Chang O

Today has been an amazing day!  I chose Chang O because she is the goddess on my "Contemplation" card in the Goddess Tarot deck, and I want to talk about meditation today.  The Rider-Waite version of that card is The Hermit.

Before I get into that, though, I just want to point out how healthy and revitalizing it can be to just take a day off work for yourself, and to get out of the house and use it to do things that nourish your spirit and delight your mind.  Today was that day for me, and I feel totally renewed.  

Last night, I brought Jewel to the Blisswurx Kidz event at Cedar Tree.  Of course, Cedar Tree is the birthing center/women's community center thing that Juliea and the midwife Sara started.  I have mentioned it before, I believe -- it's where the shamanic journey group meets, where the mother/daughter spa night was held, where the mother to mother support circle is....etc. etc.  So anyway, it's a haven for like-minded mamas.  Last night was incredible!  Asia was there with her son, April (my reiki buddy) was there with her daughter, Breezy (from the sister circle and the book club) was there with her daughter, Skadi (from the sister circle) was there with her son, and a woman I had not met before named Melinda was there with her daughters.

The kids all got along wonderfully while the moms enjoyed conversation, and overall it was a great success.  Jewel was thrilled and said she can't wait to see everyone again.  Melinda teaches Nia, which I had the pleasure of learning about while we were there last night.  According to the Nia Now website, Nia is a "sensory-based movement practice that draws from martial arts, dance arts, and healing arts.  It empowers people of all shapes and sizes by connecting the body, mind, emotions, and spirit."  It is also practiced barefoot -- win!!!!  I think her classes conflict with my work schedule, but it's definitely something I'm interested in pursuing at some point.

I had taken today off from work, and I was glad for it.  Jewel and I slept in, I did some reiki on her, then I brought her to her dad's.  April and Amanda (my reiki buddies from the level 1 attunement) and I had planned a reiki share at Amanda's house, which is literally one minute away from Jewel's house.  Perfection.  :)  We ended up spending the whole time talking, but it was good and much-needed.  We exchanged ideas, talked about our passions, and compared experiences.  We talked about stones, pendulums, birth charts, tarot, dreams, and of course reiki.  I did have the opportunity to watch Amanda do some reiki on April and I really think that as soon as my self-consciousness about "doing it right" goes away, I'll be in the flow.  

Amanda showed us a "Vibe Up" snap bracelet -- a combination of liquid crystal, microscopic stones, and essential oils that goes around your wrist and delivers the energy matching the vibration for a particular intent.  They have themes like Heart Wisdom, Courage, I am Abundant, I am Energy, etc.  They also make charging coasters, vibrational therapy mats, therapeutic teddy bears...all KINDS of vibration enhancing goodies!  I was just looking at the website and decided I really need to stop, I am lusting after everything they have.

I just know that I am becoming so weird.  Every day, I get a little bit further into the atmosphere, and soon no one else will understand me at all except fellow weirdos.  But do you know what I have learned about us "weirdos"?  We know stuff.  Stuff that sounds crazy until you learn it for yourself -- and then, when you try to explain it -- well, guess what, welcome to the crazy club.  ;)  It's not for me to worry about what level of consciousness everyone is at; to be sure, there are many far more evolved and we will each walk our own path in our own way according to our own timeframe.  It's just a ride -- but it's finally a ride that I am completely and thoroughly enjoying, rather than simply enduring and waiting for it to end.  

I was listening to this dharma talk tonight, and the monk said, "Everyone wants to know the meaning of life.  What is life?  What does it mean?"  He said you write your own script.  You decide what your life means.  You can decide to live a meaningful life, or you can choose a meaningless life.  It's up to you.  That was very powerful to me -- especially considering that I now notice how much more FULL life is when you make it meaningful, rather than just surviving.

As usual, I didn't talk about what I came to talk about.  I was going to go to the Great Wisdom Meditation Center tonight, but when I got there I discovered it was just a HOUSE!  I was way too scared to just go in by myself, so I came home and looked up a dharma talk on YouTube instead.  It was enlightening.  Maybe I'll talk more about it tomorrow.  :)