Prosperity and Flow

This is one of my two posts for the next week or so, unless poetry is spontaneous. Next week I will be with Joe Dispenza in Los Angeles, meditating. The group session was rescheduled when the fires were raging. Still much healing work to be done in Los Angeles: The City of Angels!

I’ve been working with a local group on prosperity consciousness. We are having fun. This is the first time I’ve actually collaged as I usually manifested my dreams by other means! It’s just fun to be with a group of such heart-centered individuals. I am also and have been studying with Rosemary Gladstar and her very long term students. John Finch will be 80 this year, and Jane Richmond his life partner, both LEO suns like me, have an herb school called, “Self Healing School.” I have been trained for over a decade now in Chinese Herbal Medicine, but I wanted to be closer friends with my local group and so I signed up for their prosperity class. Tonight will be the 3 week of 6. They have spent their decades specializing in Western Herbal Medicine and back in the 70s when Rosemary Gladstar was on this coast, studied at her California Herb School on the Russian River in Northern California. I have a natural affinity with their vibes. They are so heart centered, and basically I just like to hang out at their house and be creative, spiritual, and inspired with them!

You might have guessed, I am a member of so many groups. I am. One day I dream that when I’m ready to really start moving forward with my own offerings, I’ll attract the tribe who want to be by side. As I have too often signed up for others’ groups because of the love of being with them and meeting whomever shows up and being in the synergy.

I’m doing something vulnerable here. I’m actually sharing my INCOMPLETE dream boards. I’m not stressing over details, I’m just having fun as my focus and going with the flow. It’s not DONE ✔️ and I reserve the right to change any and all of it at my whim! All artists understand this. ✨⭐️✨⭐️✨

Plus, I never have to explain myself unless it’s truly necessary. Haha.

So without further ado:

Earthy luxury and sensuous dynamic environments

I’m working on the “right space” for newer visions of workspace AND for the right colleagues to be able to SYNERGIZE so that my own work also grows. Yes I envision some “high end” stuff. So be it. Don’t judge me. I am all about everybody so I plan to have several ways to contribute to the whole and not be exclusive but I need to generate revenue and I’m already highly qualified. I know people generating revenue with much less investment and training that I have invested in. So, it’s more than possible. Oh no! I’m explaining myself. Haha.

Peaceful rejuvenation in a natural environment

And here is my gentle peace:

White space is nurtured as the unsung becoming will end up filling

I’m planning on posting around the time or “in the energy of” the Joe Dispenza meditation group collective.

We are here, all of us, to shift things Spiritually, Materially, and Soufully for the whole. Not one of us can remain behind. Clean and clear your inner Easel! Get your hands dirty in the soil and with the Earth and breathe deep like you deserve to be here. Your body deserves to be well and your mind deserves to be FREE.

We can do this all responsibly…

And with integrity…

And so it is and So mote it Be!

I just got hold of some new organizational tools which will hopefully help. Less “talking” more “doing” and “being.”

I still plan to visit your blogs, your heart’s expressions, your beautiful dreams: May they grow with each day! The pull into satisfaction. Nothing to change, just to accept and be and dream if you desire it, and drop it if you don’t. Be real, be authentic and show up or take time out. It’s all just about YOU, inside you! 🥰🩷

I’m here for you. You are here for me! We are all in this together!

Inspiration 🌱

This morning I wanted to ride the upcoming Piscean wave 🌊 out loud. I’m about to jump on a call with my colleagues for a study session for our continuing deep dive education. This year 2025 is a year of culmination for me. It’s a 9 year so that’s fitting, but numerology aside, it felt like 2024 had too much in it and left undone as certain milestones are set to be complete this year and into the beginning of the next, just one or two left over to finish.

Eventually I will be opening up my energy work to everyone, far and wide. This includes offerings for those here and those who join later. I am not just practicing Reiki but another form of energy medicine I have been training in for the past year called Entheos Energy Medicine. It’s a fusion of all the stuff I was doing before on my own but also with the solid foundation provided by my teacher, Briana Borten, who has put it all together within all that she has trained in for over 20 years. She gives me a glimpse of what it would look like when I start fusing this all and providing it to others in a format. I’m about to begin year 2 while I finish working on year 1 of her Spirit Medicine Academy.

