Vasectomy

Even as teenager, I knew how many pregnancies/children I would have and I knew what order they would be born in.  I never really wanted kids during my starter marriage. In fact, I didn’t even think about having children until I was around age 38.

I wasn’t sure how the whole having children thing would work out since my marriage had gone down in flames, I was single once again and in my early 40’s.

Well! Low and behold, one day the medical community told me I had a disease that needed surgery. If I had the surgery I wouldn’t be able to have children. Well, I freaked the HELL out. Surgery wasn’t an option. I wanted children. Then I found Susie and Reiki.

Without going into specifics as it’s a story for another day, my condition – the one the medical community told me the only solution was an operation – was healed. My disease was gone.

A few years later, I was Reiki II trained and dating my husband. In our early days of dating, he decided he didn’t want any more children so he scheduled a vasectomy. There was little discussing this even though we were in a committed relationship. His mind was made up. I begged him not to do this as we both knew we were headed down the marriage path.

I had been crystal clear our entire relationship that I wanted children. I repeatedly told him I KNEW my next pregnancy would be a girl. I KNEW it.  You see, he had wanted a baby girl for so, so long. He would talk about braiding her hair and having her run to him as he came home from work. He wanted a little girl that would like to be outdoors and fish along side of him. He wanted her to reach her arms out and say, “dada.”  He was already manifesting her, but my stubborn, beautiful husband had the vasectomy anyway.

The night of his snip-snip, I prayed to God for help. Here I had met The One and I felt I could no longer continue our relationship. He knew I wanted children and he had taken steps to ensure that would never happen. I felt betrayed, dismayed and gut punched.

I woke up several times during that night. At one point, I heard, “Your miracle has been delivered.” I saw, in my mind’s eye, a small shoe box sized present wrapped in white, opalescent paper with a beautiful deep pink ribbon and bow sitting outside my apartment door.  This was so real that I actually got out of bed and opened my door. Nothing was there of course, but let me tell you, the ‘gift’ HAD been delivered. In spades.

I didn’t hear from my honey the day after his surgery. I had made it clear to him we couldn’t go on dating if he went through with his vasectomy. It tore me up. Can you imagine?! IT TORE ME UP!!!  I had already lost this man once (he dumped me!) and now I had lost him again. I KNEW I was suppose to have a child(ren) with him. It was almost too much to handle. I was completely beside myself.

The next night, after spending most of the day freaking out on the phone with Susie, I asked, out loud, “What in the hell am I suppose to do?! WHAT!?!” I heard, softly, ‘Walk the path a little longer, Little One.”   To be clear, this was in the really early days of my intuitiveness. But bless whomever’s heart for saying what They did as it got through to me.

That night, my guy called. He confirmed he went through with the vasectomy and said, “You made it pretty clear if I did this, we were finished” and I said, “I need to walk the path with you a little longer. Can you do that with me?” He said he could.

I was still waiting for the miracle I heard had occurred. I mean, did I really hear those sweet words or did I just want it so badly, that I said those words and then believed they came from a Higher Power?? I just wanted that miracle SO badly, you know? And he’d had the damn vasectomy!

Well, here it is folks. Here’s the miracle. My husband’s vasectomy DID NOT WORK (insert a sly smile). Miracle, anyone?! Yes, please and thank you! He told me his son, whom he gets custody of only one night a week, decided to sleep with him the night of his surgery. This is something his son (then 5 or 6) hadn’t done for months, but that night…..no coincidences, right??  And as his son slept, he thrashed and kicked my husband in parts that should NEVER be kicked.  Miracle delivered in the disguise of a sweet, six year old little boy. Vasectomy undone!

Now, I knew that just because he was physically able to have children once again, didn’t mean he was mentally open to it.  At this point in his life, he was learning about spirituality and was on board with me doing my Intuitive and Reiki Work on him.  After grousing around for weeks (or was it months?) that he was going to have another vasectomy, he bashfully said to me, “Maybe you’re right. There are no coincidences, so maybe my vasectomy not working is telling me something.” Gee, do you THINK?!!   He is a hard nut to crack, I’m telling you! Stubborn German.  😉

But our journey towards having a baby isn’t over yet.  Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog: ‘Miracle.’   😉

Vegetarian

**WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT!!**

People are usually curious as to why I decided to become a Vegetarian.  It wasn’t one thing; it was a lot of things. Before you continue reading, you should know the ‘tone’ of this blog is different from my other writings. Continue at your own discretion.

