends. As a result, a great deal of my own marketing of these services is being an educator and teaching people about the value of social media.

I'm happy to say that there is increasing awareness and appreciation for social media consulting in my geographical location. I'm meeting more and more business owners who are waking up to the fact that they're overlooking a very hot, not to mention FREE, marketing tool. I am hopeful that within the next 6 months, I'll have enough business in my pipeline that I'll have to hire additional help. I'm well on the way to making that dream a reality, so in my own small part of the world, I am seeing a slight improvement in the economy. In addition to that slight economical improvement, I recognize that I've done a lot of the groundwork and created that ideal valuable niche for myself. Most networking group meetings I attend, I find that I am the unique person in attendance, offering a service that no one else does in my local area. We all recognize the logic behind coming up with that next fresh, unique idea, and for me, freelance writing, editing, blogging and social media consulting is proving to be my version of the "better mousetrap". My mousetrap is of the writerly variety.

I am also another blogger who has aspirations and intentions of becoming a published author in both fiction and non-fiction genres. While I work to make that dream a reality, the freelance writing side of things is what pays the bills for me. I feel that I am fortunate to be one of those people who is being paid to do what I love. I also am happy that I can see strong signs of this foundation leading to bigger and better experiences. My mousetrap of the writerly variety is proving to be a pretty handy and clever creation.

I hope many of you will take a moment to click over to Anna's Obsession and check her blog out. Here is the backlink for this guest post: http://annalwalls.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-title-mousetrap-of-writerly.html.

*Disclaimer: No mice were harmed in the writing of this article.*

Perfectly Placed In Time

2011-04-05T15:03:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I've written before that I enjoy rainy days (Free Flight, Healing Morning, 1/24/2010). Particularly, I enjoy the ones where the rain visits for several days and gives us that soft, misty gray quality to enjoy. To me, the world takes on a different energy, one that is a bit slower, a bit more deliberate and a bit more profound...if we pause long enough to embrace it. Rainy days have a sleepy quality, and for some reason, I seem to be given clear direction and guidance on those days. Perhaps this happens simply because rainy days force us to slow down in our overall pace, and we have more time to pay attention to feelings and impressions.

Last week, through a series of connections, I ended up attending a local business networking function. This meeting was held in one of our skyscraper buildings in the downtown Knoxville area, at the top floor of that building. I've been to that private club floor several times over the years, and I never fail to enjoy the panoramic view of Knoxville from that perspective. The meeting I attended was in a corner room that had two full walls of windows, allowing us to see a wide expanse of Knoxville. Because of the rainy day, fog and the typical mists of East Tennessee were present, cloaking the city and surrounding ridges in drifting misty clouds. Everything was shades of black, grays and whites, and standing there, I was struck with a dramatic sense of peace.

Earlier in this week, I had experienced a dream that gave me a very clear message of interacting with local business groups being important to my own business success. I heeded that dream, as I have always believed we are given very strong messages in the dream state, and as I attended various group meetings, I began to see an almost immediate result. I am still in the very new stages of identifying the groups where I wish to establish stronger, permanent connections, but I am more than pleased with the feedback I'm receiving.

That particular afternoon, in that room of that skyscraper, gazing out over Knoxville as the city drowsed its way through the soft, gray rainy day, I got typically choked up at the beauty of it all, and how perfectly placed I was in that moment in time. We're all guilty of overlooking clear messages we're given, because life is definitely chock full of distractions and stressors. But when we...or, when I make a conscious effort to pay attention to those messages, those nudges and those obvious opportunities, it is gratifying how quickly things begin to fall into place. I wish that I had had a camera that day so that I could've snapped an enduring image of what my eyes saw and my Spirit felt, but the image is one that exists only in my memories and mind's eye. I can relate to you that it was beautiful....peaceful.....and that there was a sense of hushed expectancy...of waiting....and, if I may be so bold as to voice my own interpretation....a sense of approval. That was the message I received that day.

I don't know what the immediate future will hold for me, but the short term energies that are building indicate that by heeding those Divine communications, I am creating a solid positive path for myself. Good things are happening, good connections are being established, and small successes are growing. Just a few short weeks ago, I weathered a very abrupt, frustrating rocky moment with a business contract. I wrote about that (Newly Vacated Space, Healing Morning, 3/16/2011) in order to release the negative emotions and energies and find a sense of peace and acceptance. By taking that conscious action and approach, I noticed that new opportunities did, indeed, manifest very quickly to fill that newly vacated space. And that moment at the window of that meeting room, gazing out at the drifting mists of that rainy day, it was palpable, the sense I had of everything being very clearly ordered.

For now, I am going to continue this process of networking. It is creating valuable forward momentum and dynamic interaction, and I am positive that more doors are opening as a result. I have immediate goals that are being accomplished, and I have larger dreams that I'm laying groundwork for in the process of achieving those small steps. In the midst of all this activity and bustling about, I will also keep my eye peeled for those moments, those nods of recognition that tell me I'm on the right path. I have found that if I am living consciously in this manner, not only do I recognize those little flags and hallmarks, but I also experience much more richly the moments when I am perfectly placed in time.

Spotlight On... Vol. II March 2011

2011-03-25T15:54:00.002-04:00

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Bing images

This is my second installment of my new Spotlight On series at Healing Morning and I'm happy to say that I've received a lot of support and interest from many bloggers! If you are interested in your blog being spotlighted in this series in the future, please take a moment to read the basic criteria to be considered. The criteria list is short and simple. You can contact me via my Facebook email if you would like to submit your blog page for this series. I look forward to meeting many new bloggers and spotlighting talented writers and creative people as this series continues to grow.

Here are the five blogs I've chosen to shine a Spotlight On for the month of March:

1. Confessions of a Cluttered Mind, author Debbie Lamedman. Debbie is a playwright and fellow freelance writer, so I feel a common bond with her! She writes about the vagaries of life, the unexpected moments that give joy, the frustrations and challenges of being a full-time writer, and she does it all with a healthy dose of realistic, practical humor that I find greatly entertaining. Give her a visit - she'll take you with her to discover plays, to rediscover the joy of the outdoors, and also to explore her own unique perspective of Life.

2. JP Brandano, Florida Wedding Photographer, authors Jim & Phyllis Brandano. Jim and I have become fans of one another in the past couple of months, finding one another through Authentic Blogger and a couple of other blogging groups. If you think "wedding photographer" is a limiting label, do your eyes and heart a favor and visit this blog. You'll find yourself captivated by some of the most beautiful photography that turns traditional wedding perspective on its ear in the best way possible! You'll also be given the extra delightful reward of Jim's writing; I never visit without have a deep sigh from the heart (several) because of the beautiful images, and I also never leave without laughing many times at his wonderful, dry sense of humor. He's one of my favorites & I think you'll enjoy him also.

3. Pure and Simple, author Debra El Ramey. I liken Debra to the sensation you get from sitting close to a warm, cozy fire. She radiates a genuine sense of caring and kindness, coupled with a direct, no nonsense, let's-get-to-the-thick-of-things type of energy. She is an accomplished writer who shares her thoughts on a wide range of topics, and best of all, she is what I consider the epitome of an Authentic Blogger. She takes time to read your blog content & leaves some of the most profound comments. I am greatly enjoying getting to know this lovely spirit.

4. Live in the moment Laugh always Breathe with awareness/YogaSavy, author YogaSavy Savira. Savira is a dear friend that recently relocated back to India to pursue her yoga bliss. She writes about all the facets and health benefits of yoga, as well as her own experiences in a deeply personal, yet engaging manner. I have always been drawn to the esoteric concepts and energies inherent to the practice of yoga, but I admit I am not as dedicated as Savira. She lives the truth of yoga in a fashion that I find admirable and I learn so much from her. She is another strong Authentic Blogger who interacts with her blogging friends in such a way that the miles between both locations evaporate. I call her a dear friend of my heart & hope you'll visit her blog.

5. Dave's Buttoned-Up Mind, author Dave Roy. Don't let the blog title fool you into expecting an uptight, narrow, rigid mentality. Far from it! Dave is one of those undiscovered (at least on a widespread level) should-be-famous-for-his-satire people. He's one of those people who can write about all manner of tech-ish topics, he reviews all sorts of computer games, he is currently doggedly pursuing the One Hit Wonders of the first decade of this century, and he also finds time to write on random topics that never fail to spark animated discussion. Hilarity is a common theme of his writing, or at least it's the result I experience when I visit. His humor is priceless and I always value friends who can make me laugh each time we interact. Dave is also one of our admins over at Authentic Blogger and helps keep me sane when things get crazy there.

To each author Spotlighted this month, remember to share and re-post this link on your Facebook and Twitter walls! The whole purpose of this series is to help each Spotlighted blog grow in readership, so pay it forward as much as you can. Each of you are talented writers and I hope this Spotlight helps you grow. As I said in my intro paragraph, if you are interested in having your blog in a future Spotlight On post, shoot me an email via Facebook, make sure you have complied with my criteria list, and stay tuned! You could be one of the next five authors Spotlighted!

Newly vacated space

2011-03-16T18:14:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

From the moment that our human minds mature enough to understand cause and effect, we are in an endless search for peace, satisfaction and happiness. Life definitely throws us curveballs regularly, keeping us challenged in new ways. I don't think that we ever truly maintain the same definition of "normal" throughout the years. In fact, I've often thought that achieving an endless state of satisfaction might be a death knell to myriad facets of life. I know that I thrive when I am consciously aware that I am growing, changing and being pushed to broaden my horizons. In fact, I tend to pursue such a state. I call it "Low Boredom Threshold", as I am always happiest when I have something new to conquer in my personal or business life.

A recent question was posed about how our immediate environment affects our emotional state. What works best to create a sense of calm? Obviously, this is going to vary widely from person to person, and from day to day. I have found, on a purely personal level, that where I am emotionally is what strikes the tone for experiencing solid happiness and contentment. That sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?! You're thinking, of course your emotions dictate your level of happiness. Yes, they do, but what I'm talking about is delving deeper.

For a good part of my life, I based a lot of my personal happiness on outward labels. The most important label was what I did for work - what I did to pay the bills, where I occupied 80% of my time in the business week. Given that I also spent a good number of years searching and trying on various careers to find the right fit (Low Boredom Threshold, remember?), I kept thinking that it was me....something I was doing was the problem. In a way, that was the truth, because I was identifying my dissatisfaction with each job I held. That dissatisfaction boiled down to the fact that I wasn't recognizing who and what I really was.

I wasn't any of those jobs. I just hadn't come to that state of conscious realization yet. I did identify myself as what I was doing at any given time - be it office management, retail management, real estate, medical research, holistic health provider, and a whole slew of other industries. Underlying the success that I experienced in each endeavor, there was always this nagging sense of dissatisfaction. Some of it came from various corporate rules, and I'm the first to admit that I'm not a fan of a lot of those rules. The majority of it came from the fact that I was putting so much weight and demand into the label I carried. Those various job titles never felt "right" to me.

Fast forward to the last four to five years and the whole global economy changing so drastically. Like everyone else in the world, my cozy little existence got turned upside down and I was forced to revamp and reinvent myself, more than once....more than twice, to be honest. In a curious manner, the ups and downs that I experienced forced me to be much more present and practical about what worked best for me in all areas of life. When things get pared down to bare essentials and you're starting from zero more than once, you quickly develop the ability to identify key elements that make the most sense.

For me, this translated into creating a freelancing business and being my own boss, per se. It's not always the easiest existence, as you're dependent upon the vagaries of the job market and economy in a slightly different manner, but it is a satisfying one. I am able to choose the clients and industries where I want to work, and I am able to focus my career in directions that I choose. I no longer depend on any sort of corporate entity to be the sole source of income, and I don't know that I ever want to go back to that way of life. I am much happier knowing that I have multiple streams of income, and multiple opportunities in a much wider pool of clients and industries. When bad things happen - as Life has a way of handing us those challenges in that out of the blue delivery mode - knowing that I have alternative options immediately available gives me a stronger peace of mind.

While this is my own specific experience, the deeper message that I am conveying is that it took me almost half my life to learn to stop identifying and qualifying who I am with any job that I do. I now identify myself as a writer, plain and simple. And an entrepreneur. Whatever I do in an ancillary manner to pay the bills is simply that....a means to an end. I no longer invest my whole identity into someone else's vision, unless it is in a support application with my freelancing business. I now invest my heart and soul into what gives me joy, and that is being a creative person. The emotional freedom and sense of wellness that comes along with this new approach cannot be underestimated. The fascinating thing is that by freeing up myself in this manner, I have noticed that prosperity seems to flow more efficiently. Connections flourish more easily and timing seems to click more readily.

Does this mean that I no longer have difficult moments? Absolutely not. In fact, a bad moment hit me today that I wasn't quite prepared for. I had had an intuition that things with this specific situation might not be all they appeared on the surface, but I wasn't prepared for the hitting the brick wall at maximum velocity delivery manner that occurred. Ten or fifteen years ago, this type of bad news would have been devastating to me, as I would have internalized and beaten myself up as the sole source and reason for things going wrong. I no longer do that these days. Instead, as many dear friends pointed out upon hearing this news, this type of abrupt closure is always a clear indication of better things being prepared to come into that newly vacated space.

What I am appreciative of at this point in my life is how I react to seemingly bad news. I look much deeper than I used to. I delve into the message and lessons being conveyed and I take the obvious opportunity for growth very seriously. I recognize where I have impacted any given situation in a positive or negative manner, and I learn from it. But the most important realization, for me, is that I am at a point in my life where I do not predicate my self worth on outside sources. My emotional health definitely comes from within, and from there springs my complete happiness. Even in the midst of admittedly bad news, such as that which I received today, I can honestly say I'm not broken hearted, dismayed or even too terribly upset. I'm at an emotional and mental stage where I see balance and logic in every occurrence. I won't lie and say I'm not frustrated with this temporary snag, because we never like to weather bad news, but all in all, I see Divine Order in everything around me. This newly vacated space is waiting for new and different energy to set up housekeeping and provide new experiences.

So, from the perspective of how our environment affects our emotional well being, I guess the stronger message would be to first look inward and see how reactive each of us may be to a given situation. I'm choosing to view my own recent experience of this newly vacated space as an opportunity.

Grasshopper Thoughts, Vol. III March 2011

2011-03-02T19:38:00.002-05:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

The grasshopper urge is upon me, and I am indulging it. I was writing in my journal yesterday - it's an 8 x 10 hard bound artist's sketch book with unlined pages - and my pen ran out of ink. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm picky about the pen I use. I prefer black medium ball point pens. Finding just the RIGHT black medium ball point pen is the challenge.

I've tried those gel pens and they skip on the page. They're also invariably only available in fine point and I hate that. Fine point on pens leaves too spidery a line of ink, and because I tend to use a lot of pressure, they can literally scratch a hole in the paper. Felt tip pens get pressure points on them and then you can only use them at that specific angle, so those don't make the list for me. Some ball point pens get snotty noses. You know what I'm talking about, right?! They get globs of ink that collect and eventually smear across the page. Drives me nuts, personally. And of course, when my preferred pen ran out of ink, I didn't have any replacements in the house. Off to the store I'll go tomorrow to see if I can find more, and this time, I'm getting several boxes to have on hand. My writing demands it!

While we're on the subject of office supplies, who decided to change the formula of Crayons??? I don't know when it occurred, but sometime in the past 2-3 years, they've changed. Maybe you haven't noticed, but I have nephews in elementary school, so crayons are a necessary item in my household for when they visit. Crayola crayons smell different these days, and the consistency is different. They're softer, kind of mushy when you color with them. Not that this stops the world from turning in any dramatic fashion, but I noticed. Yep, I'm a purist. Certain formulae shouldn't be tampered with. Ever. Bring back the old Crayon formula, I say!

I'd like for someone to invent newspapers that do not crinkle loudly when being read, please. Yes, I know, the world is being taken over by those infernal electronic reader contraptions, and newspapers are dying a rapid death, soon to be extinct. Whilst still here, though, couldn't someone come up with a treatment of the paper that makes it less rustly? And there I go, contradicting my prior paragraph that certain formulae shouldn't be tampered with. Well, this is my blog where I rule supreme, so I'm making an arbitrary ruling that newpaper formula CAN be tampered with. Tamper away, anyone out there reading this! And let me know when you've perfected it. There are people in my life that really need to have that formula applied to their newspaper, because they're overly enthusiastic newspaper rustlers and it makes my teeth hurt.