Meanwhile I am an apprentice in the Shamanic Medicine Woman Studies and my teacher plants 🌱 are my highest formal guides within the work. I practice and work many energy sessions per week in addition to my acupuncture and herbalism work. So much is already fusing together. I made some herbal oils and some lip balm.

In the meantime, I make the smallest effort to return to painting. 🖼️ I figure small effort is better than no effort, considering in all the stuff I am already managing ( I didn’t even share the half of it), I’m feeling blessed enough to get moving with sharing some visuals:

Mountainous inspiration

For me the unfinished white of a canvas as something I was trained NOT TO DO. Therefore, I suppose I can’t help it. That white feels deeply satisfying to me and gives me room to breathe. This mountain from my mind reminds me of an oil painting I did when I was 16 of a location I visited when I was 15 in Ireland. They look different but there’s something similar there, which got me to thinking: we are always “adding up” on top of what we’ve done before.

My father in law said the wise words I will never forget: “Learning is cumulative.” I think each part of each thing I do touches each part of everything else that I do. This is holism.

Something emerging

This morning, as I’m about to jump on a call to study skin conditions with my colleagues as we prepare for our next big exams coming up this year, I thought… you want to just make some swirly marks this morning. And so I did. It’s like calling in the snake 🐍 energy I enjoy working with.

Finally since and only since I brought it up: I’m gonna share two pictures of my herbals and then get to work (other work).

I was laughing with my husband and saying “I am always working.” Regardless if I bring in any money, I’m always increasing my “worth.”

We live in weird society and things are rapidly changing. Who knows what to rely on besides our creative strength to adapt and heal. Coming up with new ideas might eventually get me in the place where I’m a solid contributor to the collective. I have a long way to go yet but many of my other dreams have some true. As I prepare for this Pisces New Moon, I’m tossing those dreams in the cauldron for good cooking and easy digestion (for one day it will all come into form in the most beautiful and aligned way!)

Rose and Cardamom Lip Balm
Cooled
The raw beauty
The yummiest herbal oil I ever made with Thyme

Well, here’s to more thyme! (time) and making the best of the time we got here. I gave away half of the lip balms I made so far. They are lovely and light on the skin. Highly recommend! Haha.😆

Stay tuned for my real Piscean New Moon Post around the 27th! Happy flowing!

Cat Study

Step by step
Wires and assembly
Almost there!
Cozy in the Cat Study; Reading
Complete

This winter I dreamed of what it would be like to have my little fireplace lit 🔥 in my kitty study 📚 while I read and fantasized about far-off places.

I originally made this study for my daughter who loves cats. I do too, but I’ve been allergic. Probably because I am part cat. 🐱

The little one put each little sticker on each little book.

Finally, here to enjoy!

Would anyone like to name our resident kitty?

Cheer peppers 🌶️

Well, I held up as much as I could to still participate as much as I could this year. Sure, I might have blogged 10x in the month of November, but I definitely wouldn’t have blogged this 11th one 😉. One day I might even have some fiction in me, and I might even endeavor to write a novel. That could be fun. I could jump-start it with using a November month to brain storm.

I’ll save some more astrology for another post at another time. I still have comments to reply to from previous posts and people to visit who I miss. So, we shall see.

In my comments to dear Karin from Shamanismandhealing.com, (I might need to fix the link. Let me know in the comments) I mentioned what I am reading; I consider it to be the quintessential holiday book: “Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion,” by Gregory Boyle. I’m blown away and my heart has both exploded and imploded with the words on the pages. This is soul food. This is real purpose. This is the gift of a lifetime: this one precious human life.

For everyone for whom I am connected, I feel devoted. I feel loved and loving. Being brave enough to reach into our souls and pull out anything from a dove’s nest or pocket fuzz, worse, even rocks. Some might find roses. But to be able to reach is the gift. It’s not about what comes out. We need to empty ourselves and our lives have a way of turning us upside-down and jingling us and seeing what comes out. It seems that the riches and sweetness grow just as strong as the bitters and what is rotten festers without being able to ignore.

I feel so small in comparison to the world with which I am connected, but I feel wholly a part of it.

In two weeks I will be sitting in meditation with this soul-nourishing Buddhist group I met and will be attending a brief retreat on “this precious human life.” Honestly, folks, I don’t want to squander it. I’m doing the best I can. My soul is not quiet but it is loud and sometimes it even roars: NOW. There’s a feast in here. We are all sharing it with bravery. We are all so courageous.

