Moving again

Sorry, but yes I am moving to another location. The location I am moving from had been absolutely wonderful and Joyce has provided a peaceful setting. Though when the elevator broke it became difficult for many people to make it to an appointment.
It is important that healing, stress reduction and personal time to be as carefree as possible, which prompted me to look for a new office space. Then the perfect opportunity came when a friend said she was looking to share her office space and voila, we have a new office.
Please, make your appointment today, you will enjoy the new space as much as I will and look forward to becoming nestled and begin working with each of you. You will not have to alter your driving too much, I will be right behind where I currently am in the Carriage Glenn complex. When you make your appointment I will give you exactly how to find me, as the new space is tucked away in an almost private feeling space.
I look forward to seeing you soon. Do not forget while you are shopping for everyone else in the upcoming weeks to take some time out for you, because you are worth it.
The first class to be offered there will be the weekend of November 6, 10-6 both Saturday and Sunday is Reiki Master. You can take it as an audit or for the first time (must have completed Reiki 1 & 2, at least 21 days prior to the class). If you are interested in taking a Reiki class, please feel free to contact me. It is a wonderful energy to work with and a great way for you to connect to your divine purpose.
Happy healing,
-Rhonda

Upcoming Reiki Classes

There is a weekend of Reiki coming up in November. The weekend of the 6th from 10-6 both days, with a lunch break. Please bring water, snacks and wear comfortable clothing. It is a fun class, with a lot of one on one instruction. You sit with other students and you are guided in how to teach and the different ways in which you can use your Reiki energy.
If you have not taken Reiki 1 or 2 and wish to take this class, please contact me immediately.
The cost of Reiki Masteship is $300 (please do not let the price turn you away, talk to me first if you are lead this way)
I look forward to learning Reiki with you!
Peace and joy,
-Rhonda

Nature

Often I find myself nestled in nature, while running, walking or riding outdoors. I am often doing this solo. While running I am slow, very slow, almost sloth slow, "is she really moving" slow, though I keep going.

During the wee dark hours of the morning I am sitting there completely alone in the darkness with only a glimmer from the headlamp I wear. I am the only person that can get me through those dark scary moments alone while the others run in front of me.

One thing that I have learned in participating in triathlons, races and such is that the only person to get me through it, is myself. I have friends there cheering me and giving me words of encouragement, but without the strength of will in my heart I am not going to go anywhere. I have to believe in myself.

This is why when I run or ride during the daylight I look for the crane or blue heron standing in the river. As in much of life we stand to learn something from our surroundings.

I have watched a crane standing in the water for hours, seemingly in the same position each time I run or ride past. It looks as though standing still or sleeping while standing, a crane is fully alert and ready for what is to come.

We all look at the wolf and their strong toughness and seemingly mystical connections to worlds unknown. Or the eagle that soars miles above our heads with sharp talons ready to grab a meal. Though if you sit and watch a crane they are brave, strong and on the mark and they are fully present.

The crane stands there with certainty that their food is going to swim by when they need it. Their strength comes in, not fighting or defending territory, but will move onward when their safety is threatened.

Be the crane, wait patiently, but be fully present and alert at what you might miss.