There are moments when simple pleasures are pure perfection. This month, for me, the simple pleasure is fresh strawberries the size of small plums. I have no idea where these berries hail from, but they're HUGE, with just the right blend of sweetness and tartness. Not a mushy berry to be found (don't get me started on mushy fruit - if you're curious, you can read an old post Unripened fruit, sparkles and twinkles, Healing Morning 2/4/2010) in the carton, and I am enjoying them immensely. And while I'm on the subject of perfect fruit, it just KILLS me to watch a cooking show on TV and see them take beautiful fresh berries and puree them into a sauce, or slap sugar all over them. More of my purist tendencies are cropping up - I really like fruit w/ no accoutrements. Unless it's the dark chocolate with raspberries combo, and then I make another arbitrary ruling. ;-)

There are more grasshopper thoughts hopping about in my brain, but these will suffice for now. I don't want to overwhelm you with the bizarre directions my brain flits about all in one shot, after all!

A different kind of letter

2011-02-26T14:42:00.002-05:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

If you could write a letter to Love, what would it say? That's a powerful concept, yes? For some reason, the past week has introduced a lot of conversation about relationships. I've talked with friends and family members about various aspects of their current and past relationships. We've explored and discussed in great detail what went right, what went wrong, where pitfalls lie, how to avoid same. We've discussed fairytale wishes and the harsh reality that daily Life inflicts on every relationship we're involved in.

Loving and being loved are both simple acts, when you boil them down to their core elements. STAYING in love is the true challenge, as most of us who have been in any relationship longer than a calendar year can attest to.

We all want love. And we all deserve love...both giving and receiving. I've talked in past blog articles about the manner that we each express love (Allow Love, Healing Morning 10/22/2009 and How Do You Love? Healing Morning 10/23/2009). We each have a unique fingerprint for the way that we express our deepest emotions. Some of us are more quiet in our approach, and others are exhuberant and flamboyant. Many fall somewhere in between those two extremes. The beauty of love is that there is no right or wrong manner of expression, as long as the people around us are aware of our true feelings and devotion.

Most people who follow my blog, or who are connected with me via various social media services know that I am an avid fan of the 13th century Persian philosopher, Rumi. One of my absolute favorite quotes of this amazing man is as follows:

The minute I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you, not knowing
how blind that was.
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere,
they're in each other all along.

Another favorite Rumi quote:

Because of love

I have become
the giver of light.

This man's thoughts always transport me and lift me up to a higher level of appreciation. It never fails to rivet my imagination that Rumi lived so many centuries ago, yet much of his thoughts apply to this modern age. We all know that love is eternal. For those who believe in an existence beyond this physical plane, the concept of love gains a completely different meaning and dimension. Loss and sadness become bearable because of this, as the belief of reunion at some point is embraced.

Nothing I say here is unique, or new. Philosophers and great minds, artists, poets and musicians have plumbed the depths of Love, finding endless forms of expression. Personally, I have a continual inner dialogue with Love. Some would call it God/Universe...that Divine Higher Power. Some would call these conversations prayer. For me, the conversation is ongoing and multi-layered. I don't believe that a single letter to Love would suffice, if I were to sit down and focus on a simple communication. That's why I tend to engage in mindful interaction on a daily basis with God/Universe. I see the answers everywhere around me. In nature, in the faces and smiles of those I love, in random unexpected moments of laughter, in hardship and in those exquisitely peaceful moments of quiet.

In the most trying and challenging of times, Love has never left my life path. I feel it as a sure, steady thread of energy. If I could describe my mental images, I would paint a tapestry of delicate, yet sturdy woven fabric...invisible to our human eyes, but palpable. Love is felt with all our senses, after all. Through touch, through sight, through sounds and fragrances that build hallmark memories. It wraps around us like an energetic blanket, so I guess that's why I envision an ethereal fabric that is incapable of being truly destroyed. In my mind's eye, the fabric of Love is an enduring, one-size-fits-all piece of cloth.

As far as the original question that I posed, I think of that often. What would my letter to Love say? I have written a few of those over the years and most likely will write more. It's what I do, after all....writing and questioning and musing on those indefinable concepts. I have always thought that the conversation, if I could have it face to face with Love, would begin with a smile and a warm, welcoming, heartfelt embrace. And soon thereafter, I would engage in a conversation spanning all of known time. Can you imagine the stories that Love could tell us? The beauty is almost beyond comprehension, showering down upon countless individuals throughout history, as the human spirit bursts with the need and desire to express love.

Ancient wisdom teaches us that that which we identify as God, or the Divine, sought to create a world where this energy of Love could be physically expressed....and our beautiful planet was the result. So, perhaps one of my letters to Love would begin with a simple Thank You, and a nod of appreciation for sticking with us here on Earth, giving us endless opportunities to give Love a voice, hands to touch, arms to embrace and hearts to overflow.

Can I Get An Alien?

2011-02-19T00:24:00.006-05:00

Spanky Marcel Percy Alien Jones
Photo courtesy of
http://www.pixelperfectdigital.com/

Foreword: Yep, with this post, a foreword is definitely necessary! Below is a series of three separate perspectives on the same experience. Mine (Dawn), and those of my two dear friends, Lisa and Irma Kaye. We all hope that you’ll all take time to read through all three sections, even though it does make for a lengthy post. The whole experience makes perfect sense if you do take the time to read each separate section, through to the end.

We can guarantee you’ll get a chuckle or two and perhaps a new fun word to toss out in conversation! We all three hope that you’ll take time to visit our respective blogs, and to that end, we have posted hyperlinks/links back to each of our blog pages. You’ll find the links at the end of each section, next to our byline. ~ Dawn, Lisa & Irma Kaye

____________________________________________

How it all started:
You know how friendship works. If you're very fortunate, you meet people along your life path and click instantly with them. Your heart remembers them immediately and the connection starts right back up where it left off in the mists of time. Simple enjoyment of one another exists. In short order, you lose sight of when you actually met, because you feel that you've known them forever. Quickly thereafter, Secret Code begins to happen.

Secret Code, you ask? Yes. I'm sure you've experienced it. It is a short-hand language of sorts, cobbled together from a variety of experiences. They're usually loaded with hilarity, prompted by absurdity and become that Insider Lingo between you...a quick reference that only the two of you, or the group of you, understand.

If any of you are connected to me via Facebook, you may have noticed some Secret Code being slung around here and there. One of them has grown into a life of its own, so much so that those of us involved in the genesis of it think it should be shared.

Several months back, Lisa B. and I were commenting in a Facebook thread on Irma Kaye S.'s wall. I honestly don't recall what the focus of that thread was. It was late at night and I was sleep deprived. As a result, I glanced at a comment that Irma Kaye had made and I read it wrong - when I'm very fatigued, dyslexia will creep in and I will transpose letters/words, or I'll just see the whole sentence in a completely wrong manner. Irma Kaye's comment ended with, "Can I get an amen on that?"

I, however, read it as, "Can I get an alien on that?"

In my head, I'm automatically thinking, "An ALIEN? Why would she want an alien? How odd is THAT? WHO in their right mind would ask for such a thing.... OH. Wait, she said 'amen'. Not 'alien'."

In my sleep deprived state, this struck me as too funny to keep to myself, so I typed all of the above in Irma Kaye's thread. Lisa, being her endearing, lovely self took it to new heights of hilarity, running with a revival theme something along these lines:

"Can you get an alien, Dawnie? You most certainly can! *raises hands to the Heavens to testify*. Alien NOW!"

Now, let me also share that Lisa and I have this ongoing game we play that we robbed from the cell phone "Can you hear me now?" commercials.

Lisa: "Can you hear me now? *waits 12 seconds* How 'bout now? Now? No, wait...wait...NOW, now. No, NOW! Right? NOW????"

Lisa and I play this game often, in Facebook posts, email and texting, because it makes us laugh. She morphed that game into the new Alien Game. The new short-hand, Secret Code of same is: "Can I get an Alien?" And in reply, "Alien NOW!"

About two weeks ago, Irma Kaye and I were chatting in yet another Facebook thread and she cracked us both up with this: "When we type (alien now) <--this is our 'inside alien voice'."

Of course, I had to share this with Lisa. Lisa, in turn, responded with: "And 'Alien NOW' is the turning-cartwheels-down-the-hallway-shouting-it-to-the-rooftops broadcasting version!"

So, my friends, anytime you see me in a Facebook thread, or in Twitter, typing the words, "Alien", or "Alien NOW", or any future version of the word or phrase, you'll know some of the back story. Perhaps you'll be chuckling along with us! Maybe this whole post will have you wondering why you spent time clicking over here to read this, as it isn’t the norm for my posts. Those who know me and my slightly off-center sense of humor will undoubtedly be smiling and laughing.

Life is not always meant to be ponderous and serious, I think. Indeed, Life is punctuated by those bright moments of hilarity, irreverence and sheer silliness between friends. I'm blessed beyond belief with this strong network of Sister Friends - that family that we choose, as opposed to the family we're born into. I managed to be doubly blessed that both my blood family and my heart family are populated with equally beautiful souls. I look about me quite often and marvel at the richness of friendship and family that surrounds me, and the love that flows. These people love me and accept me for who I am, quirks and all, and I offer the same acceptance towards them. These little funnies add flair, nonsense, color, verve and pure fun to each encounter and lift the heart and spirit as a result. I am a better person for having each of these special women in my life.

Eventually, I'm going to meet both these wonderful ladies in person and I'll have photographs to share. Lisa and I happen to be similar in complexion, which is of the ultra-fair variety. Milky pale skin is what we're talking about. Lisa claimed a while back that when we DO try to do pictures together, we'll probably break technology with our fairness...the digital camera eye will struggle so much to capture our images without a glare being thrown off our skin. I fell out laughing on that one, and you can see why I love her so much. Zany humor makes life so much more enjoyable!

Lisa is going to add her side of the story to this post, and I look forward to reading her thoughts. Then Irma Kaye will finish the series with her thoughts. I'll close my section with a favorite quote that I feel defines this little story:

You that would judge me, do not judge alone this book or that, come to this hallowed place where my friends' portraits hang and look thereon; Ireland's history in their lineaments trace; think where man's glory most begins and ends and say my glory was I had such friends. ~ William Butler Yeats

~ S. Dawn Sievers, Healing Morning blog
_________________________________________

As the massively successful Paul Harvey used to say, “And now the rest of the story.” (at least my part)

I’ll never forget the night Alien came into being. I saw Dawnie’s comment and threw my head back laughing. I could hear her “voice” in the post, and Irma could too, and the teasing commenced! The next thing you knew three ladies separated by large amounts of geography were united in laughter, we were for that silly little comment thread not thinking of anything but giving each other joy and fun.

As Dawn pointed out, not everything in life needs to be a contemplative serious thing to teach us a lesson, and in the midst of that thread, we all learned that lesson again. Dawn’s life is a concentration of serious things being self employed and searching for the truths of this world and the next. Irma is her twin in those aspects, and me, well my exploration of grief and loss isn’t feather light either. In the midst of the “Alien” though, none of us were thinking about any of the weight or the distance, but were unified in laughter and light.

It is a lesson that stuck with us, obviously; we have developed our little secret code and have over the last couple months cheered each other with more “Aliens” and their new additions than I can count. It is our way to show each other solidarity, to say ‘I love you’, and to remind each other take a moment to smile (or giggle).

Being the contemplative ladies we are, though, and people who each in our own way hope, pray, and take actions to try to make the world better for us having been there…keeping it secret just wouldn’t do. Nope, not at all!

Joy is one of those things that if you keep what you have, you’ll only have as much as you have. If you give it away, then you have more, and the more joy you give, the more joy you have! Slowly, so not to make everyone think we’ve gone completely crazy, we have started telling the story and bringing new “alien” converts into the fold. That wasn’t enough either! So, we started the idea of a blog post about the experience!

I can’t speak for my sisters, but I know why I was inspired to share this little moment of joy. I wanted people to remember to look for their “Alien” moments. Now, if you want to hop in with us and Alien each other, I’m not going to be offended at all! In fact, I’m going to giggle and laugh with you, in the same unity I do now with Dawnie and Irma. But watching people find their own inside joke will fill me with so much joy, because like our moment it will bring you memories, sisters, brothers, and perhaps a little lighter heart than you had before.

~ Lisa Brandel, The Widow Lady blog
_________________________________________

And finally:
So, now after reading Dawn and Lisa's brilliant telling of our "Alien" story, I think everyone is up to speed with the awesome silliness of our great inside joke. I treasure both of these women so much in my life and am grateful to the internet and Facebook for connecting me with both of them in the first place. Though we are placed at very different places on the US map and have had varied life experiences, that doesn't seem to matter. We are three peas in a pod, no doubt, and sometimes you just know. When I was reading their posts today, this quote popped into my mind:

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one. ~ C.S. Lewis

How wonderful it has been to have met these extraordinary, brilliant and at times downright hilarious women. It's amazing the camaraderie, support and love that grew out of that snapshot in time, from a silly little inside joke. Can I get an Alien now? :)

~ Irma Kaye Sawyer, The Bright Star Blog

Spotlight On...

2011-02-15T21:56:00.004-05:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

When I first began blogging back in 2009, I was literally overwhelmed with all that I had to learn about the blogging process. I dove in and did quite a bit of floundering, but along the way, I connected with a core group of bloggers who have since become dear friends. (The Blogging Class of 2009, Healing Morning, 12/13/2010).

There are many firsts that you experience with your blog. One of them is blogging awards. These are fun, informal awards that different bloggers create, along with an award icon and a set of criteria for each award recipient to follow. I clearly remember the first time I was given one of these awards - I was very happy to learn that other bloggers were reading my work and enjoying it enough to offer a symbol of recognition. The downside of these blog awards is that they become viral in a very short period of time, with many people sending you the same award and overloading your page. I have given this concept a lot of thought over the past two years, and I believe I've come up with my own version that works for me.

Blogging itself is cyclical. You'll find yourself interacting and connecting with your own core group of blogging friends. These are the people who you'll turn to for advice on programming the newest gadgets/widgets and applications on your blog. They're also the ones that you'll trust to give you honest, sincere critiques when you make changes to your formatting. So, obviously, it is very important to build that core group for yourself.

It is equally important to continue to broaden your horizons in the blogging world. Keeping your content fresh and new becomes a bit more challenging the longer that you write. So, you'll want to explore new ways of attracting readership. With that in mind, what I decided to do is take that blogging award concept and spiff it up a bit.

I am going to do a monthly "column" here at Healing Morning where I shine a spotlight on five blogs that I enjoy. They may be blogs that I've followed for a while, or they may be blogs I've just discovered. My rules for this are going to be simple. In order for me to pick your blog for this Spotlight On monthly column, I will have the following criteria:

1. Be a member of Authentic Blogger Facebook Group & have the Authentic Blogger button posted on your blog page. You will find our button & the code on the home page, on our right hand sidebar, just below the FB and Twitter share buttons.

2. If you are interested in your blog being posted in an upcoming Spotlight On blog post, shoot me an email with your blog link, make sure you have the Authentic Blogger button posted on your blog page, and I'll add you to my list of prospective blogs.

3. Be an actively involved member of the blogging community. By this, I mean that I will have noticed you writing thoughtful comments on various blogs in the AB community. I really do pay attention to what's going on out there among our group!

4. Upon learning that your blog has been chosen for Spotlight On, take a moment to post the link for this blog post on your FB wall, Twitter page and/or your blog page, or any other social media page, if you like. Linking back to Healing Morning will ensure that everyone involved receives that much more traffic to their respective blogs.

5. Visit Healing Morning, follow my blog & leave comments occasionally. This is how I find a lot of really wonderful blogs to follow in return, so it's not as self-serving as it sounds at first glance. If you follow me and comment on my work, that keeps you current in my mind, and I'm more likely to visit your blog in return.

That's it! Short and sweet criteria that's easily met. I hope that everyone that I spotlight in this column will enjoy the attention and gain followers for their blog. I was encouraged and helped by many wonderful bloggers when I first ventured into the world of blogging. This is my way of saying Thank You to everyone who spends time at Healing Morning and at Authentic Blogger.

I will post this monthly column at both Healing Morning blog and at the Authentic Blogger sister blog, as well as several other blogging forums. The spotlighted blogs will benefit from this publicity and reach a much wider audience as a result.

So, for the inaugural Spotlight On post, these are the five blogs I have chosen:

Derek's Home and Business Blog, author Derek Jones. Derek and I connected perhaps a month ago, and I have been extremely impressed with his informative content. If you're looking for a blog that gives you the newest updates on blogging tips, SEO and SEM as well as IT information, look no further. Derek is one that you'll want to follow. I subscribe to his email feedburner option so that I receive every new blog that he posts directly to my Inbox.

Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease, author Mary Hudak Collins. Mary is a Mom with two children, one of which suffers from food allergies and Celiac disease. I find her content to be very well written and calm in approach. She offers realistic, logical solutions and tips in her blog posts. She's also very good about reciprocating with fellow bloggers, and I enjoy her thoughtful comments that she offers on my own work.

Anna of Alaska, author Anna L. Walls. Anna was one of the first group of members to join Authentic Blogger back in 2010, and she's been a strong member ever since. Anna is a published author as well as writing two successful blogs. She has a quirky, delightful sense of humor and offers a fascinating window into what life is like living in Alaska.

The Widow Lady, author Lisa Brandel. Lisa was also one of our earliest members at Authentic Blogger. Her blog is a valuable resource and forum for people who are dealing with loss of a loved one, or who are dealing with being a caretaker of a loved one. It might sound as though visiting her blog would be a sad experience, but the exact opposite is true. Lisa writes about all manner of topics that are grief related, and they range from funny, to dramatic, to educational, to downright absurd, and they address those topics that many shy away from. Lisa also invites many of her followers to do guest posts on The Widow Lady.

Fireside Moments, author Anahid Boghosian. Anahid is one of our wonderful admins over at Authentic Blogger & was also a very early member of our group. Her blog covers a wide range of topics, from ruminations on current events, to helpful posts that cover a lot of blogging IT tips, to very funny content. Anahid is one of my favorite people in the blogging world & I always enjoy reading her perspective.

I hope you'll all take time to visit these five blogs, read their content, and if you enjoy what you find, follow them. These five blog authors fit what I consider to be the epitome of Authentic Bloggers and I am proud to call each of them blogging friends.

~ Dawn

Higher self

2011-02-10T17:08:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of Bing images

You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body ~ C. S. Lewis
How's that for a powerful statement?! Quotes often prompt blog articles for me. I've had this quote saved to my drafts file for several weeks, waiting for all the thoughts to coalesce.

I was speaking with a friend on the phone recently who is going through some personal struggles. He was focused quite a lot on dissecting specific words down to their most minute definitions, nuances and applications. I do that myself, as I always enjoy how written language can change with the slightest emphasis on a syllable, or depending upon how that specific word is used in a sentence. Stringing words together into a quote such as the one above will have me pondering all the layers and directions and possibilities, and quite often, will open my eyes and mind up to a perspective I might not have come up with on my own.

We do lose sight of our origins, this is a daily truth. Being on the front lines of this Earth School bombards us with all the raw emotions and experiences that are meant to mold our character, grow us up and refine all the rough edges. Small wonder that we forget that we are Spirit in essence, merely housed in a physical container. It is human nature to think in corporeal terms, because we're in a physical reality!

But taking time to remember our own Divinity is worthwhile. We can't remain here in the physical plane forever, that much is an absolute for this reality. It is a temporary gift we're given, being able to incarnate here and interact with all the wonderful people around us, to be able to feel, hear, think and express ourselves in a human manner. I often wonder what the beauty must be in the non-physical plane, as what we are capable of producing here has breathtaking expression.

When I meditate, there are moments when my consciousness is able to connect at a level that gives me glimpses of that non-physical plane. Occasionally, I am able to shift my consciousness and step outside of my physical body, and those experiences are transcendent. As a child, I can remember reading a great deal about Helen Keller and the fact that, despite her physical limitations with sight and hearing, she was able to shift her consciousness and travel great distances with meditation. She was able to describe other countries in clear detail, down to colors, textures and scents. When asked how this could be possible, her reply was, (paraphrased here) "My body is blind and deaf, but my Spirit isn't."

Similarly, a story I remember hearing of President Reagan's family caring for him in the final stages of Alzheimer's disease was that his daughter, Patty, would spend hours talking with him each day. At that point in his disease, he had lost the ability to speak, and doctors were unsure if he could hear conversation around him. His daughter continued to have her one-sided conversations with him each day. When asked why she bothered by a medical technician, her reply (again, paraphrased here) was, "His body has Alzheimer's disease, but his Spirit doesn't. I'm positive he can hear me, so that's why I do this each day."

These several quotes cobbled together in my mind and made me wonder, what is to stop each of us from having similar conversations with ourselves? Many esoteric tenets hold the belief that we have an Over Soul, or Higher Consciousness. Some believe that we can tap into our own thread that is connected to the Universal Consciousness, or that which we might label God, and that at that level, our Spirit, or Soul, is the culmination of all of our best, strongest, most noble achievements. Call it our own personal spiritual anchor, or bellwether of sorts.

Most of us are comfortable with the process of prayer; some prefer to access that Higher Consciousness through meditation. I've said many times before that when we are creative or loving, or happy, we are expressing something Divine with our actions. Why not take time, then, to remember that we truly are that Soul, housed temporarily in a physical body.....and recognize that as such, our Spirit form is supremely powerful and capable of guiding us in the most pure form? When I remember to do this, I find that my days are much clearer. Energy flows better and I am in a very present state. Solutions to problems are more easily discovered, and connections to people who I am meant to find, interact with and teach and learn from seem to manifest effortlessly.

It is the days that I forget and focus on just being human, wrestling my way through all the front lines activity of a given "battlefield" that life is much more challenging. Another good friend, a Buddhist, always gives me these amazing quotes that she learns from her spiritual teachers. Life is as simple, or as difficult as we make it. That's not a tough concept to read and absorb, but it certainly can be challenging to NOT make life difficult! I know I excel at that very thing! Coming back to quiet, taking time to be with myself and remembering who and what I am.....a being of spiritual energy that is connected to the Divine....this is where and when Life flows much more easily.

So, I do remind myself of Mr. Lewis's quote above. I am a Soul. Inhabiting a physical body, yes, but consciously reminding myself that there is so much more than this immediate physical plane of existence.

What are your thoughts on this C.S. Lewis quote? Do you take those small moments to reconnect with your own Higher Consciousness? What method of approach works best for you? There are no right or wrong answers to these questions; I'm just curious and I know I will value the comments that each of you take time to write here.

Namaste'.

Grasshopper Thoughts, Vol. II, February 2011

2011-02-03T01:00:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I haven't had Grasshopper Thoughts in ages. Well, let me rephrase that. I have had them, quite often...to the tune of probably several hundred in any random day. I just haven't written about them.

Earlier tonight, I was talking with a friend who was snacking on pretzels. So the obvious questions followed. Pretzel sticks, or the traditional rounded, woven kind? Then the next question was inevitably, with dip or plain? And is it me, or does anyone else think their fingers smell like celery after they've eaten pretzels??? Something about the lye they spray on the rising dough to give pretzels that crunchy, glossy outer shell after they bake leaves a celery fragrance on them. No, I'm not kidding and I'm not imagining it. Sniff your fingers the next time you eat pretzels and tell me what you think. Celery. I promise.

So, why can't someone come up with a happy medium between ladies knee high stockings and trouser socks? Is that so hard to invent? The textile factories exist for both, so the technology is already there. There are days when knee highs, ugly things that they are, are too sheer, but that same day, trouser socks are too thick to wear with heels. It makes our feet look like sausages crammed into our high heels, and that just ruins the whole purpose of buying cute shoes. Ladies, I know you get me on this one.

Mustard seeds. I just got a big bag of them from one of my favorite online companies. Right now I have a jar of leftover pickle juice in the refrigerator, half filled with dried mustard seeds. I stumbled on that idea a couple years ago when I had finished a jar of dill pickles and had the liquid left over; there were mustard seeds swimming around in the pickling liquid. I use mustard seeds in potato salad, egg salad and a couple of other dishes, but it takes a while for them to rehydrate in the salads. So, I dumped some into the leftover pickle juice in the jar and tried them a couple days later. Et voila, instant pickled mustard seeds....and a foody addiction was born. In about two days, I'll be enjoying them again.

I don't know about you, but someone has to have the answer to why almonds and mushrooms squeak when you bite down on them. They're not sentient, or even breathing, after all. Why do they squeak??? Another random food thought, I realize, but these thoughts do take up valuable pondering time in my day. I just thought I'd pass along....and share....the torment with you. I'm very generous that way.

You know, sometimes you have a really crummy day. It starts out with just a bad moment and that's never good. For me, that happened earlier this week and within an hour, instead of the bad compounding, I was literally inundated with Sunshine Moments. They were dropping down upon me from every direction. The bad moment faded into insignificance, blotted out by the cheerful, determined rays of the sun being gifted to me. I am still feeling the effects of all that radiance, which is probably why I have all this energy late at night to Grasshopper!

Quiet beauty

2011-02-01T19:00:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Most people who follow my blog know that I don't post daily, or even weekly at times. I'm a proponent of writing when inspiration strikes. There is nothing that frustrates me more than writing a blog just for the sake of being able to say I published X number of posts in a given week. I want what I write to have meaning, rather than falling into that "So what?" category. I've read many of those and often wonder if the authors of those blogs mean to project a tired, done to death premise, or not. That's what drives me, to create something here at Healing Morning on a regular basis that leaves a lasting mark.

In light of that very thought, I've been struggling in the past week to hit on a new topic and come up with content that felt new and fresh. I do this with Christmas gifts as well, and while that may seem like an odd jump in thought, bear with me. I'm a year-round shopper for Christmas gifts. I enjoy finding that absolutely perfect gift for each loved one, and if I happen upon such a perfect item in January, or in August, then I purchase it and tuck it away. The fun, for me, is hitting upon that divinely perfect gift for that loved one....the one that will make their eyes light up and an absurdly pleased and surprised smile to spread across their face. Some years I miss the mark and find gifts that are pleasing, but aren't over the top perfect. Obviously, I strive for the former, because it's just so much fun to find that right note. I strive for that same perfect note with my writing here in my blog.

I want what I write to make my readers' eyes light up. I want to paint a picture so strongly evocative with words that you will literally see what I'm describing in your mind's eye. I want you to smell that freshly cut grass, feel the ache in your heart of a sad moment, experience that moment of standing on an East Tennessee mountainside, breathing in the clean air. I want whatever concept I'm talking about to leave a permanent impression on your heart. And this need had me pondering where my priorities should be. Does every post have to have a wildly, impactful effect? Or is a more subtle, softly communicated message just as powerful. The answer is that both have equal, yet different merit. Success isn't necessarily measured by a tangible yardstick.

Not long ago, I was watching some Oprah moment on television. Oprah was talking about different musical artists and authors who hit the public eye in an epic manner with their first attempt - the first album sold tens of millions of copies, or their first published book hit the New York Times Best Seller List and stayed there for endless weeks. These people then spend decades chasing that phenomenon, hoping to reproduce the same result. The reality is that sometimes it isn't always possible to hit that perfect note every single time. Sometimes, doing a really good job should be enough.

This is something I've contemplated a great deal in the past ten days or so, as I've searched for the next topic to write about. I have about eight blog articles in my drafts folder that are not bad efforts at all, but that also just feel sort of blah to me. I don't know about other bloggers out there, but most likely all of us live in mortal fear of publishing blogs that present a blah energy. In fact, it bothers me so much that I will go longer than most without posting new content, simply because nothing is really hitting that high standard that I demand of myself.

Do I think this is healthy? Not really. I know that I'm my own worst critic. We all are guilty of this, if we're honest. I hope that the people who follow my blog look forward to reading what I write, and that they expect a certain level of quality from me. Then I also have the self-deprecating thought that people might not even give a second thought to what I write here. Sometimes we just get kicked into this odd spiral of thought and there's endless wrestling that occurs. Ego is certainly in the mix. Anyone who creates, whether it is with words, or music, or art, or any other medium should be able to admit that it matters to them that their work is well received. I'd be lying if I said otherwise.

So, tonight I'm wrestling with that spiral of thought and struggling to produce a blog post that I deem worthy of being published. I am not so bold as to equate myself to best selling authors or music artists, that I'm chasing some mythical chimera of excellence everytime I write here on my blog. What I'm saying is that I do chase a certain inner feeling of balance with what I write. It bothers me immensely to post a blog that is mediocre in my own eyes. Apparently I am more ruthless and demanding of myself than I had been aware of. And to be honest, if a dear friend were wrestling with this same issue, I would be all over them, admonishing them to lighten up, cut themselves some slack and to celebrate their creative gifts without so much stress being self-inflicted.

Is this post worthy, in my own eyes of being published? I think so. If nothing else, perhaps I'm admitting some frailties and relaxing a bit. Perhaps I've recognized that I sometimes stray from the original goal, which has always been to write for the pure enjoyment of it all. I admit that I prefer feeling that high level of satisfaction with each blog post that I write - the ones that, when I click to post, I know without a doubt are going to really resonate with others. I daresay that all writers have that goal in the forefront of their mind. I also remind myself that I don't find it necessary to write in a loud, shocking, attention-seeking manner. Why, then, would I find it necessary for every post I publish to have a dramatic impact? Why have I overlooked that the softer, more gentle messages I communicate have their own impact? Good questions, both.

Life is short and our....my energies...are much better put towards enjoying life. I do admit to having a talent for getting in my own way. Tonight, I'm writing a new page into my personal book of lessons, and that is to occasionally step aside. Allow myself to be more human. This blog post isn't perfect, it might not be sparkling and vibrating at that highest level of excellence that I normally prefer and demand of myself, but it is addressing an important issue. My whole life, writing has been one of my biggest joys. Ultimately, my focus should be there....on the simple act of writing itself.

Excellence should be something to celebrate, but not to the exclusion of all else. Two years ago, I was only vaguely aware of the blogging world, and today I have been actively blogging and building a worldwide readership. That accomplishment alone is plenty to celebrate. That, and recognizing that the better part of valor is to allow for beauty in the mundane as well as the brightly sparkling moments. I think of the difference in a color photograph juxtaposed next to the same image in black and white. Both are breathtaking and riveting in their own unique fashion. Quiet beauty shines and glows just as strongly, after all....and can exist with equal impact in words.

In the long run

2011-01-15T02:56:00.000-05:00

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Bing images

Tears. Crying. The two words usually strike mortal terror in the hearts of most people. At the very least, they cause discomfort when witnessed. I have a habit of filing away little tidbits of thoughts in my Drafts section of Healing Morning blog for future reference. I leave them there, sometimes for months on end, waiting for those thoughts to percolate and sift through my mind before coming together in a cohesive concept for a blog post.

Several years ago, there was a commercial for some facial tissue company on television. It was an unlikely "man on the street" scenario of a set of big easy chairs on a busy city street, backed by a pretty park. The concept was for everyday people to sit down and discuss their reasons for using that particular facial tissue. Since these tissues are most often used to stem and blot tears, these commercials concentrated on that topic. One woman's comment stuck with me. Paraphrased here, it was something along these lines:

"Yes, I cry. I'm not afraid to admit it. I will cry again, many times in the future. But my tears do not diminish me, or weaken me. They make me stronger in the long run."
What a powerful statement, yes?! I found it so refreshing, as the general consensus of crying openly is looked upon as showing signs of weakness. I have never agreed with that particular consensus and am more inclined to agree with the statement above. When, in the hazy mists of the past, did it become standard choice to equate tears with weakness?

