Category: Blog-Energy Medicine

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Blooming Onion. Blossoming Gratitude.

I’m finally completing my holiday thank you notes. Just two left. First off, thanks to everyone who donated toys, gifts, and moolah to the SisterHood Gift drive!

Turns out, with the exception of 20 teens, it was all us. It was a funny year. The highlight is that 275 kids received a bunch of new toys, gifts, and clothes on Christmas morning. Thanks to all of you who gave from your heart. You’re anonymous and so am I as those toys were compliments of the man in red or their parents. I don’t know the details of how each family managed their gift bags as it’s not my business. Those parents can make their own parenting decisions for their kids. Especially on Christmas morning. 

Once again, I remembered a few things during this holiday gift drive. Here are 3 lessons I seem to forget every year after all those bags of toys head out in the U-Haul Sleigh.

First, it’s totally worth it. Second, it’s a hell of a lot of work and I need more people to join in the feel good fun of donating. Third, I’m starting in July next year.

Seriously. In July. I forget every year that it is such a big project which grows as other donors drop out. So, I’m switching strategies. I’m personally shopping once a month for our family’s toy donations. That way I won’t add to my holiday shopping and spending at a time that is already full in both regards. Feel free to adopt this strategy for your own. I’ll be happy to accept your toys all year long as I’ll be building a toy store in my basement.

I’m also having a Soul Sanctuary holiday gift collection in July. Look for it if you want a little ho ho ho in the middle of summer.

Speaking of thank you notes, I owe someone a note of gratitude for their gift.

It’s just that I don’t know who my Secret Santa was this year. 

Let me back track a bit. My kid was flying in for the holidays. Great news.

She started sending packages to our house addressed to her. With a frequent reminder to put them in her closet without opening them upon arrival. No peeking. The repeated instruction wasn’t for me. I never peek. My husband, on the other hand, can be oblivious to repeated instructions.

Like the morning I found him blissfully using his new pet hair rake to clean up after Milo’s morning lay about on the carpet. 

Yeah, it’s a thing. And someone is “raking in the dough” with that idea. Go figure. Needless to say, the infraction of opening a Christmas gift early led to immediate termination as head elf. I was hired on the spot to sort through boxes arriving on our doorstep. I diligently added to her secret stash with narry a peek at what was already closeted away. 

Amidst the flurry of my daughter’s arrival, she disappeared to wrap gifts. (Yes, just as it was time to do the dishes. Some things never change). 

While we chatted in the kitchen, there arose such a clatter. “Who ordered an onion?!” 

She arrived in hysterics while showcasing a golden onion with green shoots tilting madly to one side. Okay, to be fair, I never portrayed my kid as a genius. And I’m notoriously lacking in the green thumb department. So, perhaps it was a bit of a parental failure (mine) that she mistook an amaryllis for an onion. 

In one hand she held the ‘onion’ as her boyfriend trailed behind holding a little square box addressed to moi (another elf sorting error). 

After everything calmed down and the proper apologies were made to the neglected plant, we noticed that even with mistreatment, life found a way to grow. Eventually, with a bit of space and letting it be, the stalks grew straight and flowered. In fact, there’s one flower left. Once that’s gone, I’ll watch a YouTube video to learn what to do next. But, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. 

I do want to thank whomever sent that lovely blooming onion to me. 

It filled our home with laughter and warmed our hearts knowing someone cared enough to send it our way. So, whoever you are, thank you. 

This seems like a silly story to tell in the midst of the polarization in our country, the fires in the West, and the snows in the South. Yet, I think it’s important to realize that we’re like that blooming onion flower which grows even when stuck in a tiny box. And thrives when the box is removed. 

Take care of yourself. Be kind and nurture one another. Tend to the environments in which you live, work, and share with all living creatures. Love the Mother anyway you can. Seems She really needs extra attention.

It’s a time to ask how you may help things grow rather than focus upon the distortion.

Forget the boxes you’ve put yourself and others in as everyone bends this way and that.

Be grateful for everything you have, who you are, and how you can contribute to improving life on the planet. 

Quit the mud slinging and seek support if you’re cowering in fear. Remember to begin again with a deep breath and a desire to be a good human who abides by your own highest ideals. If I may be of help, please feel free to reach out.

Let’s grow together. Not apart. 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

The Power of Bridging by John Powell may be the book you need to read right now. While it may not look like it, a survey shows that 93% of people in the US want to reduce divisiveness. While many believe it’s possible to disagree, it’s hard to know how to move past our differences. Powell identifies four important terms key to understand how to move in the direction of a world where we honor differences, feel a connection to our human family (and ourselves), and disrupt the disempowering view of “other.” Bridging. Belonging. Othering. Breaking.
It is possible. Shall we begin now?

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Visioning Surprise. Closets, Dogs, & Body Code

New Year’s Day arrived and I was snuggled by the Christmas tree for a day of visioning.

I’d booked myself a free day with my magic journal, colored pens, and LifeBook. The day began as planned. In delicious silence, I savored the beauty, comfort, and warmth all around me.

I sank into gratitude as my mind, body, energy, and emotions aligned with all that was positive and possible.

Choosing the first area of my LifeBook, Health and Fitness, I explored what was not working for me. I saw what needed a total overhaul and what required gentle tweaking. I explored the beliefs that held the old, stale behavior in place, as well as those necessary to install a better mindset and actions to support new dreams. I updated that chapter in my LifeBook and felt deeply into what was possible. It felt pretty doable.

One chapter down, many to go, when I notice my dog was having trouble moving around.

Milo gave me that sad look reserved for communicating something was wrong. His legs, weak from arthritis and a previous broken foot, weren’t working so well. It seemed widespread, this weakness, and challenging to discern a definite cause.

Leaving my creative nest, I spent time with Milo on the floor and watched him struggle to move.

The crowded vet ER on New Year’s Day sounded like a less than stellar way to begin the year. I was grateful that Milo responded well to the Body Code, an energy medicine modality, that I’d used to help him heal and stay healthy throughout his 13 years.

After his Body Code session, a treat, and a dose of doggie ibuprofen, Milo seemed more at ease.

Allowing me to return to my creative nest. The house was quiet and chapter 2 was waiting. Settling in once again, I couldn’t concentrate for the voice in my head issuing an invitation I’d been receiving for days.

“Clean your closet.”

I tuned out that unwanted message as I had planned this ritual of launching new dreams on the first day of the year. And I was determined to hold onto my scheduled creative dreaming session.

As if creative dreaming ever followed the schedule of the mind.

Listening again, I heard only one message. “Clean your closet.” I may have muttered a bit as I climbed the steps, armed with trash bags for what I knew would be a big donation pile. I spent the next 4 hours in that closet, weeding meticulously.

Simplicity was needed. Clarity was required.

Apparently, I needed a more dramatic overhaul in this category. Working at the materially level, I released all clothing that no longer fit my body or lifestyle. As the pile grew, gratitude returned as I imagined the SisterHood ladies updating their wardrobes for school and work.

I lost a lot of weight that afternoon.

Becoming lighter, I ventured into other closets. I enticed my husband to go through his clothing. I reached my daughter and sent photos of what was still in her drawers. So much was released.

I felt lighter all over. Ready for a jaunt to Mexico with my husband’s company.

Then Milo worsened. All legs weak. Big sad eyes. Worried parents.

So, we let go the trip. Cleared our schedule and sat for hours in the parking lot of the animal hospital. It was a still, comfortable time. We watched the sky and animals on the farm while Milo snored quietly.

My husband and I explored things we were ready to let go, lessons we learned during the year, and new dreams for each of us and our family.

Seems like Life planted us in the middle of a creative dreaming space together. In a way that neither of us would have planned or wanted. Yet, as it arrived and the following days unfolded, things began to shift.

The surprising openings, changed minds, new behaviors, and emerging possibilities arrived gently and with ease.

Even after putting my magic book and pens away, every area of that LifeBook was impacted. As if new software was downloaded and an instructional manual opened one step at a time.

I can’t see that book. I can’t see the next step. I’m asked again and again to surrender and trust.  

Sometimes, I do. Often, I catch myself reverting to old programming.

Yet, when I miss the cue or forge forward with plans that don’t work, I’m not as bothered as I was before I cleaned that closet. Or gave up that trip. It’s early into this newness. The creativity seems to dance in a nonlinear way through my day and I’m doing best to follow rather than lead.

Milo has had a lot of Body Code sessions. And he’s not the only one.

As it turns out, perhaps not such a coincidence, I offered a lot of Body Code sessions with clients this past week. Lots of energy medicine sessions. More Body Code, shamanic sessions, and Angelic healing sessions scheduled this month. Perhaps this cleaning out the old goes deeper than our closets.

Moving with this rhythm, I’m offering 2 Body Code sessions on ZOOM and a remote Emotion Code session for the vastly discounted price of $225.

This is a chance to receive 3 sessions with a savings of $212. This offer is good for 5 days only and sessions must be scheduled by 3/31/25. All 3 sessions are for the same person, excluding current clients, so we can do some quality clearing.

The Body Code and the Emotion Code, developed by Bradley Nelson, DC, provides a map as we work with your inner wisdom.

Working on all levels (physical, emotional, mental, energetic, and relational), your inner wisdom guides the clearing and rebalancing of the factors which underlie and contribute to current symptoms and issues which interfere with your wellbeing. Once cleared or rebalanced, you move on with a body – energy system that communicates more clearly and supports open hearted living.

The Body Code and Emotion Code session special ends 1/17/25.

Milo gets the family discount and plenty of loving. We’ve all adapted to a quieter lifestyle, no stairs, and plenty of Body Code to augment his healing.

I hope you make space for creativity this year. And let Life surprise and support you. Perhaps, as you clean your proverbial closets, you’ll come to trust Life unequivocally. I hope to meet you there.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Research has shown that cultivating positive beliefs contributes to prosocial behavior. You know that ‘feel good’ way of being kind, understanding, and compassionate toward your fellow humans. All of whom have an underground of conditioned beliefs. It also has been found to improve social connections. Committing to a positive mindset takes some work but it impacts your relationships, health, work success. Choosing and reinforcing positive beliefs supports wellbeing, resilience, and your potential to actually enjoy your life.

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Savoring Stillness Practice

I pulled into a crowded Target parking lot on a windy, sunny afternoon.

I’ve been doing a bunch of errands and had plenty of direct experience with busy roadways, impatient drivers, and crowded parking lots. So many people rushing to enter stores already teeming with late day shoppers.

As I searched for a spot, the space around me felt congested and the pace frenetic as I heard parents calling to children to hurry.

It was getting close to dinner and I imagined most people were rushing to complete their chores so they could head home and eat. From the looks on the faces around me, not many people were enjoying their day. As I pulled into my parking space, I actually questioned if walking into Target with so many stressed out shoppers was such a bright idea.

I decided to engage the practice of Savoring Stillness before I even exited my car.

For the next few minutes, I would have the opportunity to settle into a gross and subtle exploration of stillness while nestled in my comfortable vehicle.

I left the engine running and turned off the radio. Eyes wide open, I began to notice the contrast. I was aware of sitting in one place rather than being in motion. It was comfortable to take my feet off of the pedals and to allow my hands to rest on my lap. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and savored the stillness after so much drive time.

The stillness moved through my body and psyche. A sense of relaxation deepened as tightness in my posture that I hadn’t noticed before gently let go with each exhale.

It was in the process of dropping more deeply into relaxed stillness that I noticed movement. My body shifting, moving about in my seat, and settling in with a sigh. My breath was moving me up and then down again in a slow, wavelike action. I felt the vibration of the running vehicle and heard the idling engine. I noticed that movement was present at a more subtle level of sensation throughout my body.

With that awareness, I turned off the car and encountered a new level of stillness.

The rumbling and vibrating gone, I tuned into the quiet even more fully. The time between my inhale and out breath lengthened as I entered a still and Sacred Pause without effort.

As I witnessed the subtle sensations occurring within my physical body, I became aware of occasional rocking on a grand scale as my car was buffeted by the wind.

Shifting my attention to the wind’s effect, I recognized that my cozy chamber of stillness was actually moving in an irregular rhythm. As I tuned in, I heard the music of the wind whistling around the car, lifting a plastic bag in the air, and slamming a car door closed.

I opened my eyes and saw the wind whipping through clothing and long hair, shopping bags, and trees.

Movement was apparent everywhere as the wind danced people and the surroundings.

