Category: Blog-Soulful Living

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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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Lessons from a Tadpole

As a child, I was fascinated by tadpoles. And I wasn’t alone.

Freely roaming the neighborhood during summer months, we kids would gather in my neighbor’s frog enclosure to search for new life. When tadpoles first appeared in the manmade pond, we peered into the murky water.

Like curious child scientists, we observed the natural evolutionary process of this ancient species.

Between neighborhood games of sheep and wolf, picking berries from the garden, and sleeping under the stars, we tracked the tadpoles’ progress. Spending quality time on our bellies became an integral part of our playtime.

We were delighted by the alchemical process when tiny legs appeared.

As small arms grew and tails shortened, we knew to check the surrounding banks to ensure gradual slopes of dirt and rocks for the froglets to make their way onto land.

Beyond observerIng, we became participants in creating an environment to support progress.

The froglets had to navigate their way out of water in order to live and breathe on land. The water, which sourced early development, became deadly if they were unable to make the transition.

This unfolding mystery trained us as naturalists and strengthened our connection to the rhythms of nature.

Our experiential learning required no adult supervision, textbooks, or standardized testing.

Just the presence of enthusiastic playmates with curious minds and a sense of wonder for a complex ecosystem resulting from millions of years of evolution.

Looking back upon my tadpole research, I recognize the valuable modeling of how to live in an ever changing world.

Complex personal, societal, and global challenges requires us, like the tadpole, to grow legs, learn to breathe through change, climb out of our comfort zone, and skillfully navigate new terrain. The combination of outer turmoil and inner evolutionary pulsing invites the potential to adapt skillfully. As adults, we rely upon learned experience, cognitive problem solving, and well honed defense mechanisms to move through adversity.

Yet, the inner curious child scientist suggests a different approach.

Letting go the mind, we might breathe deeply, drop into (onto) our belly, and reconnect with the rhythm of our essential nature. Relaxed and open, we’re free to gaze into the murky situation. Seeking subtle clues which offer a broader understanding of the potential for transformation. From this vantage point, we may recognize that we are swimming in the evolutionary stream of life.

What began millions of years ago is unfolding through us, inviting the next phase of becoming.

What was once perceived as a problem may be welcomed as a necessary phase of our own evolution. Broadening our vision, we recognize that so many others, seen and unseen, have prepared the environment for our growth and cleared the way for our move into new territory.

Welcoming support makes sense as no one travels alone on the journey of life.

Swim. Climb. Leap.

My love affair with tadpoles taught me how every phase of development has value. That it is important to look beneath the surface, engage a sense of childlike wonder, and enlist playmates to make life’s journey more enjoyable.

This story also appears in Natural Awakenings Magazine, South Jersey and Philadelphia additions.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Researchers suggest that early childhood years are fundamental in developing positive environmental attitudes and a commitment to caring for the Earth. With time playing in parks, forests, and playgrounds, children have the opportunity to reduce stress, engage in creative play, and explore the natural world. Research has found physical and psychological benefits including increased cooperation, verbal expression, and social comfort entering play with other.

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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.

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May Day Memories

It was a beautiful May day at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania back in 1986.

I was looking forward to partaking in the annual May Day celebration at this college so infused with Welsh traditions. As a graduate student, this was my first year living in the undergrad dorms as a “Warden.” An oxymoron, this term Warden, since Bryn Mawr had an honor code and no real rules for me to enforce.

I was more of a House Mama for young women in their time of need.

Truth be told, there were very few “times of need” during my 2 years living at Bryn Mawr. While I supported a few undergrads, I was better known for my annual Dead Plant Sales (no green thumb here) and the Couch Potato Movie Fest during exam time. This was a favorite across campus as I provided good snacks, fun movies, and a much needed break for these really bright, over achieving students.

I appreciated everything about those Warden years, but most especially having my tuition, room and board offered in exchange for living on a beautiful campus.

There were a lot of traditions at Bryn Mawr which was one of the “Seven Sisters” colleges for women. I enjoyed participating in most of them, although never understood why my dorm had to “haze” me along with the freshman. After a week of tortured anxiety and teasing about what was to come, it was mostly silly (they made me wear brown. I dislike the color brown immensely) and I lost some sleep. Otherwise, it was fun and I was rewarded with lots of good food and hugs. (If only hazing was that sweet across all institutions).

I was especially looking forward to dancing around the May Pole on May Day.

