I signed up for this really fun, uplifting daily email to help me towards my goals. I joined the TUT Adventurer’s club and I really want to track how it’s going here, so all of us can share the excitement! This is the blog of my Reiki Adventures after all. My challenge for today’s email is pretty interesting…and tailored to my personal goal:

What happens when someone worries?

Basically, they think of 100 reasons why something might go wrong. And all of those thoughts then struggle to become things, sometimes overriding their more constructive thoughts.

It’s like a train wreck. Ain’t pretty. But that’s the power of worry.

Now, let’s say you want something fantastic to manifest in your life, Beth. Hypothetically, let’s say you want a Cute economic small car. (I know you.)

Have you sat down yet and listed 100 reasons why it might come to you easily, fast, and harmoniously?

I think you should.

Today works,
The Universe

OK, now I need to list 100 reasons why my car might come to me easily.

1. I pay off my credit cards early and have extra cash to save, so I can buy my my Cute Little Car
2. I get a great offer of an inexpensive car from a friend for my my Cute Little Car
3. I win my Cute Little Car in a raffle
4. I sell a large original painting, covering the cost of my Cute Little Car
5. I sell several  small original paintings, covering the cost of my Cute Little Car
6. A fan buys me my Cute Little Car
7. Sales sky-rocket at the Reiki Artist Store and I can easily afford my Cute Little Car
8. Sales sky-rocket at Wyrdhaven Workshop and I can easily afford my Cute Little Car
9. I’m booked for Reiki Sessions months in advance and I can easily afford my Cute Little Car
10. Reiki Workshops are booked solid for the rest of the year with full classes and I can easily afford my Cute Little Car
11. A relative gifts me with a Cute Little Car
12. I suddenly get a huge tax return that I didn’t expect and I go out and buy myself a Cute Little Car
13. After meditating on it regularily, I find it the simplest thing to get my Cute Little Car
14. I create a Crystal Grid and charge it with Reiki for my Cute Little Car…and then one day it comes to me!
15. I meet someone who wants to donate their Cute Little Car to a Reiki Master like Me
16. I ask the God and Goddess for my Cute Little Car and it comes to me easily
17. The fairies create the right environment for my Cute Little Car and it shows up in my driveway
18. I wish upon a star for my Cute Little Car and before I know it it’s there
19. I trade in my old sedan, and get my Cute Little Car for an affordable price
20. I thank the Universe that I now have My Cute Little Car
21. The energy is right…right now…for me to be driving my Cute Little Car
22. I have room in my heart for my Cute Little Car
23. The world around me is conspiring in my favor to provide me with a Cute Little Car
24. My Cute Little Car is being prepared for me even as I write this
25. I send Reiki Blessings to My Cute Little Car
26. I send Reiki Blessings to everyone who owns and drives a Cute Little Car
27. I send Reiki Blessings to all Cute Little Cars
28. My Cute Little Car will be well cared for
29. My Cute Little Car will be kept clean
30. My Cute Little Car will have a name
31. My Cute Little Car will easily carry me and my Reiki Table to see clients
32. I get a Grant to pay for My Cute Little Car
33. I already love my Cute Little Car
34. I will be able to visit my friends and family more in My Cute Little Car
35. Love makes the world go round, and Cute Little Cars encourage Love!
36. Driving will be fun in my Cute Little Car
37. My Cute Little Car will take me to all the Reiki Parties people book
38. My Cute Little Car will save me money on gas
39. My Cute Little Car will enable me and my students to go on a Reiki Road Trip!
40. The moon is full and it wants to shine on a Cute Little Car in my driveway
41. I love all Cute Little Cars
42. Barack Obama becomes president and everyone get’s an economic incentive to buy a Cute Little Car
43. I get a big raise at work, and can afford a Cute Little Car
44. Becky get’s tired of her Yaris and sells it to me…guess what…it’s a Cute Little Car!

OK….44…that’s a LOT more than I thought I could come up with. Please feel free to comment with more ideas about reasons why my Cute Little Car might come to me easily, fast, and harmoniously! Just 66 more ideas to go!!!

My husband took this picture on his walk to work, and I’m thinking of putting roses like these out in front of the house, climbing over an arbor at the end of our walk next Spring. They look like the standard Apothocary’s Rose, and I wasn’t sure we could grow them here in Minnesota because we are typically a Zone 4 around here, though Minneapolis has some Zone 5 areas. Actually, things are changing quite a bit as we have a family of red squirrels we see in our yard from time to time, when the cat isn’t outside.