I noticed I felt warm, relaxed, and comfortable as I observed the chilling, disruptive effect of the wind.

My gaze swept the congested parking lot, fast moving shoppers, and a riot of colorful cars. I closed my eyes and found the depth of stillness within. Eyes open and taking in my environment, my breath arose from this still space. I was ready.

Exiting the car, I continued to Savor Stillness as I moved through the wind, dodged shopping carts, and felt my hair whip around my face.

I appreciated the contrast of warm air in the Target store and the abundance of items that afforded me such a comfortable life. I recalled other shopping trips that contrasted sharply from this experience. These memories reinforced the benefit of this simple practice that took less than 4 minutes. In the store, I breathed and wandered and shopped and observed.

I was Movement arising from Stillness.

As the music caught my attention, I felt my breath pattern change to move in time to the rhythm. It was natural as if I knew how to breathe in perfect time with the song.

Life was dancing. Target was the ballroom. And I was finally still enough to enter the fun.

Please join me for the Inner Radiance Silent Retreat at Soul Sanctuary on October 26th, 9:30am – 4:30pm. I look forward to dropping deeply into silence and discovering the depths that stillness has to offer me. One day, a few hours of silence, and a great potential for restoration and self-discovery.

Give yourself permission to leave the world behind for 7 short, wondrous hours.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Sitting still, savoring silence, and breathing deeply. You don’t need research studies to extoll benefits such as strengthening the immune system, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, boosting overall sense of well being, and improving cardiovascular and metabolic health. However, there are plenty of studies that speak to the benefit of mindful stilling, breathing, slowing, and closing down the constant input of noise (radio, telephone, podcast, tik tok, yakking with others about nothing). Try Savoring Stillness and Entering Silence. Be your own researcher. A few minutes a day, just about anywhere is a good setting for a trial run.

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Art of Becoming 6 Week Journey

The Art of Becoming 6 week Journey offers an invitation to step outside the boundaries of your life as you know it.  
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To go on a pilgrimage to the unknown.  Within a circle of sisters. With direct contact with Elemental, Lineage, and Archetypal forces who guide with extreme love, clear guidance, and unerring support. Empowered by the sweet aloneness of your own being and the wisdom that awaits you there.  

Not all Journeys have clearly marked paths and signs.  

Not all adventures have an identified destination. Yet all Journeys include an Arrival.  They naturally point to the next space you are called to inhabit. As you call forth more of the Wise Woman within you, there will be discoveries. That is a hallmark of any Journey for life is full of discovery. 

You’ll use the Andean Medicine Wheel as a guide for your Journey.  

As you enter each direction, you have the opportunity to work with the structure of the wheel.  It’s a vehicle for transformation and a map which offers you a foundational path. Every direction and helper opens a doorway for you to explore in partnership with your own guiding light: the wisdom of your own Soul. 

As you enter each Direction, you learn how each instructs you in a new way of living. 

Working at the level of the body, mind/emotions, soul, and pure energy, you travel the wheel with a focus strongly upon your own life. While you are surrounded by your sisters on the journey, each of you walks independently so you may discover a new way of perception, action, and practice. 

This class is for women interested in walking a mythical path to receive the luminous seeds which, when nourished, allow you to grow a new Light Body and way of relating to life.

You'll awaken your inner skill as the Healer, Warrior, Sage, and Visionary.


The world needs more Wise Women placed in what may be called the ordinary, capable of the mystical. 



The Archetypal Guardians become your guides to this new way of becoming. With additional support from the Power Animals, Elemental Forces, and Lineage of Healers, you shed that which binds you within old stories, limits your perception, and blinds you to your true destiny. 



The Art of Becoming is a creative, mystical process.



There is a vital connection between creativity and mysticism.  Whether you are exploring the inner space, creating art, or inviting a more conscious living experience, you knowingly or unknowingly are entering the liminal space.  



This is the space of wild creativity.  Where the caterpillar dissolves into goo and emerges as a beautiful winged creature.



It allows for the essential transformation. The alchemical change from lead to gold.  From mundane to magical.  Yet all qualities for transformation are within – awaiting the conditions which will encourage growth.  



How to proceed, then, in this wildly creative process?  



When the habits of everyday living and the protective cement of the mind’s idea of self weigh you down into repeating the same approach over and over.  



Mystics and children know this answer. One rediscovered. One never lost.  


In order to awaken the inherent wisdom you held as a child and to reclaim your wild creativity, it is essential to make art.  Before you reach for your paint brush, take a Sacred Pause to consider that making art is larger than creating a painting, poem, delicious meal, beautiful song, or colorful garden.



It is a way of life known in this tradition as living the Beauty Way. 



Both a way of being and a daily practice, the Wise Woman moves through the Medicine Wheel open to learning how to incorporate the Beauty Way into every thought, word, and deed. Understanding that the development of her own Beautiful Soul offers healing to the world in her own unique way. 



Becoming is a creative process requiring the skills of the healer, warrior, sage, and visionary. 



Whether for an individual, community, planet, or cosmos, it is time to let loose that which is wanting to emerge.

The Munay Ki Rites are energetic initiations from the Andes which work directly on the luminous energy field in order to support this Journey of Becoming. 



Shifting you from your foundational energy structure and allowing the gifts within you to emerge in new and often surprising ways. 



A beautiful group of evolving wise women are journey around the Medicine Wheel together. We begin October 15th and meet 6 Tuesdays on ZOOM, 6:30 -9:30pm ET.

It no longer surprises me how much is offered within this sacred, intimate, and nurturing circle. I will be facilitating the Journey, yet there are many teachers including the Lineages and Archetypal Forces, as well as every Wise Woman participating in this Journey. 



Prepare to fall in love. It’s a natural result when you join with the Becoming of so many lovelies in one place.



It’s time to step onto this wheel of transformation. I hope you feel the call to emerge into the next level of your personal becoming.

Let your heart guide you. In this and in all things.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

The Japanese Society of Forest Medicine researches the therapeutic benefits of forests on human health and wellbeing. Forest bathing involves walking slowly, mindfully as you open the senses, notice your response, and enjoy the ecosystem. Statistics indicate that the average American spends 93 percent of the time indoors and about ten hours a day on social media. That can’t be good for your health. Forest bathing research revealed benefits such as strengthening the immune system, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, boosting overall sense of well being, and improving cardiovascular and metabolic health.

