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
Be friendly to the poor. Serve them. Cheer them up when they are in difficulties. Be liberal and generous. Keep always some money in your pocket and distribute them to the poor and decrepit. Be kind, compassionate, gentle, sweet and loving. Be humble.
Do not lose a single opportunity in helping and serving others. Do not expect anything when you serve a man or when you give a gift. Thank him for giving you a good opportunity to serve him. By doing service you purify your heart. Egoism, hatred, jealousy and idea of superiority vanish. Humility, pure love, sympathy, tolerance and mercy are developed. Selfishness is eradicated. You realise One-in-all and all-in-One. Sense of separateness is annihilated. You feel unbound joy.
Speak a helpful word. Give a cheering smile. Do a kind act. Wipe the tears of one who is in distress. You will feel great joy. When you serve others, feel that you are serving the Lord in them, or your own Self. Remember that all are His children.
Spiritualise all your actions. Develop unconditional and universal love gradually through selfless service. When you purify yourself by untiring service for a number of years, the light of Knowledge will flash in you and you will ultimately merge in God. ~ Swami Sivananda
Hi, Hope this finds you well. Peace, Health and Happiness! Love, Light, Grace and Bliss!
See God in All. Love and Serve All. Be Humble and Simple. God bless you and be with you!
He spends every day alike in humble endeavor to do the Master's will regardless of outward applause. At present we are laboring to form the Christ Consciousness within, but when the inner Christ has grown to full stature, He will shine as the LIGHT.
It is a wonderful power which is centered in the Mystic at the time of his Baptism by the descent and concentration within him of the Universal Spirit; and when he has refused during the period of temptation to desecrate it for personal profit or power, he must of necessity give it vent in another direction, for he is impelled by an irresistible inner urge which will not allow him to settle down to an inert, inactive life of prayer and meditation.
The power of God is upon him to preach and glad tidings to humanity, to help and heal. We know that a stove which is filled with burning fuel cannot help heating the surrounding atmosphere; neither can the Mystic help radiating the divine compassion which fills his heart to overflowing, nor is he is doubt whom to love or whom to serve or where to find his opportunity. As the stove filled with burning fuel radiates heat to all who are within its sphere of radiation, so the Mystic feels the love of God burning within his heart and is continually radiating it to all with whom he comes in contact. As the heated stove draws to itself by its genial warmth those who are suffering with physical cold, so the warm love rays of the Mystic are as a magnet to all those whose hearts are chilled by the cruelty of the world, by man's inhumanity to man.
The true Mystic need not preach. His every act, even his silent presence, is more powerful that all the most deeply thought-out discourses of learned doctors of philosophy. ~ M. Heindel
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
The more recollected a man is, and the more simple of heart he becomes, the easier he understands sublime things, for he receives the light of knowledge from above. The pure, simple, and steadfast spirit is not distracted by many labors, for he does them all for the honor of God.
“THE kingdom of God is within you,"
says the Lord (Luke 17:21).
Turn, then, to God with all your heart. Forsake this wretched world and your soul shall find rest. Learn to despise external things, to devote yourself to those that are within, and you will see the kingdom of God come unto you, that kingdom which is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ~ Thomas à Kempis
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"It is open to you every hour to retire into yourself. And where can man find a calmer, more restful haven than his soul. Dig within yourself. Therein lies the fount of good; a fount whose waters will for ever well up, if you but forever dig ". ~ Marcus Aurelius
Hi Elizabeth,
Hope this finds you well. Have a wonderful month! Peace, Health and Happiness! Love, Light, Grace and Bliss! God bless you and be with you!
I heard a soft voice behind me, saying: "Return!" I lifted my head and looked around to see who was calling me and where he commanded me to return; but I saw no one.
Then the voice sounded again: "Return!" Not knowing where to return or how to get out of the darkness, I felt dismayed, but the voice called a third time: "Return to the place whence you came, to the home of your heart and shut the door behind you!"
A bright light burst upon me from above. I looked up, a dazzlingly light, such loveliness radiated from it as I had never experienced anywhere in the world. He then, all kindly, addressed me in these most gracious words.
"Welcome, welcome, my dear son and brother!" Saying that, he filled the air with such an exquisite fragrance that I was overcome with ineffable joy and tears flowed from my eyes; nor did I know what to reply to such an unexpected welcome, so I sighed deeply and gazed humbly at him. Seeing me so terrified with joy, he went on speaking: “Where have you been, my son? Where did you tarry so long? Where have you travelled? What have you been seeking in the world? Happiness? Where should you have sought God but in His temple? and where is the temple of the living God but the living temple which He has prepared for Himself, your own heart? I have watched you, my son, while you wandered, but I did not want to see you stray any longer, and I have brought you to me by leading you into yourself. For here have I chosen a palace for my dwelling; and if you dwell with me, you will find here all that you sought in vain in the world--peace, happiness, glory, and an abundance of everything. I promise you, my son, that here you will not be disappointed as you were in the world.” ~ Comenius
No one understands the passion of Christ so thoroughly or heartily as the man whose lot it is to suffer the like himself. ~ Thomas à Kempis
Try to live happily in any place, under any condition. You will become a strong and dynamic personality.
Never complain against bad environments. Create your own mental world wherever you remain and wherever you go. There are some difficulties and disadvantages wherever you go. If the mind deludes you, at every moment and at every step, try to overcome the obstacles and difficulties by suitable means. Do not try to run away from bad, unfavourable environments. God has placed you there to make you grow quickly.
If you get all sorts of comforts in a place, you will not grow strong. Your mind will be puzzled in a new place when you cannot get these comforts. Therefore, make the best use of all places. ~ Swami Sivananda
No matter where you may go, you cannot escape the cross, for wherever you go you take yourself with you and shall always find yourself. Turn where you will -- above, below, without, or within -- you will find a cross in everything, and everywhere you must have patience if you would have peace within and merit an eternal crown.
If you carry the cross willingly, it will carry and lead you to the desired goal where indeed there shall be no more suffering, but here there shall be. If you carry it unwillingly, you create a burden for yourself and increase the load, though still you have to bear it. If you cast away one cross, you will find another and perhaps a heavier one. ~ Thomas à Kempis
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They who seek the throne of grace Find that throne in every place: If we lead a life of prayer God is present everywhere. ~ Oliver Holden
To become divine is the aim of life. All is God and nothing but God. Pray to Him. Be frank. Confess all your troubles before Him. If you take one step nearer to the Divine Being, He will come a hundred by leaps and bounds to you. Surrender everything to Him. Let Him mould you in any way He likes. He will remove all defects and weaknesses.
The greater the intensity of surrender, the more the descent of the Lord's grace. The descent of grace is in direct proportion to the degree of self-surrender. Obtain the grace of the Lord through self-surrender. In surrendering one's will to the Lord's, his will becomes one with the Lord.
God is full of mercy, love and compassion. If you pray to Him from the bottom of your heart, He will purify your thoughts, speech and actions in the fire of Divine Love. Kindle the flame of Divine Love in your heart. ~ Swami Sivananda
The soul feels him within itself not only as a fire that has consumed and transformed it but as a fire that burns and flares within it. And that flame, every time it flares up, bathes the soul in glory and refreshes it with the quality of divine life.
With time and practice, love grows deeper in quality, and become more ardent. We have an example of this in the activity of fire: Although the fire has penetrated the wood, transformed it, and united it with itself, yet as this fire grows hotter and continues to burn, so the wood becomes much more incandescent and inflamed, even to the point of flaring up and shooting out flames from itself. ~ St John of the Cross
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
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?
