My friend Carol's having a sale!

It was just over a year ago that my husband and I started making weekly treks to Carol Tuttle's home for Rapid Eye sessions. We had read her book, Remembering Wholeness, and had already begun to see there was more available in life than we were getting. We were now ready for big shifts in our lives. We have since attended numerous seminars of Carol's and own nearly everything she sells. We pop in one of her CDs quite frequently to remind ourselves that we always have choices and can choose to live in joy. Her materials are very helpful to our family.

Carol is having a holiday special right now. Nearly eveything she sells is 20% off, and if you spend a certain amount she's throwing in a set of DVDs called Becoming a Vibrant Human Being: Learning, Living and Creating from Your Chakras (worth $199). I own this set and find it very informative and helpful.

She also offers a "bundle" called The Whole Kit and Kaboodle. This is a great deal (40% off of what you'd pay if you bought everything individually) and is really quite a steal with the additional 20% taken off.

She sells numerous CDs of live presentations she's given. One in particular that might be of interest right now is Unplug the Christmas Machine. I have found this CD very enlightening and have implemented a number of her ideas for simplifying the holidays.

If you're ready for some changes in your life experience, Carol Tuttle is a wonderful place to start or to continue if you're already on the path. She teaches how to live in greater joy and practices what she preaches.

Click here to go to Carol's website, then click on "store" in the left-hand corner and you'll be well on your way. It's a terrific way to make not only the season, but life, brighter. You can take our word for it!

InJoy,
Cristi

"I'm stuck!"

Sometimes I just feel stuck. Stuck emotionally, stuck financially, stuck with ill health, etc. Here it is a month or so before Christmas, and I'm teetering on the verge of stuckness. Time to take a look at what's going on.

It's pretty usual about now for the ol' Itty Bitty Icky Committee to start reminding me how I hate crowded parking lots, longs lines in stores, the calendar all clogged up with places I need to be even if they're things I want to attend. "You're going to be all stressed. You have to do so much more than the usual. How will you ever get it all done? There are so many people in your way, you'll just get stuck."

Am I really stuck? Only if I choose to think that way! Something I've learned through my Rapid Eye training is that most of our emotions are a throw-back to our birth experience. We call it birth energy. When someone uses the word stuck, or trapped, it was likely first felt during the birth process, specifically in the birth canal. Being able to identify the feeling and then understand where it originated can be most helpful.

Because of this important connection, the very first session we do in Rapid Eye is to clear birth energy. We assist the client in releasing much of the negative emotion attached to that experience, although it usually releases in layers as time goes on. Releasing a nice layer of those emotions can have a profound effect and a feeling of freedom.

Ah, that's it! The feeling of freedom. That's what I want instead of feeling stuck. And for starters, I decided I wanted to do something on the physical level. So today I embarked on a 3 day cleanse, following the guidelines of Dr. John Christopher and the School of Natural Healing. It's a fairly simple program, and it'll keep me very close to home and the porcelain throne. But that's okay. One of the reasons that works out so well is that I am spending a good portion of my day finding great deals online where I'm not jockeying for a parking slot and looking for the fastest checker.

Ah, freedom! It's what we create it to be.

InJoy!
Cristi

P.S. I'll address more on emotional freedom and holiday stress busting techniques over the next few days.

The Energy of Love

I worked long and hard, and it really turned out nice. I should sew a little more often because I get a lot of satisfaction when all is said and done. This time I was making a tiny little outfit for my new grandson, Nolan, who was being blessed at church today.

There's something to be said about the energy of love. We live in a busy world where everything is going at break-neck speed, and sometimes we forget to slow down and put some love into life. I was reading in the Harmony Earth Energy Diet about how food has a consciousness, and when we prepare our food with love it has a different vibration than something prepared in a factory or quickly thrown into the microwave.

As I sat at my sewing table for the second day straight while stitching tiny little sleeves onto a miniature bodice, I found myself thinking very briefly, "It would be so much easier to just buy one of these!" I then recalled the thoughts I had recently read and realized that this was a gift that truly carried the energy of love. Grandmother love.

As I dressed little Nolan before the church service, I knew he felt loved. Yes, he's little. Too little to say, "Nana, do you love me?" However, I am certain he knows the vibration of love, and he was surrounded in it today, not only because of all of the supportive friends and relatives that came to witness his blessing, but also because the cozy soft suit enveloping him vibrated with love and devotion.

I want to take more time to weave the energy of love into my life. I'm not saying that everything must be handmade or it doesn't count. I'm done with that phase and I enjoy choosing things off the rack, shelf, and menu now and again. I am saying that I want to be more conscious of my daily acts. I want to prepare food that carries the energy of love and gratitude. I want to purchase simple things that deliver love and meaning. And I want to slow down and be more considerate of what's coming my way that vibrates love from others and from my God.

It might be easy at this busy season to forget what I'm really after. But this year I choose to be more conscious and focus on the message I'm wishing to send, and the meaning I can choose to receive. That's what feels like joy to me!

InJoy,
Cristi

P.S. Click on "comments" and share with me the ways you weave the energy of love into your life. We have a lot to learn from one another. I'm all ears!

An Abundance of Blessings

I can't let Thanksgiving slip by without expressing my sincere thanks and gratitude. The more I focus on my blessings, the more blessed I really am. Here's a few that are at the forefront of my thoughts:

My immediate family
My extended family
My friends and clients
My great neighbors
My freedom
My home with all it's comforts
My pets
My exposure to a higher consciousness
My reliable car
The beautiful mountains
Gorgeous sunsets
A prophet
The written word of God
Beautiful music
My good health
Those who have gone before me to pave the way

Of course I could keep going for a very long time. But that's enough for now. I can start another list tomorrow, and another one the next day. Being in gratitude just raises your vibration, and the higher your vibration, the more grateful you feel. It's a wonderful cycle to be in. I'm blessed, and that's all there is to it!

InJoy & gratitude,
Cristi

"I'm So Disappointed" - Time to Switch That!

My hiatus has ended. I'm back from my little funk. I've been battling a really nasty sinus infection, and I somehow let it take hold of both me and my life. I've spent a good deal of time reading up on the emotions behind sinus troubles, and my husband did a little EFT session with me on some of them yesterday. I'd been stuck. Stuck physically in that my sinuses were no longer draining, thus infection was setting in, and stuck emotionally as well. When we were able to tap through some of my "stuck" emotions, amazingly enough my sinuses instanstly began to drain again and my ears were no longer as plugged up. Hand over the box of Kleenex!

It's a wonderful thing when we can be honest about what we're really feeling inside. I was having issues with disappointment. In fact, I was making a joke about my own version of Christopher Westra's websites (I Create Harmony, I Create Joy, etc.), mine being I Create Disappointment. In a number of areas in my life, I was feeling disappointed. With myself, with my family, with the people that wouldn't call me back with inforamtion I needed to move forward on a project, and on and on and on. Sounds silly, doesn't it? Why would I want to keep creating disappointment? Well, because we humans are a funny lot. We like to be right, and when we have a belief inside (whether consicous or not), we want to be right about it. I apparently have a belief that people disappointment me, and I want to be right about my belief.

If you have an understanding of the Law of Attraction (i.e., the law of the harvest), then you know that whatever beliefs you hold inside are what you're attracting into your life. Not sure what those beliefs are? Just look at your life and what's showing up for you, and you'll understand your beliefs! And because we're so good at attracting what we believe, and it's showing up, we get to be right and give ourselves a little "fix" over it. "Yep, see, I was right about that." And we take that as feeling better. But does it really feel better?

So what if we don't want to be right about things like disappointment? What do we do? On a conscious level, of course I don't want disappointment in my life. But because I keep experiencing the emotion over and over, I know on a subconscious level that I believe it's important for me to be disappointed. So, there's a little Aha! that I can take and deal with.

The first step, of course, is identifying what's going on and being accountable for it. Is it everyone else's fault that I'm disappointed? I used to think that, but not anymore. I choose to be disappointed. And because I really don't want to keep re-creating disappointment, I'm willing to go deep inside and let myself feel what it is I'm disappointed over. Tuning in to that is sometimes painful, but it gives me the necessary emotional feedback so that I can be in a place to get the emotions to shift.

The next step is choosing what method to clear the negative emotions out of my system and clean up my energy fields. This is where the handy-dandy tools of energy work come in. When my daughter, Amy, was around and not off serving a mission in New Jersey, she used to assist me in cleaning up my "stuff" with her Rapid Eye skills. It works amazingly quick and I always feel 100% better within a number of minutes. When I'm on my own, I turn to EFT and tap out my negative feelings. I find it slower yet effective if I am willing to be perfectly honest with myself. You can tap out all kinds of negative energy, including physical symptoms of pain, as well as emotions of any kind.

I know there are other methods out there for releasing negative emotions, but these just happen to be the ones I'm familiar with and have had good experiences with. If you feel inadequate in your abilities to deal with your own "stuff", or have a hard time identifying your beliefs, there are lots of folks trained to assist. And, one of the easiest ways of all to expose yourself to tapping with EFT is to go to Carol Tuttle's website and sign up for her healing center. She pops right up on your computer screen and leads you through tapping sessions on just about any subject you can imagine, from anger to low self esteem, from abuse to eating disorders. You just choose from the menu.

There are several benefits of doing EFT in this way. First, you don't have to think very hard. If you're feeling cranky and you don't want to sit and tune into your own emotions and give yourself a session, you can just click on something and start tapping along. You'll feel better pretty quick that way. And, you'll learn the ropes. Carol does her own version of EFT, which I see as a combination of her Rapid Eye and EFT training. It's very effective.

When you sign up for the healing center, you also get Carol's bestselling book and a set of CDs on the art of manifesting. It's worth a look!

In Joy,
Cristi

Happy Birthday, Cowboy!

It was fall, just 31 years ago, that I met Mike. He showed up at an early morning religion class that I was taking. It was 6 a.m. to be exact. Now if a 15 year old girl can look attractive at 6 a.m., then there has to be more to it than just surfacey stuff. And if a city girl can fall for a curly-topped red head who was "just a cowboy," according to her sister, Colette, then there must have been something deeper going on.

The truth is, we fell in love through the U.S. Postal Service. He actually lived about 70 miles away but had been staying with his good friend, Tom, who happened to be in the same religion class as me. Mike was on the brink of turning 18 and I was a young sophomore in high school. We didn't have cell phones or email, and long distance phone calls were very expensive, so we wrote letters. Scads of them.

The mailbox at my parents' home was down the lane, aways from the house. I would make the little trek to check it multiple times a day to see if there was another letter for me. We shared our thoughts, dreams, and deepest feelings on the lines of those pages. The funny thing is that when we actually got to spend a little time together, we hardly knew what to say! We both like to write and that was just easier somehow.

The next year, when I was all of age 16, he left for Ohio on a two year mission for our church. The only contact we had for that two years was a couple of phone calls and lots and lots of letters. Eventually I went off to college, but the letter writing never ceased. We have shoe boxes stuffed with our love letters. They're our treasures even though our girls might laugh themselves silly over our gushy expressions of love.

Lest this sound like a perfect little life, let me say that we've had our share of tough times. During a particularly horrible period of illness for me a few years back, I got a chance to take a look at what he was really made of. I would tell people, "This is when you get to see someone's true colors, and his are pure white. Wanna know why? Because he's an angel." He may be a part time cowboy, but back then he was a full time husband and father that took wonderful care of me, the kids, and our home. He got some help from family and friends, too, but it was rough going and the stress was nearly palpable. But he did not complain.

It was due to his inspiration and devotion that I still have the chance of learning and growing on this earth. He was the one that knew we needed to make a move, and he was willing to walk away from the beautiful acreage we lived on, the dreams he had for corrals and more horses, a huge garden, and life in the peaceful countryside. He listened carefully when God let him know that if we would relocate that his wife would finally get well. I am eternally indebted to him for heeding that message.

Our life was good, and we were getting by, but we wanted more. Together we have been on a journey of discovery and learning, and we're seeing some nice results. We are living in more consciousness now, aware of what we're creating for ourselves with our thoughts and words. Nothing slips by anyone in our home anymore. You just can't get away with complaining or negativity, because inevitably a family member will say, "Is that what you want more of?" We're learning together, and it's a fantastic journey.

So, from deep within my soul, I say "Happy Birthday" to the man I have loved for 31 years. Thank you for being my best teacher, my closest friend, and my partner through thick and thin. You've done well for yourself, and I know there's some pretty wonderful things still on the horizon. Even so, I'm glad you've chosen to live in joy now!

May God continue to walk with you as He has these 49 years.

InJoy and love,
Cristi

Sorry! I Scraped Your Fender . . .

A couple of weeks ago I was out doing a little shopping. I had several places I needed to stop, and I wasn't really in a hurry. My dog, Riley, likes to come along, and I take him when the weather is decent for leaving a dog inside a car. So off we go, me and Riley, and head to the grocery store. I purchased what I needed and then realized that I should have stopped there last, because Riley has a little bit of a bad habit of getting into groceries while no one is in the car to stop him. In fact, two years or so ago he gnawed on a frozen solid turkey that I had purchased to donate to a food bank. Silly dog. All it did was make him sick from swallowing the plastic. You'd think he'd learn, but no, he's just a dog.

Anyhow, back to Macey's grocery store. Well, actually, back to the parking lot where I unloaded my sacks into the back of my van where I thought they had the best chance of surviving because it's a long ways over and down from the back seat to the floor. He'd really have to be desparate. And like a good citizen, I push my now empty cart to the clever little cart corral, congratulating myself on being a model of responsiblity, and head back to the car.

Next stop? The fabric store. I get about half way there and realize I don't have my wallet/planner/purse deal alongside me on the seat. Huh? Where was it then? Certainly I couldn't have left it in the cart! I would have seen it. It's not little, it's good-sized! Uh oh, better head back there. And prayers are quickly flying up towards heaven that some kind soul found it and turned it in.

I pull into the lot and scan the carts in the corral. Empty. All of them. My heart's starting to pound a little harder because I know what a huge hassle it is to have to call everywhere and cancel all of the cards and get a new driver's license, and what about the money? I like money.
No one really has a right to my money, even if it was only 3 paper ones and a handful of change. It's mine!

I park my van and remind Riley that if he values his life, he'll stay out of the cargo area and keep his fangs to himself. I walk empty-handed into the store and march right over to the customer service counter with an air of confidence because now I'm "acting" on the outside and pleading on the inside. "Uh, did anyone happen to turn in a wallet?" Both ladies swing their heads around and look me over. Yes, I know. It's completely irresponsible to have left it in the cart, not to mention stupid. No matter. I have business to take care of and I'm hoping for the right answer. "What's your name?" My name? I was prepared to say, "It's a medium brown color with mauve trim. Very nice. I got it at the Franklin store last spring and it wasn't cheap, let me tell you!" Instead I say, "Cristi" and they smile, hand it over, and tell me they've just spoken with my husband about how it's sitting there at customer service.

I'm relieved and embarassed at the same time. I gratefully take it from them and head to the car while punching the buttons on my cell phone to tell Mike that I had retrieved it. He'd conveniently left me a message on my cell phone, which had been conveniently tucked inside the wallet, to let me know Macey's had called and that they had conveninetly held my wallet at customer service. Oh, brother.

So, after checking the dog's breath to make sure he hadn't found any delectables, I headed once again towards the fabric store. It's conveniently located about 3 minutes away from Macey's. And, boy, that parking lot was full today. All those women getting last minute supplies to make sure their children look fantastic on Halloween. But I spied a narrow empty spot not far from the door and swung my van around to slide in. I'm quite careful when it comes to making turns in parking spots because I'm just very cautious, that's all. So I'm going really slow when I realize that the car next to me is rocking a little bit. What's up with that? I keep going and realize that it's ME that's making that car rock. Uh oh! Do I back out or finish pulling in? It's really a tight squeeze here.

I decide just to finish pulling forward and put it in park. I hop out and walk around to find a nice long scrape on the fender of the neighboring car. Ooooops! That doesn't look good at all. And that, right there, was the moment of truth.

We've lived in Utah for more than 3 years now. I've found it to be an interesting thing when it comes to cars in parking lots. We've had more dings, scrapes, and dents show up here than all of the 20 plus years we lived in Oregon put together. And not once has anyone left us a note confessing their little misdeed. That's been a curiosity to me. And now look what I've done!

This is when the mental battle began. No one was out in the parking lot. Of course not because they're all inside getting what they need for their little ghosts and witches. I could very easily climb right back into the car and get the heck out of there, and who would ever know? I mean, really, look at all of the times this was done to us, and there must be people crusing through life knowing they dented our van and never 'fessed up. Hmmm. That's pretty tempting because this is really embarrassing.

Well, what to do? I go into the fabric store, somehow thinking I'll bump right into the car's owner and say, "Oh, I just gave your car this little teeny scrape. It's nothing. But I thought I'd just mention it," and off I'd go feeling right with the world. Instead, I paid for my little strip of black Velcro and headed out to the parking lot. Sure enough, there sat the car with the big long scrape and my moment of truth is now staring me right in the face.

What's Mike going to say? What's this going to cost? Is the car's owner going to rip me up one side and down the other because I was careless while parking? Doesn't really matter. It's integrity that counts, so I find the pad of Post-It notes that are conveniently placed between the front seats, and I make my confession and give my number. Quick! Stick it to the window before temptation takes over and you change your mind.

Off I drive, deciding to skip my other stops and just head home where there's a nice wide parking spot right in front of the house. I like that. But it's time to tell Mike what I've done and I don't like that. But I do it. And he's nice, and says that it probably was just a long smudge of black from what's under our silver paint. Oh, good. That's what I was hoping.

Later that afternoon I load the dog once again and retrieve my daughter from school. On the way home I glance over my shoulder to change lanes, signal and begin my manuever. BEEP BEEP BEEP! Oh, didn't see that car. It must have been behind the dog, and I nearly pulled right into it. Time to go home and stay put. Like Alexander, I was having a no good, very bad day.

No phone call about the scrape before bedtime, but the next day it comes. I recognize her voice - she's an employee at the store. It was mostly just black smudge, but there are four little scratches in the paint. She'll get an estimate and let me know. At least I didn't get yelled at, she didn't swear, and I didn't even wet my pants. That's good.

What's not so good is that the repair bill is a mere $500! Ouch!!! That's quite the price tag for being honest, but it's worth it. I don't have to live with the guilt, knowing that I really wouldn't have been the only one who knew. Knowing that my moment of testing had arrived and I'd failed. Nope. That would be worse than a no good, very bad day. That would be a no good, very bad life I think. And I don't want any part of it.

Now I'm even more cautious than ever when parking my van. I choose parking spaces that are a little further away where I have lots of space on all sides. I double-check my cart to make sure there's nothing left behind, and I look 3 or 4 times before scooting over into the neighboring lane. But my integrity is intact.
There's joy in that last statement. I choose to focus on that from now on.

InJoy,
Cristi

Quitting or Choosing Again

Way back in the olden days, when I was in high school, I was a do or die kind of girl. I had this silly idea in my head that if I couldn't be the absolute best at something then I wouldn't bother doing it at all. Sure did limit my fun.

I'm tall with long legs (can't really tell from my mug shot, can you?) I wasn't much for anything that required endurance, but I was fast. In middle school I always won a blue ribbon for the 50 yd. dash and any other sprint-type races that I entered. When I got to high school, my really great P.E. teacher, Mr. Lyons, just so happened to be the track coach. One day, after breaking some school records during class, Mr. Lyons said to me, "Cristi, why don't you go out for the track team?" Uh, er, why would I want to do that? What if I didn't win first place every time I entered an event? Wouldn't look or feel so good to me. "No, I'm way too busy for that."

The truth is, that was a perfectionist program I was running. Have to be the best to prove I'm worth something. But, hey, I'm done with that. I learned all about my "programs", why I needed them, and then cleared them out during my Rapid Eye sessions, and now I'm having a lot more fun and excelling if I choose to in whatever interests me. No pressure from the Itty Bitty Icky Committee anymore.

So, now to my confession. Way back on September 1st, my husband and I started the Body for LIFE program. He'd been reading about it and considering it for months, but I didn't know much about it, although I figured we'd both be more successful if we were doing it together. I was ready for a change and there was a $50K prize attached. I like money. So I signed up.

It took me a week or two to figure out exactly what I was doing, but that was okay. I did the daily fitness routines faithfully and logged every morsel I put into my mouth. By Thanksgiving, which was the day we were to finish, I was going to be fit and lean and feeling great. No doubt about it. Until about 3 weeks ago when I realized it wasn't working for me. So I quit.

Oops. That doesn't quite go with the perfectionist program thing. Quit? You've GOT to be kidding! What was I thinking? I'm no quitter. I'd committed myself. You don't just quit, but I did.

Truth be told, I was thinking very clearly. And I remembered, "I can choose again!" I analyzed my situation, which was this. I was really fighting the food program because it didn't feel right for me. I was required to eat 6 servings of protein a day, and it was too much for my system. And my stomach wasn't happy with the required supplements. I kept telling myself, "Just do it. You can endure this until Thanksgiving." But deep down inside, I was really unhappy and I hated logging my foods because I was miserable over it. I did enjoy the fitness part, even if we didn't get to it until 11:30 at night! Oh, I didn't want to let my husband down; we were in this together. We were champions, and we were a team. The program is working wonders for him (see his version of the story on his blog); he's looking and feeling terrific, but I knew I wanted something different. Something that inspired me. So I forgave myself for quitting, and I'm making another choice.

I've learned to keep my ears, eyes, and heart open to whatever messages are heading my way. For some reason, likely because God is so good to me, a discussion started on one of the online groups that I belong to. The name Christopher Westra surfaced, and the comments about him were a second witness after my husband's thoughts (who had attended a workshop Chris spoke at) that he was a pretty wonderful guy and he had a lot of good things going. There was talk of a new book he had out about eating and health, and my interest was piqued.

But hold on a second! It's holiday season. Really bad time to make a change (if that's what you choose to believe!). What about all of the mashed potatoes and plates of goodies the neighbors bring? Maybe waiting until January is best. When I can think again. But really now, do I want to go through another holiday season feeling like a car careening down the steep hill with it's steering malfunctioning? On Thanksgiving, just hand over the pumpkin pie and no one will get hurt. At the recital, I'll have just one double chocolate brownie; and seven little cookies. Over at the church dinner, I'll stick with one small square of fudge; and then six more because it's delicious. Hmmm. Maybe feeling in control around holiday time is a really good idea. I like that thought.

I got on Chris' website and found the Harmony Earth 30 Day Energy Diet ebook. I read a little about his ideas and decided this is what felt right for me. I purchased and downloaded it (along with 6 free bonus books!), and have been delighted by what I've skimmed through. And I'm ready to commit because I feel inspired when I'm flipping through the pages. The learning excerises are simple, and I can handle it. It is based on a 30 day challenge (with full money-back guarantee), implementing three of the principles each week. It supports my own ideas of eating whole foods in gratitude and support of the earth we live on, and more.

Here's a little excerpt:

"Some of the ideas in the book will challenge your traditional thinking. I encourage you to suspend your usual thinking about food, diet, health, and awareness and really consider the ideas presented here. These principles are the result of many years of study and experimentation. Whenever possible, I point you to other books for deeper study into specific areas."

Would now be a good time for you, too? Are you ready to experience a shift in your consciousness and experiences with food? Would you like to feel like you're guiding the sleigh during the holidays, instead of flying along out of control? If you'd like to join me, I'd love the company. I'll be starting this Wednesday, the 15th. That'll give you time to take a look and see what you think, and if it vibrates with your spirit, then download the book and join the journey. Let me know that you're coming along. There's joy to be found when friends travel together.

InJoy,
Cristi

Energy Circles and a Happy Back!

I'm in a celebratory mood today. Wanna know why? Because my back-out-of-whack is feeling so much better. Now I know that some of you may have never had back troubles, never had to be careful how you turn, or how you sleep, or how you sneeze. What? Sneeze? Yep, it's true. When my back is at full screaming pain level, sneezing really gets me good. That's a little bit of a problem when you have a really nasty cold while you're back's out!

The reason I'm so excited is not just due to the absence of pain, but because of the process I went through to get to this nicer state. A while ago I mentioned the Be-Do-Have principle, and I put it to work. I used a method that's called an "Energy Circle", whereby you take your "I am" statements and energize them and, in a sense, ask the universe to assist you in bringing them to fruition.

I love energy circles and use them often. They are in no way a replacement for prayer, but they are a terrific addition to it. The premise is that our thoughts are energy, and that thought energy is swirling about in our heads. We take the energy and put it in an imaginary circle that we've created in front of us, and we make a hologram of ourselves with it. Once we've completed tossing in all of our I am statements, we then jump right into it, allowing our bodies to feel the energy of those creations. Then we take that energy and launch it to the universe with great intention that we will be assisted in having our I am statements made manifest.

I decided to take the advice I'm often doling out to others in my Rapid Eye practice, and did an energy circle on what I wanted instead of nasty back pain. "I am healthy. I am well. I am painfree. I am making connections with the kind of help I desire." I said that last statement because I felt like going a different direction than the chiropractic route. I wanted to try some energy work but didn't really know where to turn for this particular issue. Now if we were all perfect manifestors, we would have instant results, which is another way of saying "miracle." That happens at times in my life, and I thank God for those moments, but I know that my own weaknesses can often block that from happening.

I launched those statements to the universe and then completely let go of the outcome. This is called, by Deepak Chopra, "getting in the gap" or in my religious world, it truly is excerising faith. If we can let go and relax about it, then we're more open to receiving some inspiration on the matter. I have seen this happen time and again, and with the case of my back, it happened serendipitously the other night.

My client, Sarah, came by to return something she'd borrowed from me, and we conversed about a number of things. Just as she was leaving and standing outside the door to go, the subject of my back pain came up and I mentioned that I just didn't feel like going to a chiropractor, that I was interested in energy work. She said, "Oh, there's a clinic in American Fork that does that. The therapy is called Spinal Touch, and the clinic is The Turning Point. I've been there and it works!" Oh, really? I've never heard of that, but here it is, dropped right in my lap!

I called the clinic, went in and was delighted with the experience. No pain whatsoever, yet I could feel a difference immediately. Three days later, which was yesterday, I returned for a second treatment, and it was fantastic. I am practically pain free now and it was all so easy. No doubt in my mind that it was a direct result of what I had put in that energy circle. I am so grateful and so happy about how well the process works.

If you are new to the idea of energy circles, you can read about them in Carol Tuttle's book, Remembering Wholeness. I wish I could share all of the things that I have seen show up in my life after using an energy circle. We were taught the process in Rapid Eye training as well, where they shared a story with us of a woman that had come to train as a technician. Several weeks after returning home, she called the Rapid Eye Institute to say that learning how to do an energy circle was worth the entire cost of the training program because she had taught them to her whole family, and they were amazed at what was coming out of that process for them. Cool, huh?

Energy circles assist me in creating joy. Try adding an energy circle to your routine and let me know the results. I'd love to hear!

InJoy,
Cristi

P.S. - The Turning Point Wellness Center is located in American Fork, Utah. They have a number of good things going on there in addition to Spinal Touch. They see clients from numerous states and a number of foreign countries as well. It's worth the trip!

Turning Point Wellness Center, LLC
789 E. Bamberger Dr., Suite B
American Fork, UT 84003
801-772-1030
www.turningpointcenter.com

Tell Judy that Cristi sent you. She'll appreciate it!

I forgive myself!

We've had a lot going on this last little while (and who doesn't?) My husband has had a looming deadline for his book, and he has some pretty hefty church responsibilities. He usually is helpful around the house, and he still tries to do a bit here and there, but for the most part he's been holed up in his upstairs office or in his office at the church. My 11 year old daughter and I have had a nasty bug and she's been out of school for a few days because of it. My whole head has been stuffed up and my throat has been really sore. I've also been hobbling along with a back out of whack, although I think at this particular moment that it's improving. Add to this a brand new grandson, whose mom needs a little extra help. Her husband is a full time student and is working as well, and her active 3 yr. old needs plenty of attention. Plus I'm the room mother for the 6th grade class. This is holiday season. I need to get going on things.

Can I keep up with all of this? Not really. My house is quite the wreck and my car isn't much better. My office has stacks of papers that need to be sorted and filed. My fridge has things in it that I don't want to see, let alone smell, and my dog is feeling rather neglected. There's laundry that isn't done, sacks of stuff that need sorting from shuffling rooms around, and the floor hasn't been mopped for what seems like decades.

The question is, what am I to think about myself over this? I know there are amazing people around that seem to have a handle on everything. The laundry's caught up, the closets are organized and tidy, they're homeschooling their eight children, and even the dog's claws are trimmed. The clean fridge is stocked with lots of interesting and healthy food, and there are freezer meals at the ready if the schedule gets tight. 5 dozen homemade cupcakes for the class party? No problem!

I'm really not one of those amazing people, even though for a period of time in my life I was trying pretty hard to be. It didn't work. I could spend a good deal of time beating myself up about it all if I wanted to. That seems to be a familiar pattern for a lot of folks walking around on this planet. You know, "I just don't measure up" kind of thinking. "If only I was as organized as . . . . Why do they seem to be able to do it all? How come they're so thin? How come he makes so much money?" You know how it goes.

I've adopted a different approach now, and it sure feels better to me. I no longer allow the Itty Bitty Icky Committee to talk to me about it, and when they won't be silenced, I've become quite good at saying, "I forgive myself for that." That's a new favorite line at our house. And it feels so much better.

Focusing on our perceived faults and our areas of lack only serves to create more negativity. When we're steeped in negativity, it's difficult to make any changes at all. By offering ourselves forgiveness for our perceptions, we make allowances for feeling better and it makes it a lot easier to notice where we'd like to improve. And then we will feel good enough about ourselves to actually begin to make the change.

The windows haven't been cleaned for 2 years? I forgive myself for that. I need to say no to a request to bring a casserole dish to the funeral luncheon at the church. That's tough, but I forgive myself. I'm embarrassed because my neighbor, Denette, drops by at 9:45 a.m. and I'm not even dressed. Duh! I forgive myself. Today's blog entry isn't getting posted until 11 p.m.? Oh, well, I forgive myself.

I'm okay just as I am, and when I'm in the mood and can see my way clear to make a change, I'll do it! Might as well make things easier, right?

I've also learned that forgiving myself spills over into easily forgiving others. And that feels pretty wonderful as well. I love being able to quickly think and feel, "I forgive them for that." It might be aimed at my husband for something he didn't take care of, it could be the guy that cut me off on the freeway, or it might be the woman that took her pent-up frustrations in life out on my 6th grade daughter in front of the entire class.

It's really not my place to judge, so why do it? It's so much easier to just go right into forgiveness and let it be. Then if I need to take some action, I can do it in a more reasonable fashion because I feel better, and I'm certain there is less negative energy swirling around.

Why not try it today! Practice saying, "I forgive myself for that." Then see how you feel. When you've made progress with that, then practice it with others. The teeny bopper blonde that swoops in and steals the parking spot you've been waiting for? Offer her instant forgiveness (whether she's seeking it or not!) and just move on and let it go. You can do it! And you'll feel a lot better about yourself when you do.

Judgment and anger feel crummy. Forgiveness feels great and leaves room to feel joy. Me? I choose joy!

InJoy,
Cristi

Well, Hello World!

Dear Sweet Nolan,

Welcome, welcome to the world! I've been waiting for you, and I'm so glad you came today. Your mom (my daughter), Melissa, called me at 1:49 a.m. to say she was having regular contractions, and would I like to come on over to your house? Well, I most certainly would!

I threw on my clothes, grabbed the bag that's been patiently waiting by my door for about a week now, and hopped in the car. It was a little surreal as I drove through town and onto the freeway, hardly passing another car at that quiet hour. I made it to your house about 10 minutes before the midwife arrived, and began making some "laborade" for your mom, which is a special tea of lemon juice, honey, sea salt and minerals, so she would have something soothing to sip on while she waited for your arrival.

The room had been prepared well in advance, all supplies stacked neatly around. The birthing tub was up, the liner in place, and it was being filled with warm water so that your entrance would be nice and cozy. Your brother, Callan, was sleeping soundly in his bed, oblivious to the grand event that was about to take place just down the hall. There was a peaceful, serene atmosphere in your home, and I was so glad to have been invited. Your mom's friend, Kathy (a retired labor and delivery nurse that had never been present for a home birth), came a little later, and she and I shared the job of cheerleader.

Your mom labored along, talking and smiling, and then, following the very carefully intended visualization that she had created, she calmly gave birth to you in the warmth of the water. It all happened so quickly that it almost took us by surprise. The midwife lifted you out of the water and handed you to your mom, and it was at about that same moment that you decided it was a good time to wail. You were intent on trying out those lungs you'd been developing, and they worked exceedingly well. Go, Nolan!



We watched as your dad, Joey, snipped the cord that had been your lifeline for quite a long while, but that didn't seem to bother you in any way. You were much more focused on finding your new source of nourishment. No problems there!

After your dad cuddled you for a while, he passed you over to me, and I got my first real gaze into your innocent face. It was apparent that you had just come from the presence of God, and I felt priveleged to be holding someone who had so recently been nurtured in that Light. If only you could share with me your feelings, how much God loves you, how He has allowed you the opportunity to experience all that earth life has to offer. Words were not necessary, though. I was easily getting the message.



Not only does God love you, but I love you, too. You have been born into a wonderful family. You will be loved, nurtured and supported by two sets of grandparents, a dozen or so aunts and uncles, and many cousins, in addition to your parents and brother. You will always have someone to guide you and protect you.

I thank heaven for the gift of you! You light up my world. You have brought even more hope, joy, and light to this planet and to our little corner of it. God bless you, Nolan Rodney, as you begin this fantastic experience we call mortality. May your journey teach you what you know you've come to learn, and then lead you back to the presence of your Creator, to dwell with Him forever.

Thanks for BEING joy!

Love,
Nana Cristi

P.S. Vitally important statistics!

Name: Nolan Rodney (last name left off for security reasons)
Birthdate: November 8, 2006
Time: 4:07 a.m.
Weight: 8 lbs., 8 oz.
Length: 20 1/2"

Tapping into Joy!

Maybe today's the day you're asking yourself, "Just what does this woman think she's talking about? How can I possibly feel joy when there are so many things going wrong in the world? What about the war? What about the tragic accident that left my neighbor in a coma? How about the sniper that came in and destroyed a peaceful school? She must live in some kind of a bubble because she's obviously not aware of what's really going on and apparently she never listens to the news! "

That's certainly something to think about. How can we possibly feel joyful with the world in this condition? I think it's a choice we can make every single day. We are creating our particular state by what we're attracting into our lives, and if we choose to focus on attracting joy, then that's what we'll get to experience, even if there are hard things happening all around us. You've heard the stories of the parents of children killed in tragic accidents, and the parents, instead of choosing to focus on their grief and sorrow, reach out to the person that caused the accident and offer forgiveness and love. That's attracting joy rather than revenge and hate. It was a conscious choice.

I believe we can apply that in our lives every single day. I have invited my good friend Dawn Norton as a guest blogger today. She is trained in EFT and will share with us ways she has found to attract joy into her life. Try it today. You'll be amazed and delighted!

InJoy,
Cristi

Choose joy? How do you do that? One key way to feel true joy is to acknowledge what there is in your life to be grateful for. Feel gratitude and joy will follow. Two months ago, I decided I wanted more joy and more of all good things in my life. I wanted to begin by being grateful for what I have now. Gratitude raises your energetic vibration. I started a gratitude journal. Each day, I find ten things to be grateful for. I don’t always get exactly ten and I don’t always write every day. It’s not about perfection. But, when I am at my computer and I think of something I am grateful for, I open the gratitude file and start writing. The funny thing about gratitude is, once you get started, you think of more, which creates more gratitude and more joy. For a positive and negative turned positive gratitude journal experience, you can email me at help@newhorizonseft.com.

Cristi has explained the basics of EFT. It is a tool for releasing negative emotions and experiences that block you from being the child of God you were meant to be. There are two wonderful procedures to help facilitate this. The first is called the Personal Peace Procedure. Make a list of all the negative experiences or people in your life. Each day, choose one and use EFT to dissipate any remaining negative emotions about it. If there aren’t any that you can connect to, just list the ones you felt at the time and go through the process three times. Pay attention to any new thoughts or memories that come up in association with the tapping and work on those. By the time you get to the end of your list, and probably much sooner, you will have peace like you’ve never known. This is because you have removed the specific emotional drivers that keep you from the joy you seek.

The other technique is one that Carol Tuttle calls the Emotional Joy technique. While “normal” EFT can be stated in the negative with great results, this technique comes from a point of being positive. Take a positive poem, a personal proclamation, or write out I am statements and begin tapping. I like to start with, “even though I am NOT perfect, I deeply and completely accept myself, or I am a child of God.” Then at each point, you tap a positive statement. Because there are 8 meridian points, I like to tap in multiples of 2, 4, or 8, so I can end on the 8th point. If you choose 2 or 4 statements, you just alternate them between the eight points.

(1) Eyebrow (EB), I am grateful for my life.

(2) Side of Eye (SE), I am grateful for my Savior.

(3) Under Eye (UE), I am grateful for my husband.

(4) Under Nose (UN), I am grateful for my children.

(5) Chin (CH), I am grateful for the knowledge I have of healing tools.

(6) Collarbone (CB), I am grateful for financial prosperity.

(7) Under Arm (UA), I am grateful for every blessing that comes to me.

(8) Top of Head (H), I am grateful for all I have learned in my life.

You can have as many statements as you want, and you don’t really have to end on the head, but I always feel better when I complete the “round.” If you have questions about EFT, the Joy Technique, or anything else I have mentioned here, contact me at help@newhorizonseft.com or see my website, www.newhorizonseft.com

In Joy, and gratitude,

Dawn

Achoo! Is that what you believe?

I awakened today with a little sore throat and the sniffles. Some would say, "Well, it's cold and flu season, you know." I've been thinking about that kind of comment, and I'm choosing not to join in that particular belief. I watched a little video last week with Carol Tuttle (click on "links Carol recommends") reminding me that we can choose into that belief or we can choose to believe we're well and healthy at any season of the year. I prefer the latter.

One of the things that Carol uses to anchor in the positive belief is "tapping." No, not tapping your toe, or tap dancing tapping (although that sure sounds fun!) It's tapping on particular points on your meridians, which are the energy pathways through your body (identified by the Chinese thousands of years ago - think of the accupuncture charts). Sometimes we get kinks in those meridians (like a garden hose), and the way we know we have kinks is that we have a negative emotional and/or physical response going on. It's blocked energy; it can't flow freely through us, and we feel lousy in some way.