Several years ago, I watched a DVD entitled, “Earthlings” that literally revolted and repulsed me. I saw things that changed my life. The movie had an astounding impact on me. **HERE COMES THE GRAPHIC MATERIAL!** I can still see the little lamb that was hanging upside down, blinking and baa’ing, but had all of his skin removed. And the little chicks who were tossed into a grinder ALIVE because they weren’t female. And the turkeys that had their beaks ripped off, RIPPED OFF so they couldn’t peck at the million other in-humanely confined turkeys.  I could go on and on, but for those of you still reading this, I think you get the point.

I was so disgusted by the mistreatment of these animals that I thought twice about eating meat after that. I thought even more about how we waste meat. I started to pay attention to the amount of meat that was left on people’s plates at restaurants. It occurred to me these animals were being killed, some very inhumanely, so that we can throw their meat in the garbage.  Hummm.

I was incredibly disturbed by the wastefulness of our society and the unbelievable, brutal way these animals were raised and slaughtered. These practices just didn’t fit with the person I was becoming.

Then, there is the whole adding hormones and antibiotics and other crap to their feed in order to fatten the cows up quicker or make the chicken’s breasts bigger.  Those hormones/antibiotics do NOT do our human body any good.  They cause early puberty in girls. They mimic estrogen dominance in women, which can literally make us infertile* and let’s not forget the direct correlation these hormones have on cancer.

I was still eating meat when I ate some bad eggs and got e-coli poisoning. By the time those eggs were finished with me, I was finished with meat. I figured if I had purged my body from all meat sources, I wasn’t going to start putting hormone-filled, unethically raised/killed, and early puberty inducing meat back into it.   Let’s face it…the meat we buy today is just not the meat I was raised on.

It was a completely personal decision and one that fits my lifestyle. I wasn’t much of a meat eater anyway so it wasn’t that big of a leap for me. If I could have found organic or ethically treated/killed meat, I would have gone that route.  But I didn’t, so as they say, the rest is history.

Now, don’t think making the switch was easy. Nooooo, sireee Bob! I mean, all my life I had eaten and cooked meat.  Now what do I do? I was lucky enough to have a bestie who was willing to tutor me in the ways of all things Vegetarian. She was getting her Masters in Nutrition and, as usual, had been a huge source of help.  She showed me that being Vegetarian was so much more than eating tofu (which I LOVE, by the way! Yum YUM!).

As the months rolled on, I was excited to have the medical community tell me my cholesterol was dropping. It never was medically high, but it was high according to my bestie.  And drop it did.  In six months, I had lowered my cholesterol by 50 points. Yeah! 50 points!  I didn’t change anything about the way I was eating EXCEPT eliminating meat.

A year later I noticed I could eat more food (read: processed sugar) and not gain weight. No longer did I need to exercise more often or at a higher rate of intensity in order to compensate for those empty calories.  I was easily losing weight. Cha CHING!!!

As a side note, let me tell you about my husband. He was a total carnivore. He’d eat red meat 4 or 5 times a week and sometimes twice a day.  His cholesterol was through the roof at 450+. He used to say, “Nothing I can do about it, it’s genetic.” Now he’s changed his tune on that whole song and dance.  He decided to become Vegetarian about a year after I did. Guess what? His cholesterol – without any cholesterol lowering medicine – is now 147.

There are so many excellent meat replacement items out there ranging from ‘meat impersonators’ to beans, eggs, legumes and soy products. In the coming weeks, I plan on posting recipes or alternative meat ideas for you to try.   Again, becoming a Vegetarian was a personal decision and one that I do NOT and will NOT push on anyone.  If meat still resonates with you, then eat it. You won’t get any judgments or dirty looks from me.  For me, eating Vegetarian is treating me healthy.

*For more information on Estrogen Dominance: http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/healthcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=118

 

Hips

As I work with clients, reoccurring energetic themes often pop up. What I mean by this is sometimes I see/hear the same information for a multitude of clients. This usually signals me to take notice.  If it’s happening to 3 or 5 or 15 of my clients, it may be happening to you and I as well. 

Sometimes these energetic ascension symptoms affect thousands of us. Sometimes they affect millions and yet, sometimes they only affect hundreds. It all depends on where you’ve been, where you’re going and where you are, spiritually speaking. 

