smile, breathe, and go slowly

As I sit here at work today, grateful to be in a casual work environment yet still privy to those old familiar feelings of stress (what I call paralyzing perfectionism - of which many Westerners seem to suffer, culturally), I discovered a beautiful site that offers 14 ways to calm yourself, anywhere.

The piece begins with a quote from Zen Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh - "Smile, breathe, and go slowly." I enjoy Thich Nhat Hanh and find him very inspiring. He has a beautiful piece of literature entitled True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart, recommended originally by my friend Chris (thanks, Chris!) It is such a great read - short, simple, sweet, and addresses the art of loving, everyone, and the importance of such. You can read it in one sitting, and it really helps to foster a more permanently loving spirit.

And what words to live by! "Smile, breathe, and go slowly" - such wise words remind us to be gentle on ourselves, on others, and to move through life gently and deliberately, striving for conscious and full lovingkindness in and toward each moment.

The 14 techniques recommended by the aforementioned site's author are straightforward: smile, allow yourself to relax, immerse yourself in silence, repeat a calming mantra, take a mental health break, self-massage (or self-reiki!), rest your eyes, and so on. The author provides several helpful links for the 14 techniques, that really warrant perusal! My favorites on this list include: hug well and hug often, adjust your breathing, and cancel - clear - delete your energy drains. To begin, hug. The power of the human touch is no stranger to us - it always feels good to lend a comforting hand and to receive a comforting hand. This is why Reiki is so beautiful, so moving, so effective! Well-intended human touch is powerfully healing. I love that the author says "hug well." Every hug is better than no hug, but it just reminds me of my wonderful Aunt (who I love very much!), who hugs very lightly and with very little touch involved. Haha, and I always bring her in closer for a bear hug! So, hug well! Next, adjust your breathing. A simple one-minute breathing exercise mid-day can effect positive change in that moment and each moment for the rest of the day. It's so calming - just breathing - focusing only on your breath. Oftentimes I stop and focus on my breathing, only to realize that I haven't been fully breathing! It makes such a difference. Lastly, cancel, clear, and delete your energy drains. I appreciate this suggestion. Avoid going to places or surrounding yourself with people who you know to drain your energy. This can be especially pertinent for empaths or those with energetic boundary issues in this lifetime. Whenever you feel anxious about this, visually surround yourself with gold and allow blue healing light to circulate your body from crown to root. Thank you to my friend Janet Wright for showing me the light (literally! :)) with this visualization.

There's always enough time for a relaxation technique such as the ones suggested above. Why? Because your peace of mind, body, and soul are more important than anything else, as they contribute to your present moment - how you react to it, your level of conscious awareness, and your outlook on the rest of your day and life. Here's hoping you and I remember this in honor of our bodies, souls, and minds. Nurture yourselves. :)

Do As One

My friend Brooke sent along this neat site - I've only perused the Color Breathing room thus far, but it's pretty cool! An interactive, metaphysically progressive relaxation tool that incorporates color and aims to help balance and heal the chakras. Take a gander! - I've found it greatly beneficial to overcoming the meditation mind-block that often manifests, at least for me, and especially seasonally! And what a perfect time to implement a tool like this, right in the midst of the busiest time of the year for many of us. I know I could use all the help I can get to stay on track! :)

the NOW is all

December always comes and goes, whirlwind-style, for all of us. I didn't intend to not write for so long...but, as life will have it! :) Here's hoping that everyone is enjoying a beautiful month.

I've been re-reading the book "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle, and his words all so inspiring. Here are some Tolle quotes to likewise uplift your spirit as we transition to the new year, as it is the perfect time to remember who we are and  to share in the love that we are with others. 

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” 

“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.” 

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” 

I have been utilizing my lunch hour to read a chapter from "A New Earth," and I've recently taken away something very life-changing, which perhaps will resonate with you. Eckhart Tolle advises that every time you do anything - anything!, whether that be walking down the hall, washing your hands, researching on the computer - that in-the-now action is your purpose. Your purpose changes with each thing you are doing - and whatever you are doing in this moment, is your purpose. So if you are going to the grocery store - your purpose is a) walking to your car. This purpose changes as you enter your car and your purpose now becomes b) driving your car. As you can see, your purpose is not "going to the grocery store" - your purpose encompasses whatever you are doing RIGHT NOW. Eventually, your purpose is "grocery-shopping," - but not until your other purposes have been fulfilled. This is a helpful practice for living in the now. When I walk down the hall at work, I have begun slowing down and really focusing on my walk, my purpose. It really can help to change the way you think, and to help you live in the now, to transition from where so many of us find ourselves - living in the past or in the present. Thank you, then, for experiencing this mutual purpose with me- as I complete my attentive purpose in writing this post, and you complete your attentive purpose in reading this post. The NOW is all we have to work with. :) Sending love to everyone!! For those spending time with family as we close the month, safe travels and happy holidays!

choose to feel good RIGHT NOW!

