Finding Peace in a Multi-dimensional World

Happy 2012... and Black Water Dragon Year, too - It's gonna be a magical year!

2012-01-25T16:49:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012, Everyone! Hope your new year is off to a great start. There sure have been many positive changes going on in my life this year. I seem to be barely keeping up with it all...

First, I've got a new job: I'm working as a Life Coach - i.e., spiritual counselor - at An Oasis of Healing in Mesa, AZ. This is a holistic treatment center for cancer patients who come from great distances to be treated by Dr. Thomas Lodi and his team. So far I have very much enjoyed meeting the patients and staff in this loving, healing environment. I am most appreciative of this new opportunity in my life and work - in perfect, divine timing, I'm sure. It feels like my gifts and talents will be used and appreciated in a unique and special way at this center for healing.

Secondly, I've made the "3 P's" - Partnership, Power, and Prosperity - my goals for this year. I find that the partnerships and power are already coming in with promises of prosperity ahead. I'm getting that this year of the Black Water Dragon, more than ever before, will be an important year to make strong intentions, being very specific about what we desire. It feels like time is continuing to speed up as well, as the vibration of our planet moves higher and higher.

Finally, I sense that my work will be getting out into the world in a new and important way this year. I can't write about it at this time, but I have some new possibilities that feel very exciting. And I'm ready to move forward in creative, interesting ways that will serve a changing world in authentic ways. So, here's to a new and very special, interesting year of change! May we keep our thoughts positive and our hearts open, as much as possible.

Love Always, Dancing heart~~~~

Miracles in Japan

2011-11-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

Today's a big day for me: I'm headed to Seattle to get as many belongings down here to Sedona as possible! It's cold now and I need my warm clothes and other sundries that I've been missing. I'm looking forward to a new adventure -- renting a truck, etc.!

Meanwhile, I've been in touch with my old classmates from our high school days at Canadian Academy in Kobe, Japan. We're getting ready for our first reunion since hi school (!); and there's been some interesting dialogue. Among other things, two stories about gracious "happeneings" in Hokkaido came up which I felt I wanted to share. Japan is truly, an amazing country. I pray for the people of Japan every day. May God/dess richly bless them in these challenging times for them!

Here are the stories, by Ken Masaki, I believe:

I too have two Japanese hospitality stories that have to do with Hokkaido. Tim Clark and I decided to bicycle around Hokkaido (~1200 mile) after our graduation. We took a ferry from Kyoto prefecture (Japan sea side) to Hokkaido but due to a snafu ended up 1 day behind schedule (after the trip I was leaving for the US). When the ferry got to Otaru we needed to cover 200 miles in 24 hrs (over mountainous terrain). Tim and I bicycled all day/night but were short of our destination (also very tired). A Japanese truck driver stopped, picked us up (sat in the flatbed) and drove us far enough so we made are scheduled youth hostel place. The driver never gave us a chance to thank him ... just drove off.

About half way thru our trip we were in a town (forgot where that was) near the Daisetsuzan mtn. Night was coming and it was cold. We were in the mountains with no place to spend the night. We decided to spend the night at the local train station. The train stationmaster told us we could not stay so instead took Tim and I to his home. By then it was dark. The family fed us and gave us the largest tatami room to sleep in. The rest of the family slept in together in a small room. The next morning, Tim and I knew they would never accept money from us so we left after thanking them profusely. But we asked around and got their address from a local shop. We mailed them some money.

Thanks for these beautiful stories, Ken. And Rich Blessings to Everyone in these times of Great Intense Love flooding the Earth!~ May we learn that We Are One, and live in Peace Very Soon, Dancing heart~~~~

Synchronicities with Master Sha's 'Love Peace & Harmony' Song

2011-10-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, on my way into Phoenix, I'd been in my car for awhile singing one of Dr. Sha's soul songs "Love Peace and Harmony." I was in a very good space, so I continued singing the song even as I parked and entered the Women's Room at the Starbucks just off the freeway near Camp Verde.

I noticed that the other stall in the room was occupied, but I kept singing the song full tilt to the end. When I got out of my stall, the other woman was waiting at the door of the Women's Room to let me know that she'd enjoyed the song. She wanted me to sing it for her again so I did. Then we naturally began talking about Master Sha and how he's helping people with his healing work and soul songs, etc.

Well, it turned out that the woman, Anne from Fountain Hills, AZ, is with a man who studies the Tao; and I just happened to have copies of Master Sha's Tao I and Tao II books in my car! -- ready to "release" to the perfect person. Needless to say, we went out to my car together and I gave her a copy of each of the books. I love synchronicities like this ;) And I was in an even more wonderful mood as I headed once again toward Pheonix in my car.

You may go to this link to listen to "Love Peace & Harmony." Master Sha says that if you sing it enough times, it'll clear your karma. I find that it always opens my heart and makes me feel better when I start singing it.

Blessings of Love, Peace & Harmony to all, Dancing heart~~~~

Messages from Ascended Master St Germain: Thank you, Andre, for your response; I really appr...

2011-09-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Messages from Ascended Master St Germain: Thank you, Andre, for your response; I really appr...: Thank you, Andre, for your response; I really appreciate it. I also have to be honest, and say that I'm getting a little weary of all the "...

How Does It Get Any Better than This?... Living in the Most Beautiful City in America!

2011-08-29T19:08:00.000-07:00

There is much to share with you today, as my life began to take a categorical shift in a magnificent way on 8/8/11. Wow, I'm still pinching myself!

I'd been struggling in Phoenix for month to make things work for me financially. I'd finally found out during the last four to six weeks that I would be able to collect unemployment -- what a relief! On 8/4 I heard (for the second time) the name Sachi as someone I needed to call at the Chamber of Commerce in Sedona. When I called her on 8/5, she was not in her office. I got inspired to visit Sedona on that Sunday, 8/7. As always, I had a very special day just "being" among the Red Rock; and I dropped by the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center to see if by chance Sachiko was there; instead, I got her card. I made certain that I made contact with her the following Monday morning, back in Phoenix.

Sachi immediately shared with me that there were at least two Japanese tour companies in Sedona and that they might be hiring at this time. I called both companies and had some interesting conversations. One company seemed ready almost to hire me on the spot. I had an interview with him in Phoenix a few days later and got the word that I could come on board immediately! Meanwhile, I discovered that the other man who ran Chi-q (meaning "the Earth" in Japanese) was also interested in hiring me.

I was set to head to Portland that Friday for a friend's daughter's wedding and I was ready to move out of Phoenix ASAP, so I needed to act fast. I packed up my belongings and headed for Sedona that Thursday, the day before my departure for Portland. A friend was kind enough to open her garage so that I could leave most of my belongings there. My friend Bev was willing to take in my cat Midnight and watch her while I went to the Great Northwest. Things just lined up for me so that I could move to Sedona! I kept pinching myself and wondering -- as the Access Consciousness key questions goes: "How does it get any better than this?!?"

The upshot is that I had a wonderful and COOL trip (and "break" from the intensity of moving!) to the Northwest. I visited Seattle briefly, too, to deal with some of my stuff and make some meaningful connections with friends. Upon returning to Phoenix, I picked up Midnight and most of the rest of my stuff and headed to Sedona the following day. I had decided to work with Mr. "Chi" Niwa of Chi-Q Tours, the second man I'd talked with -- who didn't seem to have quite as much work for me, but who I felt more sympatico with.

And so I've been in Sedona this time just ten days, since Aug. 18th. It's been such a whirlwind that I'm just now catching up with it all. I've also been able to find myself & Midnight a lovely condo to rent: It's in the Village of Oak Creek, practically next to Castle Rock ;) I have a view of it from the upstairs bedroom! And Bell Rock -- one of the vortex rocks -- is only about one mile up the road toward town... Right next to Bell Rock is the well known and majestic Courthouse Rock. So I feel protected and energized by the Red Rock in a profound way these days.

As you might imagine, I am feeling more blessed than I've felt in a very long time! I keep gazing at the beautiful Red Rock, thanking them for their beauty and wondering if it's really true that I get to settle down for now in this Most Beautiful City in the U.S.?!? I can only wonder if all the spiritual work I've done with Master Sha, Access Consciousness, and other healers and healing modalities have helped to bring me to this magnificent moment in time and place in my life.

How does it get any better than this? And what else is possible?!?

Love, Peace, and Harmony to ALL! Dancing heart~~~~

Remembering and Honoring the People of Norway

2011-07-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday evening I was on my way home from a day of healing and decided to stop at an attractive space in nature. It was cooling off here in the desert; and I had something to reflect on in the beauty of nature. I happened to spot a beautiful grove of palm trees in front of a synagogue on Glendale Ave.; it was the front garden of the Beth El Congregation of Phoenix. Later, I walked to the back of the synagogue and found a powerful monument there -- a hand of God reminding us not to forget those who died in the Holocaust. I felt moved, got my dilemma solved, and went home feeling like I'd been touched by the hand of God.

The next morning, Sunday, before heading to Quaker Meeting, the people of Norway came to mind in a powerful, moving way. I do not have a TV and have chosen not to watch or read much of anything around the tragedy that happened in Oslo on Friday. However, the people of Norway -- and in particular the families of all those young people who were killed -- have been powerfully on my mind from time to time. And I've been reflecting how those young people on some level must have agreed (on the Hi Self level) to have their lives sacrificed for the sake of the Whole, at this time when the world is in Great Transition/Transformation to raise our consciousness.

And the song I've chosen to sing for the people and families of Norway is the following new Soul Song that Master Zhi Gang Sha has introduced to us -- tweaked slightly for the people of Norway:

Divine Treasures,

Tao Treasures,

Heal me,

Rejuvenate me.

Heal my loved ones;

Rejuvenate my loved ones.

Heal humanity;

Rejuvenate humanity.

Heal Mother Earth;

Rejuvenate Mother Earth.

Heal all souls in Norway.

Rejuvenate all souls in Norway.

Bring love peace and harmony;

Bring love peace & harmony.

Bring love peace & harmony;

Bring Love Peace & Harmony!

To all the people of Norway, our thoughts and prayers are with you! May we all be able to hold Love Peace & Harmony in our hearts, no matter what's happening on this fragile planet during these days, Dancing heart~~~~

Access Consciousness and running The Bars could categorically shift your life

2011-07-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

I've just written my 2nd article on Access Consciousness and invite you to read the two articles at my Examiner.com site: http://tinyurl.com/msv6aw.

If any of you are interested in having your Bars run, please know that I'd be delighted to do this for you -- in person or virtually! Contact me via email or phone (see my website contact info at: http://www.changewithcourage.com/contact.htm

Blessings of Peace and Abundance, Dancing Heart~~~~~

You're Invited to Check Out My New E-book!

2011-06-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let you know that the book I published last year about this time is now out as an e-book, at Kindle and Nook. I'd be delighted if you'd purchase a copy of The Most Important Day of Your Life? It would be even better if you could write a review on it!

Below is a bit of a description about this book:

In Buddhist thought, the day you die is considered the most important day of your life. The moment of your death is the culmination of your entire life; and you want to be at the highest vibration possible in that moment so that you can move on to the highest vibration possible on the other side.

Crazy Horse, a holy man of the Lakota people, became well known for the phrase “Today is a good day to die.” His words epitomized the Native American philosophy that understands that our lives are cyclical. Life on Mother Earth is a circle just as the stars; the moon and the sun are circles. We are born, we live, and we die. Crazy Horse and the holy men and women of the many tribes of what is now North and South America were truly great prophets who helped point the way to the truth.

The Most Important Day of Your Life: Are You Ready? will help you go deeper spiritually and develop a relationship with "the end of life" in your own way. You will read about some of the ways Maria Dancing Heart was expanded spiritually through her journey with hospice. You will learn some best kept secrets of hospice. You will learn how expansive your life is and how lovingly, creatively, graciously, and even magically you might live it. And who knows? You just might decide – as the Celtic way suggests – to die before you die, so that when you finally let go of your earthly life, you’ll know that there's no such thing as death (the end)! There is no end to life, only transformation.

Here is an outline of the book with chapter titles:

Chapter 1. Life and Death Go Hand in Hand – Bringing Death Back to Life

Chapter 2. Hospice Work – Like Having a Gradual Near Death Experience

Chapter 3. The Simple Power of Being a Loving Witness

Chapter 4. Maintaining Attentive Ears with an Open Heart

Chapter 5. There Is So Much More than Meets the Eye

Chapter 6. Developing Flexibility

Chapter 7. Growing Our Intuition

Chapter 8. Holding a Grateful Heart and a Non-judgmental Attitude

Chapter 9. Being Open to the Mystery and Unpredictability of Life

Chapter 10. We Are All Profoundly Inter-connected: Tuning into the Synchronicity of Life

Chapter 11: Healing Tools for Self-care and Relaxation

Conclusion: A Vision of Peace

Suggestions for Death Care Reform in America

20 Questions You’ve Always Wanted to Ask a Hospice Counselor © May, 2010

Some of the benefits you’ll experience by reading The Most Important Day in Your Life: Are You Ready?

1. Bring more joy into your life.
2. Allow you to live more fully in the present (moment).
3. Assist you to go deeper spiritually.
4. Help you become a better partner and friend.
5. Move you to delve into the mystery and magic of life.
6. Help you to become a better caregiver.
7. Challenge you to know "who you really are!"
8. Allow you to move through life transitions with more grace and ease.
9. Help you to help your parents and elders face the aging process.
10. Show you some of the best kept secret treasures of hospice.
11. Allow you to discover what comes after life.
12. Show you how to prepare to "start the conversation" with someone you love.

For more, see my Change with Courage website.

Namaste, Dancing heart~~~~

Arizona: A Pretty Amazing Place to Be for Me!

2011-05-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since I moved to Arizona, I don't know where to begin! (This is probably why I've waited so long to blog since moving here....) I left Seattle one rainy night -- on Friday March 4th, to be exact -- and arrived in Phoenix the night of March 11th. It was a very special trip: I first stopped with my dear friend Cathy Tinker in Portland, then in Ashland with an old friend Diane Nichols. My third night I made it to a place called Santa Nella, near Bakersfield. I drove a few hours more each day and built my driving stamina as I went. I had some lovely synchronicities along wth way which made the journey quite magical.

Some of the highlights were: Meeting Cathy's dear friend Sally in Portland, finding Starfeather on the phone in Ashland and being able to contact and reunite with Diane Nichols and her family, discover a man named Brent Phillips who teaches a form of Theta Healing online through a public radio station while driving through L.A.

I've had many adventures since arriving in Phoenix: Kathy Erickson, who I met through Don Burrows, very generously put me up for 10+ days while I got my bearings and found a simple place to rent until I get grounded here. The Big Japan Quake happened only four days after I arrived, catching me completely off guard. I spent some time and energy reeling from it, and found it particularly meaningful to share "words of Healing and Comfort" at a gathering at the beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix only three days after arriving back in Phoenix, this time by air with my cat.

What has particularly amazed me about Phoenix is the variety of people who live here, and how I've had the privilege of meeting so many already. I've met some very special healers through the Master Zhi Gang Sha and the metaphysical community, also some ET related people through a birthday party I got to attend unexpectedly. (I'm discovering that this is a very active area in terms of ETs and "the ships".) I've met very generous healers who've offered to do healing sessions for me. As I'm intent on healing myself from the inside out, I'm also learning to graciously receive and accept most of these offers.

I've also been working on developing a new energy healing business as part of my New Life here. Please have a look at my new site where I describe the three healing modalities I'm currently using: Heart Wall Healings, Matrix Energetics, and Dr. Sha's Divine Healing Hands.

Some of you have asked me how I'm doing with the hot weather here. For the most part, I'm thoroughly enjoying it, especially the fact that I can count on the sun being out just about every single day (It only rains about one day a month here ;)! We've had much more summer here already than we ever have in Seattle -- the temperature has already reached about 100 degrees several days during May; and I'm getting prepared to have a "sweat lodge" of a summer. My system will "dry out" for sure!

This past week, I've had the treat of my daughter visiting me from Glasgow, Scotland! What a pleasant surprise this has been. Heather got a paid internship for later this summer, so she was able to take the time and money to come and visit my new home here. We will be going to Sedona in a couple of days -- one of our my places. I'll keep you posted about our adventures there. Meanwhile, much Love & Light to you all in these continuing interesting times!

Your fellow traveler, Dancing heart~~~~

p.s. The above photo of me was taken just a couple of days ago by my daughter, at the Japanese Friendship Garden here in Phoenix.

Compassion, Money and Your Business

2011-05-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

Compassion, Money and Your Business

Home | Examiner.com

2011-04-21T22:07:00.000-07:00

Home | Examiner.com

The Grace & Grit of the Japanese: May We Learn from their Shining Example

2011-04-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

I have been in some kind of deep shock since March 11th. In the midst of my own transition -- moving from "the rainforest" of Seattle to the desert of Arizona -- my homeland Japan was rocked by an earthquake of tremendous strength; and then there was the tsunami that reeked havoc on the people, their land, and the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This catastrophe has made me reflect a lot about the Japanese people and their history. It's made me wonder why the Japanese of all people are having to experience yet another nuclear disaster. I have grieved for them and even been angry at God/dess on their behalf.

The best conclusion I've come up as I grapple with the situation is that this is happening to a unique and special people (Remember the book The Japanese and the Jews by Isaiah Ben-dasan?) at this time so that they can be an example to the world. As many have pointed out, the Japanese experience after this catastrophe has been remarkable: There has been calm, poise, kindness, grace, order, sacrifice, even tenderness and restraint in the midst of tremendous suffering and potential chaos. I believe that the aftermath of this earth change in Japan is expressing something new and different so that the world can learn from the long-suffering Japanese.

Even growing up in Japan as a missionary kid I remember learning a great deal from the Japanese people and their public school system, too. They were always a polite and gentle people, forgiving and very giving -- selfless, even. They would go out of their way to give directions, sometimes even taking you physically to the place you were seeking. They may not have been passionately "religious" people (who attend church every Sunday, for example), but they were taught doutoku, or "ethics" in their classrooms, and they seemed to always have a conscience -- a good sense of what the "right thing" to do was at any given time.

At this time, my hope and prayer is that the world will continue to give thanks for, honor, and stand with the Japanese for what they are enduring, yet again, in this sometimes very unfair world. The forces of this planet have somehow come together to cause this trauma; and Japan and her people are rising to the occasion. May the world learn from the Japanese how this wave of suffering can be ridden, and may we all we blessed by it. We can continue to pray for -- and send positive energy to -- this small, vulnerable nation that is contributing to the rise of consciousness on the planet in a gentle, gracious, and very quiet yet powerful way.

May Peace prevail in Japan. May peace prevail on Earth! May peace be in our homes and communities. May our missions be accomplished. We thank thee, guardian spirits and guardian divinities. Byakko (White Light)!

In Deep Gratitude and sending Hope and Light to the Japanese and all who are helping with the transformation of this magnificent planet, Dancing heart~~~~

p.s. May we continue to keep the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and all those working with the leaking radiation in our hearts and minds, too -- We can pray for the water!

The above photos were taken by Bob Rink at the Remembrance for Japan ceremony at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Phonix, AZ on March 26, 2011.

Home | Examiner.com

2011-04-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Home | Examiner.com

Prayer Focus for Water at Japan’s Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant -- Tomorrow @ Noon - National Transitions & Grief | Examiner.com

2011-03-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

Prayer Focus for Water at Japan’s Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant -- Tomorrow @ Noon - National Transitions & Grief | Examiner.com

How I Saved My Home with the Obama Plan: A Lesson in Learning to Receive Help from the Establishment

2011-02-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! I'm feeling a very different and wonderful energy this year; and I'm sensing that many of my dreams can finally come true.

I've been meaning to share this story for a long time, and now is the time. Last summer, something amazing happened: After months of wondering and waiting, the Obama Plan (Making Homes Affordable Plan) finally came through for me, and I was able to keep my condo!

In the late fall of 2009 I realized that I would have trouble keeping up with my house payments. My daughter was off to college in Canada and no longer living at home, and it was time to do something different with the place we had called home for three years.

First, I decided to put my condo up on the market. However, within a short time, I realized that my property was not going to sell easily. In fact, after a few months on the market, I realized that it was probably not going to sell at all -- not unless I wanted to have a short sale, not my cup of tea, especially because I had put 20% down on the place just three+ years ago.

One day, about that time, my neighbor Gayle sat me down and had a serious chat with me. She said that it was not a good idea for me to try to sell my home just now because a few years down the road, it could sell for much more money. She strongly urged me to look into the Obama Plan because some of her girlfriends had been able to get their mortgages reduced by as much as half.

I had started looking into refinancing my home through the Obama Plan awhile back, but had gotten the impression that my mortgage would go up, not down. As a result of my conversation with Gayle, the next morning I once again got to work contacting my bank. This time it went like clock-work: I "passed" the five questions that they ask you preliminarily, and within a couple of months my bank had me on a temporary mortgage amount that was about half of my regular mortgage rate. In fact, they even allowed me a "free" month -- February, my birthday month! I was elated; it was looking like I could keep my home after all.

Then, after a few months, the game-playing began. Although I had sent my bank all the paperwork they were requesting, or at least I thought so, I would get Fed-Ex envelopes in the mail stating that my paperwork was "incomplete." And there was never any specific indications as to what paperwork was missing. So I did some guesswork. I also called my bank to try to get direction on how to proceed. I got very discouraged, as sometimes I would spend long periods on the phone, only to be told there was no way anyone could help me. I found out that I had a "negotiator" working on my case, but oddly enough, I was not given access to this negotiator. What kind of Negotiator is that? There was also one day in which I spent an entire hour -- my entire lunch break -- on the phone. I talked to four different people at my bank, including one in India(!), but alas, no one could help me. Talk about feeling manipulated... I remember wondering about all those employees at my bank who were spending their hours "deflecting" people to other staff in the bank!

Finally, I got a notice in the mail in August saying that I had been denied the Making Homes Affordable Program -- due to incomplete paperwork. I was furious and not sure what to do. A few days later, my bank sent me a statement with all the fees and monies I owed them because I'd only been paying the lesser amount for my mortgage that they had approved during the past six months. Wow, talk about adding insult to injury.

I just didn't take any action for awhile, letting myself cool off and ignoring the entire debacle. Then, around Labor Day, a miracle began to take place. My daughter had been having issues with her visa application at the UK Border Agency in LA. She'd been accepted to school in Scotland and we were busy preparing to travel there. Due to not being able to contact the Border UK Visa Agency, we had to forgo our planned trip to Glasgow, a terrible disappointment for both of us. However, I happened to be in touch with one of my fairy godmothers in Alaska who suggested that I contact my state senators and representatives. What a brilliant idea; I hadn't thought of that. I put in a call and/or email to all three -- Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell, and Jay Inslee at the time.

Patty Murray's office called us back 8AM on Tuesday. They said that they could help and that we should fill out the confidentiality form via their website. By that mid-afternoon, my daughter heard from the LA UK Border Agency; not only did she have a visa but she was told that it would be overnighted to her! Then, an hour or so later, I heard from Maria Cantwell's office. I thought to myself, If they can help with dealing with the border, perhaps they could help me with my housing issue with my bank? So I asked Maria's office person and she told me that they did have someone who specialized in housing issues and how I could get my name in with her. I started the application process with Cantwell's office.

Meanwhile, I happened to know a bank manager at a local branch. I walked in one day to give her an update on what was going on. She was having such a challenging day at her bank that she began to weep. She shared with me how frustrating it was for her often being caught in the middle between her bank and her customers. Later in our conversation she suggested that I go to the top: She gave me the number of the bank's headquarters in N. Carolina.

I called N. Carolina, and the next thing I knew, I had one kind banker who was willing to look into matters on my behalf. Needless to say, this was music to my ears -- certainly a new tune from what I'd been hearing. Then, within a few weeks, everything seemed to be resolving.

One day, I went back to my condo one more time to work on clearing my belongings out, and there was a FedEx envelope from my bank. I wasn't sure whether this was going to be good news or bad news. But when I opened the envelope, there was an agreement awaiting my signature that I'd been hoping for: A continuation of where we had left off with the Making Homes Affordable Program!

The moral of the story? Never give up! And it just might be worth your while to get the established political system to help you deal with the corporate system if you need some assistance along the way.

Blessed Peace and Abundance, Dancing heart~~~~

End of Life and Grief Coach - Lynnwood, Washington - Maria Dancing Heart

2011-02-13T14:15:00.000-08:00

End of Life and Grief Coach - Lynnwood, Washington - Maria Dancing Heart

Writer's Support Group for Reticent Bloggers

2011-02-13T13:56:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let you know that I've joined this lovely Meet-Up group in Bellevue, WA. It's a group with depth and humor and wonderful networking opportunities. If you're a blogger -- you don't need to be reticent or struggling, by the way -- and live in the Puget Sound Area, you might like to join us this coming Tues. afternoon at 1PM: Writer's Support Group for Reticent Bloggers

Blessings in these Amazingly Transformational times! Dancingheart~~~

A Miracle Has Happened: I have a new life awaiting me in Arizona

2011-02-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

Something very special is going on in my life this year: I've been receiving all kinds of healing from many different directions (See my last blog from Thanksgiving that will explain). This healing work I've been doing seems to be making a big difference in my life.

Just this past week, my life has taken a huge turn: I was offered a job as spiritual and bereavement coordinator at a unique and holistic hospice south of Tucson called Soulistic Hospice. This happened in a most surprising way: Some years ago, after my first book The Last Adventure of Life had come out, I was invited to present my book at an author event in a bank in Tucson, AZ. At that time, I met a nurse from New Zealand named Aladi who told me about the small and unique hospice where she worked where they used essential oils as part of the protocal. Aladi left an impression on me at the time; and we kept in touch by email.

Recently, when it came time for me to realize that I needed a job in the Arizona area to actually move down there, I began putting feelers out. I thought to add Aladi to the list of hospice related people that I got in touch with, even though I remembered that she'd said their hospice was small. Shortly after I emailed her, Aladi responded and asked me to send my resume to her. Well, it turned out that just two days before I got in touch with her, Soulistic Hospice had gotten a job description ready to seek a second spiritual counselor because they have been growing so much! One thing has led to another, and after several interviews by Skype, I now have the job that will based out of Tubac, AZ.

Another amazing aspect of all this is that Soulistic Hospice comes out of an organization called Soulistic Medical Institute that has its root in a philosophy and global community that's based on The Urancha Book. They also have an extensive organic farm and garden called Avalon Gardens, Farm, & Ranch that's connected to their intentional global community of 100 strong. And this community is now it's third decade, they tell me. I'm still processing all of this; as you can imagine, it's been rather mesmerizing, partly because it's all happened so quickly and with such grace and ease, too.

If any of you happen to be in the midst of a shift or transformation of some kind, if you are hoping and dreaming about something different for your life, I'm here to remind you: Do not give up! These past two weeks have been a powerful reminder to me that my life can change at a moment's notice; you just never know how and when Spirit will open your life up in a totally new way with amazing new possibilities. We just need to keep holding the vision and trusting that "the way will -- somehow, unbeknownst to us -- open."

Keep the faith, hope, and courage, dear friends. Life is truly a grand adventure that just keeps happening. And All Things are possible through our faith in God/Goddess, Spirit, Jesus, ... All That Is!!!

Love and Deep Encouragement Blessings to you all through these transformationalo times, Dancing Heart~~~

"It is here. I accept it. I receive it. Guide me."

2010-11-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

It's Thanksgiving Day; and I'm giving thanks for so very much at this time in my life! Many of the challenges (lessons) in my life are evolving, thanks to a variety of synchronicities that have occurred, and I have so many blessings to be grateful for.

About 10 days ago I came across a key statement that I received through a spiritual reading that was done some years ago. Somehow, it seemed appropo for this time in my life, too: "It is here. I accept it. I receive it. Guide me." Thanks to many healers and transformers who have shown up in my life recently, not to mention my own Soul who I'm becoming more aware of and connected to, I am moving forward in my life in meaningful ways. I wish to thank the following in particular:

1) Dr. Zhi Gang Sha and his many world representatives and Mary Woodman here locally,

2) Bruno Groening and his powerful healing spirit that remains in our midst,

3) Dr. Mahendra Kumar Trivedi -- otherwise known as Guruji -- from India, and

4) Jacqueline Joy of Diamond Alignment.

It's getting late, so I'll share more in the near future! Blessings of Joy and deLight, in Deep Gratitude for so many, many Blessings, Dancing heart~~~

Today Will Be My Third Day into Master Sha's 10-Day Intensive

2010-11-06T08:28:00.001-07:00

I became interested in Master Zhi Gang Sha and his powerful healing work through being drawn to one of his many books called The Power of Soul. I'd already heard about Master Sha and had wanted to hear him speak at East West Books. However, that day had come and gone. Then, I happened upon his book at Half Price Books this past Labor Day weekend. (My daughter and I were in the throws of figuring out what to do, as her visa had not come through in time for us to go to Scotland as planned!)

Then just two weeks ago, after finding a small book-group at Soul Food Books that were studying his work, I was gifted with one of his 10-day intensives. A total and complete gift from the Universe! It is called the Tao Retreat, and it's an introduction to the Tao and its secrets as Master Sha understands them; the Tao is the foundation to all of his work. And I'm learning that the Tao incorporates a kind of "quantum" science and perspective in it.

So far, I've thoroughly enjoyed this powerful, unique, and healing experience. I'm connecting into the retreat that's being held in Estes Park, CO through the Internet. There more than 900 people attending; and the energy is very high. The program is varied so that I'm finding it easy to stay engaged. We've heard Master Sha present material, do his healing work with people, receive healing and elevation himself. We've also danced, chanted, and received teachings from his world-wide representatives.

(My only complaint might be that it went on too long the first evening... I started to fall asleep during the last hour and a half! However, last night I got a chance to take a nap while the people in Estes Park were receiving their readings, so I had no problem staying up until the midnight hour when it ended.)

I'm particularly struck by Dr. Sha's tremendous generosity, warmth of heart, sincerity, inclusivity, and humility. He's an amazing man, having grown up in the mountains of China as a boy and then coming to the United States as a young "master" to help spread the Tao's message and secrets. He studied under Dr. Zhi Chen Guo in China -- who Dr. Sha considers his "spiritual father" and then was given the charge to go and share his teachings around the world during this transformational time on planet earth. Dr. Sha calls this unique time on earth the Soul Light Era and says that it began on 8-8-2003 and will last for 15,000 years.

If you're interested in getting a taste of Master Sha, there's a telephone seminar later today that the public is invited to join. You can participate by calling 507-726-3300, then the numbers:

77815#. The call will take place at 5 PM Pacific Time and last approximately 2 hours.

I have already been healed and rejuvenated in a big way through attending this Intensive! I'll keep you posted... And now I hear that there's a fire ceremony for Peace and Unity called One Peace Live that the Buddhist and Mayan spiritual elders are facilitating. It started in Kyoto yesterday evening (9PM Pacific Time) and will end later today.

Blessings Love, Peace, Harmony, Unity, and Light during these special days of renewal and awakening! Dancing heart~~~

Powerful Healers Are Helping Me through the Biggest Transition of My Life

2010-11-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

I have not written in some time here, as I'm moving through what's likely the biggest transition I've ever made in my life right now: My daughter moved to Scotland to pursue her college studies, and I'm moving out of our very spacious home and getting ready to move to Arizona myself -- to be the "master healer" I'm called to be!

I'm finding that I need lots of help myself as I "purge" myself and many of my belongings while moving through this change. And I wanted to let you know about some of the healers and activators who are helping me through this time. I've found most of them through the Internet and word of mouth. I've posted articles about them at my Examiner.com site and I want to invite you to read my articles about them. Their power and wisdom will speak for themselves (I've linked their names to my individual articles about them.):

Jo Dunning -- has an amazing ability to help you clear blockages in your life through her healing energy and wisdom

Braco (Croatian healer) -- has developed the ability to heal through his "silent gaze," and has been touching hundreds of thousands of people since 1995!

Dr. Master Sha -- is a Chinese master healer who's been teaching people the Power of Soul through many simple and basic techniques. Even businessmen are being helped to open their third eyes and follow the Flow. (I'm so delighted: I'll be starting a 10-day intensive with Dr. Sha on the Tao this Friday -- came to me as a total and complete gift! WOW ;)

Diamond Alignment with Jacqueline Joy -- Jacqueline Joy developed a way to help people receive higher energy through a unique method she visualized years ago when visiting the Egyptian pyramids. Check out "Diamond Alignment"; I touch in with it at least twice a day now!

Stay tuned. I have much more to share, but need to go and get the last of my boxes out of my condo in Lynnwood that I'm releasing... Let me know if you -- or someone you know -- might be interested in renting my specious 3-story detached condo.

Blessings of Love, Peace, and Harmony! Dancing heart~~~~

Peace also Takes Courage

2010-08-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

I was on my way to a retirement home (Horizon House) in Seattle recently, to present my new book, The Most Important Day of Your Life: Are You Ready? And behold, I saw the bumpersticker "Peace also takes courage." It jumped out at me, and I smiled deeply, partly because I didn't recall seeing this lovely bumpersticker before, but mostly because it spoke to me as it speaks to the heart of my work.

The work we do related to dying well and "letting go" is deeply related to peace work, I believe. The more we can unload ourselves of the past and live more fully in the Present Moment, the more we will be able to create harmony in our world. The more harmony we can create in our individual worlds, the more harmony we will have in our collective world, etc.

During my presentation at Horizon House, I learned about a beautiful poem written by a Quaker leader and mystic named Douglas Steere. It relates to my blog last week, on the connection between the world where we go when we sleep and when we die. Here's the poem, offered to me through Paul Neibanck (who remembers it from many years ago):

The place I go when I'm asleep
Is oceans wide and fathoms deep.
Entirely (God's) from whom I take
My separate self when I'm awake.

I've discovered two fascinating links tonight, one related to "transitions" and the other to "memorial stones." The first one is Denise Le Fay's blog on "Peeling Off More Layers" at Transitions; the second is Morgan's Memorial Stones Tattvasgardenart.com.

Here's to all our letting go's and creating a lighter path along the way... and to connecting deeper with the Great Mystery, including our sleep and dream time! Dancing heart~~~

p.s. If you're wondering whether or not to see Eat, Pray, Love, you might be interested in reading my most recent article at Examiner.com.

The Holiness of Sleep

2010-08-02T22:37:00.000-07:00

I was speaking about death and related topics the other evening with a new friend Joseph. We came upon the topic of sleep and the similarities between death and sleep. "There's a sense in which we die every day, the way Paul writes in the Bible," Joseph commented. And this made me think about how I share with people sometimes that when we go to sleep and dream at night, we're probably going to a similar place as when we die. In fact, I've heard it said that our soul leaves our bodies at night to go to the same realm that we go to when we die. Perhaps the only difference is that when we make the final transition, the silver chord is cut so that we then are no longer able to return to our bodies.

At one point in our conversation Joseph burst out saying, "Therefore it's important how we prepare for the holiness of sleep!" The holiness of sleep -- what a divine concept. We do so appreciate that sweetness of sleep that is a mini-death and release at the end of each day. And sometimes those days are long and full, and leave their many and intense impressions on us.

Joseph's comment about the importance of preparing for a good sleep -- not unlike the need for us to prepare for a "good death" -- also reminded me of the bedtime ritual I had growing up as a child: Reading a bedtime story with one of my parents, singing our night-time prayer of protection, "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep..." This song seems like it is specifically meant to help children let go into sleep with a sense of security after making a connection with God and Spirit.

I invite you tonight, before you go to that sweet place of sleep (return to the realm of the Eternal Mystery), to take a few moments to prepare yourself for the Holiness of Sleep. As you let go into the Realm of Spirit where you will be rejuvenated and refreshed to continue this amazing adventure of life, honor and give thanks for the connection that you have to the mystery of life, death, and Life Eternal!

In God's Deep Grace and Loving Kindness, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. I also invite you to see my body-mind-spirit related articles at Examiner.com.

Wonderful Books to Gift (and Awaken) Your Children or Parents

2010-07-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

My dear friend and supporter, Buryl the Awakening Heart, is now on hospice due to his heart condition and decision not to keep "reviving" his heart. Recently he asked that I send each one of his children and niece and nephew -- and their partners -- a set of my books with the beautiful letter below. I was deeply humbled and moved by gratitude for his foresight and generosity. (Often it's the adult children who are purchasing my books to help in their parents' final transitions.)

Dear Loved ones,

I have ordered two books sent direct to the six of you via media mail this week: The Last Adventure of Life and The Most Important Day of Your Life: Are You Ready?. These books have been very helpful to me as I experience the "process of dying". (Surprisingly, it has been enjoyable.) The books are written by Maria Dancing Heart Hoaglund, a Hospice Counselor. Her fervent desire is to help people release their fears and awkwardness around death. (In the USA we don't talk much about death so as if "then" it won't happen.)

There may be a note in the books. "Happy Death Day". Some day you and your loved ones might find these books as useful as I did. ( Anyone can send a "Happy Birth Day" gift per AT Hill.)

Thanks for your understanding and nice comments on my experience.

Love and hugs, Buryl Hill

Thank you, Buryl of the Awakening Heart, for your wisdom, courage, and adventuresome spirit. I love and appreciate you so much! May you have an amazing, glorious adventure when the time comes. As the prophet Isaiah says, "You shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace." (Isaiah 55:12)

Blessings of Deep and Abiding Hope, Dancing heart~~~

A Most En-couraging Day... Connects with the Unity Consciousness being Celebrated

2010-07-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today was a particularly lovely day. Perhaps I was tapping into the powerful "unity consciousness" convergence that was going on?

One of the first things I encountered when checking my email in the morning was an order of six sets of my books! This was from a beloved friend and client of mine who's now on hospice. His name is Bus (or Buryl) the "Awakening Heart," and he had the bright idea that he wants to gift his children and niece and nephew with my books. What a lovely, pro-active idea. I was so tickled and encouraged by his foresight and generosity! (And I'd just been thinking during my morning meditation that I desired to see my book sales increase, too.)

Then, I met with a group of Amega Global distributors and we shared ideas on internet marketing and how best to get the word out about these wonderful self-care products into the world. Blogging was one of the ideas, by the way ;)

I want to briefly mention just one of the tools that Amega has to offer: The mighty little "Am-wand" or "magic wand." It's shaped like and looks like a pen -- see picture above -- and was developed by Japanese, German, and Russian scientists after 21 years of R. & D. It resonates at the Zero Point frequency that was discovered by Einstein in 1914. It's known to provide any living being it comes in touch with, the energy that allows it to come back into its Perfect Now imprint. [I think of a newborn baby as resonating to the Zero Point energy... Maybe that's why most people are so attracted to babies and newborns?!?]

If you're interested in learning more about this holistic company that has much to offer through their quantum physics products, please contact me. I will help you find a Wanding Party that you can attend. That way, you'll be able to experience the products for yourself; this is the best introduction to these products and Amega that's taking the world by storm as part of the Self-Care Revolution that's sweeping the world right now.

I trust that you are feeling the positive "shifts" that are taking place, too. Life will no doubt become easier to maneuver as we honor the Oneness that we are all a part of.

Keep the faith! And stay beautiful (keep shining ;), as my spiritual director used to say, Dancing heart~~~

Why Would Anyone Want to Read My New Book?

2010-07-13T20:23:00.001-07:00

A new friend and net-worker I've met at the local Starbucks challenged me to come up with ten reasons a person would benefit from reading my book. I came up with twelve!

Reading The Most Important Day in Your Life: Are You Ready? is likely to benefit you by --

1. Bringing more joy into your life.
2. Allowing you to live more fully in the present, letting go of the past and future.
3. Assisting you to go deeper spiritually.
4. Helping you become a better partner and friend.
5. Inspiring you to delve into the mystery and magic of life.
6. Helping you to become a better caregiver.
7. Challenging you to know "who you really are!"
8. Allowing you to move through life transitions with more grace and ease.
9. Helping you to help your parents and elders face the aging process.
10. Showing you some of the best kept secret treasures of hospice.
11. Allowing you to discover what comes after life.
12. Showing you how to prepare to "start the conversation" with someone you love.

As you can see, anyone could benefit from reading my new book! It's affordable ($11.95) and an easy read -- only about 100 pages -- and no difficult words; I promise ;)

I invite you to go to my website now and pick up a couple copies of my book: One for yourself, and one for a parent, child, or a friend. It makes a wonderful gift for anyone facing change; and who isn't facing some kind of change in our shifting world right now?!?

Love and deLight to all of you, Dancing heart~~~

P.S. If you are in a position to support my work financially at this time, I would very much appreciate your help. You could purchase some of my books, some Soul Baskets/Bundles, request some of my services, or you could simply donate funds at my website.

The Importance of Nourishing/Loving YourSelf

2010-05-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

From time to time in my life I seem to get powerful reminders to nourish and love myself. Recently I had such an experience when I visited a Polish healer. I was guided to visit him intuitively after meeting a charming Polish couple last week at one of the Amega wanding parties I've been attending.

After I received the energetic healing from this healer, he wanted to talk with me about self-love. He eventually sat me down and continued to expound on the need for me to love myself. He said that it was very important that I love myself deeply and that I love and forgive everyone in my past -- all the lifetimes, and especially all the men in my life. He suggested that I practice the exercise (that I actually learned awhile back, and have mentioned in my new book, The Most Important Day of Your Life) of looking into the mirror every morning and saying to myself again and again: "I love you, Maria Dancing heart."

Mark also shared with me that many women are coming to him at this time. The women are the ones ready to heal -- and change -- right now, he said. The men, not so much. And he added that all women need to heal by releasing and forgiving all of the past, especially the men in our lives. This was not new information to me, but it was interesting to hear an echo of what I've been hearing, and a powerful reminder to continue to work with my own healing, loving, self-care, etc.

This makes me think of a conversation I had last weekend with Mary Lane, author of Divine Nourishment: A Woman's Sacred Journey with Food. During our conversation she shared re the powerful connection between the divine feminine and death. It makes complete sense that as the divine feminine rises on the planet, we are gradually learning how to accept and befriend death, not to mention the "shadow-side" of life. The two go hand in hand. Then, just this morning I was communicating with Betty Kovacs, author of The Miracle of Death, in connection with my new book and its beautiful cover, she wrote about the need for beauty to be associated with death. Again, it seems totally fitting that as the feminine aspect of life comes alive and we re-integrate death into life, we also see it in its full beauty!

Blessings of Joy, Beauty, Hope, and Love to you all in these times of facing and "embracing" the shadow sides of life, too, Dancing heart~~~

Death Care Reform in America

2010-04-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

I got inspired tonight to think about some ways that we might reform how we deal with death and grief in the United States. Here are some beginning thoughts that I had. I hope that after reading them, you'll respond and let me know additional ideas and suggestions you have.

1. Face our fears about death -- go deeper into our spiritual practice -- and find ways to overcome them.

2. Learn to embrace our experiences with grief. We can see them as opportunities to grow.

3. Develop more gentle acceptance and appreciation of the aging process in our own lives.

4. Start the conversation with our loved ones sooner rather than later, letting intuition and courage be our guide.

5. Find ways to be proactive about death and grief: Have the courage to speak and share emotions around these issues when they come up naturally -- openly, with love and gentleness.

6. Make end-of-life and funeral plans and share them with our loved ones. Visit sites like agingwithdignity.org and the Five Wishes Document, or my website. Explore aging, death, and the afterlife and ponder the unknown future and the mystery of it all. If your parents aren't planning for the inevitable, start planning yourself and share your plans with your parents. Then, they can be gently and naturally guided to explore something that's difficult for them to approach.

7. In whatever creative ways that we can, help hospitals to create a more gentle, loving space for death. This is beginning to happen, thanks to Palliative Care programs in numerous hospitals.

8. Get acquainted with local palliative care and hospice programs in your community; they are the way-showers for us in this area and can teach us a lot. Consider becoming a volunteer at a local hospice.

9. Become more knowledgeable about the death and grief rituals of our cultural and religious heritages. Then, broaden our horizons and become more knowledgeable about the same rituals of other cultures and religions that are different from our own. They may well have something to teach us.

May our creativity and imaginations guide our way! Blessings on our lives... and good deaths, Dancing heart~~~

"Every Visit Is a Spiritual Visit"

2010-03-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

Last week I met a gentleman on our hospice -- a doctor, actually -- who made an interesting comment to me. I introduced myself as the spiritual counselor and said something about how we could have a "spiritual visit." His response was something like: "Every visit is a spiritual visit." I thought that was a pretty cool response! This doctor understands the underlying quality of spirituality around all people, all connections, and all life.

Meanwhile, I also attended a "Living with Grief" seminar last week, the 17th Annual Teleconference sponsored by the Hospice Foundation of America. This teleconference focused on "Cancer and End-of-Life Care" and was quite well done. I heard some helpful and wise comments being shared during the three-hour program. Some of these were:

1) Hospice should not be "brink of death" care!
2) No matter what the patient is dealing with, there is always something that can be done (to ease the person's suffering).
3) Uncertainty makes doctors and scientists in particular very uncomfortable.
4) As the cancer progresses, "com-passion" is key. Attentive listening -- being present and honoring all that is said -- and asking meaningful questions can also be helpful.
5) Hospice can often bring a calming influence into a difficult situation.
6) There is significance in the telling of and sharing stories, especially as the end-of-life draws near.

One question I might leave you with from the seminar is: "What is a good death?" What might you consider to be a good death? What would be some of the ingredients, if you were considering your own death, or the death of a close loved one?

If you're interested in learning more about what hospice is, I invite you to see my article, "What Is Hospice Care, Anyway?" that is available on the home page of my website.

Blessings on the journey, and have a most Blessed Easter! Dancing heart~~~

p.s. If you are interested in some titles related to end-of-life care, you might like to see the last two articles at my Examiner.com site.

ANPO, My Sister Linda's Second Documentary related to U.S.-Japanese Relations Coming in June

2010-03-13T15:02:00.000-08:00

Linda Hoaglund, the co-producer of Wings of Defeat (2007), is getting ready to debut her second film this June. It is called ANPO, the Japanese abbreviated name for the U.S.-Japan Mutual Security Treaty that was negotiated in 1951, after WWII; and it comes at a critical time between U.S. - Japan relations.

ANPO opens as a squadron of F-16 fighter jets thunder directly over local traffic to land on Kadena, the largest U.S. airbase in Asia. Ten miles south, the urban homes that crowd Futenma Marine Corps Air Station shake from the numbing drone of C-130 cargo planes whose novice pilots repeatedly practice “touch-and-go” take-offs and landings.

The U.S. base at Futenma is one of 30 bases in Okinawa, an island that makes up only 1% of Japan’s land mass while shouldering the burden of 75% of the U.S. military installations in Japan. That presence includes over 28,000 American troops. America’s military presence was negotiated in 1951 under the terms of the lopsided U.S.-Japan Mutual Security Treaty, known in Japan as “ANPO.” Under its provisions, American soldiers who rape Japanese women and girls are seldom prosecuted. Prime farming lands have been confiscated from farmers to extend jet runways. Civilians are killed in hit-and-run accidents by drunken US servicemen with few held to account. In one egregious case, a woman collecting shell casings to sell as scrap metal was shot in the back and killed by a U.S. soldier who served no time for her death.

Protests by Japanese enraged by the onerous terms of the security treaty have generally been ignored by Japan’s ruling party. Yet for a brief window of time during the summer of 1960, shopkeepers, children, and housewives joined a coalition of artists, farmers, students, laborers, and intellectuals in a series of massive demonstrations to block the renewal of the treaty. Hundreds of thousands of protestors marched on the Japanese parliament to demand an end to the unequal partnership with Washington. Among the protesters were some of Japan's most talented artists. They used the creativity of their paintings, film, photography, manga, and music to give a powerful voice to the protests and to document the many ways in which the American military presence has intruded upon Japanese life and sovereignty.

ANPO showcases the resulting artistic treasure trove that has been largely locked away in Japanese museum vaults and film archives to take an unprecedented look back into a forgotten period of Japanese history, when a nascent democratic movement almost changed the course of an entire nation. The artists speak about how the events of that summer forever changed them and their art. We hear from a survivor of the Lucky Dragon, a Japanese fishing vessel that on March 1,1954 was in the path of deadly fallout from a 15 megaton thermonuclear test blast whose effects became a rallying cry for the Japanese protesting against nuclear armament and the U.S-Japan security treaty (see top video below). ANPO also incorporates film clips from Japanese classics and riveting archival footage that shows the passion of the protestors who flooded the streets to fight for democracy.

While memories of what happened decades ago during that summer of anger have faded, the legacy of the artists and the protests they captured is more relevant today than ever before. A new government has come to power in Japan, promising to confront Washington over its massive military footprint on Okinawa. A lawsuit by a small group of citizens to protect the Okinawa Manatee and one of the island's last coral reefs from destruction by construction of a new U.S. military base is making headlines and interfering with business as usual between Washington and Tokyo. Interviews with contemporary artists reveal the organic link between Japan’s political history and its broad creative culture and indicate that recent events could again spark a political upheaval not seen since the summer of 1960.

The film was shot in high-definition video by Yamazaki Yutaka, one of Japan’s most accomplished cameramen. He has filmed hundreds of documentaries, worked on the celebrated films of Kore-eda Hirokazu, and filmed the 1960 ANPO protests as a student. Playing a key advisory role is Dr. John Dower, Professor of History at MIT and the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Embracing Defeat, the definitive study of postwar Japanese culture and politics.

ANPO aims to entertain its audience with a fascinating look at an unknown period of Japanese activism through the eyes of the world-class Japanese artists who lived the experience. But its lessons about American overreach and the anger its unwanted military presence engenders can just as easily apply to U.S. plans for permanent military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq. As we enter into an age of greater political transparency under different administrations in the U.S. and Japan, now is as pressing a time as ever to examine the complexities and limits of America’s presence on the world stage.

May Peace prevail on Earth, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. For more articles that Dancing Heart has written for Examiner.com, see this link.

I need your support to self-publish my upcoming book!

2010-03-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

I'm now on a fast track to get my new book published. I didn't realize until about a month ago that I had a book, and then a title that I'm ready to go with.

My forthcoming book will be titled: The Most Important Day of Your Life: Are You Ready? I hope to wake up the American public a little bit with this title; and I plan to include more personal stories and reflections in this book. After each of the chapters I will also have suggested exercises that readers can practice to help them go deeper spiritually. So it will have the flavor of being a workbook -- a companion book to go with The Last Adventure of Life.

If you are interested in being part of this process, I would very much appreciate your financial support. You can download my preview/pre-order sheet, or go to my website to donate through Paypal or by cc. I'm suggesting that you give $33, the mystical, magical, master number for infinite possibilities! And for those who donate $33 or more, I'll make sure that you receive an autographed copy of my book as soon as it is released -- early May.

You may also be interested that you can now purchase my mini-books -- both the small print and large print versions -- online. Just go to my home page and scroll down. You'll see the Buy Now button on the left side. These lovely little books make great gifts and introduce The Last Adventure of Life in a good way.

Thank you for your beauty, light, and courage! Keep shining in this sometimes very confused and fearful world. And Happy Girls Day (in Japan), all you girls and women out there ;) Infinite Joy and deLight, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. Please have a look at my Examiner.com articles when you get the chance. I have 221 articles posted there now...

Death May Not Be the Big Deal We Make It Out to Be....

2010-01-25T21:57:00.000-08:00

I challenged myself to write only 500 words on what I believe about death. Here's what I came up with:
I believe that death is not the big deal we sometimes make it out to be. And I have learned this through the privilege of walking beside those who are preparing to die.

In 1989, I lost my own mother to cancer. Death was a pretty big deal to me then. Afterward, however, I knew on some level that my mother was just fine, probably in heaven. But I hadn’t yet sorted out what I really thought about death.

Then, a few years after mom’s death, I became a hospice worker. I never dreamed I’d learn so much by rubbing shoulders with the dying.

First and foremost, death need not be feared. Rather, when the time comes, death can be embraced with open arms. It is a time for reuniting with the spirit world from which we all come. It is a time for ecstatic celebration and home going. It is a time of connecting with the angels. As one woman posed just before leaving her body: “I see hundreds of angels!”

Secondly, the dying taught me “there is so much more than meets the eye.” I’ve heard about many mystical experiences while journeying with the dying. I have also had my share of such experiences. Once, I walked into a room of a man who asked me later, “Who was that woman who walked in with you when you came into my room?” I was speechless for a time, as I was not aware of anyone with me when I walked into his room. My own mother came to me once, too, through a woman who could read spiritual energy off of people. And mom introduced me to my unborn brother who was the one my mom had miscarried many moons ago!

Thirdly, I have learned that all of life is a kind of preparation for death. Shortly after my book, THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE, was published, I met a young Buddhist volunteer firefighter in a health food store. We got to talking about life and death and my work. The young man exclaimed to me, “In Buddhism, birth is the hard part. Death is easy, because we have the rest of our lives to prepare for it.” Wow, what a concept: We could use the rest of our lives, especially our many goodbyes and farewells, as grist for the mill to prepare for the most important day of our life –- the day of our graduation from earthly life when we are free to release everything and everyone from our lives.

Finally, I’ve made the joy-filled discovery that all of life is interconnected. We are connected with all that is here on earth; we are also connected to all that is in heaven. The more we believe in this Magic of the Universe, the more it comes alive in our lives. The more we believe that synchronicity guides our lives, the more it does. Lastly, “Don’t die wondering," for we just may get exactly what we believe.
See a beautiful song I picked to go with this at my Examiner.com site.

Non-attachment Could Save Your Life This Year -- and Certainly Some Grief!

2010-01-01T22:45:00.001-08:00

On this very special, first day of 2010, I invite you to think about how you might bring more non-attachment into your life. It could help you deal with all the changes that are taking place around us in these times. The following piece is called "Non-attachment." A brilliant and inspirational writer and hospice patient of mine, Niah Kinczewski, gave me permission to include it in my book, The Last Adventure of Life, before she died some years ago.

"Some people think that they need to hang on to what they have, for it may be the best they will ever get. If you are thinking about making a change, imagine yourself having something better than you have now. See yourself going through the process easily and feeling happy with the results. Imagine that this will be the best thing that has ever happened to you, even though you might not see why right now. Decide that you are going to trust in your ability to create your higher good, and look forward to the wonderful surprises that are in store for you. …

"Approach change as a great adventure. Believe that all change is for your higher good or it wouldn’t be happening. You can learn to cope with change in joyful, peaceful ways by trusting that the universe is friendly and that your Higher Self loves you and is looking out for you. If your personality isn’t willing to make the needed changes, sometimes your Higher Self will set things up so that change is made for you! Act upon the whispers before they become shouts; make changes your inner self suggests to you.

"One of the most difficult attachments to let go of might be your attachment to your viewpoint, beliefs, and judgments. You are always being challenged to think in new and expansive ways. The path is easy for those who have no preferences and opinions, for they are attachments that can take a lot of your energy. You can ?nd your preferences in even the smallest things, such as the way your food is prepared or the way you drive to work. It is important to discover which preferences truly serve your higher good and which are simply unexamined habits that keep you from discovering new, higher ways to be.

"Start practicing non-attachment by taking one small thing you feel attached to and pretending for one day that you are not attached to it. Become an observer and watch yourself. What habits and routines are you attached to? You don’t have to give up these preferences, only your dependence on them. Once you can be happy with or without them you are free; you can have them in your life or not, without being controlled by them. …

"You may have a belief that says, “If I act like myself, if I ask for what I want, I won’t be loved.” Tell yourself that you can have what you want and that people love you for who you are. You are freer to be creative, grow, and ful?ll your potential when you are not bound by what others think of you. Are the people you admire the most the ones who always seek approval before they do things, or those who trust and act on their own inner messages? You are not responsible for making other people’s lives work: they are! …

"Before you pour energy into changing or assisting people, let go of the need to have other people grow, appreciate you, or act in any particular way. Sometimes the strong desire to have them change may be the very thing that keeps them from growing. As you detach and stop worrying about them, they will be freer to grow.

"As you give freedom to others, you become freer yourself. Over time, people will come and go in your life, and one of the greatest gifts you give others is the freedom to go their own way. To serve others, you will need to learn to let go. Do not worry if some of your friends leave your life, for as you increase your vibration, people will either grow and stay in your life or leave. …

"Developing the quality of non-attachment will give you freedom, expand your world, and give you new opportunities to create and grow. When you aren’t attached to what others think of you or to having things be a certain way, you are free. You will have a sense of well-being no matter what the people around you are doing.

"Literally you create an energy structure in your cells and body that is called being in “a state of grace” when you can live each moment, full of love and joy, trusting that all in the universe is working in your best and highest interests! (Remember, life is meant to be lived in total freedom, and you do have the power to create a “happy ever after ending” to your new beginnings.) Freedom is then, being your Self and loving it!"

-- p. 162-163, The Last Adventure of Life, 2nd edition

If you'd like to see a short video on "Non-attachment" by Pema Chodron, I invite you to see my article at Examiner.com here.

Happy New Year, and Happy Non-attachment to us all in these extraordinary days! Dancing heart~~~

Some Reflections and Learnings from Sarah Palin...

2009-11-30T07:38:00.000-08:00

I must confess that I'm quite puzzled about Sarah Palin and her celebrity status in our nation these days, perhaps not unlike the way I have been puzzled for some time now about our culture's awkwardness around death, grief, and transformation in general. There seems to be a great deal of ambivalence around how Americans deal with end-of-life issues; and Sarah Palin epitomizes this ambivalence:

On the one hand, in the spring of 2008, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska "issued a proclamation that stated the importance of end-of-life planning." (See editorial by Earl Blumenauer, "The Sorry Saga of those 'Death Panels'".) On the other hand, this summer, on August 7th, after the Obama Administration had decided to include a strong piece on end-of-life conversations in the Health Care Reform Bill, Palin joined the bandwagon opposing the Administration's Bill by using the term "death panels" on her Facebook where she stated: "The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil."

Palin's statement was in no way based on the truth, or the actual bill. And yet, others joined this chorus referring to so-called "death panels". It seems that their purpose was simply to put the "fear of God" in people by drumming up some mis-truths around an issue that is already very sensitive and tender in our culture, thereby polarizing the issue and discrediting the authors of a very important and necessary bill.

Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi, a wise teacher in the conscious aging arena, has stated that one of the reasons Americans are so awkward around the subject of death and dying is because we have "pathologized" death by taking it to the hospital. This is a statement that rings very true for me, as once a person is in the hospital here in the United States, we make it very difficult for them to die. American doctors and hospital staff are trained to keep people alive, often at all costs. And now, Palin and other politicians are making it even more difficult to maneuver this very important arena of end-of-life care by spreading false truths and rumors, based on fear and discomfort around a sensitive issue.

I do not have any simple answers. I do offer a book called THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE: Sacred Resources for Living and Dying from a Hospice Counselor in which I share some of the lessons I've gleaned from the many hospice patients and families I've had the honor to work with. And I do believe that this work offers an antidote to the fear and misrepresentation that Palin and others have attempted to create in the death and dying arena.

My hope and prayer is that Americans will not let the fear that anyone is spreading out there in our society get into them such that we run away from a necessary and important conversation. I am grateful to hear that so far, the end-of-life issue is still in the proposed 1,000-page health care reform bill. And I am hopeful that we as a nation will continue an important dialogue around end-of-life care such that we can begin to unravel what we've done to death in our hospitals and bring it back into the natural cycle of life!

Blessings of Deep Hope and Joy, Dancing heart~~~

Here is a thoughtful article that Deepak Chopra has posted just a week ago: Sarah Palin: Fooling None of the People All of the Time.

The Empty Nest -- Living through a Transition of My Own -- and Making a Friend at the Border

2009-09-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, I'm now experiencing the throws of my own transition -- letting my daughter go, to attend college in Canada. This is big. I knew it would be big, but not exactly how big. I'm finding myself deeply grieving, sometimes when I least expect it. It's beem helpful to speak about what I'm going through with friends. Being and speaking with good friends who allow me to be who I am in the moment helps create comfort and hope in my being.

Speaking of which, I had amazing thing happen at the U.S.-Canadian border on my way home from dropping my daughter off: As I was leaving Vancouver, I asked Spirit that I would have a positive experience at the border. When I got in line to cross the border, I got a "hit" that I was in the right lane. I also did not have to wait very long. They were saying 25 minutes, but I believe I was only waiting for no more than 20 minutes. When I got to the gate, it was a younger woman inspector. There was a male guard standing with her, for some reason. She asked me where my residence was. Then she asked me about the purpose of my visit to Canada. When I told her that I had come up to "release my daughter to U.B.C.," she said that she had just let her daughter go to attend kindergarten for the first time.

Then I started to get really emotional and told her that I was just recently thinking nostalgically about the first day I put Heather on a school but to let her go to kindergarten! We had a lovely moment of recognition, and she quickly sent me on my way. Such a sweet experience, one woman to another, making friends at the borderline.

Hoping and praying that we are all finding friends and supporters along this journey of transitions, changes, and transformations, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. If you are interested in my articles at Examiner.com, please see this link.

The Mysterious Gift of Life... and Death

2009-08-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

Marv and Nancy Hiles, the "keepers" of the Iona Center in Healdsburg, CA, publish a journal called The Way Through. In their most recent issue (Spring-Summer 2009), I enjoyed reading the following piece by Marv entitled "Living Giving Dying":

"Walking across the sticky surface of aging the other day, I stopped in my tracks and remembered some rather traditional advice about growing older and dying. Its argument is that since we have been given life, we should consciously offer it back little by little. This is straightforward, and all it requires is an attitude of gratitude while giving back what has been given us so abundantly. It echoes the words of the Bible that say, 'Freely you have received, freely give.' Furthermore, it is only fair to move over and make room so the next generation can experience life as pure gift. It is all about conscious aging and dying. To "offer back" and to "make room" are things I can do consciously in the heat and chills of this mostly slow dissolution. Mary Morrison's wonderful little book Let Evening Come is as clear and warm as one can read about the generosity of spirit that can follow us from all our days and henceforward."

In this time when our whole nation is a-buzz with a discourse around end-of-life care issues, it seems important to remember that our lives, in the end, are a mysterious gift. Last Sunday I helped facilitate a memorial service. During the service I used a prayer that shares the following: "We enter into life in a mystery and leave it in a mystery. Through all our days we are upheld by a power we do not fully understand. Joy comes to us beyond our expectation, and difficulty beyond our imagining. Teach us the faith that, if we persist, we shall know the truth and be glad of life through all our days. ... Turn our eyes and hearts again to the world of the living, ... to a life of sympathy and generosity for ALL who live and grow and die, ..."

Here's to a "generosity of spirit" to each one of us, as we live, grow (change!), and die. May we deeply give love, receive love, and share love -- while we are in the Land of the Living.

Deep Joy and Generous Love to each of you, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. If you are interested in the end-of-life discussion that's going on in our country, I invite you to have a look at some of my recent articles on Examiner.com as the Transitions & Grief Examiner.

Living through the Shift -- in the midst of Powerful Days

2009-08-05T19:37:00.000-07:00

There is no question that we are moving through some big changes these days. I was heartened to hear President Obama eloquently answer a fearful question related to end-of-life issues that was posed to him at the AARP town hall meeting last Tuesday (for details, see my article at Examiner.com). I've been wondering ever since if any president in the past has ever spoken publicly on end-of-life care, encouraging people to think ahead and be prepared for our transitions into the next realm. Thank you, Dear President! I applaud your courage and foresight.

On another note, today is the last of a series of three eclipses, tomorrow is a full moon, and today through the 7th (Friday) are supposed to be some very important powerful days on the planet: Days to meditatae on the unity, cooperation, and the oneness that is possible on the Earth. For more details on this, I invite you to see another article (material from Judy Moore) from Examiner.com.

No matter what's going on in your life right now, the most important thing you can do is to stay in joy and remember to share the love. We are so blessed to be experiencing the miracle of life on this precious Earth! Enjoy the ride... or "ride the wave," as my great aunt Gladys used to say! Dancing heart~~~

A Gentle Death: story (slideshow) about a community of Sisters of St. Joseph

2009-07-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

This thoughtful slideshow just came out through the The New York Times. It is about the Mother House of the convent of the Sisters of Joseph, a Rochester home specifically built for sisters who are preparing for the end of their lives. They are supported through their end of life with special care that suits their needs at this unique time. When you have the chance, do have a look.

Dying does belong at home, and in community. (As Rabbi Zalman Shachter-Shalomi reminds us, we've pathologized death by taking it to the hospital in the last 100 years.) And it means so much when older people can have the spiritual and moral support they need directly in their homes and residences when they need it. Aging people who live in community with loved ones and people they can trust, remember that they are loved and cared for. Therefore, they can relax better, and even have less pain and suffering. What a beautiful way to model for our society what is possible!

Thank you, Sisters of Joseph, for opening up your home and life for us so that we can have a glimpse of your beauty, wisdom, and gentleness. May your compassion and hope be seen by and touch many.

Infinite Peace and Healing, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. If you are in the Seattle area, I'll be presenting my book at Barnes & Noble (Crossroads, Bellevue) this Sat., 2-3PM, and at EastWest Bookshop (Bothell Branch) on July 31, 7:30 PM. See details here.

Also, for more articles on the body-mind-spirit healing modalities, see my articles on Examiner.com.

The Deep Compassion that Hospice Workers Share

2009-07-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

I've just been getting my feet wet again in some hospice counseling work. It's surprisingly very good to be back at doing this work; and one of the main reasons is that I'm working with a team. I'm being reminded how important it is to have a group of people that one works with. It's been way too long that I've been trying to do things "by myself" -- not by intention so much as that's just the way it's turned out. And now I know that I need teammates. I'm determined to find others to work with and help me in my business(es).

Meanwhile, I'm so impressed by the compassion that my teammates share with their hospice people and families. I recently made a joint visit with one of my nurse colleagues. Her behavior with a gentleman who was struggling with some dementia and congestive heart failure (and who knows what else) was so touching that I was moved to tears. She gave such wonderful care to this man that it was as if she was a member of his family herself! Even though he was not able to respond that actively to her, she kindly talked to him during the whole visit. She also touched him in gentle and very appropriate ways, as she diapered him and wrapped his weeping legs with the gauze and bandages. I truly was amazed and impressed by her love and care.

We humans are so unique and so special. And no matter what is going on in our lives, we deserve to be treated with dignity, love, and gentleness. I'm convinced more than ever before that hospice is a vitally needed and quietly powerful and transforming organization in our world today.

If you have not considered it, I would invite you to consider becoming a volunteer for hospice. This experience will powerfully transform and grow your life through love -- guaranteed!

Blessings of Love and deLight, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. By the way, I read some interesting material on Karen Bishop's WINGS update re Michael Jackson's death and his "higher level energy". Check out the last seven paragraphs of this link, if you'd like to read more.

If you're interested in Body-Mind-Spirit Tools for Healing, see Dancing Heart's website's Link Page.

And if you enjoyed this article, you may be interested in taking a look at my Examiner.com site for more articles on related topics.

Do Celebrity Deaths Happen in Threes -- as My Daughter's Friend Suggests?

2009-06-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

This week was a week to remember in America: Three of America's cultural icons, Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett, and now Billy Mays took their last breaths on this precious earth. Michael, the King of Pop, and Billy Mays, the television pitchman, were only 50 years old; Farah the knockout with the glamorous hair, was 62. Interestingly, Michael and Farah, who both died on June 25th, struggled with ravages of the body, one in the form of issues with the physical heart, the other with the ravages of cancer. Billy Mays is suspected to have died due to some head trauma that had occurred yesterday, at the end of a bumpy flight when something hit him very hard on the head.

Our hearts go out to the extremely talented and eccentric, genius of a singer, dancer, and performer, Michael Jackson, who among other things, brought deep hope and glory to his hometown, Gary Indiana. He also was adored and appreciated by many, along with his brothers, to help collapse and ease old racial barriers and Heal the World (We Are the World).

We also mourn the loss of the beautiful, sexy Farah, well known for her role as "the pretty one" in Charlie's Angels, leaving a legacy of determination to prove that she could play against her image and defy expectations ("The Burning Bed" and "Extremities"). She became a role model for actors who have been typecast and every star whose talent has been questioned.

And we mourn the loss of Billy Mays. Discovery Channel spokeswoman Elizabeth Hillman commented about Billy saying, "Everyone that knows him was aware of his larger-than-life personality, generosity and warmth. Billy was a pioneer in his field and helped many people fulfill their dreams. He will be greatly missed as a loyal and compassionate friend."

Michael's and Farah's lives were cut short, in part because they became caught in the pressure cooker of being in the limelight of notoriety. They had to live their lives in fishbowls, often without the privacy or freedom that they may have desired. Their lives were in many ways paradoxal, and their shadow sides and demons that they struggled with remind us of our own. At this time, it would seem that Billy's life was cut short by a coincidental accident.

Most of all, however, their loss reminds us of the fragility of life. We never know when life will end for us on this fragile earth. We often think we're invincible, we tend to take our bodies for granted and work them very hard; and we imagine that we're "in control." However, in the end, we are not in control. Probably we are never in control. Life happens to us; and life does not always go the way we think that it will, or imagine that it could. We need to be prepared for the last adventure of life at all times, for we know not when it will come.

This is an opportunity for us all to take a deep breath, while we give thanks for the life that we have be given. Life is good! Life is sacred and very special. May we honor and hold close to our hearts all those who have gone before us. And as we grieve and mourn the loss of these gifted, yet fragile human lives, may we resolve to make the most of our lives, shining the Light and Love -- who we really are! Thank you, Michael, Farah, and Billy, for the Love & Light that you shone and now shine on... Thank you for your magical, healing ways. May you live on in bright and beautiful ways, giving hope, joy, and determination, especially for those who must pick up the pieces and move on in their lives without you.

In deep gratitude for the gift of life itself, and for the unique, precious gift of each unique and special one on the planet, Dancing heart~~~

For another look at the "synchronicity" or coincidence of Michael's and Farah's deaths, see Toni Elizabeth Sar'h's youtube.

If you're interested in Body-Mind-Spirit Tools for Healing, see Dancing Heart's website's Link Page.

And if you enjoyed this article, you may be interested in taking a look at my Examiner.com site for more articles on related topics.

Moving Beyond Consuming

2009-06-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

Speaking of releasing and letting go, Raphael Cushnir is an inspiring author (The One Thing Holding You Back, Setting Your Heart on Fire, etc.) and speaker who is helping us open our eyes to the challenges we face as materialistic consumers. He has developed a beautiful Youtube called Beyond Consuming. (You can view it here, too.) I received word about this through an email recently and wanted to pass this beautiful message along today.

What are your views on consumerism and how are you creating ways to materially lighten up your life? I'd love to hear from you. Happy forgiving, releasing, letting go, and moving on! Dancing heart~~~

Raphael Cushnir is a leading voice in the world of emotional connection and Present Moment Awareness. He has shared his unique approach to personal and professional development with millions of readers in O, The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet, Spirituality and Health, Psychology Today and the Huffington Post. He has also authored three previous books, lectures worldwide, and is a faculty member of the Esalen Institute, and the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. In addition, he coaches individuals and teams at Fortune 100 companies, governments, religious organizations, and leading non-profits. For more info: cushnir.com.

Forgive, Release, Let Go, Move On!

2009-05-31T21:54:00.000-07:00

I heard this four-piece phrase through a Unity minister in Florida recently. It rang so true for me, that this is some of the most important work/play that we can be doing in these days of great transformation! As we move through the "Shift of the Ages" -- what can sometimes feel like a very chaotic and uncertain time -- right now, it feels like any releasing, letting go work that we can do will benefit ourselves, all our relations, and Mother Earth herself. One of the most significant ways that we can heal is to let go of what no longer serves us, whether it be physical, material things, or old, negative emotions, or believe systems and patterns that no longer are helpful.

Perhaps if we could all commit to forgiving one another (giving each other the benefit of the doubt), and releasing and letting go of what no longer serves us every day, as much as we can, this would be a great start. I'm working on going through my papers these days, file by file, pile by pile, and box by box. It's time to release and recycle what I can and make room for the new pieces and ideas that are desiring to come in. Same with my closets and the garage -- my storage space. Time to clear out the old and make room for the new!

Who and what are you forgiving, relasing, letting go of, and moving on from? I'd be interested to hear...

Blessings of an open, healed heart! Dancing heart~~~

p.s. By the way, speaking of forgiving, releasing, letting go, and moving on, if you're interested in a heart wall healing, please be in touch. I'm doing them on a regular basis now, both in person and long distance. This healing is bound to help make your life more happy, healthy, and wealthy, too.

Also, please check out my Examiner.com site where I'm writing a series of articles on the integrative therapies and healing, relaxing, and balancing our bodies, using the last chapter of my book as my foundation.

Lessons from the Swine Flu (Fear) Syndrome

2009-05-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some US Census work as of late, and heard a story from a woman I came across that allowed me to see how much fear is rampant in our culture and neighborhoods. The woman shared with me that her young adult daughter recently came home from a trip and was struggling with a flu virus. She did not have health insurance at the time (end of April), although she knew she would as of May 1st. She called a half a dozen physicians' offices in the area, including her old family doc. None of them would agree to see her, presumably because of the "flu factor"!

When May first came, she was still not feeling well, so she decided to go to a local hospital. At the hospital, she was first told she had a the Swine Flu and placed in confinement for six hours. She was told she should take Tamiflu and was not even allowed her cell phone to be in touch with her family or friends. Then, to top it all off, after six hours, someone came to tell her that she did not have Swine Flu after all and that she did not need to take the Tamiflu. Then, she was sent home to heal up.

Wow, what kind of fear wall have we built up around all this dis-ease that hasn't even caused much actual trouble in our country?!? It's most disheartening to hear stories like this. However, it's a reminder, I believe, to all of us, that we do not need or want to take on this fear. The key in our times is to stay in LOVE and away from the fear. Even though it's very easy to get caught up in the fear, we are called as divine human beings, to stay Body, Mind, and Spirit in the Light of Love and Joy! And two very simple ways of doing this are by being Creative and being Grateful. How is it that you can be your most creative and grateful self? These are the ways that will help you stay out of fear... I'd like to close here with a story from my book (The Last Adventure of Life) called "Two Wolves":

"A fight is going on inside me," the elder said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil -- he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, and ego. The other is good -- he is joy, peace, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every person."

The grandson thought about this for a moment, then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"

The elder simply replied, "The one you feed."

-- Cherokee children's story (found on the Internet)

Blessings of a Grateful, Creative Heart, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. Speaking of staying out of fear, I am now delighted to be offering heart wall healings, a simple and easy way to release old, negative feelings that are trapped behind our heart walls energetically. This is part of my soul work! Please see this link and contact me directly if you are interested in receiving a healing. (I can do them long distance for you or your animal/pet, too.)

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T21:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day to you! Hope that you found a way to connect with our Dear Mother today, in some shape or form. And if not today, make it a point as soon as you can, to sit in mother nature and enjoy Her Love...

I received this poem from a friend through email today and wanted to share it. Trees are so wonderful, always reminding me of the Tree of Life itself. May you find grace and comfort in the deep beauty, and shade, that trees and Mother Earth offer.

The Sycamore

In the place that is my own place, whose earth
I am shaped in and must bear, there is an old tree growing,
a great sycamore that is a wondrous healer of itself.
Fences have been tied to it, nails driven into it,
hacks and whittles cut in it, the lightning has burned it.
There is no year it has flourished in
that has not harmed it. There is a hollow in it
that is its death, though its living brims whitely
at the lip of the darkness and flows outward.
Over all its scars has come the seamless white
of the bark. It bears the gnarls of its history
healed over. It has risen to a strange perfection
in the warp and bending of its long growth.
It has gathered all accidents into its purpose.
It has become the intention and radiance of its dark fate.
It is a fact, sublime, mystical and unassailable
In all the country there is no other like it.
I recognize in it a principle, an indwelling
the same as itself, and greater, that I would be ruled by.
I see that it stands in its place, and feeds upon it,
and is fed upon, and is native, and maker.

Wendell Berry

Infinite Joy, Hope, and Healing to us all, Dancing heart~~~

Stress Awareness Month

2009-04-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today I became aware of the fact that April is Stress Awareness Month. This reminded me that the last chapter of my book offers a variety of simple healing and relaxation tools from the complementary and integrative modalities. I thought I'd share a couple of simple methods to help you relax and de-stress here today:

I. Hold each of the five fingers, using your dominant hand, one at a time, for about 3 to 5 minutes each. This method of relaxation comes out of the acupressure system called Jinshin Jyutsu in Japanese, and helps to relax a person immediately. The following are the emotions you can help release by holding each finger: Insecurity with the thumb, fear with the index finger, anger with the middle finger, grief & sorrow with the ring finger, and denial and confusion with the pinky. You will likely notice that after holding each finger for a few minutes you will start yawning and become drowsy -- so be careful when and where you do this exercise!

II. Using essential oils, especially ones like lavender, cedarwood, sandalwood, ylang ylang, myrrh, frankincense, bergamot, Peace & Calming (a Young Living blend), etc. can help you relax and feel rejuvenated. Inhaling deeply and directly is a good way, using a cool diffuser with them in your room, placing a few drops of one or more of the oils on the hand and fingers can be good, or simply rubbing these high frequency oils on the bottoms of the feet or on the forehead when you're ready to relax or just before you go to sleep. A friend of mine who loves the YL oils said her little boy got so he wouldn't go to sleep without putting a few drops of Peace & Calming on the bottoms of his feet!

III. There are breathing techniques and simple guided meditations that can be used to destress and get centered, too. Here's a simple meditation for busy people that can be done in only five minutes:

a. Use a mind-sweeper to clear your thoughts. Sweep away all negative, fearful, or unforgiving thoughts. (one minute)

b. Relax your body through and through. Start at the top of your head and let relaxation flow down over your body in a stream of white light or sunshine. (one min.)

c. Let yourself feel the Love of God that is within you until Love fills your whole being. Envision yourself embraced by Divine Love. (with practice, takes only an instant)

d. Be still and KNOW that you are in the presence of God. See every cell of your body glow with pure Love and Light. (two minutes)

Now take the thoughts and feelings of this experience with you as you go about your daily activities. When you practice clearing your mind, relaxing your body, feeling God's Love and Light, and listening in the quiet several times each day, you are building a heightened awareness of Who You Really Are. You will look around and see how beautiful and full of Love the world truly is. You will hold the true nature of your fellow sojourners along life's way!

Blessings of Peace and Wellness, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. If you wish to order any of the Young Living oils, you can do so on the Young Living website by using my membership #: 705841.

A Miraculous Heart Opening

2009-03-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

Good day, Dear Friends. And Happy Almost Spring! It's been awhile since I've written on my blog; lots seems to be percolating in my life. Among other things I have attended a WarrierSage Illumination Intensive in the Vancouver area (came as a pure gift from the Universe!), have also joined a Japanese wellness (holistic) company called Nikken that has some wonderful healing products.

I had a big synchronicity around opening my heart with one of the Nikken products. After attending a training for the products and business last Sat., I came home and looked them up on the Internet. I happened upon a Youtube by Dr. Bradley Nelson, a chiropractor who's authored a book called The Emotion Code. It turns out that Dr. Nelson has discovered a very simple way to help people take down their Heart Walls (approximately 80% of us have developed Heart Walls over the years of life) using the Mag Creator. I taught myself how to do this simple healing and opened up my heart -- took down my heart wall! This experience has led me to want to pursue this area of Heart Healing in my life at this time.

If any of you in the Puget Sound Area would like to experience this, please contact me. I'm happy to offer you a Heart Healing in exchange for a Love Offering. You would need to come to the Lynnwood area where my office is, unless we come up with another arrangement together. Also, if you are interested in learning more about the Mag Creator or other Nikken products -- they have an awesome supplement for Osteoperosis and bone density called OsteoDenx, among other things -- please be in touch. I can put you in touch with one of my mentors and we can learn more together...

I hope that life is opening up in beautiful ways for you in these special times! As we remain flexible and open, there's so much that's available to us. Happy Transformation, Dancing heart~~~

Death as Life Coach

2009-02-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I read an article in Vanity Fair of all places (I was drawn to the current issue because of the beautiful picture of President Obama on the front) titled "Final-Exit Strategies," by James Wolcott. He writes about baby-boomers and how we are changing as we become aware of our mortality. He comments that we "have turned death into a teaching moment" through books like Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture, movies like The Bucket List, etc. I would agree with him. And I would add The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to his list, as this is a brilliant movie that engages topics such as life, death, aging, and what really matters in life. I love the refrain in the film that goes something like: "But when it comes to death, you simply have to let go." Cliche!~

I would go one step further and say that baby-boomers are desiring to go deeper into the inner spiritual life than our parents; and we are seeking new and creative ways to approach death and the afterlife. We want to be more real and learn from death before it encroaches upon us. We also want to be attentive to our environment and create rituals and ceremonies that are in tune with the Earth. Indeed, death can be a great teacher; and we are blessed in our lives when we allow it to touch us sooner rather than later. When we can be proactive about our death, we can let it touch us and move us, rather than be controlled by it. As the Celtic culture teaches, may we be able to die before we die so that when we die we don't have to die!

Thank you for your interest in my work. Please remember that I offer beautiful Soul Baskets for people who are in the midst of transitions of all kinds: bereaved persons, caregivers, people who have lost a love, a job, or a relationship, people who are facing death -- at whatever stage or age of their lives. These Baskets will help you relax and face whatever you need to face to get through the transition you are moving through. Life is an exciting adventure, wherever you are and whatever you are up to! Please let me hear from you and if the time is right, let me create a special Soul Basket for you or your loved one.

Many Blessings of Peace and Abundance, Dancing heart~~~

"and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:06)

2009-02-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading one of the most remarkable books that I've read in a very long time. It's called Hannah's Gift: Lessons from a Life Fully Lived, by Maria Housden. For those of you who have not read this exquisite book yet, you're in for a real treat! It is a moving story about a courageous 3-year-old who lived with cancer for about a year before she died. Her mother Maria is a gifted writer and intuitive who has a very special relationship with her daughter and family. Their journey is one that every family needs to read about; we can all learn to live in joy and delight, even in the face of death and grief. The Present Moment is all we have, after all. In the future, when people ask me how to speak with children about death and grief, I will tell them to read Hannah's Gift!

One of the most amazing things about this book is the beautiful way in which Maria is able to portray her daughter's spirit and their powerful connection/relationship. From the very start of the book, you get the picture of a charming, deeply loved child who shines her light brightly wherever she goes -- like the bright red patent leather Mary Jane's she wears. Her warm light and character and humor draw people into her life in a way that is captivating. Her entire family is clearly a very special and unique gift to one another as they move through a heart-wrenching period of their lives. Their honesty and bravery in the face of cancer and death is totally inspiring. Maria's determination, too, to help Hannah and her entire family live life to its fullest is evident throughout the book. For those who want to be healed by the gift of life and death, I can't recommend this little gem of a book highly enough.

And by the way, I'm hearing through author Maria that the book will become a movie very soon! I can hardly wait...

February Blessings to you all, Dancing heart~~~

Want to Expand Your Consciousness? Work/Volunteer for Hospice!

2009-01-28T08:03:00.000-08:00

Last year I was invited to do an interview with Eva Ravenwood that turned out to be the best interview I've had so far since my book first came out in 2005. Eva let me know that I could invite a guest on the show with me. I thought of Diane Goble, a remarkable woman who lived through a near death experience. During the show, Eva asked Diane to speak about her NDE. I was interested that Diane spoke about it as a tremendous expansion in consciousness.

As I look back on my years of work with hospice as a spiritual and bereavement counselor, I see that the entire experience was rather like a very gradual near death experience: I did not actually experience my own physical death, but I came so close to so many who were experiencing the dying process and the depths of the grieving process that much of it rubbed off on me. It was as if a part of me was having a taste part of the experience, too, and over time I received some of the gifts that a person who has a NDE typically receives.

The following are some of the gifts that I have received as I see it:

1. There is so much more than meets the eye.

2. Death is nothing to fear; it is only another doorway to another form of life, because life never ends. It simply transforms.

3. Everyone has a purpose in coming to Earth. Therefore, everyone and everything is special -- sacred.

4. We are all interconnected. Therefore, we are all one. God/dess, or the Infinite Intelligence is the glue that holds us altogether.

5. The more we tune into the magic and mystery of life, the more it is apparent in our lives. (Whatever we focus on expands.)

6. Our intuition can grow significantly when we honor it and use it to expand our purpose in life.

If you are desiring to grow spiritually, I highly recommend that you consider hospice work. You could start as a volunteer, as hospices are always looking for people who can volunteer with their patients and families. Just look up a local hospice in your neighborhood and contact the Volunteer Coordinator. She (or he) will be more than happy to explain how the process works. As you sign up for this, if you haven't done so already, you might want to look into getting a hold of a copy of my book, THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE!

Deep Blessings of Peace and Light to you -- as we move closer to more light (and spring!) each day, Dancing heart~~~

Hope and Joy Coming Back...

2009-01-19T12:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a new friend, I attended the Seattle Unity Church for a Sunday service for the first time yesterday morning. There was a tremendous sense of energy and joy there -- a kind of buzz was in the air. People young and old were there to celebrate God/dess, spirituality, and the power of the imagination, in great diversity. A host of faith traditions were honored in the sanctuary with altars and tapestries above them representing a variety of world religions, too.

Then, last night I shed tears of joy as I watched pieces from the inaugural concert that took place in Washington D.C. at the Lincoln Memorial. What a powerful, auspicious, synchronistic time we are living through: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is being celebrated today, on the eve of the inauguration of our new and first black American President of the United States, Barack Obama! This is a time for celebration, joy, and hope throughout the world, a time when some long awaited dreams are becoming a reality in the new history that is being recorded. One could say that the world helped awaken our country to the powerful, spiritual leader we had in our midst, and now we can together -- the world over -- celebrate a new beginning.

I want to share with you a simple, beautiful poem has been spoken by Bryan Lynch since the election. I heard part of it quoted last evening on television, too:

Rosa sat so Martin could walk.
Martin walked so Barack could run.
Barack ran so our children can fly!

Enjoy the new and wonderful flight, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. Relatedly, here's a link to a New Song that my friend Sandi Kimmel has been singing. Please listen and pass along to your friends.

Words for the Bereaved -- Some Suggestions

2009-01-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year~! I hope that you are enjoying the new energies of 2009. May this be a wonderful year of transitions -- with grace and ease, as much as possible. Speaking of which, I was asked to put some of my thoughts down re some of the best and worst things a person can say to someone who's lost a loved one. Here are some of my reflections on this:

Some of the worst things a person can say after a friend/acquaintance loses a loved one are phrases that assume things, such as "I know what you're going through," "You'll get over it," or "God never gives a person more than they can handle." Often, unintentionally of course, the friend wants to say what makes them feel better. So they try to fix the situation, whereas the person in grief needs comfort, consolation, and a listening ear. The grieving person usually appreciates simple "presence," a feeling that they can be held, cared for, and allowed to be exactly where they are.

Some of the best things a person might say are "I'm so sorry," "I love you (and your loved one who passed)," or "I'm very sorry that you're having to go through this situation. Is there any way that I can help?" Then make sure that you follow through when you get a response on how the person wants your help.

Sometimes silence is the best. The friend might simply give the grieving person a big bear hug and let them cry as much as they need. Then, they could let them know how much they're loved and that they will stand with them through this challenging time in whatever way they need. Intuition helps a lot here... gently let the grieving person guide the way, as everyone grieves differently, too.

A grieving person also needs to process what happened. Open-ended questions about what and how things happened are good, once they seem ready to talk. Questions like "What happened?" "How did (your loved one) die?" “How are you taking this all in?" "Tell me about how you're managing to cope with your loss?" can be helpful at this time.

Hope these reflections are helpful. Perhaps you have some comments or stories around this issue. I would be delighted to hear your reflections. Please be in touch. Have a blessed day, and year, Dancing heart~~~

An En-Couraging Verse -- "All Soul's Day"

2008-12-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

The more I'm involved in this End-of-life and Grief Coaching work, the more I'm realizing how many "learning opportunities" our society has in these areas. We are a culture that for the most part would like to ignore death and grief at any cost. We would rather do almost anything else than speak about the inevitable. How ironic, especially since we consider ourselves to be an "advanced" culture...

This work is actually some of the most important work we could be doing while we are alive. A volunteer firefighter on Whidbey Island who happens to be Buddhist once told me that in his religious thought, birth was the difficult part; "death is easy, because we have the rest of our lives to prepare for it!" he commented. So, it is critical that we find ways to create courage and speak creatively around these still unpopular and rather taboo topics.

Recently, I was online, visiting a local death midwife's website, and I found this most beautiful poem called "All Soul's Day". Thank you, Marilyn Strong and D.H. Lawrence, for reminding me how gentle we need to be around our dying; and how necessary it is to be ready for it when it comes. I love the idea of helping each other prepare a "little ship" for our voyage to the great beyond. I invite you, too, to savor this delightfully creative verse about death and the hereafter:

Be careful, then, and be gentle about death.
For it is hard to die, it is difficult to go through
The door, even when it opens.
And the poor dead, when they have left the walled
And silvery city of the now hopeless body
Where are they to go, Oh where are they to go?
They linger in the shadow of the earth.
The earth's long conical shadow is full of souls
That cannot find the way across the sea of change.
Be kind, Oh be kind to your dead
And give them a little encouragement
And help them to build their little ship of death.
For the soul has a long, long journey after death
To the sweet home of pure oblivion.
Each needs a little ship, a little ship
And the proper store of meal for the longest journey.
Oh, from out of your heart
Provide for your dead once more, equip them
Like departing mariners, lovingly.

-- D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930)

Blessings be upon us as we say goodbye to one year, and welcome in a new and hopeful one -- another death and rebirth experience that can help us prepare for life's last great adventure! Happy "releasing" into 2009, Dancing heart~~~

P.S. If you are local, please note that I will be leading a Day Seminar on "Joyful Transitions" on the second day of the New Year -- this coming Friday -- at the Nonviolent Communication Training Center in the Greenwood Neighborhood of Seattle. Please see details on how to register on the Scheduled Events page of my website.

No One Can Predict What Will Happen

2008-12-21T17:21:00.000-08:00

A lovely synchronistic re-connection happened to me last week. I literally "ran into" a friend I hadn't seen in months at the SF Airport upon heading to the Big Island in Hawaii. My friend is in the midst of caring for his 94-year-old mother who is receiving hospice care. As we talked further about his situation a few days later over some lunch, my friend shared with me that he had made a rather magical connection with a well respected Emergency Care doctor in a coffee shop earlier this year. As soon as this doctor heard that he was caring for his dying mother, she told him the following four things:

1) You are on a severe learning curve;
2) No one can predict what will happen (despite many who may think that they can!);
3) You are under more stress than you think you are; and
4) You must do things to take care of your stress, both for you and for the sake of your mother who you are caring for.

My friend acknowledged that he has used the doctor's words as his mantra as he's been caring for his mother over the course of the year. His mother is very close to death now; and the words still ring true for him. I wanted to share them with you here, as they ring true for me also. As I have mentioned before, if you are caring for a loved one, please remember to take very good care of yourself. Your life (and your loved one's life) depend on it.

Have a wonderful, joyous holy-day season. And Blessed Solstice, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. While on the Big Island, I also met Phillip Jones, a hospice spiritual counselor, psychotherapist, and author of a beautiful book titled Light on Death: The Spiritual Art of Dying. I invite you to take a look at it.

Number One Job for Caregivers: Take Good Care of Yourself!

2008-12-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

Recently I put together an article on Spirituality and Caring for the person dealing with Alzheimer's Disease. As I wrote the article, I realized that the most important thing a caregiver can do is take good care of him or herself, so that they can keep doing the important work of care giving that they do. Here are suggestions I might offer anyone who is caring for their loved one, especially during the holidays.

1) Do you sometimes take time out to grieve and let the emotions flow?
2) Do you have good friends and/or a counselor you can completely “be yourself” with?
3) Do you have a spiritual life that you are developing? It’s good if you have a spiritual community you worship with as well as a private spiritual practice that you honor daily -- or at least frequently -- in your life.
4) How and when do you have fun? Who are the people in your life that you can “play with”? Are there ways that you can foster humor and laughter in your life?
5) How and when do you take time to relax? Did you know that something as simple as holding each of your fingers for 3 – 4 minutes can help you relax (See p. 198 of my 2nd edition book)? You could also take a bath with some Lavender or Frankincense oil sprinkled in to help you relax and connect with Spirit – your inner wealth of joy, peace, harmony, and courage! (Frankincense is a wonderful oil to help your loved one when he or she may be belligerent. Simply place a few drops of it in the palm of your hands, rub your hands together and smell the oil yourself. Then, make sure that you are in close proximity to your loved one and that they get to smell the aroma, too. You should see them relaxing very shortly. Another thing you might try is to visualize your loved one surrounded by the color pink. Pink is a wonderful color to help sooth anyone who is stressed…)
6) Who and what nourishes you? Do you take time to go to classes and/or practice any of your hobbies? Creativity, along with gratitude, is one of the fastest ways out of fear (and depression), so find new and fun ways to be creative in your life.

Here's to you taking better care of yourself in this Season when we celebrate Love. May you always know the Beauty, Love, and Light who you are, Dancing heart~~~

p.s. You might also take a look at the bibliography I offer specifically for the caregiver on pp. 241-242 (2nd edition). Here's the link to the bibliography on my website.

How to Send Holyday Greetings to One Who May Be Very Sick or Facing Death

2008-11-30T20:50:00.001-08:00

I just got this question on email, and I've decided to answer it here as well. I would say first and foremost, write/come from the heart! Be as open and honest as you can be with your friend. Let them know that you are concerned about them, that you wish the best for them, and that you still hope that they might be healed. Remember that there are all kinds of "healing," when you say/write this. And include this feeling as you write. Also, if you are someone who prays, let your friend know that you are praying for them; this almost always means a lot. Perhaps, too, you can remind them that their Spiritual Selves are completely whole and well, and that they can let their Spiritual selves guide and nourish their way...

Please also feel free to visit my website and links here and also share it with others ;) Additionally, I have developed some lovely gift baskets called Soul Baskets for those going through all kinds of transitions! Please visit this website for more information on these. During the month of December, I can send these baskets out with FREE SHIPPING. Just let me know that you saw my message here when you order.

Blessed Advent, and Happy Holydays! Dancing heart~~~

Arizona Trip and Ho'oponopono

2008-11-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

I've been readjusting to being back in the Seattle area after a magnificent trip to the Tucson/Phoenix/Sedona area. What beautiful energies I experienced on this informal Book Tour! Such lovely people nourished me and supported me through ten "gigs" in six days! I truly enjoyed a remarkable time, visiting churches, hospices, and even a bank that hosted me (for hospice volunteers) in Tucson! It renewed my commitment to share the message of my book and work -- I know it is needed in these changing, transformational times. It also reminded me of all the wonderful volunteering spirits that help to make hospice what it is... Thank you to all of you who are reading this who helped and guided me on this recent journey. And may we all be guided and strengthened as we together make the larger journey we are all on in these transformational times.

Upon my return, I met with a soul sister who told me about a healing book called Zero Limits. It's by Joe Vitale and Ihaleakala Hew Len, Ph.D., or "E" for short. It is a book about the Hawaiian Ho'oponopono system that incorporates the four short phrases I referred to a few postings ago -- "I love you," "I'm so sorry," "Please forgive me," and "Thank you." It turns out that these are very powerful phrases that one Hawaiian man used to heal a whole State Hospital in his native state. I will not spoil the fun for you and share any more details here. Let it suffice to say that this one book could change your life in a Huge Way if you practice what it preaches. We are truly in some amazing times with incredibly powerful healing possibilities coming to the fore! May we all keep on keeping on with what we know to be true. May we be encouraged by the new political climate that is afoot and a new incoming president who understands the Oneness of All, too.

Indeed, the times, they are a'changin', and we will be blessed for it and by it! Happy Thanksgiving to each of you, Dancing Heart~~~

The Last Burst of Energy -- in Brilliant Color!

2008-11-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying watching the turning of the seasons in beautiful color these days... some of the trees have some amazingly brilliant, gorgeous colors, they're captivating!

These autumn leaves remind me of how often, in people's lives, too, there's that last hurrah, a final burst of energy expressed just before a person lets go and transitions into the next world. I think back to almost twenty years ago now, when my own mother was dying. She was being cared for at home, by one of my sisters and some very generous women from her church. Essentially, she had been lying in bed and not doing much for the previous two weeks. My sister, who'd been with her for the duration, called up my other sister and me on a Friday to let us know that she felt the time was close for mom's death. She suggested that we both make the trip out to see her if we wanted to say our final goodbyes.

My sister and I both got in on the Saturday before Father's Day to be with our mother. She was still alert enough to greet us and spend some time honoring us with her energy and love, even though there were very few words shared at that point. Although mom was not eating much at that point, she shared a bite of zaru soba, one of her favorite Japanese dishes that we prepared for the gathered family. Dad made the comment "Something's keeping you going, Betty," and my mom opened her eyes wide and spoke one word, "LOVE!" I remember having a strong feeling of her essence that day, something like having the layers of an onion skin peeled away and the core essence of who she really was remaining at the center -- and I was privy to experiencing that center and essence of who my mother truly was and is, even now, in my heart.

The next morning, on Father's Day -- which also happened to be my father's 40th ordination anniversary day -- my mother awoke saying that she wanted to attend church with us. Unfortunately, there was no way to get her to church with us, even though she and dad were living next to the church in the parsonage. As soon as we all got back from church, however, we were able to get mom out of bed and into the living room for an informal indoor picnic. Then, right on cue, a couple that my parents had known and loved for many years, showed up at their doorstep to say hello. They joined our "picnic" and there was more laughter and positive energy shared. That evening I remember thinking: Wow, mom seems to be getting her energy back. Maybe she'll be able to live another week!?!

The next morning, on Monday after Father's Day, my mother took her last breath around 8:30. Clearly, she had rallied the last remaining energy she had for all of us and on our father's special day! What a gift. And what profound beauty we can share with one another, right up until the very last breath of life.

I honor the beauty of the leaves as I honor the beauty of my mother's soul.

A Blessed All Saints Day to you, Dancing heart~~~

The Miracle of Death

2008-10-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently at a Biznik meeting in N. Seattle and started a conversation with someone who's writing about his son who died awhile ago. This conversation made me think of one of the most profound books I've ever read about death, grief, and the afterlife. It's called The Miracle of Death, by Betty J. Kovacs, Ph.D. Betty lost her mother, then her only son, then her husband, all in a matter of a few years. She could have been devastated and lost all reason for living. Instead, she allowed it to open her up to the true meaning of life. She had always had powerful dreams, and after her losses, her dreams became more and more telling. She eventually opened up to be able to communicate with her son and husband on the other side.

Dr. Kovacs is now teaching what she learned from her experiences with death and grief to others through The Kamlak Center. She is one courageous woman who is helping to show us the way through these transformational times we're living through.

I have just recently interviewed with Darren Main, a fellow author through Findhorn Press. It was a very good interview, as Darren has done his homework in the area of death & dying. He understands the anamoly of death (and grief) in our culture. I invite you to listen to our conversation here.

May we each be open to exploring the deaths and griefs that come into our lives such that we can ride the waves of transformation that are knocking on our doors on a fairly frequent and intense basis these days! Dancing Heart~~~

We're All in this Hospice Experience Together!

2008-10-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

I have said in the past that we're all going through a kind of "hospice experience" in our lives these days. In the last few weeks, as the powerful money institutions of the world are beginning to crumble, I'm sensing even more that this is a time for profound change on our planet. We are beginning to realize, and wake up to our senses, that we cannot base our lives on the material aspects of life. If we are "spiritual beings having a human experience," then it's the spiritual that we can truly trust and make our foundation.

This past weekend I had the good fortune to work with an amazing healer and hypno-therapist named Yvonne Oswald. She is a remarkable woman who embodies what she teaches. Her book is called Every Word Has Power, and it is one of the most practical and profound books I've ever read to help me change my way of thinking and being. As I learn from Yvonne and read and practice what she shares in her book, I'm literally shifting myself from negative thought patterns to positive ones. And it is creating a difference in my life! I'm a happier person as I tune into the true essence of who I really am, and as I love myself, forgive myself, and am more gentle and nourishing to myself.

One related exercise that I've learned and am practicing is to spend time telling myself how much I love myself. Besides the phrase "I love you, Dancing Heart (you can substitute your name here)," I'm learning that there are three other simple phrases we can use to honor ourselves: "I'm so sorry," "I forgive you," and "Thank you." These are phrases that as children, we yearned to hear more. However, due to the reality on the planet, most of us never got to hear these powerful, loving phrases as much as we needed. This is why we need to let ourselves hear these words now, as adults who can also honor the Inner Child within.

In these times of deep change, I invite you to find new ways to honor and love yourself, however those opportunities may come to you. By the way, I would invite you to visit Yvonne's website, too. Abundance, Joyful Blessings! Dancing Heart~~~

P.S. Don't forget: I offer wonderful Soul Baskets for anyone going through a time of transition in their lives, at my website, www.soulbaskets.com!

How can we reach the doctors?

2008-09-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled across some fax numbers for nursing directors across the country. One of the numbers I called turned out to be for a clinic, so the receptionist at the other end of the line kindly gave me the phone number for the local hospital. I was able to reach a nurse through the hospital operator. After briefly mentioning to her the title and some information about my book, she responded: "So have you found a way to reach the doctors?"

What an insightful question... This one nurse's words have been ringing in my ears. It seems that the key to creating space for death in our hospitals is to get through to the doctors. A medical social worker who works at a cancer center commented that doctors can hear you better individually more than they can in a group setting. And perhaps especially when a doctor is moving through his or her own personal loss or transition, they are more likely to appreciate the need to "make space" for grief and death -- not only in their lives, but in hospitals as well.

One of the most hopeful aspects in this regard is the possibility that medical schools and younger doctors are changing, recognizing the need to have a different kind of relationship with death. I've heard that today there is more education around palliative care and hospice in medical schools compared to what there used to be. Along these lines, I've discovered a wonderful book by a young surgeon named Pauline W. Chen. Her book is called FINAL EXAM: A Surgeon's Reflections on Mortality.

May we all become more aware of how we push death (and grief) aside in our lives. May we create new ways to incorporate it more fully into our lives by honoring it making a new space for it. And when the opportunity arises, I encourage you to have conversations around this topic with your physicians, and healers of all kinds, for that matter!

Deep Blessings of Peace and Hope, Dancing Heart~~~

Feeling Our Feelings, Holding Deep Compassion

2008-09-13T07:31:00.000-07:00

Recently, I came across these sentences from a very fine book called The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, by Sogyal Rinpoche. They are sentences that remind us how important our feelings are:

Don't waste the love and grief it arouses; the moment you feel compassion welling up in you, don't brush it aside, don't shrug it off and try quickly to return to 'normal', don't be afraid of the feeling or embarrassed by it, allow yourself to be distracted from it or let it run aground in apathy. Be vulnerable; use that quick, bright up rush of compassion; focus on it, go deep into your heart and meditate on it, develop it, enhance and deepen it. By doing this you will realize how blind you have been to suffering.

These words remind me of a counselor who used to challenge me, when my heart was moved and the tears would well up in my eyes, to "Stay with what you're feeling." lt was usually a challenge to do so, because my tendency is to go back to my brain, go back to analyzing and being where I'm comfortable (in my head), where I can "be in control," I suppose. However, whenever I could and did stay with the feelings, there was a sense of release and healing that would come.

This weekend I'm involved with a Landmark Forum, a few intense days I've set apart for myself to examine some of the things that "I don't know that I don't know" -- the unconscious, if you will -- with a community of courageous people. Yesterday, our fearless leader shared a very personal story and was moved to tears. He shared his tears and his being moved openly with us. Other men in the group also shared their tears. It was very powerful and moving to experience especially these men I did not know share their intimate feelings so freely and honestly.

It always feels powerful and important to me to experience people allowing their feelings to be present and real. Too often in our society we are trained to hold our feelings inside, not to share what we're really feeling. Somehow we've made it okay to think, but not so okay to feel.

I encourage you to notice and BE with your feelings in these days of great change and transformation. They will be your guide into the future. Trust your feelings... they can guide you to the Deep Compassion that resides within you. They may even open doors that you never even knew existed!

Blessings on the Journey, Dancing Heart~~~

The Healing Power of Essential Oils

2008-09-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was reminded of the power of essential oils, especially to help us through transitions, while reading something that I came across through a piece I'd received through a friend: "One evening, I was burning essential oil in my bathroom. Somewhere between lighting the candle and smelling the oil, I had a vision. It was just a flash, but I saw a death ceremony from another time. I didn't get any details on the people at the ceremony, but I did pick up on their determined knowledge to send the smell of the oils, with the recently deceased, up to the heavens."

The fact is, these healing oils have been around for a very long time and have been used for many purposes, including ceremonial and at the end of life. Frankincense has been considered a most healing oil and a oil to help us connect with Spirit since the ancient of days. There is no mistake that Jesus received this oil that was considered more valuable than gold from the three wise men at the time of his birth. Myrrh is also a powerfully healing oil, associated particularly with the skin; here again, there's no mistake that Jesus was gifted this oil at the time of his birth, a reminder that it would be needed at the time of his burial. Many of the scriptural oils such as Cedarwood, Spikenard -- the oil Mary Magdalene used to anoint Jesus, Myrtle, Hyssop, Sandalwood, and Rose of Sharon are very helpful oils to use when one is ill, needing refreshment, or getting ready to depart this world. I highly recommend that you go to the Essential Oil Page on my website to see more about on the protocols for a variety of oils. Then, you may go to the Young Living website to order some of the oils, using my distributor #: 705841. Or contact me, and I can help you sign up with Young Living over the phone.

If you would like to read about one of the most powerful and mystical experiences I had surrounding a death using the oils, you may go to pp. 178 - 180 of the 2nd edition of my book. The whole section on Aromatherapy shares some important information on the history of the oils and their use. Another idea would be to go to my other Soul Baskets website and purchase a Soul Basket that has some of these wonderful oils included in them. If you call me directly at (888) 409-1678, I can offer you a variety of the oils separately, too. (Usually, they are $10 per bottle, and I'm now offering some new blends like Release and Thieves as well.)

Stay Beautiful, and Keep Shining! Dancing Heart~~~

Visit to an Amazing Hospital in Stockton, CA

2008-08-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

This past week I was invited to attend a kick-off for a "No One Dies Alone" Hospice Volunteer Program at the Community Hospice in Modesto, CA. It was a beautiful event and I was honored to be a part of it. It reminded me of how volunteers are the true heart of hospice. They are such dedicated and loving, spiritually motivated souls who do this work. It is always inspiring to be among them -- and all hospice workers, for that matter.

On my way home to Seattle, I also had the honor to speak informally with a group involved with palliative care at the St. Joseph's Medical Center in Stockton, CA. I was greatly impressed by this group, especially because of how they seem to be promoting the body-mind-spirit connection, not only among their cancer patients, but also among their entire staff at the hospital.

I heard that very recently, during the course of a day, they had 155 staff members receive hands-on Reiki treatments from practitioners who made themselves available to them. Hospital staff being cared for in this way is something I'd not heard of before. This is truly a sign of our times! We are not only learning about, but also practicing new ways to care for the caregiver in ways that help us connect the body, mind, and spirit. This is most encouraging and enlightening to me. Is there anything like this going on in your corner of the world? If so, I'd love to hear about it.

By the way, if you'd like to know more about Reiki, a form of "laying on of hands" healing using light and energy that originated in Japan, you can go to pp. 206 - 207 in my book, THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE (2nd ed.). Or, you could visit this website for more information.

Deep Blessings of Hope and Healing, Dancing Heart~~~

Listening to Silence

2008-08-25T06:47:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this poem that I came across by James Dillet Freeman before I head for Modesto, CA today. I'll be sharing with a hospice volunteer group that's starting up a "No One Dies Alone" program -- a wonderful way to make sure that every single person has support at the very end of their lives! Here's the poem:

There is a music just in being still,
A sound of silence that you only hear
When you are in attunement with God's will
And listen in your soul, not with your ear.
Then comes a blessedness that is not sound
Or soundlessness, and you become aware
Of the beauty that is always all around
Us and the truth that is forever everywhere.

How are you honoring the Silence in your life?!?

Also, I've just begun preparing some U-tubes to go on my website. I hope to have some of them up within the month. Have a blessed day filled with Gratitude and Deep Blessings, Dancing Heart~~~

DAY SEMINARS -- First One This Sunday in Bellingham!

2008-08-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

As a way to teach and help people move through the grief and forgiveness (life review) work in my book, I am starting to offer Day Seminars. These will be interactive and transformative, addressing questions such as: 1) What or who do I need to grieve and let go of in my life right now? 2) Who do I need to forgive in my life at this time to help me live more fully in the moment? and 3) What are some ways that could help me relax and bring more Joy and Delight into my life right now? You will be given time to delve into an old grief and spend some reflective time with it. We will then share in dyads, then as a larger group. We will do the same around some forgiveness issue you are dealing with. Then, I will share some relaxation and healing tools from the book so you will experience these first hand. If time permits, we will view together a magnificent film called Appointment with the Wise Old Dog: Dream Images in a Time of Crisis by David Blum, a musician and conductor who shares his drawings of a series of inspirational dreams he had during a long period that he lived with cancer.

These "Joyful Transitions" seminars would be especially helpful for someone moving through a grief, caregivers, or someone who has a friend or family member who is troubled, sick, or dying. But actually, anyone interested in joining us could benefit from these seminars because we all have grief and forgiveness work to do! And the more we let go of these, the more freedom we have to live in the NOW.

If you are interested in attending the first of these seminars in Bellingham this Sunday (24th), please contact me immediately. Otherwise, there will be others coming up in the Puget Sound area soon. Please go to the "Schedulted Events" page of my website to see the details. Also, if you or your organization would like to host a day seminar, please contact me and we will arrange one.

Enjoy these last days of summer, Dancing Heart~~~

The Call -- Awakening the Angelic Human (or the Divine Self)

2008-08-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

This week, I would like to introduce you to some information from a friend and colleague that you may find very helpful at this time. In the present earth's culture, the message of the soul is largely gone unheard and ignored. Often the doors of transition open and close before a person has the opportunity to reveal the message encoded within cellular memory.

In her book, The Call ~ Awakening the Angelic Human, Toni Sar'h Petrinovich defines the physical embodiment of the gifts that each person carries – the actual reason that he or she made the decision to incarnate into earth and distribute a particular message before resuming life in the etheric realm. "Angel" means "messenger". Each person living in earth is that messenger as the choice to awaken to the delivery of the message is consciously chosen.

Have you heard the subtle voice of your soul speaking through your heart? Do you wish to answer The Call inviting you to unfold the attributes actually contained within your DNA? Now is the time! Read The Call – Awakening the Angelic Human to understand the ease in which you consciously become the messenger – an Angelic Human.

To order: www.sacredspaceswa.com/Angelic Human

Blessings of Light, Love, and Understanding, Dancing Heart~~~

Gangaji on "Facing Death"

2008-08-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I learned about a most remarkable piece through my friend and faculty member at Daytona Beach Community College that's available for viewing, on line. It is called "Facing Death," and in it, Gangaji, an awakened woman shares her truth about the Gift of Death and Grief in a powerful way. After an introduction, she sits with half a dozen people who are in some kind of deep pain to allow them the space to be with that pain. When you have some time, I highly recommend that you view it here.

Gangaji was born in Texas in 1942, into a noncommunicative alcoholic family. She grew up in Mississippi without a happy childhood. Even after she moved to S.F. as an adult, she continued searching for truth, and a teacher who could point her in the right direction. Finally, her prayers were answered in 1990 -- 48 years after her birth -- when she met Poonjaji, a disciple of Ramana Marharshi, in India. Her new teacher pointed out that she herself was "freedom" and "truth." This realization and looking into her new teacher's eyes transformed Gangaji.

Following the Advaita, or nondualistic tradition, Gangaji directs her students to ask again and again "Who Am I?" To be quiet, and fully present in the moment. To be willing to surrender wholeheartedly the sense of personal identification, acquisition, and doing. To stop trying and instead, not go anywhere -- the secret of going deeper. There is nothing to accomplish. All that is asked of us is to BE, in the current, present time, attending to what is happening right now.

When I encountered Gangaji online, I was deeply moved. I feel as if I have found my teacher and mentor. Thank you John, and thank you Gangaji, for the gifts you offer me at this time in my life. May the Gift of Death and Grief show you who you really are -- a beautiful Child of the Universe!

In Love and Light, Dancing Heart~~~

Synchronicities Abound -- through essential oils, of all things!

2008-07-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had a delightful synchronicity take place related to the Soul Baskets that I sell in conjunction with my book. I got a call from a woman who was looking for a Young Living essential oils distributor. Her elderly cat named Gandalf was getting weak and close to dying, and Andrea had heard of a YL blend called "Release" that can help at the end of life. She had called to see if she might purchase a bottle of this oil through me.

Well, we got to talking, and in the process, I couldn't help but share about my book and the Soul Baskets (naturally :). She was most interested, and eventually decided to purchase a Soul Basket for herself and Gandalf. I didn't have a whole bottle of Release on hand, but I was happy to include the small amount of Release oil that I happened to have remaining in a bottle with the Soul Basket that I sent her. She was delighted; and I got the Basket off to her in a timely manner.

After a few days (the weekend) had passed, I gave her a call, wondering what had happened. Well, it turned out that things had gone amazingly well for dear Gandalf's crossing over; and Andrea was just thinking about being in touch with me, she said. We talked for quite awhile, and Andrea let me know how grateful she was for the Soul Basket and the customized ingredients I had sent her. Thanks to Andrea's inner wisdom and guidance, and a little help from Gandalf and the oils and music, Andrea said that she had had one of the most powerful experiences of her life! Her very special and close companion -- practically soulmate of a cat -- Gandolf, taught her how peaceful and graceful the passage into death can be. One of the key things she shared was that she let Gandalf guide her, because she didn't really know what to do. (She didn't consider herself an expert on death.) The other key piece she shared was how peaceful and even joy-filled about the whole experience she felt. There have been some moments of grief, she explained, but very little sadness and sorrow around the whole experience, and even now, a couple of days afterward.

I feel deeply honored and grateful to have been a part of the process of this dear woman and her wise old cat's bidding their final farewells to one another. What an amazing, mystical experience death and life are! And how gifted we are to be blessed by one another, animals and humans, too. Enjoy your life, and keep shining!

Love and Blessings to you each, Dancing Heart~~~

p.s. Andrea promised to write the first testimonial for my Soul Baskets website, so do keep your eye out for that.

Happy Inter-dependence Day!

2008-07-04T12:57:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends, I have never quite been able to fully appreciate the name of today's holiday, Independence Day. Perhaps this has something to do with growing up in Japan and knowing on some level that we cannot live independently from one another? The challenge of our modern lives seems to be about maintaining some sense of self and independence from others, but also being aware that we very much need one another to live happy and fulfilled lives.

Recently I have been a Book Study facilitator at a retirement facility. We have been having some lively discussions around my book and related topics. One day we were talking about the sections of the retirement home and how there was an Independent Living section and an Assisted Living section. As we talked, we came upon the reality that no one there really lives "independently". In fact, the truth is that the longer a person lives in such a place, the more dependent they become on others. So, why not coin the term "Inter-dependent Living" for that section of the facility, rather than Independent Living? And perhaps something similar could be said for this day in our country: Perhaps it's time to call this day Inter-dependence Day, acknowledging that our country cannot live completely independently from any other country in the world? After all, we are all inter-connected through the One Spirit, the One Source of All!

The Flowering of the Heart: The Greatest Gift of These Times

2008-06-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

I attended a Heart Math workshop this past Sunday and learned some amazing things. Our hearts are so much more powerful than we realize! If even a small portion of the world's human beings became truly aware and knowledgeable about the potential of our "heart power," we could change how we live life on the planet in a big way. For instance, if women who are even vaguely thinking about becoming pregnant focused on the state of their hearts before, during, and after their pregnancies, they could help create a huge positive effect on the kind of children who are born into this world. And this would over time create a powerful impact on all life on earth.

This focus and learning around the heart has had me reflecting back on one of the most powerful and hopeful passages in my book that also happens to be my favorite. This passage represents "new words" spoken by Jesus through the artist and author Glenda Green in her work, LOVE NEVER ENDS: Jesus Speaks, referring to the flowering of the Sacred Heart. I will let these words speak for themselves:

"'The long era of judgment has been man's darkest night, but that will end soon when the last judgment has been made. The last judgment will be the judgment against judgment itself. At that time, human consciousness at last will rise in splendor like a valiant bridegroom to join his bride, the Sacred Heart. This is the Holy Wedding which has been the dream of prophets. After this marriage occurs, there will be peace on earth. In the meantime, it is your right to seek a betterment of life in all the ways that are available to you. Enjoy every opportunity for positive change. Make the most of every day.'" (p. 81, 2nd edition, THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE)

I hope and pray that each of us will be learning more and more about the power of the heart and the Sacred Heart within the heart, where I've learned that we can connect with everything, the Oneness of All. (We can begin by taking the simple step of focusing on the heart when breathing and recalling a pleasant experience that we've had as we do so.) As we focus on and take care of our hearts, we will help them flower and come back to life!

May you notice the flowering of your heart in these days. And may focusing on the well being of your heart be your special gift to yourself and others in these changing, growing times.

Helping People Through the Transition

2008-06-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes people are at a loss as to what to do or say when their loved one is very close to death. Actually, you don't have to do much. Sitting and quietly BEING with your loved one is probably the most important thing you can do.

If you feel that you'd like to speak words, you might quietly encourage your loved one on their journey by repeating phrases like "Go to the Light. Follow the Love and Light that you know is waiting for you... Remember the Love and Light who you are. God/dess will be waiting for you with their Love and Light. Watch for the Love and the Light." If you would like longer scripts to use, I recommend Bruce Goldberg's Before and After Death Meditations that can be found in his book, Peaceful Transition. My book introduces his General Meditation and Before-Death Meditation (see end of Chapter 7). Another beautiful piece I recommend is a piece or incantation from Phyllida Anam-Aire's book, A Celtic Book of Dying, on pp. 113 - 115.

Most of all, however, focus on your heart and send the love in your heart to your Beloved. They will feel your love and be able to trust their process more readily, knowing that your love is with them all the way.

Have a most Blessed and Bright Summer Solstice, Dancing Heart

Recording of Recent Presentation Now Available

2008-06-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

The 2nd edition of THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE has now been released, and I had my first book presentation since its release earlier this week. The theme is around my new focus: "JOYFUL TRANSITIONS -- Bringing Death Back to Life," and I share some of the well-kept secrets of hospice.

It's been recorded so that you can listen to it. If you're interested, please go to www.ferryfolk.com. Then, scroll down to where my picture is under "Whidbey Writers Assn. Open House." Just beneath my picture is the recording. You can press the bent arrow to hear the recording (about an hour).

Blessings of Deep Peace, Grace, and Understanding, Dancing Heart~~~

p.s. Please pass this info on to anyone who you feel might appreciate. Also, please send me an email with any feedback you have. I'm still learning as I go ... ;)

New Second Edition Coming Out!

2008-05-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

Just two days ago, I received the very first copies of the New Second Edition of my book, THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE: Sacred Resources for Living and Dying from a Hospice Counselor! Wow, how exciting. It was so thrilling to have this beautiful new book in my hands -- truly, a bit like giving birth to a new being! I felt awed, humbled, deeply grateful, and incredibly joyful and thrilled all at the same time. It is wonderful to know that the information I have compiled will be getting out to the world in this new and unique way.

Findhorn Press has done a terrific job: The book has a tighter look than the first edition, a little more subdued and expressive of the bittersweet aspect of death/grief that combines with life/love/joy to make up the whole. It does include some new material, including some pieces that I've gathered from friends and co-workers in the field of death, grief, and healing. I invite you to see this new work for yourself. You can go to my website (www.thelastadventureoflife.com) or to Amazon.com for more info. Better yet, go to your local bookstore and order a copy :)

Many Blessings to you on this Memorial Day, Dancing Heart~~~

The Tragedy in Myanmar

2008-05-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

The current situation in Myanmar is indeed a travesty. A military government is keeping people from the assist they need. A sad turn of events like this effects us all -- we all feel the grief of this unfortunate turn of events.

I encourage us all to keep Myanmar and its people regularly in our prayers. May we especially pray for the government leaders, that somehow they will see it in their hearts to open up the channels of communication with the rest of the world and receive the help they so desperately need. It heals the whole world when we are allowed to help one another, give and receive love.

Let me take this opportunity to share below the 10 tips for grieving that I outline in my book, The Last Adventure of Life. Many of us are grieving for a variety of reasons at this critical time on Earth. May we each learn to take care of ourselves and one another in new and deeper ways.

Ten Ways to Move Through Grief

1. Take one day at a time, doing one thing at a time.
2. It's good to let the tears flow. If you need to excuse yourself and find privacy, do so. Do not "stuff" your feelings.
3. Let go of the idea of "normalcy." When you're in grief, normal time goes out the window. Since it's a crazy time, strive to see the adventure and opportunities in it. See if you can enjoy doing things and "being" in new and creating ways.
4. Prepare yourself for other losses. Everything is undergoing a change in your life.
5. Ask for what you need. Remember to process your grief with friends, counselors, and whoever will listen.
6. Exercise as much as possible. It's good to keep the emotions and energy moving.
7. Sleep when you can or need to. You may become exhausted at time.
8. Don't forget to eat! Easily done, but your body and stamina will pay a price.
9. Reconnect with Spirit; and seek out new ways to develop your spirituality. Learn to meditate, for example! This could be one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself when you are going through a change of any kind.
10. Honor your memories and your intuition. By the way, meditating will strengthen your intuition.
-- THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE, p. 209

In a couple of weeks, a 2nd edition of The Last Adventure of Life is coming out through Findhorn Press of Scotland! Thank you, in advance, for asking your local bookstore or library to review and possibly carry a copy.

Seeds of Compassion and Beauty Being Sown in Seattle and Environs

2008-04-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

I have just had three remarkable days of receiving through the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama here in the Puget Sound Area. I was aware that he was coming, but I had no idea how personally touched and moved I would be...

Two days ago, on Thursday, I was to have lunch with a wonderful woman I hadn't seen in over a year. She called me in the morning to say that a sand mandala was being made in the Monti Cristo Hotel in downtown Everett (just a couple miles from where we had planned to meet), and would I like to meet her there before going out for lunch? I had no idea about this until Lynette called to let me know! We met at the Hotel mentioned above to watch two gracious, humble Tibetan monks (from the Dalai Lama's own monastery, Ithaca, NY branch) work on the most beautiful mandala -- representing the quality of compassion -- I have ever seen. It was so beautiful that it made me weep.

I was so taken by the experience of seeing this mandala in the making that I decided to take my daughter to see it the next day. They were going to have a "dismantling ceremony" for the mandala at 4PM, so my daughter and I went to see the completed mandala just before the appointed time. The small lobby of the Hotel was filled with the hum and beauty of a diverse group of people. The ceremony of taking the mandala "down" was a very thoughtful and reflective one, honoring of everything and everyone who had helped to create the experience, as well as those who had participated by coming to see and take part in the receiving of its beauty. There was a deeply reverent quality to the whole experience, and again, I was moved to tears. Clearly, the entire area around the Monti Cristo Hotel was blessed by this gentle, thoughtful, and heart-felt creation and later dissolution of the Compassion Mandala. (The colored sand, by the way, was placed in a beautiful glass vase, then covered with an ornate "hat" and textile covering that made it almost look like a large doll, and was later released into the Everett Harbor. Some people even caravaned to the appointed place to witness this process.)

Then today, thanks to a generous healer and friend of mine, I was gifted tickets to attend His Holiness's talk on "Seeds of Compassion," held at the Qwest Field Events Center in the South end of Seattle. There were around 55,000 people who attended this powerful event from across our state. Many people from all cultures and diverse groups came from the four corners of Washington. Two hundred drummers opened this gathering with a powerful rhythm symbolizing the Heart of Mother Earth. It was deeply inspiring to hear from so many, including His Holiness, about how we can plant Seeds of Compassion, especially as we connect with our children. How we care and honor our children is a testament to how we are living our lives. Our children reflect the abundance (or lack thereof) of our compassion. We were all encouraged to find and commit to new ways of connecting with our hearts, with the present moment, and to create more gentle moments to be human -- to connect one to another, from heart to heart.

These three days have opened up my heart and helped me to see that indeed, there is a new rhythm blessing our world today, a rhythm that is more gentle, more humble, more creative and healing. I sense that we are all opening up to the Seeds of Beauty and Compassion that reside deep in our souls. May Peace, Hope, and Compassion prevail on Earth, Dancing Heart

A Bittersweet Holy Week

2008-03-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

Blessings to you on this Good Friday. It's been awhile since I've blogged, and today I was reflecting on what a "full" and bittersweet week this is. We are in Holy Week, the week in which in the Christian Church we honor and remember the events surrounding Jesus' death. It is a week usually filled with remembering the grief and heaviness of what humanity did to life's finest prophet, and how Jesus had to endure it all. On the other hand, this particular week we have also celebrated St. Patrick's Day and the first day of Spring. And then on Sunday, Christians will celebrate the joy of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ! These are festive days, full of hope and celebration of the Earth.

Sometimes the fullness of life comes together, and the joy and the sadness get all mixed up. These days seem rather intense like that. I sense that there's a lot of change going on; and many of us are feeling the effects of this. A week like this reminds us of how life can be very full, intense, and bittersweet, too -- sometimes all at the same time.

May your springtime be full of meaningful new beginnings, and have a joyous, wondrous Easter celebration!!!

The True Gift of Kindness

2008-01-24T12:35:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I was reminded of the most generous gift that kindness can be. I had received some difficult news the day before yesterday. Then, yesterday morning I had to go and see an ophthalmologist for the first time, related to my driver's license and an eye condition I have. Honestly, I was feeling quite fragile in the morning and not particularly eager to meet a brand new doctor. However, once I met Dr. Rachel, I immediately began to feel better. My new eye doctor turned out to be one of the most kind, gentle people I've met. Her considerate nature opened my heart and almost brought me to tears on a couple of occasions. We even had a lovely conversation around how she came to be an ophthalmologist.

This experience brought back memories of another day late last year when kindness had meant so much: My daughter and I were returning from a vacation in Sedona, AZ. We took a little too long getting a bite to eat at the airport and due to a long line in security, ended up missing our flight. It turned out that we had to spend a good part of the day at the airport.

On that day, too, I became very aware of all the kindness that was offered me throughout the day. It made all the difference in the world. The thoughtful, gracious behavior of complete strangers made a most challenging day palatable. It forced me to dive inside myself and develop more patience and love for myself and those around me. I especially recall meeting a man who had just lost his brother and was on his way to the funeral. He had such kind things to say about hospice and hospice workers... it warmed my heart!

The next time you meet someone, especially a stranger, please do not underestimate how your kindness might make a difference in their lives. I invite you to give them the benefit of the doubt; treat them as you would want them to treat you. Honor them, love them, and find commonalities with them, as they will notice how they are treated and feel the difference.

Blessings of Love, deLight, and Kindness, Dancing Heart

The Gift of the Fluidity and Flexibility of Water

2008-01-08T21:03:00.000-08:00

Happy 2008! And what a year it promises to be... I can feel some very new energy coming in -- can you? The synchronicities and "magic" seem to be happening at an accelerated pace now. One of the pieces of magic that's happened in my life is that a dear friend placed a copy of The Expected One (by Kathleen McGowan) in my hands at the very end of last year. It's a historical fiction narrative about Mary Magdalene and her "lost gospel". I've hardly been able to put the book down as we enter 2008; and it's literally been changing the way I view myself and the world. I highly recommend it to you if you are drawn at all to the goddess material that's resurfacing in our world today.

Speaking of change, this promises to be year of more creative change. A key symbol for the energy and consciousness our world is moving toward is water. (See p. 256 in my book for more.) This year, I encourage us all to meditate on the element of water. This will provide us with some keys as to how to move with the changes. Water flows, with grace and flexibility. It does not force, but rather moves around and with all that it encounters. Water deserves our deepest respect and gratitude -- even as it causes tremendous havoc in some parts of our world, sometimes even in our own neighborhoods. As we contemplate the gift of water, we are encouraged to go with the flow, move forward joyously, with flexibility and ease, enjoying the buoyancy. We might also ask water to connect us more deeply to our subconscious aspect, the feminine part of ourselves rich with symbols and images, represented by the dream world.

May 2008 create more fertile ground in each one of us for new growth and change. May we move with the changes, rather than resist, making our lives easier and more fun along the way. Deep Peace, Flexibility, and deLight, Dancing Heart

The Good Gets Even Better as We Create More Happiness

2007-12-24T18:14:00.000-08:00

Hello, Friends! And Happy Christmas. On this Christmas Eve I wanted to direct you to a website of the woman who has created the new cover to the 2nd edition of my work, THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE. This edition will be coming out in spring of '08, through Findhorn Press of Scotland.

The artist for the new cover is Cathy Bennett and her website is: www.artwalaroad.com. I invite you to have a look at her first two pieces: The first is a lovely piece about creating more happiness in our lives -- such an appropriate message for our times and for the holy days, too! The second piece shares a little bit about the new cover and how Cathy came about being the artist for it. You can actually see the cover on her website, too...

Here's to our Good getting even better in this Christmastide and year's end! And in 2008, may we all be about creating more and more joy and happiness in our lives. It's the only way to go -- not to mention moving Out of the Box! Stay beautiful, as my spiritual director used to say. And don't forget to smile :)

Infinite Blessings of Peace, Light, Hope and deLight, Dancing Heart

Transformation thru Stepping Outside the Box

2007-12-07T11:59:00.000-08:00

On June 25th I wrote about an experience I had with Richard Bartlett and Matrix Energetics. Well, now I have had a whole weekend experience with Matrix Energetics, and I can honestly say that it is profoundly changing my life for the better. I've been healing (releasing) many layers of both physical and emotional "stuff" in my life for several years now. And perhaps I was building up to this. However, there's something very special about Matrix Energetics and its ability to help strengthen you in stepping out of the box to heal, to bring joy and magic back into your life.

As I've mentioned in my work, the whole world is "on hospice" these days because things as we know them are not working well on our planet. As long as we continue to "remain in our boxes," doing things the way we're used to doing them, life on planet Earth is not going to change. I believe that the transformative power lies in being able to courageously step outside of the box and try some new things.

One of the signatures of Richard Bartlett is his wonderful sense of humor, his lightness of being. He works closely with the dolphins and the whales, and this energy is apparent when he works, or rather plays with people. Some would call him a weirdo or a "crazy man," but I choose to see his craziness as exactly what we need in these times.

I encourage you to go to www.matrixenergetics.com and see for yourself. Or better yet, purchase Richard's book Matrix Energetics or attend an introductory (free) session to get the idea of what he does. It's likely to change your life for good! Thank you, Richard, and all who are involved in teaching this transformative work...

The Celtic View

2007-11-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

I met a delightful man named Hans this morning on a walk I had on a nature trail. I had stopped in my tracks to pay attention to the hum of energy that the birds and wild life had created in that little corner of the world. Our poignant conversation about life, death, and the current state of the Earth reminded me of the Celtic view of death that I share with people sometimes. I've heard it said that the Celts say that a person needs to die before they die, so that when they die they don't have to die! In other words, if we can overcome our fears around death and truly know "in our bones" that there is much more than meets the eye on this precious earth, then when we are actually dying, we will be convicted that there is another chapter of life ahead of us. The need to tense up around the so-called end of life could be eliminated.

This way of embracing death is reminiscent of the wise woman who inspired the title of my book. I met her early on in my hospice work, a woman who'd lived through great challenges in her life and who was now living through the end-stages of lung cancer. She said to me one day, after giving up eating any food (although she kept the fluids and oxygen going), "I'm looking forward to the last adventure of life." Wow, I thought at that time, if only everyone could have this attitude toward the next chapter of life!

How do you view your life, death, and life-after-life? Can you see any possibility of seeing the end of life as a new adventure in living? I pray for all of us, that our "inner eyes" can see and our "inner ears" hear what is available for the seeing, hearing, and believing! May our lives be enriched and en-couraged as we face with openness and trust, the mystery of death -- which may not be as scary as we think it is, after all...

A Most Blessed All Hallows' Eve to You

2007-10-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and "Beloveds,"

Many blessings to you on this most special night (The Irish called this the "Vigil of Saman," as the Celtic feast of the dead was known as Samhain.) when we remember those who have gone before us. Their spirits are very close to us, especially at this time of the year...

I've been getting a smaller pocketbook size version of my book ready for distribution and use in my new Soul Baskets business. In this process, I've come across a most interesting "spirit" named Ramprasad. Ramprasad was born in West Bengal in 1718. He was very well educated, but he had no interest in the material life. He was devoted to the Divine Mother, and as a humble accountant, he would write the Mother's name all over the ledgers he handled. His employer recognized a "saint in the making" through this, and sent Ramprasad home with a promise to support him and his family.

Ramprasad is known to have waded into the Ganges River and sing songs in honor of the Mother. River boats going up and down this great River would pause and listen to his songs; it is said that people dying on the banks of the Ganges would ask Ramprasad to sing to them, too. He even became a favorite of the local king! Here's one of his poems that I share in my new booklet version of The Last Adventure of Life:

Listen with inward ear to the music
of her wisdom, teaching all creation.
With inward eye visualize her brilliant name,
Flowing across your heart in letters of molten gold.

Happy Halloween :) Dancing Heart

P.S. If you're interested in seeing my mini-book, just email me at Dancingheart22@gmail.com and let me know. They're selling for $4.50 (plus shipping and handling).

All Our Stuff!

2007-10-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make: I'm most grateful for the move/transformation I'm involved in just now as it is forcing me to sift through all the "stuff" I have. It's way too much for one household! I'm in the process of weeding through everything, but it takes time and effort. How much easier it would be if I were less encumbered. I'm reminded of a friend of mine who also grew up in Japan and then lived in India for a time. She said that one person only needed 2 boxes full of stuff that they could pack up and move -- at short notice.

Recently, I was at a neighborhood bookstore and wow, there's so much "stuff" in the bookstores, too! We Americans sure do have a lot of STUFF. I find myself reflecting on my daughter telling me about a conversation she overheard in which two men were having a talk about religion: One of them referred to the fact that we all have "spiritual cancer." Interesting analogy for the traditional word "sin"... I guess one could say that sometimes our glut of material possessions does get in the way and creates barriers to our spiritual wellness. What is it that gets in the way for you to move forward in a good way? What do you need to clear out of your household to feel less encumbered and more at ease to take the next step in your life?

On a lighter note, at the bookstore I found a most wonderful new book: It's called eat, pray, love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I started browsing the pages and found it beautifully written and "choreographed," using the numerology of prayer beads. Elizabeth traveled to three different countries -- Italy, India, and Indonesia -- in one year, and shares a rich collection of stories from her encounters around the world. It looks like one of those books that strengthens and enriches, especially reminding us that in the end, LOVE Is All That Matters.

Signs of Change

2007-10-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

As I enjoy the magnificent colors bedecking the trees these days, I am reminded that autumn is here. It is also a reminder of the inevitability of change, death, and transformation. Eventually, all the colorful leaves must let go of the branches, just as one day, we must all release from this earthly existence!

Speaking of change, there are two healthy signs of change I've discovered recently that I'd like to call your attention to: One is a book by a physician Pauline Chen entitled Final Exam (a Borzoi Book, 2007). I havde just started to read this book, but not only is it a good read, it promises to be the best (and only!) book I've read by a surgeon so far. Pauline gives us an "inside view" of medical school and doctors' training such that we learn why death is handled the way it is in hospitals and the health care system today. This in turn makes me think of Rabbi Schachter-Shalomi who says that it's only in the last 100 years that death and birth have been "pathologized" by having been taken into the hospital.

The other is a movie I read about in Parade Magazine. It's called The Bucket List and will be coming out this Christmas. It stars Morgan Freeman, a mechanic who befriends Jack Nicholson, a billionaire. The interesting twist is that they both receive a terminal cancer diagnosis. Bob Reiner has said about the film: "It's not a downer;" rather, "It's about living your life and finding joy." Hmmm... sounds a bit like my book, don't you think?!?

Enjoy autumn -- with all it's colors, changes, and transforming life! dancing heart

Books, Books, and More Books!

2007-09-26T10:33:00.000-07:00

There are so many good books to read! And sometimes not enough time to do them justice. I would like to share two of my favorites (besides The Last Adventure of Life) that I often find myself recommending to hospice families and co-workers. They are: Final Gifts and Embraced by the Light. Final Gifts is written by two hospice nurses, describing some of the spiritual and mystical experiences they have had as they serve their people and families. It is beautiful, heart-felt, and a wonderful read. So is Embraced by the Light, an easy read about one woman's near death experience. Betty Eadie recalls an astonishing amount from a very short and profound experience she had after surgery one day. The book is a testament to the power of love, hope, and the interconnectedness of all. I sometimes read portions of these books to people who are dealing with fears around their dying; and this seems to ease their anxiety and fear. In fact, you will find small portions from these books in my book, too.

Let me know if you have books that stand out for you in this area. Which titles have helped you cope with your fears around death and dying, or grief? What are your favorites, and why? There is so much education still needed in this aspect of life in our culture.

Blessings of Abundance and Peace on this Full Harvest Moon Day! May we recognize the true gift that being alive is; and may we never take our lives on Earth for granted, dancing heart

Skinship

2007-09-01T21:34:00.000-07:00

Receiving a loving and heart-felt massage today -- in the midst of our move! -- I am reminded of the power of human touch to heal and rejuvenate. This is especially true when someone is dying, seriously ill, and/or going through a transition of any kind. Please do not underestimate the power of your presence, your love, and your touch when you are with your loved ones and those you are caring for. Of course you want to make certain that this is what the person you're caring for wants, but often a foot or hand massage, or simply holding their hand can mean a great deal and bring tremendous peace a comfort to the one being cared for.

Speaking of which, I am also reminded of hearing about persons who have climbed into bed with their beloveds who are dying. This can be a gesture that brings great satisfaction to both individuals involved. There is reference made to this at the end of the recent film out called Evening, a movie about the timeless love between mothers and daughters. And by the way, I highly recommend this film to anyone who is caring for their loved one as he or she is ill or dying. Our American culture needs encouragement and creative ideas in the area of "conscious dying," and Evening offers both. Blessings of love, courage, and hope in the midst of your caregiving and honoring the power of touch! Remember to hug often :)

Breakthrough, and Changes in the Air!

2007-08-22T22:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a Red Letter Day for me: Not only did I sign papers for a new condo on the Mainland that we're moving to soon, but I also got a contract worked out with Findhorn Press in Scotland who will be publishing a 2nd edition of my book next spring! Wow, talk about changes in the air... I have been waiting for this for a long time; it's all very exciting and energizing.

At this time, I'm also getting ready to launch a new business related to my book. It is a Soul (Gift) Basket business that will incorporate some of the healing tools in Chapter 11 of The Last Adventure of Life. I will develop "healing tool kits" for those who are grieving, caregiving, dealing with a health crisis, and/or end-of-life transitions. The kits (I will be using furoshikis to bring a Japanese flavor to them) will include things like: a small pocketbook version of my book, some Young Living essential oils, a music and/or meditation CD, a candle, and the like. They will be kits that will help "embody" what I write about in my book. Families and friends will be able to honor one another using the items, and they will also help with honoring and encouraging ritual during transitional times.

If you are interested in trying a basket out, please let me know. I'd love to custom design something for you, or try out one of my new ideas. Also, please let me know if you'd like an autographed copy of my book. These books will no longer be available after the end of this year!

Thanks for all your support and prayers, too... during this new adventure of my own :)

How to "Start the Conversation"

2007-08-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know that there are people who are actually dying to have a conversation around the topic of death and dying?!? We live in a culture that still shuns death, but I've discovered through my work with hospice that there are many who are open to having this discussion; in fact, some are just waiting for someone to "open the door" and give them permission to speak about this subject -- the Last Taboo in America -- that may be weighing heavily on their mind. These people may even give you clues as to their interest in this topic. For example, they might make some innocuous comment about someone who's died, or they might ask you a question about a relative or friend that you know has already crossed over.

I have three recommendations I would pose in this regard: First, tune in to your inner knowing. Your intuition will let you know when is the best time to open the door to this conversation. Pray or meditate, and ask for guidance, which always follows. Second, remember the courage that is in you. It is not necessarily easy to have a conversation that is uncomfortable for many. Making sure you are approaching this topic with courage and openness will insure that you will not miss opportunities to say what needs saying or respond with honesty and grit.