The only problem I foresee in my plans for the gardens here at Applewood Cottage, is that I have a full-time job and websites, and cafepress stores to design. Time to garden? Not really. But I hope to manage it all somehow. We are still busy in the unpacking process, though we are nearing the end of painting. Still, the back garden is a mass of grasses, crab and otherwise that I need to get cleaned up before the snow flies. The dream is to have an herb & flower garden there and I’ve been doing some research about what will work. There are Lillies there now in a couple of spots, as well as a 4 foot high stump of a narrow tree that the boxelder bugs were feeding off of last month. We will have to trim it down, because it’s the tallest thing in the garden right now.

So much to do, so little time! But Fall gives me a chance to get some of the bed prepared for next year, and I’ll have all Winter to dream about what Spring will bring.

I’ve been slowly gathering a small collection of different crystals to use during healing. I have several Quartz points that I’ve used to make a crystal grid, and I also have some tumbled stones that I’ve used in meditations. Now that the sun is going down earlier, it puts me in the mood to start working more closely with the stones again, to discover their properties.

• Carnelian - This orange & yellow stone stimulates analytical capabilities. It provides enhanced perceptiveness & helps awaken inherent talents & ingenuity. It is a bright, happy stone that works well with the lower Chakras increasing physical energy, personal power, creativity, & compassion. Carnelian protects against envy,fear, rage, sorrow, & home sickness. All in all, it promotes a sunny outlook on life, and encourages you to shine brightly. I keep mine in a little red bag.
• Blue Quartz - this stone is also a boost for creativity and expression. Due to it’s soft blue-grey color, it is associated with the throat chakra and it enhances communication between the lower and higher chakras. It brings a sense of order to all things, releases fear and brings courage to one’s life.  I keep mine in a little purple bag.

These two stones really called to me today, and I think I’ll be using them for myself over the next few days. One of these days, I may just get around to getting a box just for the stones that I use for healing, just like this one below:

That way, I can have them at hand when I need them. It’s also a good reminder about the power of Reiki and it’s role in my life. This Reiki Heals design is also on t-shirts, bags, journals, cards, and all kinds of good stuff!

I’m a Gemini and I love change. It brings in creativity, growth, and a sense of purpose. There has never been a time in my life when I’m not dreaming of the future. My dreams include my personal, professional, and spiritual goals. My dreams include my hopes for a better society. My dreams include the belief that I have the power to make my life better if I just set my intention and work towards my goal. The past several years brought about many changes that were unexpected, and seemed to get in the way of my goals. Yet through it I have discovered my center, and a new purpose. My personal life and character has been tested with trials and tribulations. Facing them head on is daunting, facing them through the peace and solitude of meditation has been enlightening. Looking within, I have found horizons and a new vision for my life, and for my community.

Where were you when Barack Obama accepted the nomination for the Presidency of the United States of America? I know this is a Reiki Blog, it’s not about politics. But it is about hope, health, and change. It’s about a vision for my community of America, my community of the Earth that welcomes everyone as equals and with love. Where was I when Barack Obama accepted the nomination for the Presidency of the United States of America, which includes being the leader of the free world? I was home in Brooklyn Center MN watching his speach on TV, drinking my Sam Adams from the bottle, and petting my cat Jasmine. My husband was at work, I assume he was watching as well.

Hope. It’s something of substance to me, something that I know brings about positive change in my life. Emily Dickinson wrote in a poem that

Hope’ is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And as I explore my soul and the wisdom of my heart each night in meditation and reiki practice, I find that thing of beauty taking flight across a wide landscape as beautiful and as powerful as my dreams of a better tomorrow. I know how to take that and put paint on canvas and let you see that hope as well. I also know how to step aside and let reiki flow through me to heal your body, mind, and spirit so you can find your own vision of Hope in your heart.

Together, we can create Hope for each other, for our friends, for our neighborhoods, for our souls. Because one note rings true to all of us, and that is that we are in this together on this Earth. The moon and the stars shine at night to show us the beauty of light. The shadow in the heat of the day reminds us of the comfort of the cool breezes and peace and quiet that darkness brings. To be rejuvenated and to dream is our task as we  lay our heads to rest. And what defines our dreams? Our hopes. Hope with your heart and our dreams together can and will be fulfilled.

Did you know that this site is Green? That’s right! I have my website hosted by Dreamhost, which is all about the Green.

