Puppy!

For years, I have wanted a dog. For some reason, it was never the right time, but I think puppies are like babies ~ there is never going to be a "perfect" time to have either come into your life! Our new addition arrived on Saturday, her name is Tetley and she is eight weeks old. She is adjusting to our home pretty quickly, and is figuring out the routine already.

Our cat is less than impressed. In fact, I think she is quite shaken, but perhaps there is a lesson in this for her. Perhaps she will learn how to deal with dogs she doesn't know once she learns to deal with Tetley. I suppose we all have our chosen paths. I am trying to be compassionate toward her, but it is hard when she is scratching at my bedroom door all hours of the night. She'll soon figure out that Tetley is confined to the crate at night, and poses no threat, aside from the sound of her occasional howling.

The kids love her most when she is calm, and often go and talk to her when she's sleeping. She can be a bit rough with the kids, but she'll learn. I am constantly telling her what her boundaries are, and I think she'll start getting it over the next few months. Having babies has taught me that a month is a tiny droplet into the huge pond of my life.

Getting Tetley at this time may not have been the most well laid plan, but the rewards are greatly outweighing any downside. When I see her running around with the kids, laughing and playing, I feel so much joy. I am so excited for the possibilities that exist with having a dog, because dogs know how to have a good time! I am really looking forward to taking her trail running in the Spring ~ she will love it and so will I!

Sure, I have to wake up a few times in the night to let her have a pee. And sometimes she howls and cries when she's lonely, bored or frustrated. But Tetley is helping me to live for the moment, and I am a better human for that.

The Reflective Power of Autumn

I find myself in a space of contemplation today. Perhaps it is the beautiful fall weather ~ crisp, cold and reflective.

As I get older, I find myself going with the flow of my life, rather than struggling to attain that which I do not have. On another day, a year or so ago, I wouldn't have felt comfortable with the silence of the afternoon. Today, I feel so comfortable and so at peace with who I am; with who I have become in the past year.

In writing this blog, I always try to be as honest with myself and you, the reader, as I possibly can. I am a spiritual being having a human experience. For me, it is so important to remember this truth. We are here to experience every single aspect of being human ~ the innocence, the naivety, the failures and the successes.

My oldest child will be four years old this month, and I find myself amazed that so much time has gone by. I am so grateful that I have stayed home with my children because I am having the time of my life. My children bring me so much joy everyday. I am so lucky. Soon I will be coming into a time when I will have to begin letting go of them. Thankfully that day is not today.

Enjoy your Fall.

Subtlety

I have been meditating for the past three weeks, and patiently waiting for some results to show. I'm not sure what I expected, but I realized this morning that the changes have been taking place, however subtle. During my waking hours, I feel much more present to the moment, and I am wholly enjoying the experience of being in that space. I have started to notice more details in the faces of my children, and I feel as though I am in tandem with their joyful natures.

For me, meditation is beginning to feel like I am "plugging in" to our vast Universe. Although I haven't had any brilliant insights, or spontaneous healing moments, I can still feel my soul stepping in tune to the Universe. It is a slow, subtle process that involves much patience, but it is absolutely worth my time.

My husband bought me a great book for my birthday titled "The Meditation Bible". The first meditation noted in this book is titled "Watching Your Breath". Apparently it is the first meditation taught to Buddhists.

Get comfortable. Sit cross legged if you can, or sit in a chair with your back straight. Place the tip of your index finger on the tip of your thumb, forming an O. Relax your mind. Bring awareness to your breath, and when you're ready, begin counting your out breath from 1 - 10. Then start again at one. If thoughts begin to surface, send them off as clouds or as helium balloons.

Try meditating for 10 minutes a day, or as long as you can handle it. Come back to me in a few weeks, and tell me how it's going!

Breakthrough

About a year ago, I got this urge to seek out other healers in my community. Licious and I had been exchanging healing treatments for several months, and I really started to crave the company of more healers. It was more than just a selfish desire, it was this tug from the Universe to reach out to others, and to create something that we all needed. I only knew one other woman who practiced Reiki, by acquaintance, but I knew there were others. By a wonderful coincidence, I began to grow closer to this person, and eventually I told her about this idea for a healers' gathering. She really liked the idea, and we just started planning it.

What struck me when I began planning the night was how easily it all came together. The vision I had been given was one where we all collaborated our efforts to elevate the night. We all sat as equals in that circle, providing energy to support one another. We had a guided meditation, a chanting session, and a healing circle. Each one of these exercises was guided by a different person, lovingly giving a gift of themselves.

