Upon reflecting on “a single time” that I have moved outside of my zone of comfort, I am somewhat stumped. I realized while considering this topic that I virtually live outside of my comfort zone. My life is what I call “living on a prayer.” I work in the healing industry and have been a self-employed woman for well over 20 years of my 23 years of healing service.
Posts filed under Personal Growth
A Moment of Joy
And then, unexpectedly, I heard a little voice singing a brief blues lyric in the back of my head. “A thimbleful of good news, a bucketful of bad.” Thinking that a line that good likely did not originate with me, I immediately Googled it. And found to my happy surprise, that in fact it had.
The Modern Lost Boy--Balancing Inner Divinity
As I drove down a familiar road on a particularly sunny August day, I stumbled upon a sign just at the edge of the street that read, “discipline equals freedom.” Ironically, this inspirational motto was posted by a storage facility on Ann Arbor’s southeastern tip. Even more interesting, this seemingly insignificant board would almost instantly redirect the course of my life— dramatic, I know.
Do Unto Others--A Modest Proposal
One morning earlier this year, I went to buy tires at a local store I’ve patronized for over four decades. The man behind the counter and I recognized each other, he’s worked there for many of those years. After we said our hellos, I told him what I needed and he said, “I’ve got the tires, but only one guy to put them on the cars. I’m full up today and for the rest of the week.” (This was on a Tuesday morning.) “Come back next Monday,” he said.
The Sound of Healing with Kimberly Joy Rieli
When you first see Kimberly Joy Rieli, you may be smitten with her fairy queen appearance. The long flowing hair, her lithe frame, and doe-eyes only add to the emanating aura of kindness and peace. Yet to limit your understanding to just the visual sense would sorely miss the depth of her very real healing gifts.
Becoming Me, Again: The Dance of Transformation
My greatest gift is that I lead with the heart. Like a blooming yellow rose, I experience my life as a continuous, golden unfolding. Despite the daily stresses that human life brings, abundance, gratitude, and joy are my daily diet—synchronicity, intuition, and faith are my guiding lights.
Book Review: The Rumi Prescription: How an Ancient Mystic Post Changed My Modern Manic LIfe
Melody Moezzi’s The Rumi Prescription: How an Ancient Mystic Poet Changed My Modern Manic Life is a candid narrative following Moezzi’s quest as an Iranian-American writer and activist. Her quest is relatable across time and space, as she learns to embrace and make the most of life. Her journey transpires with the guidance and influence of her father, Ahmad Moezzi, and ancient poet Rumi, whose advice “transcends language, culture, race, and religion.”
Cat Wisdoms to Live and Lounge By
Oh, cats–our most adorable teachers! Since ancient times, cats have been revered for their wisdom and protection. They were even considered demi-gods in ancient Egypt under the protection of the cat-headed goddess Bast. Featured in myths in numerous cultures throughout history, cats have garnered an age-old affinity still strong today. We love their blipping, purring, yawning, and mews. And, beyond these delights, we can learn so much from our cat friends. The wisdoms of cats are seemingly infinite, so I’ll share my personal favorites of the many lessons taught to me by my two furry feline companions.
Book Review: World of wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments is a pleasant read from cover to cover. The lighthearted prose of celebrated poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil reads like a picturesque spring day—a soft breeze, sunlight warming the earth after a long winter, and scents of growth and new beginnings.
Out of My Comfort Zone: In the Space Between My Comfort Zones
Does exhaling take you out of your comfort zone? How about taking a step out ahead of you? How about the first pangs of hunger, or the chill of the air, when you step outdoors on a cold day?
Moving Meditations and Comparative Prayer Forms: An Exploration of Altering One's Consciousness Through Movement
One day while teaching Tai Chi—somewhere between forms—I was no longer cognizant of my body, my students, the studio, not even time! There was suddenly nothing except delightful whiteness, bliss, and an ethereal consciousness. When I came back to the immediate physical surroundings, I admitted to my students, “Ummmm I lost count. Was that two or three Part the Horse’s Mane?” We all laughed. Later, I recalled having had other similar experiences during movement as well as sitting/lying inert.