From a good health standpoint, crying is a cathartic release and is much healthier for our bodies than stuffing down our feelings and ignoring sharp emotions. Doing so can lead to all manner of health concerns, ranging from migraine headaches, to high blood pressure, ulcers, skin disorders, digestive problems, autonomic nervous system disorders such as arthritis and more. Yet we persist in doing that very thing...suppressing genuine emotions like sadness, physical and emotional pain, fatigue.

Another piece of this current puzzle I've been piecing together fell into place last week while I was watching one of the cable news stations. A brief story ran mentioning that men who are exposed to women's tears for more than three minutes' time experience a dramatic, albeit temporary, drop in testosterone levels. I found this to be of profound logic. Think about it: testosterone is the hormone which governs that "manly man" alpha male persona. It also governs aggression, physical energy and sexual drive, and is an integral part of the biological makeup of man. Women also have this hormone, although in much smaller amounts.

What I found riveting about this study was the simple fact that merely witnessing a woman's tears causes this brief dip in testosterone levels. This would, in turn, soften that man's normally stoic demeanor, allowing him to offer comfort more easily. Certainly most men readily admit that seeing a woman cry makes them extremely uncomfortable. They don't know how to deal with tears, as the main requirement, as all women know, is not a physical act. It is being present emotionally. Men do much better with actions. They want to identify the enemy and go out and bash its brains in, then they feel they've conquered and addressed the issue at hand. While this is somewhat of a stereotyping scenario, I am talking in general terms here, so I think stereotyping is acceptable in this sense. Tears, literally, "unman" men. I don't necessarily find this a negative, to be honest. I find it quite interesting that this chemical reaction was built into our physiologies. God/Universe/Spirit, in that infinite wisdom, somehow knew there would be those moments when blazing testosterone wouldn't get the job accomplished, so a way was created to reduce that hormone, however momentarily, and allow for softer emotions and a more gentle approach to occur.

And obviously, this was a one-sided study, with only the chemical reaction of men being studied. I daresay that women have some sort of chemical reaction when being exposed to tears as well.

Tears are part of life. We are emotional creatures, after all. We feel...and in doing so, we experience and we grow. Tears can be induced by a wide range of emotions. Sadness, fear, pain, happiness, surprise, raw grief, nervousness, extreme hilarity....they can all prompt tears. I have read some fascinating studies that revealed that different chemicals exist in different tears. A study I watched on a television show over 20 years ago showed that subjects who watched sad movies had a high concentration of oxytocin in their tears. Oxytocin, as most of us know, is the neurotransmitter that is responsible for maternal and partner bonding. Not surprisingly, tears prompted by anger had higher content of testosterone. Tears prompted by laughter had higher levels of serotonin. In light of these findings, it is dramatically clear how truly healthy shedding tears really is.

I admit that I'm not a fan of crying in business settings. I don't want to be viewed as weak or helpless in that environment, so it is very rare that I succumb to tears in the workplace. Even though I know that some people can't help reacting to stressful situations with tears, it is a harsh truth that this reaction is viewed as exhibiting weakness. This is unfortunate, but it is a widespread unspoken attitude in the business world. No small surprise, then, that so many people in the corporate world suffer from heart disease, obesity, and a whole host of other maladies that are exacerbated by that stuffing down of genuine emotions.

Am I saying I never cry at inappropriate times? Of course not. I do it fairly often. I'm the biggest softhearted thing walking the planet, because some of the most random things will make me tear up. Hearing our National Anthem will do it instantly. Watching the Olympics and seeing our athletes win a medal is another one. Goofball moments of absurdity with friends will have those tears of hilarity streaming. Commercials on TV can sucker punch me without warning. Songs on the radio, or the fragrance of a perfume or cologne worn by someone I love who has passed, old photographs, walking in the mountains, seeing someone in my family smile...the list is endless. I have no problem at all with those types of tears. And I agree with the lady in that commercial I mentioned at the beginning of this article....my tears do not diminish me. They make me stronger in the long run.

Logic indicates that that commercial was slickly produced by a savvy marketing and advertising firm, with actors carefully chosen and scripts thoughtfully written to tug at our heartstrings and produce a memorable snippet. It worked, as I've remembered that commercial for a good ten years now. The fact that it was a manufactured moment doesn't take away from the strong truth of the statement above. Tears are not a sign of weakness, not 100% of the time. And even if they are, that's not necessarily a negative or reason to condemn. It is not possible for every person to be strong every single waking moment of their life. Balance. I come back to that word constantly. Balance and contrast. Without them, we would be one dimensional, flat personalities with no depth, no color, no flair or richness to differentiate us, one from another.

So, I will take tears as a part of the price paid to be that richly textured human being. I will smile at the fact that there is genuine beauty in a woman's tears casting a brief softening effect in the hearts of men. There are balancing moments where a man's traits complement us as women in equally profound ways. While obviously it is just as unhealthy to dwell eternally in a tearful state as it is to eternally suppress tears, I think there is a way to find balance here. Simply being aware of the results of this interesting case study shines light on the fact that tears are meant to be shed, and are meant to have an effect, both on the person shedding those tears, as well as on the people nearby.

It bears repeating:

Tears do not diminish me. They make me stronger in the long run.

By any other name

2011-01-09T22:06:00.000-05:00

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Bing images

The New Year always brings reflection and contrast to mind. There's the typical frenzied rush to start up gym memberships, to start new diets, and to make those exhausting resolutions. I have talked enough about the fact that I choose to not make New Year's resolutions. What I have been giving a lot of thought to these past several days, is outward trappings. I've also written a great deal about this very thing in past blog posts, talking about social masks that we incorporate into our daily existence.

We always compare. There's this thing we do, and it's called "comparing our insides to other peoples' outsides". Meaning that we compare and find fault with ourselves. We're comparing what we feel inside to the nice, shiny, spiffed up social mask that someone else is wearing, failing to remember that those people are doing the same thing...that they're feeling insecurities on the inside as well.

Shakespeare said it quite well, I think:

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

We can pretty ourselves up, buy beautiful clothing, use fancy cosmetics, hair styles, hair color....even choose plastic surgery, to change our outward appearance. We can change our name, change our location, reinvent ourselves and try new career paths. It is human nature to want to feel and look our best. We're given this one physical body, this one physical vehicle, after all, so of course we want to feel good in it.

Wouldn't it be dramatic, if, one day we all woke up and found the face and body that greets us in the mirror to be truly beautiful? I think of how my family and friends view me. We all know that through the eyes of love, beauty is always what is beheld. The true test, then, is to shower ourselves with that same love. That's the tricky part, yes?

Loving self. What a concept. And what a difficult objective. I focus on this as a daily goal, loving myself and accepting myself. I also admit to not quite meeting the mark on a regular basis. There is an absolutely breathtaking Scripture that has always brought tears to my eyes on this concept:

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. - Luke 12:27

This passage in the Christian Bible is one that I have always found to have such strong, straightforward good sense to it. We spend so much time worrying about those outward trappings, when in reality, we are imperfect and flawed in the most beautiful manner. I have said many times that I find perfection to be rather static and sterile, and that I much prefer that which is unique and flawed. That would describe every Soul walking the earth today...we are all unique and flawed. I think it is those imperfections and quirks that give each of us our own particular brightness.

Do I mean by this post that we should all stop attempting to better ourselves, or stop wishing for more? Absolutely not! Dreams and striving for better is another thing that makes us beautiful. Mankind is meant to evolve. To grow, to smooth off rough edges, to expand, to pursue new experiences. There is, however, valor in standing still and contemplating, for short or long periods of time, just being. Simply that. Like the lilies of the field....just being who we are. Without ornamentation, without artifice, without social masks or anything to detract from the purity of who we really are.

Is this possible to actually do? I think it is. I see myself this way in the eyes of those who love me. I have also been given the gift of seeing myself through the eyes of a stranger (One Wish, Healing Morning, 12/15/2009). I see myself each morning as I meditate and make a conscious effort to be still, be in a quiet moment with myself and God/Universe/Spirit. I see myself clearly in moments of anger where I react in a manner that I am not proud of, and these moments definitely help me polish up those rough edges quickly! I see myself in my work....when I write something that I am happy with and proud of, it gives me a moment of such pure clarity that my Soul simply resonates and sings. I see myself in my hopes and dreams for a better future, both for myself and the people I love, as well as for the world at large.

It is a complex mix, this thing we call the true Self. Countless books have been written on the psychology of it all. We can make it difficult or simple, and on any given day, just existing can be both of those. Yet the commonality is that we are, in essence, energy. Light, housed in a physical form. Always working to find a moment of peace, of happiness, sometimes working so hard at this that we lose sight that it shouldn't be difficult at all!

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Look at that rose. Or that lily. Take the names and labels and pedigrees away, and they are simply flowers in a field, growing and beautiful by their very nature. Is it so hard to grasp this concept and apply it to ourselves? It seems it should be very easy to achieve. The reality is that life is busy and we rarely slow down long enough to even contemplate such a thought. I, of course, contemplate these types of thoughts often, because it's just the way my mind works. It's the way I see the world...through a filter where, to me, beauty is a constant.

The thought that we are everything that we need to be, at this moment, both inside and out, is an arresting one. That which we call the Creator knows this, knew this before we were even born into this physical existence. The disconnect comes from our own minds and thoughts. Pondering this concept for this article has reminded me that it really is very simple. Stop. Breathe. Be still and look within. Quiet your mind, cease everything for a short time, and absorb the fact that at this moment, you truly are imperfectly perfect. You are not lacking. You are not less than anything or anyone. You are all that you should be, right at this moment. In the eyes of others, and on a cosmic level, you are a blinding light of pure energy that is stunning to behold. You are that rose...by any other name. You are that lily, clad in raiment that is unique to you, and as such, you are balanced and in harmony. It is a strong, clear thought to embrace today and everyday in the future.

Traditions and pages, continued

2010-12-31T23:11:00.000-05:00

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Bing images

I've been revisiting some of my archived posts here at Healing Morning and this is another thought that I didn't think I could improve upon that much. I'd like to repost it and add something I wrote on my Facebook wall last night. This may become a new tradition of sorts, we shall see. This is what I wrote on New Year's Eve, 2010:

As we bid farewell to 2010, despite admittedly challenging moments, what stands out the most for me is that I laughed a LOT during 2010. I am so well blessed with loving friendships & a beautiful family, good health, & a creative, agile mind. I wish for all of us to greet 2011 with an open heart & the excitement & willingness to grab onto Life with both hands, take chances & dare to be happy. Namaste'. ~ Dawn, 12/31/2010

I've already made my feelings known about making, keeping and/or breaking New Year's Resolutions. I firmly boycott the idea (see blogpost "Just say 'No!'") of resolutions. Instead, tonight and as I do every New Year's Eve, I embrace an old Irish tradition. It is for us to take a moment in the hour prior to midnight and reflect on the people who matter the most to us. This moment of reflection, according to tradition, ensures that these same people will be present in your New Year. I have always loved this concept and never fail to dedicate those important moments of reflection. I have another, more personal tradition of journaling that I will address in a moment, so bear with me!

Of course, the tradition above is more a lyrical, lovely sentiment than any sure promise we will have written in stone. I am, however, a romantic at heart, so I do not apologize for choosing to believe in the true, mystical power of this type of tradition! Rather than pesky resolutions I never keep, what better way to greet the New Year than with intentional thought and energy towards having those I love the most in my life in the next calendar year? I find that a much more logical application of my time and energy!

I always feel so much hope and optimism as we bid farewell to the ending year and prepare to greet the new one. We are lucky, I think, to stand at the brink of twelve new months full of possibilities, experiences, memories yet to be made, laughter yet to be shared, beautiful sights yet to be witnessed. Therefore, New Year's Eve, for me at least, is a hopeful, cheerful time.

If I continue to explore the world around me with an open heart, if I continue to pursue my dreams in 2010 as I have in 2009, I see no way that the New Year can be anything but positive. Will difficult times visit each of us? Quite possibly, they will. We do not exist in limbo, after all, and there is balance in all things. For now, we have a New Year to celebrate. The page is blank for all of us, waiting for each hand to scroll out the moments. I find that exciting, challenging, thought provoking and above all, something to be thankful for.

What will your personal page look like? Is it plain, ruled white paper? Maybe handsome, thick vellum that expresses your distinct flair? Will you write the moments out with traditional black ink pen, or perhaps choose to thumb your nose at tradition and dash out thoughts in bold, unique colors like purple or green? Are your pages bound in a spiral notebook, practical and sturdy? Or are they bound in an elegant leather volume that appeals to your sense of quiet, private reverie? None of these matter - perhaps your pages exist completely in your imagination. My pages actually exist in corporeal form, in journal format of basic black bound books with unlined pages where I write my moments in clean, black ink. I have a new book for 2011, waiting to have those new experiences recorded.

Being the writer I am, I find it appropriate that my New Year's greeting encompasses what some will call a flight of fancy with the tradition expressed above, and also the practice and discipline of writing in longhand, in journal format to begin the journey of a new cycle.

Just say "No!".....

2010-12-27T20:30:00.000-05:00

Update: December 2010
Sometimes I find that I wrote a past blog that I can't improve upon, but that addresses an ongoing yearly issue. This post is such a one, and rather than try to reinvent my own wheel, I'm just going to re-post this one. :) Best wishes to everyone for the approaching New Year of 2011!

We're at that inevitable moment approaching the New Year where practically everyone you speak with throws the "What's your New Year's resolution?" question at you. Don't get me wrong - this practice works for a lot of people to get motivated, start the New Year fresh, get organized and make lists of all the things they plan to accomplish. I've never embraced the resolution concept because I don't enjoy having something hanging over my head, making me feel obligated to do, be or feel differently on a specific timeline. To be facetious for a wee moment, I'm more a fan of the "Just say 'No!' to New Year's Resolutions!" mindset.

I am of the opinion that striving to live daily in a conscious manner works better. This may sound like a cop-out, but the reverse is actually true. By living consciously, I mean paying attention to my thoughts, my actions, my words, my tone of voice, even my physical movements and the things I eat and drink on a daily basis. It requires being physically, mentally and emotionally present on a moment by moment basis, again, each and every day.

I can tell you that choosing to embrace this concept is challenging. There are plenty of days that I fail spectacularly on all of the above. Those are the days that can be frustrating, yes. However, the concept of living consciously is not meant to be an onerous task, or an invisible tool with which to torment ourselves. For me, it is a personal choice to strive each day to be the best version of myself it is possible to accomplish. On the days that I fall short of my own personal expectations, I am then realistic and kind to myself. There are going to be those days where things, people, traffic, work, kids, etc., all conspire to make any sane person's head want to spin around on their shoulders. Bad days happen.

What I have found, over the years that I began to actively incorporate this practice of living consciously into my daily existence, is that the more you do it, the easier it becomes. I am fortunate to have a calm, peaceful core nature which serves me well in business situations where various personalities can clash, tempers can fray and power struggles are constant. At a very young age, something within me recognized that operating in what I call a reactive (i.e., unconscious) manner produced people who walked around in a constant state of dissatisfaction. I observed, studied, did a lot of thinking and reading and resolved to not be that same reactive type of personality. Being mindful of my actions is how I chose to live my life, and from that point forward, it has worked for me.

Does all of this mean I think I shouldn't embrace the New Year's Resolution craze? Am I saying I'm perfect and not in need of resolving to change certain things? Of course not - I am far from perfect and certainly it is true that I have my own rough edges in need of smoothing and refining. I just prefer to address those issues and behaviors on a regular, daily basis, rather than letting it all build up to tackle at the beginning of the New Year. That way, when the New Year does roll in to greet me, I am able to step forward with enjoyment and not dread some looming list of Have To's that will hang over my head and dog my every waking moment.

This is what works for me, so in a sense, if pushed to write out a resolution for the New Year of 2010, or any future New Year (as I re-post this for the approaching 2011 New Year) it would be to stay true to my convictions and continue to live in the purposeful manner that works well for me. This works so well for me, in fact, that it is the basis of a manuscript I am writing and have intentions of submitting for publication in the near future, so please stay tuned for news of this! As this year winds to conclusion, I wish you all the best, brightest approach to the New Year that each of you can imagine for yourselves.

