A conversation with the fire spirit.
Human-Centered Intentional Culture
Creating a healthy business culture with engaged employees is possible. Clarity of purpose, real care for the people involved, clear expectations and persistence can get you there. The bad news: it is hard. But the good news is that work is much more fun when approached this way.
Helping the Homeless
The day after Christmas, 2019, a day when many celebrate the birth of a homeless child, a social mediate site for Ann Arbor townies posted this question: “Would you ever open your home to a homeless person?” Forty-eight comments later, administrators closed the post’s comments. My take on these comments is that most people answered “yes,” “no” or “if I knew the homeless person.”
Habituation vs. Gratitude
I’ve always resonated with the idea of the psyche as landscape that varies in topography, weather patterns, vegetation, and inhabitants. Polarities of all kinds can be found within, even though the mind itself prefers to land on one side of things rather then continuing to remain open to alternatives. It is best to make a practice of contemplating opposing ideas to stay connected to reality, and to not be fooled by our own minds.
What is Truth?
What is truth? In our world of ‘fake news’ and contested facts, truth can be difficult to grasp and even harder to hold. How can we look at an interaction or event and come to such dramatically different conclusions? To perceive it accurately requires a level of objectivity and nonattachment few of us possess. It is almost impossible to separate who we are and what we hold sacred from what we perceive. Truth is challenging to witness—it can be simultaneously terrifying and awe inspiring. Just when we think we understand, it suddenly gives way to a profounder meaning—a soul shaking reality that moves us to the very core of our being.
A CONVERSATION WITH THE SPIRIT OF PEACE
River: May I speak to the spirit of peace, please?
Peace: Granted. I hear you.
River: Thank you! Some of our people call you a goddess, others a spirit or an angel. How do you describe yourself?
Peace: I rather like the title Spirit. It is more complex in meaning, and better suited to my role than the other words you mention.
Above and Beyond Self Care
2018 and 2019 seemed to be the years of “Self-Care.” It was advocated in every store and every social media platform. “Take care of you first.” “Do what you need and if others don’t understand, that’s their problem.”
Certainly, becoming exhausted from busy-ness serves no one well nor anyone long term. Yet, in all the well-meant advocating for self-love, the greater need for this message wasn’t being delivered. Mental and physical self care is important because it is the means to clear thinking and understanding. This then yields the SO needed empathetic actions within our larger communities and in our higher spiritual walks.
A Conversation With Gumk-Ki The Skink
Years ago, I met a Blue-Tongued Skink in a private zoo. Placing my hand on his back felt like touching the shoulders of the Earth; pure solid groundedness and complete self-awareness. The other day, I was thinking about that skink when I was unexpectedly contacted. Here is our conversation...
Natural Dyes Tell The Story of Where you Live
"The story within any natural dye can take you to a place in time, a history lesson of warriors, of antiquity, or harken to your favorite local hiking trail. The Crazy Wisdom journal story highlighting our organization, Color Wheel, ends on a note that makes for a great starting point for this blog:
A CONVERSATION WITH JACK FROST
When I was a kid, every child knew who Jack Frost was. The first elegant white tracery on a window was cause for celebration, since it indicated the arrival of sledding and skating weather. We all know Jack's legend, which is timeless and full of charm. Read on to hear more from Jack himself!
Lilith
Usually, ideas from a book find their way into a blog about a painting with synchronicity rather then cognitive synthesis, in other words, more by happenstance as opposed to conscious deliberation. The above painting came about as a direct result of my reading Original Resistance, Reclaiming Lilith, even though as usual, I wasn’t going for it intentionally, but rather following the creative flow. I thought I was painting another Tree Spirit until the snake showed up letting me know this is Lilith herself, and I better get on with telling her story.
Visiting Da Vinci
Recently I had the privilege of revisiting Paris after 25 years since my study abroad in college. I had no concept of mindfulness back then and wasn’t nearly as contemplative. My memory space stored places and events that were meaningful to me regardless, allowing me to see how they differed from present experiences.
We got a special magical moment with my husband that did justice to the city’s reputation for romance. The first time we had the chance to stroll by the Seine on our own we stopped by a street musician. We decided to not rush by, but stop and give him our full attention while savoring the blessing of being in Paris together.
Helping People Poop
I never grew up thinking I wanted to help people poop.
Of course, I do a lot more than that. Many people find my practice by searching for relief from their GI (gastrointestinal symptoms) such as acid reflux, bloating, abdominal pain, feelings of being overly full, fatigue, foggy brain, poor sleep quality, and a desire to decrease their dietary restrictions. But for many people, they also want to do something very simple - have regular bowel movements.