Another beautiful November day! I hope everyone enjoys the beginning to this week. This has always been my favorite week of the year - a time for family and friend reunion, the comforts of home, and  good spiritedness. And for me, a new challenge of sticking to a raw foods lifestyle during the ever-tempting Thanksgiving! My parents are known for going all-out in the food department for every event, particularly this one. I will have to prepare my meal separately, which I'm not too concerned about at this point (13 days!), but I do believe the greatest challenge will stem from social assimilation despite this significant alteration in my usual behavior. I am excited for the opportunity to stick true to myself!

I began this morning with another new delicious breakfast smoothie, found here:  one apple, two oranges, handful of raw spinach leaves, and water. I am so grateful for discovering the delicious art of smoothie-making - these are honestly the best breakfasts I've ever had. Still, my niece made pancakes yesterday morning when I visited home, which left me craving pancakes for the rest of the day. It's still early on in the process! I will say, the cravings are becoming less common. All in all, I am incredibly grateful for the inspiration to go raw - and for my catalyst Laura Bruno, a Madison resident, Reiki Master, Medical Intuitive, Energy Healer, Life Coach, and Raw Foods proponent! I emailed Laura about Reiki classes a month ago after finding her online, and she provided me with her information and welcomed me to the city. Some weeks later I received a spontaneous email from Laura regarding the Madison raw-food meet-up group, which she thought I would find interesting. Interesting I did, as I was searching for something of the like, and I began the new lifestyle days later. As is the universe, Laura's email manifested in a very timely, synchronistic fashion, and I am excited to schedule an appointment with her at some point in the near future, as soon as I get this job tomorrow! :) Laura has a very interesting blog that I've just starting perusing - and I'm particularly drawn to her 11/19/11 entry on Carl Jung and the shadow aspect of the human psyche. "As within, so without," she says, mirroring Jung's claim that "Whatever is not conscious will be experienced as fate." The more you push something out of your reality, the more you avoid, the more you ignore, the greater the consequential external manifestation. Bruno explains that the recent onset of human rights battles and the current state of the world reflect the projected shadow of our collective conscious. As a result, more and more people are becoming aware of the Law of Attraction and their personal responsibility to have a good, fulfilling, happy life within themselves and with others (via an understanding of oneness), and to unite and nourish body, soul and mind.

One of Laura's recent posts features a short "Abraham"-inspired lecture that is an amazing way to start, end, or even continue your day in the positive. "Abraham" is a collective group of guiding spirits (or feelings, intuitions, God, whatever speaks to you) that are expressed and interpreted by Esther and Jerry Hicks, the authors of several inspired texts, most notably The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham, a book which truly changed my life. In the above lecture, the lecturer relates so many encouraging lines of wisdom in the short 7 minute segment, a few of which I'll transcribe. She urges the listener to focus on things that are less immediate in the pursuit of lived joy. Seemingly, these things are less important than other dire issues (i.e. needing a job, missing a spouse who has left), but really they are the most important of all - because they relate to how you feel right now. You can't make your lover come back right now, you can't magically turn your body from sick to well right now, but you can find a thought that feels better right now - and so choose to do something about what you can do something about! So says the lecturer: "what really matters isn't fixing those things that are broken - what matters is finding a reason to to feel good right now, that's something you can do something about, and it is everything, you see?" How you feel right now is integral to the Law of Attraction - in fact it is EVERYTHING about your point of attraction - and you can choose whether you feel joy or feel pain - you can choose your thoughts and your consequential feelings. If you continually choose the positive, the process will become easier, and you will more naturally choose non-resistance and choose thoughts and feelings that leave you in a joyous state, because "where you lean, is only where you practice more." And so, start your mornings reciting positive affirmations, expressing gratitude for the beautiful day, watching or listening to something inspiring that will leave you blissful, treating your body well with the food you eat and the exercise you practice, and you will feel good, and therefore attract more of this good and these good feelings into your life. This, we can control. So, choose to be happy! Choose happy thoughts! Love yourself! Have a wonderful day!

