trust

Some days just don’t go as planned. One thing goes awry and then another and another, eventually things snowball farther and farther from the desired destination. Soon, it all seems out of my control and nothing works the way I want it to.

Sometimes, on days like this, I’m able to relinquish my attempts to get things going my way and relax into the way they are unfolding.

On those days, I often get shown how the magic appears when I stop trying so hard and allow myself to be lead to where I’m meant to be.

Today was one of those days. I found myself hanging out with a heron by the creek, enjoying several moments of wonderment. It’s my hope that the next time everything falls apart that I’ll remember this and pivot, allowing things to fall into place in a much more delightful way than I could have arranged with my best efforts.

Here’s a bonus clip of a goose argument for anyone who scrolled down far enough.

Getting Good at the Pivots

Some days just don’t go as planned. One thing goes awry and then another and another,…
Intuitive guidance has become so woven into my daily life that I often don’t even notice it anymore. I don’t mean “don’t notice” as in I ignore it. No way! I mean “don’t notice” as in it’s become the water that I swim in; so much so that doesn’t seem unusual anymore.

I practiced my skills until they became second nature. Just like I don’t have to think about tying my shoes, catching messages from sources beyond my ego-mind has become embedded into my life.

If you’re just getting started, it might feel frustrating that you need to do the equivalent of playing musical scales and conjugating French verbs. Repeatedly.

But for most people, that’s how it goes. Yet, what often happens is that someone gets a wild hair to tap into their previously estranged intuition for the purposes of making The Biggest Decision Ever.

Should I move to Australia? Sell my home and travel with the band? Marry a guy I met last week who feels like my twin flame?

That’s a pretty big ask. It’s unlikely that you’ll trust whatever answer comes through. With good reason.

I suggest starting with the small stuff. For example, earlier this week I felt a nudge to cook a batch of chickpeas. I had no use for them at the time, so it didn’t make sense, but whatever. I froze them. The week before, the same with pesto.

This week I got a head of radicchio in my produce delivery and went in search of a recipe online because I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it. Apparently it pairs well with pesto-flavored chickpeas. 🤔

Just the other day, I had a niggling feeling, as if I had forgotten something important. After confirming that my work schedule was indeed synched with my calendar and there was nothing urgent pending, I sat with that feeling. It urged me to go to the store. Not the closest one, but whatever, I know better than to argue!

As I pulled up, I notice an employee carrying in bouquets. Fresh flowers bring me a lot of joy, so I’ve been treating myself to them lately. But the last batch seemed kinda old and didn’t last very long before getting wilty, so I hadn’t bothered since then.

These were just delivered, were as fresh as possible, and I could feel a surge of YES! in my body when I saw them.

One more. Yesterday I was sent to another store, this one even farther away (by city standards, farther = 6 miles instead of 3, but adds on 20+ minutes of driving time), only to find that almost everything on my list was on sale. I saved a hefty chunk of cash because I listened to my inner nudge.

So here we have three incidents within the span of a week that were all pretty minor, simple domestic tasks, that made my life better somehow, but had no pressure involved. This is how we can grow our Trust muscles. By practicing in the arena where the consequences are minimal, following through, and recognizing the rewards.

Do this for a while and you’ll get good at noticing the nudges and then when a big one drops, it will be a lot easier to catch it and say, heck yeah, I’m moving to Philadelphia.

(That happened to me 11 years ago!)

I’ll note that in addition to practicing in the shallow end, I’ve also made myself available to receive these messages. That comes from cultivating presence, awareness, and a willingness to be guided. You can ask all day long for the intuitive suggestions, but it doesn’t do much good if you’re running around putting out fires constantly and don’t notice when they arrive.

I’m working on a mini-workshop about presence, synthesizing all the body-mind-spirit tools I’ve collected over the past few decades. I have a lot to say about this, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, heed those inner nudges and do your best to take guided action. Maybe even keep a log so you have handy dandy “proof” to refer to when you doubt yourself.

It’s hard to argue against your knowings when you can look back at a series of beneficial experiences that resulted from following your gut.

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Intuition Chronicles: Developing the Basic Skills

Intuitive guidance has become so woven into my daily life that I often don’t even notice…
Here in Philadelphia, we just had our third significant snowfall in as many weeks. It makes for a lot of rescheduling clients so they don’t drive home after a relaxing treatment on icy roads. And it’s also provided several unexpected free days. Kinda like snow days as a kid, and loads of time to spend with my beloved books. In short, the weather has been wreaking havoc on my schedule and I’m doing a pretty good job of rolling with it.

I especially enjoy my hikes as the woods are incredibly peaceful.

Until yesterday.

I’m expecting a delivery that has been delayed and have no idea how long. No big deal usually, but I need to sign for this one. When I ordered my BioMat weeks ago, I began sending Reiki to its travels all the way from Hawaii. Obviously there are lots of complications these days for such a lengthy journey, and snow is only one of them. So I turned to Reiki, and have been intending for safe and timely transport.

Last week when I learned that it was scheduled to arrive today, I was elated. At that time, I had no appointments booked and simply blocked out my calendar so I could hang out at home listening for the doorbell. Reiki at its finest! Admittedly, I was a little bit smug about my success.

Then the storm yesterday resulted in a notice that the package has been delayed, but no information as of yet as to how long it’s delayed. Curses! The rest of the week is rather full due to keeping today’s schedule vacant and all the moving clients around because of the weather.

Again, not usually a big deal, even as a dedicated pedestrian. The pick-up store is walkable. But this package is 18 pounds! Too heavy to carry, even to the nearest bus stop. Too difficult to schlep with a shopping cart as crossing every intersection on foot means climbing over a frozen slush bank created by the plows. The likelihood of finding a friend available to give me a lift in the middle of my now-full rest of the week is slim and Lyft and Uber seem rather unappealing these days.

From this perspective, it’s rather a downer. Somehow I’d forgotten about the magic of Reiki! As if the flow of life-force energy is unable to navigate a snowstorm? Puh-lease! I’m grateful I only lost a few moments of my precious life worrying about this triviality before I turned it back over to the ease and grace available when I’m connected to the flow of Reiki.

So, I still have no idea when the package is coming. I’m continuously releasing my attachment to having it arrive today as planned (after all, I’m really, really eager to experience the BioMat!) and releasing my attachment to knowing when it’s supposedly coming so I can make a plan. Instead, I’m placing my trust in Divine Timing and an intelligent and benevolent Universe.

It will get here when it gets here, and I’m certain that its arrival will be perfect in ways I can’t possibly know just yet.

Going with the Snow Flow

Here in Philadelphia, we just had our third significant snowfall in as many weeks. It…
I’ve been experiencing intermittent pain in my left foot for almost a year now. It comes and goes mysteriously, aggravated by hiking, dancing, and bouncing- basically the types exercise that bring me joy. At first I tried to ignore it; after all it’s usually a dull ache, with short spurts of intensity, but generally tolerable. Obviously this strategy was a failure!

For several months I’ve been using all my tools: anti-inflammatory diet, healing essential oils, ice packs, rest, elevation, and of course loads of massage and Reiki treatments. Nothing seems to have any lasting effect. A friend suggested castor oil packs, which did seem to allow for more mobility immediately afterwards, but now not so much. As summer is approaching, the idea of sitting still with my foot in a castor oil-soaked sock wrapped in a heating pad is decidedly unappealing.

So what to do when all the healing techniques you know aren’t helping? It seems there are four basic answers for me, and I’m exploring them all with full gusto. First, get some help. Sounds obvious, right? Trading in fierce independence for a more balanced regime of giving AND receiving through interdependence is a big lesson for me. I am determined to keep practicing this skill. I’ve started receiving acupuncture twice a week to relieve pain and to balance the energy flow through my body.

Secondly, can I accept that forces bigger than myself are at play? Can I acknowledge that I’m feeling frustrated at my seeming failure to heal myself and the resulting lack of mobility? And at the same time, can I investigate the possible silver lining? Can I react favorably to a forced rest period that allows me to read <gasp!> novels and to journal? Can I learn to accept that this is what I have to work with in this moment, and release all my attachments, judgments, and expectations that only increase my suffering? Although I’m not 100% there just yet, I’m convinced that yes, I indeed can do this.

Thirdly, what is the message my body is trying to deliver? At first glance, asking for and receiving help and enjoying more stillness are answers that float to the surface. Yet I want to tap into the deeper layers. Yesterday during my acupuncture treatment, I asked my inner self, “What am I not seeing?” I had an instant vision of dense roots reaching up from the earth, trapping me in place. While I’m still contemplating the full meaning of this experience, it seems obvious that fear of moving forward, of stepping into my full potential, and rising above my current belief system has been tethering me.

It’s tempting to be lured into the story of why, when, and how I got here; I have the tools to release fear and tap into my inner strength, purpose, and willingness to heal without intellectually understanding this ailment. That’s the beauty of Reiki; it is spiritually guided and I don’t need to know. Now that I have a goal of getting unstuck and releasing fear of the unknown that change is certain to bring, I can begin to appreciate the final answer to my question of what to do when nothing is working. Gratitude, mingled with trust. Clearly the universe has a plan in place for my growth and awakening that I am unable to see.

For some reason, this chapter is a part of my journey. For now, I can accept this on faith and remain open to the lessons at hand. I’m also reminded of my upcoming role on a panel for Healthy Aging at my neighborhood holistic health fair. It’s a fantastic opportunity to share my knowledge about growing older while prioritizing health, recharging Ki (life force energy), and heeding pain as a messenger. This helps create a healthy lifestyle that cultivates wellness and vitality, regardless of the hand (or foot) we’ve been dealt.

Ouch! That hurts.

I’ve been experiencing intermittent pain in my left foot for almost a year now. It comes…
I’m a huge fan of Eckhart Tolle’s visionary book, The Power of Now. Ever since I read it, I’ve been experimenting with Reiki self-treatment to help me stay present in The Now; the only place I have access to my true power. I’ve also been working with my clients to reach this goal as well; both through intention setting and in our sessions together. The results have been amazing!

I’ve been noticing an enhanced willingness to let go of grievances that weigh me down, and to forgive both myself and others, rather than dragging the past into the precious Now. Reiki is helping me to actualize that willingness into reality. I’m also feeling a great deal of security that comes not from a change in income or expenses, but from a Knowingness that all my needs are provided for. Rather than simply repeating these words as an affirmation (which btw, I’ve been doing for a decade!) I’m actually trusting that they are true. This trust enables me to surrender worries about the future. Once again, I am catapulted into The Now. I like it here! It’s heavenly!! I’m ever so grateful to The Power of Reiki for helping me to transition into my new residency. The more the merrier, so please consider joining me. How about Now?

Here and Now

I’m a huge fan of Eckhart Tolle’s visionary book, The Power of Now. Ever since I…
“You’re the expert.” I must admit, I love to hear my clients say this. They schedule a massage with a goal in mind, yet are able to let go and allow me; a skilled, trained, and experienced therapist to create the strategy to get there. They are acknowledging that someone who has devoted years of their life to studying a practice will hopefully have more insight than “push really hard here, where it hurts.” Because if that’s all there was to releasing stress and tension, all the sweethearts and spouses that have been enrolled to help their loved ones would have certainly eradicated many of the tight muscles by now. Clearly that has not been happening.

And that’s what brings folks to a professional. That’s what causes them to dig deep into their tight budgets to fund a healing treatment. What they’ve been trying at home just isn’t helping; not in any sustainable way. So they ask for help, hoping that the therapist will have some knowledge, intuitive guidance, or practical experience that goes beyond the primitive idea that enough pressure on one or two knots will solve the problem. Well, we do! Our training enables us to understand that the body works as a unit, and that pain indicates an imbalance in the team of muscles and joints. We understand the holistic nature of bodywork, and know how to find the cause of discomfort rather than merely focusing on the symptoms.

This is one case in which the customer is not always right. As a client of massage therapy, you get to choose the style of treatment that you desire (Swedish, Thai, deep tissue, sports, etc) and the area you wish to focus on, as well as request any modifications that are necessary for your comfort. From there on, it’s best to keep an open mind and surrender your preconceived notions. It is highly suggested that you remember that the trained professional you have hired knows how to proceed in an effective and efficient way. Learn to let go, relax, and trust and you will maximize the benefits of your session.

“You’re the Expert!”

“You’re the expert.” I must admit, I love to hear my clients say this. They schedule…