Grad students had their own May Pole and I was surrounded by other Wardens and friends from my department. We shared our breakfast and champagne, dressed in white and readied ourselves to frolic amidst the ribbons. I had visions of skipping along as we worked together to create a beautiful weave of colorful ribbons.

They should have provided we innocents with a bit more instruction other than “make sure your move the ribbon up and down.”

I never knew May Pole dancing was considered a blood sport. 


Seriously, I was grateful to make it out alive and with my head intact.

When the whistle blew, all these white frocked women started running FAST. My breath grew jagged as I strongly raised my ribbon up and down. Keeping pace and weaving the damn May Pole was more than I bargained for. There was no mercy as all the onlookers cheered us on and yelled “keep up!”

I should’ve worn better undies as my white flouncy dress blew up to my waist.

I thought we’d be skipping, laughing, and gently floating our ribbons about. I guess I figured a halo of flowers would magically appear on our heads, crowning us as the May Day Goddesses we were. By the time we were done, half of us were bent over, hands on our knees and breathing hard. The others were laughing and offering high fives. You can guess what group I was in.

Despite my near death experience, it was a lovely day of celebration.

I knew May Day was a pagan tradition which occurs between the Spring Equinox (Ostara) and the upcoming Summer Solstice (Litha). Sometimes called Beltane, it is related to fertility as Spring is at its peak. What I didn’t know is that it also is used in countries like the UK and Germany to celebrate worker’s rights.

I wandered about the campus that day, drinking champagne, and watching women race around the May Pole.

The even had a May Hole to honor the lesbian students (before all the initials came into use). It is a lovely thing to participate in ritual, whether deeply familiar or totally new. When you are invited into someone else’s world to experience celebration, you are joined together for those moments. When a friend wished me a happy May Day today, this memory came flooding back.

Bringing a sense of appreciate for a life rich with stepping into ritual celebrations in worlds that are different than my own.

Ritual, celebration, and relationships allow you to remember that you are part of one human family and a part of this beautiful planet. They remind you to open your perception, stoke your curiosity, and engage with the unfamiliar. If only for one day.

I also remind you to check your undies if you’re racing around the May Pole in a cute white dress.

Have a beautiful May Day however you celebrate. If nothing is on your agenda, go check out what Pachamama is offering you. In my neck of the woods, Spring has sprung. The sky is beautiful, the day is warm, and the flowers are colorful.

I can celebrate this.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Ritual and ceremony have been part of the human experience since the beginning of history. There is plenty of research revealing the benefit of participating in both group and individual ritual. Helping to reduce stress in times of uncertainty, promoting social connectedness, grounding into shared values, and improving health. Even when the rituals seem meaningless, such as in research studies, they work. Ritual connects us to something ancient, larger than ourselves, and deepens meaning. Whether moving through a period of grief, honoring a coming of age, celebrating a religious festival, or that annual Thanksgiving family football game, ritual matters. Do your own research to see what ritual or ceremony does for your life.

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Letter from my Kid, A Difference Maker

Here’s a letter from my kid. She’s my favorite Difference Maker but you’re also on that list. I hope you enjoy and participate if this calls to you.

Dear Family and Friends, I hope you are well. I’ve been thinking about the Love Orphanage kids and their recent struggles with education. I’m reaching out to see if you might help me boost the Be a Difference Maker fund. First, let’s take a trip down memory lane.

As an 8th grader looking to start my Silver and Gold Awards as a part of my Girl Scout journey, I was introduced to Ahaji Schreffler, the founder of the nonprofit, We the Village.

Ahaji was raising funds to cover living expenses for the children of Love Orphanage and their “father,” Gabriel Fedelu. The 17 Love O children were orphaned after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti in 2010. Gabriel, Haitian by birth, returned to the island and founded Love Orphanage where he gathered traumatized and malnourished children. With determination, faith, and great love, he nurtured these children’s emotional and physical wellbeing.

When I learned that none of the children had ever been to school, I was shocked and disappointed.

As someone who loves to learn, I was faced with the harsh reality that not everyone had the luxury of attending school like I did. After learning more about Love Orphanage from Ahaji, I recognized that education is the key to rising out of poverty and decided to team up with We the Village to ensure all 17 kids would get an education.

I created the Be A Difference Maker (BADM) program when I entered the 9th grade and gained the support of many Difference Makers throughout the United States.