Paper Gift

2010-12-21T19:43:00.000-05:00

Photo / Icon courtesy of
Authentic Blogger

The traditional gift for a first year anniversary is....paper! How beautifully appropriate this is. I reacted with a delighted smile when I looked this information up online. Today is the one year anniversary of my Facebook blogging group, Authentic Blogger. I co-founded this group with my buddy, Duane Scott, on December 21, 2009. At the time, he and I were both fairly new at the whole blogging game. New enough to still be fumbling around and learning a great deal, but by that point we had also both garnered enough experience to recognize some frustrations with the blogging groups we were finding on the internet. We shared those frustrations via email and phone conversations, until one fateful day, we both asked the question, "Why don't WE create a group? We could do it differently."

So, that's what we did. I'll be honest and tell you that neither of us really knew the scope of possibility. It was a very naive process that stunned us both with the immediate response it received....and continues to receive to this day. It would not be an understatement to say that in the first week of Authentic Blogger existing, we were getting an enthusiastic response that was slightly overwhelming, but also exciting. I can't count how often Duane and I emailed, texted and called with "Did you see that?" or "Oh my word, LOOK at how many members we have today!" or "Turn your laptop on and Google us - we exist on the internet and it's beyond cool!" comments.

There have been growing pains in this first year of existence. We've learned as we've gone along, and we've made mistakes here and there. I am happy to say that we have only had to permanently block/ban two people in this first year, and those were people who were attempting to use our forum to spam members. We have been very clear from Day One about our Mission Statement. Authentic Blogger is an online forum created to offer a community for writers/bloggers of all walks of life, where you can meet fellow writers, grow your readership, learn helpful tips, and strenghthen your writing skills.

We feel that it is important to be authentic in the blogging world, and that means that we do NOT embrace the "if you follow me, I'll follow you" mentality that is so prevalent in the blog-o-sphere. If you fall into that category, Authentic Blogger group might not resonate for you. We want people to READ our blogs. If you're out there focused on merely collecting empty names and not doing any reading of the blogs you follow, how can you expect anyone to spend time reading YOUR content? With that in mind, we encourage authentic interaction. Join our group, post your blog links each time you write a new article, meet fellow members and visit their blogs. If you find content that you enjoy, write thoughtful comments on that blog and follow them. Reciprocating in this authentic manner, we feel, is the best way to grow your readership and market your blog.

So, perhaps now you can all see why I smiled when I found that paper is the traditional gift for a one year anniversary. What could be more apropo for a blogging/writing group anniversary?! Granted, the process of blogging is an electronic format these days, rather than applying pen to paper in the old fashioned sense, but I still smile at the paper gift idea. Whether we scratch away at antique vellum with quill pen, or we write with ball point on lined paper, or we tap away on an LED screen with desktop or laptop, or we use the increasingly popular Smart Phone (I'm still resisting that trend myself), writing is writing. If you are a blogger, writing is part of your very essence.

You probably wake up each day with thoughts to write about. You probably have inspiration hit in the most unlikely moments and locations, requiring a frantic search for a scrap of paper to jot the thought down before it can disappear at the whim of the Writing Muse. You probably wrestle with words, juggling and adjusting, tweaking in infinetesimal degrees until the flow suits your preference. Many of you may dream of being published one fine day. Many of you are also completely satisfied with the process of just blogging. Lots of our members have multiple blogs they manage. Some of you might even make a business out of that type of social media consulting.

Bottom line, if you're a member of Authentic Blogger Facebook Group, you're a specific type of serious writer who cares about the way you craft your blogging image, and who also cares about the way you build your readership. Our concept resonates with you and you are the reasons our group is still flourishing and growing today, one year later.

Duane and I had big dreams for Authentic Blogger when we founded the group. In the past year, some of those dreams have shifted, some have been discarded, and the way we do things has changed several times. There have been many moments of outright hilarity as we wrestled with myriad blogging tools and concepts, and the shared humor kept us going. More changes are inevitable, because Life is always evolving. My personal wish for the group is that we continue to grow, slowly and surely, attracting similar bloggers who have an equal wish to meet authentic, creative souls. I also envision Authentic Blogger growing to a larger presence that will provide even more opportunities for all of our members. How these hopes and dreams will manifest is yet to be realized, and that's half the fun of it for me.

For now, I am thrilled to say that one year later, Authentic Blogger still exists and is continuing to succeed. My partnership and friendship with Duane continues to thrive. My relationships with many of our AB members are equally strong. Indeed, I have established friendships with many of our members that I am confident will be lifelong connections. The blogging world has provided amazing, unexpected opportunities for me with my personal blog, and with Authentic Blogger. Many of these experiences are ones I couldn't have imagined for myself, and believe me, I have a great imagination! So, a final wish for the future of Authentic Blogger is merely to continue along the same path we've already established. Growth, surprises, success, friendship...and writing. I want all of those and I am positive they will occur.

To each and every one of our Authentic Blogger members, I say a sincere and appreciative Thank You for giving us a chance, for sharing your creative talents regularly on our wall, and for continuing to tell your blogging friends about us. To my AB partner, Duane, thank you for sticking with it, even when it required you to take some deep breaths and add another ball to the pile you were already juggling, and thank you most of all for the shared laughter! To Dave Roy and Anahid Boghosian, our two wonderful admin friends, thank you for being in the wings, ready to pinch hit for us and join in the ball juggling!

If you're a blogger, or if you enjoy reading blogs, and you stumble across this post in one of the numerous places I'll be routing it, take a moment to visit Authentic Blogger Facebook Group and join us. I promise you'll be happy you gave it a try.

We are in the week approaching Christmas, and I find it lovely that Duane and I chose, out of the whole calendar year, this particular season to create Authentic Blogger. I think it is a time when the harmony and universal consciousness is at a higher vibration, and I'm sure the date we chose to create this group embued it with a bit of extra sparkle and energy. Season's Greetings to everyone, from the bottom of my heart. I look forward to many more years of blogging and friendship with all of you.

The Blogging Class of 2009

2010-12-13T04:10:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I began Healing Morning blog in September of 2009. At the time, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing or where blogging might lead me. I actually had to get a girlfriend who was familiar with blogging to show me how to set my blog page up. We met at a local Panera Bread with her laptop and that's how Healing Morning was born.

From there, I bumbled and fumbled my way along, exploring all the infinite details of marketing my blog, gaining readers and followers, adapting various formatting tools to my own needs and learning. Always learning. That learning process continues today, more than a year later, and I doubt it will ever end. Blogging and the blog-o-sphere is a fluid world, ever changing to fit the new dynamics of the internet and new programming brain child creations of widgets, gadgets and flashy fun things.

Around the time of my one year anniversary, or blog-o-versary, I began to realize that many of the dear friends I've made in the blogging world had also created their own blogs around the same time I created Healing Morning. I still find this to be rather apropo and fascinating. Was it an accident that we all decided to venture into the world of blogging at the end of the summer of 2009? I don't think it was an accident at all. I think there was very sure, clear, beautiful purpose and Divine Order and logic to the whole thing.

We became what I am now calling The Blogging Class of 2009. In a sense, we all started a new school, just as we did with first grade in elementary school. These people, regardless of linear age, are my contemporaries in the school of blogging. We've all struggled with various ephemeral classes such as Content, Marketing, Advertising, Gadgets and Widgets, Embedding Photographs and more. Some of us turned out to shine more brightly and show more aptitude than others in certain "classes". We have banded together to support and encourage one another, to cheer one another on with victorious moments, and to be the proverbial hand to hold in sad times. A few of us have dropped off the face of active blogging, and that's a natural progression to a degree.

It is said that there are literally millions of "orphan blogs" cluttering up the blog-o-sphere, where people just abandoned the poor things when they found the task of daily maintenance to be too burdensome. Again, this is a natural occurrence. As with all things, there is a season. Some blogs just aren't meant to last forever.

For the current moment, my Blogging Class of 2009 is still mostly intact. There is a core group of us who are earnestly tapping away at our keyboards on a regular basis, giving birth and voice to a wide range of topics and mindset on our respective blog pages. I find it fascinating, how we all migrated together within that one to two month time period of late summer of 2009.

Photo courtesy of
Authentic Blogger

Different blogging concepts have been born as a result of all this interaction, with Authentic Blogger Facebook Group being one of them, and one of my own personal proud achievements. Awards, large and small, have been doled out to many of those in this core group. I predict that there will be a few breakout stars among us in the future. Indeed, there are a few who have already gone on to achieve some impressive feats with becoming published authors, or contributing columnists to various high profile online websites. These achievements make me smile, just as I have experienced when witnessing proud moments of classmates that I grew up with. In the blogging sense, I continue to grow along with these virtual classmates, and I truly do revel in the victories of my contemporaries. Success of a blogging nature is contagious, I have found, and it encourages us all to continue writing, striving, dreaming and creating.

Where will this particular, intimate Blogging Class of 2009 grow? Where will we all land in the creative process? Personally, I hope there is no evident end in sight for any of us. I would wish for all of us to endlessly flourish, to continually grow, to tirelessly excel and dream. What I can say with certainty is that an unseen bond exists between all of us. I believe we all subconsciously entered the world of blogging for a larger purpose, with one of them being for all of us to connect in this seemingly random manner. Accidents, my friends, do not exist - I think most of us are aware of this. The Blogging Class of 2009 happened for a reason. Great things have come as a result already and more great things will be created in the future.

As we reach the end of another calendar year, I will very soon celebrate another one year anniversary - that of Authentic Blogger on Facebook. As the snow falls softly outside my office window tonight, I have been very reflective. This happens to me every year in December, as I cast my mind back over what I have lived and experienced in the past twelve months. Through whatever whim of Fate and the Unseen Guiding Hand of Light, I landed right slap in the midst of the Blogging Class of 2009. I am forever connected to this cozy group of creative, talented, bright individuals and find myself in excellent company. You all know who you are, and I hope you are smiling as you read this post. I vote that we create some bumper stickers, maybe a class t-shirt, plan a Senior Trip in three more years, and talk up a class reunion at some point. This was our Freshman Year, and I believe we have all done ourselves proud with our writing endeavors.

Well met, Class of 2009....well met, my friends.

No Mittens Allowed!

2010-11-30T17:40:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of Bing images
and Stephanie Lynn

A great many blog articles that I write are inspired by random conversations with friends, and this one is no different. It occurred through a series of emails and blog comments posted between my friend and fellow blogger, Dave Roy (Dave's Buttoned Up Mind blog) and I. He writes about a lot of tech-ish stuff, video games and such, as well as a fun series on music's one hit wonders. We're so opposite in writing style, yet we find a great deal to enjoy about one another's respective blogs. Dave has mentioned a couple times that he appreciates my ability to write long, thoughtful, involved blog posts that flow to the point that he never feels restless or burdened while reading them.

That made me smile, I must say, because every writer dreads hearing that they're writing content so ponderous and lengthy that it is exhausting to their readers to plow through. I am definitely verbose - I admit this right up front! In the past, I have actually challenged myself to write tighter content, to produce blog articles that are briefer in format, and I have succeeded. In fact, some of those examples represent some of my favorite work. That being said, writing short blog articles isn't all that comfortable for me. There's definitely merit in constantly challenging oneself, as it sharpens the mind and writing skills. I don't deny that concept, and I do practice restraint much more than anyone could imagine when writing.

Short articles, however, are not natural to my writing style. In that conversation with Dave, I likened it to wearing mittens. For the record, I am not a mitten person. Not even close! In fact, I loathe the things. During my childhood, mittens were the norm for children to wear and actual fingered gloves weren't all that commonly available in stores. So, mittens prevailed. My wee hands would be stuffed into those abominations, crammed together and sweating, muffled by the thickly woven material, unable to breathe or FEEL anything. I would fumble and drop things because my mitten wrapped hands were made clumsy and incapable of securely grasping items, or turning doorknobs, or picking something up. I absolutely despised it and begged my Mom for fingered gloves every winter, because as the original overly protective single parent, she was determined that we stay bundled up every second we were outside.

As an adult, regardless of the cold weather, I rarely wear gloves of any type. In fact, it is rare that I even wear a coat. East Tennessee has fairly temperate winters these days. But beyond that, my fingers would much rather feel frozen and be able to breathe than be cloaked in thick mittens, shrouded from the world, unable to experience or express emotions. Yes, I talk with my hands. It's intrinsic to my nature, much as is writing.

Ergo, in case you were wondering what my point is with this post, writing short blog articles is akin, to me, to being forced to wear mittens. Yes, I can write a brilliantly succinct, tightly woven, punchy article that is beautiful in its brevity. Off the top of my head, there are several of these that come to mind in the Healing Morning archives, and I am justly proud of them. However, where I truly shine as a writer is in the longer, flowing articles that Dave described. I like to mosey a bit as I broaden the body of the storyline. While brevity can deliver a knife edged presentation, there is a lot to appreciate for a bit more of a leisurely stroll down the path towards culmination. Nuances are there to explore and elaborate upon. Colors and textures and shadings....tangible memories to paint with words, scensory wonders to revisit and prompt within the reader's mind...those are so much fun to weave together in written format to me! And to do that in my own unique manner requires that my hands not be mitten muffled.

So, for the most part, my writing is going to be that longer format. I always do my best to ensure logical progression and flow to the thoughts expressed here, and I do appreciate the kind affirmation that Dave gave me with his comments on same. It's always a happy thing to be appreciated and accepted, unconditionally, for who you are at your very core. At my very core, I am a wordy writer! Bare fingers tapping madly away at the keyboard, or scribbling with equal fervor with pen and paper....the end product will rarely be brief, unless I am consciously making the effort, out of begrudged self-restraint. As I am much happier when not practising self-restraint in writing, you can expect the longer, flowy posts here. I hope that you'll enjoy my efforts and find that the reading is enjoyable.

For this writer, the rule of the day, no matter the weather, is simply, "No Mittens Allowed!" Freedom of fingers to produce a rhapsody of words suits me.

**Thanks to Stephanie Lynn for graciously helping me out with the above graphic image of the No Mittens Allowed icon. Stephanie is a gifted graphic artist who makes beautiful banners for Facebook and blog application. You can contact her on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/#!/steph4c.**

Song of Friendship

2010-11-19T19:38:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

As I drove around doing my errands today, I reflected on energy patterns and how they relate to friendship. This post will be published here on Healing Morning blog, but is also destined to be an article in the next quarterly issue of Aromatique Essentials E-zine in Australia. The general theme of this upcoming issue is friendship, and this is why it took me a while to decide exactly what to write. I didn't want to recycle old thoughts, or repackage a prior blog post.

Everything we do, say, think and feel is producing energetic patterns. These patterns manifest into myriad corporeal forms, but friendship is one pattern that is slightly ephemeral. It takes shape and form in those people we choose to call friends, be they blood relatives or family of our heart, but friendship itself is an unseen thing.

We all know a wide range of euphemisms that denote how we interact with others. One would be that "water seeks its own level". Another would be that "we are judged by the company we keep". Yet another is my own thought, and it is that when walking on a beach, one grain of sand cannot shift without affecting the millions of other tiny grains around it. We are like unto that grain of sand in relation to friendship and the people we allow into our Inner Circle.

As with water seeking its own level, we as human beings resonate at a specific vibratory level, attracting other people vibrating at that same or similar vibration. This is my own theory, of course, but I feel it rings true. It would be highly unlikely for any of us to feel physically, emotionally or spiritually comfortable spending time around another person whose intrinsic energy is discordant and not in harmony with our own vibration. I feel that in this manner, we attract others and we form relationships that complement on an energetic level.

Because all of Life is of a cyclic nature, there come those moments when friendship...and harmonic energy...no longer match. It is this moment that we usually find most painful, as it is the hallmark of that relationship coming to an end. I used to struggle mightily with this experience, as it is my nature and preference to keep people I love in my life forever. For some, these cycles are more easily weathered, but I haven't always handled it with equanimity. It took many years of living through these cycles to understand and accept that not all relationships are meant to last forever. Indeed, the realization and understanding for me, now, tell me that many friendships are meant to burn brightly, quickly, bring strong blessings, and cycle to a close rather quickly. I still don't like this particular manifestation, but I have come to recognize the beauty of these experiences when they do occur. I have found a way to be thankful and appreciative of the time and happiness of every friendship I am blessed with. If they are of a short duration, I have also learned that sometimes, they cycle back around years later in my life. When this occurs, it is particularly lovely, as both I and that old friend have grown and changed in the interim, allowing a homecoming that is a fascinating celebration.