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Wisdom from the Redwoods

I’m at home in the redwoods of California. My whole being knows this to be true.

Until 10 months ago, I was not aware that such a place existed for me. I knew the redwoods existed and had walked in Muir Woods as a teen with my family. Beyond that I gave no thought to those giant trees until I felt a call to walk those centuries old groves. When it evolved into a longing, I realized there was something waiting for me.

Our first adventure hiking amidst the redwoods and sequoias in the state and national parks was soul enriching.

Walking in silence through the groves was so deeply refreshing and perfect that I mourned leaving. All the way home and for days afterwards, I felt a deep loss. I had the idea that I wouldn’t return to these new found friends, or at least not for many years.

Last December my husband opened the invitation to travel. “What are we waiting for?” he asked.

I had no good answer to that question even though life was full of events, work, and people in need. When he asked where I wanted to go, my heart leapt. The redwoods beckoned and we booked our flight. It takes a lot of time to get to those trees. Flying across the country and driving 5 hours north of San Francisco. All to get to the little town of Orick, population 257, and my absolute favorite Prairie Creek State Park.

I could envision our little AirBnB. The picture windows overlooking the hummingbirds, fields of cattle, and the pacific ocean foaming as it kissed the sand.

Unexpectedly rerouted from a visit with dear friends, we found ourselves landing in Arcata for a few days. Offering the opportunity to explore Arcata Community Forest, Arcata Redwood Park, and the Arcata Bird Sanctuary along the coast. As our adventure began, I knew the routine. Relaxed mornings, a longer hike, home for lunch and perhaps a nap outside, a leisurely late afternoon hike, and a quiet evening.

I entered Arcata Community Forest as I do every forest, mountain, or body of water.

I offer gratitude to Pachamama for Her beauty and ask permission to enter. Here, I called upon the deva of the forest, that nature spirit that served the entirety of the ecosystem. And then I introduced ourselves. While that may sound silly, it’s a practice that allows for the respectful exchange of energy.

By stating our names out loud in greeting, I offered our energetic signature to nature and claimed our place within this living energy.

Walking slowly, letting my gaze travel upward, I began to speak silently with the trees. That’s another habit, sometimes silently and often aloud, I enter into conversation with the natural world.

I didn’t get very far into our little chat before I heard “Sssshhhh.”

Okay, that was unexpected and it shut me right up. I opened to listen and heard the trees tell me that my mind was too busy and my body too tense. That was true. I had been working every day, late into the night preparing for the Seeding the Light Gathering. I felt the tightness in my body from sitting at my desk, on the plane, and in the car for so many hours. In total agreement, I zipped my mental lips.

“How about you just hike.”

“Oh yes!” said every fiber of my being as my body and mind exhaled. It was as if these wise teachers offered me the ever present suggestion to “Let go and Just Be.” That day, every step, was a shedding. Without effort, while I soaked in the silent majesty, the stress that had taken up residence within my system released.

I eagerly entered a new trail on Day 2 and wondered what gifts were in store. 

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I heard the trees whisper “Patience.”

I had to laugh. As if one day of shedding the busyness of my mind was sufficient. So, I brought my whole attention to the path. Again and again as my mind returned to planning and tasks. I realized that I could “just hike” every day and trust that the redwoods would drop their concise teaching into my lap.

Hiking through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park on day 3, amidst a ton of tourists, I saw such beauty.

In the forests and the enjoyment of each human face turned upward. Within the streams, the sky, those trees. It touched me deeply, this beauty. Even the dust from the gravel which adorned the ferns lining the narrow road felt like a decoration.

At some point the lesson of that day formed into words.

“Nature adorns itself with beauty.”

Day 4 and I finally arrived at Prairie Creek. Deciding on a 6 mile hike, I felt downright giddy as I entered the familiar park.

No lie, it was a bit surprising to me that it felt like Christmas morning as a child. At some point that day, I heard a whisper “This is at-home-ment.” Yes, I knew that ‘being at home in the moment’ and I recognized that this place was that for me. That hike was delightful, especially as we left all the people behind.

It was just us amidst the beauty and stillness of the towering trees.

Unfortunately, we got lost on the loop. It’s a thing we do, getting lost on loops.

So, we ended up adding another few miles to our hike. My legs began to talk to me about strength and persistence, or maybe it was me talking to them. It began to blur until I heard the whisper of “Tenacity.” The fullness of that lesson unfolded in an instant. It’s a big one and, once received, I tapped into the energy of Pachamama and finished that hike happy and ready for lunch.

Day 5 brought a harder hike and the absence of trail signs.

High on the mountain, we laughed about a friend’s interest in Bigfoot sightings. I then startled at every rustle. We wondered if folks ended up sleeping in these woods when they couldn’t find their way out. I thought next time I’d bring more snacks and a whistle to call for assistance if needed. Most of the time, we didn’t speak as the silence was so intense that it seemed to have taken on material form.

“Silence and Trust.” Two lessons that day.

Eventually, many hours later, we arrived at the ranger station. Ready for that nap. Day 6 brought teachings about the experience of “Wonder.” And a reminder of “Strength” as hiking required more than my body was used to. I soon recognized, however, that my idea of my body’s ability was too limited, proven by what was accomplished without undue strain.

By Day 7, the lesson was “Ease” sprinkled with the constant reminder that “Life reveals Beauty.”

Driving south, we meandered through the Avenue of the Giants and stopped for one more tiny taste of these giants. Fallen trees, massive root systems, towering trees. We posed like others at the Founders Tree with its height of 346 feet and circumference of 40 feet. I witnessed awe and delight on every face I passed.

As I left, I shared my gratitude to these elders for their teachings. They whispered one more message to me. One that broke open my heart.

I realized in that moment that nature knows who we are and sees us clearly. And not just we as a human race, but me as a little personality. The wise ones had seen into my heart and reflected this back to me.

Being seen like that inspired me to live as one who loves purely, seeds beauty, gives generously, and honors all forms of life.

I’ll probably need many more hikes to truly live that aspiration. But, I know my teachers are waiting for my arrival, eager to whisper what I most need to learn.

