Day After, and Welcome, Age of Aquarius!

When I poked my head out of the covers,  I wasn't planning to run.  Rolled over and tried to get back into my dreams, but something about the early light propelled me up and out the door, puffed into my many layers, gloves and hood...

The Great Turn of the Solstice light -coming back from the longest night, appears amplified beyond my imagination!  (Does anyone else notice the strength of the sun??)  It felt as if the muscles and molecules of my body took on a life of their own as I cruised down my western loop in mostly empty streets, breathing in that clear, cold crystalline air that filled my lungs like buoys coming up from the bottom of my feet.  The World conspired to give me this stretch of 3 days (formerly known as the '3 days of darkness'....;-))  to relax, absorb and give my presence over to the unfolding of the Era....not just another Solstice, but the turn of a Wheel of such proportions I can't quite grasp all the implications of this doorway.

...Which appeared to us here at the south Florida beachfront as a parting, a slice of Heaven between La Mer, turning turquoise at sunrise, and the weather mounting like a grey dome above us (which was the advent of our current cold front!).  This strange and powerful sight was witnessed by an assortment of folks strung up and down the beach like small bangles of light adorning the sand.  It came at the end of our ceremony and stopped us in our tracks as it looked like we wouldn't see the sun rise at all. 

The sand mandala, complete with Celeste's magic stones,  remains....the entrance to the spiral to the east....where the magnificent energies were invited to enter!

And finally an homage to The Great Mother via Celeste and beautiful Naomi who at 2 and 1/2 seemed right at home.  It seemed absolutely right to have our 3 generations present:  me, now the old grandmother Crone facilitating,  Celeste the new Mother coming into her own as priestess and Naomi the new little Maid...is there any doubt the new children are born 'knowing'??

Just before the sun rose, Celeste and I watched the busy sky.  Between portals and eyes and bridges and sparkling rainbow colors,  The Galactic Center had much to show us.   Towards the end we both spied the Being of Light (no photo sorry) walking on that cosmic causeway that linked the portal with Mother Earth, before disappearing back into the void, as if to say "Namaste! We are Here!"  Look at all of this from the point of view of that Ascended being,  who as aspect of ourselves,  chose to 'show up' and participate in a Grand Awakening.  Feel your own impressions of what IS a moment of unity with what lies before you on a timeline of remembering.  It is a taste of what's to come in planetary history,  but a window into an infinite well of multiplicity.   All creation lies within.   Choose now,  the words, deeds and emotions to grace a New World and give it your Artistic All!!  

(by Celeste)....

December 21, 2012

Welcoming and embracing the new light


The morning of December 21, 2012, the day the world was supposed to end, the day new energy was coming in, the day that hopefully will change this world. I didnt know what to expect this dark and early morning. I awoke about 4:45 to start this endeavor. With my little girl by my side we both set out for our early morning adventure. It was still dark outside, the sun was still sleeping and so we set out with our flashlights in hand.
The days before I picked out a set number of crystals I wanted to incorporate in this ritual, each represeting thier own uniqueness and carrying with them vibrations of energy needed for this time. They were to contribute thier energy to this welcoming/embracing ritual. At the last moment,the night before, my intuition led me to add 2 more. Once charged and prepared for the journey, I put them in my little black bag, we were ready to go.

As I drove through the streets there was a quiet but active energy about this morning. There was a sense that lightworkers were up and already starting their work for the day, and powerful work indeed. In a trance-like state, I drove, taking time to explain the lights and sounds to my little one. There were days, even years leading up to this morning and I felt the need to be prepared spiritually.

When I pulled up into Dania Beach, at first, I proceeded to go the wrong way on the road, I guess they have changed it over here. Pretty typical of me in a new situation where I dont know what to expect. I usually start off going the wrong way, almost as a means to "get a feel for" my surroundings. This beach, this pier, this place is my home and still my solitude and place of peace when I'm distraught. Remembering a few years ago when I used to spend alot of time on the beach in my early recovery, I was walking down the beach and a man stopped me and said, "you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders". I smiled and walked on. For isn't it true for lightworkers, healers, artists, free spirits to often times feel this way; it is a calling, a knowing, there is something inside that tells you something important has to be done by you, through you, around you. What that is, I've learned, only your path and destinations will show.

Finally I drive up to 'the spot' and Ricci's car is parked there. I have no idea where she is or if she's wandering but somehow spirit will guide me where to go. So I proceed to get my little girl out of her carseat, she is excited to see what awaits as well!
We walk onto the sand, making sure I have the flashlight for my little girl, I turn it on, it illuminates her world. Walking over to where Ricci is seated the first thing I notice are two lights in the sky, off in the distance. They glow an orange color and are pretty close, that is to say, not a star. They are spaced perfectly above the ocean, almost like an entrance to somewhere unseen. It seems we have "our facilitators".Initially I want to follow those lights and align us in the center but after realizing that's a really far walk, settling near a tiki hut will work just fine. As Ricci begins to set up, I can't help but think of what she will construct in the sand. I have thought about shapes and symbols and have come up with one in particular and am curious to see what she has in mind. She starts to draw the circle in the sand to begin our mandala and help welcome this new wave of energy entering at 6:11am. Finally I have to ask Ricci if she has any specific shape in mind. She says "I was thinking a spiral" I cannot even begin to tell you how astonding it was to hear her say that specific shape/design, its the one I had chosen to do myself. Already things are aligning perfectly. Even my daughter helps to find rocks and shells to put into our organic mandala. The spiral represents all of life, its in nature, weather, flowers, animals, it is a symbol of everything past and present. It was really the only shape to use in my mind.