With age comes wisdom....another old homily. The older I get, the more I recognize that Life is, indeed, an endless cycle of patterns, dances, puzzles, harmonies and paintings. I mentioned in my last blog post that "friendships are the defining, delicate touches of color on our Souls, I think. Each person we allow into our Inner Circle adds a new element to our personal canvas, and in so doing, they add contrast." (Contrasts, November 6, 2010) Through the medium of the internet, I have connected with people I would never otherwise have been able to meet in this lifetime. From Knoxville, Tennessee to Australia, I have connected in friendship with Julie Nelson (Aromatique Essentials proprietor) and as a result, my writing is reaching an even wider audience.

From a good health perspective, friendship is essential to us. Being able to confide in that close friend, being able to laugh, to play, to relax completely...all of these things nurture our Spirit and bestow a wide range of health benefits. I could go off on a wild tangent on all the good health aspects of friendship, but that is a topic for another article. Today, as I ran errands, I reflected on the esoteric application of friendship and how the interactions we have with our friends ultimately weaves a strong energetic presence, albeit invisible to our human eyes.

Photo courtesy of
http://www.silverfernz.com/

I imagine that the love between friends produces the most beautiful energy pattern, if we could see it with our eyes....produces the most ethereal musical rhapsody, if we could hear it with our ears....produces a woven tapestry of unspeakable beauty, if we could touch it with our hands. We can do none of these things, but the gift we are given is to feel it with our hearts and minds. Our Spirit, that essential, unique thumbprint of energy each of us is, feels the blessing and happy energy that friendship produces. And we are all richer for this blessing.

Here in the United States, we are approaching our Thanksgiving holiday, so I find this a very fitting tribute to be writing about my own perspective of friendship. We are always, always exactly where we are meant to be in our lives, with the perfect people surrounding us, offering lessons and reflecting back to us what we are sending out to the world. Take a moment to give this thought, as it is a powerful statement. People come into our lives to teach us and also to reflect back to us. I often remind myself of this very fact if I am feeling dissatisfaction or a lack of harmony surrounding me. That niggling sensation of things not quite feeling right, as though puzzle pieces aren't aligning properly, is usually a red flag indicating some inner house cleaning is necessary. Yet another blessing friendship can offer us, if we are willing to listen, be open and also be honest with ourselves.

I find it very appropriate, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, to be writing about the beautiful harmony and blessings of friendship. As I have written this article, my thoughts have come together in a manner that pleases me, because I also learn from the process. Little gems of wisdom that I have stumbled across over a lifetime will suddenly surface, fitting into the body of text in just the right fashion. As a result, my own resolve and Spirit are strengthened and the vibrations that I radiate outward get a bit of a shine and polish. It is my choice, my conscious intent, to always radiate positive energy so that in return, I may attract similar positive energy and people. I want the friendships and love in my life to reflect the best version of Me that I am capable of rendering each day. I call it a song of friendship, this harmony that we all come together to produce.

To those in the United States celebrating Thanksgiving in the coming week, I wish you a safe, happy, blessed holiday. To my friends and readers elsewhere in this big, beautiful world, I wish you days of peace for the coming holiday season as well.

Namaste'.

Contrasts

2010-11-07T00:24:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Contrast: transitive verb
1: to set off in contrast; to compare or appraise in respect to differences

I chose the word above as the focus of this blog because my life has been a constant stream...a literal parade, recently, of contrasts.

I don't know about anyone else who might be reading this post, but I have been struggling. That's been happening for the past three years as a result of the economy tanking, and for me, it has waxed and waned in intensity. As a freelance writer, I have experienced some very lean times. For the most part, I accept this as part of the whole concept of freelancing; work goes in cycles, so you learn to plan ahead and budget accordingly.

I have observed that a great deal of similar energy has been hitting friends and family members, to such an extreme degree that I was driven to research what planetary aspects might be casting some of this energy. I can't quote specifics here because I'm not that well versed in astrology sciences, but a close friend mentioned that we're in a current difficult cycle where erratic energies will affect emotions, relationships and finances through January 2011. Great news, right?! Emotions, relationships and finances pretty much cover the whole gamut of our daily lives!

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I have a girlfriend who is on my "Short List" of friends - those people who we allow to get truly close to our hearts and that we trust the most. This past week, she experienced one of the most unexpected, most earth shattering personal experiences within a relationship it is possible to have. This woman is one of the most beautiful people I know, beautiful inside and out, compassionate, caring, giving, kind, funny...she's just a special Light. For this to happen to her is bewildering, astounding and baffling. I realize it is happening for a reason, as all dramatic occurrences do. She is meant to learn a specific something from the experience. I know that. It is just such a deeply dramatic situation, of such an enormity that one must pause to comprehend the magnitude of what is happening to her.

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Then along comes that word of contrasts. I have also witnessed some truly beautiful moments recently. My very dear friend and partner in crime in the blogging world, Duane Scott, is getting married on November 7, 2011. He is so happy right now that I have the mental image of him being one of those cartoon characters that is floating several inches off the ground, buoyed by love, little pulsating hearts replacing the pupils of his eyes. He is so young, on the brink of starting his whole adult life, and he has been blessed to meet that special person at this early stage. I can only be happy for him. I am unable to attend the wedding, to my everlasting frustration, but I will be there in my heart tomorrow as the ceremony takes place. Additionally, he and his new wife will be visiting me on their drive home from their honeymoon in about 10 days. The opportunity to spend time face to face will be wonderful...an early Christmas gift of sorts. They will both still be literally glowing with that Just Married inner light, and that energy will radiate outward.

The friendship that I have with each separate person mentioned here has grown from these contrasting moments in each of their lives. One friend is in the depths of despair right now, just fumbling and attempting to find enough balance to get through that next moment. She is riding that rollercoaster of emotions and navigating her way through the stages of grief with Grace, and doing it pretty much alone. I am not able to physically get to where she is, and can only be there via phone, texting and prayer. One friend is tripping merrily along as he approaches one of the most important days of his young life, and he is doing it with humor and cheer. He is posting absurd little thumbnail sketches of each progressive day of wedding build up, texting me with various "help me with this, please" requests and generally enjoying where his life is leading.

Contrasts. These two friends and where they are in their respective lives have repeatedly brought that word to mind. All around me, I am hearing of many people struggling with very dramatic Life Challenges. I capitalize those two words to denote the enormity - a girlfriend's father was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer; another friend was in a very bad car wreck and she's been unemployed for over 18 months; more people than I can count are inches from being homeless because of unemployment. Yet, in the midst of all of this, contrast comes in and I see reason to rejoice and celebrate.

Photo courtesy of
flickr.com

I reached a personal milestone this past week that I never thought I would achieve. I won't go into detail, but it is a milestone I am very proud of. Yesterday, I was at the mailbox - the day was overcast and windy. Suddenly the clouds broke open momentarily to clear blue skies and the sun beamed down onto a small patch of shrubbery and I saw a sticker or decal of a Smiley face snagged on the branches. How could that happen, if not for the unseen hand of a Higher Power parting those clouds and directing that beam of light to find that tiny sticker? I laughed out loud at the very clear, implicit message. It was contrast in a very explicit manner - the gray, wet, windy day briefly gifted me with not only blue skies and sunshine, but also with a cheerful Smiley face in the most seemingly random fashion. It was a Divine "made ya look, made ya grin, made ya laugh!" kind of message that was irresistable in the cheeky, brash humor of it all. I admire a Higher Power that sends me this type of message!

For those who are struggling right now, I feel your pain, disillusionment and frustration. I flit in and out of that same pool right now and I recognize the challenge it is for all of us to choose brighter, happier thoughts in the midst of so much worry and concern for the immediate future. We all know that contrast is necessary. Therefore, these darker moments are necessary in order for us to fully appreciate the happier times. Without darkness, we cannot have daylight. But the promise we have been given is a beautiful one, and that is that after darkness, there will come daylight.

I don't have easy answers for any of us who are struggling. All I can say is that I have been captured by the fact that there is such a strong example of extreme contrast around me. I think this is happening for a reason, although I couldn't even begin to understand the deepest logic behind it all. I would obviously wish for the girlfriend in despair to be lifted up, reassured, comforted and given a quick resolution to her current situation. I would also wish for my guy friend to never have to experience a single cloudy day in his brand new marriage. We all know that neither wish can come true. Indeed, each of these dear friends must navigate their own realities as best they can, and learn the lessons presented to each path. As their friend, my role is to both celebrate the good times, and be supportive during the bad times. More moments of contrast result from this.

My girlfriend will be strengthened by this current trial and she will come out of it an even better, more beautiful version of herself. My guy friend will go home after his honeymoon and become enmeshed in the daily challenges of cohabiting with a brand new wife, and he also will become a better version of himself.

Photo courtesy of
http://www.artbylisa.com/

As a result of friendship with both these wonderful people, my life is blessed and the contrasts are endless. Friendships are the defining, delicate touches of color on our Souls, I think. Each person we allow into our Inner Circle adds a new element to our personal canvas, and in so doing, they add contrast. I also become a stronger, more well rounded, more beautiful and better version of myself from these relationships.

This week, each person represents that widest spectrum of contrast, and as a result, they prompted me to write this post. I am unsure if it makes a great deal of logical sense, as I am swinging back and forth on a fulcrum....deeply sad for my girlfriend, and joyously happy for my guy friend. The fulcrum itself is Me, and my love for both of them. I imagine that my personal canvas has gained new depth, color and expression because of the events in both their lives this week. Contrast continues....and we grow as a result.

In this moment

2010-10-22T06:21:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

If you read my blog occasionally, you'll know that quite often I will gather inspiration from a quote. This has happened today. Being a fan of Jerry and Esther Hicks, authors of many books on Universal Law as delivered by Abraham, I receive weekly emails to my Inbox that contain a Quote of the Day. Today's quote is as follows:

No one can deny you or grant you anything. It all comes to you by virtue of your vibration. - Abraham (Excerpted from the workshop in Lincroft, NJ on Tuesday, October 15th, 1996 #600)

This is such a simple, yet powerful thought and statement. Just before it hit my Inbox, I was sitting here reflecting on how I feel. I do this on a regular basis, throughout each day, becoming a sort of bellwether for myself. The way that I feel in that specific moment in time indicates how I react and move forward throughout the rest of my day. If I'm not feeling so great in that specific moment, that is my immediate signal to shift my thoughts, per Jerry and Esther's books' suggestions, and create a different harmony, or vibration.

You know how sometimes, God/Universe will interact with us in a beautiful way and deliver just the most perfect thought that matches how we're feeling? This is what occurred with the above quote, and it is the personification of Universal Law, to my way of thinking.

I have made no secret of the fact that Life isn't always a bright, sunshiney, flower-strewn meadow for me. I step out of bed each day with my own personal challenges, responsibilities and dreams to better myself and my circumstances. Some days I hit the best note possible, other days I don't. Here very recently, I have been making more of those wee steps of progression, embracing the better thoughts, choosing to focus on uplifting mindset.

And today, in the small, quiet hours of the morning, just moments prior to reading the Hicks-Abraham quote, I was smiling because I was very consciously aware of feeling....happy. That warm, satisfied, just all around good feeling that we are occasionally blessed with was suffusing my mind and body. Then I opened the email containing the quote above and I laughed out loud at the delightful Divine Order of it all.

I am in a space where my skills are being recognized and appreciated by colleagues - both those in the blogging world, and also those in the professional arenas where I make my living. I am building up a client roster of people that I truly enjoy working with, and this makes me equally happy. As Abraham has indicated, this generates happiness and that uplifting tone, harmony and energy begets more of the same. It has happened over a vast stretch of time for me, yet now that it is clearly manifesting, it has almost caught me off guard with the gentle evidence.

My last post, Choosing Positivity, was a requested guest post for Mansi Bhatia's wonderful blog, First Impressions. Perhaps this post is an adjunct, or continuation of that general theme. Normally, I do my best to not repeat themes in concurrent blog posts, but this is what hit me this morning and it felt appropriate to write about.

I have pondered esoteric laws and concepts from my very early years, as I have always been a rapt student of this type of knowledge. For a great many years, I understood the concept of Universal Law on an intellectual basis, but it was the nuances that escaped me. I spent many years focusing more on the "Don't wants" than focusing on what felt better in that particular moment. When I finally came to clarity on that specific application of Universal Law, I remember rolling my eyes at myself with how I managed to overlook that part of the whole equation for so long. As we all know, the Lightbulb Moments hit when we are ready to receive them. I was close, so very close in my younger years to that clarity, but not quite ready to fully grasp the simplicity therein.

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I'm very good at what I call "getting in my own way". I have a strong tendency to do things the hard way first, every time. Why, you might ask? My brain just seems to be hardwired in that manner. Until someone points out the exquisite beauty and obviousness of the more simple approach, it just doesn't occur to me to do it that way. It can be comical to family and friends, because I confuse them at times with my elaborate approach to some very simple task, applying great amounts of energy and concentration and enthusiasm...until someone says, "Dawn, have you ever thought of doing it THIS way?" This is the point where I always stop dead, absolutely captivated by their suggestion, my brain all a-goggle with the searingly simple method they have suggested. It is as though the Heavens open and a bright ray of sunshine beams down upon my fair head, with an accompanying orchestra and choir in the background.

No, I'm really not kidding. Sometimes I really do just do things the hard way first. Okay, LOTS of times I do things the hard way first. It's just my nature, apparently. This is not to say, however, that I enjoy making things difficult for myself! Indeed, it is always a goal of mine to simplify and find more logical methods.

At this point in my life, I feel I have come to a very solid, positive approach that serves me well. I know this because when I check in with myself throughout the day, the majority of the time, I detect joy. Happiness is the note of the morning for me and I have to admit, it feels pretty darned good! What makes it even more enjoyable is that I am quite aware that I am responsible for this inner feeling of satisfaction and happiness. I have chosen the steps to maintain that positive outlook, even during the days where I would much rather embrace gloom and irritability. I've made that conscious effort to focus on the next best feeling thought and emotion.

Oftentimes, that next best feeling thought is tiny....minor to the point of being relevant only to my heart. Yesterday, it was me standing at the mailbox and glancing up in the sky to see a cloud shaped like a bird's wing. This morning, it was the simple realization that although my work is not where I would wish for it to be just yet, it IS getting there. I have work coming in the door after a very long, stressful dry period, and it is work that I enjoy. I am helping people and making a difference in the world with these new projects, and for me as a writer, this is sublimely satisfying. That satisfaction is glowing inside of me this morning, blossoming into a larger sensation of happiness as I take time to identify it, focus upon it and feel appreciation for it.

So, today, my inner feeling is one of simple happiness. Nothing complex, although admittedly the path to get here was riddled with obstacles and myriad frustrations at times. I am happy, in this moment, and I am taking time to focus on this emotion that is welling up inside me. I imagine it to be a warm glowing ball of Light, much as I have described in other blog posts, and I imagine that this same emotion, this same energy, vibration and tone is calling out. Remember, my friends, that thoughts and words are energy and translate into electrical impulses that dart outward to the Universe! According to Universal Law, this energy is attracted to similar energy...vibrating and spinning, flying outward to unite with more of the same, then returning to us, bringing again, more of the same. More of the same, only amplified!

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I am reaping the benefits of structuring my thoughts, habits and actions, and these benefits are that I am happy, satisfied and feeling fulfilled on many different levels. My plan for navigating the day is to continue to dwell in this feeling of happiness. In each moment that I focus on this quiet sensation of bliss, I am, in effect, dialing accurately into the vibration of God/Universe/Spirit and creating a high level of harmony that will continue to perpetuate itself. In this moment, this awareness brings a smile. In this moment, I greet myself as an incredible part of the bigger picture that creates my reality. In this moment, I am basking in a lovely, happy place. I hope your own day brings you equal joy, my friends.