Before I continue, I need to paint a picture for you.  This picture was painted for me years ago and one that I’m kind of squeamish about painting for you.  (Big breath) Ok, here goes….Imagine yourself in a tight, restrictive space. No, tighter. Noooo, tighter yet.  Ok, here comes my squeamishness and the picture…Ready? Envision a birthing canal.

K, so let’s say your spiritual body is being forced through a birthing canal of sorts. Most of us can only imagine how restrictive that might be, as I doubt any of us can remember going through it physically. Maybe, but I doubt it.   This canal is, of course, spiritual in nature but it may play havoc with your physical body. 

Imagine what your physical body might be going through to accommodate your spiritual advancement. You may, for instance, experience headaches or earaches if you’re just entering this energetic birthing canal. If you’re of the ilk that has been in the canal for a while, you may feel discomfort or malaise in your tummy or hips. For those individuals who are almost done with this chamber and chapter, your knees, ankles or even feet may be subjected to soreness of varying degrees. 

So let me repeat.  Even though this is a spiritual thing, your physical body may experience uncomfortable, roving symptoms.  I will caution you that if you are at all concerned about any of these symptoms/issues, see your medical doctor. You’ll know it’s something energetic if the soreness or pain moves around.   

Now that I’ve laid the groundwork, so to speak, the trend I’ve been seeing for the last few months is this: I’m noticing a lot of energy around everyone’s hips. It started out with ‘balance’ issues in the head area and then moved to ‘not speaking your Truth’ issues in the throat.  Then to the heart where relationships (addictions/marriage/emotions/habits/friends/jobs) which were no longer in harmony with you, ended. Then on to the lungs, tummy and well, redundantly, the hips. 

Have you noticed your hips/thighs/lower back feel tight? Maybe you’ve felt ‘stuck’ or like you’re not going anywhere. Have you felt bloated or had intestinal discomfort? Maybe you’ve recently had some lower back issues. 

How long does this ‘birthing’ journey take? It depends on a lot of things. I’m hearing about six months from head to toe. Then the whole process may start over almost immediately. What a wet blanket I am, huh?   

Now that you know this information, try to pay attention to your body a little bit more.  See if you can tell where you are in the spiritual birthing canal.   

Melissa’s Note: I can’t believe I typed, ‘birthing canal’ so many times {eye roll}.  Good LORD!

 

Breathes

Ok, so yesterday I wrote a blog entitled ‘Breathe’ and promised you some ways for slowing down your breath. Here’s one technique that I just love.  It’s super easy and yes, a caveman DID do it!!

For those of you who have had Reiki sessions with me, you know I often start out by instructing new clients to Belly Breathe. I find myself doing a form of Belly Breathing (Yoga Breath) during most of my sessions. It’s just something that feels natural and I love the energy I get by doing so.

The directions below were adapted – and Melissa-ized – from livingbydesignonline.com.

Belly Breathing.  This is a great place for chronic Rabbit Breathers to start as it has a calming effect on your mind.  Belly Breathing is very good for releasing anger and anxiety. It can also be used for pain relief (I used it during childbirth!) and relaxation in general. Needing to calm your mind? Start here!

Place your right hand upon your chest and your left hand on your tummy. Take in a slow, deep breath (HEY, shallow breathers, fear not!! The ability to inhale deeply is buried in your DNA!) and exhale through your mouth.  When you exhale, pull your tummy in slightly to squeeze out every last drop of that nasty carbon dioxide.

Notice if the hand that’s on your stomach rises higher than the hand on your chest.  Did it? If so, jolly GOOD show! You’ve successfully inhaled life-giving, Fountain-of-Youth oxygen deep into your lungs. If that didn’t happen? Wahh wahhhh wahhhhhhhh. Do not pass Go and do not collect $200.

No, I’m being silly. Just try it again. Now that you know your little tummy should swell on each inhalation, try it.  And try it again. Try it until you hyperventilate (kidding!) or your body starts to remember what it’s like to take a deep, whole, full breath.

Repeat this process as often as you need.  If you’re like me, you’ll forget about this breath when you need it the most (eye roll). Once you’re comfortable expanding your belly, you can stop using the hand position portion of this exercise. You can always visualize a color on your inhalation and/or add some words like, “calm, peace” or “relax” when you exhale. It’s not necessary, but what you tell your mind is what you’ll believe. Let me put it this way; it can only help.