Winter in the RAW

Today is Day 10 of my raw food journey. Here are my updates:

• I feel healthier than ever. My body is energized, revitalized, and I feel light, uplifted.
• I feel harmony between my body, mind, and spirit. I feel so much more connected to my body, and I have garnered a newfound appreciation between this trifecta connection, and how essential it is.
• I require less sleep. I wake up early in the morning basically pouncing! I have so much energy, and I am filled with so much joy.
• I am eating for nourishment as opposed to pleasure and comfort. I have had a few situations where I have eaten out with family or friends, but have not felt too tempted to indulge. I more readily listen to my body and respond to my body's energetic needs.
• I honor myself for the changes I am creating in my body. 10 days warrants self-appreciation - it is no small feat! The changes have been quite apparent - and quite immediate. My body appears healthier, my skin is indeed glowing, and my spirit is totally reinvigorated.
• I CRAVE fruits and vegetables! I especially crave these delicious morning smoothies. My favorite is definitely the strawberry-banana-almond milk-almond butter-spinach leaves combo. And I seriously go through 2-3 bags of apples a week - they are my go-to snack when I feel like munching. I still am combatting the habit of munching for boredom or for, really, any emotion that surfaces - and so in those times, I eat a handful of nuts, an apple, or carrots - and then I usually realize that I'm not even hungry.
• My appetite has definitely decreased. I am notorious for having a big appetite, as I used to have a notoriously high metabolism which as I've edged closer to 25, has slowed down. But now, because I am eating for nourishment, I finally have reached a point where I require smaller portions and less food - something I honestly thought would NEVER happen for me! And it's only been 10 days!
• I have so much more energy AND desire to practice yoga, meditation, and even work out! I feel happier!
• The first week was difficult at times, but not nearly as difficult as any other "diet" I've attempted (mostly in my mind) for 1-2 days (hahaha). Because you're not calorie counting or necessarily restricting yourself (I am NOT - I eat when I'm hungry!), it doesn't feel limiting, and you don't necessarily feel a lack. The times I've felt challenged: going home to be with my family, with endless snacks and the usual comforts of home, taunting me; going out to a business-related lunch with a friend and his coworkers and being "that girl" who orders a salad (trying to escape caring about perception!), going to a bar with my parents and wanting to order beer and wings! Also, the first few days I felt exhausted, as my body detoxed - but now I am refreshed. All in all, I am not going to restrict what my body desires. I am going to allow myself to indulge if I feel so obliged, and if I want to stray from the diet sometime, I will. I am going to follow my body's needs and wants. Most raw-foodies stick to a 75% raw diet - that seems feasible. I will aim for as high as I can go - but allow myself to follow my body's intuition.

I hope this account inspires others to try a raw food lifestyle - even a trial week! It is so surprisingly delicious, and it helps to curb your usual cravings, and alter your tastebuds. Imagine craving fruits as opposed to chocolate and other sweets. If it can happen for me, it can definitely happen for you - because I have sadly never had self-discipline in this realm! :)

Also, the winter is obviously the most difficult time to have ventured to go raw. I found this really great blog to inspire winter raw food pursuers! Karen Knowler coaches on the lifestyle, and I find her words to be greatly encouraging. She urges you to follow your body's intuition, as earlier stated, and to understand that in the winter, there will likely be hills and valleys to overcome - we are so used to cooked food, especially when it is cold and snowing! Hot food is so comforting (or that's what we've conditioned ourselves to believe!) Knowler takes the reader through her own several year journey of wintering in the raw, and explains that it is indeed a journey, and that you have to allow yourself so-called "mis-steps" along the way. And they are not necessarily missteps, either, all a part of your perfect path! 

Just, be.

Great, raw way to start your day: 1 cup of almond milk, two handfuls of spinach leaves, one apple, half a cup of organic cranberries - blended = revitalizing deliciousness!

This smoothie, paired with a cup of green tea, a little yoga, meditation - guided or otherwise, morning affirmations and gratitudes, can really make all the difference in your emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being - at least for the rest of the day! And that is exactly how we need to live - one day at a time. Simple words, yet difficult to implement. Dwelling on the past or worrying about the future at times seems to be central to our human being-ness - but it isn't, and it need not be! Time is not linear - so whatever you are focusing on, is your present reality. I can't count the number of times I have said to myself "I'll start that on Monday," or, "as soon as I get this job my real life will begin," - idealizing this prospective future, not realizing that my present is indeed my future, just as my present is indeed my past. Time is illusory. There is only NOW! Incorporating yoga, meditation, affirmations, and gratitudes into your daily routine will definitely help you to be more present, in your body, and not living in the past or living for the future. It takes work - especially until it becomes habituated! Everyday I need to remind myself of the benefits, to avoid falling back into old patterns of thought and action. Everyday I am training myself how to be fully present. It becomes easier as you choose to trust the universe, trust in the flow of life, trust your intuition, and live your life slowly, gently, and deliberately.

