Category: Blog-Soulful Living

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Does One Tree Matter?

Flash back to December 31, 2021. My husband and I sitting in the warmth of our home while exploring our giving plan for the upcoming year.

One area of focus always includes the environment. Last year we supported organizations clearing plastic and trash from the ocean (4Ocean), conservation efforts (Ocean Conservancy), and sea mammal rescue and rehabilitation (in honor of our budding Marine Biologist daughter).

With a new focus for the upcoming year, we discovered we couldn’t give up the ocean.

I recently learned it was snowing micro plastics in the arctic. Item by item, I remove single use plastic from my home and life. I continue to pick up trash as I walk in nature. I just ordered laundry sheets to try out instead of the plastic laundry soap jugs being tossed into landfills. Every little step brings me closer to honoring the garden I share with all humans and creatures.

I have a thing for trees. So, we decided to look into planting trees for the New Year. I just calculated our progress six months in. Oh, joy. Read on.

When I walk in the woods, I breathe easier. My whole body relaxes. It’s interesting for someone who only walks on a path and would only camp if hotels disappeared forever. I’m heading to the Redwoods in the Fall as they’ve been calling me for a visit. Can’t wait to walk in that marvel of nature. A sight I’ve only seen in photos.

I’m bothered (sometimes downright hot under the collar) when I think of the French cutting down every damn tree in Haiti.

Leaving that side of the island barren and dry. Another way that other countries have sucked the life out of that country, leaving the beautiful Haitian people in the dust. While the Spanish Dominican Republic is lush and inviting for tourism.

My heart breaks when I witness the destruction of the Amazon jungles.

I have been deeply saddened by the loss of the natural resources and the effect on the ecosystem. So many species, healing plants, and the biodiversity that extends to support the world’s health have been lost over these years.

What brought me to my knees last year was the realization that entire tribes in the Amazon were wiped out.

That’s hard to contemplate. The loss of indigenous tribes living deep within the Amazon dying off as their ecosystem is destroyed so we can have hardwood floors, pencils, and decorative bowls. So much wisdom lost. My brothers and sisters dying and the world barely knew of their existence. Aside from how hot the world is getting, I feel this just highlights how shortsighted we are. How shortsighted I am.

Trees are essential to life.

Nature needs forests and jungles which are shelters of biodiversity for the majority of the world’s plants, animals, insects, fungi, and birds. They provide medicine for the body and the soul (natural medicine, forest bathing for stress reduction) and produce nutrition fruit, nuts, and berries. They clean the air we breathe and are necessary to reduce the CO2 warming the atmosphere.

There were once 6 trillion trees on this beautiful Earth. More than half are now gone and disappearing at a rate of over 10 billion trees a year.

 

3 trillion trees gone so I can enjoy the desk I am writing on and chair I am sitting in.

My husband and I talked about trees. How we love to hike in the woods. The beauty and benefit of forests. The large pine trees we lost in our yard and the massive, ancient tree that fell on my childhood home. The protected space leaving fields and forests standing in New Jersey. How the Amazon is known as the lungs of the planet.

True not true. Wait, what? Turns out the Amazon only produces enough oxygen for its own ecosystem.

Check out the show One Strange Rock on Disney+. The episode highlighting the Amazon. Just when you took nature for granted, She turns you upside down. I won’t spoil anything, but I’ll offer you a hint: cloud river. Oh, joy.

Scientists suggest the cheapest and fastest way to tackle the climate crisis by taking the CO2 out of the atmosphere is to plant a trillion trees.

A trillion trees without encroaching on urban areas or farms. Not all scientists agree with this, but a heck of a lot do. You can do your own research at 1t.org. Looking through the pledges by corporations and large organizations, we knew we couldn’t match that impact of those pledging to plant 1 billion trees, 500 million trees, a million trees.

What can a single family do, we wondered. Now, we know.

Beginning in January, we planted trees for family and friends on their birthday. Or to honor a passing or celebrate an achievement. One Tree Planted allows you to choose where you want to gift your trees for planting.

A buck a tree. Yup, $1 per seedling that will grow up to change the future.

We’ve been planting trees in Haiti to honor our Love Orphanage family and the people of Haiti. We’ve been gifting trees in the Amazon so no other tribes, creatures, or plants are lost. In honor of the Peruvian Wisdom Keepers, the medicine men and women who hold the dream of a thriving garden with people living in harmony, we’ve planted a lot of trees.

Six month in and we’ve planted 1005 trees. All without breaking a sweat or the bank.

Every person seemed thrilled with their trees. Delighted to know their 22, 43, 65, or 79 trees were growing in a country far away from their backyards. I loved the 63 trees I received for my birthday. From Pachamama of course. You can bet I’ll be doing the math on December 31st.

One small action done repeatedly impacts the course of the future. This is true for good or ill.

Seek what bothers you in this world. Put your money, time, or talent in service to any group that offers an inspired solution with integrity and enthusiasm. Or start your own movement.

Every tree matters. Especially to our Mother.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

There are a few simple ways to combat global warming. First, become educated. A simple Google search and 10 minutes will give you the perfect idea for you. Walk, bike, carpool, or use public transportation. The more often you leave your vehicle at home, or drive an electric vehicle, the greater your contribution. Limit waste heading for landfills. You can share, refurbish or donate goods. Compost or limit waste. Use detergent sheets instead of plastic jugs. Don’t be fooled: plastic recycling is ending up in landfills at an alarming rate. All these small changes lead to large changes. My easy favorites? Plant trees (obviously), cut back on Amazon convenience orders, and radically limit waste across the household. Love your Mama. Your great grandchildren depend on that love.

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Heart Wide Open in a World Gone Mad

I’ve sat with outrage, despair, wonder, and confusion this week.

So many people, including myself, have felt the shifting of a foundation of goodness, respect, equity, safety, and hope with the recent shootings and supreme court decisions about gun control and Roe vs. Wade.

It’s been helpful to talk. To express freely whatever position is held.

I am grateful for those who witness me. And eager to enter these conversations to witness others and learn what breaks their hearts, fires up their desire to act, and leads competent people to feel so helpless. To explore the questions that bubble up. To allow rage, tears, and the desire to dive under the covers to be honored.

So many tragedies are flooding our shared world and affecting the ecosystem in which the human family lives.

I recognized something essential this week.

I couldn’t keep quiet. I didn’t want to process this on my own. I had that in common with many, many people. Seeking balance within, I felt the call to hear others and witness their pain and thinking. So I reached out to my daughter, to my friends, and opened to my clients.

I learned I didn’t have any answers. And recognized I was in no position to offer any.

I researched the status of women at the time the US Constitution was written. While not surprising, it made my head and heart hurt. I though about how far we’ve come and wondered what direction we were headed.

It’s my birthday today. I’m 63.

I was in 8th grade when Title IX was enacted. I never had any question that I could go to college as a female. Nor did my daughter. I was 13 when Roe vs. Wade was passed. Too busy navigating my early teen insecurities to consider that anyone would restrict my decisions about my body or health. Now, I look to the young women I know who face restrictions that were never a part of my adult life.  

Lacking solutions today, I want to keep my heart wide open, no matter what. That much I know.

Yet, something more emerged over the past days. A strong desire to listen to someone who was wise and awake. To hear a different prospective than the human mind’s railing about what side was right and who was not only wrong, but evil.

Life has a way of answering my questions if I let them be.

How to keep your heart open in hell.

 

A fitting title for a creative talk from a wise, awake man. Reading poetry from other wise, awake men. 

I received succor in that. Wise men, in tune with their feminine wisdom, providing a higher understanding of how to be in a world that sucks so much and holds so much beauty. 

An understanding that helped me explore the questions asked by those around me. Exploring how to live in the world and keep your heart open. A way to be spiritually focused without losing touch with your humanity. Guidance for action that was balanced, coming from a perspective that there was harmony to the implicate and explicate order of the universe. And our experience within it. 

I discovered the wisdom of Ram Dass after he passed. 

I’ve learned so much from the documentaries about his life and the talks I have watched. A richness packed into a few minutes or hours that left me more willing to live in this beautiful, horrible world with a heart that stays open.

Plus, I like how he talks like a calm, happy hippie. Words like “far out, cool, and groovy” bring me back to my high school days.

He has taught me about courage, how to sit with pain and grief, experience hope within despair, and to face death consciously. He has shown me what a heart wide open looks like in a person who is clearly human. So much more to discover I’m sure. 

Today, I think it’s best you hear from some Wise, awake dudes. 

Better than from my tiny mind that is swirling under the influence of a world rocked by madness. Buffeted about by the winds of grief, outrage, wonder, and trust. Today, I find myself at a loss for words and a strong, strong desire to listen. 

My heart wants to stay open. So that’s my position about gun control, abortion, war, ecological destruction, personal tragedy, miracles, and grace. 

A wide open heart. No matter what side of any argument you find yourself on. You’ll find the link to Ram Dass’ talk in the HeartWarming News below.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Ram Dass’ talk led me to a creative, cool resource: the After Skool channel on youtube. I found some of my favorite teachers there. Listening to their voices while the concepts were illustrated artfully. It’s a visual delight. The intent of this channel is to empower individuals to shift their inner world with artistic presentations of profound thinkers. The idea that the world changes when your internal world changes is not new. It IS empowering and shared by mystics, physicists, and medicine men and women. Here’s the link for How to Keep your Heart Open in Hell by Ram Dass. Next up for me? Allan Watts. He probably says groovy too.

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Don’t Help Me. Please.

I was driving home with my daughter when we noticed a large snapping turtle crossing the roadway. 

It was a tiny back street lined with a small pond on one side and the forest on the other.  As we drove by, he settled down just a foot into the road. Hanging out there as if it were a rest stop.  Right in the path of the cars cutting through our neighborhood at rush hour – blowing through the stop sign in order to cut a moment from their commute.

“Not happening!” I said as I pulled the car over.  

“We are moving that turtle before he gets crushed,” I declared.  I bounded from the car as my daughter muttered “Oh, here we go.”  I carried my umbrella as a prodding agent which was totally unhelpful as it popped open immediately, rendering it useless.  (More eye rolls from you know who. I might have even added a few myself as I looked quite ridiculous).  

I found another totally inadequate stick which left us just staring at a magnificent, prehistoric looking turtle wondering what to do next.  

We knew enough not to go near the front of him.  They call them snapping turtles for a reason.  While my daughter longed to pick him up and carry him, I had visions of her dropping him in the moment of a freakout.  Nope.  Meanwhile, he was resting as if he had all the time in the world and wasn’t facing imminent death (okay … I exaggerate). 

A car pulled up and an older man asked if we were okay. 

Explaining our predicament, he enthusiastically jumped out of his SUV with a golf umbrella as if he were going to single handedly rescue all of us.  We were in business. He tapped him gently and the giant turtle stirred and tipped to one side. I knew if we could gently tap his other side, he would start to rise up and walk.  Which he did.

Wish I kept my mouth shut.

 

Our rescuer got so excited he went around to take a photo for his grandkids.

And down went the turtle. 

Dropping down at the sight of a looming threat …. a 6 foot gentle giant with a camera. Things worsened quickly when the giant decided to tap the turtle more strongly on the back of his shell with his foot.  My kid and I exchanged a look. 

Now we were party to traumatizing this magnificent creature instead of saving him. 

With that final insult, “Snappy” promptly lumbered up onto the grass in the direction of the pond and hunkered down.  He looked our way as if daring us to come near him.  Fearing that our foot tapping savior could not curb his enthusiasm, we declared our effort a success.  I mentioned I had to run out to the store in a bit and would check to make sure he hadn’t ventured back into harm’s way again. This gave us all permission to end our rescue mission.

Mind you, not one car had careened around that corner during our dramatic interlude. 

“Well that went well.” stated you know who.  A bit later I headed out to the store and was alert as I fully stopped at the corner stop sign.  Scanning the grass to the right, I noticed the area was totally free of that huge turtle.  The reason?

He was lumbering across the street toward the woods. 

As turned the corner, I watched as he settled down into his protective position – shell to the ground – right in the middle of oncoming traffic in the other direction.  Wiser now, I slowly rolled past him as if he wasn’t there.  Hoping I wouldn’t see him crushed on my return trip, I had a revelation.

He had probably commuted that route hundreds of times without incident. 

After all he was a huge turtle, not some tiny little thing out on his first independent stroll.  He had to have some skill to have made it this far in a residential neighborhood.  Perhaps he wasn’t so helpless just because he was a turtle who lived near humans and their roads.  Now who was rolling her eyes? 

I got to wondering about all the times my intent to be helpful may have actually diverted someone from their intended path. 

It isn’t the first time I’ve stopped my car to turn around a turtle.  Let’s just say I have a history of such behavior.  In the future, however, I may tune in first to my inner wisdom and have a chat with the turtle or whatever creature it may be (human included).  Rather than immediately jump in as helper, perhaps I will see if it serves to help or will only slow the progress of the intended journey. 

I didn’t see Snappy on the way home, but that didn’t surprise me. 

He had already taught me what I needed to know. I was grateful and wiser as a result of our encounter. I figured he had lumbered off to teach some other well meaning, silly human. 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

When to help and when to sit back as witness?  With so much suffering in the world, you feel called to improve the lives of others. Hard to know what helps and what doesn’t. The book, Toxic Charity, sheds insight into the disempowering effects of well meaning aid to others. Creating sustainable change which respects and empowers not only the person or community, but the gains achieved through struggle, is an art form. Exploring the personal reasons for helping as well as deep listening to a community’s needs goes a long way to discern if, when, and how to offer your service. Empowering growth and self sufficiency. 

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Your Life is a Journey of Becoming

Sometimes you are skipping down a path of light.
Holding hands with others as your heart blooms large.
Feeling the joyful freedom born of a connection
so full and true that you recognize yourself.
Loving, wise, and beautiful. At home in the world.

Other times, you’ve got pebbles in your shoes,
sand in your crevices, cracks in your heart,
and a mind on fire with doubt and despair.
Alone in the darkness of the wild wood,
you seek something, anything, to save you.

Without a map, wise guides, supportive friends, and empowering practices, you may feel like a cork bobbing on the ocean.

Let’s change that together.

The Andean Medicine Wheel offers you a Perpetual Map for your Mythic Journey.

 

The world is hungry for more Wise Woman who are reclaiming their luminosity.

The Art of Becoming 6 week Journey offers the navigational wisdom from the Q’ero shamans of Peru and the Andean Medicine Wheel. This is first encountered as a tool to empower personal healing, growth, and transformation. 

Working at the mythic level, you engage the guidance from your own Soul and the realm of the Mystery.

You are welcomed into each Direction by an Archetypal Guardian, Goddess, and Feminine Archangel. All of whom assist your direct experience of dismantling that which binds and blinds you. To discover the wisdom of the unseen realms and unearth the hidden treasures within you. To discover how to perceive yourself, the world, and your way of living differently.

So you may Source yourself from the Sacred.

The Medicine Wheel not a simple circle to be walked to the end. It is a mystical, multidimensional spiral alive with the lineage of healers, guardians, and medicine people. Each Direction offers unique teachings, energetic transmissions, ceremony, and practical lessons on how to awaken a higher perception of yourself as a whole being. 

The intent is to empower you to walk The Beauty Way and be a beneficial presence for this world.

For some, this will be the first time stepping within the richness of the Andean cosmology. For others, like myself, you’ll return to the wheel to discover a whole new layer of information and way of being. 

I’ve entered this Medicine Wheel repeatedly over the past 20 plus years. 

Discovering that each entry is perfectly timed and that there is no end to the personal and mythic revelations that occur. I am especially excited to enter with a group of evolving wise women as I have been diving more deeply into these teachings and ceremonies than ever before. So, what does that mean for this circle of wise women?

I’m expanding the beautiful, information rich manual with new teachings, ceremonies, and practices. 

The Becoming Archives, which house beautiful recorded classes,  guided journeys, and the manual will be enhanced with live streamed journeys offered each week. With lifetime access, you may enter the Medicine Wheel again and again and enjoy different information shared with each class. With the combination of the written manual and recorded archives, you can dive as deeply as you choose. And you’ll receive plenty of inspiration, love, and support from your sisters who are traveling wth wheel with you.

To enhance your Becoming Journey and upgrade your energy matrix, you’ll be receiving the first 3 Munay Ki Rites gifted to the world by the Andean Shamans.

The Munay Ki Rites (power of love) are energetic transmissions that transform and elevate your subtle energy field. As these seeds of light are woven into your energy body, you’ll be guided how to nurture them to full expression. As your Light Body is upgraded, your capacity to heal the past, expand perception, and activate the power of love within strengthens. Working at the energetic level supports the mental, emotional, and physical transformation that you seek. 

Empowering you to change from the inside out to become a Luminous Woman who lives, ages, and dies differently.

The Art of Becoming class begins on June 21st and will be on ZOOM for 6 Tuesday evenings from 6:30-9:30pm EST. The ladies in these classes contribute to an intimate and sacred temple space to complete this work together. If you are local to Soul Sanctuary, you may want to join the Full Moon Fire Ceremony on Tuesday, July 14th to jump start your Journey with powerful intent and releasement. This is not required and you’ll learn ways to conduct your personal fire ceremony during the Becoming Journey.

Listen to the wisdom of your Feminine belly and heart. Let the Mothers, Sisters, and Grandmothers whisper their invitation to you directly.

If you feel called to join us, please read more details on the Art of Becoming class page HERE or click the blue box below for link in my Workshop page. Reach out to me if you have questions. I can’t wait to step onto the Wheel together and learn from you.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Human beings crave connection. Within themselves, between people, within and across cultures. Ceremony and ritual are important practices to connect people to one another. Rites of passage, personal spiritual practices, and ceremony across traditions have enhanced an individual’s sense of belonging, confidence within their own abilities, and offers deep soothing of personal and societal anxiety. Entering ceremony of a tradition outside of your own with reverence and an intent to learn allows participants to directly experience a connection with the Sacred, as well as seeing the commonality with others outside of their specific culture or tradition. All important for individual, communal, and global wellbeing. 

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The Sparrow in the Airport

Waiting for my luggage at the airport, I was startled as a sparrow swooped low before me.

I enjoyed watching the aerobatics of this small miracle as it moved effortlessly above and through the milling crowds. Mostly invisible to those chatting or gazing anxiously at the luggage belt, this little bird appeared to be on purpose. Never still for long, the sparrow carried a speck of human food to the rafters and then was off to the next crumb.

I felt a sense of delight watching this bird until I noticed a sadness arising within me.

I contemplated her life in baggage claim, then imagined how easy it would be for her to bypass the elevator and fly up the escalator. Giving this winged creature free rein throughout the massive airport. Plenty to explore at the food court and glimpse sunlight at the wall of windows at each gate. Yet, I wondered if there were spaces that allowed my little friend easy access to an indoor-outdoor style of living.

Or if she was confined to a prison of artificial lights, stale air, and crumbs from Starbucks.

I wondered if she sang much or missed flying on the air currents to land in a tree which was dancing in rhythm to the breeze. I wondered if she even knew there was more than airport living. If she ever yearned for freedom or thought she was already living free. The sparrow didn’t seem dampened down by her unnatural home, so I let go that sadness.

I realized that any creature, human included, could live free in a prison or live bound in a life of abundant opportunity.

Hearing the luggage belt fire up, I turned to watch the people crowd forward. Captivated as each bag fell to the circling belt. Struggling to grab a suitcase and wrestle it onto solid ground. Their faces ranged from bored to anxious to frustrated.

It looked like the vacation was over and reality had returned.

After flying the friendly skies, I wondered whether my fellow passengers were living free or were unintentionally imprisoned.

 

Since I wasn’t in charge of the luggage, I was free to reflect upon that question for myself.

Ask me what brings meaning to my life and makes me happy, I’d easily tell you what matters and what I love. I imagine you’d be able to do the same. Sometimes it takes some reflection to really hone that list. It’s worth exploring by yourself or in a heart to heart conversation with good friends. A few key questions can help you mine for gold.

What really, truly matters to you in this life? What brings you happiness? How can you live a meaningful life?

That sparrow helped me recognize how easy it is to acclimate to your surroundings and perhaps let the most important things slide in your day to day life. When you don’t explore these questions, it’s easy to live on autopilot. Flying about your day, settling for crumbs.

In time, living an unintentional life shrinks your potential for meaning, growth, and even happiness.

The longer you live in the unnatural world of societal expectations, the more likely you’ll fall asleep to your original dreams, delights, and desires. And perhaps just be glad to make it through the week unscathed. Waiting until that day when you’ve raised the kids, met your career goals, met that person, etc to find contentment. Research reveals there is a difference between living a life of happiness and meaning. Check out the HeartWarming News for a taste of these findings.

The societal map for a successful life often guides people to live like that sparrow: happily flying around in an airport.

Innocently imprisoned in a shiny, artificial environment. Grateful for company, nuggets from Chic-Fil-A, and sunshine through panes of glass. “Not me!” you proclaim. Yet, something within tells you differently. Here’s a way to find out how free or imprisoned you are actually living. Answer those 3 questions and create a short list of the most important answers.

These are your Map Markers that may guide you and alert you to times you have strayed from the Path of Meaning and Happiness.

Once you have that list, take a look at how you are living day to day. Are the items on your list represented in your everyday activities, emotions, intentions, and relationships? Does your daily energy sing in harmony with what’s most important or does it feel heavy, depleted, or flat as you go about your week. Are you bound by obligation, schedules, and activity you’d rather let go of or are you truly free to live what matters most to you.

Look deeply into these questions and conduct an honest appraisal of your life.

Most of you will find a discrepancy between what you say matters most and how you actually live your days. It’s the nature of modern life to get caught in the binding of a life dictated by societal and familial expectations. Tell the truth, make no excuses, and be gentle with yourself as you explore the distance between your dreams and desires and how you lived today.

Take heart for this awareness hands you the key to your unintentional prison.

With intent, you begin to craft a life aligned with your list, bringing fulfillment and happiness (or whatever matters most to you). In time, you recognize the changes within you shift the landscape around you. Gradually bringing your dreaming into alignment with your daily life.

