Pain, It Does A Body Good

Pain.. ahh yes, you might be saying. I've got pains here and there and in places I didn't even know could hurt. Then you might go on to tell me that you've been to the doctor and the doctor has all kinds of fancy names for your pain as well as medications to take to "rid" your body of the pain (also known as numbing the body from the pain).

But.. that's a loaded word and I would agree. Have you ever stopped to consider what's behind the pain? I mean, it is usually there for a reason. Sure we tend to know that but do we really know that that means. Come on be honest. Be totally 100% honest now.

You see, our bodies are made up of a lot of sensory nerves and tissue that brings information back to the brain. For the sake of an example, let's say you smash your thumb with a hammer. Now most of us realize that this hurts like everything and most of us would know that the pain information gets sent back to the brain and then the mouth usually goes "OUCH THAT HURT". In a simplistic way, that's how our body works. The pain is there to tell us something is wrong and it needs attention or correction pretty darn quickly.

Of course though, in our modern times, we're too busy or too preoccupied or have a zillion and one other reasons why we just want this pain to go away that invades our body. Some of it may be conscious and most likely a fair share of it is unconscious. That is, we really don't know why we have the pains we do. And while people may want to attach all kinds of reasons for what this pain or that pain means, it is much more deep than that.

So let's get back to the pain we feel and what's the first reaction we have: how do I make this pain go away. You reach for the meds or the aspirin and hope that it will make the pain disappear. If that doesn't work, you try and live with it hoping it will go away. And if all else fails, you make an appointment with a doctor to get some more meds and find a way to attach a cutesy little label to your condition. So now you've got it all taken care of right? Well as long as you take your meds and remember to tell everyone what cutesy name is attached to your condition.

What if there would be another way to deal with the pain. One that you might not have thought about before. And yet, it is one that is built in to our biological systems we call our body. What is this other way, you ask? It's all about going into the pain and letting your body feel it. But not just feeling the pain and stopping there. Letting it go all the way through until you've reached the dark side so to speak. When you can allow yourself to push through any fears that may arise and go into the pain, you will have much greater awareness of yourself and your body, thereby giving you the opportunity of making new choices to free yourself from the pain. I'm not saying this is easy for most people to do but with a little training and support, this is not some pie in the sky concept. It is a very viable way to give freedom to yourself.

You know, there are times when medications and doctors and surgeries are necessary. I'm not saying that it is all one way or the other. What I am trying to say is that all too often, we as a society tend to focus on masking the pain instead of truly going in and freeing ourselves from the pain. It is a choice that we make every day we are alive. While we may not fully understand how this process can unfold, we do make a conscious choice of what information we allow into our lives and what we allow ourselves to experience.

So the next time you have pains or you feel sick or whatever is going on, try to take a moment and see what's behind the pain. Maybe it is something in your current situation that if you made a change, the pain would go away. Sometimes just stopping and listening to our bodies can be one of the best gifts that we could ever give ourselves. It is in that moment, that we allow ourselves to become so much more unified and have greater awareness. The more awareness we have, the more information we can access to make much more informed decisions about our lives.

What are the possibilities?

Battered but Standing

Some days when we get battered by the storms of life, it can become very rough. We wonder at the time if our lives can withstand the storm that is hurling its furry upon us. We wonder if we can be strong enough to survive another round and to keep on moving forward with each step. And yet we know, after all we've been through in our lives, all we have to do is look back over our shoulder and see just how far we've come. We can take comfort knowing that we have moved forward and that what we currently see in our path is not where we will be tomorrow.

So as we realize just how many steps we've taken and just how far we have come, let us also remind ourselves that there is no need to worry about the road ahead. For we are able to overcome the obstacles of growth in our path. They will make us stronger, more aware, more conscious and mold us into humans that have the ability to keep walking in the face of future storms.

Behind The Christmas Glitter

This is actually the first year for many that I've not just dreaded Christmas. Normally at this time of the year, my body is aching, stiff, sore and I'm wanting to hide or lash out at anyone I see (especially in the stores). But this year, its been different for some reason. Not that I'm doing anything different per se in my activities but maybe that part of me is beginning to heal. Normally depression has hit me so hard I'm struggling to keep my head above water and I remember a few very recent Christmas times that just about pulled me under. A couple of years ago, I almost lost it in a Kmart shopping lot on an unsuspecting shopper. That really woke me up a bit. Than I went into hiding, wanted to just end things. It was a tough year. So that's like I was saying, something has changed.

Granted, its not all fun and giggles. I get irritated when I see people spending countless hundreds (thousands) of dollars on gifts that are going to end up in yard sales or the garbage a few months later just to prove to someone they love them. I get irritated when like today I was trying to go to the store for something we needed and everyone was acting as if the world was ending tomorrow and you'd never be able to buy another thing. In the Target parking lot, one lady was coming out in her motorized wheelchair (there's a lot of those around here) and she was crossing the parking lot. I was waiting for her, and another lady figured she'd get the jump on me because she saw an open parking spot but she almost ran the wheelchair lady over. I almost got out of my vehicle and let her have it. I had to restrain myself. I do have a soft spot for people in wheel chairs because of being in one myself at one point.