Through fund raising and outreach, we funded private education for each child and provided additional materials to continue their education outside of the classroom. It was thrilling to see pictures of the kids in uniform for their first ever day of school. The kids loved learning, earnestly did their homework by lantern light, and all passed their final exams.

While I was in high school, Ahaji and I partnered to create a “Culture Camp” as part of my Girl Scout Gold award.

This weeklong camp-style trip was designed to reinforce what was being taught in school, engage in hands on learning via field trips, and exchange cultural experiences. I’ll never forget our first (of three) Culture Camps. Our team of Difference Makers installed a solar suitcase and we all witnessed the wonder of that naked light bulb turning on – changing their lives forever. 

That was a summer to be remembered as the Love O kids saw the ocean for the first time, ate in a restaurant, and explored their history in the Haitian museum.

Traveling to Haiti for three summers to run this camp was an amazing experience. The kids were healthy, full of energy, and overflowing with love. Witnessing the harsh reality of life in Haiti was disturbing, eye opening, and really sad. There isn’t much of a chance for kids to get educated there as most people live on $2/day.

Above all, these Culture Camps were a welcome reminder that our work to educate the kids needed to continue upon arriving home.

You can learn about the Be A Difference Maker educational program and see my slideshows of our Culture Camp by CLICKING HERE.

As I was graduating from college, the oldest boy, Ylionor was graduating from high school at the age of 22!

We celebrated his graduation with a party and sent photos of Love O’s supporters. Sending the message to Love O that we were proud of all of the children who were doing well in school and getting promoted every year.

This was my dream in action as all this education was fully funded by the BADM donations! 


In the past few years, Haiti has been experiencing even more turmoil after a presidential assasination and civil unrest.

Prices for food skyrocketed, aid workers left the country, and Love O’s neighborhood became unsafe due to gang activity. Ahaji and We the Village worked with Gabriel to relocate the family to a rental home in a safer space.

Unfortunately, their schooling was disrupted and some children had to repeat a grade this year.

Through it all, Gabriel and the children continue to grow safely in an atmosphere of love. They now have 19 children, with Ylioner being the first to complete the second phase of the Be A Difference Maker educational program. He completed technical training in computers at a trade school and he will look for a job as soon as it is safe to do so.

Current Update:  After writing this letter, we learned that Haiti is under a state of emergency. Gangs stormed two large prisons and 4000 inmates escaped. They attempted to seize the airport the following day. Needless to say, the situation in Haiti has gotten much worse. We’ve reached out to Gabriel who knows we are sending prayers and also continuing to fund education for all the kids. As of now, schools are closed in the crisis and it is his hope that they are safe enough to open soon.  

Even in the midst of crisis, 10 years after it was created, the goal of the Be a Difference Maker educational program remains the same.

We aim to offer every Love O child the funds to attend primary school (grades 1-13) and technical/trade school of their choice. To educate the future Difference Makers of Haiti.

None of this would’ve been possible without Difference Makers around the world who have contributed to my 8th grade dream. I’d like to thank all of you who have donated at any time during these past 10 years, especially while I’ve been off tending to my own education.

I’m sharing all of this to ask if you’d join me and become a Difference Maker for the Love O kids.

Our goal is to raise $6300 to cover the costs of sending all 19 children to school in the upcoming 24-25 school year. It currently costs $350 to fund a child for one school year, including uniforms, books, and exam fees. It is our hope that things in Haiti will be much safer when the new school year begins. 

There are a few ways you may contribute if you choose.

Sponsor one or more children for a year with a one time payment or set up a monthly donation of $30 (This is a great option to ensure sustainable education over time). You may also donate any amount you choose from $10 to $6300.

All monies are donated directly through We the Village which is a 501C3 charity. 100% of funds donated through the BADM program will be used for education. I don’t have access to financial information or donation history. All transactions and annual acknowledgement of donations will be handled by We the Village.

Here’s the link to donate!

I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to consider the history and current needs of the Love O kids. I am a Difference Maker who believes in the power of education to help these children rise out of poverty. I hope you join my dream and become a Difference Maker for their future.

Sami Milano
Creator, Be A Difference Maker Educational Program for Love Orphanage, Haiti

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

If you find situations in Haiti and other third world countries, disheartening, look for the good news. There is plenty of healing, empowerment, and growth occurring in small pockets of the world. It’s often the small efforts born from someone’s heart breaking that lead to long-term improvement. This is what happened for Gabriel, Ahaji, and Sami. Three hearts broke and each took the action that called them. Gathering others to support their dreams, magic happened. And continues with long term commitment to empower sustainable change for a small family across the ocean. Whenever your heart breaks, see what action is yours to take. Your contribution matters.