Sparrows are described as small, light birds that easily fit through tight spaces and effortlessly soar to the tops of tall trees.

Revealing their capacity to connect to the higher realms, to fly free and perhaps to easily exit the Philadelphia airport any time they chose.

However they live, I’m grateful for that little teacher who swooped down to invite me to take a long look at how I spend my moments and whether that aligns with what matters most.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Stanford researchers have found five key differences between living a life of meaning and happiness. Satisfying personal desires was a reliable source of happiness, but it didn’t contribute to a sense of meaning. A life of meaning is about expressing and defining yourself. Although very meaningful lives encounter lots of struggles and stresses, which can result in unhappiness. Raising kids may bring joy and significant stress leading to meaning and happiness, although unhappiness often comes with this experience. When people retire, stress drops so happiness may increase, but meaningful decreases.

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Ilionor is Graduating! Celebrating Love O

My heart is full as I contemplate the wonder of the oldest Love Orphanage child graduating high school.   

Going to school in Haiti is for the privileged few who can afford the yearly tuition. Without a public education system funded by the government, Haitians are left to their own to access education.

The tuition of $250/year is out of reach for the majority of Haitians who live on under $2/day.

Prior to the creation of the Be a Difference Maker program, none of the Love O children had ever been to school. With the daily challenge of survival of 19 children, Gabriel knew that education was out of reach. His focus was upon healing the physical and emotional traumas of the children abandoned or orphaned by the 2010 earthquake.

Ilionor is 21 and graduating high school which goes through grade 13 in Haiti. 

As the oldest young man at Love O, he supports Gabriel and has been considered staff after turning 18. This is necessary for him to remain at Love O and continue his education. (He is standing on far left of photo.)

Ilionor’s success poses a new challenge for Love O.

What are the next educational opportunities for Ilionor and the girls who will graduate next year? Identifying options, cost, and logistical details is the next step. What technical school will provide a livelihood and match their interests and gifts?

So how do we, the extended Love O family around the world, celebrate and how do we fund the future? Let’s do both!

We are celebrating and looking to funding future education with the Love O Coffee House!

 

We’ll gather at Studio 67 in Medford on Thursday, June 9th to celebrate with music, friends, and dessert.

We are graced by the musical talents of Sharis Swartley and Norm Taylor. They bring such passion to their performance and have both been long term supporters of the kids at Love O.  Studio 67 is an artsy setting in the old feed mill. You’ll be surrounded by beautiful art, yummy sweets and the chance to celebrate Ilionor’s success. 

We’ll share the photos and some video from the evening with Gabriel so the Love O family will feel our love and support. 

My heart is especially full as my daughter created the Be a Difference Maker program when she was in 8th grade and entering high school.  She visited Love O with us for three summers during high school and was able to watch the children grow. And now, as Ilioner represents the fruit of that first seed, she graduates from college. It is a sweet time filled with tremendous gratitude.

I’d invite you to join us in opening the way for further education for the Love O kids.

If you’re local, please come to the Be a Difference Maker Coffee House and join us in the live celebration. For those who can’t join us for any reason, you are welcome to make a donation to support this educational dream.

Here’s the link for tickets which will take you to the Event Bee site. 

If you’re purchasing a ticket but not attending, please add that in the comments. (100% of donations to We the Village are applied to the Be Difference Maker program. I have no access to information about financial contributions.)

We look forward to celebrating Ilionor and receiving the musical gifts from Norm and Sharis.

Thanks so much for your support. It really does take a Village.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

I call Gabriel Fedulus an angel. A humble man, he answered the call to help the orphaned children after the 2010 earthquake. What did he do? Gave up his job as a translator and home in Miami and returned to Haiti to gather up some kids. And raise them. He kept gathering until he had 19. He is still raising them. Even as some leave and other little ones arrive. He manages to find food, fill their hearts with love, create safety, and solve the multitude of challenges that Haitians face every day. Especially in these turbulent times on that little island. I call him the Angel Gabriel. He dismisses that name, but I think it fits and I’m keeping it. 

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Reviving the Thank You Note


I received a thank you note from a young woman as her assignment for a college psychology class.

This unexpected delight had a bonus: it was delivered in person and read aloud to me. The shared sentiment was beautiful and felt lovely to receive, yet the best was yet to come.

In the midst of reading through tears and smiles, she stopped to exclaim “I am just so proud of myself!”

We both overflowed with happiness in that moment. It was thrilling to witness her realization that she was the one who had orchestrated her own transformation. Happy dance. Hug. Tissues.

This made me write a global thank you note to all psychology teachers.

“Thank you for teaching the students the positive benefits of gratitude via writing thank you notes. I’ve received a few of these in my life and they meant the world to me. I’ve felt such appreciation for the writer, been inspired by their courage and kindness, and was motivated to continue helping others. This real life teaching tool worked both ways and led me to realize the importance of sending my own thank you notes.”

I remember writing thank you notes as a child after every birthday, Christmas, and special occasion.

Truth be told, I did them because I was required to by my parents. It was a struggle to fill those small notes with the right words that somehow conveyed my gratitude without sounding scripted. I truly felt the appreciation for people’s kindness, yet it was an awkward task as a child and teen to translate my feeling into the written word.

As an adult who has grown into the comfort of expressing gratitude with words, it is now a pleasure to write, type, text, or voice my appreciation. I do it often.

“Dear Mom and Dad, thanks so much for holding me responsible for sending thank you notes for every darn gift I ever received. I didn’t know it at the time, but that practice created a beautiful mindset and lifetime habit of translating my feelings of gratitude into action. I never thought of the impact a thank you note had on another person when I was a kid. I get it now.”

Research in positive psychology, brain science, and mindbody medicine have demonstrated that practicing gratitude has the potential to lead to greater happiness and health.

Cultivating gratitude as a mindset may increase levels of self-esteem, optimism, and empathy, as well as bolster your immune system, decrease stress, and improve sleep. As expected, feeling gratitude and taking the action to express your appreciation has the potential to improve relationships.

When you take the action, such as writing a thank you note, you are bringing the inner feeling of gratitude into form.

Not all thank you notes have to be delivered.

 

When you are engaged in a healing process after someone hurt you, you may come to a time when your gratitude and compassion inform your understanding.

The thank you note becomes a ritual of release and forgiveness as the self empowering action of healing emerges.

Write from the heart, read it aloud, and then rip it up to let the energy flow out from your newfound understanding into the world.

This ritual empowers you to transcend challenging times and define how you choose to be present in your life.

Ripples of healing happen in the world even when you’re not directly communicating your feelings or new understanding.

Imagine a world where you mindfully considered the gifts given by others, large and small, and took the time to share your heartfelt appreciation for the giver and the impact on your life.

Exciting discoveries in neuroscience reveal that your brain responds to offering and receiving appreciation. You are actually wired to “catch” the feeling of gratitude.

When someone shares why they’re grateful for you, it inspires you to step into that higher version of yourself. And pay it forward. Very quickly the ripple effect of gratitude is felt in your body, mind, energy, and your relationships. It becomes second nature to share your appreciation with strangers and pause to let those you work, play, and live with know why you are grateful for them.

Should you text, call, write a thank you note, or send a gift of gratitude?

That’s totally up to you. Yet, I’ll make a suggestion. Do your own research. How does it feel to quickly fire off a text of thanks. Or receive one. How does that compare with taking the time to write and mail a handwritten note. Or receive one. Is there any added benefit by adding an in person call, a hug, or bringing a small gift? Or receiving any of the above.

Gratitude enhances wellbeing. It changes how you relate to the world from the inside out.

And thus, it changes the world from the outside in. Thanks for that. I’m really excited to live in a world with a human family who easily expresses appreciation and goes out of their way to let others know why they matter.

Design your own gratitude experiment.

And someday in the future, drop me a line to let me know how it’s going.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Positive psychology researcher Martin Seligman explored 5 different gratitude practices. Writing and delivering a detailed Gratitude Letter had the greatest positive impact on happiness, measured one month later, of the 5 practices. Participants who received the greatest benefit delivered and read the letter aloud versus those who merely mailed it. Yet, 6 months after delivering the Gratitude Letter, participants’ happiness levels dropped back to where they were prior their gratitude visit. It’s time to put pen to paper, forgo the stamp and show up in person. Repeat often.

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Locked Out: Challenge or Invitation?

I needed to make a few new keys for Soul Sanctuary.

Three keys to be precise. I needed them this week, so I cancelled my pedicure to fit in a quick trip to Home Depot. The key lady was helpful and challenging. She asked me if I wanted to know something about sunflowers since I picked a key with that design.

“Yes. Tell me.”

I proceeded to receive a barrage of questions “Do you know why ….” to which my answer was always “no.” The interesting information being delivered was interspersed by comments about how stupid and lazy people are because they don’t do research on their own.

I breathed deeply as the questioning and commentary became intense.

“No, tell me. No, teach me.” I was a bit battered, but also a wee bit interested even while I was dodging verbal shrapnel. Among other things, I learned the best place to plant a garden and to not to plant vegetables until the soil is 55 degrees. Do you need a “soil thermometer?” Nope. Just check the ocean temperature which is within 1 to 2 degrees of soil temperature. Fascinating. (Don’t take my word for it. I learned it’s best to do your own research.)

I left with 3 beautiful keys, a few facts, and a need to breathe deeply.

When I got to work the next day, none of my keys worked. I put that errand aside as I was running a retreat out of town. Returning on Sunday night, I picked up the dog, returned to Soul Sanctuary to unpack my retreat materials and headed home for a late dinner. Pulling into the garage, I realized I needed those keys and only had 40 minutes until Home Depot closed for the evening.

Tired and hungry, I headed out into the dark night.

I was helped promptly and in silence. It was a peaceful, easy venture into this massive store. I left with three new keys, feeling all was well and in good order.

Monday morning arrived and none of the keys worked.

I headed to the local wise man – Eddie – who has taken care of every maintenance issue for Soul Sanctuary for the past 10 years. “Don’t go to Home Depot, go to the local Moorestown hardware store!” He gave me directions, but I couldn’t picture the location. Someone else told me of another hardware store which was convenient and known to me. Off I went to that which was familiar.

I chose 3 different designs, paid more money, and returned to Soul Sanctuary to find the keys didn’t work. Not a one.

At this point I figured out that this had something to do with me. I was locked out of Soul Sanctuary. Just as it was opening for others. Just as I was stepping onto a new path in my personal journey. Hmmm. I started Treasure Mapping backwards to notice the clues.

First key: I was shown to listen carefully, be a know nothing, and be teachable.

Second key: I left the comfort of home to go out in the dark night even when hungry and tired.

Third key: I sought wise counsel, but ignored it in favor of seeking a familiar place over the unknown.

I went back to Eddie. Determined to listen. I had to search for him as he had moved locations. He shook his head and gave me the same directions. That unfamiliar hardware store was easy to find and surprisingly interesting. When explaining what happened, this kind man suggested taking one key to make sure it worked.

Nothing fancy this time, just a basic $2 key.

It didn’t work. Confirmation that this was definitely about the Mystery of my new unfolding path.

 

I searched for Eddie as he was on the move again. More seek and find.

He was surprised and went to get the office duplicate keys. “Come on,” he said, “let’s solve this mystery.” (Told you he was a wise man. He knew something was going on.) The new key didn’t work. His office keys worked. My key worked.

“Let me see all the keys.”

The new key didn’t match the office key. “It’s a different key! It doesn’t match up.” Eddie exclaimed. My key matched the new key which didn’t work. My key matched the office key which did work. Eddie shook his head. “This is a mystery, but these things happen to you and Soul Sanctuary.” And Eddie the Wise Man handed over the two office keys that worked. “Take these.”

Fourth key: Mystery happens. Be alert and open to what beckons along the Path without needing to solve or understand everything that happens.

Fifth key: When a Wise Man offers help, accept it.

When life offers a challenge, mild or grand, you are at choice. You may view the situation at the level of the mundane world or to recognize an unfolding of some intelligent guidance pointing to something you can not yet see. And written in a language that is difficult to translate. Offering guidance in various forms to point you to the next step.

As you navigate challenges in the material world, remember to seek the deeper invitation, which is often delivered via code, hidden keys, and unfamiliar maps.

If you’re interested in developing the skill of Treasure Mapping for clues, please join me on Saturday April 23rd.

You’ll playfully discover Soul Sanctuary to be a wise oracle which partners with your intuitive nature to offer guidance for your life. Link and details in the blue box below.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Many cognitive scientists argue that intuitive and analytic thinking shouldn’t be viewed as opposites. Studies indicate that decision-making often works best when blending both strategies. Whether you rely on analysis of data or trust your gut to make a decision depends on a variety of factors, such as the simplicity or the complexity of the problem and your past experiences with similar situations. Economics Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman theorizes that intuitive thinking is faster than a rational approach but more prone to error.

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The Stuff Challenge

I went silent at the onset of 2022.

Staying home, I entered a 2 week silent retreat. Sure, I shared a handful of words with my husband and dog. But only a few niceties and indicators to let them know all was well and good.

Somewhere into the second week, I realized that if I were on a “real retreat,” I’d have the opportunity to offer Seva (sacred service). So I asked the question, “how might I offer service during this retreat?

The answer was swift: “Tend to your home.”

In that moment, I realized I was so focused upon my day to day life outside the home, I had neglected this beautiful space in which I and my family spend much of our lives together. I wondered where to begin. Reaching into my bathroom closet for something, I saw the disarray in my many bins originally meant to organize all of our stuff. And so it began.

It took two days to sort through everything hidden in plain sight.

A realization dawned as I safely tossed 5 year old prescriptions, 15 bottles of nail polish, a zillion odd buttons, dried up makeup, and so many half used products. An entire trash bag cleared out so much space. 

I also found unopened products. Unaware I had purchased doubles due my disorganization.

Lovely body creams, new makeup, a travel iron (I rarely iron at home), make up bags, Q tips, swim goggles, extra hair dryers, and so much more. I realized my neighbors at SisterHood would love to have these items. That prompted me to look under my sink and my daughter’s sink to see if there was anything extra.

I found unopened stocking stuffers from this year and last. That gave me pause.

In these tiny places, I found so much waste and needless accumulation. I shut the door on that beautifully organized, totally abundant bathroom closet and sat for a bit. Examining my habits of shopping, collecting, disregarding, repurchasing, disorganization, and general overconsumption.

What needs were being met? How mindful was I about what I purchased? How much trash was I creating?

I found many things, including a disrespect for the ease in which I have the privilege of living. And a dawning awareness that I had so much extra which I could share. This was a very practical awareness. Not a lofty appreciation for my abundance nor a general desire to help my human family. My realization was grittier than that.

I was staring into my inner shadow and the horror of mindlessly accumulating so much stuff for one tiny family.

It was a lovely, sobering awareness.

Sometimes a little bitchslap from your inner exploration packs a big wallop. I took my time diving into what this was showing my in all the ways I live, work, and play in this world. Seeing ripples of impact that I never considered and would not have conceived of in my own limited view.

One thing became abundantly clear. I had more closets.

I flowed through my days of silent meditation, mindful eating, gazing at the natural world, reading my wisdom texts, and engaging in Seva.

Room by room, closet by cabinet, I discovered a world of stuff.

Kitchen cabinets held unopened treasures and more items than we could use. Closets revealed North Face fleeces, dress coats, business attire, shoes, and purses that were in lovely condition and were seeking new life on some other body. China, crystal, jewelry, home decor, children’s dishes, unopened gifts, school supplies, picture frames, holiday decorations. The list went on.

Along the way, the horror turned to wonder as the packing became an act of love.

 

As I packed each item, my silence sometimes gave way to song as I chanted my gratitude.

That I lived such a life of plenty and that these items would create warmth, beauty, and practical ease in their lives. I sorted according to the programs offered by SisterHood: prison to community, return to work, new homeowners, children’s programs, GED program, mentoring youth, the Boutique, and more.

It took 2 SUVs packed to the gills to transport everything. After 20 years of sending carloads and truckloads of donated stuff to SisterHood, we still had this much extra.

The visual led to a commitment. We couldn’t continue to accumulate stuff.

This decision led my husband and I to a serious examination of how we are living and what we are contributing. Positively and negatively. It’s a work in progress and covers everything from how we spend money, where we purchase, clarifying needs vs. wants, creating more sustainable habits, identifying what we keep or share, and how to invest our time, money, energy into that which is meaningful and supports life in all areas of the planet.

On Sunday, I’m going silent again for a week.

A bit modified this time as I’ll work 3 days and keep a few personal appointments. Other than that, I’ll be diving deeply and quietly within. Wondering what shadow and light will reveal itself this time. Eager to discover what else wants to be deconstructed. Clearing my own self structure of old ideas about who I am and what I need.

I’m not wondering too much about my Seva project for the week. I feel the basement calling me. So many closets to explore.

The Stuff Challenge is simple.

I invite you to take a look at your “stuff.” And not just the material kind. Dive deep into your being and see what you’ve outgrown and are ready to give away. Making room for new transformation. Cleaning your closets is an extension of this inner work. On the outer level, as you clear your material stuff (trash, share, upcycle), you make more space.

So you may decide consciously how you’d like to live and contribute to this beautiful world.

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

We’re filling our landfills at an alarming rate. With so much stuff that could be recycled, reused, shared, or composted. The US is only exporting a third of what we did in 2015 since China no longer buys our recyclable waste like plastics. As the largest global producer of plastic, we only recycle about 9.8% of the materials (reports vary). And nearly one third of the world’s food supply is wasted each year. You CAN become part of the solution. Like the folks in Llanarth, Wales who gathered 100,000 dirty diapers to be cleaned, shredded and mixed into asphalt. Reminding us that not only does “shit happen,” but it can make roads instead of landfills. Now that’s a “Reason to Be Cheerful.”

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Breathing Love Meditation

Living in the world at large is extremely stressful right now.

The lingering presence of COVID, a terrible war with more refugees flooding into Europe, material shortages, and escalating prices. Your personal world of health, family, work, friends, and communities may also be experiencing significant challenges. This beautiful planet is in distress with continued consumption and destruction by humans creating a global crisis that will affect all life now and in the future.

My friend in Vienna sent me this photo of his local train station. “Give peace a chance.”

Austria has a “Willkommenskultur” or welcoming culture for refugees. Many people from Europe have shown up at train stations in Poland and other countries with signs indicating they can house and feed Ukrainian refugees.

Yet many people in the United States and countries away from this region have expressed feelings of helplessness, fear, anger, and deep sorrow.

Research has shown that when in a crisis if someone has the opportunity to act and help others, there is less of a chance of a lingering post traumatic stress response. This is why so many are moved to donate money, create peace ceremonies, volunteer, or collect goods for displaced people.

In my research I learned of the stress created by donated goods in the midst of humanitarian crisis.

In situations such as the war in the Ukraine, the influx of clothing and supplies requires a great amount of organization, money, and volunteers. They need to manage incoming donations, sort goods, identify and pay for storage so supplies are not ruined by weather, and see what may be distributed. The statistics show that these needs not only take away a focus on flexible purchase, delivery, and distribution of items of need, but that 70% of these donations end up ruined and/or in landfills.

That in itself is heartbreaking. All that good intent ending up as a pollutant for our Mother Earth.

Taking some time to research options for helping or donating is wise in any situation whether it is a crisis or a long term need. Yet, the helplessness remains even if you are donating or reaching out to friends affected by global or personal crises.

It’s helpful to tune into your inner wisdom for guidance. Always beginning with a check on yourself.

If you’re experiencing significant upset, as many people are, I’d recommend turning off the news and soothing your system. Unless you are in a coherent state, you won’t be of much help to others or the world.

My Self Soothe Strategy is one of my Free Resources available on my website (click here).

The PlayBook explains the importance of working flexibly with your mindset and stress response system. The recording guides you through a heart focused Energy Psychology practice which resets your nervous system.

Your energy system is the foundational architecture of your “body.”

As such, it holds all fear, helplessness, and grief from past situations that were overwhelming at the time. There are many ways to soothe the system and help these stored disruptions clear out of the energy field and body.

Clearing the way to dream a new future for yourself, your communities, and the global family.

First, you have to check in to see where your focus lies. For wherever that is, you’ll be creating more of it.

Are you envisioning a world of unified peace or living in a world of divided hatred?

 

It may sound like a fairy tale to envision Russian and Ukrainian children growing up in harmony, respect, and love for one another. 

Or to witness the Earth restore its oceans, rain forests, and gardens so humans and all creatures contribute well to the ecosystem. I don’t read this as a fairy tale, I dream it as a foreseeable future. Turn off the mainstream news (right, left, and center) and seek out the amazing miracles happening all around this planet. 

There are amazing, cooperative projects existing all over this world. 

Where people live and work in harmony with a creative focus upon sustainability, respectful empowerment of each other, and dare I say it, personal responsibility and a big heart focus on love. One of my favorite websites to visit is Reasons to Be Cheerful created by Talking Heads musician, David Bryne. 

Good news. Good projects. Good inspiration to become involved and grow into a better human being.

I’d love to offer you a guided meditation that I recorded for the Center for Conscious Living in New Jersey. Together, the group dropped into the process of cleaning up the inner world, strengthening the energy field, and breathing love to the world. 

“I Am That: Breathing Love” guides you through a gentle process which you can use to soothe and strengthen your system. 

To access the recording, click here.

Settle into a quiet space and recognize that all healing begins within. Peace on the planet begins within. So does every creative dream about restoring harmony, safety, plenty, and respect for all beings.

If you are feeling especially unsettled these days, I’m happy to help you.

Check out my offerings and sessions on my website to see what resonates.

 

Peace be with you and with all.  No exceptions. 

HeartWarming

 News

Are there Reasons to Be Cheerful when your home is falling down or your parent is experiencing dementia?  That answer is a big fat yes! Some of my favorite discoveries on this website include creative ways to restore dignity while offering help. One project had volunteers restoring homes of older African Americans in order to create safety, build equity, and slow down gentrification. In Holland, dementia patients are working alongside farmers to grow food and care for animals. Supporting sustainable farms and giving meaning via contribution to elders or disabled persons who often feel marginalized. More than kindness or handouts, these projects empower active involvement. Big hearted dreamers making change.