I remember those times when people invited me over for Christmas and I felt so awkward. While I know they cared and they were offering their home and goodwill, it was some rough moments. Again though, I remember when no one invited me over and I sat at home missing everything in life and hating everything there was to hate. Those times were difficult and if you turned on a TV or a radio (pre-mp3 ipod days), all you heard was Christmas. If you just happened to catch your neighbors through the window, you could see they were off celebrating with family or someone was coming to their home bringing presents in the door. There was no escaping it.

From the time I was a little kid, there was one time of year that was special in our house. My mom made sure of it. It was Christmas. We never had much and we barely got any gifts. I could never understand for the longest time how Santa would bring many gifts to my friends, but not to us. Then when I learned who Santa really was, I found out how my mom saved their pennies up all year long to buy a few gifts for each of us. She made it special with her baking of holiday treats, with helping put together a Christmas program at church to decorating the house. I'll never forget that about her. There were of course the rough moments mixed in when we would exchange gifts as I got older. Sometimes the gift wasn't perfect enough for the person and you would see and hear the disappointment in them. That grew difficult to accept and to this day I still struggle receiving gifts and giving them. I worry so much if the person will like them or if I will disappoint them.

There is no easy way to deal with this time of year. Each person has their own perceptions of what Christmas should be and it is rooted in what it was when they were a kid. While it is supposed to be one of the most happiest times of the year, I know personally just how tormenting it can be. I've learned over the years that I do what I need to do for myself and push aside all the things that others feel I must do. As time has went, I have begun to create a Christmas time that works for me as I borrow from all my experiences and as I lean on to that which I truly feel like doing in a year. And yet I know, that whatever I do it will be enough for me to enjoy or tolerate Christmas in whatever way I so desire. I am not obligated to do Christmas just because it is that time of year. The only thing that matters is that I take care of myself and nurture the little boy inside of me.

The Experience Of Grounding

The Experience Of Grounding
© Don Shetterly 12/14/08

Grounding is so important in our lives and yet many of us are fragments in the wind during our days. Think about the lightning rod on a house that stands above the highest point waiting for that moment when lightning would strike. It has no other purpose than to ground the house when a massive supply of electricity hits. When lightning hits, the electricity generated travels the shortest path to the earth where it is discharged.

So too with us, we take in so many things in our lives, from new information, to stress, to worries and pain among other things. The lightning strikes we take in are numerous and if we are not connected to the grounding nature of the earth, we most likely will experience power surges, tripped breakers and extra jolts and buzzes in our days. However, it is just not about lightning strikes. There are stray sources of electricity all around us in our day that can be felt directly or indirectly. Without grounding, one would feel the buzz and jolt of this stray electricity.

But what does it really mean to be grounded, as this can sometimes be a buzz word in new age healing circles? Grounding encompasses being at home within your body. It is about knowing what is true and pure and connected. It is about being so comfortable with who you are that you can evaluate what is going on around you, knowing that your evaluation is a source of truth in your life. It is a place of refuge from the deluge of all that we experience in life, knowing that this is a steady place built up on an unshakable foundation of support in our lives. Grounding is when you do not accept everything you see, hear, feel or are told at face value, but you find a way that you can give it credibility against something that is unshakable. Seeing numerous confirmations from many different unrelated sources can help to display the connectedness of the grounding in our lives.

So many times in our lives, we are brought information by those who mean well, but the connection to the source of the information is lacking. Sure, we can choose to accept these pieces of information by faith, and trust that the person bringing them to us has a connection to the source of them. However, what if they don’t? How can we evaluate where the truth or the awareness lies? I would suggest that accepting information by faith and trust in what someone says is possibly the beginning of the journey, but without some evidence to back it up, one needs to proceed with utmost caution or until it can be evaluated and confirmed at some future point.

Have you ever had that gut feeling about something? Have you made a decision based upon what your gut tells you to do? I believe many in our culture have done this. Sometimes the gut can be a good barometer of where we are headed. This is one way to stay grounded within ourselves to evaluate what information we receive or what our daily path throws at our feet. It is a visceral connection in the body, and the more we are truly connected to our body in awareness, the more we can do the evaluations. Of course this connection invites us to become more aware of ourselves and fully integrate our mind and our bodies as one.

If we are so busy in our lives that we can not stop to take a moment to breathe but are running from one task to the next, it will be difficult for us to stay grounded. We need to give our bodies and our minds and our spirit time to experience the fullness of all that is around us instead of hurriedly rushing to and fro. I remember when I was paralyzed and the very first weekend I got to sit out in the sun and nature, I heard the birds sing for the first time in a long time in my life. Here were the birds singing and chirping around me as they do every day and yet, I had become so busy in my life to even notice. I was not grounded in myself, my body or life and I was missing out on some of the greatest music one could ever hear – the sounds of nature.

We can also become so busy exploring new spiritual paths of healing and enlightenment that we short change ourselves to the true essence of walking down our path. Healing, spiritual enlightenment and personal growth are fabulous things to focus on but without grounding they can almost become like an out of tune instrument in a band. While the instrument plays the music, it is out of tune and fails to resonate with the rest of the band, thereby providing an entirely different dimension to the rest of the band. However if we tune our instrument to that of the frequency of the rest of the band, then we add to not only our experience as an instrument but to the overall experience of the band for the further experience of all who receive the sounds. Let us be all that we can be by tuning and grounding our instruments so that we can not only grow in our own awareness, but so that we can give much more to so many others.