What does that mean? Well in Dreamhost’s own words:

Putting a price on carbon output is just one way to help make the world a better place. It’s a first step towards true energy sustainability. Organizations large and small are constantly working on reducing their environmental emissions. When they do so a neutral third party then steps in to verify the reduction and issues what are known as “Renewable Energy Credits”.

We’ve purchased enough of these credits - which are retired after purchase and not resellable - to account for our energy usage. The proceeds of these credit purchases are then put toward funding further emission reduction and renewable energy projects.

I just thought you’d like to know that. Of course I started with Dreamhost eight years ago…long before Green became the thing to be. I’ve stuck by them as a company, and I think they’re doing a fabulous job taking care of Mother Earth.

Have a wonderful night!

My current Netflix DVD is a Deepak Chopra video. There are two different productions on this DVD, one is a talk he gave on the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success based on his book of the same title. This video was made back in 2000, but I only discovered his teachings a couple of years ago. Now I want to buy the book and delve deeper into the meanings and how to apply them to my own life. He makes it sound so simple, and tonight I was meditating on The Law of Least Effort, and what could be easier than that?

In case you are wondering, here are the Laws according to Deepak:

1. The Law of Potenitality
2. The Law of Giving
3. The Law of Karma
4. The Law of Least Effort
5. The Law of Intention & Desire
6. The Law of Detachment
7. The Law of Dharma

Many of these are a challenge to the traditional American concept of success, most notably the law of least effort. We are programmed to believe that hard work and going above and beyond in our efforts is what it takes to be a success. But I want to introduce the idea of a garden, once you initially prepare the soil and plant things, something will grow there. It could be the plant you intended, or a weed. If I think of my success as a weed, then it can grow just about anywhere I plant a seed no matter what the environment around it.

The other thing to think about is that it is the law of Least Effort, not the law of NO Effort.  Some effort is required to get things going, but you can’t force a plant to grow, it will grow on it’s own if given half a chance. It’s my job to get things planted and give them half a chance. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Garden of Serenity” by David & Steve Gordon is my latest favorite selection when I’m meditating at night. It combines music with the sound of running water, which is something that I’ve always found very soothing. Normally, I would be joining the team of Reiki Masters and Students at Eye of Horus tonight, but it was a long week and I needed to be alone with the cats for a while.  Tonight my meditation was rather short, and I gave myself some Reiki as well, but what my body really needs is sleep. But there’s something about the picture of the beautiful rock garden on the cover of the CD which keeps calling me, so when I searched under the name of the title, up popped books on Japanese Gardens. Once upon a time I checked out a book on it from the library, and I remember pouring over the photos for hours. Now that I have a larger yard to play in, I was planning on planting a healing garden. My husband and I talked about it, but we had no idea where to start.

Now I know where I can begin, with Japanese Garden Design. I have all Winter to dream and study and make some plans, and with the internet at my fingertips I’m sure I’ll find all kinds of inspiration and practical help in getting started. When you Google Japanese Gardens all kinds of fun things pop up, like this page from The Helpful Gardener which gives some basics for my subconscious to chew on.

There is a certain calmness that comes to you as you view a well laid-out Japanese garden. While it is hard to define any one particular element as the source of this peaceful influence, I would suggest that it is the solid, anchored look that the stone features bring to the garden that do the most to impart that feeling of peace. This should come as no surprise as the Japanese gardener utilizes rock as the “bones” of the garden, with plants and ornaments as trimmings.

It’s a place to start, with the bones of the place. The flow and harmony of Yin Yang will be a conscious part of my garden design. And so my Reiki Adventure takes me down a new path, one that I will build with my own two hands to create an oasis of healing in my own backyard. I have lots to think about, there are current gardens, how to work with the buildings and existing plants, learning about the different styles of Japanese gardens…I’ll be keeping busy this Winter!

On busy days it’s easy to say “I don’t have time to meditate” and just move on and do all those nagging things that you need to do to manage your life. Except for some reason getting things done seems tougher because there’s always the next thing tapping you on the shoulder reminding you to do IT first. Pretty soon you’re being pushed and pulled by all those tasks, memories, ideas, that you can’t concentrate. And you can forget about getting a good night’s sleep because they will follow you there too. Nope, it’s much better to take the time to slow down and find your center, and spend some quality time with your own soul.