Tapping is one of the ways to "get the kinks out" and allow the energy to flow freely. We use it often in our home because it's an easy, take-it-anywhere-with-you, method of helping yourself stay balanced. It's complementary to all energy healing modalities as well as a stand-alone method. Gary Craig has a wonderful program for learning about tapping called EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique. You can learn right from the comforts of your own home with his DVDs, and it's so easy! He also offers a free manual that you can download right off of his website. I think you will find Gary to be a very kind, generous man with a gift for helping others find healing.

I like to add my own ideas to what Gary presents, one of which is tapping in positive reframes. If you've been tapping out (releasing) negatives, i.e., anger, and you get it to release and you feel better, then I like to follow with affirmations that I tap in on the same points.

I am calm.
I am in control of my emotions.
I am patient.
I am relaxed.
I am forgiving of myself and others.

That gives you an idea of what you might follow up with. And you don't have to stop there! You can take all of your "I am" statements at any time and tap those in as a way to achor the belief into the physical body. It's something I recommend and teach to my clients.

So today, I am tapping out "this sore throat, these sniffles" and tapping in, "I am healthy. I am well in any season of the year. I have a strong immune system." When I tap those in, I feel better and my belief is stronger. And since my belief is creating my reality, guess what? No reason to get sick. And getting sick used to be my pattern. I don't need that anymore, so I'm letting it go.

Get tapping and tap in good health in today!

InJoy,
Cristi

P. S. Here's something for a little physical support while you're anchoring in your new belief. I'm sipping on it right now!

Lemon Ginger Blast

3 -4 apples (peeled if not organic)
2 - 3 lemons (slice off yellow but leave white skin on)
1 - 2 inches fresh ginger root (peel any bad parts)
1/2 teaspoon gr. cayenne pepper
2 - 3 cups purified water

Depending on the power of your blender, cut everything into chunks so it can liquify. Using a fine strainer or cheesecloth, strain out the pulp and sip on the liquid. Most effective if consumed on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.

As you become accustomed to drinking this, you can increase the amounts of ginger and cayenne to make it even more powerful.

This "blast" is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-fat, anti-mucous, anti-tumor, and is great for the heart and circultation. (these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA; use at your own risk.)

Happy sipping!

Taking Charge of the Committee

"Really now. Just who do you think would even want to read this blog? Who cares about what you have to say, anyway. It's not like you've got life all figured out! Better just quit while you're still ahead."

Oh, yeah, I know where that's coming from. It's that darn committee. You know, the Itty Bitty Icky Committee. The one that yacks at you when you're not being so conscious of your thoughts. "Your back will always give you trouble. You're just going to have to accept that, you know. Pain and struggle, that's what earth life is all about. Get used to it."

Uh, pipe down, would you?

I used to have a really large committee. And they could be quite loud at times. I used to listen to what they had to say quite regularly. And not only did I listen to them, I actually believed them! "You're not really very good at anything. You're just sorta good at a lot of things, but you never really excel in anything. You just have to fake your way through, but eventually the truth will come out." Yep, accepting that kind of message will get me nowhere in a really big hurry.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one with committee troubles. Otherwise, we'd all be glowing with our divine nature. It's the negative self-talk that blocks our view of the divinely created beings that we really are. We have a tough time believing that we're beautiful, talented, capable, and good enough when we give credence to such negativity. "You'll never measure up to your potential. You've wasted too much time."

I beg your pardon!

Has the time come in your life to deal with the Committee? If so, here are some of the ways I've succeeded in turning the volume down, and at times I can even turn the power button completely off. It really is a matter of recognizing when it's the committee talking, and then taking quick action. "You never even finished college. Just what kind of credentials . . . ."

Well, hello there, Committee. Thanks for sharing. I'll get back to you.

Remember the "BE state" from yesterday? That's the place to begin, and FAST!

I am educated and wise.
I am learning every day.
I am living up to my potential.
I am all that I need to be.

I could go on, but you get the idea. Take the message the committee's trying to send and turn it right around. Louise Hay, in her book You Can Heal Your Life, suggests making a note of the negative self talk without really focusing on it. Once you've noticed, then you can easily take the negative and turn it into something positive.

Make a list of your "I am" statements. What is it you want to believe and create? That's what "I am" statements are. Statements of creation. "Whatever! You're just lying when you say those things. They're not true and you know it!"

Thanks for sharing. I'll get back to you.

I am creating my life the way I want it to be
Partnering with God, I am a powerful creator
I am patient with the learning process
I am forgiving myself and others
I am moving forward in a positive direction

So, Committee, take a hike. You're not needed here anymore. You have served your purpose in my life, and I now choose to focus on truth. I forgive myself for ever listenening to you in the first place.

Wow! Isn't that powerful? It feels so good to be in charge of your thoughts and to believe that you have everything to do with the creation process of your life. Today, take a moment to notice what the Itty Bitty Icky Committee's been telling you. Do you really want to believe those things? Why not turn them into something positive and productive, and move forward with gusto believing you ARE everything you need to BE!

I am joyfully taking charge of my thoughts!

InJoy,
Cristi

Be-Do-Have, HUH?

My back HURTS! I know, I know, your thoughts create your reality. Okay, so my back doesn't really hurt at all. Hmmm. I only wish that were true at this very moment in time. So what am I to do here? Suffer in silence, complain loudly, or practice what I preach?

I spend a good deal of my time as a Rapid Eye Technician. I see clients regularly and enjoy discovering, right along with them, who they really are. It is my job to help them see that their lives are filled with experiences, but their experiences are not who they are! Their experiences are their creations that are the direct results of their beliefs. And where does that lead us? Right back to the whole idea that if we change our beliefs, we can change our life experiences.

Back in my days of illness and gloom, that last paragraph would have made me mad. No, it would have made me downright livid! That experience was my own creation? You've got to be kidding me! I was sick. I felt awful. I was existing in a state of living hell. Eighteen-hour-a-day IVs just to sustain life, growing thinner and thinner, depression setting in while thirty or more doctors shook their heads because they had no answers. A few years later, though, when I was ready to really listen, my own Rapid Eye Therapist helped assist me in seeing that it truly was a result of beliefs I held deep inside.

Well, hello! I wanted a different experience than that. I was fed up with illness and allergies and you-name-it ailments. I was ready for a change, for a quantum leap really. So, step one was discovering what my beliefs really were, letting go of them, and replacing them with something different, something positive. It was a process, a time of learning and growing, and it worked! I've always thought I was a tough nut to crack (oops, time to change that thought), but even me, Ms. Challenging, had success here.

Well, so what about my back? Yes, it hurts, and it's distracting me right now because it's so painful. I have choices, though. I can run to Costco and get the biggest bottle of Advil they sell and load myself up to hide from the pain. I could choose to stay in bed with ice and heating packs, or I could hobble on over the nearest chiropractor and beg for relief, etc. What to choose?

First, I'm going to BE healthy in my thoughts. When I'm BEING healthy, then I have a better idea of what to DO about it. If I sit around saying how much my back hurts and I wallow in that energy for awhile, I'll just create more of that for myself. More pain, more misery. No thank you! Instead, right now I'm changing my thoughts to, "I am healthy. I am pain free. I am enjoying life every single moment." When I begin there, things start to shift. I feel better already and know that the answers will show up as to what I should DO about it. Phew! What a relief that is. So if I'm BEING (my thoughts/beliefs/faith) healthy , I'll know what to DO (action) to get there, and then I'll HAVE (experience) a happy spine! :-) Cool, huh?!

That's a quickie overview of the BE-DO-HAVE principle, which I'll go into more depth about as time goes on. It comes from The Results Bookby Wally Minto. It's something to consider if you want a different experience than the one you're having right now. Try it out and let me know how it goes. I believe in myself and I believe in you. That's joy right there, don't you think? Works for me!

InJoy,
Cristi

P.S. Got a man in your life that you wish was interested in some new thinking? The man in my life has started his own blog, speaking man to man (but women are certainly allowed to follow along, too!) He's just gotten started but will have lots to share. Check it out: Men, money, and everything else

The Anticipation of Joy

Melissa called around 9:30 last night saying, "I'm having contractions!" So, I went to bed with my bags packed, knowing the phone might ring at any time and I'd be out the door making the 15 minute drive to her house. It's likely that the midwives will arrive first, because they're pros at this, but I don't want to miss a single moment.

Waiting on the birth of a baby is truly the anticipation of joy. Last night I had all kinds of wild and nonsensical dreams related to baby's arrival, but that's all they were, dreams. I awakened to the morning light and the realization that the phone, carefully placed right next to my bed, had never made a sound.

What is it about waiting for a baby? There's just something about being on the team that is walking around knowing that at any minute everything could change. The Christmas Breakfast planning meeting at my daughter's school may just happen without me. The O'Reilly writing deadline could come and go, the appointments ward members have with their bishop, my husband, might vanish for a bit. Aubrey's homework assignments may not make it back to Ms. Towers on time, and so it goes. Is it today? Will it be tomorrow? What about Saturday? What plans do we have that particular day that may happily vanish into thin air because a fresh new soul chose then to make his arrival?

Thankfully, we don't always have to spend our days in the anticipation of joy. We can choose to experience the emotion frequently throughout each day, even while waiting on an anticipated joyful event. It's all about our belief and our perception.

In his book, Power Vs. Force, David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D., states, "[Inner joy] isn't the sudden joy of a pleasurable turn of events; it's a constant accompaniment to all activities. Joy arises from within each moment of existence, rather than from any other source."

So, really, the anticipation of joy really is joy itself. It feels wonderful to know that this precious unborn child of God is in a safe and secure place, he's already loved, and we're all quite patient about when his change of venue will occur. Do we need to hold him in our arms to feel joy? I think not. Will we dance and shout and sing when he comes? Absolutely! Will it matter that we missed a meeting, a deadline, or even a whole night's sleep? Not even a tiny bit.

I have a line from a song running through my head that Amy once sang with the BYU Concert Choir about there being "joy in the morning." I do like joy in the morning, and I like that I can choose to be in joy even while anticipating joy at any other time of the day or night.

If you'd like additional support for creating more joy in your life, watch this video from Christopher Westra. I know it'll make your day!

InJoy!
Cristi

Black Kitten Joy!

Some days it seems we choose joy, but once in awhile it appears that joy chooses us! This was the case with me yesterday.

I mentioned my dog, Riley, the German Shepherd/Lab mix. He's a good boy, most of the time, but he has an over-the-top interest in cats, if you get my drift. I like cats, but we cannot have them around. They would be in mortal danger. Because of this, I rarely get to enjoy the soft fur and gentle purring of a feline. However, as I was standing in my kitchen yesterday, I heard a soft meow. It quickly got louder and louder, and I was certain it was coming from my garage. Riley was nearly beside himself. I cracked open the door leading from the kitchen to the garage and there stood a darling jet black kitten. On Halloween! Riley thought he needed a better look, but I quickly grabbed him by the collar and ushered him into his crate. I then ventured back into the closed garage (I really don't know how that kitten got in there!) and spent a nice long time petting that darling little fur ball, enjoying her loud purring and her nuzzling in my arms and around my neck.

What a delightful few moments those were, something completely unexpected. Even though Riley could no longer see me with the door to the kitchen closed, he was even more than beside himself than he'd been earlier, and was letting me know in no uncertain terms that he didn't appreciate being left out of what was going on in there (read loud, annoying barking!) I reluctantly put the black kitten down and led her outside and went back to my loyal and faithful dog, who gave me his best ever sniff-over.

I'm in full knowledge of the fact that a black kitten showing up at your door on Halloween might not seem like the most wondrous thing that could happen to someone. Nonetheless, it was a joyful moment. And that's exactly what I'm trying to focus on. Life's little bits of joy. They're everywhere when we're being aware and conscious.

In her book, Remembering Wholeness, Carol Tuttle helps us understand this more clearly.

"As humans we have a harder time staying in joy than we do in pain and struggle. Joy is a very high, clear vibration in which life flows effortlessly and gracefully. Pain is a slow, low vibration that attracts disharmony and upsets into our life. When we are in pain and struggle, we are cut off from our natural connection to the heavens and the light of Christ-energy. This energy source that sustains all life and from which all creation comes is meant to flow to us freely, easily, and abundantly. It is our God-given natural state to be in the high vibration of joy, yet for most humans it is not the familiar state." [Remembering Wholeness, pg. 113]

Okay, so I'm going to make joy MY familiar state. That's the plan. That's what I'm choosing. A black kitten appearing at my door on Halloween is good enough for me; a great reminder that joy can be found in small and simple things. I like that.

For more information about Carol Tuttle, her book and her products, click on the link in the column to the right.


InJoy,
Cristi

P.S. For a daily pick-me-up-and-help-me-stay-in-joy, watch this short video.