When I became attuned to Reiki as a level II practitioner by my dear friend and mentor Delphina and her lovely wife Marie, I was inspired to write the following immediately post-attunement:

Do everything gently, be gentle on yourself and others. Move slowly while engaging yourself in anything. Do not fear, do not worry. Be at peace with yourself. Meditate often - mind, body, and spirit. Breathe deeply and luxuriously. Vibrate with the earth and with each other. We are all one, everyone is on their own journey. You must give love to receive love, so give love to all. It doesn't matter. You create what matters. Just, be.

Reiki for the skeptic

This video offers a great explanation of what Reiki is, and what it does. The individual narrating changed his lifestyle via incorporating yoga, meditation, reiki, and a healthier diet - thereby clearing him of a previous diagnosis. He was originally a Reiki-skeptic, and now a practitioner, having experienced the relaxing, stress-reducing, health-impacting benefits. Another example of the healing effects of alternative therapies - without needing traditional medicine!

Another interesting video I stumbled upon this afternoon regards auras and Reiki healing. This particular Reiki Master has access to a video camera that captures auras, and she takes us through an excerpted healing to display the changes and balances that occur in the healee's aura. I do not know much about aura film, but I know that it was in part discovered by Semyon Kirlian. You can read more here. Somehow, someday, I will get my hands on one of these cameras, because it would be fascinating to view the human auric field in real-time! :)

a culinary return to Mother Earth

Today I woke up more refreshed than I have felt in a long time. This raw foods diet/lifestyle is really making a HUGE difference in the amount of energy I have, which is in turn impacting my inner and outer joy, peace, and enthusiasm for life. I simply cannot stop smiling - and yes, it is a beautiful day, yes, many universal changes are occurring simultaneously, but I can't help but attribute some of my attitude and energetic changes to my change in diet! Now I feel a deeper connection to the earth, and I feel healthier. Only 4 days in, but I want to effect this change permanently, as the benefits have manifested immediately. For those of you who know me, I realize I have been raving about raw foods nonstop for the past week - but hear me out - blend this smoothie for breakfast one morning: one banana, 8 strawberries, cup of organic almond milk, two tablespoons of raw almond butter, and a handful of spinach leaves. The best start to your morning EVER! It is delicious and revitalizing! I highly encourage trying out the raw foods thing - I feel it helps to connect body, mind, and soul - I think it is true that "you are what you eat" as they say, therefore your level of happiness and esteem is directly tied to what you eat, how healthy you are, and how your body feels - none of the parts of who you are is separate! It's easy to forget this - but if you can effect such great change in your life by returning to the earth and taking better care of your body, your self-confidence will improve, leading to more positive thinking and nurturing your mind, and then in turn calming your soul. And so the cycle continues.

I love you all!

YOU are a magnet for that which you desire

11/11/11 - the day of much speculation, both spiritual and otherwise, is now upon us!

Now, I am a big proponent of synchronicity, and of the existence of angels/guides for each of us. Over the past couple of years, the synchronistic events in my life have increased (or I have become more aware of them), and I have become more cognizant of my own angels. As I've described them, they are "funny little guys;" I find them very humorous - showing me signs and letting my know of their watchful, protective presence in pretty entertaining ways. From the total breakdown of my car to frequent awaking at specifically 2:22am, I feel them, and I am grateful.

One of my spiritual mentors first guided me to the power of numbers in our first session almost one year ago. She explained that combinations of time numbers, license plates, addresses, so on and so forth - are reminders of who we are, evidence of divine presence, and laden with spiritual energy. According to her, on 01/01/11, a major spiritual shift of energy occurred, what energy workers call a "potent start energy" for 2011, to continue at an increasing rate as more and more people begin to feel a great energetic shift. I find this blog entry to be particularly interesting and relevant to this point.
This specifically resonates:

"We’ll be activated by the 1-1-11 energies and immediately enter a very new level and phase of personal and planetary Lightwork and Service work. One of the aspects of this is that we’re going to quickly learn to make every thought count (our Higher Minds/High Heart Consciousness) and be exactly what WE want them to be (Individual Conscious Creating and Group Co-Creating). No more careless, thoughtless mental wandering back down into dark places and subjects of an old lower frequency nature. We’ve evolved to that point where our High Heart-based thoughts (our Higher Minds) have become Conscious Manifestation Tools. It’s time for us to be mindful of our minds, conscious of our consciousness and what it is and isn’t creating."