Learning how to ground one’s self can be a difficult pathway or it can also be one that is simpler than we realize. What if for a moment or maybe even 30 seconds, you just stopped and focused on your breath. Notice the rise and the fall. Notice how far the breath goes through your body. Notice the restrictions or difficult places your breath may come up against. Notice how it feels to breathe and just focus on it. This brings you back into the present moment, the now, and it brings you back into a place of grounding. If one was to do this every day, it would most likely have a major impact upon your life. If you continued to allow this grounding to take place, it would lead you to further awareness and choices in your life ahead. It would give you so much information and would so connect you to yourself and the power within yourself, which is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves.

For being grounded does not come from other people. It comes from within us and being completely connected to the power, the truth and the awareness we have about ourselves. It is a somatic connection between our mind, our body and our spirits.

Consider another example of grounding that you can do without too much effort. Find a quiet place, preferably outside, where you can sit comfortably. Place your feet on the ground and just allow yourself to be still, to be in the moment. Imagine whatever it is that you are experiencing in your day to just come down through a funnel in your head and travel all the way down through to your feet exiting into the ground. As it exits into the ground, know that the earth will transmute all that you give it as it gives you strength, support and a strong foundation to go about the remainder of your day.

Another example of grounding is to sit or lie down, and then place your hands on your abdomen. Allow your breathing to slow and your mind to still as you notice whatever your body feels in the moment. Allow whatever it is to come through and acknowledge the fears in whatever way they show up. As you do this, allow the resistance to go giving away to a greater sense of freedom, peace, and grounding.

Part of being grounded, though, requires us to be at home within our bodies where we can grow to love ourselves without condition or prejudice or judgment. The more we follow ourselves into the deep dark recesses of our mind-body connection, the more we are able to release the things that we may no longer need, providing space for joy, happiness, love and grounding in our lives. The more we give to ourselves through awareness of ourselves, the more we will truly be able to proclaim the power of who we are, which will keep us more grounded for each moment of each and every day.

The Opportunity

The Storybook Of Our Lives,

One person once shared with me that each day we create a chapter in the storybook of our lives. We pick and choose what we desire to add to our storybook whether it is the choice of colors, the choice of words, thoughts or whatever it is - we make the choice. And each day that we bring our chapter to a close and we look back over it, we may find that it isn't all that we had hoped for. That is ok! For tomorrow, we have a new opportunity of writing another chapter in the storybook of our lives and we are free to make it into whatever we want it to be.

From The Kitchen

Couscous Veggie Delight
© 12/15/08 Don Shetterly

A great vegetable and couscous dish.

Needed:
Large Glass Baking Dish
1 Box Couscous
2 10oz Cans of Cream Of Celery Soup (more or less to your liking)
2 (15oz) Cans Black Eyed Peas
6 oz container of Spicy Alfalfa & Radish Sprouts
11 oz Diced Squash
3 Medium Sized tomatoes
1 Green Pepper
Half of Celery Stalk
1 Head of Broccoli
1 Head of Cauliflower
2 Cups Cheddar Cheese


Directions
1. Cut up all vegetables (Cauliflower, Broccoli, Celery, Pepper, and Squash) and steam until softened.
2. Prepare couscous as directed on the box
3. Layer couscous in the bottom of the dish
4. Drain black eyed peas and layer over the top of the couscous
5. Dice tomatoes and layer on top of the black eyed peas
6. Spread the alfalfa sprouts on top of the tomatoes
7. Spread the Cream Of Celery Soup on top of the Alfalfa Sprouts
8. Spread steamed vegetables on top of the soup
9. Place the cheese on the top and spread out evenly
10. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.


Note:
You could substitute about any vegetables that you like for any of these. This just happened to be what was available and things that we liked.

This recipe in these quantities is enough for a baking dish the size of 4 Liters. Adjust accordingly to your needs or freeze the leftovers.


Servings: Makes probably at least 8 servings.

Epic Meditations (Lisa Wagner)

Available On



I sat down with Lisa Wagner to talk with her about her CD of guided meditations, Epic Meditations. I hope you enjoy reading the conversation as much as I enjoyed speaking with her. To hear more, make sure you click on the images above for samples of her work on iTunes.



1) What is Epic Meditations all about?
It’s a CD of 11 guided meditations, each with a very specific purpose. In general, guided meditations use imagery and verbal cues to guide the listener through the experience, usually with the intent of relaxation, renewal or spiritual growth. The meditations on my CD guide the listener to a very specific experience, like releasing resentment, facing the truth about oneself, feeling empowered by choice, etc.


2) Why did you decide to create this project?
The inspiration for this CD was a perfect experience of synchronicity. I had several different thoughts and dialogues going with people, and then one day it all came together and I was just lit up with the idea. I was feeling open to starting something new, and wanted it to be something I would feel passionate and excited about. I wanted to try to find a way to share some of my thought processes, and some of the information/advice that seems to come up often when talking with other people. All my life, people have responded very positively to the sound of my voice, and one day it just hit me - guided meditations.


