Every Action Has a Ripple Effect: Sending Out Healing Thoughts

I usually post on Wednesday or Friday, but I've been feeling a bit numb recently and unable to write. I'm in a very odd place, I feel. On the one hand, so many things are opening up. Things I never dreamed could happen. My position in the world has shifted. I feel it. I know I am right where I need to be. I know I am on my path. But that doesn't mean it's all roses and daisies and sunshine and rainbows. Nope. Not at all. What I've found is that the more I open up to my path and go into my fear, the more challenges I am faced with. Sometimes I get sucked into the drama, which my husband calls Mara. I've written about Mara before. Mara comes in many forms and is there to distract or sway a person from their chosen path or course of action. If a person is not strong enough, he or she may fall prey to the ensuing drama that is all around and lose the balance of the mind. The key, I realize, is to keep on my path and keep my practice.

A tsunami and earthquake hit the city of Sendai, Japan, where I spent two years of my life, on Friday. While I tried to carry on with my day, it was a bit difficult. The bicycle path elevated above rice fields where I rode to the ocean on the weekend from my apartment is gone along with the fields and houses. I don't know if the students and friends I had there are alive or not. The ripple effects or aftershocks of this earthquake were felt inside my very own heart. It left me feeling hopeless for a day or so. While it seems this tragedy is on the other side of the world far from many of us, I realize it is not that far removed from any of us. We are all affected by anything that happens on the planet. The feelings, thoughts and words of one single person can cause a ripple effects across the entire planet. So what can I do about it? What is the answer to something so devastating?

Last night I found the answer after two days of feeling a bit numb and helpless. I am the answer. I found it while I was sitting in a movie theater near the University of Washington with a handful of other people watching director Tom Shadyac's movie called, believe it or not, I AM. The Los Angeles Times had this to say about it: "The accent (of the movie) is on big-picture optimism and the interconnectedness of all life..." And if we are in fact all "interconnected," as the movie suggests, then what we feel, say and do in this world is so important. The overwhelming state of the world at times can leave each of us feeling helpless. After all, what can "I" as a tiny human being, do to solve the world's problems?

On the outside, the truth is, probably very little can be done from my efforts. I can offer donations, monetary aid and prayers. I could fly overseas and roll up my sleeves and pitch in. Yes, there are certainly things I could do on the outside. But I know that the "real" work begins on the "inside." If each one of us takes entire responsibility for ourselves and our own feelings, thoughts and actions from the inside, then how different our world would be on the outside.

I am the answer and so are YOU. It may sound new agey or weird and at one point in my life I might have scoffed at this very idea and thought, "Now that's wacko." But I don't believe that anymore because my own experience has shown me differently. I have seen how the words I write can have a tremendous effect on the people around me. I have received e-mails and comments from people all over the world on many occasions letting me know that they can relate or that they feel these things to be true or that the words I have written were exactly the words they needed to hear. This hasn't happened once, it's happened dozens of times. And I realize that my words are NOT the important thing at all. In fact, the words themselves have very little to do with what is happening here. The truth is, we are CONNECTED...all of us! We all breathe this air. What is happening here is about intention. I have good intentions in me which were somehow awoken by my choices and situations I encountered in life and those intentions are waking up the intentions in you and your good intentions are also awakening the intentions of those around you as well. And it just keeps going and going.....None of us can OWN these words or this goodness or the dhamma or the scriptures or the laws of nature or ANY OF IT. We are all in it, we are all a part of it and what we do here is so important. It starts with you!

So now, a year before my book is about to launch, I am coming up against some Mara or obstacles, if you will. I feel I am being shaken. My new point of reference in the universe causes unease for some people around me. Thankfully, the number of people who feel unease in what I am doing and want to shake things up is no where near the number of people who have supported what I am doing. So I have to say to YOU out there who have encouraged me: THANK YOU....your intentions and the ripple effects of those intentions have been felt! Keep shining and keep spreading your good intentions, you don't know what a positive effect it can have on you, the people around you, the world and beyond! We all play a part in this and it doesn't matter where we come from or what we believe or who we follow. We are all in this together.

Also on my blog: Lessons from the Monk I Married

Aspartame Sweetener: The Bitter Truth

Good morning all!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far. I just wanted to take a moment to share with you an extremely enlightening blog article by my friend Lille over at ~Woodstock Lily~. She is constantly a source of inspiration, hope, and positive energy, if you don't know her already please go check out her blog. You'll be a fan, I promise! :)


Anyway, the other day she posted about the dangers of Aspartame in our everyday foods.

I personally have terrible reactions to anything in food or beverages that is not "real" sugar. Nutri-sweet, aspartame, stevia, etc. Makes me sick. All of it. While it's not a life-changing issue for me, it does bring it's fair amount of ridicule because people refuse to believe that it's truly bothering me. Most seem to think that I "just don't like it"... ridiculous! 


After reading her post, I am so happy that I have been listening to my body and the cues it's been giving me loud and clear about it's aversion to artificial sweeteners. (Stomach cramps, nausea, etc.) Check it out, inform yourself, and take care of your body! It's the only one you get...


You can click HERE to read the original post, and I have also pasted the text below for your convenience. She's included some really informative reading for a more extensive look into the dangers of aspartame, be sure to check those out too!


Have a great week!!
XOXO

"Aspartame: White Death" by ~Woodstock Lily~


"I feel an obligation to my readers to share what I've learned about aspartame, and a new name manufacturers will be listing it under, Neotame. Aspartame is found in 1000's of products we use everyday, and with the new changes being allowed in ingredient labeling laws, we may not see it on the ingredients except under "natural flavors". Carmel coloring is another deadly ingredient that is listed as a natural flavor on many products including all cola beverages. You may want to read recent findings about it here. Carmel Coloring and Cancer

People, this is scary. Aspartame was originally named Neotex-II and was formulated for a chemical weapon. The chemist who developed it accidentally discovered it tasted sweet when he licked his finger. Aspartame is 40 times sweeter than sugar and is cheap to make. This poison causes brain tumors, birth defects, blindness, infertility, miscarriages, and tons of other breakdowns to the human body. It's a poison!!

Below is a video from Truther Girls, "Neotame: Chemical Weapon in your Coffee" that spells out the truth about what is in your diet beverages, and most all processed foods. It's time we all take responsibility for what we put in our bodies. You are better off using regular sugar but I caution you here, as well. The fact of the matter is that sugar, and high fructose sweeteners made from corn, are in my opinion, and many other natural health specialists, another form of "white death", too. If you are pregnant DO NOT use Aspartame. Do not consume or give your children chewing gum or diet drinks. Please read your labels and eat more real food. There's a reason they call it Die-t food.

Neotame: Chemical Weapon in your Coffee

For more information and sources to read, Truther Girl has a post, "Neotame, a Sweet New Poison" you can check out for yourselves (below) about how this has been allowed in our foods and is killing us. It is eye opening, and I beg you to read it, and watch the video above. Please feel free to link back to me about this, and post this on your blogs or facebook pages. I welcome your comments and experiences with this white death masquerader.

"Neotame, a Sweet New Poison""

The Red Tent - My thoughts on

First off, I absolutely love Anita Diamant's writing style. Very easy to read, which is what I'm all about. Some of her lines made me stop, re read and sigh with mental notes to remember that particular order of wording strung together, but already, I've forgotten. I think I'll refer back to it and write them down at some stage.

While half way through this book I started to question my initial pre-conceived ideas about this story. First off, I thought, because it is based on the biblical story of Dinah, (someone who is not mentioned much in the bible for other than the fact that she was raped) I had believed it was a "Christian/religious" book.( Think Francine Rivers style ). Yet the amount of idol worship, pagan rituals and some very *ahem* heated relations graphically explained in the story made me question what genre this book actually falls into. The book is a fictitious depiction of Dinah which is based rather loosely on the story of Jacob's wives from the Bible. I feel this is important to point out as it is in no way to be taken in truth. Purely imaginative.

The story is so right up my alley with the whole sisterhood-bonding thing I love. Written in three parts, part one is dedicated to the 4 wives of Jacob who all play a role in mothering Dinah. We hear their stories, their loves and losses. We grow to love and identify with these characters in a short space of time which is a huge compliment to Diamant's writing. We find ourselves bonding with these woman while reading/living their most intimate moments, as women, together, in the red tent.

Part two is Dinah's childhood and coming of age, where a piece of me felt grief at not hearing more about these other women whose characters had been so developed.

 I am not certain whether my earliest memories are truly mine, because when I bring them to mind, I feel my mothers breath on every word.

We are introduced to more women who play a life altering role in Dinah's journey, gaining more insight into each of their own remarkable stories.

Part three without giving too much of the plot away is Dinah's young adult life away from her homeland and family in Egypt. Her experiences as a midwife and adaptation to a new culture. More women in her life that again, begin to shape and support her in her life.

I enjoyed this book immensely and missed the characters once I was finished. I loved parts where Dinah felt at peace by water, because I could relate to this.


I stood by the water's edge until the last trace of daylight had drained from the sky, and later, after the evening meal, I returned to savour the smell of the river, which was as heady to me as incense, heavy and dark and utterly different from the sweet, thin aroma of well water.

4 stars from me...and only not 5 because I wanted to actually read more about some of these characters. I felt their lives were somewhat ripped from the page after being introduced and developed so strongly.

What a year can bring...!

pst... I'm currently staying here... http://tatty-global-tefl.blogspot.com Travellers, seekers, see you there... Tatty x

Writing a Book is Not a Walk in the Park

Before you decide that getting a book deal or writing a book is your golden ticket to whatever, I invite you to read this in The New York Observer. Don't get me wrong. I am tremendously grateful for the opportunity. It has been my dream to be a published author since I was...I don't know..ten years old? Now that I am actually in the process of having a book published, I realize that dream and reality are quite different.

So you want to be a published author? Are you willing to commit your life to it? Are you willing to put your children, husband, social life and everything else on the back burner for it? Are you willing to sit at your computer for LONG hours writing endlessly with very little social contact?

The reason I love blogging is that it's so interactive. I write something, you write something and we have this nice, little exchange. There's none of that with book writing, apart from the feedback you receive from your editor. I had to laugh when I read the article above. So much of what the author described was true for me. Whatever subject you choose to write on, be prepared to be stuck with that subject for one, two or even ten years in some cases. By the end of it, regardless of how much you LOVE your topic, I guarantee you'll be saying, "I'm so sick of writing about this I could SCREAM!" or "This is SO BAD, who on earth is going to read it?!"

I became consumed with the idea of writing this particular book years ago. I imagined I would write it during a few lovely weeks at my family's lake house. I'd sit out on the picnic table in the sun, birds would chirp around me as I lovingly put down my life in words.

Boy was that dream shattered quickly. First of all, you need to decide how you want your book published. I chose traditional publishing, even though I was warned numerous times that it was a tough road to publication. Everyone has to decide what's best for them. I followed my intuition on this one and stuck the tough road out. Second, if you choose this road, forget the book. If you are going to publish any work of nonfiction, you need a proposal. Mine was around 95 pages and included my book concept, a marketing plan, sample chapters, production details, a section on the competition and a section on how the book would be promoted. I knew nothing about this when I started. I had to find it all out online and through books as I bumped along the road to publishing. I spent the good part of a year just writing the proposal. I hadn't even gotten to the book yet. Nonfiction Book Proposals Anybody Can Write by Elizabeth Lyon became my bible. In the early stages, I hired a writing coach in Seattle at The Writer's Workshop who gave constructive feedback on my proposal and, more than anything, helped me stay on task by holding me to deadlines.

My husband, the former monk turned yoga teacher, played an important role in this process, too. He was my sounding board, my life coach and my cheerleader. His calming nature and belief in what I was doing really helped me get through it. He'd sit for hours listening to me read back what I had written. During a private yoga session with a client who already had two books under her belt, he got word of a freelance editor in Seattle who used to be an acquisitions editor at a major publishing house. While we were out staining our fence one hot, summer afternoon, he said, "You really should call that woman." So I did and I'm so glad I did.

It helped to work with a freelance editor who had been on the other side of publishing. I learned so much from her. She helped me refine my proposal. The thing is, working with a freelance editor is not cheap and there are no guarantees. You could spend a great deal of money on advice, coaching and editing and still not have a book deal in the end.

As many before me have probably mentioned, a lot of it has to do with timing. But more than timing, you need serious commitment. If you are really committed to your project, you are willing to take whatever time and whatever measures are needed to see it become a book. You need to believe in what you are writing about and it helps if you have a reason for writing it or an author's purpose. In my case, I'm writing my story because I believe I have something important to share that will help others realize their own purpose or potential.

On occasion, my husband has entered my writing room and found me, head on the keyboard, completely burned out from writing. In most cases, I haven't showered, eaten, nor seen the light of day. He's had to wing it for meals and housekeeping has completely gone by the wayside. But he never complains. Instead, he comes over to the computer, kisses me and says, "I'm proud of you, you are doing a great job," or he gently lets me know that perhaps I should turn off the computer and come to bed.

After several years, and through what I call "some mysterious workings of the universe," I not only received agent representation, but I also a got a book deal. Some of my friends believe it happened a little too easily for me, but what they can't see is that I put in a lot of legwork. I believed, with every ounce of my being, that it would become a book. I never veered once from this goal. I put every single ounce of myself into it. It was not a walk in the park. In fact, while writing my story, I had to relive quite a bit of pain and I often wondered why I was putting myself through it all again.

I've finally finished writing the book, 287 some pages of it. Yet it is not REALLY finished until it's sandwiched between two covers or until I can walk into Barnes and Noble and hold a copy of it in my hands.

No, it was definitely NOT a walk in the park, but neither is life. And, truthfully, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Note: Lessons from the Monk I Married is due out in bookstores across North America in spring 2012.

This was reposted from my blog: Lessons from the Monk I Married

I Am Enough

How many women out there think they are not good enough?

I am guessing a huge amount.

Not a good enough wife, mother, partner, sister, cook, gardener, friend, lover, worker.....the list is endless and so are our questions.

When will we ever tell ourselves we are enough, just as we are. We do the best with what we know and have, we do enough.

Say it with me in 2011.

I AM ENOUGH.....

AND I AM PROUD TO BE ME......❤

My husband is a forgeiner.

I got married about 2 months ago. So far marital bliss has been just that, blissful! I blog about my adventure into married land and you can follow our adventures here.

I wrote a post about our interracial marriage.

Talking about some of my thoughts and in sites at this point in our life together.

I just wanted to put it out there to a wider audience. Are any of you in an interracial marriage? Or married to people from other country?

How have you blended your cultures and traditions?

What road blocks have you met?

I am grew up in Northern California. Went to University in Utah. Lived in Ethiopia where I met my husband. Due to a unforeseen circumstance we ended up getting married in the US, where we are now living and working on the immigration process. After we were married a Lawyer in the LDS congregation I attend pretty much Told Adam & I he would need to immigrate if we ever wanted to visit my family again. 

Adam is an Ethiopian National. Who living in a town about 40 miles south of the capital. He studied Law in an Ethiopian University. Worked for a US company. where he met me. 

So here we are.

Are there others of you out there in a similar circumstance?

I would love to know more.

♥ Single Girl

Now known as

the MRS.

New blog to share!

Hey all! As you know, I've been tirelessly working on my new business venture for the last few months. Since I was having trouble seperating the "work" and the "personal" side when dealing with this blog, I decided to make a dedicated blog just for my business. Here it is:

http://littlebirdiebaby.blogspot.com/

Go check it out, become a follower and tell your friends! I'm pretty doggone proud of myself because I designed and created my new blog completely from scratch to match my store, my business cards, and all my other media. Feedback is always appreciated too!!

XOXO
Rach

AMASS IT & SHOW IT: COLLECTIONS

TOO MANY ITEMS IN YOUR COLLECTION TO FLAUNT THEM ALL AT ONCE; ROTATE PIECES TO KEEP YOUR LOOK INNOVATIVE


WHAT BETTER WAYS TO SHOW YOUR GROWING COLLECTION THAN TO HANG IT ON THE WALL.



GAME BOARDS DISPLAYED ON ONE WALL, THE ENTIRE COLLECTION FROM TOP TO BOTTOM

WHEN DISPLAYING A SHELL COLLECTION, DON’T OVERDUE BUT A VINTAGE TUREEN FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH INTERESTING SHELLS YOU’VE FOUND ON YOUR TRAVELS WILL EVOKE MEMORIES OF YOUR TRIP FOR MANY MONTHS AFTERWARDS. GLUE SHELLS ON A MIRROR,COVER WOOD BOXES LIKE THE WIVES OF SEA CAPTAINS DID LONG AGO,PROP STARFISH IN A WINDOW,PUT SOME IN A BATHROOM LEDGE OR WINDOW, MAKE CURTAIN TIE BACKS. THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS


CANDLE STICKS, TRAYS, CAKEPLATES & CHARGERS ARE GREAT TO DISPLAY AND ALSO USE IN VARIOUS ROOMS IN THE HOUSE. A CAKE PLATE TO HOLD SOAPS OR WASH CLOTHS IN THE BATH, WILL KICK IT UP A NOTCH.

HANG A QUILT OR COVERLET FOR INSTANT COLOR
OLD BOTTLES DISPLAYED ON SHELVES OR IN WINDOWS IF THEY’RE COLORED, THE LIGHT WILL SHINE THROUGH THEM & BRIGHTEN YOUR ROOM. I MAKE FRENCH BOTTLES OUT OF VINTAGE BOTTLES WITH A COPIED FRENCH POSTCARD, VINTAGE CHARMS & KEYS.






FROM MY UPCOMING BOOK "I'M DECORATING AS FAST AS I CAN ©"

365 Lessons-Lesson 311: Manage Your Time, But Leave Some Room for Spontaneity

I'm a list maker, how about you? It doesn't mean I'm super organized. Quite the contrary. It means that I write it all down so I won't forget, which I have a tendency to do if something is not written down. The funny thing is, sometimes I lose my list, which I take as a sign that perhaps those things on it weren't so pressing anyway or that they'll get done in due time. I have to believe that anyway.

I also have a calendar on my wall in my office right next to where I write. As soon as I have anything scheduled, I try and write it down. I have to get things on the calendar or I end up just forgetting.

So, I have half a book due to my editor the first week of December. Several months ago I mapped out a plan to write 6-7 hours a day Thursday through Sunday. I thought that was a reasonable plan, but I didn't factor in that I need to eat, attend my yoga class, walk, meditate, shop, clean and all the other things that take up a day. I had this image that I'd just go to my writing room and pop out 6 or 7 hours later, eyes blurry from staring at a screen for so long.

What I've come to realize is that balance in all areas of my life is key. A few weeks ago I left a Facebook status update to my friends that said something like, "Talk to you all in March." Luckily my best friend from elementary school piped up and said, "Umm, I'm not following that rule!" Even though this was meant to be a joke, I also felt that I was also being honest in the fact that my time would be limited. March 2011 is when my entire book is due. I've always been a very focused person, but that was going a bit too far. I mean, I have to meet friends and enjoy myself from time to time too!

So, I make my list and if I get half of it done in a weekend, I'm happy. This is the balance part. I don't sit there and fret over what didn't get done. I believe I will get to it all eventually. That's been my experience anyway. If I feel like watching a movie with my husband, taking a walk on a sunny day, going to yoga class or talking to a friend, I do it. In fact, I try to take a walk everyday. Somehow walking clears my head and makes me appreciate more what I'm doing and what I have in my life. I see the beauty of nature, I get my dose of Vitamin D and I'm good to go.

I simply can't stay locked in my writing chambers all weekend on a beautiful sunny day. So I get out and walk. After I get a walk in, I'm o.k. to get down to business and tackle those things on my list. It seems to work, I've currently written 142 book pages out of 250. I think I'm right on schedule.

One thing that has helped me with time management is creating space in my schedule. I don't try to schedule too much. I leave plenty of gaps. I teach ESL at a local community college. I absolutely LOVE it and it helps me get out and socialize after I've been in my writing cave for too long. Teaching compliments writing. They are so opposite. One is very extroverted and the other is introverted. This is a nice balance for me. Also, I only teach three days a week. This gives me the rest of the time for pursuing my other passion: writing!

Leaving space for spontaneity and pursuing my passions have proven to be such great benefits in my life. By leaving lots of space empty in my schedule, I find that there is time for crossing things off my list of things to do and enjoying the unexpected "fun" things that might pop up during my weekend. This balance has made my life enjoyable.

Reprinted from my blog Lessons from the Monk I Married where I am writing 365 Lessons for 2010.