Finally, do not be afraid to ask creative, even probing questions -- in a gentle way, of course. When the seriously ill or dying person asks a question involving death, rather than skirting the issue of brushing it off, let them know you are open to going deeper. Ask them why they are asking the question, or what significance the person they mentioned has in their life at this time. If it seems appropriate, you might even ask them what they imagine heaven to be like, or what it might feel like for them to be reunited with a loved one who has died.

The Healing Codes

2007-07-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

I've recently discovered The Healing Codes. They are tremendous! They are helping me to put the finishing touches on my physical and emotional healing.

I highly recommend that no matter what your life challenges are right now, whether they be mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical, go to www.thehealingcodes.com and see if this site speaks to you. My belief is that no matter what, we could all benefit from doing The Healing Codes! And they are so simple to do. They involve placing your hands on or near parts of your face and head and releasing old belief systems by doing so. The Healing Codes are likely to bring more health, wealth, and happiness into your life -- most of all, increased joy and well being. Go to The Healing Codes website and see for yourself. Then, let me know how your life changes as you work these Codes. For me, they have been just like Magic!

Summer blessings of peace and abundance. (If you're in Connecticut, you can see me at the Yale Barnes & Noble Bookstore on Harry Potter Day -- this coming Sat.!)

Enjoying Myself!

2007-07-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

With all this new healing energy coming in to me these days, and with change in the air, yesterday I decided to put together a "fun" bio of myself -- for the underwriter of my new home! Here's what came out:

It is with sheer pleasure and delight that I introduce to you the Rev. Maria Dancing Heart Hoaglund, a warm, gracious woman of spirit, magic, and awesome power! She's one of the gentle women of the Earth who's leading our fragile world toward wholeness, peace, and harmony.

Maria was born and raised in Japan and is totally bilingual and bicultural. She can move gracefully between the two cultures, and has tutored as well as taught both languages in both countries. She has also served as an interpreter and translator, sometimes in hospitals and clinic settings; she's also served as tour guide for Japanese folk visiting the United States and Canada.

Maria is multi-faceted: Due to her deep interest in spirituality, she attended seminary and became a Christian minister. She served as a parish minister (with the United Church of Christ) for ten years in parishes in Hawaii as well as the Great Northwest. Although she no longer serves a parish, Maria is sometimes found preaching, leading worship, conducting weddings, funerals, memorial services, baptisms, and the like.

About twelve years ago Maria stumbled upon her true passion, hospice spiritual and bereavement counseling. After serving as a hospice worker for six years, she felt compelled to start compiling a book entitled "The Last Adventure of Life: Sacred Resources for Transition." After four years of dedication to this project, she self-published the work just two years ago. This book is bound to knock anyone's socks off! It is a rich collection of stories, poetry, and spiritual material that will allay most people's fears around death and dying, not to mention grief. Everywhere Dancing Heart takes her book, it seems to sell effortlessly. Many spiritual seekers are letting her know how much they appreciate her putting this collection together. Dancing Heart's book could be featured on The Oprah Winphrey Show any day now :)

Dancing Heart is getting herself ready to meet Oprah by leading and facilitating workshops, classes, and retreats on the spiritual life and end-of-life care. She also consults and guides people who are interested in growing spiritually. She thinks "outside the box"; she has universal appeal and a deep and abiding passion for world peace. Currently, her book is being prepared for a second edition by a unique publishing house in Findhorn, Scotland. Dancing Heart is also preparing for some true Magic when she will share her work at her alma mater at the Yale Barnes and Noble on Harry Potter Day (!) in just over a week. Please remain on the lookout for her on Oprah. You'll recognize her as the one dressed in purple. If you're lucky, you may even see her donning her gorgeous purple hat!

Shared in the spirit of deep Hope, Love, and abiding Light.

Light, Joy, and Laughter

2007-06-25T08:31:00.001-07:00

As I reflect on the awakening and healing journey I'm on these days, I notice that three things stand out as particular blessings. The first of these is LIGHT. Light, for some time now, has been my symbol for God/dess, All That Is. The other morning I was up on my "perch," just below an eagle's perch, looking out at the Clinton Beach toward Everett and Camano Island. The early morning sun was out full force, and I received a magnificent light show on the ripples of the water. I was mesmerized by the beauty and delight of the bouncing light -- not unlike a fireworks display, except in broad daylight! It fed my soul as I remembered that I, too, am Light, at the core of my being.

The second blessing for me these days is JOY. I am reminded that at any moment, I can go within and tune in to the joy, love, and peace that resides in the All of Life. While going through some of my books to weed some of them out, The Joy Book popped out of a bookcase. This is a very bright yellow book with blue letters on it. I had read and used much of it some years ago; it's been a delight to find and use at this particular time in my life as well. Just having it out and seeing it on my table is a joy!

The third and final blessing for me these days is humor, and along with it LAUGHTER. When I can remember the humor, the ironies, and the "lightness of being" in my life, this helps me stay in the joyful, "lighter" aspect of life. While at an introductory session with Richard Bartlett of Matrix Energetics recently, something rather special occurred. An older gentleman got up to work (play!) with Richard. Richard did his special "magic" on the man -- the way only Richard can -- and pretty soon the man was on the floor, chuckling and laughing his head off. I found myself quickly "catching the fever" and laughing, too. The man kept laughing and giggling, on and off, while Richard kept talking rather humorously, which is his nature to do. I kept feeling the urge to laugh, and found great joy and blessing in those minutes! I had not laughed so hard in a long time; just thinking about it now allows me to tune in to the joy and levity again.

In that moment I was reminded of a section in the Mary Poppins movie when Uncle Albert, the old, balding man with glasses, is up near the ceiling, doubled up in laughter. Pretty soon Dick Van Dyke, then Michael and Jane, and even Mary Poppins herself, join Albert up under the ceiling. They even enjoy a tea party together up in the rafters! What an absolute delight. I've been able to locate the movie now, so I can tune in to this "laughter medicine" whenever I need it.

What is it that encourages you to stay tuned to the joy, peace, and love around you? Even in the midst of challenges, and changing, uncertain circumstances, we can choose to maintain the "higher frequencies" of life, like light, joie de vivre, and laughter. They help to heal and release us from those things that might otherwise get us bogged down. May we learn to find and stay in the higher frequencies... By the way, Richard says that "Frequency 16" is the frequency of the whales and the dolphins, some of my favorite creatures :)

The Gift of Change

2007-06-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

It’s most interesting that I have rather suddenly been thrust in the middle of a major change this month; it does seem to be a month full of “shifts”! Due to my daughter’s educational needs, we find ourselves needing to move back to the Mainland. So, we are house hunting, getting ready to place our home on the market, and preparing to relocate. Day by day, I’m realizing what a huge undertaking this all is. It takes a little extra effort some days to keep my equilibrium.

However, change has much to offer in the way of opportunities. Without change, we could stagnate, we might lose the excitement and “tension” of life; life could get mighty boring without the changes and interruptions that come up. This move that my daughter and I are embarking on is offering us another opportunity to let go of the old and embrace a new adventure. Literally, we are going through our belongings and discarding what we no longer need. It’s a wonderful opportunity to clear out the clutter and simplify, focus our lives. It is also an opportunity to do new things we didn’t earlier realize that we could do, and face our fears and doubts around old beliefs and thought patterns.

There’s a parallel here with what happens at the end of our lives. When we prepare to die, we are preparing for a new adventure on a very large scale. And we don’t have to go house hunting, either; the “spiritual home” where we’re headed is already prepared and waiting for us J The Tibetan Buddhists remind us that all goodbyes and experiences of “letting go” are a preparation for the Great Letting Go, our “graduation,” if you will, from the Earth plane. So if we can consciously be aware of this through our smaller goodbyes, how strengthening this can be: All of our grief work becomes part of our spiritual growth.

Thank you, Infinite Life, for the gift and opportunities for growth that change brings.

Living Outside the Box

2007-06-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

I would bet that most, if not every one of you reading this are living "outside the box," at least in some aspect of your life. Like attracts like; and as I grow older and hopefully wiser, I'm discovering how happier I'm becoming with living and expressing my own truth. This often includes living outside "the box" of my culture and religion.

This theme has been on my mind during the past week as I encounter some courageous individuals who are living their truth, "outside the box," people like Richard Bartlett (of Matrix Energetics), Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who was recently released from prison after eight years(!), and Vanessa Redgrave. I happened to see her interview on "60 Minutes" last Sunday. Whether I agree with all of what these dear people believe and what they stand for or not, I am aware that they stand as beacons of hope and light for me in these days of great transformation.

As I come in touch with people who live outside the box, it reminds me of my own courage and conviction to live my life out of my own truth and integrity. Perhaps this is one of the most important things I can do with my life? Although it is sometimes uncomfortable (at least in the cultural or tribal sense) to live "true to your own person and wisdom," how else, truly, can we live? Today I want to salute all my heroes and sheroes who are living lives of courage, wisdom, and grace! Life is too short to live any other way. Thank you for all your inspiration, Dear Friends!

No Judgment; Only Love = Abundance for All

2007-05-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

In Chapter 6 (on Reflection) of my book I write quite a bit on the importance of developing a non-judgmental attitude at the end of life. But why wait until our death-beds to "clean up" our lives? The Present Moment is what's important, so why not start letting go of as many judgments as possible right now?

Our country and the collective consciousness has become so stressful that even the bees don't want to live here any more... there's more than enough "drama" and stress being created these days. To counteract this, we can ask to have more joy and peace come to us. In my own experience, what's been most helpful is that I've asked and intended for more joy to come into my life. As soon as I asked for more Joy to come into my life, it started to come. And it continues to do so. Same with abundance. As peace and joy come back into my life, so does abundance.

One person who's helped me expand in this area is Bret Treadwell. He's taught me about "the jars" and the Autobiographical Feedback Language and more abundant ways to use and invest my dollars. If you're interested in learning more about his work and how to train your neuro-linguistic patterns to behave differently, I invite you to go to www.treadwelltechnologies.com.

Patricia Cota-Robles always ties Peace and Abundance together. I'm becoming a firm believer that as peace (both inner and outer) becomes a reality on the planet, so will abundance. One friend recently suggested that one day money will not even be needed because there will be plenty for all. This is true already; we just need to tune in to that reality.

Happy non-judgmental thinking to you! And may Peace and Abundance prevail in your life and in All Life Everywhere.

An affirmation for your use: My perfection is handling all imperfection perfectly :)

Resting in the Love-Light Presence

2007-05-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

You've probably heard of the book or movie that's causing a great sensation around the world today. It's called "The Secret," and it's about a Universal Law called the Law of Attraction. A couple of months ago I was watching an Oprah show in which some of the creators of "The Secret" were sharing their experiences. One of the guests said something that made a deep impression on me. They said that during a mystical experience they observed a beautiful Love-Light Presence encircling every human being! I invite you to imagine this for a moment -- a beautiful Love-Light Presence around every single human being on the planet. Wow! If we only could be aware of this Presence, each and every moment and day of our lives... Perhaps this is one of the blessings of meditation, where we can take the time each day, even 5 or 10 minutes, to rest in our own Love-Light Presence, to remember this Presence which nourishes and guides us every single day of our lives.

One of the movements in my healing these days is to move from my tendency to excessively "do" to more generously "be" in my life. This is why I'm spending more time on the beach, doing energy work, daydreaming, and yes, meditating, too. By my cultural standards I sometimes feel as though I'm "wasting my time." However, my inner knowing tells me otherwise: I'm actually doing what's most important in my life right now -- to cultivate and honor my Inner Presence and Being. This heightened awareness of Who I Am is strengthening and healing me. I'm tuning in to a power I was not aware of before -- a more subtle and energetic power that is mystical, but at the same time very real.

Are you connected to this power/presence in you? Do you ever take the time to rest in your Love-Light Presence? It's worth taking the time to do this, however you choose to do so. If you'd like to see a magnificent picture of this, I invite you to go to www.saintgermainpress.com. Go into the "I Am" Teachings section and look for "The Mighty I Am Presence." I guarantee that you'll have a new sense of who you really are.

Blessings of Peace and deLight; Peace is prevailing on Earth!

Radical Self Care

2007-05-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

I heard the term "radical self care" while attending a healing class with my Hawaiian teacher recently. One of the participants was sharing what she's focusing on these days -- taking excellent care of herself! Wow, my ears perked up. Having come through a round-about healing journey myself, I commend anyone who is honoring themselves and placing their undivided attention on personal care. Most of us caregivers need to do more of this; it's really the most important thing we could be doing in these days of rapid change. Imagine a world in which everyone took very good care of themselves first: In body, mind, and spirit. What a peaceful and "whole" place the Earth could be, as we all cherished and honored ourselves first.

What is something you could do, today, or at the latest tomorrow, to take better care of yourself? Remember, you're the only one who really knows you and how best to take care of you. Whatever comes to mind, I en-courage you to take action on it, as soon as possible. You and your needs are the most important thing in the world; believe it, and know it. Some of the things I am doing these days -- as much as possible, every day -- to take care of me are: Walking the beach, or a beautiful place, spending some time writing or "being creative," cleaning and organizing my "stuff," and meditating or doing some kind of energy work first thing in the morning. It's also been helping to tone with (the chakras). I find that it helps me move into a "higher vibration" whenever I can do this. Sometimes I use a CD by Osho called Chakra Sounds Meditation which my teacher White Eagle (keeper of the Grandmother Drum) told me about. Blessings of Abundance and Peace to you as you move toward radical self care :)

Happy Mothers Day!

Music That Opens the Heart

2007-05-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

In my search for deeper healing and wholeness, I have rediscovered the power of music. I have always loved music; my mother loved classical music, so I often heard it at home while growing up. Now, whenever I hear particular pieces by Bach, for instance, I am reminded of my mom and sometimes am even moved to tears. Music connects us to our Sacred Heart and therefore the honoring of the Oneness.

There's a particular musician from Ireland who's recently come to my attention. Her name is Denise Hagan; her new CD is called For Those Who Hear. For me, Denise's music is profound. It "awakens" and heals me on some level as I listen to it. The first night that I sat down and really payed attention to the lyrics and the whole experience of the music, I wept; my heart was pushed open. I believe this has to do with the spiritual alignment of Denise's pieces. The words and the music combine so powerfully to connect me to the Divine. If you're interested in hearing a touch of this magnificent music, I invite you to visit www.denisehagan.com. I would love to hear from you if you have heard any music that brings you this kind of joy.

Hospice Work/Play IS the Work/Play for Our Times!

2007-05-01T20:56:00.000-07:00

The more I reflect and pay attention to my life and the world around me these days, the more I realize that what we need in our world could be called "hospice work." Most of us are carrying around more inner grief and "junk" with us than we are aware of at any given time. If not personal grief, there is the collective grief of wars faught, abuse and torture perpetrated -- the underbelly and shadow-side of life that is difficult to escape these days.

It is my personal experience that the more I become aware of my grief and express and release it, the more free and whole I become so as to be able to live more fully in the Present Moment. Not too long ago, I discovered a very deep grief-and-betrayal pattern in my life that had gradually shut down my heart. After this, I believe it became habitual for me to live and operate predominantly in my head -- and in judgment -- more of the time than I care to admit. Only as this reality came into my awareness have I been able to gradually release the pain and grief (and the old pattern) and begin to open up my heart (Love and Joy!) again. (No accident, I guess, that Spirit gave me the name "Dancing Heart" some years ago.)

Therefore, the next time you become aware of a grief, betrayal pattern, or old wound, I invite you to not push it away. Rather, be curious. Invite it in, befriend it, and see what wisdom it might have to share with you. It could be the catalyst to re-open your heart. As we know, the heart, especially the Sacred Heart that connects us to the Oneness of All, is full of grace and wisdom; it is also the Seat of Love.

I've been reading a powerful book by Ken and Treya Wilber called Grace and Grit. In this moving work, Ken's beloved Treya tells about one of their spiritual teachers Da Free John, who encourages people to "practice the wound of love." The point is that the ego tends to want to avoid relationship. It reacts and contracts away from relationship, defending itself against what it sees as insults or hurts. If we can stop reacting, rejecting, and punishing others, we would be much better off. We must continue to love and keep from dramatizing a situation as betrayal, allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and "suffering ourselves to be wounded" (forgive!). This reminds me of the song sung by Mary Black, written by Steve Cooney, that I've included in my book at the end of Chapter 6 (Reflect), called "Bless the Road". It's a haunting, moving song that could uplift anyone who's dying or "leaving" a relationship or place; but it's actually one of the most generous-hearted (parting) love songs I've ever heard. Another popular song along these lines that I've been hearing on the radio is "The Heart of the Matter", sung by India.Arie (originally Don Henley): "I think it's about forgiveness, forgiveness... Even if, even if you don't love me anymore."

[By the way, I learned today that Dr. Richard Bartlett of Matrix Energetics (see entry below) has just released his first book called Matrix Energetics, which promptly sold out on Amazon!]

Happy May, dancing heart

Finding Help and Motivation to Release Emotional Baggage

2007-04-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

Hello, Friends of THE LAST ADVENTURE OF LIFE. I'm learning these days very personally how challenging it can be to really change, I mean shift old habits into new, more positive and joyful patterns. I seem to be unpacking layers and layers of old stuff ("junk") to let go of -- old heart aches, hurt, and judgments of the self, too. People and events that I thought I'd long ago let go of seem to be still "hanging around" and need a kind of "house cleaning."

I've found at least four ways I can help motivate myself to let go of the old "garbage" in my life. In case you might be struggling with some shifts in your life, too, I offer these suggestions as ideas you might play with (note the word "play" -- I feel it's important to get away from heaviness and seriousness these days as much as possible!):

Work with a trusted teacher and/or healer who can help you bring up and release things that need releasing. Matrix Energetics is a new healing modality that's helping me tremendously!

Check out the book or website Radical Forgiveness. This is a book by Colin Tipping, mentioned in Chapter 6 (Reflect) of my book, which helped me look at forgiveness in a whole new way. I began to see that there was a pattern in my life that kept coming up. Instead of feeling sorry for myself or victimized by this pattern, I learned to see it as an overall misconception that needed to be healed. Colin's website offers a worksheet that you can use to work on this. Relatedly, I recently attended a forgiveness workship with Dr.Carol Scott-Kassner connected with Spiritual Eldering. Carol names the people who we need to radically forgive as the "severe teachers" of our lives. Question to ponder: Who have been the Severe Teachers of our lives? Are there ways you can begin to forgive and release them?

Another book that has helped me immensely is Feelings Buried Alive Never Die..., by Karol K. Truman. In her book Karol offers a "Script" which can be used to help release old negative belief patterns that have bound us up. By using this Script over and over, repeating it to oneself with feeling, one can gradually release old negative patterns of judgment, anger, self-criticism, and/or self-hatred, for example. You may also want to visit Karol's website.

Essential oils are a wonderful, fun, and creative way to work with releasing old feelings. For starters, I invite you to go to the YL Oils page on this site and order some of the oils that you are attracted to. Some oils which I have found very helpful are: VALOR, FORGIVENESS, RELEASE, and JOY blends, or FRANKINCENSE, LAVENDER, BERGAMOT, and SAGE single oils. At first, I would invite you to simply start using them and enjoy getting them out and playing with them. Later, I can offer you a more refined way of using them. There's a book that VisionWare Press publishes called Releaving Emotional Patterns with Essential Oils, by Carolyn L. Mein, D.C. that has bundles of information on how to use the oils in this releasing process.

Finally, let me suggest an exercise I learned from my teacher Iolani Grace Emmanuel: Think of a negative pattern or behavior in your life that you are ready to release. After you get very clear about what this is, write it down or share it with a partner or friend who you trust. Then, every time that pattern or behavior comes up, be prepared to "LOVE IT FREE"! We can embrace and then LOVE these patterns and behaviors FREE from our lives -- what a concept! Blessed releasing... as we move toward Heaven, and lighter states of being.

P.S. I have recently returned from Guatemala where I spent a beautiful two weeks with the Grandmother Drum, her drum keeper White Eagle, and new friends honoring and celebrating the Oneness and Interconnectedness of All! To look at some of my reflections related to this adventure, click here. Visit The Whirling Rainbow Foundation for more details on the Grandmother Drum Project, and see this story that was posted from our trip related to the Law of Attraction. Here's a link to see some beautiful pictures related to the story and websites I shared above.