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Aspirational Dreaming

Aspirational Dreaming.

It’s a thing. Consider how many times you are presented with someone who does something truly amazing or simply appealing. And you notice a response in your own being. A quickening. A feeling of thrill or aliveness in your body. Or a sense of “Wow!” that floats itself forward with words to express your admiration or interest. Perhaps it’s a private, tiny voice within that says …

“I’d like to do that.”

However you get “sparked,” times like these are noticeable if you’re paying attention. It’s important to differentiate between noticing admiration or being impressed by someone’s achievements, commitment to excellence, or a personal quality like intelligence, curious enthusiasm, or a potential for joyful love.

There’s a bit of aspirational noticing in these moments as well.

Yet, you don’t feel inspired to leap out of your chair and yell “Yes! I too will swim from Cuba to Florida without stopping at the age of 64!” For those of you who are missing that reference, check out the movie Nyad on Netflix. I first heard Diane Nyad interviewed on the Chasing Life podcast with Sanjay Gupta. “Wow!” I thought. “That’s amazing.”

After watching the movie of her epic swims (yes, plural), I’m still amazed.

And have absolutely no desire to get off my comfy couch and dip my toe in a pool, let alone swim across an ocean. (If you haven’t read about my courageous weeny swim with dolphins in Hawaii, you can do so here). So, that’s a hard no. No fizzle of excitement and longing to aspire to that feat.

Inspiration, even when faced with someone’s aspirational character, does not a dream make.

You’ve got to tune into your own oracle. That spidey sense that lives within you and knows how to track the clues on your Soulful Map. While sometimes it is clear, your inner knowing often whispers in goosebumps, single thought sentences, or an unsettled feeling in your solar plexus.

That’s a typical signal for me.

When my solar plexus starts getting squirmy and I’m thinking “uh oh,” I’m aware that something is coming down that garden Soul Path and aiming right toward me.

Requiring me to pay attention, take some Tiny Actions toward whatever nudge is appearing, and say “yes” even if my eyes squeeze shut and I cross my fingers behind my back.

When someone or something demonstrates a part of your Soul’s next dream, you’ll get put on notice. 


Whether you are attuned enough to notice the notice is another story.

However, I believe you’re fully wired to perceive and translate all the clues laid upon your path. After all, you’ve got 5 senses in working order, an oracle body, and a 6th sense that is already scanning for your next expansion.

That’s one way to catch the dream. Notice what seems really appealing to you – aspirational even – and give it a wee bit of attention.

All it takes is that little nod of noticing for your Soul to say “Yes! Game on!” It’s a tricky thing, this clue following. If your mind gets in on the game too early, it does what it always does. Tries to figure out what the clues mean or how it’s gonna work out or if you’ve got what it takes, etc, etc, etc.

The mind is a party pooper and a dream crasher.

Yet, there is a bit of loveliness about that mind of yours. It has stored so much knowledge, many strategies, and knows how to plan stuff and take action. It’s such a help in so many ways. The mind can’t help crashing about like a bull in a china shop when the Aspirational Dreaming process turns on (or is noticed midway through its process).

So let’s not be so hard on the mind, but put it to good use.

I’m in the midst of my Aspirational Dreaming process these days. I’ve explored my Hidden Gems from last year. I’m spending time in reflection with my blank journal of creative wonder. (Just so we’re clear, my mind and solar plexus are very creatively wondering what the hell we’re up to in 2024. Both are busy commenting and squirming about. And I’m doing my utmost best to ignore them.)

I’m tracking clues now. What person, story, action, imaginative idea, or place in this lovely world is catching my attention?

When I notice my inner fizzle of excitement, anxiety, or a sense of a “yes” to a really cool idea, I make note. Wherever I am, I write it in my phone or on a scrap of paper. I tell whomever I’m with, if trustworthy with my dreaming, what is emerging. I track the clues like Inspector Clouseau on a good day.

Then I draw, write, and describe those clues on the blank pages of my new journal.

Aspirational Dreaming. So many ways to play the Soul’s Game. This is my way this year. In 2010, I played this game for a dozen Fridays at the Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey. Almost a year to the day later, Soul Sanctuary was birthed. That dream worked out well. If you don’t know that story, you can read it here.