Sssshhh, Let Go. Just Be. Patience. Nature adorns itself with Beauty. At-home-ment. Tenacity. Silence and Trust. Wonder. Strength. Ease. And the greatest of these was Love.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

The Japanese Society of Forest Medicine researches the therapeutic benefits of forests on human health and wellbeing. Forest bathing involves walking slowly, mindfully as you open the senses, notice your response, and enjoy the ecosystem. Statistics indicate that the average American spends 93 percent of the time indoors and about ten hours a day on social media. That can’t be good for your health. Forest bathing research revealed benefits such as strengthening the immune system, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, boosting overall sense of well being, and improving cardiovascular and metabolic health.

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I Got My Wings

I got my wings today.

No bell chimed. No angelic harmony resounded. They were just handed to me.

An official metal pin from a national airline declared me “flight crew.” I flashed back to childhood when flying on TWA.

I recalled the thrill as my brother and I met the pilot in the cockpit and received our wings to wear during the flight.

This plastic trinket added a level of delight as we flew the friendly skies toward our next adventure. You can tell that story happened a long, long time ago as no one is getting in the cockpit these days.

As she handed me my wings, she said “You changed my life.”

Another story was pulled from the past as this lovely woman recounted an Angelic Healing Journey she had with me many years before. At that time, she was in a pickle. A serious one. The empowering words and images offered during that Angelic conversation revealed a fence on which she was sitting, and her power to move in one direction (up) or another (down). It offered her hope and a choice.

Apparently, as she reminded me, the Angels suggested the friendly skies were a part of that deal – strange as that was at the time.

It’s not my story to tell here.

I will mention that it involved tremendous courage, hardship, and adventure (not all of it soaring nor fun).

It isn’t every day that you learn the impact of something you offered to someone 10 years prior.

To be clear, I mean offered as the transmitter of the Angels’ messages embedded with their tremendous wisdom, love, compassion, and wit. Holding that pin, we spoke of her decision to follow the invitation to fly through her challenges to discover what was on the other side.

Years of hard work led to doors opening and life changing in ways that continue to amaze her.

Life showed her that there was more in store for her when she dared to get off that damn fence. How making one choice and taking small actions led to the next choice, the next actions, and the next open door.

We spoke about personal responsibility and the commitment to dare to live a life she dreamed about.

I witnessed someone who had given up her story of unworthiness and was deep in the process of claiming her preciousness.

We kept the conversation going.

Exploring how to keep expanding and prepare for the inevitable tough times life was sure to deliver. The adventure of living offers ongoing opportunities for transformation.

As any traveller knows, excitement and trepidation may accompany you on the journey.

Facing the next challenge, you have the option to back away, sit on the fence, or step on the path. All approaches are understandable, yet one choice ultimately allows you to fly more freely toward your destiny.

Did I mention that she became a flight attendant much to her surprise?
Those Angels, they know stuff.

Wings in hand, now part of the “flight crew,” I was reminded to seek the open skies in my life. To have the courage to look deeply within when challenged so I might understand the gift life is presenting. Then make that choice, take that action, and walk through that opening door.

I hope you know that new horizons exist beyond your current vision.

And that you have plenty of Angelic helpers to guide your steps along the unique path you are walking. Trusting that each step awakens greater courage and offers the excitement of the next new discovery awaiting you.

Claim your wings. You don’t need the pin to soar higher. After all, the sky’s the limit.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Got courage? Sure you do. Such as what researchers call “general courage” which includes those confident or bold moves we’d easily label as courageous. Personal courage doesn’t have to be dramatic and may only be viewed as such within the mind of the one who took the action or made the choice. Whether you display the quiet persistence to get out of bed when life is hard or act with integrity when faced with injustice, you cultivate courage one step at a time. 

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Fall Events at Soul Sanctuary

September is upon us and around the world it is time to head back to school.

“Hooray!” shouts every college student and harried mother. Now that the adults are freer, let’s launch Soul Sanctuary’s Fall classes, workshops, and retreats! It’s short and sweet, this announcement. Scan the list to see what peaks your curiosity and check your calendars.

You know this is true: if you don’t put it in your calendar, it ain’t gonna happen.

There is too much potential to soothe your soul, up level your vibration, and dive deep within the healing potential of many different modalities to miss. If you’re longing to be with likeminded folks who are also intent on exploring a more expansive way of living, mark your calendars and register to join us at Soul Sanctuary or on ZOOM. Some events are for the ladies only and some for everyone.

Healing Relationships with your Karmic Angels and Mary Law on September 14th.

Just a hint about this potential. There are way more than Angels are showing up and every relationship across time is in for repair. One day with these powerful partners and practices and you will notice the difference. Follow it up with a healing session with Mary on Sunday, September 15th. She’s got a few modalities to offer and can be with you in person at Soul Sanctuary or on ZOOM. Best to book early for these sessions as Mary offers her magical touch to every encounter. Everyone welcome.

Chanting in the Light Cathedral at Soul Sanctuary invites the deep peace on Thursday, September 26th.

I can’t say enough about how absolutely transformative this devotional practice is for every person who attends. No matter how you walk in, you’ll walk out revitalized, at peace, and feeling the love. Happens every time. More magic. Everyone welcome.

Ladies, the Sacred Immersion Retreat at Cranaleith Spiritual Center is only one month away.

I’ll admit, this is my favorite experience of the year. It is a profound, life changing four days and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been facilitating these retreats since 2010 and I’ve watched lives change in front of my eyes and over the months following our retreat. If you have any desire to attend (and transform), please head to the Sacred Immersion Retreat page for all the details.

If you’re on the fence, please email me to see what’s right for you. Ladies only.

Unless you are actively engaged in the process of transformation, you’re likely living the same old life. I wonder, is that enough for you?

The next Art of Becoming 6 week Journey for the Evolving Wise Woman begins Tuesday, October 15th and travels through November 19th on ZOOM.

You enter this Journey exactly where you are in the moment. Working within the Andean Medicine Wheel with the powers of Lineages, Archetypal Guardians, and Nature Spirits, you travel. It’s your own Journey, but you’ll be in great company in this committed group of ladies (yup, women only). I’ll be introducing new shamanic practices and journeys so you deepen relationships across all dimensions of your being. You’ll discover how to live more in alignment with your inner power and in service to this beautiful world. More than that will arise, but let’s leave that to The Great Mystery for now.