Squirrels: Beyond the Cute
Squirrels. They're everywhere. They're so common that you kind of block them out after a while. Then one day you're driving along minding your own business, and suddenly one of the furry hoodlums sprints across the road right in front of your car. It's almost like he was actually waiting for your car so he could give you a heart attack as you desperately try to avoid squashing him without causing an accident! What was that little maniac thinking, anyway?
Prepare to be amazed.
How Bodymind Coaching Creates Real And Lasting Change
Look, here's the deal. YOU CANNOT CREATE CHANGE in your life with concepts and words alone. Affirmations can only take us so far. Let me break it down for you.
Having a Bodymind Coach Changed the Trajectory of My Life
By Julie Kouyate
I was struggling. I mean, here I was, a totally spiritual woman, a successful massage therapist, West afrcian dance instructor, home birthing mamma, and a WIFE! I had all the ingredients that would have many believe I was fulfilled, completely. I can't agree more that I was doing well and grateful for all that I had come to know about healing, living a natural and spiritual life, taking risks, and coming out okay. But, under all of that amazing goodness, I was still somewhat unsatisfied. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but there was something more, something missing.
What was it? Well, for starters. I never went anywhere on my days off without my five babies I spent years lugging them around, fighting, crying, and all. I really thought they would miss me too much, and then the GUILT would set in. I am a woman, after all. I’m here to serve and nurture without fail. But in every single moment?
My husband and I never spent a night away from them. They breastfed and slept in our bed till the next one arrived and even then we would do double duty. My work was also a place that required me to serve, my dance classes needed to be managed—I needed to support dancers to be able to feel comfortable and safe enough to try something new.
I was burned out on life.
Then I followed the call in my heart. I took action and landed in a program that I thought was going to give me a new way to work with clients. What I found was the total opposite. I FOUND MY WAY BACK HOME, a way back to my truest and highest passions.
Bodymind coaching is what I found and it's a journey into a deeper healing, a deeper conversation that gets really REAL with reality and how a person is living their life versus how they dream it to be. It's not about “things” that you want (but the bodymind process can be about that), it's more about the way you desire to feel each day and how to go about amplifying the energy you want to live in.
Bodymind coaching is totally unique as its developed for lightworkers and healers who already have a deep wisdom with working with people’s bodies and their mindset in relation to emotions and dis-ease. But I got served!
Touch, along with a brand new awareness, is how it all began. I was being coached around some of my blocks and some of my deeper passions left forgotten and laying dormant within me. I felt a renewed sense of purpose, and a direct route to achieve it. Best part is that this all came from ME! A great coach only guides and facilitates as you come into your own AH-Ha moments that are totally pivotal for growth. If we aren't growing and evolving then we are stuck, truly.
I am fully alive after bodymind coaching and it has brought many new things into my life. I task without pushing, tuning into my body to ask, “What is the one most important thing that must be done today?” Not 15 things done mindlessly, but one or two most important tasks. Then I ask, “What do I want to do today?” and “Which task feels best to do right now?” This is pure feminine flow, and it’s the intuitive approach to life. Since having a coach of my own, I now have done countless things that I would never have begun on my own before. These things were a distant reality. A dream.
I finally took weekends off for the first time in 16 years. I always said I wanted to and “should,” but never did.
I left my children many times for fun and pleasurable things, and they were all okay.
I choose daily self love (care). I take naps, I leave those dishes, skip some of those soccer games, buy those massages, create as a regular part of my day, regularly make time with my sister friends. I prioritize myself for the first time ever, and I’m nicer, and I am encouraged to continue.
I take singing lessons. All my kiddos had lessons for over ten years. I said I'd love to do that someday for myself. I’m doing it now!
I’ve learned that spiritual work is key, and I continue to learn, grow, journal, and receive coaching for myself.
I RUN GODDESS RETREATS! I'm finally utilizing all my healing gifts. I feel the fear of all the things that go along with following your passion even when I can't “make sense” of it. (more feminine flow)
My coaching clients lives are being transformed in huge ways with my programs that take them through a unique healing process that is designed to transform.
I am scheduling breaks on my workdays. It used to be self-imposed (unconsciously) to work straight through (if I’m not working hard I’m not worthy mindset) and now poof! DONE with that!
My life is at the highest, healthiest place I have ever known and it could never have been done without the help of a coach to bring some of the programming of the “day on repeat” cycles we subscribe to unconsciously.