Choosing positivity

2010-10-18T14:43:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
http://www.flickr.com/

I was recently invited to write a guest post for Mansi Bhatia's First Impressions blog page. It is always an honor to be asked to write for someone else's site, and it gives me the chance to meet new people and write content that I might not come up with on my own. Mansi gave me free rein to write whatever I chose, simply pointing out that she enjoys my positive approach with my writing.

So, I pondered the concept of positivity for a couple of days, allowing thoughts to flow and simmer in my mind. First and foremost, I do strive to see and seek the positive moments in life. Mansi's comments actually gave me a bright moment, an affirmation of sorts, letting me know that yes, I'm doing what I set out to do each day of my life.

I'm sure we've all run across those people who shine a bit more brightly than others...they seem lit from within with a secret that makes us curious. I have found upon getting to know these bright Souls that quite often, they have come from experience of great hardship, sadness and challenges that would cripple many, yet they have found a way to still see beauty in every moment.

Conversely, we have all also met those people who are like the cartoon figure who walks around followed by his own personal storm cloud. They are determined to see the gloom in every moment; they dive into a large pool of 'Poor Me' and spend countless hours floating about, plumbing the depths of negativity and sharing that energy with everyone they encounter. These people are exhausting to be around, as they drain our own energies as we attempt to lighten their hearts without success.

Life is about conscious choices. I've said countless times that we define ourselves by our reactions to any given set of circumstances. For me on a personal and professional level, much like millions of other people since the economy tanked in 2008, life has definitely been challenging. I have reinvented myself and my professional life more times than I can count, and yes, I have been truly scared on a deeply elemental level many times about how I would survive. During those times, I revealed these concerns to very few people and perhaps that reticence was a mistake. Everyone does need that soft place to fall and people in whom to confide, and I admit to not always being as forthcoming as I could be. What I found made the strongest difference for me, apart from having that small inner circle of true, loyal friends, was keeping a positive outlook. No, it hasn't always been easy to stay positive, but finding reasons to laugh and choosing to seek moments of beauty in every single day kept my heart uplifted and reminded me that my own issues were fleeting.

Photo courtesy of
http://www.pikeresearch.com/

When we look at an ancient tree flourishing in a field, we are reminded that time marches on and our small human dramas are but a wee blip on the timeline of this world. When we greet a brisk fall morning and breathe in the fresh air scented with the smoky sting of wood fires, we are part of the cycle of nature. When we share laughter with friends about some seemingly insignificant moment, we are releasing joyful energy and thought that will never die away, because we have created a positive memory. Scientists continue to ponder the concept of electrical impulses being eternal, and I remind myself of this fact quite often....my thoughts are energy.

My actions and words are energy...I am speaking, thinking and behaving in a manner that in some small way, is eternal. My choices are obvious: I can choose to sink into the depths of despair and retreat from life, or I can choose to LIVE and find reasons to be appreciative each day.

My choice is to dwell in positivity. Of course I don't always achieve this goal each day. We all have those moments that we admit it might have been the better part of valor to just stay in bed that particular day. Sometimes it is actually an intrinsic part of balance to have a slower day where things don't always line up perfectly. Light cannot happen without dark, after all. Contrasting moments give us the opportunity and clarity to appreciate things in a much more rich manner. I think that anyone who goes through life without experiencing any challenges, loss or physical pain is very ill equipped for that definitive moment when a negative challege does occur...because it is inevitable that they WILL occur for us all.

Photo courtesy of
http://www.masaru-emoto.net/

Should we seek out negatives? Perhaps there is value to recognizing negatives in order to simply learn the true colors of a situation so it may be avoided in the future. Beyond that, from a holistic health approach, dwelling on negative thoughts isn't the type of energy I want to concentrate in my own body. There is a frequency to every thought we project, and it can be proven that positive, uplifting, loving and happy thoughts have beneficial effects. Dr. Masaru Emoto has studied the effects of conscious, projected thoughts on water for years, and has been able to show physical changes in the crystalline structure of frozen water. This is a dramatic indication of how truly powerful our thoughts are, and underscores even more how important it is for us to choose positive thoughts, actions and words.

I have quite often been labeled a PollyAnna personality, been told that I wear rose colored glasses and that I am a bit too optimistic in nature. I do not deny any of these comments, as they are true. I am comfortable with myself and with my approach to life. I am by no stretch of the imagination a perfectly evolved Soul; if that were true, I wouldn't be here on this Earth School, learning along with everyone else. I do, however, find a rightness and a sense of calm, peace and balance in choosing to focus on positivity on a daily basis. There is such beauty in the world, everywhere we cast our eyes, if we CHOOSE to see it. Yes, there is also ugliness, imbalance, unfairness and lack in abundance, but the focus here is the other side of this coin. Positive thoughts can move mountains in a figurative sense, making those dark areas fade into insignificance if enough join together in that positive energy.

Mansi invited me to write this guest post on her wonderful blog page because she saw something uplifting in my writing style. My writing style reflects my true nature and gives voice to those things, issues, emotions and thoughts that I find to be most important and dynamic. The fact that another talented writer recognizes and appreciates my message in my writing gave me a particularly sweet moment. It brightened a day that I admit was a trifle lackluster and renewed my own Spirit. As I finish writing this post in preparation of sharing it with Mansi's readers, there are birds singing outside my office window. The air is fresh and crisp with that essentially full bodied autumn flavor, and Nature is just beginning to paint fall color on the leaves of the tree that keeps me company each day as I work. In that one single glance, I have witnessed visual beauty and have been uplifted by it. My rose colored glasses have remained firmly on my nose, I admit this without a single qualm.

I think that choosing to embrace positivity is a noble undertaking. It may sound quite simplistic at first glance, but I assure you, there are days that I find it quite challenging to accomplish! Regardless of the challenge, it is what I choose because I feel it is important to address each day with a conscious regard towards making a strong and positive mark. I have learned over the years, and particularly since I began writing for Healing Morning blog, that this conscious choice does make a difference and that it has impacted those around me in a positive manner. That spurs me on and encourages me to continue. Occasionally, I am blessed in return by such a moment as this invitation from Mansi, letting me know that someone recognizes my Light as I do theirs.

Photo courtesy of
http://www.flickr.com/

I call it the lambent glow of our Spirit, and as I close here, I am convinced that the satisfaction of sharing these thoughts has amped up my own personal Light considerably. If you see it, shining in the distance, I am sure it is because your own Light glows brightly in return.

Brightness of the heart can never be truly extinguished, my friends.

Namaste'.
_________________________
Take a moment to visit Mansi Bhatia's wonderful blog, First Impressions. She is one of my favorite bloggers because of her ability to laser through all the layers of distraction and write clean, concise and inspired words on her chosen topics.

New discoveries

2010-10-06T03:35:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I have never been what I would describe as militant about anyone's food choices. I respect everyone's right to make those choices for themselves, whether that means you're a card carrying, true blue meat eater, or whether you're an all out vegan who wouldn't think of touching anything that got within light years of a living, breathing animal, or whether you're somewhere in the middle. Live and let live has always been my preference. I will admit that I have some vegan friends who are rather aggressive with their beliefs and approach. I make it clear that I'm not open to being preached to or chastised over what I choose to eat. I am a capable adult and make those choices for myself.

That being said, I do have interest in eating in as healthy a manner as I can manage, with my own food preferences and slightly odd food issues (allergies) taken into consideration. Recently, I have been exposed via a client of mine to the whole scary world of Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs). In the process of researching this topic, I was stunned to learn that the highly touted label of 'organic' doesn't necessarily mean the food you're eating is healthy for you, OR that it is truly organic.

Take honey as an example. In order for any United States company to make a true claim that their honey is organic, they have to be able to prove that their bees are deriving nutrition, pollen and water from proven organic sources within a 50 mile radius of their home location. I don't know if these stipulations apply in other countries, but just that one fact stopped me in my tracks and made me reconsider some of the food purchases I've been making over the years. With that as a simple guideline, given that a huge number of crops that provide cross pollination to bees in the U.S. are likely to be GMO crops, honey produced in the U.S. can't really be truly labeled as 'organic'. See what I mean? Scary!

Spelt Grain
Courtesy of Bing images

This client, fortunately, is a wonderful U.S. company, Berlin Natural Bakery in Berlin, Ohio that produces a wide range of spelt products that are Non-GMO Project Verified. I am happy to report that I can source their products here in my local area and plan to make a big shift in my own household to their breads, pastas and more. This is a simple thing that I can do and feel good knowing I am consuming healthy foods that have not been genetically tinkered with. It's a small step, and some may argue that everything else I eat can't be proven to be equally healthy and 'safe', but for me, it's a good step in the right direction.

Another fairly new avenue [to me] for health and holistic maintenance is essential oils. I have some clients and dear friends who are masters at this art and science, and I am learning fascinating new details and knowledge almost daily from my contact with them. As a former licensed massage therapist, I always used essential oils in my practice, but didn't give a great deal of thought to the healing properties of those essential oils. Looking back, I wonder why I didn't delve more deeply into it, but at the time I was more focused on establishing my business and being successful. My clients enjoyed the aromatherapy aspects of the oils that I used and that was great. Now, having connected with two amazing women who have successful aromatherapy and essential oil businesses, I am being exposed to a whole world of health benefits I never realized essentials give us.

We all know that scents give us visceral, emotional reactions. The smell of baking bread or chocolate chip cookies in the oven will take us right back to happy childhood memories. The smell of freshly cut grass kicks us into thoughts of hot, lazy summer afternoons walking behind the cranky push mower, sweating like a fiend and looking forward to a cold drink at the end of the chore. Perfumes bring to mind specific people. Every scent has some personal tie in our minds and memories. The wonderful thing about essential oils is that they're not just delightful to smell - they're full of amazing healing properties.

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

I am a novice at this and can only refer to my friends Julie Nelson of Aromatique Essentials in Australia and Sheen Perkins McKeever of Agape Oils and Essential Oils by Nature in Wilmington, North Carolina as the true experts in the essential oils field. One good example that I've learned is that the ages old resin, Frankincense, has the following powerful properties: it is antiseptic, antifungal, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic. Wow, right?! It is also a wonderful ingredient that can be incorporated into aromatherapy for its calming influence. What I am learning that is so exciting is that essential oils can be efficacious for so many ailments, ranging from aches and pains such as arthritis and bruises to more serious complaints such as respiratory issues and such dread modern issues as MRSA infections.

I consider myself quite fortunate to be connected with these wonderful people running these progressively thinking companies. Through working with each of them, I am learning and being exposed to ideas, products and information that are changing the way I live my life...changing it in a healthy way! Because learning and growing always excites and makes me happy, when I stumble across topics of this nature, it is my first wish and impulse to share the information. I hope many of you will take time to click on these various companies I've mentioned and do some research, and discovering of your own. These are small steps to take, yes, in the broad scheme of all the toxins that we are bombarded with in our daily lives, but we all have to start somewhere. Why not take those first steps in directions that taste and smell good?

Happy eating and happy fragrant moments!

Live YOUR Life

2010-10-01T22:09:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

A couple days ago, I experienced a very unpleasant situation online, on Facebook. It was in a peripheral manner but still disturbing. In a nutshell, I had clicked to Like/Follow a new page that is quite successful for a specific product that I use. The owner of the page appears to be quite successful, with thousands of followers. I thought, "Okay, why not? A lot of people I know follow him."

Less than an hour later, one of his posts hit my wall. It contained what can only be described as a poisonous diatribe...a vicious, supercilious, holier-than-thou attack on someone who had interacted with this man on some earlier thread on his Facebook wall. I am not going to disclose the Facebook page or names of anyone involved. The personal attack this person perpetrated was long, involved, ugly and full of a confusing, garbled message that after reading, left me wondering what had riled him up so badly. He took pains to post what had been a fairly innocuous conversation and proceeded to ridicule, lambast and accuse this other person of outright heinous behavior. What I saw from my end was a woman who had written a thoughtful, fair minded and relatively mild comment that didn't agree 100% with this man's perspective.

In response to his attack and his blatant act of putting her on Facebook blast to his readers, she took the High Road and apologized in a sincere manner. She addressed his points, stood her ground in a polite manner, but also took pains to express that if any insult was given, that wasn't her intention. His reaction was to write what I would describe as an Epic reply....we're talking paragraph after paragraph (more than 15 paragraphs, in fact - I stopped counting and reading at 15) of ranting, snide remarks and insulting, ugly comments about this woman's intelligence. It was simply disturbing. I went so far as to write a short comment in the thread that I found nothing incendiary about the statement that caused the whole ruckus, but then I bowed out.

What is my point? Well, if I can say anything about this whole mess, it is that I often wonder why so many people insist on living someone else's life for them. That is exactly what this guy was doing. By attempting to bludgeon someone else into bowing down to you just to keep the peace, by reacting in outrage and an attacking manner to force that other person to adopt your opinion, all you are doing is trying to step right into that person's life and take over. News Flash to those of us who behave in that manner....YOU DO NOT BELONG THERE!! Step back into your own body, your own life and your own arena.

My Grandmother Reagan was quite fond of telling all of us grandkids (there are 27 of us) when we were small and falling victim to the need to exhibit anywhere near that type of behavior, "Stay on your own back porch and tend your own backyard. That will keep you PLENTY busy!" Sage words, my friends.

What joy could it possibly bring another human being to behave in such a churlish, vindictive, antagonistic and public manner towards someone they've never met face to face??? It is beyond my ability to comprehend, but it was quite clear in that thread that this guy was LOVING what he was doing. Thankfully, one of my friends had recently posted on his wall the way to UnLike a page on Facebook, and I wasted no time zipping over to his wall to find that thread, copy the directions and delete that man's Fan Page from my wall. I do not ever want that level of toxic energy around me.

There was a bright side to the whole drama. I sent a private message to the lady that was the victim of this scenario, offering my own opinion and support. She wrote back and we struck up what appears to be the beginning of a very nice friendship. File this under the category of one of my older, archived posts, "It's 'Funny' How". Sometimes wonderful things result from the strangest, most unlikely, occasionally unpleasant circumstances. Happily, this was such a moment, and I look forward to getting to know this new friend better in the coming days.

Am I saying that we should never offer our own opinions about anything? That we should stand meekly and mutely by as a friend, or even a complete stranger walks directly into the path of an oncoming bus (literally or figuratively)? Absolutely not. I am not saying either of those things. There's a handy word to apply here and it is 'prudence'. If you read Healing Morning blog often, then you already know I'm a fan of the dictionary, so here's what Webster has to tell us about prudence:

Prudence

Noun
1. The ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prudence)

I think we all can agree that there is no way on Earth that someone can exercise prudence when they're occupied with the egotistical tantrum this man was throwing out on his Facebook wall. I cannot speak for him or what wound him up to such an irrational level. Clearly, there were emotional triggers that were tripped for him and he just dove right into the thick of it, wallowing around, pulling it close like a favorite teddy bear, enjoying the whole drama of it all. To my way of thinking, this did nothing to serve him well. It shined a very harsh light on him and actually made him look and sound petty, vengeful and childish. My newfound friend, however, stepped firmly into loving, forgiving and conciliatory energy, forgave, apologized and then walked away.

It is human nature to want to slap back at someone when they attack us. This situation went beyond anything as simple as an attack and slipped over the edge into character assassination. Nothing good can result from that type of dark, ugly energy. I predict that this person [perpetrating the attack] more than likely lives in a constant state of turmoil, has endless disappointments and often wonders why nothing ever goes his way. If he could step outside of himself for a wee span of time and watch his behavior from this whole episode, he might truly be appalled at the negative energy he was spewing. He might, just maybe, recognize that he is creating his own reality...and a grandly negative one at that.

I don't know his history or what has made him such an unhappy person inside that he has to resort to publicly tearing another person down to derive some sense of self. It is saddening to me, to be honest, that this man walks such a negative path. Granted, this was a small, isolated window into his world, so perhaps I am painting him with an unfair and broad brush. I have found, however, that that type of aggressive, angry energy blasted in such a public manner tends to indicate ingrained, habitual behavior. I can only wish peace towards him and remove myself, which I have done.