3) What is your hope or goal that people using these meditations will gain for their lives?
My intention for these meditations is that they help every listener improve the quality of his or her life. It can seem tempting and reasonable to connect the circumstances of our lives to the quality of our lives, but I believe it is more about our intentions, thoughts and perceptions, shaping the quality of our lives. Two people can encounter exactly the same circumstances, and yet have very different experiences. I’m hoping that by helping people connect to their inner voice, their personal truth, their ability to perceive they have a choice, etc., they will deepen their understanding about how their thoughts shape their reality and the quality of their lives.


4) If there is someone that doesn’t normally do this type of thing, is it really for them or is it just for people who already meditate?
No experience is required. Every listener is guided through the whole process. I start off guiding you through a few deep breaths, and then towards the stated intention of the meditation. Some of these meditations are only a couple of minutes, and some are several minutes. The longest ones are 12 minutes.


5) Do people need to use these meditations every day or is this an occasional thing that they can do in their life?
Some of them could be helpful on a regular basis. I have a short meditation titled “Quieting Your Mind.” It’s only a couple of minutes and I guide the listener to quickly and easily quiet the mind. There are lots of times when this would be helpful. My hope would be that eventually people can achieve the same result not only on their own and without the meditation, but within just a moment. Practicing how to get there with my meditation, teaches people how to get there in a few minutes on their own. My hope is that they eventually get there with a breath - in seconds. Each meditation can be used as needed, whether it is once, occasionally or on a regular basis.


6) What has meditations such as this or the other forms you mention on your website done for your own life?
Okay, that is question I really could spend hours answering, and I feel like this CD is just the tip of an iceberg. I guess the simplest answer is this - meditation brings more clarity. There are lots of ways to meditate. In addition to all the more structured techniques that are taught and discussed, even just day dreaming, watching it rain, staring at a flower can be a meditative experience. Allowing the mind to quiet, and then being willing to know what comes into the space, whether it is a feeling or a thought, can provide great clarity. I feel that a big part of why I make most decisions easily is connected to my ability to very quickly quiet my mind and allow my intuition to clearly be known. Being able to connect to a sense of what is important to me, what is best for me, to understand my intention, to know the truth of the moment … these contribute to my life consistently coming together in a joyful and fulfilling way. What I want to do through this first set of meditations, and the others to follow, is to help people enhance that inner connection by helping them to consciously experience it and acknowledge it.


7) Does the meditation put me in a hypnotic trance where someone really won’t be aware of what’s going on?
Not at all. While people may feel relaxed by the sound of my voice, and guided to let their minds wander in the directions I suggest, this is not hypnotherapy. It’s not trance-inducing in anyway. This is about focusing the mind on a particular area of life, an issue/concern, or just quieting the mind. Listeners will know they are in control the whole time.


8) Where can people purchase this? Can they download it or buy the cd?
It is available for download on iTunes. Search either by Lisa Wagner or Epic Meditations. There are also direct links on my website: www.epicmeditations.com, and I will update my site once the physical CD is available for purchase. I had intended that all 11 tracks be available as single downloads for 99 cents. Most of them are, but 3 of them are “album only.” I didn’t know until just recently (after it was released and on iTunes) that any track over 10 minutes is made album only on iTunes. I have 1 track that is just over 10 minutes, and two that are just over 12 minutes, so they are album only. The other 8 meditations are 99 cent downloads.


Closing comment
Thanks so much for your interest in my work, Don, and giving me this opportunity to share it.

For There Can Be Peace

I received a body work session at Evolutionary Healing the other day and as always, it was an eye opening session. Since Jeff and I had been doing some work on each other leading up to this visit, it helped me not have to start at the heavy layers of stress.

It didn't seem long after I got on the table that the two areas of pain came up within me. The first being across my low back which I have been experiencing a lot lately. There were other areas of course like my neck and shoulders (especially the right shoulder) that were painful but the strong attention was in my low back. As Dr. Canali began to touch this area, I felt a very sharp pain almost like a knife being inserted in my abdominal region. The pain was intense and as I voiced that, Dr. Canali urged me to continue staying with this area and staying present, knowing that I had the strength tomove past this.

What surprised me the most though was how quickly we were able to go into this and how quickly I could push past the fear of it to get to the core of what was going on. With the sounds of my voice that grew into dull screams, my arms began to shake with a vengeance propelling massive amounts of anger out of my body. As this continued, the strength of the intense anger grew along with the sounds my voice was making. And then all at once, my body let go and subsided into the ease of the moment feeling much more free and feeling the breath moving more easily throughout my body.

Even though I've had many experiences like or similar to it, this one was different. It helped me connect two things in a very strong way. One of those was that the anger of this session mimicked some of the horrible pain I have always lived with in my abdominal region. Some of that pain from my past took me to more medical doctors, hospitals and medication than I could list here. On the table, I connected with all of that in such a deep visceral way that the connection was made of what fuels this pain. I've probably always known this but the brain connections with my body have never been this strong until this point. And seeing just how far that anger went into the muscles of my shoulders and my low back was an amazing realization to connect with it as well.

In addition though, I knew that we didn't do a lot of "activity" on the table to get to this point where I got. Much of it was about letting go of the resistance and moving past the fear to allow myself to being open to this. Words that I've heard so many times and experienced so many times but they still tend to be a struggle for me. It isn't about doing as much as it is letting go of the resistance.

With everything that happened, my body was able to move into a deep place of peace for as Dr. Canali reminded me that as long as the anger resides within, there can be no peace. It is my reminder that instead of doing as I was taught of holding the anger in, I will find more peace by finding ways to let it go.

Akashic Records, My Notes - Chapter 1

These are my notes from the following chapter. For the entire context, please read the following chapter in "Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records by Kevin J. Todeschi"

Chapter 1
1) Karma is a sanskritt word that means work, deed or act or also it can mean "cause and effect".

2) According to Edgar Caycee, Karma is not about a debt that needs to be paid or a set of circumstances that must be encountered. It is simply patterns of memories. A pool of information from the past that the subconscious draws upon for the present. It has positive and negative parts to it.

3) Pg 11: In regards to Karma "To be sure, this subconscious memory has an effect and an influence upon how we think, how we react, what we choose, even how we look! But the component of free will is ever within our grasp."

4) Free will is always our choice. We may not always know where our thoughts originate or what experiences we have had but our choice in the present moment is ours. We have the free will to make whatever choice we so desire regardless of what we have been through in our past.

5) All people get to experience current situations that are based upon past or previous choices but what is important is how each person chooses to respond to the current situation. All experiences are for the opportunity of personal growth and awareness.

Your life is right now!

From Abraham Hicks Daily Quote 12/06/08

Your life is right now! It's not later! It's not in that time of retirement. It's not when the lover gets here. It's not when you've moved into the new house. It's not when you get the better job. Your life is right now. It will always be right now. You might as well decide to start enjoying your life right now, because it's not ever going to get better than right now--until it gets better right now!

http://www.abraham-hicks.com

How Music Can Change You

Here is a very good video with some good information on it as to how sounds can affect us. I'm not familiar with this artist but felt this information was good to share up here.

Reality Vs Reality

I'm often amazed these days at what the word "reality" means. At one time I understood the word to mean being real or the state of being real. Yet, today the word has been stretched to mean perceived to be real or perceived to in a state of being real. Notice the slight play on words there of the word perceived. The lines have now been blurred and so what is real today may not actually be real. Is that a bad thing? It all depends upon how you look at it and let me explain.

My mind is a very creative one in which I can create scenarios and story lines and images that are more colorful than any movie I have ever watched. I can do these in a quick moment without much though or hesitation. In fact, I live in a world of creativity and my mind is constantly engaged in creating all that is available to my mind. So am I living in reality when I do this? One could argue I am not but then on the other hand, I know that I am able to come back to reality or that which grounds me in current life. My creativity isjust one part of my life but to come back to a place of being grounded is where my life rests.

Throughout a day, I notice that there is a perceived reality around us. Whether it be through TV reality shows or "live news coverage" or the advertisements we watch in any given TV experience. All of these events are not reality no matter how many times the word "reality" or "real" is put out during these events. They are not reality no matter how many times the images suggest that what you are watching is just as real as if you were there yourself.

Take for example reality TV shows that we've all watched and most likely have heard from the participants after taping was over that what the viewer got to see was hardly reality. Or take the advertisements where the paid actors appear to be real life individuals proclaiming how much money they made or how much more beautiful and skinny they have become. Take the online internet forums where you interact and get to know other "screen names" thinking that you really know the person on the other side of the screen, when all you know is the screen name and what they type. While it is possible, these things could be real, often the images, words and scenarios you see are perceptions of reality but not really reality.

The examples could go on forever and if you take a moment in your day and observe these, you will see many more than I have even mentioned. Of course, one could ask is it wrong to engage in perceived reality around us in our every waking moment of the day. It all depends. Are you able to step back out of these perceptions and see them for what they are. No, I'm not saying that you can verbally say this but you can be very honest with yourself and see through the perceptions as they are being played out in front of you. At some point, our minds get so bombarded with these things that while we may be able to do this initially, we soon lose track of reality and begin replacing it with the perception of reality.

Maybe the moral of the story is we need to take the perception of reality in small doses and make sure we mix in with it true reality. True reality could include things like touching the earth, the plants, feeling the sun and the wind, hearing the birds and the nature sounds around us or just holding someone dear to us in our arms. For these things are the true essence of life and the perception of reality is but a momentary trek in to a world of creativity. If we keep both things in perspective and in balance, than our lives will be much more full and richer as a result.

The Reconnection by Dr. Eric Pearl

This has been a wonderful book that I've been reading. While I don't necessarily agree with all the premises that he makes in his book, he has a lot of wonderful insights that are not necessarily part of the general knowledge base in our society. Dr. Pearl went through a major transformation in his life which he details in the first half of the book and is interesting to read and understand. I'm sure there is a lot he didn't share and for my inquiring mind, I would have like to see more about how he actually developed that which he does. If you are interested in healing work of any kind or learning more about healing takes place, this is a good book to read. If nothing else, it will broaden your horizons and understanding about things which may seem foreign to you at this moment.