Try this type of breath when you’re driving (don’t do the hand position portion, though! 10 and 2 people! 10 and 2!) or out for a walk. Maybe even when you’re huffing and puffing and your face is turning red in some cardio gym class (yes, that one was pointed directly at me). 😉  Try this when you want some calm or conversely, when you want some energy.

Let me remind you again of a few (there are literally hundreds!) of the benefits Belly Breathing/Deep Breathing can bring about. Ready?

  1. Reduction in cancer as cancer cells can’t thrive in an oxygen-rich environment. 
  2. Reduction in mental/physical fatigue plus more energy.
  3. I wasn’t kidding when I called Belly Breathing the “Fountain of Youth.”  It really does reduce wrinkles and improves skin tone!
  4. Reduction in the workload for your heart, which means lower blood pressure and less heart disease. No studies were done on trying to mend a broken heart, though.  Sorry.
  5. And rounding out the Top Five: Relaxation for the mind and body. Ding, ding! Winner Winner!!  Slow, deep, rhythmic breathing causes muscles to relax and the heart rate to slow, thus allowing the mind to calm.

Let’s ditch the Stress Breath and opt for some good old oxygenated lungs. See what happens. To me, it sounds like there isn’t a downside to Belly Breathing. Well, unless you don’t want to be around to walk your daughter down the aisle, kiss your grandchildren or watch the next season of “The Kardashians” then, maybe…..

Breathe

Back in the caveman days, we used our lungs to capacity. With the advent of cars, corporate buildings, and air filtration systems, we now use only 1/3 of our lungs. Betcha didn’t know that, did ya?  I didn’t see it coming either.

When we become stressed, we shallow breathe or as I like to say, “rabbit breathe.” Shallow/rapid/rabbit breathing can contribute to stress-related disorders such as PMS, headaches, migraines, insomnia, high blood pressure, asthma, back pain and allergies. These are just a few, folks. There are a ton more disorders out there.

According to some websites (two of them being: livingbydesignonline.com and breathing.com), oxygen is the most vital nutrient for our bodies. In fact, your brain needs three times the oxygen your body does. Oxygen is essential to maintain the brain, nerves, glands and internal organs (part of me wants to say, “LeDuh! See #1 below). One of these websites states, ‘virtually every health condition can be improved with Optimal Breathing.’

 Here’s something to think about:

  1. We can do without food for weeks, without water for days, but we will die in a few minutes without oxygen.
  2. If the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen, it will start depriving all vital organs (read: Depression, sluggishness, irritability, negative thoughts, anxiety, chronic pain, etc.).
  3. GET THIS: The lack of oxygen has been considered a major cause of cancer. In 1947, work was done that showed when oxygen was withdrawn; normal body cells could turn into cancerous cells. Similar research was done with heart disease (a disease that plagues my gene pool, unfortunately). It showed that a lack of oxygen is a major cause of heart disease, stroke and again, cancer.

ObVIOUSly oxygen is beyond critical to our well-being.  It’s been said that any effort you can take to increase your oxygen supply will richly reward you (long, healthier life, anyone???).

Yogis realized the importance of an abundant oxygen supply thousands of years ago. In fact, my favorite yoga teacher just said to me, “You know, your yoga breath is good. Why don’t you try to implement that in other cardio classes and see if you become less tired?”  What the WHAT?!  Yep… again, it was a case of not seeing the trees through the forest.  I’ve been a gym rat for longer than some of you have been alive and yet I totally got schooled by someone 18 years younger than me. 

Let’s talk a bit about Stress Breath (Huh. What do ya know? I just came up with that. Pretty clever! I must be getting enough oxygen.) How come it happens?   Here are some ideas:

  1. We’re in a hurry most of the time and have increased stress. No, really?!
  2. We get hyper (agitated, angry, worry, etc.) too often. Can you feel your body/lungs constrict just by reading those words?? I can.
  3. We don’t need to catch our food anymore (well, sometimes we do, but we don’t have to run for miles and miles with spears and then worry that we will become the food).  In essence, we don’t need to breathe frequently anymore. Knock knock. Who’s there? It me!! Your shallow breathing habit. Let me in!
  4. Most of us work indoors where we are actually exposed to more pollution.  The body, thinking it needs to protect us, instinctively inhales less air.   

