A Flight Delay

This touched me deeply, so I am sharing this from berlin-artparasite's page . . . what a world it would be if we could turn a frustrating inconvenience (a flight delay) into an opportunity to create a sense of community.   I hope you all enjoy Naomi's story as much as I did.


After learning my flight was detained 4 hours, I heard the announcement: If anyone in the vicinity of gate 4-A understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.

Well—one pauses these days. Gate 4-A was my own gate. I went there.

An older woman in full traditional Palestinian dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing loudly.
Help, said the flight service person. Talk to her. What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be four hours late and she did this.

I put my arm around her and spoke to her haltingly.
Shu dow-a, shu- biduck habibti, stani stani schway, min fadlick, sho bit se-wee?

The minute she heard any words she knew—however poorly used—
she stopped crying.

She thought our flight had been canceled entirely.
She needed to be in El Paso for some major medical treatment the
following day. I said no, no, we’re fine, you’ll get there, just late,

Who is picking you up? Let’s call him and tell him.
We called her son and I spoke with him in English.
I told him I would stay with his mother till we got on the plane and would ride next to her—Southwest.

She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it.

Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and found out of course they had ten shared friends.

Then I thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian
poets I know and let them chat with her. This all took up about 2 hours.

She was laughing a lot by then. Telling about her life. Answering
Questions.

She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies—little powdered sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts—out of her bag—and was offering them to all the women at the gate.

To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a
sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the traveler from California,
the lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same
powdered sugar. And smiling. There are no better cookies.

And then the airline broke out the free beverages from huge coolers—non-alcoholic—and the two little girls for our flight, one African
American, one Mexican American—ran around serving us all apple juice and lemonade and they were covered with powdered sugar too.

And I noticed my new best friend—by now we were holding hands—
had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing,

With green furry leaves. Such an old country traveling tradition. Always carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.

And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and thought,
this is the world I want to live in. The shared world.

Not a single person in this gate—once the crying of confusion stopped—has seemed apprehensive about any other person.

They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women too.
This can still happen anywhere.

Not everything is lost.
- Naomi Shihab Nye

Photo by Manon Clavelier

Energy Shifts

How have you been feeling so far this month?  Have you felt a little off and you aren't sure why?  When we think of things that affect our energy, we often think of people or situations that may throw us off balance or cause our moods to shift.  Sometimes however, the reason for these energy shifts are caused by something outside our normal areas of focus.

Emmanual Daugher shared some information recently about what is going on energetically on the planet this month and I thought I'd share it in the hopes that it will help shed some light on things you may have been experiencing yourself.

Are you noticing how intense the energy is right now?

The Sun is active again, and has emitted powerful M CLASS Solar Flares. These flares entered Earth's atmosphere, and they have been felt for the past few days.

Are you finding that your thoughts are all over the place? Do you feel a bit more emotional and tired than usual? Are you snapping a bit more quickly at those around you? These are just results of what happens when so much solar energy enters our energy field until we integrate with it all.

In addition to the flares, Jupiter and Mars are the closest they have been to our planet, and that is also contributing to the intensity happening right now.

As mentioned earlier, you may have noticed that your emotions are all over the place. In one moment you're probably feeling in your zone, and joyful, while in other moments you're feeling frustrated, disconnected and upset. If you are finding yourself more on the frustrated spectrum, it's the minds way of protecting itself from the energetic shifts taking place.

The mind has a tendency to fear change, and so it will try to convince you and itself in every way possible that to remain safe, it must go into the energy of fear, lack, judgement and worry. If the mind remains in this space for a while, it then begins to generate dramatic behavior, that have it projecting blame, anger, and frustration on to others in our experience.

These pattern often leaves someone feeling drained and exhausted, so if you're experiencing this now, know that you're probably at the tail end of allowing the mind to continue to be in its highly emotional and reactive state. Soon, when you begin feeling settled and neutral, you can work with energies like gratitude and compassion to reconnect you with your joyful self again.

Some things you can also do to help you glide through this intense period are:

Take a peaceful walk in nature.
Sit under a tree, while placing your feet in the grass/soil.
Listen to music that makes you feel good.
Dance
Sing.
Write/Journal your feelings and thoughts.
Sit by a river, lake or the ocean.
Meditation.
Performing random acts of kindness in your community.
Take a dead sea salt bath with calming lavender essential oils.
Laugh!
Be mindful of your words, acts and how you're treating people.
Take time to pause throughout your day, and take a few dozen deep breaths.
Express gratitude.
Work with a holistic or energy healing practitioner.
Receive a therapeutic massage.
Make sure you are well hydrated.

Above all, remember that you are never alone. and that We are all in this together.

If you know anyone who may benefit from reading this post, please pass it on.

Love always,

Emmanuel

E.D.I.N.A. Medicine and the Ascension Process

With the changes that are happening vibrationally on the planet right now, I have felt inspired to expand my tool kit in order to utilize the energies and assistance that are now becoming available to us. I have been studying a new form of energy healing, the method is called E.D.I.N.A. energy medicine.  It is used as an overlay to Reiki, so think of it as "super-charged" Reiki.  It works not only with the physical body but also with the auric field and can provide a smoother transition during the ascension process.  

If you aren't sure what the ascension process is, there is a plethora of information on the internet that is easy to access.  There are also many sources of information about the symptoms of ascension. (When you look at the list, you may be shocked to see how many of the symptoms you have).

If you're interested in learning a little more about E.D.I.N.A., here's a link to some information:  
http://www.lightworkersworld.com/2010/03/edina-energy-medicine-from-the-stars/

This is a tremendous time for humanity, as we have been given the opportunity to transform our planet by transforming our consciousness.  The shifts and changes that have been occurring on an energetic / vibrational level are supporting us through this process of ascension and we have the opportunity to create a world that we may have never dreamed possible.  No one knows exactly how quickly it will occur but there are things we can do to speed up the process.

We can be more loving and more kind, we can forgive ourselves and others and we can look for ways to be in service to others.  It seems like a simple list and yet, these things can often be a challenge for us.  If you are looking for a role model on how to be more loving, kind and forgiving, you need not look any further than your own pet.  I think they have been modeling this behavior all along, hoping that we'll notice and begin to do it ourselves.

Even if you aren't sure you believe in the ascension process, you might find that life is a little sweeter if you focus on being kind, loving, forgiving and looking for ways to be in service of others.

Leo's Miracle

Last month I received a call from an old client of mine asking if I could come and do a healing and communication session with her dog Leo.  I had worked with Leo about 7 years ago, when we did Reiki treatments to assist his body in healing from surgery.  Now unfortunately, Leo's mom suspected his time here was coming to an end and she wanted to schedule a session to find out what she could do to help Leo be as comfortable as possible during this last phase of his life.

We schedule something for the following week, but a few days later, Leo's mom called and said he had taken a turn for the worse and she was afraid he wouldn't make it through the night.  He had stopped eating, he was too weak to stand up and when he went to the bathroom, there was a lot of blood in his stool.  I rushed over there that afternoon to do what I could to help.

When I arrived, Leo was laying under a tree in the yard.  It was so wonderful to see him again and I was touched that he was able to lift his head to greet me.  When I put my hands on him, I could feel how badly he felt.  His whole abdomen hurt and he was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open.  He told me that he didn't think he could get better and thought we needed to prepare for the end.  He had some important messages for his mom, which I could tell were things she really needed to hear.  His other request was that they focus on how wonderful his life was and not on the sadness of his transition.  As I continued to do Reiki on him, I got to enjoy hearing stories of Leo's life and could feel his happiness as his former escapades were recounted, especially the time he ate twelve freshly grilled hamburgers off the platter while the family was momentarily distracted.

When I leaned down to kiss him goodbye, my eyes welled with tears.  Even though I knew he would be just fine on the other side, there is still some sadness knowing you won't see them again in the physical world.  I told his mom to keep me posted, as Leo wanted to pass on his own without assistance and she was fine with that, as long as he wasn't in distress.

Over the course of the next week, each update from Leo's mom was curiously positive.  She sent text messages such as "Leo's doing a lot better today" or "Leo was interested in eating this morning" . . . each time she sent an update, it sounded like Leo wasn't going to transition after all.

After a few weeks, Leo seemed to be back to his old self, eating, drinking, exploring the yard and there was no more blood in his stools.  The only issue he was having was some weakness in his back leg so his mom asked me to come over and do another Reiki treatment on him.

When I arrived, this time Leo greeted me at the door, tail wagging.  The first thing he said to me was "Can you believe how good I'm doing?"  It was nothing short of a miracle given the condition he was in when I had last seen him.  His mom and I talked about how wild it was that all the signs we had seen a few weeks before that he was close to transitioning were all gone now.  Leo told me he was just as surprised as we were that he was able to improve.

This time when I was getting ready to leave, Leo walked me outside.  When I reminded him that he should drink a lot of water after a Reiki treatment, he laid down next to his bowl and lapped up a lot of water.

I know we can never predict what the energy will be able to do, that we must trust that it will always do what is in the highest good for the person or the animal.  I have always said that I go into each Reiki treatment hoping for a miracle and this time, I got to witness one.  :-)  It looks like Leo still has some important work to do here.

Not As Clear As I Thought

Even though I pride myself on being able to communicate well with animals, occasionally I find that my communication isn't quite as clear as I think it is. In the hopes of helping others communicate more clearly with their pets, I thought I'd share the humorous example I faced of this a few weeks ago.

Since Kino came to live with me, he always gets very excited when I am getting ready to leave the house. It's a nice change from Lucky who looked so sad each time I was getting ready to leave that my heart would feel heavy in my chest, but still Kino's approach has come with its own set of challenges.

As soon as Kino realizes I am going to leave the house, he begins following me around the house, but not at a safe distance. He's right on my heels. What thrills him about my departure is that each time I leave the house, he gets a kong stuffed with wet dog foot, treats and peanut butter and based on his level of excitement, I'm quite sure it is the highlight of his day. I can almost hear him chanting, "I'm going to get a kong, I'm going to get kong, I can't wait til she leaves because I'm going to get a kong!"

Since Kino is right under my feet the whole time I am trying to get dressed and out the door, my stress level starts to go up. I find that the closer I get to my departure time, the more frazzled I am. As I walk back and forth between the bathroom and my dresser . . . to put on make up, to pick out jewelry, to brush my teeth, to put clothes on . . . he's right there behind me and I am constantly tripping over him.  If I walk into the closet to grab a shirt, I trip over him as I am trying to walk back out of the closet because he's right on my heels, wondering when he's going to get his kong. Consequently, I often show up at my destination not completely put together . . . I'm missing earrings or a watch or I realize I never put lipstick on or I forgot my water bottle.

Recently, I was recounting this "routine" of ours to a friend of mine, laughing about how unrelaxed I feel by the time I get into the car and he asked if I had talked to Kino about it. I stopped to think about it, as I was sure I had although I couldn't remember exactly what I had said. Soon I found myself shaking my head as I recalled that what I was saying to him was, "Kino, back up!" and "Kino, you're not helping me." Clearly, these statements were not helping Kino understand what it was that I needed.

When I got home that night, I had a chat with Kino. I explained to him how anxious I get when he is right on my heels and asked him if he could give me some space when I am getting ready to go out. I suggested that maybe he could stay outside the bedroom while I am getting ready and told him that I thought we'd both feel better if I was less stressed when I was getting ready.

The next day when I got out of the shower and was attempting to get dressed, there was Kino, right behind me as I stepped back from the bathroom counter.  I said, "Kino, can you wait outside the bedroom door?" Much to my surprise, he walked over to the bedroom door and sat down. The whole time I was getting ready, he sat at the doorway of my bedroom watching me closely but not getting in my way. I couldn't believe how easy it was . . . and I hated to think about how long we have struggled through the "getting ready routine" when the solution was so simple.

Yet rather than dwell on the past, I decided to focus on the present . . . because I had finally articulated my needs clearly, my sweet boy was giving me the space I needed to get ready. I thanked him for helping me and promised him that he would still get his kong.  :-)  I'm happy to report that Kino is now routinely "giving me my space" when I am getting ready to go out, although he does need a periodic reminder.

Are there any times where you feel your animals are just not "hearing" you? Maybe like me, you've fallen into the trap of thinking you had been more clear in your communication than you actually were. Our animals really do listen to us . . . the catch is that it's up to us to make sure we're being as clear as possible.

Animals Assisting Their Guardians

About six months ago, I had a communication session with one of my animal clients Mae. During the session, she mentioned to me that her mom had been very serious lately so she had been doing things to try to make her mom laugh.  Unfortunately, either her mom didn't notice or she would be irritated with Mae's antics, rather than seeing the humor in it.  She asked me if I could talk to her mom about it.

Of course, I was more than happy to pass the message along.  Mae's mom was tickled to hear that her girl had been trying to lighten her up a bit and she promised that she would make an effort to pay more attention to Mae's attempts at humor.

In the last six months, I have received several emails from Mae's mom telling me about the things Mae has done to make her laugh.  These emails make me smile from the top of my head to the tips of my toes because I can tell what a positive impact it has had on Mae's mom.  Her mood has been lighter, she laughs more often and in general just feeling happier.  Even on the morning when she had made her bed and Mae stuck back into the bedroom and knocked all the pillows off the bed . . . she admitted that in the past she might have been irritated but that morning she just sat down on the bed and laughed, giving Mae a huge hug and thanking her for humorous antics.

I had a session with Mae today and when I asked her if she had any messages for her mom, she said she was very grateful that her mom was now noticing when she was doing things to make her laugh.  She said in the past, it wasn't quite as much fun to do funny things, because her mom didn't always notice but now that her mom has been noticing, it has inspired her to do it even more often.  She asked me to thank her mom for noticing.  I could tell it makes Mae feel good to know that she is helping her mom enjoy life more.

Our animals are attempting to help us all the time.  I have written about some of the more serious things they have done to assist their guardians, helping them learn and grow or helping them through illnesses by taking on some of the issues but it's nice to know they also help us sometimes by providing comic relief.

Are your pets trying to do things to make YOU laugh?   I'd love to hear if they are.

Managing in the Heat

Where I live in California, we've had a record number of heat wave days this summer and I have been challenged to keep Kino cool enough.  It's not just the fact that he's a long coat, he has an intolerance for heat and overheats very easily.  He also has a fear of water and refuses to even get his paws wet.

My last shepherd had malignant hyperthermia (which means they can't cool themselves off no matter how hard they pant), so I'm pretty used to the routine . . . ice water, ice cubes, fans on in whatever room he's in, etc.   Somehow, it hasn't seemed to be enough with Kino and regardless of what I do, he still pants and seemed miserable in the heat.

Fortunately for Kino, a friend of mine gave me a cooling scarf that is commonly used by athletes to keep themselves from overheating.  She bought one for herself because the AC wasn't working in her office building and she picked one up for me too.  I knew right away that it would be better used on Kino, but would HE be open to the idea?

Going into the kitchen, I followed the instructions (wet it, ring it out, snap it a few times).  While it was clear Kino didn't love the "snap it" step, I asked him if I could put the scarf on him and he started wagging his tail and happily let me tie it around his neck. I'm not sure if he knew it was going to cool him off or if he just thought he'd look more handsome with a scarf around his neck . . . I was just glad that he didn't mind wearing it.

I noticed a change immediately.  Within two minutes, Kino's tongue was no longer hanging out of his mouth and he was more animated, wanting to play again.  The next day he was chasing balls and he pooped out before we even got half way through the bucket, which is not like him at all.  I got the scarf and put it on him . . . and immediately he was ready to start chasing balls again.

We've gotten in the habit of putting it on after exercise, during exercise, (although, if he's chasing tennis balls, it won't stay on for long and I have to put it back on him a few times) and before bed if it's a warm night.

All I have to say is, "Should we put your scarf on?" and he will run straight to the kitchen wagging his tail all the while.  I'm so relieved we have another way to keep Kino cool and comfortable.

If you have a dog who has trouble in the heat, I highly recommend one of these scarves.   Hopefully your dogs will enjoy wearing them as much as Kino does!