Wild Goose Chase

So you all know how I LOVE to try new things....things that interest me, mystical things, supernatural things, un-explainable things....things I don't understand, but want to...I'm always keeping my eyes and ears open for new opportunity to learn, explore and to experience various things in life, and this past weekend, I was so excited to take part in a Meditation clinic at our local Martial Art's Center in Delphos:  Lear's Martial Arts.

I saw it posted on their facebook page and I thought, "I've always been interested in learning to meditate...I want to go check that out!"  And so I did.  I was prepared for a day of sitting on a giant pillow, drifting in and out of various states of consciousness...You know, like this:

{I'm in this crowd somewhere}

However, what I hadn't anticipated was I was also going to be taught a "meditation in motion" type of practice, which looks like this:

This being only ONE of the moves out of the 64 moves this particular sequence contains.

It's aptly named "The First 64"....

This Guy: {the one in black}...

Told us that "this might not be for everyone...and it might not be for you "right now", "some of you may be saying to yourself, I'm so never doing this again after I walk out of this camp!"

To be honest, imagining myself in my living room doing the forms that I had learned didn't seem like anything I would EVER do on my own....First Jerimy (my husband) would have me committed as being totally insane (Not going to lie, you DO look mildly insane to anyone who's not used to seeing something like this before)...anyhoo, so at the end of the day that started at 10 a.m. and went until 5:00 p.m. on a rainy day in Delphos, Ohio....I was thinking...what on earth did I get myself into!

*laughing to myself*

I like to also be able to laugh at myself when I do get myself into strange scenarios that I never see coming.  Learning Wild Goose Qigong being one of those kind of off the wall scenarios that I never thought I'd know anything about!

So after a long day, I went home, made Jerimy and I a bowl of Chicken Corn Chowder soup, watched an episode of Narcos on Netflix and called it an early night.

As it turns out Wild Goose Qigong really takes it out of you!

Surprisingly though NONE of the moves we were taught were strenuous physically, you found yourself heating up like a oven from the inside out.  One  minute I was wearing pants and a hooded sweatshirt, the next shorts & a T-shirt.  I was cooking.  That being just an interesting observation from the day.

The next day I had "Open Houses" to do all day for my Real Estate Career and a work meeting prior to.  I generally have found that on beautiful days like yesterday.....sunny, mildly warm...I'd rather be doing ANYTHING than sitting at an open  house, hoping that someone comes.  It's very much like being in school...staring out the window, counting down the minutes until recess.

Lately, I've found that even though I hide it well, I felt kind really grumpy about having to get up, spend my entire Sunday sitting inside someone else's house on such a beautiful day.

Not yesterday.

I woke up EARLY ( I never do that)

I got a shower and dressed and ready to go...I even did my hair with plenty of time to spare.

I printed out my info sheets for my listings

I even had time to grab breakfast before my 10:30 a.m. meeting!

I felt um, strangely "happy" and "light"...and "restored"....those are the only words I can think to really describe the feeling.  My neck didn't hurt, my back didn't hurt, I wasn't stiff anywhere or hurting anywhere in my body like so often I am due to that car accident several years ago that has never allowed me to feel 100% since.

No headache, no brain fog, no tiredness, no TMJ pain, no mopey spirit, I was smiling and had no idea why...and all I could think was: 

"OH SHIT, It's the QIGONG!  

DAMNIT, NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP DOING IT!!"

 "I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WILD GOOSE IT ALL OVER MY LIVING ROOM NOW!"

"DANG YOU SHANE LEAR!!" 

I said with a laugh to myself while fake mocking waving my fist in the air as if he could somehow hear or see me doings so.  The funny thing was, in the state I was in, I was absolutely INcabable of being angry or discontented in that moment.  I felt lighter than I've felt in two years I bet.  That's no exaggeration either.

I opened myself up, and with a "MIGHTY YET SILENT SWOOSH"....I was filled up with something I don't necessarily understand, I surely hadn't anticipated it but there is something to it...there's something there...and this coming from someone who was thinking to myself all day during class..."you want me to do what with my arms?"

I have an open mind, I do.  I took this class not knowing exactly what to expect, and I got the unexpected.  I never once thought to myself "this is hooey" OR "OMG, this is the divine answer to all of life's problems" either.  This is just my honest opinion about my experience.  I challenge you all to get out and try something new, something to expand your mind, or something that allows you to get in touch with your spiritual side....I'm telling you, you never know when you might stumble over something amazing.

xoxoxo

Your Light as a Feather Friend,

~Heather~

Writer Porn:

Does anyone else get hot and bothered by this photo?  Or is it just me?

What I wouldn't give to have floor to ceiling book cases!  *drools*

Finding Zen: & Explanation that I owe:

Once upon a time, in what seems like a million years ago...there was this girl, and she liked to write, and writing made her happy and it fed her soul to do it.

Then, LIFE sucked all the joy out of the girl, and left her shallow, sullen, without joy or peace and in a state that the mirror's reflection would scare even the bravest soul.

How did I get here, where did it all go wrong?  How does one lose themselves so completely?

Like a sinking ship, it started out as just a small leak....nothing that could take down a mighty vessel.

But then the small crack cracked more, and the small leak became a constant trickle that began to puddle and pool.

Before you even send someone to address the situation, things spiral and by the time you do, you are now wading through the murky water to even see where the leak is and what caused it.

By the time you know what hit you, you're at the bottom of the ocean, desolate, rusty, and your insides are under so much pressure you fear if you tried to rise to the top again, you'd implode.

Where joy once resided, fear as inhabited.  Where pleasure flourished, anxiety has washed away.  The heart and soul of your ship, has sunk....and the next thing you know, your lower back is killing you and you by chance wind up on the table of an unfamiliar chiropractor table, with a guy you don't know, poking and prodding around you being told that your "sacral shakra" is blocked, your gallblatter's energy can't get out your feet...which is why my feet have been killing me....and my TMJ is caused by harboring ill feelings or feelings of revenge towards someone.

This holistic enthusiast who was examining me told me as the song "Walking on Sunshine" played in the background to do some research on Sacral Shakra and "it will explain so much".

Now before you say "what kind of vodoo doctor are you going to?"  let me say that while I'm a fairly level headed 37 year old woman....I love the idea of the unknown.  I revel in it to be exact.  Mystical things you hear about in books or old wives tales, theories about engergy and the power of the mind....these things are intriguing.  Am I going to join a cult and drink the kool-aid...NO.  But my mind is an open meadow...and I invite new ideas and theories in for a romp.

I did my research and discovered the symptoms of a blocked Sacral Shakra and they are as follows:

Do any of these symptoms sound familiar?

• horrible PMS, painful cramps or miserable perimenopausal symptoms
• infertility struggles
• low back pain
• sciatica pain
• chronic fatigue or loss of joyful energy
• lack of motivation
• a feeling of “spinning your wheels”
• issues with guilt
• over indulgence or spending money to lift your mood
• inability to orgasm or decreased libido

Any of those sound familiar?

Why can't I find the ending to my next book?  Why am I so tired, unmotivated and laughing so much less than I once had?

One of my favorite quotes is from the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" and it is the following:  

And you know, it's funny, I hadn't admitted to myself just how "stressed out" and how "un-creative" and "de-smiley" I've been until it was brought to my attention.  I haven't had any super creative thoughts that turn to Facebook posts to make others laugh along with me....I haven't written here or ANYWHERE for an eternity, and the sheer essence of me, has just escaped me.  Why did I need a guy whom I've never met, who happened to be rubbing my feet giving me a look of concern by something my feet were communicating to him...to be the one to tell me I wasn't happy on the inside.  That I needed to "stop and smell the roses"  That's what he said.  "Girl you need to stop and smell the roses, enjoy life!" and you know, he's absolutely right, somewhere along the way, my wonder snuck out like a thief in the night....my smile crept behind and remains hidden by a furrowed brow, and my inner peace was kidnapped by the stressors of day to day life.

Who the hell am I?  I don't want to be a "grown-up"...I don't want my inner child to die a slow and miserable death, damnit!  I like that girl, she's awesome and she makes me smile....and like want to skip every now and again for no apparent reason.  No. no. no. no. no!  I won't give up without a fight.

I was stressed about the wedding, now that's over.  I was stressed about money...that's getting a wee bit better, I was stressed about work....so I'm listening to "ZEN" water and bird music as I type this and I've picked up my yoga practice again.  I've been reading and researching and just being generally introspective, because if we don't look out for our own selves, who is going to?

Worry, stress, strife, being a grown up will kill you...and I'm making a conscious effort to find my way back to center.

In my quest for further mind expansion and knowledge of my own inner workings, I've enrolled myself in Lear's Martial Arts Academy's:   Dayan Arts Camp.  I'm going to learn how to meditate!

So for those of you who think I died, fell off the face of the earth or have been kidnapped by Russian Spies to be held for ransom....no such luck...I'm a live....just not as "well" as I'd like to be.

I'm going to stop and smell the damned roses, and I'm going to do it if it kills me!

Also, it's time (I think) to let go of things (physical things)....I'm starting to think that an accumulation of "things" weighs on us just like worry.  So last night, in a mad desire for change, I threw out 2.5 large black garbage bags of clothes.  Well I'll take them to good will anyway....no sense in tossing something someone ELSE can benefit from.  Going to try to cleanse this stressful anxiety filled life for something better.  I'm going to hug my husband more, I'm going to smile even if I don't feel like it, and I will find my way back to me.

I'm so looking forward to feeling light again.

Lastly, as for my TMJ;

I promised a certain someone I would not just write, but write to release that which holds me back and dampens my spark...Here goes:

God, Please allow me to not feel the animosity of others around me;

allow me the freedom to be me without their influence or opinion

God grant me the strength to love someone who doesn't love me, or even possibly themselves

let me be kind in the face of cruel and keep my eyes open to those in need

Let me release misconceptions I've contrived to explain the unknown

and to breath deep and feel the release from the grip of negative thoughts and emotions.

God let me not worry, let me revel in faith and trust and love.

Amen.

June Flooding - 2015

Never in my 37 years have I seen flooding like this in our area, the rain just keeps on coming!

Here's a compilation of all the facebook photos I've seen submitted on my Friends' pages, thought I'd put them all there in one place so they could be viewed a little easier!

If you're the religious type, pray it stops raining!

I don't think we can take much more of this....

In fact, I know we can't.

Ulm's #1

My Friend Matt's Truck

309 by Lima News - Taken by my friend Jen

My Friend Tonia's View from her house back in the housing area 

behind the Dairy King in Lima

Matt's Picnic Table

 My friend Matt's new mode of transportation

 Matt's house

 Well, if you can't leave to get dinner, might as well catch some

FISH swimming in the front yard at Matt's

7".....What the???!??!??!?!

C'mon Mother Nature, we need a friggin break!

Knippen Chrysler, Delphos Corner of SR 66 & 5th Street (Lincoln Hwy)

My Friend Tony's Basement. :(

Near Waterworks Park

Ulm's #1

Mox's Nursery Just West of Delphos on Lincoln Hwy

Water Rescue

Lima

South Bredeick Street

My Friend Sheri's House/Barn

Delphos Mobile Home Park Next to Canal

Water Rescue

From the Allen County Engineer's Office - Grubb Road:

When you can't cry, moan or bitch anymore, best just to try to find some humor....