Sofa Hangouts with Simon Paul Sutton

I “sat” with Simon Paul Sutton at his “Sofa Hangout” via Google+ on July 4 and 11.

In the first session, we discussed voice, individual freedom, aspects of our search for truth about reality, and many other topics.  For those of you who’d like to hear a couple of my unreleased songs, at 34:00 I sang “Nothing Personal” and at 1:07:00 I sang “The Language of One” and finished with sound from the 19″ Aqua Gold alchemy bowl.

In the second, shorter session, we talked about the film “Monthlies,” and how much difference a positive image about menstruation makes for girls and women in our lives.

Thanks, Simon, for all of the love you pour into every one of your many projects!

“My Body Knows who I am…”

A friend posted the other day about a problem with bullying that a teenage girl was experiencing.  She asked for advice and resources to help.

I was bullied as a girl, both physically and emotionally, and I reflected about what I have learned since then that I might share.  I remember with excruciating detail how it felt to be shouted at with insults and pushed to another seat on the bus.  One girl who tried to help me back then whispered, “Just show them you don’t care what they think.” This wasn’t bad advice–except I did care.  In fact, part of me suspected they were right.  And this was why I was a target in the first place.

As I was pondering these old memories, I suddenly had a flash image of cells in a bloodstream, being attacked by viruses.  How do our bodies ward off these “bullies”?

One of the lines in “My Body Knows” is “My body knows who I am.”  Yes!  Our bodies know who we are, and what belongs in us and what doesn’t.  When we’re healthy, our cells know what they’re supposed to do, and we have special cells, run by our immune system, whose function is to keep the integrity, to hold the space for each bit to do its job.

If there was any doubt in our immune systems about what belonged, the bullies would take over.

As the mother of two teenage daughters, I’ve had the privilege of observing this age group again, and one thing stands out now that I didn’t understand when I was in their shoes.  The kids who know who they are–and these are few and far between, in our culture of being told we should be different–can be teased and hassled just as mercilessly as the rest, but somehow, they aren’t as affected.  Of course, they don’t enjoy it, but they also don’t believe it.  They know who they are, they aren’t changing, and they aren’t apologizing.

Deep down inside, our bodies do know who we are.  There are no better guides.

More soon on how I am learning how to listen to my own body!

Animation Itself by Bill Brouard

“Animation Itself” by Bill Brouard, used by permission. See Visual Alchemy for more.

 

New Moon in Taurus–the Beginning of My Body Knows Blog

So, here we are, with the moon and sun both in Taurus, the ultimate sign for our bodies.  Feels like the perfect time to begin a blog with the theme “My Body Knows.”

Those of you who are into astrology probably know that today we have just experienced an extra-strong new moon, because it was also a partial solar eclipse.  A wonderful astrologer and friend wrote this morning:

Tonight and tomorrow–the sun and the moon are hanging together. Right now in the dark black sky, hiding so you can’t see either of them. It is called a double Taurus night plus there is an eclipse…shh, time to go in. Before you go to bed, think of a wish, a real one:
Like let there be world peace, no, that’s too big. How about: let me know love. That’s just easy. How about let me live the love of peace and sustain it no matter what life hands me. Good one.
Taurus the sign of stability and endurance. I want to love life no matter what fate dealt me. 
This is the best of Taurus–absolute loyalty. Like the northern star, Taurus is constant, never wavering from true devotion. A commitment to life no matter what cards have been dealt. Peaceful acceptance and sweet surrender…

Before I read these words this morning, I had already written to another friend:

Too often in my life, I have experienced my body as a hassle that interrupted my “real” life with its needs–and as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to the understanding that it’s actually the key to my intuition and a beloved support for my journey in this reality.

So, this topic is what I plan to explore here:  what does “My Body Knows” mean?

What does my body know?  
How do I know what it knows?  
How can I listen for its messages?
How do I feel about my body?
What is my experience of being in this body like?
How has this experience changed over time?

This morning, I’m full of questions.  And right now, my body says it’s time for some food.

To be continued 🙂

P.S.  I’m going to take part in a telesummit over the next three weeks that I want to share with you, because it looks like it will be wonderful: just follow this link for more info.

 

Here I Am

For Here I Am Blog

Okay, it’s time.

I’ve been talking about truly blogging for a very long time.  I don’t mean the kind of safe blogging I did up until now, which is some kind of formal reporting of events.  I mean speaking my mind, getting naked.

Normally I speak my blogs, to my daughters, my mother, my close friends…sometimes in response to questions during events or workshops.  This is okay, and yet, my energy isn’t as focused and creative as I have a hunch it will be in this medium.

I have many things to write about, and they will have to wait, because my first blog has already been written in response to something I just read online, via Facebook.  Here I go!

I love this. Thanks, Luz…and it’s interesting that it begins, “Someone dared me to write this.”

Why do we need to make excuses to express ourselves? I’ve read a few self-published books that are filled with “I am sharing this because the message is so important” or “People have urged me to write this down.” Perhaps because I have needed the same “permission slips” to show myself (to shine?!?) I am now sensitive to them when they come up.

Life is gorgeous and messy and, as far as I know, everyone here in human bodies deals with all kinds of emotions, desires, and conflicts. We also get to taste, touch, smell, see and hear a lot of magical beauty by being in these bodies. Sometimes can feel like a rotten tradeoff–until we consider the alternative.

I have no idea why I’m here…and I am, and I’m glad to be. What an adventure!