Going Gray

I am going through an identity period of my life...sick of coloring my
hair, sick of some of the old beliefs I carry around...and ready to
blaze a new path to my mid-fifties.

Gonna take some pics and share the journey. Get out of the way
of my old ego that wants me to believe I look younger and
prettier if I hide my true color. Let's just show the world that
it's amazing to be 50 and Gray...I will still be beautiful and
sexy if I believe I am beautiful and sexy.

Pictures are forthcoming.

RoxieMarie

A Day of Volunteerism

So, today I set up the huge easel with paper/implements of color, all ready for the Boeing Volunteers children to come in from the field... hot and ready to share some of their nature experience.
As I facilitated the shy ones, who couldn't remember something from the field that they would like to draw,
and couldn't imagine why they would want to...I remembered myself at that age. Unsure, afraid to get it wrong, and self conscienous.

There was a little boy, he signed his name...Dylan, and shyly said to his Dad and
to me, "What should I draw?"...Neither his father nor myself intended to give him an answer to that question, well actually his Dad almost gave the boy a solution but caught himself. As other children around him were freely scribbling pretty images of this or that, without too much reserve or fear..he looked up and saw his own answer. He reached for the brilliantly colored photographic images I had placed up high enough to be "not too" manipulative but still available. He chose one and was so excited visually by the colors his entire demeanor changed. He became very serious about shape, form, and began to lay out his design...just like an draftsman. This little boy designed 2 beautiful, well thought out and executed drawings that he spent 45 minutes on. They are amazing~!!

He has NO IDEA that he already possesses skills and aptitude, and I believe he will realize them at some point and use them in some form of creating in the future.  Because I believe we are all creators in some way,
I know those gifts are his to live out. We all copy, design, reassemble and make our individual stamp on the outcome of our lives. It is our ART to be alive and to create from our Souls, and every Soul is different and nurtured by the unique qualities IT craves.

It is my joy and passion to mould my reactions and responses to these young creators, so that it is THEIR way and THEIR SOULS Seeking, that I facilitate...not my ideas or my goals. It won't be everyone to expresses ART by drawing images....or moulding clay or using their visual qualities. Not everyone will express themselves in song, or movement or cooking, or....? Yet, Everyone creates their own beauty and their own grace, their own friendships and their own way to love. We are all truly Artists of our Lives...we are all Creators...and how Cool is That?

So...From that place of freedom and "everything is right and nothing is wrong" place, today, the children led me to a creation I didn't expect...and it was perfect and timely. We created "Snail Houses" and "the fantasy" story that goes with it is unfolding and "the reality" story is funny. I sense a "Children's Nature learning and Creative activity book" on the horizon~

Peace and Be Well with Nature,
RM

Hold the Soul

Dreams are the container of the soul.




That is, they are the Holding Place of God.



So dream big, yes, because the bigger you dream



the more of God you let in!

Save the Turtles habitat, Heal the Sea

All of the sea turtles that venture into Gulf waters have already suffered because of commercial fishing and habitat loss. Endangered Kemp's ridleys, which are nesting on beaches in Mexico and Texas, have washed up by the dozens dead along Gulf beaches since the April 20 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion that has gushed up to 130 million gallons of oil into the sea.

“The consolation, the dignity, the joy of life are that discouragements and lapses, depressions and darknesses, come to one only as one stands without -— I mean without the luminous paradise of art. As soon as I really re-enter it -— cross the loved threshold -— stand in the high chamber, and the gardens divine —- the whole realm widens out again before me and around me —- the air of life fills my lungs —- the light of achievement flushes over all the place, and I believe, I see, I do.”

That was a quote from Henry James, renowned author and inspiration to me...
It spoke to me of a place to go inside of myself that creates the art, the peace, the love
and the healing.
I know as an artist, a person of healing, and one who is being healed, that believing in the whole realm that widens out before me and around me, is my personal choice to believe that the divine garden, the high chamber is "with in" me... This I know for sure...for me~! So, I say to you,  Go into the high place and seek that love threshold and know that your life is your art...you are the artist, gifted to this life and God is there as your power, sharing
strength to find the peace and joy within the dark parts.

