Work News

An article about the facility where I work was published this week in the Washington Post.  I am so proud to be such a small part of this incredible program.
Click here.

A Good Day

The last three chakras in our class today.  Throat Chakra, all about communication.  Speaking your thoughts, expressing your feelings, and listening.  Then we moved to the Third Eye.  Wisdom and intuition.  How many times have your trusted your heart, your gut?  or maybe you didn't and regretted it.  And then we came to the Crown Chakra.  Our connection to spirit, finding our higher power. Understanding that meditation gives the brain rest, much like sleep rests the body.  And realizing that prayer and meditation are not the same.  Prayer, we are talking, usually asking.  Meditation we sit in silence and breathe, ready to receive...answers, wisdom,  guidance, clarity and peace.

So that was my day today.  I am still dealing with the fatigue, I am beginning to think it might be some sort of bug or virus.  Tomorrow is hump day, a very early class for me.  Thursday evening is our gig at the art museum.  May we all know peace tomorrow, may we all know kindness. 

Brick Wall

It's one of those evenings when the brain has been drained, not even a photograph to share tonight.
My body has hit a brick wall. 

It has been a good Monday, but my fatigue levels for the past few days has been bad.  Not sure why.
Continue to spread kindness this week, it seems to be in such short supply.  A little joy would be nice too.

Goodnight, Sweet dreams

Yellow Jacket

Getting stung on the leg by a yellow jacket was not on my calendar for today.  What did I know?
We were walking with Jordan and our other great-nephew Anthony when Hook found another nest.
Rick and I are trying to get the boys to safety, I am yelling run, and the next thing I know one of those little beasts has stung me.  Better me, than the kids, but my leg throbbed for over an hour.

I thought it had gotten cold enough to put those babies to sleep, but temps climbed to 60 degrees today and they came out of the hole.  And Hook probably dug around their nest too. We have never had a digger.  Hook loves to dig.  I figure at some point a tree will crash into our house because he has dug it up.

We practiced our show today, I am drained.  But, I was drained when I got up this morning.  Don't you hate it when you get up tired?

I hope your Monday is uneventful and the most stress you will experience is smiling too much.
Spread some kindness, there is a shortage.

Sharky

I always think of my dad on Veteran's Day.  Just a young farm boy from Hull, Alabama sent to battlefields in Germany and France as an Air Force Medic.  He never talked about the war, never mentioned it.  We never knew he was a decorated hero until after his death.  I went to the VA to see about getting help for my mom and the ladies at our local VA office told me about his medals.
His name was Jim but everyone called him Sharky.  He was loving and kind and honest and hardworking.  He died in 1991 and I miss him daily.  Thanks to all you Veterans tonight, for your service and sacrifice.

My Transformation Today

I love performing, I love playing guitar, writing songs and singing.  Sometimes I have meltdowns during practice.  I am my toughest critic, I know that.  But, here's the deal about our music...I never want anyone to say we are not good enough.  It's ok if someone doesn't like the type of music we do, if my voice grates on them like nails on a black board,  but it is important to me that we do our best.

Today was a long practice, and somewhat meltdown moment.  I had to remind myself to practice what I told my students yesterday, Ahimsa.   It means do no harm.  We harm ourselves in so many ways, with drugs, alcohol, too much food, too much stress, too little sleep, not enough water, too much caffeine, too much sugar,  too little rest, negative thoughts, hate and jealousy.

As we practiced our set today, and I was struggling with new guitar parts I started to mentally beat myself up. I grew angry with my lack of ability to play what I wanted to play.  I realized that I was doing harm to myself and Rick, because he thought I was angry with him.  The anger was towards me.  Here's what I had to remember, creativity comes from love, all good things come from love.
Once I settled down, and became kinder toward myself, the piece I was struggling with got better.

My transformation today; remembering to be kind to me, to treat myself the way I try to treat others.
This teacher is never too old to learn and I am grateful for that.  So tomorrow, be kind to others and be kind to yourself.

Open Heart

This was a week of transition for many of my students.  Several left for home and other continuations of treatment and then of course there were several new students.  These weeks of hello and goodbye are extremely draining. But that is the nature of what I do.  These past twelve years I have taught thousands.  I know some have died, others have relapsed, but then there are the ones who  are living their lives, the lives they were meant to live.  Change is painful and breaking old patterns is difficult but it can be done, is done and that is what gives me the energy and courage to continue to work.

Our classes were on the heart chakra today.  Compassion, kindness and love were the topics as we opened our hearts with movement and breath.

Tomorrow is Friday, lots of rehearsal time tomorrow for our gig next week.  Plans are to go hiking on Sunday with Sam and Jordan.  I hope your Friday is the start of the weekend you need.
Hug, spread kindness and share joy.

Goodnight, Sweet dreams