Understanding Space Clearing

Spaces much like people have energy. In Chinese cultures there is a practice called Feng Shui that states that certain parts of your house are linked to areas of your personal life. In addition to that, there is the energy of a house too.
It is a saying you hear once in a while, “if walls could talk”. Well they do. Have you ever stepped into a vacant office, house or room and felt welcome right away and felt warm and fuzzy all over? Or just the opposite you walk in and feel sad or mad in the space? This is the energy of the space, often of the previous occupants of that space.
We all have energy, it is called chi and much like electrical lines that run all over the city so do our chi lines in our bodies and in our living spaces. So many different things affect our chi and the chi around us. We can have lots of joy, chaos, sadness, celebration and so on, that is emitted from our body. You have heard people say, “I just feel safer when she is around” or “he brings such joy to a room”.
For example; when you are talking to someone and you say something that makes them mad, you may feel a “shutter” in your body, that is them assaulting you with their energy (that is a different topic all together, stay tuned). This energy can also stay in that space. If a space has constant sadness, then it can begin to feel heavy and when outsiders enter they feel tired.
I went to one house to visit a client and instantly felt like I needed a nap. I wanted lots of sugar right away. The family had been sick and the sickness caused a lot of resentment and anger between the couple. As a result it made their house feel heavy and dark. Their health was not improving and one of them slept a lot of the time. After their space clearing, each noticed a difference in each other and their increased energy. Because of their constant illness, their clearing needs to happen more often than some.
While one client had just moved and began to feel like there were bugs crawling all over them and had a host of health issues to show up including insomnia, just as they moved into their new house. They did have something bugging them, their house was bugging them and after a space clearing they could sleep more restful and their health returned back to how it was before moving.
These are only a few occurrences, but keep in mind there are some things you can do to help with the energy of your home.
• Keep it physically clean as possible of clutter and dirt
• Candles, incense and crystals help to aid energy flow
• If you have broken appliances or burned out lights, get rid of it
• If you have not used something in the past year, you most likely will not, toss it, unless it is something you love
• Try not to block door ways
• Keep the toilet lid down. No it is not a woman thing. Think of your and the energy of your house being flushed down the drain
• Do a house clearing at least once a year or when you notice it feels different. We just had a sick puppy, so a clearing will soon occur in our house.
• Make sure there are no gas leaks or other chemical leaks

A space clearing cannot fix everything, but it can fix some things. Start with cleaning it up and then look at clearing it up. A clean slate is always a good place to begin in any space.

Welcome Summer and a summer special

Summer is almost here and it is time to get ready. Spring is a time of rebirth and of waking from winters slumber. It is no surprise that the element for summer is fire and the organs associated with summer/fire in Chinese medicine are the heart and the liver.

Our hearts provide such a diverse level of function. It is not surprise that when our hearts are not well we have so many other physical and emotional problems to occur. Our hearts supply the blood to our bodies, gives the it what it needs for joints, muscle building and so much more.

A well balanced heart leads us to a more total healthy body, mind and spirit. Our hearts do so much and feel so much, that is why it is important to pay attention to our heart health. With that comes healthy eating, exercise, reducing stress and loving ourselves.

In honor of summertime being just around the corner I am offering 12 gift certificates for reflexology for $21. First come, first pay, first receive a great offer at almost 50% off a regular visit. Let me know and I will let you know when I will be in the office or make other arrangements with you. Start your summer off right, love yourself, love your total Body (body-mind-spirit).

Happy almost summer!
-Rhonda

Karma Part 2

Now we have looked at instant Karma, but there are so many other ways to look at karma and the path or paths that we take in our day to day lives. The general idea of how karma works is the general “cause and effect”. If I do this, then that can happen and so forth, but for many traditions of spiritual and religious beliefs this carries over from life to life.
Let us look at this life and how some of the things in past lives can carry over. I have a thing that when I take a nap, I wake up hungry, like I did not eat before I lay down. I am like that when I wake up. This could be from left over time as a nomad roaming the country I would nap and eat when I could before continuing onward. I do not know for certain, but recognize this as a pattern and a possibility.
Pay attention to repeat patterns that may seem unusual to you. Not in comparing ourselves from others, but if we do something currently that you cannot find a direct link in this life. These could be connections to our past lives. Just like many of the famous composers of music, many were young children writing masterpieces that we still enjoy today. It is said that they would reference that they have done this before and now we are able to recognize their past life connection.
Karma can be seen as a positive and a negative force in your life. Truth is it is all positive as a path for our soul’s progression, though the path we take on Earth may not always be one without trials or tribulations. We all have choice to enable our personal growth where we need it, some choices are easier than others to accept.

Karma Part 1

Karma
Instant Karma

Welcome to the next few weeks as we talk about Karma. I will try to avoid jokes and puns involving Karma. In this instance we will also talk about Karma in this life and the past lives, in reference to our interactions with those around us. Grab your open mind, let go of your dogma and let us go on a journey into a world we do not always understand or openly want to accept.

John Lennon sung, “Instant karma’s gonna get youGonna knock you right on the headYou better get yourself togetherPretty soon you’re gonna be deadWhat in the world you thinking ofLaughing in the face of loveWhat on earth you tryin’ to doIt’s up to you, yeah youInstant karma’s gonna get you”
I’ll even share the youtube link… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2opHHNFd0Mg

I do not claim to be the all knowing or have an upper hand, but I do try to look at the whole picture. Over the next couple of weeks, I hope to spark your intrigue and quest for more knowledge on the subject of Karma. This week will look at Karma or instant Karma in this life.

It is so easy to go about our lives and pay no attention to those around us and our interactions. We are online, on our phones, in books, conversations and otherwise distracted and caught up in our own little world. I know there are days I end at a destination having chatted all the way there and could not tell you a thing I passed. That says to me an accident waiting to happen, because was I going the speed limit, how many street signs did I pass? I was on autopilot. Not cool!

Or how often do you say, there is always tomorrow, I will start tomorrow or I will finish tomorrow or reach out to someone tomorrow. Why? Because we do not look at how our interactions affect other people. What we may think is showing concern, can seem like confrontation to another person. It is hard to know exactly how someone is going to take something we say or do, that is why when we act impulsively sometimes people get hurt.

So often we are left with decisions of reaction and action. On this Earth Day 2010, are our actions toward the earth taking into consideration the affects of people with us? There is an Iroquois saying, "We cannot simply think of our survival; each new generation is responsible to ensure the survival of the seventh generation. The prophecy given to us, tells us that what we do today will affect the seventh generation and because of this we must bear in mind our responsibility to them today and always." Are we making choices so that those after us know the beauty and the wonder that surrounds us now?

In our day to day actions we encounter quite a number of people. Your action to the lady you passed on the way into that store can affect how she reacts later. Nope, everyone will not be happy or full of joy that does not matter. What matters is your heart and spreading love and happiness when you are out and about or general interacting with others. I once said good morning to a person at a front desk in a building where I worked, 5 days a week, twice a day for three months. Then one day, finally I heard a whispered “morning”. That good morning became less strained and I eventually saw a smile, but many people thought this person was mean. Actually, nobody took time to know that they were having a hard time and had a low self-esteem. I was glad I had a moment to show that I cared, because when I had tears in my eyes one day, I was greeted first with a good morning. That just warmed my heart beyond all words.

Next time you go to do something, ask yourself. How will this affect someone? Will my actions hurt someone? Will my actions help someone? Look back at things you have done and see how they affected people around you and around people they will encounter. When you went through the drive-thru did you say thank you smile and ask about their day? Your reactions can transfer to the car behind you and may snowball.

Go out and try to spread joy!
-Rhonda

The Art and Relaxation of Meditation

The Art and Relaxation of Meditation
April 22, 6:30 – 8:30; $10 in the Holistic Energy Works office
Have you ever sat on the balcony at the beach watching the waves and the sunrise with a cup of hot coffee in complete silence, then felt a complete peace and calm afterward and for much of the day? Or have you sat and watched the twinkles of the Christmas tree lights blink and change, later to notice you are more focused? Or looked for shapes in the cloud on a partly cloudy spring day, feeling an inner calm as you got up to go home?
You may not realize it, but you were meditating. For that moment that was the most important thing for you to do, whether you realize it or not. Meditating helps us to gain focus, lose weight, rest and a host of other things. Though meditating has this whole crazy expectation of people sitting on cushions or folded into a strange positions or whatever you have heard, so you did not realize it. There are all sorts of ways to meditate, but most of us do not know this most of our lives.
Meditation is simply removing thought from your head for a few minutes each day. I know easier said than done and hard to recognize the value until you do it on a regular basis. Meditation has helped me to do all sorts of things that I would not have been able to do as easily before I had a regular practice of meditation.
On April 22, I will hold a meditation workshop from 6:30-8:30, to help teach you several different types of meditation. It is a $10 class that will also include a guided meditation, instruction on different types of meditation and better understanding of the benefits of meditation.

Perception

It is funny how our perception is different from time to time. I had a friend mention to me the other day after being excited over 50 degree weather in March, that in July it will seem to cold. Though in March I was going without a jacket, but sure to put one on in July.

So yeah our perception does change, as we grow up, have different experiences and so on. After all, how many times have you mentioned to a sibling or a close friend about a shared experience and you have almost two different views of what happened. A saying we have in our house is "self perception is everything" and it is, though we have to remember how others perceive us. Mainly the small ones in our lives and who cross our path.

How many times when you were a kid did you hear "do as I say do and not as I do"? I heard it a lot, because I wanted to also eat a glob of peanut butter on a spoon like my Mom or have a drink in the living room. Why the double standard I thought? So as soon as I became old enough I did, just those things. I ate gobs of peanut butter on a spoon and took drinks to sit in front of the TV, because that is what grownups do.

Well at 300 pounds this grownup was looking at a lot of impending health issues at 32 and started making some necessary changes. Though it has been slow going, I have finally reached a point where those changes are becoming more of who I am and not just an idea. It is tough to break the ideas and habits that we create in our mind growing up.
For me one of the hardest things to break was eating out. My perception growing up was that you were "poor" if you eat at home all the time. Now I recognize that I do not have control over what goes into my food if I eat out. I am constantly asking what ingredients are in the food I am being served and looking more closely at what I eat. Now I recognize it is "poor" to eat out all the time, because the quality of the food at most places these days are not the healthiest options for me. They do not care, they do not have to worry with paying chemotherapy bills or to pay for a heart attack or stroke.
Remember that your students, children, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and so on are watching you and you have the ability to change their perception of health and how to be healthy. So change your perception and make informed decisions and become a good steward of your health, your life depends on it.
Peace and joy,
Rhonda

upcoming classes and more

Last week the post "Mentors and Growth" went out. It was nice to see how many people were touched by what was said. Now I ask; How many of you stopped to send a card or a kind note to someone who has been your mentor or teacher to thank them?

There has been some changes to some upcoming classes and I want to let you know to avoid any further confusion.

Reiki 2 Certification (must have Reiki 1, does not have to be from me, but you do need your certificate) $225 with $50 deposit and registration a week prior to class start.
March 6, 12-6

Finding your Mandala
March 18, 7-9
$15 most materials provided (if you have something you wish to create a piece on, then bring that.)

Reiki 1 Certification
$125 with $50 deposit and registration a week prior to class start.
March 30 & 31, 1-4 both days

More classes to come, so stay tuned.

Peace and joy,
Rhonda

mentors and growth

Throughout history whether it be mythology, fiction or true life, we have all had a mentor or mentors in our life. King Arthur had Merlin, Harry Potter had Dumbledore and so on. Each President when they take office state who their primary influence was to get them to the top office our our country. Those teachers that have guided us and inspired us and they can come form all walks of life, family, celebrities and so on. Those that could inspire our academic pursuits such as Madam Curie to Thomas Jefferson or athletically Dara Torres to Lance Armstrong or socially like Billie Jean King or Freddrick Douglas. Everyone has had role models or people that they look up to, none of us are exempt. At the same time our role models can come in and out of our lives and be there only when we need them.
At the same time, we have also been mentors to someone at some point in our life. We are also still learning. Everything that we do, we should consider that we are still in a practice, because ultimately we can never perfect anything. All that we do will always have room for growth. As well as helping others to grow.
Even though we may not have children running around our house to motivate, inspire and teach, we at some time in our life will do just that to someone or we may do that on a daily basis and not realize it. This is why we treat others how we wish to be treated and we help others to succeed and grow, just as others have helped us. Remember there are vast amounts of potential out there and as others grow around us, so do we. As we help one another our world around us becomes a more peaceful and grand place to live in.
Grow and be enlightening!
-Rhonda

Happy Vday planning

As we begin looking at the month ahead, the month of love and broken hearts. How can one single day have the ability to do both? It is simple we set expectations and they are popped somehow. We have all done it and it is easy to do. Though we get disappointed when we do not get extra sparkly ring or the white table cloth dinner, we do not have the same level of disappointment when we let ourselves down even though we do on almost a daily basis.
So this year for Valentine’s Day instead of hints or tips that often only we recognize, try stating outright, “Let’s go…” or “Let’s look at” or plan something exciting together. It can be more meaningful if you share in the experience from the beginning. A surprise can be a part of dinner or a peaceful picnic by the creek with a fire or whatever you decide to do to share your moments together.
Remember to also treat yourself to something special, you deserve it. It is all a part of self love that is important to do, because if we do not love ourselves then who will. Take yourself out to lunch one day that week or buy a latte you have been keeping an eye on or get a massage or whatever you think of that is a treat, that you do not do all the time.
Happy V-day planning!
-Rhonda
*Next class is January 30, 12-6, Reiki 1 Certification ($125/student-full-time student rate available) registration due one week in advance (gotta order the books and make the copies).