Today there is an increase in the healing and expressive arts or the sacred feminine arts. It is no wonder to me or most of us who use them, for they are powerful healing tools that have been used through all of human history. Using our current medicine as the only path is clearly not working as a single solution. Much is based on drugs that override the innate health system which creates it's own issues. Usually symptom based and seeing the body as parts rather than a whole system. Often we go to numerous specialists that don't even really connect to each other. Our body is a system. If you do something to one part of it, all other areas are effected, connected and the entire being needs to be addressed. This is why holistic or wholistic medicine can offer great healing.  

Throughout all time, woman where the natural healers. The feminine arts  are our ancestrial roots. We were the spiritual leaders and healers, shaman, medicine woman, community support of the whole tribe.  We used the deep connect to nature and the elements to awaken to higher health. Through food, herbs, massage, hands on healing, praying, dance, song, music, movement and more. Our roots are the nurturing of all things for the whole community. While men where out hunting, woman handled everything else. In all cultures  the world over this was the case. They gathered for hardship, illness, menstraton, birthing and death. These are the feminine arts.

Along the way, this role, our gift of  nurturing as the child bearers, was prohibited. Beginning with Greece then Europe through the Middle Ages, midwifery and all the other natural healing was not allowed. This community role, this healing and health that is so intrinsic to woman has slowly disappeared toward modern medicine .  Thank Goddess for Deepok Chopra, Andrew Weil and countless other men drawing us back to these arts as the science they are! It seems absurd to me that this could occur but indeed it has. 

Now today, we have a resurgence of all these arts that have not only gained scientific backing, they are part of our insurance care. Accupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, homeopathy, massage, the feminine arts are finally returning. It is about time and we certainly need this in addition to the current system. Our healing will transform when we work with these ancient sciences which have stood the test of time in R & D, use modern technology and add in an honoring of these arts. 

Woman as the life bearers have the innate power to nurture all  to survive. It was our role. We have an infinite source of creative power, energy potential within our womb that instinctualy knows these arts and the gifts of healing, well being, peace and abundance for all. It is part of our biology that we no longer recognize or cultivate. Out of touch with our bodies, it's inherent nature, the sexual creative power that is our life sustaining force is virtually forgotten. This energy is suppressed, abused, misused and misunderstood. Yet it is our link to healing all. Creating health and empowerment to all in our world.

I am an advocate to recover this power that woman innately have. It is the solution to our healing individually and the world. This was our role and it has gotten lost. The wonder of these arts. our traditions, our innate connection to nature which is the healer must resurface to support us. It worked for thousands of years to keep our humanity evolving. It is time to reclaim this innate role, this power of woman's creative, sensual, sexual force. It will bring more vitality, pleasure, relaxation, health, well being and connection to our world. 

Engage in the healing and expressive arts if you desire true health. It is the tried and true path and why I am promote it as the great nectar of life.

Join in on one of my classes coming up!

I have always been one to find the good in a bad situation. Optimism it is called and I have a well of it. I must say as an empath, it is a survival mechanism. Who wants to feel bad? When you feel others bad as well it becomes a life strategy to find good in these areas so you don't have to feel so low.

Today, I was investigating one of the systems of human evolution that are out there. When I found my "type" I must say reading the reality, the description of it, I thought "wow, this is some hard karma!" It well described my life situations so it was not wrong but I had never looked at it in such a challenging view. For a moment I was very disturbed, seeking ways to see it as a good thing. Once I felt the hard and reality of it,  admitted that most of my life had these struggles in it yet I never would of made it sound so hard. I don't know if it really is as hard as they made it sound. We all have hard things to figure out in life. It did give me a bad taste in my mouth and I thought, "Really?"

Not long after this perplexing time, I started to come up with words that I have called myself to describe these very same things that seemed in my mind atleast to have a lighter connotation. As I went through the process, letting go of the heavy descriptions I had read and looked at how it was actually true,  I saw myself in the more positive light,  tenacious, a pioneer, a trail blazer, a discoverer, resilient and a forerunner. I made peace with the other words used that didn't have such good feelings to me. I also realized, "Wow, I am a strong individual to have signed up for such a job in this life!

I think we all have times where the things that are so part of our life, we see them in the best light. When another chats with us, we realize that it sounded challenging and hard to another but we had no choice so we went through it. We don't know the strengths that we have or give ourselves enough credit for the trials we have come through. Another could describe it in ways horrible yet for us to walk through, we use our brilliance to see the lovely growth and light of the situation. Words do have charges and meanings to different people that don't always connect with the depth of our individual understanding. It was a great process in learning.

I do value the life that I have and feel blessed and lucky for all the wonder I have. It is maybe a more challenging position to find new ways of thinking and doing and bring them into a world that has a set way of things. I get that, innovators, explorers have a different way to them. They do learn by trial and error. They do bash their heads into walls and obstacles,  get judged and create stirs in thinking. I have done this my whole life and always thought it was just what it was. I considered myself brilliant even if others did not. I found ways to explain and expand others with these discoveries.

Do always look for the best way that works for yourself to describe situations . Honor the life hardships you have overcome and really revel that to another, they would seem horrifying. Honoring ourselves, finding goodness in whatever life throws us or whatever catogories or titles are given to our challenges and remember, often seeing a negative perspective can add great value to your view. 

I am thankful for the toughness of this system and its learning. I realized, I am pretty strong and powerful to be in this profile and role. I am perfect to be the discovery type. Maybe you look out there or often a little off your rocker but new ideas, new ways, evolving thinking is what inspires me in this life. I am curious beyond most and my student ethic rich and transformational to me. 

Always seek the pleasure and good in things after you have felt the bad and challenge. It is there and it is what the silver lining is all about!! 

I am one with a great imagination and quite a chaotic way. I remember when I participated in one of those personality tests that my little brother took to support him in his next leg of evolving, I was in the chaotic/disorder quadrant. It was not a judgement and it actually described my way quite well. It was the quadrant of the idea folks, innovators, visionaries. We can however get lost in this so grounding so very important to me.

Grounding to me means to bring myself back to balance and feeling ok with all that is around me. To feel level headed, centered, in this world of reality as well as connected to my spirit, mind, body and emotions in a synced way.  Not overthinking, over feeling or over doing things but back in balance with all. 

There are many ways that we can ground. I find if you see what you like to do when you are stressed and fidgety, or wanting to escape the world, this is a key to grounding. You do this naturally and often addictions and issues can come from trying to ground using unhealthy behaviors.  I prefer nature. I consider it for me to be the most magical way to regroup. It is easy for me to do, not too timely and the other health benefits are quantum. I often think that is why I was a flower farmer for it was so important for me to keep balanced.

We have so many facets to ourselves including the our mental, emotional and physical bodies. We are constantly thrown off balance and can get lost in the world around us. Others hardships, our challenges, the news or larger community woes, all overload us.  We desire to escape and find peace. We can get caught in our mind chatter. Grounding  the answer to getting out of the cartoon bubble talk that I consider the ramble mind. It does us no good to hang in our minds using our imagination negatively. We can also hang in our imagination in fantasy as well and that is not so powerful done to long. We get lost in what is really going on. 

It is very important that we consider ways to ground ourselves, especially at this time of so much going on. It takes practices to stay centered, remember the goodness and joy that are about if we seek to see it. To find some form of happiness amidst the conditions we find ourselves in. In fact, I would say it is the one most powerful tool I use. I go to nature and reset.

If I am wandering or fickle, sad and confused, upset and concerned or feeling helpless, I go walk outside in the woods. Even just walk outside for 3 or 4 minutes. It is the feeling of being supported by the earth, the fresh air, birds, trees, colors, beauty that bring me back to myself feeling ok. Gives me a rejuvenation. The movement stirs energy and realigns the different parts of me that are  disconnected. The distraction pulls me away from my issues and reminds me there is love, harmony and nourishment everywhere. 