And Gabrielle Bernstein, an author, lecturer, and blogger for Huffington Post, and an awesome example of the positive Law of Attraction in effect, wrote this beautiful piece on 11/11/11 and synchronicity. Bernstein acknowledges divine guidance through the manifestation of numbers, and suggests what we can do with these spirit messages - do not interfere, be patient, be still, have gratitude, and listen for guidance. She also has a short and inspiring clip on manifesting desires here.

At the very base level, 11/11/11 is an exciting day, for it is a dated combination we will never again experience in our lifetimes. But beyond this base, 11/11/11 reminds us of who we are, connecting us to something deeper, something greater, through the emergence of increased synchronicity, signs from our spirit guides, and a magnetic pulling to a oneness of love experienced for everyone - for isn't that the ultimate goal of existence?

YES+: The Art of Living

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a workshop entitled "YES+:  The Art of Living:" UW Madison offers this 5-day course twice a semester free of charge to students, and apparently is one of two universities in the country that does so. Other schools charge $250 - which is still a good price for the content of the course and benefits thereof. Still, I am super impressed with the progressiveness of the UW, and the emphasis on student health and happiness. Madison is a cool city.

Although I'm just one day in, I'm experiencing positive changes already. The 80 of us didn't know what to expect. Most didn't know one another. But upon entering the room, everyone immediately began connecting - the people were so great, so open, so receptive. The program began with an exchange of hugs - we had to go around the room and hug every single person, looking them in the eye before or after doing so and stating, "I belong to you." It was so inspiring! It was impossible not to smile and be uplifted from this exercise, and it really facilitated a great sense of oneness, of belonging. Stress immediately began to dissipate, and was replaced with positive energy, with community. 

The workshop promotes stress-free joyful living through meditation, yoga, service, and oneness. Remember those people displaying the "Free Hugs" signs on streets across the country? Many belonged to YES+, many were engaged in the workshop while doing so. This is so neat, and so exciting to take part in, alongside the like-minded. What's also great is that programs are offered all around the world, which you can find via that site above. 

We have an assignment today: to wake up and practice the Pranayama meditation taught to us, and to connect with three people, in a way that we ordinarily would not - going above and beyond your comfort zone (smiling at someone on the street, offering a sincere compliment, making a new friend). They also ask you to stick to a raw-foods diet for the duration of the course, and eliminate caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and any other toxins. It is essentially a 5-day detox of body, soul, and mind.

In the interest of a raw foods diet, I found a great 14-day cleanse here. All raw foods, with the intent of re-establishing bodily health. The author, Cortney Campbell, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2008, and researched holistic healing as opposed to conventional treatment, and as a result of sticking to this plan, she has been in clinical remission since 2009. It's amazing how much good, comprehensive health of body, soul, and mind is paired to the food you put in your body! Time to embark on the challenge!

Oneness is Compassionate.

Oneness has no judgment.

Oneness sees everything as it is.

Oneness allows everything as it is.

Oneness is all there is.

-Richard Miller

To be great, feel great, and act great.

The wonderful thing about Reiki is that is is simple, relaxing, stress-reducing, meditative, and really connects the healer and healee on an energetic level. After a session, both healer and healee can leave re-energized, refreshed, reinvigorated, and can bring this new sense of wholeness and healing into other interactions, in addition to the most important interaction: with the self.

Reiki allows you to really tap into your self, to unite with your spirit, to listen to your body, to truly feel. Reiki quiets and calms the mind, encourages total bodily relaxation, and nurtures the spirit. It provides an outlet for taking care of yourself, for attending to yourself, for cherishing yourself, honoring yourself, loving yourself, and thus loving others.

I am drawn to Reiki for its simplicity. To me, its simplicity is beautiful. It is filled with love and light and peace, with good intentions, with prayer, with healing, with compassion. It is comforting, reassuring, gentle, and brimming with energetic oneness. It reminds us that we are all one, each on different spiritual paths. We are all one, we are all connected, we are all love. Reiki can assist in facilitating this oneness.

I found a great quote today by an author I have not yet read, Jeremy Aldana, of Milwaukee:
"Each time a man looks into your eyes, he is only searching to find himself; for he knows already, that he is part of you." 