Love to us all~ RM

4 Months in Healing

Well, Believe it or not, I do remember that I have a blog about creative healing.
I intend to write in this blog every day or every other day, but
since I left my cabin in March where I grieved my Father quite greatly...I've
been unresponsive to it.

I few days ago I spent some time reflecting on the months since my
last entry and now. It has be amazingly rich with new energy, new
experiences and abundant healing. I have kept it ALL to myself.
Every tiny tidbit. I knew along the way that I was being quiet; but
I didn't feel guilt, or pressure, or grief about a goal that I set
that was being ignored. It's not that I didn't feel some of those
things for other goals when I was being remiss...but, not this one-I just let go.

So, today I'm here to explain what I believe happened to me as I
was rebuilding from a loss. If you are someone
who goes into a sensory perceiving place, as I do, discussing it
can cause a separation of flow... BUT, with creative spiritual work
the discussion takes place with the inner soul. When we are quiet, and taking
our love down into our depths...there are no words to clarify. No
words are helpful or necessary.

I have been seeing in images...sensing a new life beyond the pain
and attachment I had to my Father. I have sensed my way, like
a person in a dark room feeling the furniture and walls to know
what step to take next. I have had 100% faith that things were exactly
as they should be and I have accepted it all as it's shown up.
This is the first time in my life that I have been able to "Do" what
I "Be-lieve"...and that is that "everything is perfect as it is right now,
no matter how ugly, scary, dirty, sad or whatever. Just let it
be there, and know, believe  and refer to what you see as a dark
part of a beautiful picture.

What has happened for me here? I will never step back, permanently, to the place
I was before. I have gained a huge awareness of myself and of Life as I
see it...I do not doubt that life is my guide and teacher. I live
it as it lives me.

I will share more tomorrow~ Or THE Day after~ I'm ready to
"Be" here and share. A circle has been completed.

With Love,
Roxie Marie

12 Quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh

For the next 12 Days of my healing process, I will incorporate one of
Thich Nhat Hanh's quotes for meditation.

Today's first quote is:
~ "Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice… No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out." ~




~ "People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar." ~



~ "Enlightenment is always there. Small enlightenment will bring great enlightenment. If you breathe in and are aware that you are alive—that you can touch the miracle of being alive—then that is a kind of enlightenment." ~



~ "Many people are alive but don't touch the miracle of being alive." ~



~ "It is possible to live happily in the here and now. So many conditions of happiness are available—more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don't have to run into the future in order to get more." ~



~ "People suffer because they are caught in their views. As soon as we release those views, we are free and we don't suffer anymore." ~



~ "Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes." ~



~ "Life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now." ~



~ "When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?" ~



~ "To be loved means to be recognized as existing." ~



~ "Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature." ~



~ "We have to continue to learn. We have to be open. And we have to be ready to release our knowledge in order to come to a higher understanding of reality." ~

A Voice From the Past

A Voice From the Past




Cry no sad tears for me, Sweet Child,

Cry no sad tears for me.

For Life was sweet and time was kind,

I savored beauty I did find

And did it with a strength of mind.

Cry no sad tears for me.



Sing no sad songs for me, My Dears,

Sing no sad songs for me.

With love and children I've been blessed,

I've put each challenge to the test,

And done it all with fervent zest.

Sing no sad songs for me.



Say no kind words for me, My friends,

Say no kind words for me.

Speak them to some soul in need

With love his hungry heart you'll feed,

And thus a fuller life he'll lead.

Say These kind words for me.



Think no sad thought of me, Dear Ones,

Think no sad thought of me.

Where ocean waves crash to the shore,

On mountain tops where eagles soar,

Where beauty holds your heart secure,

Just smile and think of me

Vision Boarding for Healing

We are called forth every day to a life of vision. Unfortunately,this is
something that can be overlooked by the need of surviving the
onslaught of seemingly mandatory requirements for survival. There
is a never ending line of those outside our doors, asking, begging us,
for attention and energy. These individuals and issues seem to be
randomly showing up. They seem to be "not of our own calling"
but instead perhaps from some external, hellish entity who thinks

"we should have the strength and willingness to bleed out our guts."

Well, I'm not a true believer in anything random or external that is
in control of my life...but, that is another writing for later.

Whatever the cause, the beliefs, or the immediate results...
do we have any thing left for our vision? What the heck is our vision?
If we know what we would like our vision to be, do we know how to
step toward it? And if we have stepped up to claim it...do we have the
clarity, endurance and skills to follow through for the long haul?

I do believe in this quest for vision and the building of skills in order to
"keep the faith" and go all the way. I began my Vision Boarding
experience a few years ago. It has changed the direction of my vision
and my life. I will be sharing time with a friend and client tomorrow
as she does a revamping of her Vision Board. I look forward to seeing
her bring up to the surface the things that lay buried and awaiting the
light. I will enjoy guiding and facilitating the process with humility...
leaning us toward the inner voices that wish to speak.

Peace, Light and Love~
Roxie Marie

PS) The Vision Board by Joyce Schwarz is a wonderful book on Vision Boards.

Cancer thrives in an Acid Enviornment

Dear Reader,


Believe it or not, a whopping 1/3 of American women get some form of cancer every year. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most prevalent form, affecting about 200,000 women annually. Other common cancers in women include colon, ovarian, and lung.

But when it comes to cancer prevention and treatment…
…studies show Cancer has a weak link—one that does not get much publicity, but studies show it’s a huge factor in the disease’s growth and development.

What’s this link? It’s cancer’s reliance on an acidic environment in the body. That’s right. Cancer thrives in an overly acidic environment.

What can you do to reduce the acidity in your body and literally choke the life out of cancer cells?

Plenty! You'll learn which acidic foods create a cancer-friendly environment (please avoid immediately!) …and which foods are key to maintaining an alkaline environment.

More info on balancing our PH at: Dr. Susan Lark's website:

Visit My Website for info on Creative Coaching and Soul Collage

My creative healing technique for today is to work with
Image and Archetype interpreted onto Soul Collage cards.
My fathers terminal illness and the emotions, inner
confusions will expose themselves from that intuitive place...
Soul Collage is that bridge..

Soul Collage is the form I go to for this kind of work.
I hope to get my camara working well enough to
capture a current picture of the card/cards once created.

~Peace, Joy and Focused Sharing is my Intention today~
     ~~~~www.roxiemarie.com~~~

Fine-tune your life

The RIG VEDA, the most ancient and revered of Hindu Scriptures, suggests that purusharthas are the inherent values of the universe. "the cosmos is consdiered a living being , and the issues of law, prosperity, desrie, and freedom belong to it. There are not just human concerns or psychological concepts. When we engage then as human beingsl, we are aligning the microcosm with the macrocosm. The cosmos is all laid out and it's our job to get with the program.
PURUSHARTHAS means "for the purpose of the Soul" 

"I used the following practice today for the first time.It was extremely helpful for me to determine the specific areas of my life that I'm ready to balance out. Check it out and see if you don't get some personal awareness that will open you up to a new energy." Roxie Marie



The four aims are the pillars of a fulfilling life. In the following self-inquiry practice by Sally Kempton, you'll consider where your current priorities lie and how you need to shift them to create a deeply satisfying life. Don't worry about getting your whole life in order at once-do the exercise each week, and you'll become more in the tune with yourself, more present with the world around you.

Here's how:

Find 30- minutes in which you can be alone and undisturbed. Create a cozy space, and settle into it with a journal, a pen, a candle, and a comfortable seat.