The Process of ‘Becoming’ Through the Diamond Approach – As Taught and Practiced by Lou Weir
The Diamond Approach, as taught and practiced by Lou Weir at the Ridhwan School in Ann Arbor, can be likened to the pupa stage of metamorphoses. It is a cognizant, individualized, un-becoming process through active inquiry (psychologically and emotionally). It is a process which transforms students to becoming their most beautiful, authentic selves.
CW Kids in the Community: Winter 2022: Kids Volunteering Opportunities To Give Back To The Community
Kids are back to school, but the community is still struggling. Many activities are up in the air even now. One of the ways we can create meaning out of the suffering around us is to volunteer to help others. We all know people or know of people who still have jobs but struggle to afford enough food or utilities. The environment continues to need our help. There are many ways that volunteering can help us help others, which can also support our own mental or physical health.
What We Can Predict
The Farmer’s Almanac predicts a colder, flakier winter than usual for those of us who live in The Mitten. Normally this would not be worth noting, but there is no “normally” anymore, and so I do note it.
Maybe I note this prediction because at a time when truth seems to be elusive, and not being prepared threatens to be deadly, The Farmer’s Almanac is a reliable source when it comes to foretelling the weather and helping people prepare. And it tips its hat to inclusivity, in that anyone is welcome to read and heed its advice—not just farmers. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac website, it is North America’s most popular reference guide and oldest continuously published periodical.
The Food of the Gods-The Sacred Cacao Ceremony
Over 5,000 years ago, the cacao bean was first used by early Mesoamerican civilizations. It has been celebrated ever since as a sacred plant medicine in many indigenous cultures in South and Central America. Cacao (kə-ˈkau̇) known as the “food of the gods,” is the seed found in the fruit of the Theobroma cacao tree, which is native to the Amazon basin.
Full Moon Ceremony: Creating Sacred Space With Others
What is sacred space and where do we find it? I would describe sacred space as any environment that evokes a serene, reverent feeling of safety and connection. It is a space that allows you to remember the feeling of being exactly who you are with a knowing that you, alone, are enough. It is like receiving a warm hug from a friend or stepping into a bubble that comforts and supports you in every energetic way. Sacred space can be a place—a corner of a room or a park bench, but it can also exist within us in the moment-to-moment connectedness to our own inner wisdom, to our spirituality, to our wholeness. Native American wisdom describes sacred space as the space between the in-breath and out-breath. It exists eternally, within each of us. It just takes slowing down and listening instead of doing to uncover it.
Faith and Doubt
I was recently asked to speak at an event regarding the spiritual life. Several weeks prior to the event, I sat down to collect my thoughts and come up with a topic. Nothing came to me. I felt barren of ideas and inspiration. I tried to will myself to be inspiring. Of course, this didn’t work. I next grabbed books from my library regarding spirituality and began to cram. Some of what I ingested was momentarily inspiring, yet when I put the books down, I lost my excitement. I began to panic when I realized I was supposed to be spiritually uplifting in less than a week and I was so lost. My next strategy was to sleep (a lot)!
Shadows that Illuminate
I invite you to get curious with me before you read the rest of this article. Look around the room and find an object that catches your eye. Study it closely. Look at where the shadows and light meet each other, and wonder at their points of engagement. Do you see areas that abruptly go from light to dark? Any areas that softly and gradually transition through more subtle lighting? Notice lines and curves, and how they reveal details about your chosen object. Can you tell which direction the light is coming from and how it affects the shadows being cast?
Out of My Comfort Zone: Fall 2021, Angie Martell and Lama Nancy Burks
Crazy Wisdom Journal asked a number of leaders in southeastern Michigan’s conscious living community to reflect upon times in their lives that they’ve left their comfort zones to venture out in new ways. In the distant past or much more recently, we asked, what did you do, what inspired you, did it change you, inside or outside, big or little? Did you attend a new class, take an adventurous trip, go skydiving, stretch beyond a long entrenched boundary, start a new relationship or end an old one, take a leap, retire, join the Peace Corps, go on a night trek in the wilderness, or just do something way out of your ordinary?
Book Reviews, Fall 2021
Fall 2021 book reviews: The Modern Guide to Crystal Healing by Philip Permutt, and Sensitive is the New Strong: The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World.
