Luminous Heart Reiki & Massage

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guidance

  • My day unfolded much differently than expected. A client wasn’t feeling well and postponed her session, allowing me to choose the course of my afternoon. I decided to do a few chores before heading to the woods for my nature therapy session. And once I was there, I felt a nudge to try a different path, hoping it might help me navigate the neighborhood while avoiding automobiles. Looking back, I now believe these seemingly random events were setting me up for a treat later.

    About the time I realized that this path led me nowhere I wanted to go, I had the thought that it had been weeks since I’d seen any critters bigger than a squirrel. I sent a silent petition out to the universe to bless me with a wild animal sighting.

    The wind picked up and I decided it was time to head home. Just as I crossed the bridge back into familiar territory, I heard the sound of a large body crashing through the underbrush. I was certain that it wasn’t human as we’re all treading lightly these days. The snow has melted in some spots, is melting in others, but mostly was partially melted and then frozen over, making it quite slick. Hopeful that my wish had been granted, I looked around and spotted a deer across the way.

    I texted a friend that I’d sent out the request and had been granted the sight of the rump of a deer, supposing that was good enough for a Thursday afternoon. As soon as I pushed send, I saw two other white tails bobbing along. I texted again, “Make that TWO more rumps!” As soon as I pushed send, I heard a hawk screech. It’s a sound that always stops me in my tracks. I looked up to see not one, not two, but three of them circling above.

    Naturally, I had to report this development as well, which earned me the reply, “The universe listened.”

    Indeed it did! In fact, it’s always listening! That’s why I endeavor to speak more about what I wish to create than about what I wish to avoid. It’s easy to fill the mind with thoughts of gratitude to break the habit of focusing on the negative (which, btw is how are brains are wired. It’s a survival thing, albeit not so much helpful in today’s day and age.). Rather than thinking that I hope I don’t fall on the ice, or twist my ankle or … well, you know… I turn my thoughts to appreciation.

    I’m so grateful for the boots that keep my feet warm and dry. I’m glad the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. It’s so great that I have the opportunity to visit the woods frequently. You get the idea.

    And when I’m really on my game, I remember to toss in a request for something I’d like to experience like creature sightings. And to find that missing umbrella, or perhaps even a better one, and to finish that library book before it’s due.

    The icing on the cake today was the numerical message so obvious when I look back at the text thread. One, two, three. If it was followed by a four, I could interpret the series as “things are moving along” according to the oh-so-wise Laura Bruno. I had to laugh when I realized that today is the fourth of March. If I were European I’d write the date as 4/3/21.

    Not only does the universe listen, but it also sends us messages. We just need to pay attention.  

    The Universe Listens

    My day unfolded much differently than expected. A client wasn’t feeling well and postponed her session,…

  • “Give it up. Stop!” This is the message I received in a dream last week. Yes, lyrics from Tom Petty’s song “Don’t Come Around Here No More”. What can I say- I went to high school in the 80’s and pop music was my primary language. A most effective message from dreamland as it stuck with me when most dreams fade upon waking.

    As I’ve been asking for guidance through my dreams, it seemed really important to listen. I teach my Reiki students that intuition is like a friend. If you don’t answer the phone, she’ll eventually stop calling. While I’m courting dream guidance, it would be prudent to actually heed it!

    Give what up? was the obvious question. Caffeine was the answer that came loud and clear. @#$%

    Naturally, I negotiated.

    Really! So silly, I know. I decided to cut back from 2 or 3 cups of green tea down to one. That seemed a reasonable decision.

    Then a few days later the headache began. My response? I forgot all about the dream and increased my caffeine intake as that often helps resolve the problem for me. But this headache lasted for three days. That’s unheard of for me. This morning, Day Four, it lingered on. As I sat quietly contemplating on the patio (with a cup of black tea no less! Hey I’ve been miserable for the past three days, don’t I at least deserve a few sips of comfort?), I remembered.

    It became quite clear that my body was telling me, YELLING at me, demanding that I give it up- stop! I had failed to heed the gentle warning and now I was receiving the message the hard way- through pain.

    So I took one last sip, and poured out that delicious tea. Now I’m drinking a rooibos latte and enjoying it greatly. I’m confident this blasted headache will fade as the caffeine exits my system. I will allow myself a moment to grieve over an old friend who won’t come around here no more, and then I will celebrate a new level of reduced inflammation, deeper sleep, and greater clarity and creativity.

    And that’s totally worth it.

    Dream Message

    “Give it up. Stop!” This is the message I received in a dream last week. Yes,…

  • I’ve come to notice that when I deliberately choose to do something that I know is not in alignment with my values, the consequences are harsher for me than if someone else engages in that same behavior, but without the knowingnes. The difference, it seems, is that not only am I absorbing negativity or toxins from the action, but I am a separating my mind and body from my spirit. It is this splintering that is the most damaging to our well-being.

    Reiki, and especially my daily self-treatments, helps guide me to my highest good. It opens me up to receive messages about how to  achieve my goals. Quite often I get a message during my meditation that a certain habit or behavior is blocking my progress.  The most recent example was when several months ago I realized that my morning mug of black tea with agave nectar and almond milk was interfering with my energy field. Well, I was quite attached to the ritual of my morning cup of tea! I carried on, despite the intuitive guidance. Nothing drastic happened; there was no illness or catastrophe that resulted from my impudence. Yet each sip was infused with a hint of guilt because I knew I wasn’t making the decision to pursue my highest good. So now, not only did I have the original deed on my conscience, but the added weight of self-criticism. I believe it was the latter that was more injurious than the former.

    Eventually I decided that enough was enough. I wasn’t yet ready to forgo the habit, but I chose to love and accept myself while enjoying my tea. And do you know what? A short week later, I really had no interest in having it anymore. It was easy to replace my morning drink with a cleansing cup of warm lemon water. I had no cravings or withdrawal pains. It truly was miraculous. I brought my mind, body, and spirit back into alignment where they all began working together to support my highest good. Now that I am caffeine-free, I am noticing better quality sleep and more energy throughout the day even though I am naturally waking up earlier. My intuition knew that by letting  go of this seemingly harmless habit that I could accomplish more of what was really important to me. Giving up the judgement and guilt was the key to creating a healthy energy flow and the subsequent ease of making the shift.

    Negative thoughts and feelings block our ki (life force energy) as well as our internal guidance. Our spirits know that we are perfect, whole, and complete just the way we are. When we behave in ways that deny this truth, it interrupts the flow of energy that keeps us healthy and vibrant. Simply being kind to ourselves, no matter what our current choices are, creates a shield of dignity that enhances our well-being and motivates us to be truer to ourselves. It might seem ironic, but self-acceptance truly seems to be the magic that produces transformation.

     

     

     

     

     

    Knowing better

    I’ve come to notice that when I deliberately choose to do something that I know is…