Silence offers a Golden Opportunity for more reflection upon your beautiful essence. The Inner Radiance Silent Retreat at Soul Sanctuary is Saturday, October 26th.

We’ve witnessed such freedom after a single day designed to help you gently enter silence, discover so much wisdom while cleaning out the muck, and exiting with grace into the shared celebration of kinship. If you’re at all interested, and especially if you are hesitant, give yourself this gift. Only in person at Soul Sanctuary. Everyone is welcome.

Heave ho that Karmic Wounding with InnerSpeak Level 1 Training with Jean Adrienne on November 16th and 17th at Soul Sanctuary AND on ZOOM.

I’ve known Jean for many years and have turned to InnerSpeak often. Especially when life seems to be throwing a lot at me at once. In partnership with the Angels, Jean created InnerSpeak over 20 years ago. She has traveled around the world teaching practitioners and now is landing in Moorestown, New Jersey. We’ll add the ZOOM room to the mix so wherever you may be, you can learn this method for yourself and your clients.

Jean will be offering private InnerSpeak sessions on Friday, November 15th live at Soul Sanctuary.

Please register for these early to ensure your space. And do bring every issue you have. That’s the beauty of InnerSpeak. It’s a quantum healing method so it may address all that is arising for you in the moment.

I might add another evening workshop later in the Fall as something is whispering in my ear.

Let’s wait until I’ve go the full okay before I announce that. For now, I wish you a very happy September and hope you enjoy the gently shifting of the seasons and the powerful movement of the heavens.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

You know change is challenging. Yet, staying the same brings even greater challenge.  Making a decision to commit yourself to growth begins to call those opportunities to you. A person arrives who inspires you or a shares an idea that sparks your creativity. The heart knows when you are stagnant and need to move into a new way of being. The signs are familiar as you feel unsettled, bored, unhappy, or losing interest in your current activities. Trusting your Soul to bring the next invitation for growth and trusting your heart to know it is true is natural to the process of evolution. Put aside the books and people who are telling you how to grow. Listen to your Soul and your Heart. They know the way for you.

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Living with Shamans. A Lesson in Love

My husband and I drove separately to the Philadelphia airport in the pouring rain to pick up our guests from Peru.

Not knowing what to expect, I felt an open anticipation. A few conversations had led to this moment. It struck me that these men were traveling far from home to meet a woman they didn’t know, live in an unfamiliar home, and spend an immersive week in service. I considered how much trust they had in Spirit and commitment to the path of the paqo (shaman) to say ‘yes’ to this call to Seed the Light in New Jersey. To show up within the unknown and share their wisdom, love, and healing energy.

I recognized this familiar ‘yes.’ It had led me to this highway and with that awareness, all that was unsettled within me washed away.

In that moment, I knew I’d spend the week being instructed how to live in beauty, trust, and love.

We met these beautiful, tired men with warmth and received the same. Connected, yet strangers, we gathered luggage and headed home. As Pascual played the flute in the backseat, we drove slowly through the torrential downpour. The rain offering cleansing for the Philadelphia area as the healing of the Earth, Pachamama, and all Her creatures began.

Once settled, we called our friends to lunch. They showed up with gifts.

This is the way of living in Ayni (eye-knee), the Peruvian cultural and spiritual practice of living in right relationship with Pachamama and each other. In gratitude for our caretaking, we were wrapped with bracelets and draped in shawls made by their families. Giving and receiving. Receiving and giving. After lunch, Chino did the dishes while others played flutes and rattled, cleaning and blessing the space.

Centered in our intent to care for the paqos, my husband and I consciously opened to make space to receive every blessing and gift offered.

As the days unfolded, we entered a joyful rhythm of relaxed friendship, laughter, give and take, shared meals, and quiet time on the deck. Eager to work, the paqos headed to Soul Sanctuary or our Weekend Gathering with enthusiasm. After long days and nights, they laughed and joked in the backseat on the way home. Their camaraderie and genuine enjoyment of their time together was obvious.

When I showed Francisco my “magic closet” filled with overflowing bookshelves, binders housing my creations, and mini altars, he offered to bless it.

Returning with his bells, he blessed my closet and all the wisdom within. He blessed the altars in my office. I was ready to offer my gratitude, but he quickly moved on. Generously blessing the plants and crystals in the bathroom, cleaning the energy within our clothes closet, and moving on to the bedroom and altars within. I trailed Francisco as he blessed our space and then looked to me with a question, “okay?” Okay indeed, papa, as we shared a hug.

Morning, evening, and throughout the day, I felt the delight of every greeting. I witnessed how the paqos greeted us and each other in genuine friendship and loving attention.

How different this was from the rote greeting often observed in daily living. That ‘how are you?’ without much attention to the answer.

With every meeting, something lit up in the face as the handshake or hug was offered

I felt the underlying message. ‘I see you. I welcome you. I enjoy you. I respect you.’

This wasn’t only offered to people.

It was apparent in how the paqos greeted each day with reverence , enjoyed the busy birds in the backyard, and felt nourished by the greenery of the neighborhoods. Pascual and I walked along my gardens and down the street to the pond. Curious about what was naturally growing and if fish were present, he greeted the plants and the waters with “Munay Sunqo!”

This “love from my heart” greeting was often heard and sent off in all directions to all aspects of nature, including the beautiful participants in the Gathering.

As the days unfolded, in the midst of a busy schedule with many moving parts, I became still inside.

I began receiving lessons directly from the wisdom of Life Itself. The kind of teaching that quietly states, “This is how you live. This is how you love, relate, work, play, and grow.” I felt generosity move through my being in a constant flow with so many different forms of expression. Laughter bubbled up frequently without cause and tenderness claimed my heart as its home.

Witnessing the preciousness of each participant as they received a blessing or initiation threatened to dissolve me.

My eyes soft, my inbreath deep, I felt Life Itself delight in the scene before me. Like a proud Mama watching Her children enter an exchange with such sweetness and open hearts. Pachamama breathed deeply and exhaled long and slow Her acknowledgment that healing was happening and magic was returning to the world.

Something profound was seeded during these interactions, welcomed in the belly with the promise of nourishment, safety, and love.

The Seeding the Light Gathering, every part and each location, offered an alchemical crucible for a shifting of such magnitude that I was surprised the weather remained calm. The subtle movement of thunder and lightning was present in the invisible power of every ceremony, yet poured into each person like a gentle mist.