I feel like I need to make the point as well that this is just not about healing but the human evolution and growth in life. It is a spiritual path but note that I did not say a religious path. It is about becoming more aware of one's self and the role we play in the collective society of humankind.

Anyway, here's a few quotes from the book that I really liked.

1) Pg 109: When most people think about "healing," they focus on the notion of someone suffering from an ailment or injury who "gets better." But what does it mean to "get better?" Better than what? Better than they were at some moment in their past? Better than someone else is?

2) Pg 109: Healing as we often tend to think of it, may well be about the alleviation of symptoms, diseases, infirmities, and other noticeable hindrances to full functioning. Healing is also the restoration of the person to spiritual wholeness. In essence, healing is this: the release or removal of a block or interference that has kept us separate from the perfection of the universe. Yet healing is about our evolution, and also includes the evolutionary restructuring of our DNA and our reconnection to the universe on a new level.

3) Pg 132: Never is fear so insidious as when it cloaks itself in the guise of love. Fear is the only thing standing between you and anyone, you and anything.

4) Pg 133: We cannot come from love while we reinforce the concept of fear. As a culture we decorate our fears with rituals, and then we fool ourselves into thinking that these rituals are expressions of love. We diminish prayer when we use it for protection, for what are we using prayer and these other rituals to protect us from? Nothing more than the amorphous nature of our fears. We spend so much time protecting ourselves from something that doesn't exist, its no great wonder that we have so little time left over for what does.

5) Pg 209: If nothing seems to be happening during a session, it's either because you're trying too hard or the patient is.

6) Pg 209: People often ask if it's possible to use these energies for healing yourself. Of course it is. Self healing is very simple. Almost too simple. Just like distance healing, if you try to make it more complex, it will be less effective.

7) Pg 217: So don't interpret, don't analyzed. Just be. And know that you carry the gift of healing - in whatever form that may take.

8) Pg 219: People ask me if everyone has the ability to carry these frequencies and become a healer. My answer is, "Yes. Everyone can reach this level but eyes are blind. It is only a few who dare to open their eyes and often those who do are blinded by what they see."

For more information on Dr. Eric Pearl, www.TheReconnection.com

10 Things I’m Thankful For

1) That I’m taking care of myself more and more and really continuing to discover all there is about myself. No more do I go through life just as a human but as a human that is evolving.

2) Having a partner that cares so much about me, that loves me unconditionally and puts up with all my faults, heartaches, fears and quirks. I’ve never had that in my life until I met Jeff and I’m so thankful that we met and are spending our lives together as we just marked our 9 year anniversary.

3) Having a house that stayed dry through the hurricane and not losing everything we owned like many in our areas did.

4) Having a home which we just love and enjoy and gives us a nice quality of life.

5) Having two new kittens that are so adorable and fun to be around along with snuggles who is the ruler of the kittens and the house or so she thinks.

6) Getting enough income this year to make it through the year without completely falling on my face. In addition, I was able to make some purchases that I badly needed and had put off for many years.

7) A new president being elected who is down to earth, a common person and hopefully one that will truly be a President of the people. It is refreshing to see the President elect embrace those who are gay instead of bashing them and for that I am truly thankful.

8) All that is growing in my garden and the great vegetables that I get out of it.

9) The things that I as well as many others take for granted. Things that appear to be necessities when in fact they are luxuries. It wasn’t that long ago in my life that going to be on a full stomach was quite an accomplishment for a day.

10) Friends far and wide who I know in person or online, who have moved away or we moved away from them, for some that I speak to frequently and for some it feels more distant.



What are you thankful for?

Getting Through Those Trying Times

Sometimes in our lives, we endure some very difficult times. Things that we had planned for, hoped for and expected don't go as we thought they would. During those times, it can seem like one of the most darkest hours in life but when we frame these moments with perspective, it is then that we see, the road continues ahead. While the road may not be illuminated very far ahead of us, just knowing that it continues can bring a renewed sense of determination to our step. It gives us strength, energy and resolve to continue taking each one of our steps no matter how difficult they may be.

Of course once we get through these difficult moments that we may encounter in our lives, we are able to look back and see a beautiful sunset behind us instead of the dark stormy clouds that were hovering over us. Our minds may have momentary difficulty understanding why a place in our journey looked so dark and now it is filled with beautiful sunlight but as we progress down our journey, so to will we understand with a greater depth what blocked the sunlight from our view.

As we find ourselves under the dark stormy clouds on our path, let us not forget what all we have brought along in our journey for there is much that we carry with us. From the strength of the good times, to the courage of facing our fears we hold tight to the friendships, the love, and the never ending hope that no matter what comes our way, we will go on. So take all of the good times and the bad times that you carry with you and allow them to help illuminate your path ahead. For they are part of you just as you are part of them.

Take a moment to pause and reflect on all that is in your current path. While it may seem difficult and unending, know too that there is something that is trying to bring a greater awareness and knowledge into your life. It is an opportunity to grow and to prepare you for future steps along your path. It really is not the end of the world but most likely a beginning of another world for you. It can be an exciting time filled with intrigue, mystery and amazement. Be the observer and do not miss a single moment of all that surrounds you for there may be great discovery in just viewing it through the eye of the beholder.

