February 21, 2025
"make peace
with all the women you once were.
lay flowers at their feet.
offer them incense and honey and forgiveness.
honor them
and give them your silence.
listen.
bless them
and let them be.
for they are the bones of the temple you sit in now.
for they are the rivers of wisdom
leading you toward the sea.
— i have been a thousand different women"
~ Emory Hall
February 20, 2025
"The LIGHT is the game changer, and LOVE is the checkmate." Pamela Gregory (astrologer)
I just had the first of two cataract surgeries today. A loving choice for myself. Already my world has more light! This quote feels quite true for me in all ways today. We are in a pivotal year. That's not a cliche. The importance of LOVE in every choice and every action, beginning with Love for Self, is essential as we plant the seeds of what is being created. As I breathe my anxiety into tranquility, my heart leads the way. When I know my connection with my Heart and my Sacredness, there is no place for fear. It is here that I live fearlessly within our changing world. What is YOUR Truth for YOUR life today?
January 10, 2025
Today is a snowy day in the North Carolina mountains. This peaceful stillness soothes my soul. I am savoring the truth of this as I gently move through my day. My Heart is reminding me that Peace and Tranquility are a foundation that supports me. Life happens and change happens. It's up to me to choose to bring Peacefulness to both.
What about you? What is your foundation for meeting change? Is there anything you want to improve in how you meet change this year?
January 1, 2025
Welcome 2025! A year that is said will be all about "vibes".....mine, yours, and ours. Adjusting to change with Gratitude will be very beneficial, to say the least. "That which is above is from that which is below, and that which is below is from that which is above. So as the frequency of above quickens, so too does the frequency below, and vice versa. " (~ Lily Brunton)
What "vibes" do you want to bring to your life this year? How close are you to living them right here, right now?
December 29, 2024
"You are fine art to a reality you don’t even know exists.
You think your current concept of reality is the pattern of the entire world,
when it’s not even a single pixel in the grand scheme of things."
~ Eli Markus
What if we gently allow our hearts to be open as we enter this New Moon and New Year. Allowing a new reality to become visible, as we slow down, breathe with Nature, and relax into the Powerful beings that our hearts have always known us to be. At this pivotal time, I invite you to dream yourself into more than you've ever dared. What will that be for you?
December 27, 2024
"You will die many times in one life and create yourself anew. This is natural. This is a gift.
"I've died a few times now here in this world. The person I was: gone.
"Throw that older skin into the water. Give it to the sky. Step into what wants to emerge now.
"Nothing can hold you back when you are willing to be Yourself…"
~ Jeannette Encinias
It is almost the New Moon and soon the New Year. I find myself reflecting on what has become outdated in my life and, with gratitude, allowing these feelings/people/places/things to gently fall away. It's a bit like taking a wet blanket off of myself and standing up in warm sunlight. Who am I without this energy holding me back?
A dear friend transitioned at the end of 2023. I learned so much from her (immense understatement), including how change can be a gift when embraced rather than resisted. Clarifying my Intentions for 2025, I breathe slowly into my heart. Without resistance, who am I NOW? Without resistance, what do I dream to create in my life, and my world, NOW? How about YOU?
May we value ourselves, each other, and our world enough to show up in our Sacredness as we create a New Year together. Much love from me to each of you for being here. Thank you for showing up.
November 6, 2024
"Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift." (Robin Wall Kimmerer)
Whatever you do today, remember to keep your Heart and your Soul alive. Remember what you Love and what Loves you. Remember you are an important contribution to the world we are creating together.
If you want someone to walk beside you and bridge you with remembering the empowered Love you've forgotten in yourself, I'm here. Just reach out.
October 22, 2024
Today I'm reminded of the importance to not only bring sunlight into my day....to also remember the importance of the moonlight in my inner most darkness. Those places where I've hidden my Power and Beauty from myself. Where I've forgotten how to extract the Wisdom from experiences that I was told were "failures". MoonLight. The key to Balance with my deepest Powerful self.
If this resonates with you and you're seeking assistance in building your OWN awareness of the MoonLight within YOU, just reach out. I'll work with you to remember what a Powerful being you really are!
October 3, 2024
"Run your fingers like
a prayer over every
Bit of the world,
saying quietly with
each Breath, thank
you for this chance to Love."
~ Brian Andreas
Now, more than ever, let us gently touch this entire world with our Love.
June 18, 2024
"Self-love leads to wild success. We don’t conquer the world by focusing on improving our weaknesses. We ignite the world by owning our strengths." ~ Tama J. Kieves
May Summer Solstice bring you immense Joy and Self-Love for your life!
February 25, 2024
"There is something wonderfully bold and liberating about saying yes to our entire and messy life." ~ Tara Brach
February 22, 2024
“May Light always surround you;
Hope kindle and rebound you.
May your Hurts turn to Healing;
Your Heart embrace Feeling.
May Wounds become Wisdom;
Every Kindness a Prism.
May Laughter infect you;
Your Passion resurrect you.
May Goodness inspire
your Deepest Desires.
Through all that you Reach For,
May your arms Never Tire.”
~D. Simone
On this Full Moon, I stand in the moonlight and offer my heart's prayers. May my past experiences transform into wisdom. May this empower me to make choices for a loving future. May I stand in the NOW of my Sacred Soul Journey and feel Grateful. With my heart, I hold space for you as well: May all the prayers of your heart become your Truth.
February 12, 2024
As Winter begins to move toward Spring and the New Moon ushers in vast opportunities to dream New Beginnings, I envision more heart-centered connections for my life. I feel I'm not alone here and perhaps you, too, are dreaming of this. An example, for me, was a performance at the Grammy's this year by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs. An unlikely duo and so yet profoundly endearing to me. Here's the review by Katie Crosby that I find sums it up well:
"Not lost on me that a black queer artist and a white country singer came together to sing a song about belonging. America is starved for connection across divides and that performance shows how much music has the power to heal."
I include music in my sessions for it's healing touch. Yet, music is just one of many ways we heal. What ways do YOU find healing?
If you want assistance, I'm here to guide, bridge and catalyze you for a deeper connection with yourself and, in turn, with others and the Natural world. Just reach out.
February 1, 2024
Today is midway between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.
Listen deep and slow to the still, small voice of your heart
as you dream awake all that is sacred within you.
That is, at least, my prayer for myself today.
Perhaps it will be yours as well.
If your heart's voice is illusive just now, breathe. Deeply and slowly. Perhaps you can stand outside. Nature is an expert at this. She can teach you. And, I'm here if you want a human guide and bridge for this. Just reach out.
January 17, 2024
"The ocean does not apologize for its depth
and the mountains do not seek forgiveness
for the space they take
and so,
neither shall I."
~ unknown
If you are uncertain of your self-worth, of this world's invitation to you to exist....take a breath. Sit with this quote. Place your hands on your heart (right hand over heart "My sacred home" and left hand over right "My sanctuary"). Then breathe. Relax a bit more with each breath. Allow yourself to be comfortable in your own skin. Say "thank you" for all that you've experienced because it makes you the unique, sacred being YOU are today. The world wants you here. Really.
January 16, 2024
"I hope
when you come home to yourself
there are flowers lining the front porch
that were left from all the women
you were before."
~Maia from "When the Waves Come"
This just caught my breath. It creates such a lovely picture in my heart. I find this poem to be a beautiful description of how "Healing is to become Whole". May we all come home to ourselves and find flowers lining our front porch!
January 11, 2023
"Those who have a strong sense of love and belonging have the courage to be imperfect." -Brené Brown
"It takes courage and a boat load of gratitude to ply these choppy, uncharted waters." ~ Raven Chiong
Today both of these women inspire me as I begin healing an old, core pattern in my energy. Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever felt really great about making headway and then some really deep obstacle pops into view? Being grateful to see it has taken me a moment, although I have gotten there. Gratitude as a "first response" is no longer optional. It must be my Truth in my Experience now. If this is also something you relate to, please take a gentle breath and pause. Allow some gratitude for simply knowing you are strong enough to see it. Then allow that gratitude to point you in the direction of the healing required to change it. May we all find the Courage and Gratitude to be willing to learn, heal, change, grow....BE alive.
January 4, 2024
"Run your fingers like
a prayer over every
Bit of the world,
saying quietly with
each Breath, thank
you for this chance to Love."
~ Brian Andreas
As the sun sets today, my heart is full with the Truth of the above quote. It wasn't, and isn't, always something I could do. That makes this moment even more precious. May you find yourself in moments where you are grateful for the chance to Love. May those moments expand and multiply. And if you are where I once was...feeling un-loved and/or un-loving, let me walk beside you and help you discover/remember what is natural to your heart and your mind....knowing you are a Sacred being in a Sacred world.
January 3, 2023
"At each turning point in life,
we must face our deepest fears
in order to grow."
~ Michael Meade
I'm finding that January has been more active for me than in the past. Perhaps that is your experience, also? I find that instead of the quiet "post New Year's Day" transition, my world has new experiences showing up daily. This can trigger my anxiety. What happened to my moment of rest and relaxation!? Creating a moment of "quiet" each day feels essential to my well being and to the loving integration of change in my life. If you'd like assistance in transforming upheaval into resilience and empowerment in YOUR life....just send me a note. I'm here to assist you!
January 2, 2024
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.
~ John O'Donohue
January 1, 2024
May everyone know an abundance of
Love, Beauty, Peace, and Empowerment
in this New Year!
I'm grateful for you.
And as I begin this New Year and Return to my authentic Sacred Self, I was touched by the following excerpt from Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee's "Seasons of the Sacred", chapter "Returning to the Sacred":
"We are not separate—this is a dangerous story of the last era—but a part of life, and our journey back to the sacred is also life’s journey, just as our forgetfulness of the sacred is also life’s sorrow."
May I, and we, keep alive this road that is in danger of being forgotten. Thank you for being YOU on this journey of Life.
December 31, 2023
"The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.
Today and tomorrow are yet to be said.
The chances, the changes are all yours to make.
The mold of your life is in your hands to break."
J. R. R. Tolkien
Happy New Year's Eve! May tomorrow and the coming year bring you marvelous adventures that break you old, tired patterns and create new, vibrant adventures in their place!
December 29, 2023
My energy is focusing on the change from 2023 to 2024. How about you?
A dear friend recently died. A natural moment in the cycle of life. Something we will each face in our own time. Celebration of and Gratitude for her presence in my life, is what I'm feeling. I'm also feeling an urgency, of sorts, to take nothing for granted and to BE more authentically alive.
Which brings me back to the change from 2023 to 2024. Often I will make New Year's Resolutions of all that I want to change about my life. This year, my New Year's Resolution is to BE Authentic! I am committing to recognizing whether my Attention is on what is truly loving of me....or on an old pattern that feels comfortable yet really isn't aligned with who I am today. I am making a commitment to show up for myself.
How about YOU? What will you commit to for YOU in 2024?
If you'd like someone to walk along side you as you create your life authentically, just reach out to me. I can assist you in locating what you've forgotten, recognizing/releasing obstacles, and building new strengths for what you require now.
December 25, 2023
Today the teenage boys in my neighborhood are testing out their brand new motorbikes. As they rev up, they send tsunamis of sound across my inner space. I am faced with a day-to-day truth of what I'd already wanted to write today! With that said, regardless of what you do or do not celebrate, I offer this to you:
"May Love fill your heart, surround you completely, and bring you Peace, regardless of what is around you." Peace and Love from my heart to yours....today and every day.
December 23, 2023
“Watch out for each other. Love everyone and forgive everyone, including yourself. Forgive your anger. Forgive your guilt. Your shame. Your sadness. Embrace and open up your love, your joy, your truth, and most especially your heart.” – Jim Henson (The Muppets)
This quote jumped out at me today. I've always loved the Muppets and their gentle, kind stories for kids of all ages. With Christmas in two days, I am aware that Christmas is not always an enjoyable experience for everyone. If you or someone you know is experiencing challenge just now, please be gentle with yourself and/or them. Remember to breathe a little deeper and perhaps get outside a bit more than usual. Love yourself first, then others (just like the instructions with the air bag on an airplane). Find something, no matter how small, that brings you Gratitude. There is a Power in Gratitude. Really. Please be in touch with me if you want assistance in restoring your sense of self-worth, calmness, boundaries, authenticity, etc. I am here to bridge you with those places in yourself that may have gone out of your sight. Be well.
December 21, 2023
Today is Winter Solstice (or Summer Solstice for those on the other side of the globe). It is either the longest night of the year or the longest day of the year, depending on where you live. Either way, it is a change in seasons and with that, an opportunity to reflect and redirect/rebuild what you want most in your life. Today, I am taking a moment to thank you for reading my blog. If you are reading this, you most likely are someone who has the ability to feel and give love. At the least, you are someone who is looking to expand this quality within yourself and I want to thank you for this. May you, and those you Love be well, laugh gently, and always know that inside of you is an "invincible summer" (as Albert Camus wrote). Thank you for being as authentic and present as you can be....and for continuing to aim for living with even more authentically, even more present moment awareness, and even more unconditional love in your life and in our world. Thank you from the depths of my heart.
December 16, 2023
May the four winds release you from your fears
May you live in Truth and Wisdom
May you hold your Woman-self near
May you Stand firm in your convictions
May you know your inner Truth:
All your gifts are Sacred
from Ancestral roots.
(an ancient prayer)
December 15, 2023
Today I am remembering to slow down, to center into my Heart, to reconnect with my Spirit, and to relax into my Authentic Self, May whatever you celebrate in this season, be filled with warmth and joy and Gratitude for the gifts in each moment. Peace. Hope. Love.
October 3, 2023
We are in such a powerful season for change and transformation. This quote seems to soothe me as I recognize and let go of all that is no longer a match for my heart. Perhaps something in what he says will touch your heart, also.
To forgive is to let go of stories that are not real for you anymore. You still remember the story but the spirit of the story changes. It changes into something like stepping stones, helping you to grow into a higher level of understanding the value of life. ~ Master Chunyi Lin
September 26, 2023
Happy Autumn Equinox! Have you noticed that your life is changing and clearing out? This is a time when what no longer works for you (even though it was fantastic earlier) is becoming obvious. Being conscious of THIS moment makes that both more obvious for me along with making it easier to loosen my grip on the past. Just as the leaves offer us such brilliant colors as they leave their homes/trees, so does my life show me the beauty in my life for all that is now leaving. Updating my inner and outer landscapes with the beauty of what I've learned without being attached to the past is an absolutely freeing experience for me. How about you? If you'd like assistance with your personal process, contact me. I'm here to assist you finding the loving movement for YOU.
June 7, 2023
These mountains are filled with bird songs in the mornings, gentle breezes during the day, rich sunsets at dusk, and fireflies at night. Almost daily, I walk on a near-by trail with mountain ranges in every direction. Every being around me is being fully Authentic. There is no lack of inspiration for me to be my full Authentic Self as well! Energy follows Attention. Do you know where YOUR Attention is focused? How important is it to YOU to be Authentic in your life? If you find Authenticity challenging just now, I'm here to assist you in bringing your loving Authentic Self forward!
April 7, 2023
Happy Spring! As the buds burst open here in the mountains and the Full Moon shines over the landscape at night, my heart feels held and so loved. With the unrest in so many areas of this world, close by and far away, it is a precious gift to have these moments of grace feeding my soul. The authors Robin Wall Kimmerer and Arundhati Roy fill me with inspiration for creating a Spring filled with live's loving wisdom. Arundhati Roy reminds me to embrace our chaotic times as a "portal" for a new life of more love. Robin Wall Kimmerer guides me to see how this new life includes loving relationship with life around me and that we all share a sacred connection with each other.
How about YOU? What is blossoming and bursting open in YOUR world?
February 9, 2023
Heart-Body-Mind-Spirit. Being authentic requires all of these parts of myself to lovingly communicate with each other. It also requires that they create balance for my life, as a result of these internal communications. I want the result to be knowing that being authentic benefits me. Change is a constant in my world....possibly yours, too....and requires me to continually discover new ways to update my internal communications. Quickly restoring internal balance within change is my goal. Sometimes I get there. Yay! Sometimes I get close. Okay. Sometimes I am way off target. Time to lovingly re-direct.
What a roller-coaster ride life can be! I'm learning to use this "movement of change" to strengthen my ability to remain authentic rather than "take me out".
How about you?
January 3, 2023
Welcome to 2023! I invite you to reconsider your New Year's resolution(s). Rather than attempting to "change" yourself, I invite you to face whatever is in your way and choose to "BE" your authentic self! "May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder" (John O'Donohue). I'm here to assist you. Together, let's make 2023 an amazing, creative, wonderful year to be alive!
December 19, 2022
With the darkest night close at hand and the weather being rather cold, my focus has been moving more and more to my internal landscape. I am asking myself: What is taking root? What is leaving? What old patterns are surfacing and asking to heal? What dreams, long hidden, are surfacing for me to explore? For a season of stillness, my internal experience is quite active. I'm so grateful for the gifts of "Stillness" in Nature that coax me into the deeper insights and discoveries within my own inner world.
How about you? Please reach out to me if you want support for discovering the hidden dreams within your own heart!
A quote that always touches me is the one below. Perhaps it will touch you as well:
"Make sure this storm shakes you up so much that it completely revolutionizes your life." ~ Elena Bernabé, Indigenous Peoples Cultures. April, 2020
November 27, 2022
True to the energy of Fall, I've been going through my closets, storage boxes, and even my end tables. I'm looking for what reflects who I am NOW, not someone I was 10 years ago...or even last month. "What will support me being authentic NOW?" is the question I ask myself. Anything that doesn't fit into this parameter is placed aside and given a "new home". Friends and family have claimed my "discards" as their new "treasures". It's a type of reciprocity; a way for us all to benefit. The result is a refreshing feeling as I walk through my house and am met with pictures and objects that align with my heart. It's an acknowledgment of and support for how much I have changed. What a treat to have my home "updated" and celebrating the NEW me!
Fall leaves teach us how to let go with beauty and grace. Hooray for Fall!
July 27, 2022
"Be grateful for triggers. They point out where you are not yet free." I absolutely agree with whomever authored this. Lately, my life has been full of these moments of Gratitude for pointing me in the direction of my current work-in-progress. Humility and Gratitude go hand-in-hand for me. I encourage you to consider this as well, if you aren't already. And, always, if you'd like support in making your "work-in-progress" move a bit more smoothly, please reach out and let me assist you! A new perspective can bring a much desired breath of fresh air for your journey.
June 6, 2022
A lot has happened since I last wrote on this page. More than any of us want to be processing, I feel certain. And yet, here we are. So, let me again encourage you to contact me for support if you are feeling anxious and wanting to build your inner peace.
Also, in many places there is another spike of infections happening. I've found Katelyn Jetelina (aka: Your Local Epidemiologist) to be very informative yet easy to understand. She's at https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/about
Peace.
February 19.2022
These books are currently waiting for me to read: "Divergent Mind", "Meditation for the Love of It", and "Sensitivity is the new Strong". Winter is a time for me to be more introspective. I'm reflecting on what I've learned this past year and how I want to proceed with my new wisdom. With many new perspectives, I'm looking forward to navigating our changing world with more ease and grace. Would you like some support as you expand your navigation tools? Reach out to me! I'd love to assist you in finding new ways to enjoy being YOU in a world of constant change!
February 11, 2022
I just finished leading a Zoom event for "Relaxing Your Heart". It seemed only fitting as I head into Valentine's Day weekend. As a closing, I quoted an Apache Prayer that I find so loving. Here it is for you as well. May your weekend (and life) be filled with beauty and with Peace.
"Looking behind, I am filled with Gratitude,
Looking forward, I am filled with Vision,
Looking upwards, I am filled with Strength,
Looking within, I discover Peace."
~ Quero Apache Prayer
January 30, 2022
Today I'm offering a link for a song that just touches my heart. It's written for someone who is dying yet I find the lyrics supportive for how to live FULLY before my physical death is imminent. Here's to living with "No Hard Feelings.".
https://youtu.be/aaU2HvRhCPw
January 4, 2022
“Solidarity does not assume that our struggles are the same struggles, or that our pain is the same pain, or that our hope is for the same future. Solidarity involves commitment, and work, as well as the recognition that even if we do not have the same feelings, or the same lives, or the same bodies, we do live on common ground.” ~ Sara Ahmed
January 2, 2022
Welcome to 2022! Today I've been struck by a post on FaceBook about the gift ("medicine") of braided Sweetgrass. The summary is that Sweetgrass is the medicine of Kindness. It reminds us that Kindness is what makes us most strong in Body, Mind, Spirit (the three parts of the braid). I know that I can only be Kind to others to the extent that I am Kind to myself. With this, I offer a prayer that this year, 2022, is one of great Kindness for all of us. May your heart smile with your visions for your life in 2022. May your challenges become opportunities for loving change. Always. Happy New Year to everyone reading this!
December 21, 2021
Winter Solstice is today. A time for stillness and reflection even tho most people are rushing around with last-minute details for Christmas. So, I chose to be still today. To listen to the rain gently falling as I allow myself to notice both the attachments to old (and not helpful) behaviors and the surfacing of old (and beautiful) dreams that I've stuffed into the corners of myself. Below is an excerpt from "The Wisdom of Trauma" that I find describes much of what I'm experiencing today. Perhaps it will stir something in you, also. Regardless, I wish each of you reading this, a wondrous and magical pause to your rushing....where you find yourself to be truly beautiful in the moment.
"Sometimes we just need to stop, feel and let it all unravel. Just like nature does at this time of the year. When the land becomes dormant, the trees naked, the birds silent, deep underneath the soil decays, matures, and gets ready for the inevitable new growth.
"With the Winter Solstice (meaning "stillness of the sun"), the earth’s northern hemisphere reminds us of intimacy with darkness, silence and stillness, in times when we don’t know the way forward. Darkness is the landscape of the deeper senses that do not find expression in struggle and achievement, in small talk or social media posts but in inner maturation and fruition.
"As spiritual seekers we can get seduced by light, illumination, expansion, and perhaps miss on letting life shake up, undo, decompose our linear thinking and accumulated knowledge, force us to be still and to listen.
"Healing trauma means becoming familiar with the darker side of our experience, learning to notice and allow the discomfort of anger, sadness, confusion. Yes—these too are messengers from the depth of our heart!
"Before we celebrate the return of longer daylight, let’s also remember to honor darkness for the stillness, maturation and inner strength it brings to our lives.
"Warm holiday wishes to everyone! May we all walk in kindness and gentleness with ourselves and one another. Be well, be still, and bask in the mystery of life! With Love, Zaya, Maurizio, and the SAND team"
September 3,2021
Today, there is so much turmoil in the world. I find this presentation from Tara Brock quite helpful. Staying present in the moment amid a wide range of emotions while being able to keep a peaceful center from which to address my life. If you'd like, here is her link:
https://www.tarabrach.com/blessings-enough/
August 19, 2021
Soothing, nurturing, refreshing, integrating. These are some of the words clients have used to describe Elaine's energy-based bodywork sessions. Uniquely tailored for each individual, your session will offer relaxation on all levels. Physical (soothing sore muscles), Mental (clearing the clutter in your mind), Emotional (easing anxiety and stress), Spiritual (connecting with your heart).
Elaine personally experienced the benefits of this approach during a period of significant anxiety and stress. This inspired her to explore multiple trainings in somatic bodywork and energy medicine. She is a Board Certified Holistic RN with a private practice in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
May 9, 2021
Arundhati Roy's quote about the pandemic being "a portal" has been moving around in me today. That quote where she comments that "past pandemics have changed the world and this one is no different." As she points out, we have a choice as to how we walk through this portal. We can bring all of our "baggage" with us or we can "walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world."
With vaccinations happening and restrictions being lifted, I begin to ask myself: "Who am I as I emerge from my pandemic "cocoon" and walk through this "portal"? Am I courageous enough to be a new person? Am I brave enough to walk lightly?
"Make sure this storm shakes you up so much that
it completely revolutionizes your life."
―Elena Bernabé, Indigenous Peoples Cultures. April, 2020
