About a year ago, I started sharing photos I had taken with the #momentofbeauty on my FB Biz Page. It wasn’t to deny all of the seriousness going on in the world but to give moments to allow appreciation for what is good and right in a sea of overwhelming ugliness.

I have used these photos as a bit of meditation for myself. I am one of those highly sensitive people that does not watch the news as I have a very difficult time shaking off all of the sorrow. Seeking out moments of beauty helps me to stay in balance so that I may be a more effective ally wherever and whenever possible.

Do you ever come upon something and get completely obsessed? Not like stalker-obsessed but hyper-focused to the exclusion of many other things?

A bit over two years ago, I was able to go to Rome for work. Hubby was luckily able to tag along and we stayed a few days after my work stuff wrapped. It was a great time seeing Europe through my husband’s eyes as this was his first time. For me, seeing Rome made me miss all of my family in Spain. There are so many similarities that it really tugged at my heart.

Blog Post 10 on Day 11 of Effy Wild’s Artfully Wild Blog Along. I have a bunch of Oracle Decks. I mean A BUNCH. (Shhhhhh, don’t tell Hubby but I bought another one today). I also have some Tarot decks.

I typically prefer using Oracle decks when reading for myself and others. I find their messages to be a bit more “gentle” than Tarot. I do have a few decks that I go to if I’m needing more of a “wake-up or no bs” type reading and others that I use as more like writing prompts for my morning meditation.

So you might be wondering what the hell I’m talking about. My normal posts are about reiki, crystal healing, crystals, feelings and navigating life stuff. If you aren’t a baseball fan, a no-hitter means precious little to you in all likelihood.

I have been a lifelong baseball fan and while I haven’t been as involved in the last several years, it still brings an element of magic and simplicity to my life when I need something light that brings back many good memories.

As I sat down to write my post for Day 8 of Effy Wild’s Artfully Wild Blog Along, a few ideas popped into my head. As I pondered, I began to think that the first two ideas that came to mind felt too “heavy” for my mood tonight. I set them aside and tried to think of a topic that felt ridiculously simplistic. Then it hit me.

What is your blogging process?

TW: Asthma, Hospitalization

Like many people, since COVID started, I have experienced a resurgence of fear and anxiety. I’ve done quite a bit of work around managing anxiety. About 2 1/2 years ago, I was hospitalized because of an asthma flare up. I was diagnosed as an adult and have used a variety of maintenance inhalers over the years. My breathing was under control and quite stable so I weaned myself off the maintenance inhaler and relied solely on my rescue inhaler for occasional flare ups. One day, I wasn’t feeling so great and went to bed early thinking I was coming down with a cold. Early the next morning I awoke and was struggling to breathe. I reached for my inhaler, took a puff and sat back. No relief. I took a second puff and rested again. The inhaler wasn’t touching it! This had never happened to me before. For over 20 years, I had never had my rescue inhaler fail me. (I now realize how fortunate I am).

Why do I consider Reiki and Crystal Healing to be an integral part of the energetic services I offer?

As someone who initially intended to be a Marriage and Family Therapist, how did I end up focusing on the energy aspect of services instead? I went through a divorce as I was wrapping my Masters program in Psychology. Everything that I was and hoped to be was completely derailed. I had been in therapy myself and was “supposed” to see the value in talk therapy. What I found instead was if I presented as a nice, people-pleasing, book smart therapy patient, I could talk my way around the underlying issues and not have to truly feel or address ALLTHEPAIN. This isn’t to say that I don’t think therapy can be helpful or that my therapists were wrong. Not at all. I take my share of the responsibility in how I chose to show up.

Like many people, after 2020 I have been seeking more moments of deep connection. One of the easiest ways for me to tune in to my emotions and body is through music. A brilliant human who I admire very much turned me on to the music of RY X. Their music and soulful singing immediately drop me into a space of connection, shared humanity, and humble gratitude.

Day 4 of Effy’s Artfully Wild Blog Along:

For me expectations have always been a double-edged sword. In the past, I would have a mountain of expectations AND not communicate around them. You can imagine how that worked out for me. After working with a very good therapist, I have gotten much better about communicating my needs.

Day 3 of Effy’s Artfully Wild Blog Along:

I first came across the phrase detached compassion from one of my many oracle decks. It struck me very strongly the first time I read it and each subsequent time with equal force. Ever since that first time, detached compassion is something I’ve been practicing. I tend to feel most things very deeply and can be a bit of a hot head when I’m tired, hungry, etc. More detached compassion would bring me more peace and centeredness. I don’t see it as being without boundaries or allowing bad behavior towards myself or those I love. It is more of a pause and acknowledgement of our shared humanity. What does detached compassion mean to you?