Releasing Accumulated Stuff

I'm one of those people who pick a lot up when I'm around other people. Ever since I was a small child, I was always known as a very sensitive person. I can cry at just about any thing or any event that takes place. For a long time, I took on the label of being a cry baby put there by my father and as I learned as a child, being sensitive was not a good thing. That was until a few years back when I finally discovered, being sensitive is a good thing.

Since that discovery though, I have had to come to terms with being sensitive and not letting it completely rule and ruin my daily life. That's been a challenge for me to understand and while I have heard many people share many different ways to deal with this, most of them usually fell in to woo woo dust and landed on the floor. I can not say that I have completely figured it out but I have learned so many things that help me personally and I believe that this is what each person has to find out for themselves. What may work for one person, may not work for all and while there may be underlying themes to each solution, one must find their own solution.

In the spirit of me sharing what works for me, here are some of those solutions I've found.

1. I take time to be outdoors in the sun, among the trees and the birds feeling the wind against my face as I become one with all of these things in that moment. My focus is on connecting with each of these things seeing the shades and deep colors of the tree, the sky and the clouds while hearing as many individual sounds coming from the birds and the wind that I am able to pick up. As I do these things, I lose track of all that I am currently dragging around with me. It is a moment of refreshing time and a reorientation into what really matters in the day.

2. At times I just sit or stand picturing myself connecting to mother earth and it is as if my feet are growing roots that connect deep into mother earth knowing that no matter what hits me during the day or what I experience, that I am connected and grounded to the source that keeps me planted firmly on my path in life.

3. I have various music and meditations that I use at different times. Some of the music and meditations that I use are (including my own relaxing piano music that I create) :

• Don Shetterly - Relaxing Spa Music (Amazon)
• Don Shetterly - Focusing (Amazon)
• Don Shetterly - Dancing With Life (Amazon)
• Don Shetterly - Meditation Music: Healing Angels (Amazon)
• Doreen Virtue - Chakra Clearing (HayHouse.com)
• Jonathan Goldman - Holy Harmony (Amazon)
• Dik Darnell - Following The Circle (Amazon)
• Hemisync - Chakra Journey with the music of Thunderbolt (Hemisync.com)
• Epic Meditations - Guided Meditations (itunes)

4. Another thing I am using is a program called "Holosync" from the Centerpointe Institute. Holosync not only helps you achieve deep meditation but it also helps to balance the many aspects to your life. I've seen many positive results in my own life and feel it is well worth the money you pay for it. You can order a free demo CD at http://www.centerpointe.com/

5. Sometimes screaming can help me greatly but doing so in a very connected way to my body. Screaming alone may or may not help but when you connect it to your body in that deep awareness state, much can be released. One of the ways I do this is by going to my pool and working the water up in a swirl with my arms while I'm connecting my mind and body together. Than I scream as loud as I can as I'm putting my face in the water so no one basically hears me. And I just let it all out. I've done this in my vehicle as well and if you connect everything together, it will move some energy.

6. Getting body work of any kind done on me especially from those who know how to connect body work with the mind is powerful and very effective. We as a society do not do this enough and if we would, our physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health would greatly improve. While the various types of bodywork are numerous, find one that speaks to you and explore it. A couple that I enjoy are:

• Trager - Gentle, rocking movements that while feel very light to a person, the effects of this work go very deep into the subconscious and are much deeper than any massage can usually reach.
• Unified Therapy - Work created by Dr. Canali of the Evolutionary Healing Institute. It is life changing work and greatly helps to rid the body of stored energy thereby freeing your life up to be all that it can be and bringing about deep awareness to your every day life.

Of course there are so many other ways that one can relax, ground themselves and release accumulated stuff. I have just briefly touched on a few possibilities. If something works for you, please feel free to leave it and a link to more information in the comments.

Whatever you do, don't stop discovering yourself or becoming aware of all that you can be. For the more we know about ourselves the great our life's possibilities can be. The more we release all that we have stored within us, the more free we become which leads to greater health, greater awareness and a deeper peace.

Health Of Our Nervous System

Have you ever considered just how important the health of your nervous system is to you? It regulates so much in our present lives and it sets up conditions and events for the future of our body systems.

Most likely we have all heard about how outside events and influences can become energy trapped in our bodies. If this energy is not discharged from the body, it will continue to hold residence within the cells, nervous system and our brain. While it may not show any visible signs immediately, some event or trigger will eventually trigger the energy and stir it up like a tornado or hurricane stirs up the ground it passes over.

There are two parts to the Autonomic Nervous System. One is the sympathetic branch which takes over when you are going through stress, illness or injury. The parasympathetic branch is in control when you are relaxing, sleeping or in a state of stillness. It is often called the rest and repair state.

Both of these parts of our nervous system are important to our health. One without the other is an imbalance. However, if we stay “activated” in the stress side of our nervous system more than in the rest and repair state, our bodies are being continually broken down. We need the rest and repair to keep our bodies in a state of optimal health.