At some point, I became conscious that the desire to serve inhabited my whole being.

It was easy. No thought required, no idea of how or why, just an abiding love that wished to move in service to Life. No instruction, preparation, or even intent was required in this natural tendency.

Just the awareness that Life serves Life in all of its myriad forms. And that strangers becoming family is the natural order of things.

When the Gathering was complete, we rested, enjoyed some shopping and a taste of Philly cheesesteaks. Arriving at the airport, I moved to retrieve their bags from the hatchback. I was stopped as Francisco and Pascual adorned me with bracelets and a headband. I don’t know why I was still surprised at their grateful exchange for the ride to the airport. Receiving graciously, giving generously. Ayni in constant practice is the way for those in tune with the overflowing abundance of life.

Arriving home, my husband and I compared notes. 8 days of living in love and we were shifted.

There was no end to the gratitude we shared. With a full heart, a tired body, and many seeds of light, I settled onto my back deck. I thought to offer Munay Sunqo and Muchas Gracias to Pachamama, the beneficence of Life, our beautiful teachers, and every participant who called forth this shared experience.

Since no words were needed, Life rested as I promptly took a nap.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

The Andean Wisdom Path invites a commitment to live the Beauty Way. As a practice, you make a daily commitment to take action to bring beauty to every situation you are in. Moment by moment you have the opportunity to notice how beauty emerges through you. As well as every space within you that withholds or denies beauty within yourself, another, or life. This is a practice of perpetual correction. A graceful bowing to the true harmony as you clean up each perception. Living in Beauty aligns you with the principle of cosmic harmony. Let’s create beauty together.

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Peruvian Harmony. Seeding the Earthkeeper.

Meet Juanita and Francisco, shamans from Peru.

This beautiful couple waves from a hill above the only moon temple in Peru. Known as Killarumiyok, the moon dial served many generations with tracking the movement of the stars, seasons, and energies. The shamans had a full morning traveling with our group by bus to this site in the Sacred Valley, hiking the mountain, and setting up the ceremony for our arrival.

That was a day of powerful teaching for me as the Feminine opened my heart and held my hand on the climb.

We began by creating a Pachamama stick before we hiked. In conversation with the flowers and plants, we chose the blossoms that called us and, with permission from nature, we wrapped these offerings around a stick. Told that we would encounter a rock split in the center, representing the vagina or birth canal, we prepared an offering. 

Each step, I prepared myself and my small Pachamama stick as an offering.

I felt something profound on the horizon, something which had no words. I was hiking amidst a group of lovely people, yet I felt as if I was alone on my own journey. My steps were easy and my breath was full. This was a place familiar to me where I climbed last year. I headed for a place of power that I laid upon and called to the Grandmothers to offer me wisdom and healing.

Truth be told, things got a bit hazy at that point.

Whatever occurred is beyond my mind at present, so I‘ll move along to arriving at the rock with a huge crack. Flowers spilled out and prayers lit up the area. Walking through the wet, mushy grass, I went around the back to share my intention.

A woman was healing something with her head upon that rock and her sobs wracking her body.

I felt called to stand in stillness, a quiet witness. And then it was time to move. I gathered her in my arms and helped her soothe as she returned her awareness to the moment. I offered my hand to her, shaky as she was, to climb the steep hill. 

And then I lost my breath. 

As if the altitude had changed drastically, I had to pause frequently to catch my breath as we climbed hand in hand. Now she was still, waiting for me. Our roles had reversed.

I learned on that climb that we are never alone and help is given or received when needed.

I entered the ceremony which would include another Munay Ki Rite, that of the Earthkeeper. 

I brought my whole being to that circle and my Soul said yes to whatever light would be offered. The mountains were active, offering their wisdom, and the shamans were prepared to transmit the seeds of this initiation. Something happened then that shifted my whole being to a new reality. Suddenly, I knew anything was possible and I was open to it. 

I received my seeds of light from Pascual with so much joy and enthusiasm.

And then I went still, as did the mountains and the land. My eyes travelled upward and tracked the eagle which arrived to circle our group. Blessing our ceremony. Traveling down the mountain was easy. We stopped to chant together at the moon calendar, located next to my favorite dreaming rock.

Feeling complete, I looked up to see Francisco and Juanita smiling down upon us.

When I raised my camera with a question, they stood and smiled. It was a lovely moment and a heartfelt connection. Little did I know I would be welcoming Francisco into my home a few months later.

He arrives, without Juanita, but traveling with Pascual, Chino, and Jose Tomas in just a few days. 

So many of us are joining together to receive the Seeds of Light offered through the Munay Ki Rites and the sacred ceremony these shamans will share with us. This is a dream received high in the Temple of the Sun in Ollantaytambo following a beautiful exchange with the mountains. It was seeded, nourished, and brought to form rather rapidly. For this, I am grateful, yet after that powerful experience with the Earthkeeper‘s Rite, I am not surprised.

For those who are joining in The Seeding of the Light Gathering, you are in for a beautiful experience. If you feel called to come, even on short notice, you are welcome. There are 10 spots remaining. All details are on the Event Page here. 

I have a few openings for private healing sessions with the shamans at Soul Sanctuary. 

If you are local and wish to receive a traditional Andean healing session with a shaman, you may find the booking link here.

This Seeding the Light Gathering is created with the intention of bringing more Light to the planet through the Munay Ki transmissions. With the infusion of these seeds of light, the energy of your multidimensional body is elevated and life unfolds differently. All who participate will then share this new light in their own unique fashion with the world. 

We are gathering to Seed the Light for your benefit. To bless your families, communities, work, home, and health with love, abundance, and vitality. Each ceremony honors our connection to Pachamama, to the Cosmic Light, and to all our relations.

May you feel the Munay Ki, the power of love, wherever you are this weekend.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Fair trade products from Peru are available via many resources. When I first learned that quinoa, a staple for the Peruvian diet, was becoming too expensive for locals due to the high demand of overseas consumption, I was dismayed. That led me to research how to purchase not only quinoa but all Peruvian products from Fair Trade certified suppliers. This certification, across all countries, meets rigorous economic, social, and environmental standards. Do your research so those producing the product benefit. This honors Ayni (reciprocity) which is an embedded social and spiritual aspect of Peruvian culture.