So what do we do about this? How do we make deep breathing a habit? How do we reap the benefits? Well, I’ve got some ideas on that, too. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog, ‘Breathes’.

Signs

We do a lot of spiritual/intuitive work on an unconscious level, especially when we’re sleeping. When we sleep, we are very open to hearing messages from our Guardian Angels. Our “Guys” (a pet name Susie used and now I use) want to be able to communicate with us while we’re conscious, too.    

I’m reminded of two stories friends have shared with me.  One friend really struggled with her spouse’s hurtful decisions throughout their long marriage. They had gone the usual routes to save their marriage, however, her husband’s damaging choices continued. She prayed to God daily (hourly?!).  One night she woke, sat straight up in bed and had an epiphany. She had one single thought echoing in her mind.  My friend, who is not so much spiritual as she is deeply religious, listened. She KNEW what she heard was true, as it deeply resonated with her. She felt like it was the answer to her prayers. She and her husband divorced and she found (and later married) her true soul mate. 

The other friend had lost her beloved mother.  She was grieving and wanted to know if her mom was still around her.  She asked for a very specific physical sign; she wanted to see a bumblebee.  Not a problem in the summer, but this was February, in North Dakota.  Low and behold, one frosty morning she opened her bathroom window and a bumblebee flew in. I kid you not. True story. 

The signs may come as a single event, recurring numbers, songs or even names.  There’s really no limit to what can be taken as a sign.  My first numerical sign was the number three.  I was seeing threes EVERYWHERE at random times and odd ways.  I’d see an infomercial whose phone number would contain 333.  I’d glance at a highway marker – 333. My odometer would show 333 or my fuel economy would be 33.3.  License plates showed me 333 and I’d often wake; you guessed it, at 3:33.  

At the time, this spiritual stuff was new to me.  I didn’t know these were signs of communication; I just thought it was really odd. Then the repetitive songs started.  The first song I remember repeatedly hearing was U2’s, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” I was single at the time and after I caught on I would groan, roll my eyes and say, “Real funny, Guys! Duh!” 

Later, a new song replaced U2’s.  It was “The Last Worthless Evening” by Don Henley.  I’d giggle as I’d figured out the message behind the number three. It meant, I hoped, The One (as in, “He’s The One”) was finally returning to me. 

Are you ready to know the correlation between the signs? It’s a doozey!!  Ahem. Quiet please! The man who re-entered my life and became my One, has a beautiful first name that literally means, “State of being threefold; three closely related persons or things; Father, Son and Holy Spirit as three persons.” Blink. Blink. BLINK. 

Admittedly, that one was a showstopper for me. Prior to that, my logical and highly analytical mind was really slow on the uptake.  Sure, I’d ask for signs.  I’d ask to hear a particular song and then when I’d hear it, I’d ask for further proof. If I received additional proof, I’d ask for even MORE proof! Jeez! Yes, I was one of ‘those.’ I tested my Guys patience to the point of their exhaustion (and that takes a LOT as they have infinite patience!). At one point, My Guys became so perplexed with my constant neediness they said, “Do you think all we have to do is send you signs?!”  😉  

Keep in mind I didn’t always see the signs I’d asked for, but that was an answer as well. Eventually I learned to say, “If this is going to happen, show me xxx. If it isn’t, show me xxx.” And then I’d try really hard to shut my telepathic trap and be satisfied with the response. 

The lesson for me was to learn to trust in what I couldn’t physically see, touch, feel, smell or hear. I don’t know why this concept was so difficult other than I was highly analytical at the time. I was well into my Reiki training in which Susie had taught us you couldn’t see, smell, hear, touch or feel air, but you knew it existed.    

Through the years I’ve had fun looking up the meaning of numbers I repeatedly see (‘Angel Numbers’ by Doreen Virtue). I smile at how appropriate their translations are. It’s a fun, playful way to open the communication channels with your Guys. Try it!  I have it on good authority They get REALLY excited when a new communication channel is established. 😉

George

For anyone who was a fan of Seinfeld, this title is sure to evoke fond memories. Doing ‘The George’ is second nature to me now, but it wasn’t always the case.

