two dog thanksgiving

two dog holiday

On Thursday, I was speaking with a dear friend and she informed me that she was having a three dog Thanksgiving.  She was defining the holiday by the number of dogs present and not the people. I thought that was awesome. So I redefined my Thanksgiving as a two dog holiday.  Before the holiday approached, I was asked frequently what my plans for Thursday were. Since it was simply my husband and myself sharing a special day. I felt a little bit awkward saying that we were celebrating on our own.

holiday specials

too many choices

I recently sent out an email offering "year end specials "for past life regression  sessions. I love to help folks remember their past life experiences. It is very helpful to clear, heal and shift stuck patterns in relationships at home and at work.  As humans, we become so narrowly focused on trying to make things better that we miss the obvious sources of healing.So I sent this email out about a week ago. Then, I became very aware that everyone  was offering year end specials. There was  a never ending stream of emails offering bargains at 40% or more  off. For the most part, I deleted them since I didn't know what a a special was anymore. How can everything be a special! Or perhaps we are getting much smarter and now know to take more time to consider what is truly valuable.

less is more

sedona sunset

Since many humans are gifted with the ability to talk as much as we want,   we seem to  overuse this capability.Today by the time I had  finished answering a question ,  I  had  completely forgotten the original question. It was unsettling and certainly made me question the senior moment theory .

Boundaries

goundhog eating a   poppy

boundary:  is something that indicates or fixes a limit or extent according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary.  I have been thinking about how often we talk about boundaries with friends, family, our animal companions, and the universe. Did you set boundaries with your son or daughter  and tell them  that you will not clean  up their messy rooms for the millionth time ? Is your dog or cat  getting his way with  treats even though you know that he has  eaten  too many already. We seem to have difficulty saying  both yes and no to others.
So I decided to sit and meditate about this issue.  And   the words that I heard were  profound and easy to remember. 
We need boundaries so that we can be free.
We need to balance our yeses and no's so that we can feel safe.
When we feel safe, we don't need any boundaries. 

Perhaps the boundaries are to help us to have enough "me"  time so  that we can hear the small still voice that tells us  if we are hungry or tired or  in love. Animals have all the time in the world to listen to their small still voices.They have a lot to teach us about boundaries. 

afghans and the family legacy

beautiful white afghan

The beautiful white afghan that my sister Rob made for me arrived in the mail this morning. It is so beautiful, well made, warm and cozy. I could not wait to take a nap this afternoon. It was fabulous. My sister  is very creative and is able to do all kinds of needle work. She  has  a great gift. Last winter, I envisioned a white afghan to keep me warm  in my meditation space and now I have it.
Our mother's family is from Hungary and they bring alot of artistry into our family. Our grandmother was the youngest of nine children and all of the aunts and uncles had art in their veins. The men were jewelers and photographers. The women did needle work including but not limited to making  afghans, crocheting, needlepoint, knitting , beadwork  and embroidering.
The proceeding  generations picked up drawing,  painting, playing piano, needlework , ceramics ,and  photography . It is an awesome family legacy. Mostly, I am so grateful that my sister has created  this beautiful afghan for me.
Thank you Rob.

Gratitude

yummy dessert from my daughter's wedding

I have not felt very well for the past two days. It is a stomach bug that kept me quiet enough to read some books, watch light TV  and think about a lot of things.  I have been thinking about the  recent nor easter that wreaked havoc last weekend. I  heard someone say that it was more difficult to deal with this storm  than Hurricane Irenc. My sister up in Maine said that she used to think that living  with New Jersey's weather was much easier than Maine's deep freeze. After this weekend, she then said not any more .

Zucotti Park and People's Park, times are changing

change

When I look at the coverage for Zucotti Park and Oakland, Ca , I remember living in Berkeley in the 70's. I lived in a commune with 10 other men, women and children. I was so struck by the  cohesive  community that these folks had created for themselves and their families. They had a beautiful vegetable garden and would take turns cooking  fabulous ethnic meals for everyone. I remember tasting  Biryani ( a complex  Indian rice dish) for the first time and loved the wonderful spices  and flavors. I vividly recall attending a home birth that I still remember forty years after it happened. There was so much excitement and the  belief that we really could change the world.  I attended rallies in  People's Park in Berkeley and we were definitely chased by the  police and tear gassed. It was a scary and incredibly exciting time.