It generally comes from a vast sense of dissatisfaction that someone is motivated to thrust themselves so forcefully into another person's life in this way. If you're happy with yourself, content with your beliefs and perspective, you will have little to no need to force anyone to believe, think or feel as you do. That's because you're tending your own yard, staying on your own back porch and living your own life. It sounds so simple, right? For some of us, it is. For many of us, it comes easy. For many, it is hard fought and hard won, this realization that living your own life is the quickest and surest way to happiness. It is when we stray from our own path and start meddling with others, telling them how to live, that we come to grief and cause some truly unnecessary, hurtful situations.

I know the road I choose to take. Yes, I stepped briefly into this whole scenario in an effort to soothe troubled waters. I'm a peacekeeper by nature, but not to such a degree that I will charge militantly into someone else's space and forcefully inflict my opinions. When it was clear that nothing could mitigate the situation at hand, I, too, walked away. But I wasn't alone....I had a new friend walking with me. So, again, it really is 'funny how' Life throws us these unexpected moments of startling beauty in the midst of a tangled mess!

Accountability is another good word to partner up with practising restraint, respect and prudence. I agree with my beloved Granny Reagan that staying in my own backyard and living my own life keeps me plenty busy on any given day. I find that I resonate and enjoy spending time with other wonderful people who embrace this concept, because in general, they are happy Souls. Certainly, we all have bad days where we slip up, but I find that I can detect that bright light shining from within that other person when they are tending their backyard, keeping their porch clean and neat and authentically living their own lives.

Photo courtesy of
http://www.coolfreeimages.net/

The harmony of someone who is emotionally well balanced is obvious and joyous to be around. It's a daily choice...sometimes a moment by moment one...but as I said earlier, I know which road I want to be on. And I know the type of people with whom I prefer to interact. My own Light recognizes you all, you know.

Your Light is a beacon and you make a difference in this world when you step forward in Conscious Thought, Conscious Love and the decision to Live YOUR Life.

Namaste.

Celebrate with me!

2010-09-25T20:25:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Today, September 25, 2010 is the one year anniversary of Healing Morning blog. I checked the dates about a month ago and have been giving thought to what I would write when the specific day rolled around. This past year has opened up the world for me beyond anything I could ever have imagined or dreamed for myself, and blogging was an integral part of this process.

I am, first and foremost, a writer. I have done many different types of work in my adult life to pay the bills, but at my core, I identify myself as a writer. The process of blogging gave me a genre that celebrates writing in a very unique manner. I work as a freelance technical and creative writer, and social media management consultant, so writing is incorporated into my daily work life. Blogging straddles the two worlds of professional and personal writing for me. I manage social media and write blogs for a wide range of clientele, and I also write here at Healing Morning for purely personal satisfaction.

It is here at Healing Morning that I express my innermost thoughts, emotions, ponderings and dreams. Most writers have aspirations to become published authors, and I am no different in that regard. I am currently working on a manuscript that I have every intention of getting into published and promoted book form. Blogging has given me a worldwide audience and valuable feedback that I firmly believe makes me a stronger writer with every single article posted. Writers gain polish by doing more of the same...by simply writing, refining and writing some more.

There is equal satisfaction in growing readership and meeting fellow writers/bloggers from all over the world. I have developed incredibly strong, beautiful friendships with many bloggers here in the United States and across the world in myriad countries. The friendships blossom in the most lovely way as we all exchange stories, read one anothers' writing, post comments and genuinely appreciate the interaction that blogging gives us.

I have learned even more to trust my own instincts, and as a result, fairly early on in my blogging experience, I co-founded Authentic Blogger on Facebook. Authentic Blogger is one of my proudest accomplishments, as it provides a supportive community for fellow bloggers to post their work, grow their own readership and gain more exposure in the blog-o-sphere. Our group grows a bit more slowly than some blogging groups, but we like it that way - being authentic is the whole purpose and Mission Statement of the Authentic Blogging concept. Through this group, I have met more talented writers and have a rock solid relationship with my co-founder and business partner, Duane Scott. Like many other blogging friendships, this is one in particular that I am confident will be a lifelong relationship.

I hear that there are thousands of blogs started daily that become 'orphaned' in a short span of time, meaning that the people who created those blogs just abandon the effort and walk away. At this point in time, I do not see this ever happening for me with Healing Morning blog. It is an intrinsic part of who I am. The very title describes me in infinite detail. 'Healing' encompasses my very heart and love of a holistic approach to life and extending myself to others in a peaceful, loving, optimistic fashion. 'Morning' is a play on my name, Dawn.

The day that a girlfriend and I sat at a local Panera Bread and she showed me how to set up a blog shell, I never dreamed that I would be where I am today. The name, Healing Morning, came about in the most natural manner and I look back now and marvel a bit at how absolutely perfect the title remains. I will never change it. I am definitely a creature of habit, so I tend to hold on to certain things for recognition purposes on a public manner. This is vital in the world of blogging, I think, so Healing Morning will always be a strong identifying factor for who I am as a writer.

Where will this new year take me and Healing Morning? In the past year, it has introduced me to new people and experiences on a global level. I am proud to report that I am a contributing writer for Aromatique Essentials e-zine in Australia - this is the wonderful brainchild of my dear friend, Julie Nelson who is talented in all things aromatherapy related. I am also a contributing writer to the blogging website called Live and Inspire Magazine, based in Malaysia. I am a contributing blogger on Writers Rising blog, where I have been introduced to even more talented bloggers. Never could I have dreamed up such opportunties for my writing to span the world in this manner, and to be very well received. Any writer will tell you such experiences are deeply personally satisfying as well as just plain delightful! To know that people around the world are reading my writing and enjoying it enough to extend invitations to me to become a contributing writer for their projects is the highest compliment I can think of receiving.

Yet another completely unexpected and somewhat overwhelming opportunity that came from Healing Morning blog was my first radio interview on Starclear Radio. The focus of Starclear Radio is to shed light on all manner of spiritual experiences, and it gave me the chance to dip a toe into the larger media and publicity pool and realize this is something that I am capable of doing successfully. The interview went so well, in fact, that I was invited to return for a full hour long show in January 2011. The confidence of Starclear's co-founders, Jeffrey Seelman and Amy Lamb, in me was warming and encouraging. This again shows the incredible power that blogging and social media put into our hands. Without venturing forth into the world of blogging, I would never have crossed paths with Amy and Jeffrey. It did happen, though, and is another reason to celebrate this first year of blogging.

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

There are endless reasons for me to sit here, smiling as I write. My world has broadened and become enriched in so many ways that I imagine my Spirit has extra facets deposited all around. I envision my own Light and writing talent to be a cross somewhere between the soft, lambent glow of a lustrous pearl and the bright, exhuberant blaze of a multi-faceted diamond. I have a calm, quiet sureness with my writing that is married to a dash of on the ceiling energy and appreciation for the occasionally absurd moments in life. I like to think that reflects in different ways in different blog articles.

I look forward to another year with Healing Morning blog. More friendships, new experiences and new triumphs await. For now, I celebrate the past year and I thank each and every person who has taken time to visit my blog page, leave kind comments and clicked to follow my work. I invite you all to celebrate with me!

Grief path

2010-09-19T22:36:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of
Bing images

Recently, my friend Lisa Brandel invited me to write a guest post for her blog, The Widow Lady. My answer was an immediate and resounding "Yes!" because she's one of my favorite people. It took me a while to settle on a topic and focus for the guest post, but now I'm ready to dig in. Lisa's blog, as many of you who follow her know, focuses on dealing with the loss of a spouse, grief and the whole recovery process. While I am no stranger to grief and loss, I haven't lost a spouse. So I tucked the guest post invitation aside and waited. Inspiration struck in a somewhat different application of grief.

Another friend recently had to bid farewell to a plot of land that had been in her family for many, many years. To some, this might not strike as a reason for grief. To me, it hit home profoundly. I am from a tiny community in East Tennessee that is so small we've only had a stop light at our one major intersection for about 10 years. My childhood home is land that is up on the side of a ridge, tucked away and so obscure on back roads that you have to know it's there to know it's there! It is peaceful, quiet and to my eyes, beautiful beyond words.

There has been a lot of noise about a road plan that could end up running right over the top of this property, with the state of Tennessee being able to declare Eminent Domain and force us to sell the land. While I admit this has been going on since the mid-1990s with no true progress, just the thought of this possibly happening is enough to strike dread and fear into my heart. I am bound to that land and have always dreamed of building a home there.

My friend who had to bid farewell to her family land is going through a grieving process that hurts my heart for her. I won't go into specific details on the reasons the land was sold, but I know she has endless childhood memories of that land. Endless days of playing in the woods, exploring, creating fantastic games of fantasy. Hot summer days of gardening, weeding plants as the sun blazed down. Balmy evenings lying under the trees watching lightning bugs twinkling as the evening shadows painted sunset across the sky. I imagine she can tell stories about every tree, every woodland path, every field, stream and wildflower patch.

She was fortunate to be able to have enough notice to say some proper goodbyes prior to the final sale of the property. She walked the land, taking pictures of everything that held memories for her, and whispered her goodbyes. I know she cried throughout the whole day, as this is what I would do and feel myself. She was raised out in the country, as I was, and taught an appreciation for the land that goes very deep. Some people might not appreciate or understand this, and that's okay. It may be unique to me and this friend, or perhaps each of you reading this are nodding your heads in agreement and feeling a sympathetic sting of tears and sadness for what this girlfriend experienced.

No, land is not a person. It doesn't die, per se. But it does Live. It is a living, breathing, nurturing presence. Calm, quiet...patient as the ages, land harbors us without protest, allowing us to trample, to build, to grow. That plot of land out in the country of East Tennessee harbored my girlfriend and her family with love, of this I'm certain. I feel it entirely appropriate and logical that my friend is grieving the loss of her childhood sanctuary. I know that she is going through those stages of grief as surely as she would if it were a person she was bidding farewell to. Losing family land is one of the most intimate losses I can imagine, and I wish with all my heart that she had never had to experience this.

I found myself smiling at her Facebook descriptions of walking the land, photographing everything she could think of, down to pebbles scattered across a dirt road. Yes, I would do that too. I hope that she has enough photographs taken that somewhat soothe that empty spot in her heart for that land. She will always yearn for the opportunity to drive out there and roam the land on a whim. She will always remember the happy times in her mind's eye. Nothing, however, will give her back that special connection to that land.

The key to the grief process, for me, is to accept that change is inevitable. We are left with no choice but to find a way to keep living without that vital presence that we once had. Be it a person, or a place, it hurts on a visceral level to say a permanent goodbye. There are no easy ways, no short cuts to the journey of healing the loss. For me, some losses are years old and I still experience moments of loss that are so sharp it is as though it happened only hours ago. Yes, time does heal and soften those jagged edges. We go on. We are forever changed from the loss, and sometimes not always in positive ways, but we do go on.

Is the loss of family land worthy of a blog post? I think it is. I recognize the gravity and emotion of such an event, and part of my heart just broke for my friend who had to walk that path of loss. I don't know what the sale of her land will produce. I hope that perhaps other families will build homes there and grace the land with laughter and love. Perhaps in that small way, the loss would be a bit more bearable for her. Should the reason be for another type of commerce, then all I can hope is that she finds solace in her memories and photographs. The land will not die a true death, of course. Land is a constant. It morphs and changes over time with construction and becomes something new.

So, as is the case for most of us with personal loss, my friend will tuck the memories away in her heart and mind's eye. She will reminisce with family members about this tree, or that rock, or that field and for short moments, they will be back there again, awash in the security and golden haze of childhood. I hope that in some small way those moments will ease and soothe her.

*Special thanks to Lisa Brandel for inviting me to share my thoughts on her wonderful blog, The Widow Lady. I hope many of you will take a moment to visit her blog and read her work.

Satisfaction

2010-09-15T19:17:00.000-04:00

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Bing images

I don't know about anyone else, but for me, the process of writing and inspiration striking is a random one. Most family members and close friends resigned themselves years ago to the realization that any conversation or shared experience with me is potential fodder for either a plotline for a manuscript, or a topic for a blog post. I solemnly swore, hand over heart, to always change names to protect the innocent!

So, that being said, some names I don't change because they deserve full credit for sparking an idea that turns into a blog post. My friend Duane Scott is one of my regular sources for inspiration, simply because we talk a lot and we tend to make one another ponder deep topics. At other times, the subject might be lighthearted and fun, but this particular blog focuses on a 'ponder deeply' topic.

This was the original question thrown out that started the whole thing:

Question Of The Day: Is it possible for a person to be fully satisfied with who they are?
Duane Scott - Scribing the Journey

My response:

I think it is possible for people to be content - that's a different word and different emotional application. And both are conscious choices that we make daily - the same way choosing to be happy falls into that category. Are there bad things happening in the world? Are there bills to pay? Are there wars and famine and poverty? Yes to all of the above. However, rather than letting the knowledge of those things make us miserable, we can choose to find reasons to be happy. We can also choose to find reasons to be content and to be satisfied. They are all conscious choices.

So, yes, I believe it is possible. On the other hand, I also believe that continually striving for better in our lives is of paramount importance! If we stop dreaming, we stagnate. Perhaps the point I'm attempting to make is that it's possible to choose to be content/satisfied on a moment-to-moment basis. Hmm...perhaps a blog is about to be born!

His reply:

Dawn... Write on! Write a post! I'd love to hear your thoughts. These are amazing, but there are more tucked in your brain, aren't there. ;) I know you too well.

And here we are, with me writing a blog post! I've often debated the topic of what constitutes being satisfied. There are so many layers and facets to that word...it applies to literally every area of life. Not long ago, a different friend posted a quote that suggested we should release all ties to wanting more. The basic premise of that thought was focusing more on people who choose to embrace a materialistic life to their own detriment. While I see the full logic and value of being prudent along those lines, I also feel that it is equally important to always want more in life. I'm not necessarily talking about material possessions. Wanting more, for me, quite often is of a spiritual nature. I want to continue to grow as a person; I want to be able to feel that I am improving daily. I have abilities I want to continue to hone. I have negative traits I want to learn to release.

That being said, on a material level, I also have dreams. I aspire to improve the conditions of my life and feel that this is a worthwhile and necessary part of life. I want to succeed at so many dreams, and the hallmark of some of those successes will manifest in material gain. I want to continue to dream big. I want to always be learning and changing and growing. I want to make my own mark on this world, and I want to do it in a big way.

Stagnating is something I hold in abject horror. I have always cheerfully admitted to having what I dub Low Boredom Threshold, and this is what drives me to continue learning. Yes, it can also be an exhausting prod that I tire of occasionally, but the beauty of it all is that no one but me is behind the drive. I can call a halt anytime I choose and just bask in my current state. Perhaps it is those moments that the true sense of satisfaction is realized, but I also find immense satisfaction in discovering that next new challenge to conquer. To me, this is exciting, knowing that I'm on the verge of learning new things. Others might find that same process to be unbearably boring. We're all beautifully unique in what gives us joy.

Is there a way to truly answer Duane's original question definitively? Of course not. I rarely embrace absolutes, because we live in a world that changes from one second to the next. In one breath, I can claim that it is most definitely possible to be completely satisfied and at peace. I am quite often content, as I am richly blessed in the things which truly matter to me...loving family, good health, loving friends, a roof over my head and an agile mind. In the next breath, I can claim with equal fervor that I hope to never be fully satisfied, because to feel such a state would make me, personally, feel there are no new vistas to explore.

And there are always, always new vistas to explore. THAT is tremendously satisfying to know...because the journey goes on.

Now let's see what YOU think. I think it only fair to continue the discussion and find out what you, and Duane, think of the result of that original stream of conversation. What side of the fence are you on? Is there even a fence existing on this topic for you? Are you a mellow, laid back type who embraces satisfaction with ease, or are you a bit more driven and rarely still long enough to contemplate a state of calm where you can regard things as being well done? Or, are you what I think most of us are....a mixture of both? Share your thoughts! I really do want to know, because by doing so, we all get to go on fascinating journeys that we would never experience on our own. The door is open...take me on a journey with you!