In 2001, I found myself climbing out of a self-imposed hole. My normally healthy self-worth had withered to a mere fraction of what it used to be. I let ego and fear take over my life. I became a person I did not like.  I was needy. I was controlling. I was co-dependent. I was angry. I was in emotional pain.  I blamed others for the person I’d become. I said awful things to those that I loved, especially the ones I believed were responsible for my emotional distress.  In essence, I was the poster child for low, dense and negative energy.

Climbing out of that hole took guts as I’d been in it for so long. First, I had to realize I was IN a hole. Ding ding. Then, I had to acknowledge I’d not only gotten myself into this hole but I’d bought a shovel to dig even deeper.  Lastly, I had to get myself out. No one could do this for me. SUCK!  That meant I had to take responsibility for being so miserable. Double SUCK!

As I was flailing around still trying to blame everyone else, two amazing women entered my life.  Both of these women were highly spiritual and brought different gifts to the table.  Both were my salvation.   One taught me to live for myself and not be concerned with what ‘everybody’ thinks.  She taught me to try to live in the moment and not do things that I really, truly did not want to do.  She taught me it was OK to say no, especially to ego.

The other indispensable woman helped me grow my intuitive gifts and calmed and soothed my spiritual soul when I was afraid and panicky. I called her my ‘personal aloe vera plant’ and with good reason. She’s the one who gave me this fabulous tidbit of spiritual advice when I had asked, “But, how do I know if what I’m doing is spiritual or not?” She replied, “Just do the opposite of what you would normally do and that’s usually the spiritual way.”

One of my first acts utilizing what I now call ‘The George’ (aka Fake It ‘Till You Make It) was trying to figure out what my priorities were and what invitations I really wanted to accept.  This meant I had to examine my very loud ego and why I was really doing what I was doing.  Was I saying yes because I felt I HAD to or ‘everybody’ would be disappointed?  Or was I saying yes because I really wanted to do said event?   I found saying no became easier when I listened and responded to my own needs first.

My ego became quieter and putting myself first was rewarding.  I was saying NO to guilt and YES to me for the first time since childhood. This didn’t make me shameless or selfish, it made me empowered.  I was no longer doing things because I felt ‘others’ or ‘everybody’ expected it.  I was no longer saying yes to things and then praying for an excuse to not attend.  It was liberating!!

After about six months of really working this George concept, I began to see a positive change in me.  I was less apt to listen to my fears and insecurities and more likely to have faith and trust. I had gone from spiritually crawling on all fours to taking a few tentative steps. Or maybe it was more like learning to roll from my belly onto my back.

By doing the opposite of what I wanted to do and was used to doing, I gave up some control and got my feet wet in the Patience Pond. I even allowed a few of my emotional hurts to heal and watched as those scars faded.

By letting go of some (!!) control, my long lost friends, self-worth and self-esteem returned.  They brought along a little dash of confidence and a pinch of sassiness. After what seemed like years, I was able to glimpse what my World was like above ground once again.

“A”

When I hear words repeated (ad nauseum, sometimes!!) during a client’s session, I have learned they may have a spiritual or significant meaning for my client.  Most of you know that The Guys love to use big words and that I don’t understand most of them. In fact, I don’t even try anymore. 😉 That’s actually a good thing as these repeated words rarely have the meaning we think they do. So I write them down, look them up and tell my client.  More often than not, we’re blown away by how perfect one or more of the meanings are.
 
I’m taking a page out of Susie’s handbook (remember her Word of the Week?? LOVED it!!) and I’m going to start blogging a monthly (or weekly, depending on The Guys) intuitively inspired word. Once my website is up and running (or maybe before, who knows!), I may offer a weekly/monthly personalized intuitive word just for you. Just something I’m playing with.  
 
Here’s two words and their dictionary meanings straight from the voices in my head to yours.  🙂  
 
APPRECIATION:
a.  Judgement, evaluation  – a favorable critical estimate
b.  Sensitive awareness – recognition of aesthetic values
c.  An expression of admiration, approval or gratitude
d.  Increase in value
 
APPREHENSION:
a.  The act or power of perceiving or comprehending
b.  The result of apprehending mentally – conception
c.  Seizure by legal process – arrest
d.  Suspicion of fear, especially of future evil – foreboding

No

Let’s face it; we are a society who says ‘yes’ when we really want to say ‘no.’ For example: ‘”Melissa! Will you watch my second cousins daughter’s liter of newly born pups? All 15 of them need to be fed every hour, cleaned and bathed twice a day and read to for 6 hours. They prefer ‘The Cat in the Hat.’ Then, you’ll need to heat milk and let the puppies individually lap it off your arm.” Uh….sure?  I then spend my remaining unencumbered time wishing for a cataclysmic event or a merciful Act of God so I can graciously not do what I’ve agreed to do!!