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The K’intu. An Andean Blessing.

As I climbed the hills in the Sacred Valley, every step was a prayer of gratitude.  

Pausing often to catch my breath in the high altitude, I drank in the beauty of the mountains, valleys, small towns, and roaming llamas. I felt the hum of power of the Sacred Site moving up from the Earth to bless my body and offer me nurturance and strength. While I saw and heard my fellow journeyers, I was immersed within my own experience of quiet wonder as I prepared for the ceremony above.  

I arrived to find the Paqos (shamans) had prepared the space and had laid the first layers of the Despacho.

This offering (meaning dispatch in Spanish) is a traditional offering of the shamans in the Andes. It is a sweet gift of sugar, spices, nuts, seeds, candies, flowers, and other items representing the cosmic journey we share with all living beings. Laid upon paper, it will be wrapped and used to cleanse the energy of all participants before being offered to the fire. 

As we settled in a circle, the shamans gave a k’intu to each participant.

“Anay” (thank you). I dropped within for a moment to explore what prayers wanted to be blown into this small offering. With intent, breath, and quiet voice, I offered my prayers in the tradition of the Andes. I first called upon the lineages, celestial bodies, and archetypal powers to be present. I then recognized my humanness which included all that I did not know and the mistakes I inadvertently made. I moved on to offer my gratitude for life and all things within this experience. Lastly, I shared my personal prayers for the wellbeing and harmony for myself, my family and friends, all those I serve, and all projects I was called to offer. I offered my prayers for all people, creatures, and Pachamama. 

The k’intu is a fan of three cocoa leaves with a red and white carnation petal.

The k’intu may serve as a Despacho, of which there are many varieties, as an offering of thanksgiving and reverence to Pachamama (Mother Earth), the mountains and sacred spaces, and the celestial beings that watch over Earth. It may also, as in this case, be placed in a larger Despacho which gathers the prayers of many.

The three leaves of the k’intu represent the three worlds and the three Divine attributes of human equilibrium. 

In the Andean cosmovision, there are three worlds or realms known as the upper world (hanaqpacha), middle world (kaypacha), and lower world (ukhupacha). These mythical realms each serve a purpose, have guardians to guide your journeys, and offer support to the human experience. 

In the Peruvian tradition, there are also three energetic centers (belly, heart, head) which empower living in connection and right relationship with all life.

Each center represents and fuels one of the three Divine attributes of human equilibrium. The belly, or llank’ay (yank eye), represents creative expression, work and loving service. The heart, or munay (moon eye), represents pure loving and being in right relationship. The third eye, head, or yachay (yach eye), represents wisdom, clear knowing, and clear sight.

When it was time, I went to the shaman and offered my k’intu, vibrating with the power of my prayers.

Using this trio of cocoa leaves, she blessed my three centers before offering it to the shaman who was creating the Despacho. My prayers, along with all who participated, entered this sweet gift to life. I sat in the fresh air, hot sun, amidst the ancient ones residing in the mountains, and felt my body vibrating with this blessing.

I prayed to live this blessing in the moments of my life. And to be reminded of this ceremony and place of power when I fell into the slumber of my conditioned human self. 

I believe in the practicality of translating this tradition of the Andean ceremony into the everyday journey of living. I see this as a practice which has no end and no score card. Just the simple desire to evolve into a kinder, more peaceful human being who offers something beneficial to the world. The key word here being practice. 

To practice munay, you have to open and clear your heart. To practice yachay, you have to let go of judgments, opinions, and the idea that accumulated information equals knowledge. To practice llank’ay, you have to act and express your creative work imbued with loving service.

Sitting in ceremony offers you the opportunity to receive your k'intu, receive the blessings of your centers, and contribute to the Despacho. 


If you are able to travel to New Jersey at the end of July, you’ll have this direct experience with the Peruvian shamans during the Seeding the Light Gathering. 

This primoridal light, known as Ti in the Peruvian tradition, may be known by other names as well. It is the chi, ki, prana, holy spirit, and pure light of the Divine. That which animates all life and connects all living energy. 

You may think of all ceremony, shamanic healing, and the Munay Ki initiations as a sharing of this light.

The light is information. It is energy. And the Ti informs your energetic system so it may uplevel in vibration as it clears the old, dense energy from your system. All activities in the Seeding the Light Gathering are offering you this energy transmission so your LightBody may upgrade. This empowers your intent to practice wisdom, love, and creative expression in your own life.

You are an expression of this pure Ti and have your own way of sharing your wisdom, love, and creative work with the world. 

While the Peruvian shamans and ceremonies will enhance your capacity to do this, there are many ways in which you may grow your light. Clearing out the dense or stagnant energy from your field is an essential health and growth process. However this is done, it benefits the free flowing of life force (chi, prana, Ti) so that your innate wisdom may expand your capacity to live and serve with wisdom, love, and creative work.

50% of tickets for the Seeding the Light Gathering have been sold. If you are interested, please book your Weekend or 5 day Immersion now.

When you register, you’ll also be given the opportunity to have a private healing session with one of the shamans. This is a chance to experience the traditional healing methods which clearing your field of old energy and receiving an infusion of the high light.

I’ve also experienced the power of ceremony and healings on ZOOM. Seems funny, yet the Sacred healing practices know how to use every technology.

If you are unable to make the Seeding the Light Gathering, yet would like to experience a Despacho ceremony, Munay Ki initiation, or Andean Energy Medicine healing session, I’d be happy to offer this for you. Please visit my Andean Energy Medicine page or reach out to me if you’d like to bring a group to Soul Sanctuary in the future. I have limited availability in mid August and then am booking in mid October. 

Please know that when I blow my prayers into my k’intu during ceremony in the Seeding the Light Gathering, I’ll be including you.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Fair trade products from Peru are available via many resources. When I first learned that quinoa, a staple for the Peruvian diet, was becoming too expensive for locals due to the high demand of overseas consumption, I was dismayed. That led me to research how to purchase not only quinoa but all Peruvian products from Fair Trade certified suppliers. This certification, across all countries, meets rigorous economic, social, and environmental standards. Do your research so those producing the product benefit. This honors Ayni (reciprocity) which is an embedded social and spiritual aspect of Peruvian culture.