Light the candle to signify that you are in a sacred space. "A candle symbolizes the flame of the inner witness," Kempton says, Breathe deeply, close your eyes, and relax for a few minutes.

Begin to think back over your activities of the preceding week. Consider all of the things you did related to you DHARMA. How did you serve your family, your community, and yourself? What were your obligations? Did you meet them with ease? What ethical tests did you face, and how did you deal with them? Record the answers in your journal.

When you've exhausted your thoughts about dharma, consider ARTHA. What did you do this week for the sake of your lifelihood? What did you do to maintain your health? What did you need to support yourself, Did you get it? Write the answers in your journal; note your concerns and anxieties.

Next think deeply about KAMA. What actions did you take solely for the purpose of creating more joy in your life and in the world? What were your greatest pleasures? What were your strongest desires? Were you able to realize them? Write your thoughts down.

Then record the activities you engaged in for the sake of MOKSHA. These might include yoga, medatation, prayer, chanting, spiritual reading, or self-inquiry. Did you find a feeling of freedom? Which areas of your life free constricted or burdened? What do you need to do to liberate yourself? Write down your answers.

When you've gone through each purushartha individually, analyze the balance between them. Looking at what you've written, see where your emphasis was in the past week. Which parts of your life were unattended to? Are you working too hard in one area? Not hard enough? What are the consequences of your priorities. Formulate a simple statement about the way the purusharthas manifested themselves in your life. Something like, "This week I worked hard to meet my obligations, but I felt burdened. I took the most pleasure from my friendships. I didn't find time to work toward liberation"

Finally, formulate an intention for the coming week. You might set an intention related to each of the purusharthas, or you could focus on one of two that need more of your attention Record the intention in your journal. Then say it to yourself-first out loud, then inwardly, Close your journal, blow out the candle, and ease back into your day with a new understanding of your soul's priorities.

Taking time each week to think about the purusharthas will enable you to see how your life's priorities are constantly shifting and let you do some trouble-shooting whenever unease and unhappiness arise. "Yoga is one of the great tools humans have for recognizing meaning, and the purusharthas let you see whether you are livinhg a good life." Kempton says. "If you are not finding joy in your practice there is somethinhg wrong with your practice. If you are not able to operate ethically, you'll know that changes are needed.

                                        ENJOY GOODNESS, AWARENESS AND PEACE

Surrender It

 
 
 
 

Surrender It~~~

Surrender is an interesting word, with a multitude of meanings. I am using the word surrender to be the embodiment of being in the flow with our body, mind and spirit. It includes the experience of acceptance of what is, what is true. It encompasses the ability to be differentiated, to be your own person.



In 2003, my husband Jim suffered a major stoke. Over the past year, and exacerbated over the past couple of months, his level of functioning has taken a turn. To witness this has been heart-breaking. To support our four adult children over the holiday season as they witnessed this new level was bitter sweet.



As an advocate for ‘surrender to what is’ I have been challenged to walk my talk...and I am now ready to speak about it. Has the process been easy...no! Has it been heart-wrenching...yes! Have I created my own suffering by wanting it to be different...absolutely! Is there a gift here somewhere...I believe so!



As I noticed myself feeling victimized, resentful, fearful, ripped-off, crazy...my body reacted with sensations of tension and chaos. When my thoughts and emotions were on the ‘wrong train of thought’ I experienced deflation of my spirit and my well-being.



As I move towards the heart-ache and acknowledge it from a place of true sadness, I feel comforted. This is a more authentic place for me to feel the truth and to move through the process with acceptance and allow whatever needs to happen happen. I show up for myself and recognize that this experience is indeed a process.



As I write this today, I feel centered and strong. As I surrender to what is, I know that I can handle it from a place of strength. I have a choice to be in control of my own experience and as I continue to go to ‘higher ground’ what will be will be. I ‘remember the resource’ within myself – my embodied strong inner core that will see me through difficult times. I can count on it.



[If you have my book, read chapter six (Remembering the Resource) where I teach the technique to help clients embody their internal resource.] When a resource is embodied (felt and owned in the body) it is much more powerful than an experience of the mind.



If you are struggling with non-acceptance of a situation, I recommend that you become mindful, be with your breath, allow the authentic feeling to wash over you, notice what is happening in your body, shed the tears you need to shed, and surrender to what is - infuse yourself with acceptance of what is. And, of course be gentle with yourself in the process.



p.s. an unbelievable synchronicity!!



As I finished this writing, I felt an intuitive urge to go to the front door, even though I had already received today’s mail. There was a large package with my name on it!! Inside the package was a beautiful pink blanket from my friend and colleague Kim Boyden, who has been aware of my process over the past couple of months. And, guess what the blanket was about ... you guessed it...STRENGTH. I am wrapped up in it as I type. ?



On the blanket is written a number of affirmations on strength. A few of them are:



My mind, body and spirit are strong

I take time each day to rejuvenate and recharge

I draw from a deep well of peace and calm

I breathe in strength and release my fears

I trust my intuition and live a courageous life

and many others in relation to accomplishing goals and following the heart’s deep desires

Written by: Marlene Fields CPCC

A Raspy Cry Out

How can I not be, prone to go and
see the last days of life pass forward?
It seems such a waste, to what might have been
gathered in times long ago.

The raspy cry out, came over the line and
every word sank into static. Dear God,
what is the calling  that you have made? Is
my heart open to this that you gave?

'So, take my feet, put them on the right ground.
 Make my mind go quiet and recieve.
Help my heart have warm blood and be sure
my will has the strength to leave.

I Know What I Know- by Roxie Marie

"Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future. The past is closed and limited, the future is open and free." ~ Deepak Chopra

I am in a place of wonderment about my own inner process, including my grief and loss. The quote above, by Deepak Chopra, spoke to me today. Things are a little confusing for me to process when there is more than one "old reaction" that shows up at one instant.

My "old reactions" have been a focus of my positive energy work for some time. I have seen amazing results
from my study and application from the principals in "The Course Of Miracles". There have been many ahha moments, from the wisdom of Tolle, Gina Lake, Dyer, the poetry of Gilbran, the Bible, and so many others.
Yes I do feel inspired and connected to my source on a palatable level, and yet...the ego is strong and shows up as "old beliefs with subconscious power". It is at the moment, when I'm most uncomfortable, that the level of deep awareness I pray for; focus on; and sense in my body; shows up to remind me: "I do have a Soul Connection and I do know the answers of my Essence."

I then have the choice to honor "what I know" and proceed no matter what my "ego would fear or critize". This is still a challenge, for I give power away to the external's such as "Will this work for him or her?" Will I be percieved as a less than (blank) person?" or many other inner dialogues and voices.''

For today, I will listen to Carol King and James Taylor in concert on the Today Show and just remember the easy way "I was" back then. I will remember the beauty of all I knew and loved back then, and still do in my heart. I will know that I made choices back then that led to beliefs that developed into numerous automatic reactions.  I was young and new in this life and it was OK that I was naive. It is also ok now that my "old reactions" come from that place sometimes. Even though I am now older and wiser, I will not be perfect in honoring the past while leaving the old reactions behind. I will continue to work on this...

I choose to see the future from my place of awarness now. The pain comes when I try to stay with who or how I was in the past. The future is open and free, as I am now open and aware of how I co-create my life. Old reactions come from a "valid place" but they don't need to be repeated in my current awareness.

I praise my Essence and Source. I give thanks to God's grace and honor that "I know what I know" when I choose to listen.

Better Than A Sapling~ by Roxie Marie

Another year here and yes, I can see. The
other years past, like shadows of me. Where
would I show up, in the time ahead?
Shine on bright light, my soul will be fed.