Wouldn’t it be easier if we would politely and respectfully say no to the issues or the items that absolutely don’t resonate with us? I tested this theory several years ago with one of my besties.  She’d asked me if I wanted to do something and I simply said, “no.”  Actually, I believe I said “no thanks” as I am a student of Miss Manners.   She blinked a couple of times and said, “Ohhh. Uhhh Ok.”  She later told me she was somewhat taken aback by my directness as she was used to people saying, “I’ll get back to you” and then never doing so.

What she lovingly allowed me to do was to speak my truth. It was empowering and liberating. I had dipped my toes in the ‘Just Say NO’ pond and it went very well! I wasn’t missing any appendages or a best friend!

That whole seemingly innocent conversation allowed me to find my voice.  I found the courage to honor what my inner self needed. In doing so, I took back my power to make decisions, even if they weren’t what the asker wanted to hear.

I now listen closely to my inner voice when it asks, ‘Does this resonate with you or do you need to think about this before you commit?’  I find by doing this, I am able to positively stand by my decisions instead of wishing for a cloud of locusts.

 

 

Michelle

I really try hard not to do my energetic or intuitive Work outside of session. I really, really do. In my early days, prior to me opening up my business, I found myself giving Reiki to anyone and everyone. It didn’t matter if they’d asked for it. Reiki is just such a beautiful gift to give, I couldn’t imagine why anybody would NOT want to receive it. Standing in front of me in the grocery store? Here, have some Reiki. It’s on the house. Stuck in traffic? Here you go, blue Toyota, you might like a little burst of energy.  But, as I became more knowledgeable about Reiki, I became more respectful of it. I came to accept that giving Reiki without permission took away a person’s power and thusly, I stopped.

Sometimes, SOMETIMES though, there is a person whom I can’t quit thinking about. I call it my ‘spidey-sense’ and it usually means this person has been thinking about me, on some level, as well.  This person is someone I know either from my Work or on a personal basis. It’s never a stranger and it’s usually someone’s energy that I’ve felt or worked in before.

About two weeks ago, I was sweating and grunting in my gym’s Group Power class. I happened to make eye contact with one of my friends and fellow sweater/grunter. I knew in an instant something was wrong. Her energy was just off.  I, trying to remain true to the values I hold so dearly, didn’t say a word to her. There have been a few cases where I’m literally so shocked by the information I hear, that I have to open my yapper and ask the individual about it NOW.  But, for her, I left the gym without saying a word.

The next week the same thing happened again. I didn’t even have to make eye contact this time to know. I saw her energy and the feeling I received was stronger this time. Something was off. It was as if she had a lot of troubles on her mind or was dealing with some heavy personal issues. I, again, didn’t do anything about it but I thought about her constantly that week.  That, in itself, told me something. When I can’t get you out of my melon, I must be tellin’. 😉

Today, I decided I had to approach her. I’d sat with it long enough and still felt the pull to reach out. She is familiar with my Work and has known me, personally, for years. I mean this woman and I have pumped iron together side by side. If that doesn’t qualify as knowing someone, what does???

I told her I really didn’t like to do my Work outside of session, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that sometime was wrong. I just felt like she needed a hug. I asked her how I could help or what I could do.  She shut the office door and told me a little bit about what had been going on for the last couple of weeks.  I apologized for the energetic intrusion and she told me she was thankful.

The feeling that someone is in emotional/mental/physical distress doesn’t always happen to me. I’ve been in one group fitness room or another for years (check out my biceps! Gun show, anyone?!) and the need to reach out, without permission, has happened a handful of times. I’m learning to pay more attention to when it does happen, as either I need to help someone or someone needs to help me.

The thing is, some of us are really good at hiding our feelings or emotions from others. Some of us do it in order to be perceived as professional. Some of us do it for self-preservation. Some of us do it to be thought of as strong. Some of us do it because we can. I get it. I know. Whatever the reason, there’s always someone who is willing to help you.  The question is, will you find them or will they find you?