I want to honor my fellow Cheer Peppers for reaching the end of Nano Poblano. Congratulations!!

Dinah, I’m really especially thinking of you and holding you in my heart.

May we all know more and more blessings and find our capacity to endure grow evermore as we share the love we have for one another, for all creatures big and small, for the air and the mountains, the rivers and the trees.

Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ

Atmosphere of thanks

Gaia is a gift—

This mountain lake view

Our trust in each other,

The way we are true.

I see a vision that glimmers with hope

filling my peace 🕊️ cup

May you all feel the surrender to

what is

in the warm of love

and knowing of peace.

A gentle acceptance allows

everything to transform

and if it has not yet,

It isn’t time.

Soon comes openings

Soon comes faith

Soon comes opportunities

To dance more happily with chance.

I embrace this morning mist

This lake-filled holiday

This sun-kissed day.

Hot cider

Warm coffee

Espresso is clear.

Brisk steps and pleasantly swept to breakfast

and dinner feast is near.

The edge—

There is an edge

I’m trying to soften around it,

but it won’t

relent, the me that observes it,

and so

i feel like melting, crying

to lay beside it as thin as possible

to disappear into it

this doesn’t much work

so I let it hang there as a border

I let it be

and I watch it’s ridge slice the air

into two distinct planes

I consider skiiing on it

to fling myself across its solid, icy precipice

It needs some light, I think,

some touch, some warmth

maybe just a file

I run my fingers across it,

and it doesn’t cut me.

This is a surprise.

So I find myself bringing my ear down to the

corner of time and space, this edge

and check to see

if it has a whisper.

it’s beckoning me to come closer

and to my confusion it says

“Follow… and

Keep going

even if it feels odd,

rough, or

wrong.

Trust the forward movement.”

6 Perfections

Day 10 Nano Poblano

Yesterday i wrote about practicing and about imperfection and the perfection of imperfection. Then, today, I visited my new spiritual home at the Kadampa center, for probably the 6th week in a row or cumulatively, not sure.

We have been embarking on these perfections as a family. This is taught by the Buddha that the 6 perfections are:

Generosity,

Moral discipline/morality,

Patience,

Effort/Energy,

Wisdom,

Meditation,

All of these aspects are related to karma. Karma is an often misunderstood concept and topic. It’s really a cause and effect relationship rather than a “punishment” or “reward.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about my personal spiritual journey and how it overlaps with my immediate family. My daughter is learning meditation and my husband and I met at a Buddhist meditation group over 13 years ago. We both practiced meditation before we met, with our own orientations and backgrounds.

In some ways, we are back on our paths. In some ways our paths overlap. And in other ways, we journey alone. The discussion and dharma talk always takes me exactly where I want to be: in the inquiry. I feel nourished my the inquiry and not clinging to feelings and impressions. I feel more like myself to gently embrace concepts and practice them as an investigation. In the meantime, I am accumulating some faith.

Faith is a word usually reserved for Christianity. I was originally brought up with many different forms of Christianity. Then when I was 21 I traveled East and received many different blessings from Indian and South East Asian traditions and explored them deeply with my heart. The cognitive aspects of the exploration have always been not as important, but they are still present. I have no desire to get super academic about my spirituality. I don’t ever wish to get saturated in dogma, but to remain inquisitive while building my own confidence in the fruits of my practice. My practice is for inner peace and to be an extension of that work in my world and in my life. It doesn’t matter how I get there, just that I am consistent and earnest in my endeavors.

Many bloggers are now over on Substack. I’ve joined just enough to comment on those blogs that I am able to read. It’s interesting to see the options that Substack is offering and I’m seeing more and more that there are people who are favoring connecting with their readers through that platform.

Days 8/9 perfectly imperfect

Imperfect perfection.

In April I completed a daily poem challenge. I wrote and posted a poem every single day for the month. It felt like a huge accomplishment and was also self-nourishing.

You know what else is self-nourishing? Doing this challenge with others and knowing I just don’t feel like being ON and doing this every day. It’s self-nourishing to be less committed to daily blogging and more committed to my positive thoughts.

So, I’m here.

I’m definitely here; and I also want to read a lot more and comment as I can. Being here and being with those other bloggers is what it’s all about.

Let’s all be perfectly imperfect!