Consider this example: You are walking through the woods and a tiger begins to follow you. Your body will pick up a state of fear thereby bringing about an increased breathing rate, heart rate, and muscle tension while your digestion, immune system and other non critical systems slow down. As the danger builds, the more your body prepares to either fight or flee. It is completely biological. Then when the danger has subsided, your body begins to slow back down and your breathing may come back to normal, your heart rate will slow down and muscle tension will change from the fight or flight mode to a more relaxed state. This is how the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems work together.

The only thing is, if the energy of the “event” such as being followed by a tiger in the woods is still located within your cells and your brain, then it begins to take up residence. This one event may not be enough to even cause a long term reaction within you but if the event had a stronger emotional connection with you, then the effects of it would begin to build. As these events build up within your body, the energy is stored until you find a way to discharge it. And that stored energy is “potential energy”, which holds the opportunity to bring about true rest and repair in your body or hold you hostage into the future.

There is a National Geographic video of a polar bear that is shot by a tranquilizer gun so the researches could give it some aid that it needed. When the tranquilizer began to wear off, you saw the bear begin shaking violently. After the shaking stopped, you could witness the polar bear taking a deep breath and then another as his body sank down into a more restful state. The bear was discharging that energy which he had stored up from being chased and tranquilized. It was a healthy thing for the bear to do, and it was automatic because animals just know how to do this. It is normal for them.

So realize that while there are times for us to be in an alert mode and endure stress, that we need to find a calmness in our life and allow ourselves to have that time of meditation, rest and repair. Sometimes it involves removing the tigers of our past, our present and our future from our lives but when we do this, we give so much to ourselves.

For Those Difficult Moments

Often if we watch the news or we live in areas where destruction has occurred, many of us feel taken in by the suffering of others. We are compassionate beyond our responsibility as our hearts connect with those who have been affected. While we work hard to help those in need, we often feel like we just can not do enough.

I remember when my mom was killed in a car accident and I had people telling me, they just didn't know what to say or how to help. When in fact, the greatest gift they had given me was just letting me know they were there and that I had support. I wasn't alone! That very thought meant the world to me.

When we face those difficult times in our life, sometimes just the simple fact of knowing we're not walking this journey alone can make all the difference. It can give a boost to our hope, an injection of energy to our step and a tear to wash the pain away in our eyes.

So when you know people are facing difficult times around you, realize that there is only so much you can do. However, help in any way you can, keeping in mind that you also need to take care of yourself in the process. But know as well, that just by you being there for someone; even if it is to sit there in quiet stillness, you are giving so much more to them than you may know at that moment.

And if it feels like that still isn't enough, you can always send love and blessings from your heart to theirs. Their heart will receive it and it will be one of the purest forms of service, love and energy you could ever give to another traveler on this earth.

For The Heart

Since 1994, I've been a sponsor of Children International. I'm now sponsoring my second child and I feel very rewarded doing this. Every month or two, I get hand drawn/colored pictures and letters from my sponsored child. I try to write back to him as often as I can as well. I realize that maybe I didn't have the greatest time growing up but if I can just help one child somewhere, than maybe that helps make up for it. I'd love to go down and visit him in person but right now finances don't allow for that.

I can vouch for Children International because I've personally met other sponsors who do this and some that I've met, actually have traveled to see their sponsored child. A couple of years ago, I got the opportunity to meet and talk with a few of the individuals in Children International and I can attest to the fact that this is a good organization. If it wasn't, I would not be a sponsor as long as I have been.

One thing about Children International is that they try to do the best and the most with the money that you send. They work hard at getting the parents of the sponsored children involved so that their efforts are multiplied many times over. They try to teach and educate the parents of the sponsored children basic living techniques that will help give the child and the community a better way of life. And they do practical things for the child trying not to waste any of the money that has been donated. They really seem to have their priorities straight and they do make a difference.

It always warms my heart up so much when I get letters from my adopted child and see pictures of him as well as the little colorings and drawings that he sends me.

Here's my page about this organization and hopefully you can take a moment, check it out and see what your heart says. You'll see a picture of Erick, my sponsored child, on the page as well. http://www.liftoneproject.org/goto/donshetterly

Last Minute - Mother's Day Gift Idea

How about a CD of beautiful and relaxing music for Mom on Mother's Day?

Download it on iTunes in a matter of moments
- burn it to a CD
- create some pretty artwork
- make your mom proud!


An ideal way to say I love you Mom!

Relaxing Spa Music:  Mothers Day




If the link doesn't work, just search Amazon on my name "Don Shetterly" and you'll find not only my Mother's Day CD but all of my wonderful music I've created!

For The New Year

As said in the movie “What The Bleep Do We Know”

From: http://www.whatthebleep.com/create/


I Create My Day

The most often referenced interview in the film is Dr. Joe Dispenza's comments on creating his day. In response to the numerous requests, the following is the transcript of that part of the interview.

"I wake up in the morning and I consciously create my day the way I want it to happen. Now sometimes, because my mind is examining all the things that I need to get done, it takes me a little bit to settle down and get to the point of where I'm actually intentionally creating my day. But here's the thing: When I create my day and out of nowhere little things happen that are so unexplainable, I know that they are the process or the result of my creation. And the more I do that, the more I build a neural net in my brain that I accept that that's possible. (This) gives me the power and the incentive to do it the next day.