My neighbor is a peacock.
He lives just two blocks down.
The first time I caught a glimpse of him,
I nearly hit the ground.
His beauty takes my breath away,
his grace gives me delight,
but nothing could have impressed me more
then when this bird took flight.
He landed on a roof top that was three stories high.
It seemed my pretty peacock friend was a wee bit shy.
I stopped a man walking down the street and told him
“Hey, check out this sight.”
He followed my gaze, turned back eyes ablaze, and said,
“Yeah, I know he keeps me up all night.”

Entwined – that is what we are. And when something happens to one it affects the whole. Subtly sometimes and at other times cataclysmic. Precisely why with the event of the recent earthquake in Haiti, it has been difficult for so many to not become completely consumed with the intense, multi-levels of pain these people so far away have had to withstand. According to the dictionary, empathy is ” the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.”A state of consciousness most humans share. The definition doesn’t seem to differentiate between identifying with others only in light of positive or negative circumstances, so that says to me that either could be present and one could still be “empathetic.”

After the paralyzing shock of hearing such news, whether it be the devastating chain of events occurring in Haiti or anywhere else in the world right now or any other time, a fog seems to roll over those of us who might not be immediately affected but who are still connected by that human link. We might get very wrapped up in the perceived feelings of the people actually going through the situation that we lose sight of our own path for awhile. We feel sorry, we feel a deep sense of loss, we cry, we make phone calls and commiserate, and we try to make sense of it all. We take action, send money, maybe collect food and clothing, doing what we can to help.

It is interesting the things that we think or feel during times of great tragedy. Some of us feel guilty – for being spared maybe, for living and enjoying our lives, for carrying on. After all, how can we celebrate our promotion, our husband’s birthday, the sale of our artwork when so many people are suffering out there? But we must continue to move forward not only for ourselves but for the good of the whole. There is time for empathy and experiencing the sadness, and then there is time for empathy and spreading the love and light. Hold some of those faces you’ve been seeing online in your eyes and in your heart and send them love. That is what they need from us right now. Wish them peace and strength and shower them with warm golden and green light. And in your minds eye reach out and hold their hand, give them a warm, comforting embrace and a sweet caring smile. You need to spread the light. It is an extremely important job that the world needs always but especially in times of crisis. You share the pain, then you share love and celebrate lives.

I am very excited to announce my new class being offered at the Reiki Center.

Restoring Vitality with Foot Reflexology

Come learn this powerfully transformative therapeutic modality
and see how it can enhance your well-being and that of the people you work on.

Where: Reiki Center 1848 South Elena, Suite F
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
Dates: 2 Consecutive Saturdays, 1/16 and 1/23/2010
Time: From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $195.00 (Price includes 5 laminated charts)
A $50.00 deposit is required to hold your spot
To register go online to the Reiki Center site here or call (310) 375-3755
For additional details on the class you may email me here.

Located a couple blocks from the beach in beautiful Riviera Village,
Reiki Center is an inviting and inspiring environment which
should prove a most enjoyable venue
in which to teach, learn, exchange ideas, and meet new people.

Owner and Reiki Master Lucia Galante Johnson is as warm and genuine as they come, and she has created an atmosphere of peace where you feel kindly embraced as soon as you pass over the threshold.

“Reiki Center is a full service treatment center offering
traditional Usui Reiki from the introductory level on up
to the Masters degree. Mentoring programs are also
available to qualified students.

Reiki Center also offers classes in Reiki Drumming,
Angel Reiki (Intuitive work), Retreats to sacred locations.
Reiki for Children and Teens coming soon!”

Yayyyy my first postcard came from the Benevolent Postcard Society!

I mentioned a couple posts ago how thrilled I was to be a part of this fun project. I recently received this adorable guy from a lovely woman in Norway – thank you Therese for the teddy bear and happy wishes – he makes me smile every time I walk by!

A big thank you again to Lori Langille, the kind soul who put this all together – anticipation of next months mailing has gotten me drawing again and it feels so good after so long!

Have a fabulous day out there everyone!

A brief, generic ‘having a great time – wish you were here’, sometimes a deeper gesture to encourage a reconnection, a snapshot glimpse of an enchanting place you’ve yet to experience yourself, a quick message of love and devotion possibly accented with a hint or a smack of sultriness, steam or scent of perfume, or coupons to entice you into purchasing a new product or service, and now, for me and for 250 plus others around the world, a unique way to just share a short, sweet message of unconditional optimism – a grand way to shine a flicker of light, blast of color, texture and design in between the not as exciting packets of junk mail and bills. Can’t wait to receive my first card from the Benevolent Postcard Society, I await its arrival with keen anticipation – and I hope my new friend likes the one I sent along, my beloved sheep from the LA zoo. Thank you so much to Lori Langille for letting me be a part of this beautifully inspired project – just made it in under the wire – I am so thrilled.

Bluff Cove, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Claudia from Feel The Bliss of Yoga is having a
Yoga Stretch and Reiki Circle this Friday, June 26
Yak and Yeti in Hermosa Beach.

Visit her site here for more information.
She sent the following along with the announcement.
Talk about positive pattern making – if this were our intent each day, life would be golden.
Thanks for sharing Claudia!

5 Principles of Reiki:
* Just for today do not worry
* Just for today do not anger
* Just for today earn your living honestly
* Just for today show gratitude to everything
* Just for today respect all your neighbors and all living beings

Take your breath away don’t they?

Random Rock Arrangement
Bluff Cove, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

When we insist and persist in fighting against the current – that is when we become fixed. All shades of gray get blocked out from our vantage point and there is no allowing for anything other than black and white. If we release and relinquish the fight and let the natural order of things move within and around us, that is when we will be able to see the opportunities for change we wish to realize. 

Go with the flow – yes, Thank You, I get it, but as of late seem to need periodic reminders to stay on track.

There couldn’t have been a sweeter, more pleasurable reminder then this visit last week to Bluff Cove. Just a short, sandy hike, downwards from the side of the road to the side of the ocean, but a remarkably different landscape below. So many rocks, loose and in formation, so many crabs – small, black and scampering sideways as they do, in and out of crevices – kind of comical to see so many doing the same movement at the same time – synchronized scampering – doing their crab dance…Then there were a couple of long lanky egrets, a few non-lounging lizards, several hundreds of flies and other water dwelling insects, and one lone tanned, untethered surfer surveying the scene of his long held domain. Gray and overcast but completely vibrant, this was a place to feel deeply. Monuments to surfers passed adorned the hillside amidst the wildflowers. A rustic bench inscribed with open hearted remembrances of love. Then as we moved along the stretch of rocky coastline, we heard what initially was thought to be the sound of handfuls of fire crackers being propelled over the edge of the cliff above us. A loud, deep rumbling, that we soon figured out was from the earth itself. As the waves broke vigorously over the shore they simultaneously retreated upon impact, and as they did the thousands of ostrich egg sized rocks were tumbled in succession over the terrain beneath them, sending out a ripple of sound that cascaded along the full expanse of the beach – a wave of sound created by the waves, causing an intense, visceral wave within us. In all my years and on all the many beaches I have visited, I have never heard or felt anything quite like that. It brought such clarity. One couldn’t help but be completely present…not to mention thoroughly impressed.

Musical, Literary, Design, Textural, Traffic, Weather, Plants, Planetary, Behavioral, Personality, Binary, Numerical, Electrical, Sewing, Snow, Brainwave, Fingerprint, Architectural…

They’re within us, they surround us, they can captivate us, and sometimes overtake us.

They create sound, reinforce structure, enhance memory, develop esthetically pleasing design, maintain balance, formulate equations, compose melodies, harmonies, symphonies… they build words, they shield us from view or allow us to blend in, they keep us on task, help us knit sweaters, do puzzles, play bingo, chess, crossword puzzles…

But sometimes they can bring disorganization or complete chaos to our lives.

Occasionally we create some not so appealing patterns that eat up our time, zap our energy, and prevent us from creating the inspired life of happiness, love and fulfillment we were meant to live. Repetitive stress injuries, negative mind chatter, chronic substance abuse, to name a few, are all perpetuating patterns that often times keep us fixed and unable to move forward.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are many different ways of extracting oneself from the quagmire. Over the next several posts I would like to discuss some ideas with you, and I invite you to participate in the discussion by letting the rest of us know how you eradicate negative patterns in your life, and how you have been able to replace them with more positive behaviors and practices. So, come on and get the ball rolling!

Thanks in advance, and I will be back soon to follow up –

Donna

Bonsai Garden - Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Some things take extreme care and patience.
Their progress cannot be pushed ahead perfunctorily, on the contrary, they must be nourished lovingly daily,
and maintained with the utmost precision in execution.
There is no room for haphazardness or imprudence, or one might be required to begin the whole process all over again. Daily diligence is what is required. Be steadfast and true.
Falling in love with the process
rather than just reaching recklessly and repeatedly for resplendent rings…