For me, this looks like being intentional about joining, but NOT doing it in full. Doing it in full can come again when that is the challenge I really want to go for. I’m regularly involved in so many daily self-discipline practices, such as with a specific daily meditation, journaling (falling behind on that one), and physical disciplines of stretching, yoga and strength training.

My days aren’t perfect but I am perfecting every day.

How are you applying yourself every day?

Days 5,6,7

Counting,

Making up,

Waking up,

Filling in the gaps

Unclogging the pipes

Replacing the breaks

Filling the cracks

The sun greets me with its shiny, sparkly allure

Come here morning: BE HERE NOW

I feel the warm sun like a soft oven hug

Embracing my body with its tiniest layer of sizzle

against the brisk of night, dim that had settled

Now

patches of light are bright, angling through the windows

The morning chill has me sitting still

In full meditation on the sensation of my breath.

It pulses visibly in the air

swirls and sculpts like a free spirit

This day is a catch up day, a catch-all day.

In my life.

A day in my life.

A day like no other.

I’ve never been more alive and well.

I don’t need circumstances to tell me

nor give me permission to,

to experience this vital, free, and full of

wonder

What happens ‘out there’ is not essential

today

What will happen next? …. Is not,

a concern, for me.

I’m prepared to write my story as I go.

There is nothing I need, and nothing to know.

I’m sitting in my universe’s seat watching

from above, while my avatar navigates

whatever needs navigating.

I’m full of tickle and temptation,

trust and empathy.

There is no basket for my eggs.

I rest in knowing that things are rarely what they seem.

I can feel the silence fall around my body

like a spacious cloak,

time grows and spreads under my brow

I can feel the fabric of life unfurl before

me and the distance is wrinkled so it’s really

up close.

I pause and stare at the crinkle and feel its softness created.

I touch it like my fingers are really butterfly feet.

I can touch time like opening with a key

and fully slip into its

spaciousness

and

resting

within it

I am the center

of the Universe’s flower: newly born

The pipes

This is a personal update. We just found out last night that we have to redo all the plumbing pipes in our 90 year old home we bought 2 years ago. This comes after non-stop flooding challenges that were related to the actual water and runoff problems from living in an area that is not used to rain, and getting atmospheric rivers and an abundance of water last season. That resulted in having to dig up and fix, in certain places reroute, the water flow from the existing French drains. The same year, this one, our dishwasher malfunctioned and created more water damage in our kitchen which led to the discovery of leaded countertops which led to a kitchen remodel, which is now halfway done.

Then, two days ago the toilet started bubbling.

This one year alone, 2024, has by far and wide been the most challenging of all years. There have been so many personal problems beyond these listed that are still so very private and multi factorial spanning multiple family members. It’s been a year of untold sorrow.

Yet there is still so much hope for an end to this non-stop saga of extreme adaptation.

Or, maybe the adaptation is the only key here. If there be no end, building resilience as far as I see it, is the only way. It’s the only way to move through it. That might not look entirely graceful, but sometimes the key is survival IS thrival.

Maybe that’s why I decided to join this challenge with NanoPoblano—but not really; I’ve had so many challenges that challenges and “getting out of the comfort zone” talk just sounds like BS to me. Not that any cheer peppers take that type of tone. They are a uniquely sincere bunch, living the best they can—not a lot of talk about living out of the comfort zone. Maybe they are working on it, too: still trying to create a comfort zone that never quite existed.

I choose to join OTHERS. I’m not alone. I know that life has been truly traumatizing for so many, mental health conditions are on the rise, and extreme weather and political unknowns have people on edge.

Here’s the thing though:

We are gonna get through this. All of it. Will we be a smidge wiser: YES.

Pause.

This is that fancy time of year when people are all getting together with their families to celebrate the holidays. I will get the gift of having my father come to visit for 2 weeks. That will require adaptation. However, I am so looking forward to seeing him and sharing this Thanksgiving holiday for the first time in so many years. He’s not really a big celebrator. He’s from the school of hard knocks and that’s also how I’m here.

Life is short. Having a roof over my head, sharing love, and knowing that I live in a sanitary environment with my family is good enough for me. Each day has been coming with its surprises. I’m grateful we caught this collapsing old pipes problem now before we had a bigger catastrophe. Sure it’s still a very costly problem, but at least it’s not worse.

That’s all I can say about everything that’s not great: at least it’s not worse. And for the first time, those words are more reassuring and comforting to me than any time they came before (or from someone’s else’s mouth).