We are actually addicted to the chemical release that we create as we assign “a meaning” to an emotion that results from a specific event (the negative thought loop that makes a body respond (i.e stress response) and the release of depressive drugs in the spinal column like dopamine). The body has to come back into the conversation. When we connect to our truest source, our body's wisdom, then we can feel our way forward. I was asked a very important question that was so simple and yet so profound. Julie, what do you want to feel each day and how can you amplify this? The power lies within us to go from what we think we should be doing and being totally disconnected from that, to what we know in our bodies as the guidance to live a life on purpose. Coaching has given me the freedom to live in the now more than ever before and this is the only reason we are here, to connect and to be in the now. Enjoyment of life and not living with just the end result in mind is the key. Now, I know that this is not only a great idea, it is attainable!
Julie Kouyate is a Bodymind coach and LMT. She has been in the alternative healing and wellness industry for over 20 years, but coaching is now her preferred way to work with clients because of the way we can change our patterns to have a lasting change that leads to a more connected life that is less restricted in a holistic way…. Body, mind, and spirit! . Learn more about her offerings, including the BodyMind coaching program, at www.kouyatehealingarts.com, or call (734) 330-7903.
Related Content:
Featured
Only A Glimpse
I am a summer person living in Michigan, walking around half heartbroken, not being able to keep myself from anticipating what is to come, which is not-summer for another three seasons. Since I know the value of mindful presence, I look for things that’ll help me stay in the present. Even though I am more of a mammal lover in general, at the moment the antidote to my mind’s tendency to hijack me to the future comes from the insect kingdom as they remind me to be in the present, to savor the magic of the moment, and to contemplate the mysteries. I had written a blog about fireflies before so will focus on the butterfly this time around.
New guest bloggers for fall!
Ideas for Helping Your Child Invest in Their Future Self
t takes strong willpower to say no to ten more minutes of texting friends or playing instead of going to bed. It also takes willpower to say no to ten more minutes of sleep when you are still tired and don’t want to get up for school (or work). This is because immediate gratification has a serious edge over some possible vague reward that may, or may not, show up in the future, and only if you work for it. In other words, when working from our evolutionary default setting, now will beat later every time!
The Slugs of Summer
By Peggy River Singer
I've always enjoyed slugs and snails for their energy and cheerful nature, and their cute little faces. I've even kept them as "pets". They've never caused any problems in any of my gardens, until I planted marigolds here at my lakeside apartment for the first time.
Did you know that slugs REALLY LOVE marigolds?
Each plant was stripped, from the ground up, so they all ended up looking like tiny little topiary trees. I would have thought such a spicy-smelling plant would be immune to slime-trailing snackers, but that's not so.
Worried about my beloved marigolds, I asked to speak with a representative of the slugs in my garden. It was unproductive: I got a flat NOPE when I asked about a truce or a compromise. (I'm sure it would have helped if I had waited until night to connect, instead of trying to negotiate during the day when the slugs were sleeping!)
Meanwhile, my Sage plant was also getting chewed on, and I asked it what I could do to help. To my surprise, the answer was: "Nothing. We can handle this."
That evening, Sage had more to say when it connected with me during Dreamtime:
"I do not mind a nibble here or a nibble there. Sometimes the slugs come to us for healing substances we can provide. Only the weak and sick plants are harmed by slug dining.
"Yes, marigolds are medicinal for the slugs. There is so much poison used here [insecticides] and it makes the slugs sick. The marigold essence helps them.
"Yes, they do LIKE the taste of marigolds; that is part of the scenario. They are not mindless; they have awareness of the consequences of their actions. As in, if they eat every bit of a plant it might not grow anymore and they must seek elsewhere.
"Their mind processes are quite basic/simple and they live in the day, the Now. Focused on their little bit of the big world. Big matters are not part of their awareness. They experience bliss, joy, fear, affection in a limited way. They would tell you that life is good, until it is not, then it becomes good once again. What else is there? What else would they possibly need?"
Well, Sage gave me a lot to think about, and as a result I've let go of trying to "fix" this situation. I'll continue to send loving Reiki energy to everyone involved.
At this point, you might be expecting me to share advice about how to cope with slug damage on YOUR plants. Nope. You'll find plenty of ideas online. You'll also find lots of fine articles about the spiritual aspects of slugs, and what we can learn from them.
The rest, I leave up to you!
Peggy River Singer is a heart-centered animal communicator, medium, faerie ally, Reiki practitioner, and lifelong writer. She combines her gift for communications with her psychic abilities to help create harmonious relationships among all who share the Earth. Connect by phone at 734-548-0194; and by email at newbluecanoe@aol.com. She shares her experiences and insights on her blog, angelsfairiesandlife.wordpress.com.
Related Content:
Featured
Once terrified of the dark—haunted by sleepwalking and shadowy fears—I learned to see darkness as a gentle, restful lady. Through winter nights and motherhood, find peace in the quiet beauty of night. Reflections on overcoming fear.