The Soul is your partner in this process. The mind is the servant. You’re the one noticing stuff with your beautiful body oracle.

You don’t have to swim across the ocean with jelly fish, sharks, and storms. You just have to explore the possibility that there’s more to life this year than you’re currently expecting.

Dive in and explore what’s possible. I’ll be swimming in the currents of curious exploration with you. It’s gonna be a good year!

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

So many scientific discoveries, courageous exploration, and inventions that benefit humanity have landed unexpectedly. Often in the shower, while napping, or when playing with friends. It’s important for your intuitive dreaming as well as your logical, linear planning to take breaks. To let your body, mind, emotions, and energy take a rest. Go out and play a bit more. Find your way of R&R that is enjoyable, not just a vegging on the couch as a recovery method. Enthusiastic play, relaxation, and enjoyable activity. It’s all vitally important for the creative genius that you’re capable of being. The world benefits from small to gigantic ideas. Time to play and dream.

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Applause Please!


The New Year is upon you. Right on the tail of your full belly, busy schedule, and (hopefully) positive feelings about your world.

Before you dive back into your regular work and life schedule, how about you take a breath and consider the year you’ve been living? There’s time enough for New Year’s resolutions, goals, or choosing a “word of the year” after the ball drops at midnight on January 1, 2024. Perhaps you can spare an hour over the next few days to take stock of where you’ve been.

My favorite practice is Seeking the Hidden Gems of 2023. You’ll float back over the past year to uncover all the ways you’ve grown into a wiser human being.

No matter what area of life you look at, you’re seeking the small to large wins. No need to dwell on all things undone or resolutions left by the way side. This is a celebratory practice looking backwards. And it’s not just reserved for the big gains, although I’m sure you’ll find some of those. Remember that it is deeply personal and all relative. What’s a win to you may be nothing to another.

In this practice, there is no other to consider. After all, it’s your life you’re living.

You’ll want to float about in many categories of life. Some examples may include hobbies, friendships, all things health, dreams, care offered others or the planet, financial harmony, creative pursuits, favorite contributions (work, volunteer, private prayers), spending time alone, play, enhancing family wellbeing, spiritual practice, and any other aspect of YOUR wellbeing.

When your mind goes to a critical assessment of what wasn’t accomplished, where you failed, or what is missing, take a breath and remind yourself that Part Two of the practice, Aspirational Dreaming in 2024, doesn’t happen until the New Year.

I expect you to be surprised and delighted by all the Hidden Gems you'll uncover. 


When you consider all of the Tiny Actions, simple pleasures, and many small to large wins, perhaps you’ll discover a more capable version of yourself.

One who is deeply human in all of your vulnerabilities, desires, beauty, and gifts. One who is more interconnected with others than you may have realized. One who has been receiving as well as giving, and most likely sharing times of happiness, meaning, and contribution with others (animals and nature included!).

It’s often the things you take for granted that, when written on your list, add up to reveal you are quite something and have lived a fuller life than you’ve realized.

Of course, you’ll want to include the challenges you’ve faced. When you do, instead of focusing upon how hard, sad, or overwhelmingly devastating these times were, seek the tiny if not great things you learned about yourself, others, and life.

When I’ve faced the most challenging times in my life, I’ve looked for how Love infiltrates every encounter.

I could write a book on how Love moves in these moments. Through others, through me, through the physical space, and through all emotions that ebb and flow. It amazes me and leaves me open, willing, and ready to be with Life as hard as it is showing up in those moments. When I forget to seek Love, I’m stressed and dismayed. It’s amazing how easily you drop into fear and stress while leaving love and wonder off to one side, isn’t it? Yet that is the way of it for most humans, even with the best of intentions.

The cool thing about Seeking Hidden Gems is that you may want to revisit the practice throughout the year.

A monthly or quarterly review is not just for the financially savvy human. Recognizing how you’re growing into your wisdom, generous spirit, and capacity to enjoy Life requires awareness. Without stopping to smell the proverbial rose, you miss what’s often right under your nose.

Here’s the How To. It’s simple.

Give yourself the gift of a quiet space, at least an hour or so, and a blank notebook. You can nourish this practice any way that makes sense to you. Some folks love to create a ceremony by opening sacred space, lighting a candle, enjoying soothing instrumental music, and whatever is personally meaningful. I’m a big fan of the unlined journal, colored pens, and doodling my findings. I find this type of “journal” invites the seeding of new growth and nourishment of dreams I can’t yet articulate.

Choose your 6 – 10 categories for review. Be creative and find those areas of life that are truly meaningful to you.

And don’t leave out the hard ones! They often yield the most surprising fruit. The idea of “float back” is to let your mind gently travel over the year. It’s typically not in a linear fashion. More like a meandering through memories. Some insights are bright and obvious. Others have a more subtle glow and may have to be sought with a bit more relaxed diligence.

A few simple questions may prompt your meandering treasure hunt.

What was good about that time or situation? How did I grow into a stronger, more compassionate, and competent person? Where did play, creativity, laughter, and fun show up in the year? What tiny gains added up or seeded something I can keep on nourishing in 2024? What did I really love, enjoy, or benefit from last year? What motivated me to be kind, generous, and loving? Am I any wiser? What did I offer others? What did I bring out into the world?

When you’ve meandered a bit, written down some notes, and examined all your categories, take a look at any areas where the gems are sparse.

Now it’s time to go smaller. If you’re like most people, you may be looking for those bigger gems that sparkle for all to see. Find the tiny movements you made. Getting out of bed on hard days. Helping a stranger. Donating a dollar to a food bank at the grocery store. Eating a few green beans. Exploring a new activity or place.

Finding a bunch of “micro movements” toward wellbeing and wisdom is essential in every category.

Spoiler alert: if you take the time to WholeHeartedly Seek your Hidden Gems, you may discover a wise, loving, and creative person living within your skin. Seems worth the meander. Don’t forget this is a celebratory practice, so give yourself a round of applause and maybe a few pats on the back along the way.

Check out the HeartWarming News below. You’ll want to seek other’s good fortune as well as your own. Win win!

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

You CAN catch happiness. Studies have shown that stress is catching, such as how witnessing others in pain can activate the pain network in your brain. (Hint: turn off the evening news and read your news selectively). New studies on “positive empathy” reveals that your brain will also resonate with positive emotions. Witnessing other’s good fortune can activate the reward system in your brain. Hip hip hooray for you and me! Positive empathy experiences are good for your peace of mind, relationships, happiness, and self satisfaction. Lots of not so hidden gems there!

 

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Simple Experiments for the Dark Time

It’s dark and getting colder in North America and much of the world.

Inviting you to slow down, light your candles, warm your hands by the fire, and enjoy your time indoors. It’s hard to miss the obvious invitation to slow down, go inside, nourish what is meaningful, and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul.

Yet, modern life has clearly disrupted your tendency to sync up with the seasonal wisdom.

It’s a social thing, this modern life. Artificial lights, smart phones, instant messaging, the world wide web, and scrolling on social media keep you connected all day, every day. Schedules, tasks, automobiles, and your people scattered about the world. It’s different than living in ancient times in a village where the seasonal wisdom reigned supreme.

Just because the wonders of modern life encourage you to “run, run, Rudolph” doesn’t mean you have to keep up the pace.

Imagine having the audacity to launch a social experiment in the midst of the hustle and bustle of all this holiday hoopla.

Settle in your home. Light a candle or fire. Soft music. Quiet conversation. Silence. No TV or books. 


“Everyday?!?! How long?” screams the mind.

“What about shopping after work? I have gifts to wrap, meals to prepare, guests to host, travel plans to make!” The mind is going a bit crazy with this simple experiment. That’s to be expected.

You define the parameters of your experiment. 5 minutes or 5 hours. Alone or with others.

You may enjoy the lusciousness of non doing as you relax in the dim light listening to your favorite music or people. The body remembers the ancient times and will slowly settle in. Make sure you throw in some silence as you sit in the dark with the lights of the tree, menorah, or fire. The more you practice this during the winter season, the more memory awakens.

Ancient wisdom embodied in the modern world.

Moving back into the world of hustle, you’ll bring a slower rhythm out into the world. Returning to nourish in the quiet of your home. Allowing yourself to discover your own way of realigning with the wise movement of the natural world.

Every moment is sacred and filled with potential joy, wonder, and the warmth of love.

However you celebrate the Light of the Season, enjoy it. I wish you great peace and less stress. I hope you breathe deeply and carve out a single minute for yourself to enjoy your surroundings. Again and again. Every day.

1 minute of nourished wonder. Repeat. Repeat.

That’s another simple experiment. Don’t tell your mind. It will only freak out.

I hope you show up wherever you are to these invitations. So you may savor the light within and around you.

I hope you gather your friends and family around you so they may experience the peace within you and bask in your light.

I’m off now to bask within the Salon at Soul Sanctuary. Just for an entire minute. I’ll be thinking of you.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Northern Norwegians have figured out how to live joyfully in the dark days of winter. Imagine living in a place where the sun doesn’t rise (or only briefly peaks out on the horizon) from the middle of November through the end of January. It becomes part of the culture to nestle into the warmth of the hearth, love of family and friends, comfort food and activities. All the while, going about the daily actions of living, playing, and working. Rather than hibernating, you’ll find these Norwegians slipping into warm clothes while turning on their headlamps to light the way. Joyful dark days.

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4 Tips for Reducing Holiday Tension

The Thanksgiving Holiday is upon us in the United States.

Bringing families and friends together to share a meal with gratitude for the abundance of love, food, community, and pleasure. Unless tensions arise for any number of reasons. Perhaps you stress when hosting, families don’t get along, you are dealing with grief or loneliness, someone drinks too much, politics get dicey, or any number of ways your leftover childhood issues come uninvited to dinner.

Here’s four suggestions to lower your tension this turkey day.

1. Be Yourself

That might sound obvious, but it’s hard for people to be comfortable in their own skin when there is any kind of tension present. Family gatherings may be the one place you actually drop into yourself and feel at home. I’m happy for you. I’m also aware that a large number of people feel anxious in anticipation of all those inlaws and outlaws gathering in one place.

What if you decided ahead of time to show up as who you feel yourself to be?

If you’re used to wearing a mask or using strategies to protect yourself, why not let at least one of them drop off? If that sounds terrifying, try it out for a few minutes with the most benign person at dinner. Most people don’t notice you’re all masked up like its Halloween, so they won’t notice if you let just one layer loose.

As long as you feel safe enough, it’s an interesting game to play. After all, it’s up to you to step into your own skin, comfy or not, so perhaps you give yourself permission this year to begin.

2. Acknowledge your personal, family and or friend situation.

You all may be at peace, enthusiastic about your lives, and happy to stuff your face together. Or you may be in a terrible fight, hate being in a crowd, are deep in grief, or worried about that relative who has gone off the rails. Whether it is temporary or long standing, let it be that.

Wishing life was different or getting angry at others for being who they are, where they are, and how they’re behaving is gonna give you indigestion.

Deciding ahead of time to make peace with your situation or come to a temporary truce within yourself may allow you to take the edge off. With that mindset shift, you might actually find some beauty hidden in the day.

3. Remember to wear pants.

This is for anyone feeling the stress of hosting and trying to make a meal tasty and special for everyone. Worrying about how clean the house is, whether the turkey will be moist, or if you have enough matching place settings is beside the point. You’re hosting. Everyone else is grateful they are not.

It doesn’t need to be perfect and you don’t have to worry about everyone’s wellbeing. Don’t fry your brain over entertaining. Even if your guests are grumpy and silently judging your spread, they’re still eating your meal.

So, forget worrying about what other people think.

Keep it simple and do your best. Above all, remember to wear pants. 


Or a skirt. Seriously, as long as you remember the basics like getting dressed and putting some food on the table, the day will be a success. Spray some lemon spray by the front door so guests think your house is clean and enjoy your day.

4. Focus on the worthy.

It’s Thanksgiving and the hint is in the name. Spend some time contemplating what’s really important in life. What are you grateful for? Even if life isn’t quite working out as you’d like, spend the day saying thank you – aloud and silently – for all you have been given, created, and are in the process of dreaming.

Be generous with your gratitude.

Play a game where you let everyone know your appreciation. One at a time. Thank them for who they are, what they’ve given you, or, if all else fails, for passing the gravy. Be generous – give that thanks away freely.

And don’t forget to pass some loving gratitude to yourself.

For showing up however you have on this day of Giving Thanks. And for all the ways you make the world sparkle a bit brighter because you exist.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Want to be a Human Book? Explore the Human Library Project where you can volunteer your time and “story” in order to educate others. It began in Copenhagen in 2000 with an intent to break down stereotypes and stigma. Gathering volunteers to share stories of what it was like to grow up gay, placed in child protective services, being psychic, surviving a suicide attempt, being deaf and depressed, living as an immigrant, and more. You’re helped to “unjudge someone” when you sit for 30 minutes listening to a life story. 80 countries and going strong.