Day 4

Glow and Grow

Darling view of little K, artistic ‘trick or treat’ moment

Life get sorted by calendars, schedules, holidays.

Each day we make meaning into neat little organized experiences.

With reflection and selection, we go even deeper into the richness we can cultivate.

Along the way, we make friends, hold hands with some, grieve, and share successes and milestones.

This is the bread and butter of life: light and darkness, living and dead, joys and sorrows.

My hope for each one of my friends and loved one is that both grow and glow.

You don’t need to be the brightest star in the night’s sky, nor the sun during the day.

Just be who you are, in all your colors, and let it out a bit more.

Day2 of Cheer Peppers 🌶️ Nano Poblano

I seem to have overdone it with all my travel this month with a trip to Mexico for energy working with colleagues and a trip to Los Angeles with TCM dermatology colleagues at a module 3 training. Now, I’m back for an annual conference and volunteered two days ago and my back hurts and I have a cold. 🤧. I love this season. I call this growing pains! Once I heal up I will be an expanded version of myself. Then I get to do some post-conference volunteering. But, for now, I’m streaming the beloved conference from home. What a modern luxury. To be both ‘here’ and ‘there.’ I also join with Cheer Peppers in November and my deeper celebration underlying it all is writing and art, sharing beauty and what catches my eye. I have plenty to glow about. How about you? I may live in the dark, but glowing is what we do. For that, I have no fear of darkness—only to embrace.

“We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life—those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength.” Oswald Chambers

Day of the Dead

Ancestors loved us into existence

Nana
Grandmom

They upheld their own struggles

with faith for the future, for their children,

and grandchildren.

I think we need faith to light the way,

See around dark corners that are

naturally obscured by the unknowns.

Faith naturally is not easy. It’s asking to believe before there is proof.

Superheroes don’t really exist like society

fixates on,

in frequent, Marvel movie releases

But there are superpowers. Among these

are Faith, Patience, Perseverence and

Kindness.

No one who came before us was perfect.

Their legacies were not necessarily influential, popular, nor epic.

But their love remains golden for me,

as soft whispering reminders that what’s

worth cultivating, can be cultivated.

Not that they exemplified these superpowers

in every way; but that their regular, human

strength was often good enough.

I think we can all be inspired by “good enough.”

🕯️

🔥

You existed, and you mattered;

and in me, you continue to exist, cultivating…

Persevering.

I joined Cheer Peppers 🌶️ for daily November blogging month just today. I’m not sure if I will post or read every day. It just felt good to join and be in community. So I am keeping it simple: one day at a time, and doing what feels good.

She is my sunshine and my rain

“Bunny corn” By little K.

When love struggles

heart breaks.

echos from the past try to

flourish in new patterns

swirly emotional loudness

We do our best to

soften, gentle, ease

reminders that “never” is

really rarely ever,

true.

We did all our healing before

and somehow

there’s still more

Because life is more brilliant

than we know.

As any casualty will show

the angel points to your heart

asks you if you are

attentive to

what is not a circumstance,

is your reaction to one.

Breathe in the sounds of peace

as it’s your job to make it

be free: that mind.

measure your thoughts

against accuracy

and be obedient to your

soul’s acceptance

for love comes in forms

that marry us to the stars

forever hopeful

gazing,

And knowing

That whatever outcome may,

you gave all of your heart.

She said

“you poured all your heart into me.”

And she is right.

That is how beauty made you,

and will continue to.

What does love say?

What does love say when

the glass heart shatters

inside its fragile frame,

collapses

energy,

so tired from

holding on

to hollow spaces,

and angular wages

awaiting love’s return?

What does love say when the release

valve on the instapot pops

open because the pressures inside are

making diamonds from

charred wishes

that were soaked in red wine, then burned?

What does love say when ears

are too sensitive to sound, tears

burn the face

heat boils the blood,

white light at night

blinds the sight,

starving sleep?

What does love say, when the last

breath is waiting on the verge of

a biopsy’s precipice, and the

colors are always strange

because weirdness is

a non-stop and confusing limitation,

blocking any straightforward and

sensible path?

What does love say about

the absurdity of a peculiar

dystopia where entertainment

is valued higher than peace and

slowing down, and just the matrix has become

too much to bear?

What does love say about a world with

fleeting love?

Keep going, make more, hold on.

Breathe.