I skipped my meditation last night and boy did I miss it! It’s my mini-vacation from the chaos of daily living, and it gives me a much better Source to draw from than my To Do List. So now I have a date with my soul tonight, and nobody else is invited. The cats have even learned to leave me alone when the candles are lit and the incense is burning. So I think that from now on, on busy days I’ll make some time to meditate. And give myself a little Reiki to bring things into balance. Which brings us to today’s featured design from the Reiki Artist Store:

I chose this as one of my NetFlix options, because I’ve read about the video series and I was curious to find out how this video/time/space attunment process worked. The blurb says: “Learn the process of attunement — sacred meditation with specific intent — from Reiki master Steve Murray in this enlightening program.” Since I’m already trained through the Master level, I was interested in seeing someone else’s teaching style, and maybe learning a thing or two.

The DVD started with cool new age music and scenes from the Pacific ocean. Finally we get to see Steve Murray in person. He gives a little instruction on what this video is about and how it all works. Then he talks a little about the Reiki Master Symbol, and a diagram of the symbol pops up on the screen. It was imposible for me to see the correct order in which to draw the lines, and Steve did not demonstrate how to draw the symbol. It was slightly different from the version that I learned in class.

This is a 30 minute video with a large amount of time showing a crystal on some rocks by the Pacific Ocean during your attunement. At no point does Mr. Murray demonstrate how to actually do an attunement. That was a big dissappointment to me. He did say to visit his website for complete written instructions on how to pass on an attunement.

Did I feel something during the attunment? Yes, my hands tingled and my heart Chakra tingled, and I felt the presence of my Reiki Guides. So that part of it was real enough. The main thing that I learned is that there is no substitute for actually taking a class and learning directly from your Reiki Master.

Reiki connects us with what it means to be a whole human being, connecting body, mind, and spirit within ourselves…AND with those we share Reiki with.

Whether it is as a student, pracitioner, recipient, or teacher; Reiki unites us with each other and with the Power of Creation. Call it God, Goddess, The Force, or Reiki Energy — it will bring us all together for a brief moment in time. If the only available means is over a distance, then that’s what you have to do. Believe me, I understand what it’s like to hear the call of Reiki and want to move toward that healing center as fast as possible. But the Reiki will still be there for you, and if you ask for a real-life-in-person training experience, it will be made available to you.

So I will read my Reiki books again and again, I will continue to work with my clients, and I am starting to teach Reiki to others, the best I can. Reiki meets you where you are in life, and right now, I’m here in my Reiki Studio watching my cat Caruso sleep next to the door to the deck, anticipating my future here. I will always be a student of Reiki, no matter how many times I’m attuned and no matter how many classes I may teach.

It’s like being a kid again in springtime, and schools out for the summer and I’m free to explore everything around me. The world is a brighter more colorful place for me with Reiki in it.

Well…the house I did a blessing on in June is now the home I’m living in. Yes the Reiki Artist Studio has moved from Minneapolis to nearby Brooklyn Center. We’re on a quiet block with an apple tree in the front yard. The backyard is large with plenty of space to garden and my ever favorite Lilac bushes. This time of year they’re all green, but they will be blooming again next spring when we’re more settled in.

I had thought I was blessing this house to put up for rent, as we had been renting it since my brother-in-law passed away a year ago. But circumstances intervened and we decided it would be better to move here. The neighborhood that we saw surrounding our Minneapolis Bungalow went from up and coming back to down and out over the past three years. After my husband witnessed a drug bust three doors down while waiting for the bus in June, I knew we had made the right decision. This is the house that he grew up in, that his mother lived in until she passed away, and that his brother lived in after that.

The gardens she planted were overgrown with weeds, the renters left junk in the yard that we still have to find help to haul away, and there’s old furniture and other odds and ends filling up the garage and the shed in back that have to be sold or donated to charity. But the Reiki Room is on the main floor, with a sliding glass door that leads to a back deck. I can see the moon through the branches of the large silver maple that dominates the south side of the back yard.

It’s quiet here with fewer sirens, and Caruso, one of my favorite cats, grew up here and felt at home immediately when we brought him back here. A grasshopper came into the studio the other day too. The first room I painted was the bedroom, then I painted the Reiki Room a wonderful shade of purple called twilight. I’m back to my routine of meditating every night and giving myself Reiki.

One other new thing is that I am apprenticed to Reiki Master Maggie Sterba who I took Reiki I and Reiki III from. Every Friday night from 7:00-8:30 I will be joining her and her other students and Reiki Masters to do Reiki at Eye of Horus in Minneapolis. I still have to update my online calendar to reflect this change, and the many others that have been happening in my life over the past few weeks.

I haven’t been sitting idle artistically either, here’s a link to my new T-Shirt Design: