In other news, I’ve been stockpiling the FLPs in my phone as a draft message.  An inordinate number of Alaskas lately, in all of their guises, new and old and in-between.  Also, I seem to have typed in “bunch of Idahos” so there’s that.  Ohio, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico (also one I’ve seen a variety of age examples of recently).  A New York, which could possibly have been a re-run, and one that got past me, maybe New Jersey.

             None of these I saw in the past 24 hours though, it was a jammies day here at The Burrow.  I thought we’d go for a walk, but instead Dan caught up on televised sporting events and cooking things I had laid out all over the kitchen.

             Every item turned out perfectly.  (Well.  Perhaps not perfect perfect.  There were one or two exceptions, but even the slightly burned croutons are totally still edible, and besides, I plucked out the VERY black ones.)  There was absolutely one clear winner, a dish that stood out, no question.  Even if you don’t like brussels sprouts, go HERE and see what this says.  (We’ll wait.)

             Back, now?  Good.  Where the directions call for that “rubbing” part?  Yeah, Daniel told me flat out that he wasn’t going to do it.  The veggies did not suffer from his lack of massaging, fortunately.  They were amazingly wonderful.  The quinoa was, mmm, that was, uh, fine.  (Nobody’s fault, simply a learning experience.  Still, we could eat it.)

             Also, I read a library book.  When the notification came in that I had this on hold I was happy, but confused.  Even after finishing it, I can’t remember where the recommendation came from.  (And no, I’m NOT done with the memory book, so just stop laughing at me.  I most certainly DO see the irony here.)  French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano* is not new; my copy has a publication date of 2005.  But TOTALLY worth reading.

*Aaaaaaand, I just realized there’s a website.  I’ll be over there all evening, if you  need me.

             Last night I WAS making progress on Moonwalking With Einstein, so ha!  In fact, here is our first installment,

“Monotony collapses time; novelty unfolds it.  You can exercise daily and eat healthily and live a long life, while experiencing a short one.  If you spend your life sitting in a cubicle and passing papers, one day is bound to blend unmemorably into the next – and disappear.  That’s why it’s important to change routines regularly, and take a vacation to exotic locales, and have as many new experiences as possible that can serve to anchor our memories.  Creating new memories stretches out psychological time, and lengthens our perception of our lives.”

             What is so abso-freaking-lutely ME about this passage, is that, it says some of the SAME damn things that the French book does.  (I LOVE that about my life!)  Whether we are discussing memory, or eating, or simply living in this exact moment, we need to EXPERIENCE it fully.  No other way will give us the same depth of results, the same excitement and joy.

             Our OTHER message is also great, and showed up, not only looking terrific, but echoing our most recent theme.

“The Rainbow Prince  ~

compensation, perseverance

When the Rainbow Prince appears as our Ally, he reminds you about the Law of Compensation  and the Law of Receiving.  After the rainstorm you’ve endured on your journey, the Rainbow Prince brings you a pot of gold, which is the result of your using all the elements of your inner Light and reaching into the sky until you touch the material realm from one end to the other.  

This isn’t always an easy process, and hard work must be rewarded by compensation.  When you align  yourself with the energy of giving the highest value, your compensation is inherent in the act itself.

But the message here is more than that:  the Rainbow Prince says to keep your sights on the sky after the rainstorms that may have upset your life.  Follow your bliss to the pot of gold waiting for you.  Perseverance pays off, and your reward will be greater than you can imagine.”

             I adore how powerful that illustration is.  We did draw it direct, but it’s seemed helpful lately to share the Contrary as well.  Plus, our Live Mindful topic is picked up again.

“Challenger

The Rainbow Prince is telling you that you need to address how committed you are to your path.  Have you been giving of yourself only as a means to control the situation?  His gentle advice is to practice giving fully of yourself, devote all your attention when you are with someone, and be completely present in all areas of your life.  When you do so, you will receive more than you are trying to get by being the way you are now.

The other warning is that you may be giving too much and not allowing yourself to be compensated   This may keep you in victim mode, always looking for what’s unfair.  Perhaps it’s time to stop giving so much and instead be willing to receive   It may not be comfortable, but you deserve it, so why not allow it?  Let yourself be vulnerable.  Therein lies great strength.”

Today’s Deck:

Wisdom Of The Hidden Realm Oracle Cards by Colette Baron-Reid

LateNight Celebrating:

yesterday Adam’s sister got married.  Here’s a phone photo they sent me.

Congratulations, to one and all!

]]> http://urthalun.com/2012/04/25/the-finest-intentions/ Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:55:12 +0000 lunarmom http://urthalun.com/2012/04/25/the-finest-intentions/              We’ve had another incident of Divine Intervention in the card altar room.  (Kinda.  Most likely.  Probably for sure.)  Today I’d planned on telling you what I thought of a book; we know that this will NOT be an actual review (no, I can’t find the link back to where I talked about reviewing things I’ve read). 

             This afternoon, going in to flip over our daily draw, I already knew there’d be a lot of words, and wasn’t really looking forward to transcribing three card’s worth of definitions (Osho Zen was the next deck up).  As I stood there, indecisively, I realized that what we needed was a quick, helpful message.  Did I realize it, or was that Infused Knowledge?  See, there’s no way to determine the origins of these quiet nudges sometimes.

             Instead, we acknowledge the information as a gift, and say Thank You.

“Crystal Clear Intentions  ~

Archangel Michael:

Be clear about what you desire and focus upon it with unwavering faith.

Additional Message:

After praying for guidance, be bold enough to admit what you truly desire.  Know that you (along with everyone else) deserve the best of everything, in all ways. 

Prosperity and abundance are God’s wishes for everyone.  You stake your claim on your share of the inheritance by forming a clear mental picture of your desires.  Allow yourself to imagine that this desire has already manifested, and experience the emotional and physical feelings of your manifested desire. 

Don’t worry how the desire will manifest – the infinite creativity of the Creator will bring it to you in very clever ways.  Simply follow any inner guidance to take steps to co-create this Divine desire, and allow yourself to receive good as it comes your way.”

            Apply all the standard substitutions needed here, and then look again at what is being said.  It’s very validating!  Especially when seen in the light of the work we’ve been doing.  These messages are like pay days sometimes, put in our time on the project and get a reward along the way for hard work accomplished.  

           That ecstatic feeling we get when everything goes just right, and we SEE our desires becoming real, is what keeps us energized to keep going, and interested in the tedious chores we endure on our path.  Like me in this health/diet quest.    As I went out searching for the answers, several books fell into my lap.  The Beck Diet Solution was one of them.  It was more mind focused than anything else, so that was immediately appealing.

              As I have already talked about, her father was one of the first doctors to utilize Cognitive Therapy in helping folks change their brains.  Her methods and suggestions are all aimed in that direction.  It also has an accompanying workbook, which is offered on her website.  Damn.  I love workbooks.  But I was more than halfway finished before I found out she had workbook blank sheets available on-line.

            My thoughts here are that this approach seems to work fabulously well if you can go check-in with the actual person who designed the program, but perhaps not so terrifically if you don’t have that option.  And maybe I would have done better if I’d had the workbook to start.  (I cobbled together a crappy home-made version, not nearly as good.)  For me, the workbook portions and homework assignments were useful.   Up to a point.  She wasn’t in my house and I couldn’t go see her to report my progress, so I faltered.

            In defense of the method, she does recommend you find a Diet Coach, who you CAN report to, lean on, and check-in with.  (Dan was my selection, even though I may have never told him that.  Doesn’t matter, he’s always my selection for everything, and he already knows it.)  If you DID have a really helpful Health Buddy this would, no doubt, keep the program interesting and inspiring.  I was, perhaps, not as focused as I could have been because I was combining her book with another.  (Or three.)

            Do I think it’s worth reading?  Absolutely  yes.  For the ideas and information alone, even if you don’t do the exercises.  Although, I would recommend that you DO do the exercises.  Because that’s where the strength is.  I learned of several VERY helpful tools that I’m using now.   (Actively practicing them really IS beneficial.)

             The last thing I’ll say is that the catchphrase (Train Your Brain To Think Like A Thin Person) is false.  And stupid too.  First, because being thin should NEVER be the goal (*she says from one side of her mouth while she tries to put out the Pants On Fire from the other side*).  Mostly, though, it’s wrong.  I will ALWAYS want my frosting and NOT want to haul my ass off the couch. 

              If a cupcake is on the table next to an apple?  Yeah, that fruit will shrivel up in a deadly march to the compost heap while I give my chubby self elf whiplash grabbing greedily for the REAL treat.  My brain is NOT trainable in this capacity.  Possibly no one’s is.

             As much as I’d LOVE to think otherwise, it ain’t gonna happen.  So, I use one of Beck’s suggestions, I shrug my shoulders, say “oh well” and move along.  There are no cupcakes in my house right now.  No cookies, no candy.  There are plenty of apples, and other fruits.  I’ll eat those.  Because they’re here.  Do I want a cupcake?  Yes.  Always. 

            Tomorrow this book goes back to the library.  I’m glad I read it.  I’m glad I did as many of the exercises as I could.  I’m glad that I am able to recall and access these new brain changing ideas which will help me get past some of my obsessive thoughts and accept my progress for the natural pace that it is.  But the next time heroin a cupcake crosses my path, I’ll be pouncin’ on that bastard so freaking fast it will make small children near me weep with alarm and fright.

            On our riverfront adventure yesterday we passed a hotel parking lot when we came off of the walking trail at one point.  That newer Colorado plate above was the first of three we spotted before the path picked up again.

First one. Ever.

            Remember when I saw that Jalisco plate?  Well, look at this.  Yep, Chihuahua!  Not only was I massively happy about its true foreign-ness, but this is one of my most FAVORITE-est words to say outloud.  Chee-whhhaw-whhhaw.)

             Wave, wave!   Hello there, Montana.

Today’s Deck:

Archangel Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue