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~~~
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Death as Life Coach
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~~~
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~~~
Monday, February 2, 2009
"and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:06)
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~~~
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~~~
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Want to Expand Your Consciousness? Work/Volunteer for Hospice!
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~~~
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~~~
Monday, January 19, 2009
Hope and Joy Coming Back...
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.
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.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Words for the Bereaved -- Some Suggestions
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~~~
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~~~
Sunday, December 28, 2008
An En-Couraging Verse -- "All Soul's Day"
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.
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.
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