Gardening, awareness, being out in nature (except for the bugs!), learning nearly anything new, travel. Oh yeah -- I like to build stuff (especially for the garden).
Music
Been there, done that.
But seriously, I love listening to Krishna Das and Angel Earth when I write. Inspiring! I'm also a big fan of Maire/ Moya Brennan. Further raves to Aaron Copeland, John Denver, Enya, Amy Grant, Josh Groban, Nando Lauria & James Taylor. On stage: Les Mis, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music.
Movies
Lord of the Rings, Rob Roy, Kiss The Girls, The Return of Martin Guerre, Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves (Kevin Costner / Morgan Freeman version), Star Wars, Beyond Rangoon, Future of Food
Television
HGTV and of course The Weather Channel!
Books
Awareness, Intuition & Health: Biology of Belief (Bruce Lipton), The Artist's Way (Julia Cameron), On Combat (Lt. Col. Dave Grossman), The Creation of Health (Myss & Shealy), The Feeling of What Happens (Antonio DaMasio), Heal Thyself (Edward Bach), Journey of Souls (Michael Newton), The Journey & Awakening Spirits & Grandfather (Tom Brown Jr.), Messages From Your Angels & Archangels and Ascended Masters (Doreen Virtue), Radical Forgiveness (Colin Tipping), Sacred Contracts (Caroline Myss), You Can Heal Your Life (Louise Hay)
Abundance & Prosperity: Rich Dad Poor Dad (Robert Kiyosaki), The One-Minute Millionaire (Hansen & Allen), Science of Getting Rich (Wallace Wattles), Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill)
Organic Gardening in the North: Four Season Harvest & The New Organic Grower (Eliot Coleman), Food Not Lawns (H.C. Flores) (gotta see my front yard!), Gardening When It Counts (Steve Solomon), Seed to Seed (Suzanne Ashworth), Solar Gardening (Poisson & Poisson)
Healthy Food: American Wholefoods Cookbook (Nikki & David Goldbeck), Healing With Whole Foods (Paul Pitchford), Natural Foods Cookbook (Mary Estella), Nourishing Traditions Cookbook (Sally Fallon), Wild Fermentation (Sandor Ellix Katz)
Fiction: Angels & Demons (Dan Brown), The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield), The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley), Shaman & The Physician (Noah Gordon), Where The Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak)
Heroes
Gandalf the Grey (later Gandalf the White), Yoda, Max (he kinda looks like Yoda, don't you think?), and brave little Scout (now nice and warm in doggy heaven)
On the personal side, I'm into fresh veggie gardening, hanging out with Max (my cute little receptionist) and my friends here in North Dakota, and listening in on the exploits of my family in Ohio. (I moved here to paradise in 2001, after 21 unforgettable years in Detroit.)
Naturally I have some fun working, too. Mostly helping people get healthier. I'm webmaster of the healthy living website WordCures.com. One of the coolest things we do there is Intuitive Brainstorming where we find creative insights into situations that cause people stress.
As far as my background -- gee -- seems like I've had the opportunity to explore a variety of different things! I've studied awareness and intuition with Tom Brown, Jr. and Caroline Myss, and am certified as an Angel Therapy Practitioner by Doreen Virtue, PhD. These three perspectives all come together in my healthy living tips.
I'm also certified in neuromuscular therapy and transformational breathwork; several years ago I embraced my "inner warrior" and earned ShoDan rank in Koei-Kan Karate-Do. I've earned a PhD in energy medicine, a master's in psychology: human development, and a bachelor's in music. Before getting into the human development field, I worked for 10 years producing musical theater for a major opera company.
I especially enjoy observing human nature -- guess you never really graduate from that school!
Check out my website and blog:
WordCures.com Be sure and download "Transform Stress Into Power." It's free!
"In true healing, the nature and name of the disease is of no consequence whatever. Disease of the body itself is nothing but the result of disharmony between soul and mind." Edward Bach, MD
"Definition of a symptom: Anything you don't like." Rick Jarrow
"You too must learn that the tools and remedies of man are but mere camoflages, crutches for those who do not believe. You must learn to control and use this life force, for that is the only healing." Grandfather Stalking Wolf, quoted by Tom Brown, Jr.; The Vision
"Hold in truth that sickness cannot exist in the face of love, and you will reveal the greatest reality of them all." Messages from Your Angels, Doreen Virtue
"...choice is your greatest power. It is an even greater power than love, because you must first choose to be a loving person. Sacred Contracts, Caroline Myss
"Any time the physical mind is present, the communications of the spirit are at best obscure or do not come through to us at all." Grandfather Stalking Wolf, quoted by Tom Brown, Jr; Awakening Spirits
"Your divine potential is the fullest expression of your spirit; it is discovering the depths of your capacity to create and to express love, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, and wisdom... Never revealing its full measure at once, your potential motivates you to discover the greater purpose and meaning of your life." Sacred Contracts, Caroline Myss
"A man not living his vision is living death. Unless there is a question that the vision was a trick of the mind, the vision should never be altered." Coyote Thunder, quoted by Tom Brown, Jr; The Vision
"Anger at being forced beyond one's willingness is the essence of stress... All stress is self-imposed, since all stress-inducing situations are elected by your own free will... Dear Ones, the truth concerning stress is that you choose pain when you are afraid of delving into your holy life purpose." Messages from Your Angels, Doreen Virtue
What is your last name again and I'll add you to facebook. Once you get the hang of it and use friend finder you'll have LOTS of friends in no time. I didn't like it at first and now I'm on every day. It really is much easier to connect I think-----------
What is Twitter?
Thank you for the nice words of encouragement for the wt. loss-----I am really excited to just be at a healthy range again and then finally get to my goal and stay within 5 lbs of that.
I am off to relax and hit the sheets early tonight.
How are you doing? Ready for spring yet? I still am doing fine, I know some who are going NUTS, but I am not out in it every day so to my WINTER is just pretty and white-----------
I am hoping it will stay in the beautiful sunny 60's that is has been lately :-) For at least a while longer :-) I am good. I'm off to one of my best girlfriends baby showers now---this is her 2nd child and a girl this time---we are all SO excited for her. Business is good. That is about it. I figured you would be "out in the garden" as much as possible. Are you doing any writing?
Hope this finds you well. Have a wonderful week. Peace, Health and Happiness! Love, Light, Grace and Bliss!
Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning. By Mahatma Gandhi
Persistent effort in any one direction overcomes all obstacles. No obstacle can withstand the assault of persistent effort.
Persistence overcomes all obstacles and ultimately reaches its goal. Whatever it is you are pursuing, you will get it with persistent effort.
Have firm trust in God, and all conditions will correct themselves. They come and then they go when you do not respond to them. You do not allow them to hold onto you, because you have made yourself a centre of faith and fearlessness.
It is an insult to God to think that you are good for nothing. Maybe your goodness is temporarily covered up, but it is in fact there. If you think that you have got the potential for everything beautiful, then you will become that. Think like God, and you will become like God.
Sometimes taps go out of order and cannot be completely closed, and the faucet keeps dripping on the granite stone, and a hole is made in the stone just from the accumulated effect of these drops of water!
Persistent effort in your spiritual life will bring forth illumination where it might not have been before. By Swami Chidananda
You will not grieve if a friend should die or forsake you. Your love for your friend should be grounded in Me, and for My sake you should love whoever seems to be good and is very dear to you in this life. Without Me friendship has no strength and cannot endure. Love which I do not bind is neither true nor pure. By Thomas a Kempis
Real happiness is within you. It is in the Self. It is subjective. It manifests when the mind is concentrated. When the Senses are withdrawn from the objects outside, when you become desireless and thoughtless, bliss begins to dawn, spiritual happiness and joy begins to thrill. By Sri Swami Sivananda
SONG OF THE SOUL AND THE BRIDEGROOM STANZA 27, 28, 32, 35 & 36 By Saint John of the Cross
There He gave me His breasts, There He taught me the science full of sweetness. And there I gave to Him Myself without reserve; There I promised to be His bride.
My soul is occupied, And all my substance in His service; Now I guard no flock, Nor have I any other employment: My sole occupation is love.
When You regarded me, Yours eyes imprinted in me Your grace: For this You loved me again, And thereby my eyes merited To adore what in You they saw.
In solitude she lived, And in solitude built her nest; And in solitude, alone Has the Beloved guided her, In solitude also wounded with love.
Let us rejoice, O my Beloved, Let us go forth to see ourselves in Your beauty, To the mountain and the hill, Where the pure water flows: Let us enter into the heart of the thicket.
Hope this finds you well. Have a wonderful week! Peace, Health and Happiness! Love, Light, Grace and Bliss!
A MAN is raised up from the earth by two wings—simplicity and purity. There must be simplicity in his intention and purity in his desires. Simplicity leads to God, purity embraces and enjoys Him.
If your heart is free from ill-ordered affection, no good deed will be difficult for you. If you aim at and seek after nothing but the pleasure of God and the welfare of your neighbor, you will enjoy freedom within.
If your heart were right, then every created thing would be a mirror of life for you and a book of holy teaching. If inwardly you were good and pure, you would see all things clearly and understand them rightly.
As iron cast into fire loses its rust and becomes glowing white, so he who turns completely to God is stripped of his sluggishness and changed into a new man. By Thomas A Kempis
Hope this finds you well. Have a wonderful weekend! Peace, Health and Happiness! Love, Light, Grace and Bliss!
Think of the mistakes you have committed during the course of the day, just before retiring to bed (self-analysis). Keep a spiritual diary and self-correction register as Benjamin Franklin did.
Never hurt anybody. Control anger by love, forgiveness and compassion.
Do not be offended by trifling matters. Cultivate an amiable loving nature and adaptability. Admit your faults if they are pointed out by others. Eradicate them and thank the man who points out your defects; then only can you grow in spirituality and meditation.
Look within. Try to remove your weaknesses. Many old vicious habits will have to be cut out. Remove the defects of self-justification and of self-assertive nature.
Do not become a victim of anger. Control it by forgiveness, love, mercy, sympathy, continued positive thought and consideration for others.
Never worry yourself on any matter. Be always cheerful. Love all. See your own Self in all. Be honest in all your dealings. Have a balanced mind always. Turn your mind towards God. Sing His name. Thirst for His Vision. Be sincere at heart. The Divine Grace will descend on you.