Transformative Weekend

The Reiki box healing has produced interesting results, just 4 days in. I have experienced an intense bout of energy circulating my third-eye chakra. This energy consistently remains there, piercing my forehead, so that I am ever-aware of it. I enjoy the feeling though, it focuses me, brings me deeper clarity, and makes me feel more alive.

A couple of people participating in the Reiki box healing have also reported feeling energy fluctuations to the positive. I have never engaged in a Reiki box healing before, so I have enjoyed the feedback.

Point of interest: I felt compelled to begin our box healing this past Friday, October 28th. Astrologically this day saw a new moon, and it just...felt right. Come to find out yesterday that a school of thought exists claiming that the Mayan calendar actually ended on Friday, October 28th. Regardless of the validity of the claim, this past weekend, certainly provided as a time of great transformation and movement for many people with whom I've spoken. Every year during Halloween, I experience great personal shifts, often to the positive. I am more energetically charged, in control, and filled with joy. Once again, that is the case - and I can't help but want to explore Pagan All Hallow's Eve rituals to commemorate this sacred time of death and rebirth and celebrate Mother Earth.

Happy Halloween!

The best way of life is to be, simply be

Today I embark on a 21-day Reiki Distance Healing journey. As a part of my commitment to Reiki and my new life as a Reiki Practitioner, I invited my close friends and family to share with me their messages for healing, and tonight I will begin a Reiki Box charge consisting of all of their prayers, for a 21-day cycle. I am very excited to be taking this step, and to be able to pray for the ones that I love. I cannot wait to experience the process - I have asked them to keep me in the loop regarding energy changes they experience, colors, sounds, symbols, and so on. I am new at this, and I want to learn all that I can. I am so excited to be taking my life in this direction, with a newfound total commitment to a spiritual existence,

I am also very excited (and anxious!) to meet spiritually like-minded people in my new community. I want to be surrounded by those with high vibrations whom are on similar journeys - and I feel the time has come for me to welcome new friends into my life!

Love is the answer, to everything.

a universal dream

I had a dream last night that put - well, life - into perspective.

In this dream, hundreds of people were taken from the homes to this big auditorium/living space. We were supposed to figure out why we were all brought there, what we all had in common. I know there's a movie out there that is like that  (is it Saw?) So we racked our brains, interviewing each other, trying to quantify the number of males versus females, astrological signs, professions, sexuality, etc. Fights erupted throughout this process, people weren't getting along. My mom, dad, brother, and two sisters were there, and we weren't getting along, either, in fact, I was very angry with my mother the whole time. Toward the end of the dream, after days of dream-time had elapsed, everyone had forgotten our objective. So I stood up, and tried to gather us all, and figure out how we were all connected. And then it dawned on me.

We are all human. We are all one. That is our connection.

Before I was able to make my grandiose speech declaring such, I woke up (of course!). But obviously this was a dream that I needed to have - to remind myself that each of us is no better than the next - that, as the Beatles put it, "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together." We each are on a individual journey, to realize our purpose, to reunite us with our highest selves, to rediscover the joy inherent to us. We each experience happiness, sorrow, trials and tribulations. And we are all one - therefore, be kind to your brother, by kin or otherwise. We are all sharing this lifetime together, have likely shared others, and will likely share more. Perhaps you've had the experience of your foe in a previous lifetime, or will still. Let us be aware of this reality, and let us be love.

the simple art of gratitude

Principles of Reiki

Just for today, do not worry.

Just for today, do not anger.

Honor your parents, teachers, and elders.

Earn your living honestly.

Show gratitude to everything.

-Dr. Mikao Usui

So often we hurry through our busy days, from one activity to the next, without taking a moment of gratitude for our blessings. With work, school, family, friends, extra-curricular activities, grocery shopping, paying bills - taking that moment can seem daunting. However, finding some time each day to be grateful can truly change your life. Whether dedicating time in the shower, driving to your various activities, right when you wake up, or right before you go to sleep - try to express gratitude daily. The Law of Attraction always prevails - when you are grateful, your vibrational existence is elevated, and you attract more of what you are grateful for. Additionally, the key to attracting what you want, is PRE-GRATITUDE. Thank your angels/guides/your God for what it is you desire, i.e. "I am grateful for my wonderful job." - the vibration of this gratitude will help to manifest that very desire, with consistency.

I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for my friends. I am grateful for my beautiful home. I am grateful for my job. I am grateful for my health. I am grateful for my angels. I am grateful for my opportunities. I am grateful for this beautiful day.

Love and light.