Great Wars Like Ours

Every now and then I read something I just can't forget. It percolates through my brain and I can't let it go.

My current obsession:

Ok, we didn't work, and all

memories to tell you the truth aren't good.

But sometimes there were good times.

Love was good. I loved your crooked sleep

beside me and never dreamed afraid.

There should be stars for great wars

like ours.

--- Sandra Cisneros

This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz

Month of Gratitude November 9

I had some work to do in downtown Memphis yesterday so while I was there I stopped by Ebbos, a spiritual supply store. Yes, even down here in the Southern Bible Belt, if you look really, really hard you can find "alternative" healing stores.  After all the heartbreak and trauma of the past few months I need all the help I can get to heal and move forward.

The back room of Ebbos is like a magical room of herbs, spices, roots and other good stuff. I felt like a kid in a candy store as I opened each jar and inhaled the different aromas. I didn't even know what most of the jars were used for - names like dragon root intrigued me and more than a little intimidated me. I kept thinking all the jars lined along the wall must be a wizards dream come true.

But, I was there for one item and one item only - sage. I needed sage. Why sage? My life is in desperate need of a sage smudging ceremony.

The botanical name for sage is Salvia. The Latin root salvare means "to heal". I'm still hurting, but I'm feeling strong enough now to know it is time to bring out the sage. It's time to begin the healing.

Many cultures including Native Americans, Eastern philosophies and good-old-fashioned witch doctors and medicine men have used sage smudging to heal for years. The theory is that before a person can heal, they must first be removed of negative thoughts, negative feelings and negative energies.  And just as a person can hold on to negative energy, a place - such as a house - can also store the negative energy that has gone on there.

So, time to smudge the house of all the negative energy!

Which leads to tonight's gratitude list. Tonight I am thankful for:

1. Funky little out of the way shops that cater to us "out there" people
2. The knowledge and kindness of the people who run these shops
3. My kids who think their mom is cool for having a smudging ceremony
4. A warm enough evening to have all the doors and windows open to allow the negativity to escape the home
5. My kids who go from room to room with me smudging all the corners
6. Working smoke alarms in the house, when the smudging get a little, um, thick
7. The older kids who role their eyes at their crazy mom but at least encourage the craziness
8. Feeling strong enough to do something, anything, to help myself heal

Healing Within

December 19 – Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? (Author: Leonie Allan)


Healing happens when we come out of hiding. 


Every baby step of acknowledgment, every admission of imperfection and every concession to reality brings us a little bit closer to wholeness within ourselves. 

Speak truth, hear truth

Speak change, see change

Speak fear, release fear

Want to be healed? 
See it, speak it, be it.

Musical Bliss on the Yoga Mat

Music soothes the savage beast... William Congreve

My kids say they hate when I sing in the car. Although I don't think they really do. I think deep down they love the fact they have a mom who will blast Freebird and take the long way home so we can sing along to the end.

I love hearing a song and being instantly transported back in time to a good memory; dancing in the kitchen with my mom, my dance school solo to Fleetwood Mac's Gypsy or any 1980's song from when I was in high school. Who hasn't heard a song and been reminded of a summer of first love?

I know there are some yoga teachers who believe popular music doesn't belong in a yoga class. I disagree.  Music provides yet another opportunity to get in touch with who we are. Music is another opportunity to discover what we're looking for.  A song affects us in a certain why and we aren't quite sure why. I admit I've begun to weep listening to lyrics that express emotions I've been holding down.

Music heals my soul. How lonely and quiet life would be without a soundtrack.

This is one of my more popular yoga class playlists. I've made copies of U2 yoga for quite a few people. Perhaps it will soothe your soul as well.

Grace -- U2
Strength, Courage and Wisdom -- India Arie
Crazy (Acoustic version) -- Seal
You Found Me -- The Fray
Wild World -- Cat Stevens
One -- U2
Watching the Wheels -- John Lennon
Drift Away -- Uncle Kracker
Bad -- U2
God Is Real/Hare Ram -- Krishna Das
Driftwood -- Sleeping Buddha