So, wrinkles show now, like never before; and
where I was firm they fall to the floor. Yes laugh,
yes please do, it makes me smile too. To think
I would not have to walk in these shoes...

Well, now I am here and it's better than that. To
know who I am, the me who has sat
with many sick ones and held them inside. And
shared what I can, along this great ride.

I praise my own God, who only shows love.
Who only wants us, to know her Above
I wouldn't have thought it really would be.
When my journey began like a sapling tree.

Wishes Can Be Made Real- By Roxie Marie

If I asked you on your deathbed "Was your life a complete success?" What would your answer be?
If there were any areas of your life that didn't seem fulfilled what would they be?


Put your statement in the perspective of your deathbed such as "My life was not a complete success because I ( did or did not )".....fill in the blank.
Consider, what is it about your statement that makes it so important to you that you would consider having such a lifetime regret about it?
Now, turn that statement into an intention and into the present tense such as "My life is a complete success because I am doing/living/being/achieving"...fill in the blank.
Ask yourself is this  something you really resonate and feel strongly about?
Can you commit yourself to this statement in a purposful way?


Now go on to do this process for a total of 5 deathbed wishes. Write these down, write down everything that feels pertinent to the process. Give yourself 1 hour (or more but no less) alone to do this, relaxed emotionally sharp.


This is a life alterning exercise. It is one that I have just completed and it has totally refocused me and brought me into a deeper awareness of my soul. It uses the "end of life" as a very positive and powerful metaphor.


This is also something that feels healing to me now as Dad is alive one more day, but one day closer to his passing. My grief work can tire me, but this process revived me.


I hope everyone who tries this has a rewarding experience.


Love, Light and Grace to all,
Roxie Marie

William Stafford's "Being a Person"

Be a person here. Stand by the river, invoke
the owls. Invoke winter, then spring.

Let any season that wants to come here to make its' own
call. After that sound goes away, wait.

A slow bubble rises through the earth
and begins to include sky, stars, all space,
even the outracing, expanding thought
come back and hear the little sound again.

Suddenly this dream you are having matches
everyone's dream, and the result is the world.

If a different call came there wouldn't be any
world, or you, or the river, or the owls calling.

How you stand here is important. How you
listen for the next things to happen. How you breathe.

Morning sense~ by Roxie Marie

The sound of the singer is quiet, she
sat by the water when the sun went down.

In a morning light, red~pink~orange and black, she
rose to inhale a new warm air.

Be strong, or not, be calm, or not, be here said she,
this now and next then.

No wonder feels right, no inspiration appears here,
not now, next when?

There is a meant place for all of the fog, she
knows this gray space.

Reach up and hold on to the only one, who
she believes can create.

Exhale the stale thoughts and shine a light on,
the one dark spot.

Exposed it will be, to you and to all, who
need to move onward.

John Fox and Poetic Medicine is Amazing~!!

UPCOMING EVENTS

With John Fox & The Institute for Poetic Medicine

January 14, 2010

John's Schedule At A Glance

THE HEALING ART OF POEM-MAKING

and

POETRY, COMMUNITY & THE FLOURISHING HEART

March 26-27

Auburn, CA


FINDING THE WORDS TO SAY IT

May 5

Tucson, AZ


HEALING ART OF POEM-MAKING

and

POETIC MEDICINE: A WRITING WORKSHOP

May 7-8

Tucson, AZ



THE NATURE OF POETRY:

EXPLORING THE BEAUTY WAY

May 25-June 1

Canyon de Chelly, AZ



THE HEALING ART OF WRITING

June 27- July 2

San Rafael, CA

TAKES TIME

June 30-July 4

Bowen Island, B.C.

Canada


THE JOURNEY OF THE UNDIVIDED LIFE

Sept. 10-12

Burlingame, CA

Dear Friend of The Institute for Poetic Medicine,

We are aware, as we prepare to send this Constant Contact about my schedule, of the earthquake devastation in the country of Haiti.

My thoughts and prayers immediately went to my friend Dr. Diane Allerdyce, Chief Academic Officer for a remarkable charter school, Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Art and Social Justice that serves the Haitian communities of Delray and Boynton Beach in Florida. Please read past my letter here to learn more about this school, her students and how you may support their response to the tragedy in Haiti.

(There are inspiring links including an NPR broadcast of poems written by Toussaint students.)


While our eyes are on Haiti now, when the news lessens, how can we continue to pitch in to help others in need? How can we draw closer to one another and be more cooperative on this small planet?

We may pray for solace and aide to touch Haitian people experiencing trauma and grief. May our prayer remind us of our own fragility and the great difference made by a simple gesture of support. We will be moved by acts of courage in the face of tragedy. Let us allow courageous acts to inspire and motivate the choices we make.

May all this stir in us a daily question: how shall I live?

Whatever challenges you face or goals you set for yourself in 2010, I believe you possess the resilience and creative spark necessary to keep stepping forward. If some unknown is large before you, may your depth and courage help you honor silence and the grace to pause and wait, for guidance, for rest. It is in that pause, in that rest place, where you might listen for a poem that is yours.

This silent pause, this listening space, is what holds our words. We, and those people we may be blessed to work with, can speak and listen to this heart language to foster truth-saying, release, insight, remembrance and renewal.

This Constant Contact contains my current schedule for 2010! I will offer programs in Tucson, AZ; Auburn, CA; Canyon de Chelly, AZ; Bowen Island near Vancouver, Canada and a co-led retreat with Sally Hare in the San Francisco Bay area. I'll also participate on the faculty with David Watts, Rachel Naomi Remen and Jane Hirshfield at The Healing Art of Writing conference at Dominican College in San Rafael, CA.


Look for future schedule updates on my web site. If you are interested in bringing "poetic medicine" to where you live, let us know. We can work with you to make this happen!

I believe the essence of community and poem-making is this: that each one of us brings something irreplaceable to life's circle. Your irreplaceable nature and voice is what makes the whole sacred. The expressive arts have a knack for teaching us about the sacredness of the person, the value of receptivity and a deep sense of community.

Let's travel this journey with that kind of sensibility in our hearts. I hope to meet you along the way.

Sincerely,

John Fox

for The Institute for Poetic Medicine

Another Roller Coaster

It has been 2 weeks since we learned of Dad's cancer. There were days or even weeks, and perhaps months that something was odd, but Dad was always odd. He never shared the truth of how he felt or what he needed. It was unhealthy for us all to be in this relationship with him, to some degree. Not to say he wasn't/isn't a good man. He is an incredible man on so many levels...just not emotionally.
SO, here comes the most emotional experience of my life with my father and all I know is a dysfunctional
way of relating. My journey with him has been a love/hate, up and down, in and out of my life kind of thing. The last few years have actually been the best years since I was his "little girl". The first 10 years of my life.... we went camping, fishing, and I helped him build things in his wood shop. Then I became a young girl, interested in boys and friends and he up and dumped me. Flat out rejected me for growing up. Well the story goes on from there, very old and regurgatated stuff for me to consider at this moment. Still, I'm sure I'll go through all the images and words at some point, after he is gone. Then again, I have NO idea what I will do or feel after his passing. I know that I'm anxious about flying back to the freezing East to see him after 5 years and perhaps have an emotional freeze over. Or maybe I'm really afraid of a huge thaw and all the feelings just being so very raw~!!My journey is just beginning on the chapter.

What is Ritual?

When you enter ritual time, you're stepping out of your day-to-day concerns. It's a way of looking at life and tring to get in touch with a greater purpose and meaning. It's giving people a gift of time and attention, which to me, is the most valuable thing we can give each other- that's what love is. So when we engage in ritual, we're saying that we're intent on making a connection, whether it's with God or with spirit or with other poeple.

Gina Lake is as clear as pure water source~!! I love her~!!

Newest Blog Post: Believing


Written by Gina Lake

Have you noticed that believing something doesn’t make it so? As much as the ego would like to believe that believing something has the power to make it happen, it just doesn’t have that much power. You’ve believed lots of things that never came to pass, and many things have come to pass that you never believed would happen. The ego wants so much to be able to control life to get what it wants, but the purpose of life isn’t to please the ego. This egocentric view is, in fact, the cause of so much suffering. The ego wants life its way, but life isn’t about giving the ego what it wants, but about pointing you to what brings lasting happiness and fulfillment: love, peace, unity, goodness, compassion, wisdom, service, learning, and growth.



Belief does have some power, however. A positive belief has the power to neutralize a negative one, and negative beliefs can block you from taking action that would bring you what you want. That’s why believing something positive often has the effect of creating it. Positive beliefs don’t cause what you want to happen, however, as much as they allow what you want to be created by you or received by you because what you want is no longer being blocking by believing the opposite. Affirmations work, not because the affirmation itself creates what you want, but because it helps you release, or neutralize, whatever beliefs stand in the way of you creating or receiving what you want.



Your negative beliefs are powerful if you believe them. But if you don’t, they have no power whatsoever. Can an idea affect the world? Only if it’s believed and only if it’s put into action. The belief itself, which is just an idea, has no power of its own. Everyone has beliefs and negative thoughts. If they aren’t believed, they end there and quickly disappear. They may show up again and again, but if they are ignored, they don’t affect you or anything else.



You don’t have the power to determine what thoughts show up in your mind, but you do have the power to choose to believe them and respond to them or not. Not everyone realizes they have that power, but that doesn’t mean they don’t. What an amazing step in evolution it is to realize you have this power. That realization is the beginning of freedom from the egoic mind.



When negative thoughts have been reinforced by believing them, especially when they’ve been acted on time and time again, you may not feel like you have much power to choose differently. Thoughts that have been believed and reinforced by feelings and actions can feel very compelling, but you always have a choice. That is the great gift you’ve been given. But you must use that gift, and that sometimes takes a great deal of will. When you first begin to choose differently, it can seem very difficult—almost impossible—but each subsequent choice becomes easier.



Eventually, those negative thoughts won’t show up anymore, and a choice won’t even be necessary. You’ll function from Essence, and the egoic mind will be like whispers in the background, if you experience it at all. Waking up isn’t easy. For most people, it’s a gradual process that requires choosing over and over again not to listen to the negative mind but to something else that speaks to you and moves you, not through your mind, but through your intuition and your very being. This that you are is right here living you. It’s what moves your body, breathes it, and experiences this life. When the mind doesn’t interfere or take life in another direction, life happens, and it happens beautifully and joyfully.





Excerpted from Living in the Now: Reflections from Another Dimension About Being Happy in This One by Gina Lake, available on Amazon.com.

"In death and in grief, we do not need as much protection from painful experiences as we need the boldness to face them. We do not need as much tranquilization from pain as we need the strength to conquer it. If we choose to love, we must also have the courage to grieve."
~Roy and Jane Nicoles~

How does death take it's rightful place in your life? At the core, grief is really a form of praise. Grief carries with it the seeds of strength and hope, but if grief goes unrecognized, those seeds never grow. We are fearful of grief and reluctant to find our own ways of dealing with the pain, let alone sharing it with others. When one experiences loss, all things begin to feel unreal. There is a period of disbelief and denial, which then leads to anger and pain. When we lose someone (family, friend, or colleague) or even something (a job or relationship) we need ways to mark and express the loss. Only after there are expressed can true healing begin.
We tend to be fearful of people in mourning, not always knowing what to say or do, It is a gift to make space where people have permission to mourn. Ask people what they need, what they remember, and what stories they'd' like to share.