Consider what you do that brings you back to life ready to face whatever is about. What is that break that allows the step away to reset. Nature should be on everyone's list. We have lost our connection to the outdoors and yet we are made of exactly those things. It is like nesting or allowing yourself to be in your essential nature. There is diversity outside that shows harmony among the parts which is what  we seek within us. That soothes, heals, oxygenates and restores on all levels. 

Ground daily and many times as you need it. It is a chaotic world that has much disorder. Take it from one who lives in that space, Ground yourself so you can create loveliness out of the mish mash life throws out at us all.  

Anxiety is a huge issue for many in this world and often comes from expectations. We are in a harry carry world, we expect immediate returns on all things and the speed in which we move sets us up to forget some of the greatest laws that run our world. We have technology that offers us so much immediate answer and stimulation yet the world around us, nature, still has a rhythm all her own that is much slower. Seeds turn into plants that then have buds and eventually fruits. You can't rush this process no matter what you do. There is a way things occur very different than technology. 

Anxiety is fear of the future. If it is real or perceived doesn't matter for our body reacts in the same way. With all the upheavel we have, it seems how could we not have anxiety? Yet who wants to live in such a panic state. It creates nervousness, aggitation, impatience and anger to name a few. We all desire things or situations to occur quicker than they do. Expecting results! It is often not the situation that has gone a rye,  it is on the rhythm of the world. It is us, our hurry up way, "I want these results" that creates the anxiety. We have lost our ability to wait, to contemplate, to be still. We expect all to move to our desires, our pace, our wants, our ideas. 

Most of our anxiety is created by our expectations. Let's really sense the feeling of that word.  It is a still word, not moving. We are waiting and quite bored by the wait. We want something to happen and are most likely sitting there thinking, when will this come? I expected to see results by now.  Not long after  a story gets created about how maybe it won't happen, why  we are tired of waiting, etc.... A whole set of doubt, process of evaluation of what we did or didn't do or what we should be doing comes in and  no action is going on.  We have a mind game going playing out all our fears about what we are waiting for. 

So how do we shift this into a more positive way to view things?  How do we not have anxiety or fear about what will come next and not sit there expecting? One thing we could do is drop it and move on to something else knowing divine timing has its way. If it is physical movement it has a greater chance of resetting our mind. Often that doesn't work for we do some3thing else and are still thinking of it in the background.

The higher more active way to wait for the rhythm of things to play out by its natural way is through anticipation, not expectation. This word has much movement and excitement to it. Do you feel the positive vibration it creates in you? It has movement and conjures use of positive imagination of how it will be when it comes. It has delight, even enthusiasm to it that feels fun and alluring. There is no anxiety, fear or panic. It is more open and growing for whatever we may be waiting for to come. 

That is the difference between theses two words that is very powerful emotionally, energy wise and to the mind. Both are seeking celebration or the outcome we want. Yet expecting is not a high note and if others are involved they usually don't do what we expect anyway so you are almost sure to be let down. By considering all things with anticipation, we have a happier state rolling through life. Sure it could not happen but we are in joy as we wait. We are sending out more positive vibes in our life and to others as we await the future. We are flowing more toward what we want rather than getting caught in the mind ramble or the doubt pattern. It is easier to put down the idea and await the process of it coming in. 

There is great wisdom to operating with this understanding. Anticipate your goals, dreams, ideas, outcomes. Stay away from expectation. It has no flow and is very domineering and commanding. It may seem like a small word shift but it is powerful. Words are the spells of creation so use them and the energy or vibe behind them wisely. They support a happier life. Use them with discernment. 

 I will share what is present for me regarding refueling myself, relationship and understanding my limits. Let me begin by sharing I have a great knowing of another that is beyond my experience here. i sense a friend very strongly empathically but don't really have what I would call a normal communicating friendship.  An odd situation that has taught me a lot of learning about my intuition, desire, personality and love.

I am blessed with the gift to feel and see others essence of who they are. Often if people are not so nice, I can still see their gift or feel their goodness beyond what their behavior displays. It is a gift and curse at times to my personality, for no one likes unkind behavior or desires to put up with being treated not as we would like.  We all display unkind behavior at times and often it has nothing to do with who is before us. It usually is discomfort within ourselves, we are stuck in some learning and can't move past it at that moment so we blame the outside conditions. I see past this often and as I said, it is not always so joyful to my personality to give others the benefit of the doubt and remain holding friendship. 

The learning from this gift and this odd sensing, is that I can tap into the love I have and offer it even if it is not directly returned. However, there are times that my temper tantrum girl like all of us, doesn't want to be so loving and love past others barriers to receiving or engaging, It creates anger in me of course, I get resistant to how others respond as we all do.  When I get over it or diverted from tantrum girl, I blame myself for not being so loving. My learning is of  this resentment, this kind unkind switch in consciousness. We all have a duality in us.  We see it, try to learn and get to revisit it many times in an effort to make sense of ourselves.

Today I see this as a learning of how to work with my gift. It is always something in our control, finding a new way to cope, to work with the conditions.  I am seeing this gift as a wonderful openness to others. It is now my job to use this to my benefit and notice when this anger comes forward that I am not managing it so well. It is ok that I do get angry at times at others response or non response. That is a message to me that it is not working to my benefit. There is nothing wrong with this anger and I need not judge it. I need not be upset that I express it and then judge it as not kind and loving and then get upset with myself. 

 It is just part of relationship and being on the planet with others. They don't do what we want sometimes and it is ok. We can express in anger or unloving and that is ok as well. So much of our training tells us that we are to always be loving or we are not good or spiritual. If we find negative emotion at others or situations, we call it wrong and ungodly. This is not the real truth of it though. This negativity is an indicator that we are out of loving in that moment. We are to embrace the all of this experience and not judge or qualify it as good or bad only. We just recognize what we are capable of at that moment. There is no good or bad about it.

Our discomfort, anger, resentment, annoyance is just an indicator that our loving is not present. We don't need to put that at others or ourselves. We just acknowledge that we are not loving and we need to regroup. It is not good or bad, it is an awareness of our state and to redirect, get out or away is the message. Let go and find something else to do for our fuel has been exhausted in that situation. It is like running out of gas. The car isn't bad, the mechanics are not the problem, it is the nourishing energy to drive is plum gone. We don't get angry at our car, we find a gas station. It is as simple with ourselves.

We can't be loving, kind, supportive all minutes of the day. Potentially we could but we have not been taught of this or how to do it. We are coming to a greater awareness to maybe some day do that yet it won't happen until we understand ourselves, our limits in this vehicle and our boundaries. This anger is an indicator to stop what I am doing. It is a sign that I need inward fuel and I will not find it outside or in another at this moment. That is all it is. A powerful energy at that for it has a powerful message.

Learning to know oneself is the highest wisdom. We are not all loving and kind all hours, it just isn't realistic these images of being a perfect, lovely person. All great seekers knew when to step away and refuel They caught the message early enough and heeded the call. When we are filled it is so easy to truly give and love others no matter what behavior they throw toward us. It is only when we are empty that it creates a disturbance. We have lots of options too as to how to manage these conditions. We can move and never be near them. We can reset and then interact. We can find others to share our filled upness with. We can use our loving and gifts in other directions. There is many ways to use this anger or strife to redirect ourselves.   Beating ourselves up for not being so wonderful every moment is not a wise option.

The first step, most importantly, is to refuel yourself elsewhere.  Refresh yourself. Know your limits. Learn them as you get in these situations. See the annoyance as the gift to step away, move elsewhere. Not with a judgement about it but with wisdom that it just is. This is my learning with my gift. If I see another's essence and lose sight of that, get hurt by their behavior, it is time to regroup. I don't need to feel bad that I get angry or upset with them. I just need to know I am at my limit of giving and must turn another way. It is not good or bad, about me or them, it is about knowing limits, boundary, love and giving.

My learning today is about being gentle with myself for what I have done or not done. Seeing this anger or negativity as a sign to  refresh and take care of myself first. Know that anger or upset with another is not wrong or bad. It is a message to me of how to proceed by REFUELING myself by honoring whatever I need. The best part of this strange gift is that I am learning of myself. We all have a great loving in us. It is not always available to give though it is always there.

It is a learning for us all with our gifts. Somedays we don't have extra gas to go where we want or be who we are inside. We just need to pull into the closest gas station and fuel up again. No big deal, no need to engage our duality or be upset with running out of gas. It is what it is. 

Gassed up,  we can continue with  spreading our gifts! VaaaaaRoooooom!

So here we are in 2018, ready to create a new way of being as is natural for a new cycle.  At these turning points we get the opportunity to let go of what was and create a new what is. Em- bodying or being in the body seems the main call for 2018. We are in our heads, disconnected from the earth, our body, our environments, our senses, our feelings. We don't like our bodies, have odd pictures of what we are to look like, wear and be. Chasing images that don't fit and how are we to find health and well being. If we don't have a connect to our body and sensing our world we are not living in our full beness.

The first step is to find a connection to our body as it is right here and now. The way to do that is through our sensory perception. To enjoy using all our senses, our smell, hearing, touch, sight and movement. These all bring us back from the rambling mind that is going and thinking and missing the sensory experience of the world around us.  When we find more presence, more being in the world, noticing our environment, our feelings, what is really going on with what is in front of us, we can have more health, relaxation and joy in life. These are vibrations, not thoughts. They include feelings and body experiences, sensory experiences, things that create aliveness. 

Often we are in our minds so disconnected. Mind is a powerful tool of imagination, thinking ahead, planning and calculating but it is not all we are.  This disconnect from ourselves, our environment, nature has created a very one dimensional experience when we are to be multidimensional beings. So our key is to find ways to enjoy being in our body.

How do we find love for our body, whatever its shape? We create and recognizes the experiences of our senses and remember the fabulous sacred vessel it is.  We find ways to move in it that feel good and pleasurable. Then we remember how grand our body is. It heals a cut, digests food, hears the birds, can say sweet words, can move in grace, can catch us as we fall, can beat our heart!! How amazing this all is!! So notice these small ways to enjoy your body!! To fall in love with it!

Eat with presence and in your senses of taste, sight, texture and feeling.
Walk slower and perceptively, noticing the nature, the buildings, the people around us. 
Really look in others eyes as they speak,  use your body to feel them, sense them and understand them.
Shower with great elixirs that you enjoy and slather them on your body in great care.
Use awareness as you  put on your lotions and oils and make up in artistry.
Move or exercise in ways  that feels good. Connects you to your body in pleasure so you do it.
Dance a song a day in free form flow while listening to your music, allowing your body deva to lead and heal.

These are some of the ways to have easy, simple pleasure daily in our body and senses!

There are so many paths and activities to be more engaged in embodying ourselves, our experiences and our lives that will bring more joy, happiness and pleasure! What are we doing thinking ahead and behind all the time when life is happening moment to moment! Use your body as the sacred vessel that it is and be aware of all that is happening on all levels. These moments, a smile, a hug, a great dessert baking, the sunset, the joy or sadness of a situation, these are what life is. An experience that can be felt, tasted, enjoyed and seen on so many levels!

Embody yourself this year in all you do! Remember we are here to experience it all! The joy, fun, lightness and the hard, challenging and heavy. Ride the wave of it all! That is the yoga of living. It is an experience! Not just some tale in the head!

Blessings to your New Year of Aliveness!!