Finding the Divine

I have just returned from 10 days in northern Arizona, which is a land of raw delight and beauty.  My intention had simply been to have a vacation with a dear friend, to visit places that I haven't seen since I was 7, and to witness a few more that I had never seen at all.  Well, that all changed the moment we arrived at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  We stopped walking, our jaws dropped, and tears started to flow. Holy Mother of God- I think were the exact words- how to explain the feeling of minuteness, of awe, of complete discorientation.  Was I important in the grand scheme of things?  Nope.  Was my heart breaking?  Yup.  Could I fly across?  Maybe! Could I jump?  Perhaps!  As Raven demonstrated so perfectly to me, feel free to free fall, there is always an updraft.  That is a metaphor, my dears, and an important one!

We travelled on to Sedona where I climbed Cathedral Rock, which is a female energy vortex.  It was quite a scramble for me to make it to the top, but I did so, and I am justifiably proud of my body for getting me up there (and back down)!  I have rarely been so "high" as I felt once there.  The view was expansive and broad, and was mimicked by my grin.  The energy was palpable: supportive, grounding, and nurturing, and my Hara and center connected even more deeply to the earth.  I felt opened, peaceful, and soft- a fresh, new, wholeness.

Then on to Canyon de Chelly- where the ancients have walked, and now the Dine (Navajo) do.  The stains of tears run down the walls of the canyon, the ruins of the homes and hearts are still in the caves- but some Dine have homes and livestock in the canyon bottom, and are making a living guiding tours of all types.  This is a place of perseverance, of grief, of hope, and of god.  Raven visited me again, encouraging me to take the left fork.  To follow him.  Yes!  I called back... I'm coming.  That is the road less travelled...

This may seem a rambling monologue, but I am changed by my time in these three places.  I have witnessed the divine in our Mother Earth, and I now feel that around me, swirling with love and power, holding with peace and calm.  Grateful is not a big enough word.  Feel free to free fall, there is always an updraft.  Take the left fork.

It takes a village

Loulu is a beautiful 4 year old Pomeranian, with an exuberance and joy for life that is contagious. Her fluffy red coat, her sparkling dark eyes, her dancing feet, and her gentle being- all of these make it impossible to be with her and not feel an expansion of my heart and a smile on my face. 

She has not always looked this bright!  Over a year ago she started showing signs of GI issues, with nausea, coughing, vomiting, and gagging.  Her dedicated human partner stopped at nothing to try to find out what was going on with her beloved Pom. Her team did ultrasounds, X-Rays, GI scopes, medications, and although there was not a clear cut root cause for all of these issues, it was discovered that she had a narrowing (perhaps weakening) of the trachea, and obvious signs of GI inflammation and acid reflux. Loulu was put on hyper allergenic food, probiotics, Omeprazole and several other supportive supplements. There was some improvement, but not enough.

Visits to a holistic Veterinarian added in acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, and Chinese medicines.  Again, this was all supportive and further improvement was seen for Loulu, but she was still unhappy much of the time and struggling more than she should.

Her mom decided to not accept this as the new normal, and to explore an additional path.  She called me to come and offer Reiki to Loulu.  I immediately felt like I was coming in at just the right time, with the perfect backdrop of information and modalities already in place.  Upon arrival, Loulu climbed right into my lap and sniffed me all over.  She was fascinated by the energy that I was putting out, and was very comfortable with me in her home. 

Reiki offers a peaceful, healing vibration, through a form of meditation, that works within the body of the recipient to release any fears, blockages, pain, etc. and allow their being to heal in the way that is perfect for them right in the moment.  This may not be a cure, but it will always offer relaxation, ease, balance- all with the intention of supporting the body/mind/spirit for healing, in whatever way is needed.

Well Loulu needed this Reiki energy!  She soaked it up, and showed significant improvement immediately.  I have been seeing her for several months now, and although she has had some setbacks, and still has spells where her body is challenging her, over all she is much better!  She is still taking some medications as well as receiving periodic chiropractic adjustments, but we are now able to spread the Reiki sessions out to every 2-3 weeks.  Her eyes are bright, there is a spring in her step, and a great willingness to go for walks and explore.  

It is a pleasure to arrive at Loulu’s and be greeted with such anticipation and joy!  To watch her become calm and balanced, to witness her trust and openness, and receive her gratitude as we finish up is deeply humbling for me. 

It really does take a village to do this kind of work- a passionate and dedicated guardian, conventional and holistic viewpoints and skills, energy healing modalities that complement the whole picture.  I am honored to be part of Loulu’s team, and to share this Reiki energy with her.  May her healing path continue and her inner light expand even further.

March madness- my style

March is a challenging month for those of us who live in the frozen northeast.  We are craving warmth, turning our faces toward the bits of sunlight, yearning to move free of the constraints of coats, boots, mittens.  For some it is possible to get away to someplace where the sun shines, where we can get sand between our toes, where shorts, suits, and sunblock, are all that is needed for covering our skin.  For others we must create and nurture that feeling of opening and unfurling from home.
May I suggest you throw an armload of logs on your fire and get your living room toasty warm, put on some dancing tunes, and move your body?  Pull out your blender and blend up a collection of fresh fruit and juices and feel the influx of healing energy and vitamin C. Run a warm bath with epsom salts and essential oils that make you feel invigorated and hopeful.  Perhaps Lemon and Rosemary?  Or Lavender and Frankincense if you are in search of relaxing oils?
What a fabulous way to spend an afternoon or evening and I assure you that you will feel like you had a mini vacation. Shall we make a plan to do this each Sunday until the crocuses bloom?  Works for me... see you on the dance floor!