This event went exactly the way I'd envisioned it. It wasn't difficult to plan, there was no trouble getting people to attend, and I faced absolutely no roadblocks at all. I went with this original inspired thought, to putting the plan in motion, visualizing what would happen and what it would feel like, to being in that moment, and it was an absolute success! It felt so right, from beginning to end.

I would like to live the rest of my life like that, with the certainty that everything would turn out the way I envisioned it. Of course, that is probably not a possibility, with me being human and everything :o) But perhaps I have learned a little secret ... If you live your live with certainty, but without expectation, the road can only lead to bliss!

You've Just Gotta Have Faith!

Today I want to talk about faith. This is a word that we all toss around from time to time, but what does faith really mean? And more importantly, what does faith really feel like?

To me, faith means that you believe in something with all of your heart, mind and soul. Faith can be a moment of clarity, a breakthrough in a meditation, or a sudden peace that comes over you. It is like someone is holding your shoulders, supporting you with the purest love. When you come back to the feeling of faith, it envelops you in a new energy, and gives you the strength to keep going. It really is so important to keep your mind clear, in order to receive messages of reassurance. If you keep your mind open, you will find that faith isn't a one way communication, and it's not just a belief that you have which logically makes sense all of the time. Your spirit guides, angels, animal guides and other helpers will give that same faith back to you, because they want you to be successful in everything that you do.

Does having faith in something mean that you never get to change your mind about it? I personally don't think that it does. Faith is a spiritual term for most, and I believe that ideas based in spirituality must have the ability to adapt to any given situation. Our wants and needs are manifested in strange ways sometimes, and we have to truly believe that we will receive them. Even when the situation seems bleak, with no way for success, the road we are on often leads to bliss ~ We just have to have faith.

Feel Grateful for Everything!

It was my birthday a few days ago, and I had the most amazingly normal day. I decided to have no expectations for the day, and to just enjoy my kids and enjoy my life. I woke up, meditated and took a long shower. My sweet husband made breakfast for us :o) I took the kids for a bike ride with our buddies, then we came back to our place and played in the backyard for a while. I got the chance to catch up with Licious and hear all about her interesting trip back "home" to her roots. The older girls called us up to the top of the yard, they said they had a surprise. :o) We got closer and they threw up handfuls of leaves in the air and said "Happy Birthday!"

In the afternoon I received some phone calls from people interested in attending the Healers' Gathering. I am really enjoying the conversations with these wonderful healers. I feel the newness of healing again, speaking to these women. I believe that this event will be such a great thing for this sweet little town. It's all about the love.

The running theme of my life has truly been Gratitude as of late. I have been feeling the change since I made this switch. With Gratitude running its' roots beneath everything I do, in every second of my life, I will always be blessed with more. I have finally realized that it is I who is responsible for everything I've experienced in my life. All the happiness, all the loss, all the sadness and the love and the broken heartedness. All of it, everything, I made it all happen. With my perceptions, accurate or not. With my judgements. With my fears. I am responsible.

And I am also responsible for the switch!

Creating Community

I have decided to answer a call I've been receiving for some time now. I am organizing a healer's gathering in my community. The vision I keep receiving is one where all energy workers in my community get together to share knowledge, energy and love. I get the feeling that this is not about showing off our talents, but more about creating a sense of community. Practicing energy work can be isolating if you don't have like minded people to share your experiences with. Being able to call someone when you need help interpreting a dream, or guidance with how to proceed with a client is so incredibly comforting.

Already, even before it's begun, people are coming to me with ideas or activities that we can practice at our get together. I can feel the energies of the attendees beginning to gather now, and it feels right! When I first started learning how to practice Reiki, we had a very solid community. A few people took turns hosting Reiki gatherings in their homes, and everyone would give and receive during those times. I wish I could carry that feeling with me wherever I go. I thought that feeling would always be there for me, but of course when I moved to another town ~ it was gone.

We all have a responsibility to create community. Whether it's a knitting club, tennis lessons, art classes, or a dirt biking association ~ Community feels good. Community is also built into the way we treat each other in common places such as the grocery store! If you smile at ten people, you're guaranteed to receive a few back in return. Giving someone that sense of acceptance is an underestimated gift, and the return on the investment of putting yourself out there is immediate. It feels good to give love.

So today, while you are putting gas in your car, or picking up bread at the store, or checking the mail, give someone your love. And when your love is reciprocated, take a moment to really feel the gratitude in your heart. We live in a beautiful place, but it's our friends, our family and our community that make it what it is.

Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again! Have a great day ~ Nicole