After creating our mandala out of sand, seashells and rocks we check the time. 5:57am, its getting close to that window of time when the energy will make its entrance into our world. Ricci proceeds to set up the alter, some sage and a white candle on a piece of dark wood. She finally gets the candle lit after a few times of it being blown out. The nature spirits got this under control. To be honest I'm amazed we get the candle lit at all. The smoke smells wonderful coming from the burning sage and at the same time is purifying my soul and our environment. Into the portal we go. I am overcome by a feeling of safety and power, allowing it to move through me, I am at peace. Once our spiral is created I grab my crystals and begin to place them throughout the spiral. Desert Rose for protection of mother earth in the center, it also carries the properites of selenite, an amazing new vibration stone to help access angelic realms. Second, I place turquoise to help with connecting to our native american spirit, it helps connect the earth plane with the ethereal plane as well and is known for good luck. Third I place Celestite, this stone is also a high vibration stone used to create a harmonious atomsphere and connect with celestial bodies. Fourth is Sunstone, this carries with it the power of the sun within and is a great stone for creativity and energy. The fifth crystal I use is Rose Quartz, known for its unconditional love, this is an offering to mother earth. And lastly I place salt, known for its ancient properites of reconnecting with our ancestors and the ocean with the land, it is also an offering to our mother earth. That seals the spiral. Of course it was a perfect size to accomidate my crystals, exactly what I had hoped for.   

To the east is a beautiful star or something that resembles a star, it is very bright and just seems to be watching us. There is a loving, feminie vibration to it. We both notice it and begin to discuss its possible origins. Out in the distant ocean, the clouds are beginning to lighten up, there is a light blue starting to show itself. Pure beauty. Pure magic.

Nature, mother earth, the feminine begins to speak to us through shapes and symbols in the clouds. We spot what looks like eyes peering down at us, they have a sort of asian or maybe native american look about them and I can't help but think this must be an ancestor of ours acknowledging our work. There is a sense of seriousness in these eyes and I instinctively know, this is a sign that the road to enlightenment might not be easy. Ricci points out some wings in the clouds, which to me represents freedom at its finest. Wings represnt the air element and is a symbol of accessing both the earth and ethereal planes. This is beautiful to see in the clouds as it says to me, freedom of movement between worlds.

The next occurance to take place is when I notice a bridge or passageway of some sort in the clouds. It is leading from the 'portal' and across the sky into our world. It is a stone-like looking bridge and it stretches over towards the earth. Spirit will be passing in and out of our world/dimension and this is the perfect road to take. I start to sense movement behind the clouds, very swift movement following the bridgeway into our world and I wonder if this is spirit moving in, it was quite exceptional. A loving pink cloud, in a rocket shape, shooting towards the bridgeway and our world appeared, as if out of nowhere. In its vibrant pink, it was as if spirit was shooting a blast of unconditional love our way. As movement continued I found it hard to explain what I was sensing/seeing but I did my best. There were moments of quiet reflection and contemplation for me and moments of me explaining what the racoon was doing in the garbage can behind us. My daughter really embraced this, she is only two and a half years old and she seemed to "get" that we were doing something special.

The most unforgettable event that took place I feel was the being of light I believe we saw. I thought it was an airplane sky marking but soon discovered it wasn't because it was moving, walking swiftly towards our world and then it vanished into the clouds. There was a human like movement to it. Ricci saw it too and I'm glad because I may of questioned what it is I just witness had she not. There was a feeling of excitement and anxiety at the same time when I saw this being walking in the clouds. It was the most incredible thing I've ever witnessed spirit do and I have experienced quite a few amazing things. I had never seen spirit manifest itself in such a way to actually become visible! This to me was amazing! Magnificent! Pure magic! I am so overwhelmed with love and gratitude that I was there to witness it. I was quite shocked to be honest, I did not expect that!

The entire time we spent out there we were surrounded by dark clouds with the exception of the portal or entrance to the spirit world. Ricci grabbed some rose petals she had stashed in her bag and burned them. I proceeded to spread them through the spiral from the center out. Another representation of unconditional love being offered.

We sat and talked some more about the things we were sensing/seeing and soon decided we probably should pack up before it rains. There were a few drops here and there and we were in acceptance that we might not see the sun rise up because of the clouds. We packed up our stuff and began to leave the beach. Wishing farewell to our mandala and thanks to the spirit world for their presence. Before we could get off the sand we noticed a beautiful orange glow rising behind the horizon. It was the sun!! It was coming up and visible!! We all stopped and sat down to honor its arrival and as I watched, there was a movement I noticed in the sun. It was as if someone shook it lightly left to right, left to right. I asked if Ricci saw it, she didn't but it was definetly a shifting movement I noticed. We continued to gaze a while longer and just before we got up to leave this magnificent sight, my daughter leans back into my arms and says "the man wants peace."

Back to the Beach Run: The Light Reveals 12-16-12

Like many others this weekend,  I felt myself sunk deep into contemplation in the aftermath of the Connecticut shooting and the lead up to the 12-21 Solstice Portal.   I had difficulty processing what was going on, even as much as I 'see' and expect the violence.  Let's not forget that children all around the world are subject to unconscionable violence, abuse, exploitation and death, including right here in the so-called 'advanced' western world.  Now we know.  We are linked in this tragedy.

As Great Mother Gaia prepares Her moment of birth into a New Era us 'local representatives' can feel Her anticipation,  relief and joy!   To deliver Oneself from this level of existence where She has been persecuted and denied Life for so long.....is it any wonder the Elders have no precedent for this....?!   We have endured other changes in eras, civilizations, attainments...and many times Earth has come close to exiting this universe for good....But here is what I see.

The Timelines are clearly dividing themselves out.   Live peace,  strive for peace, for harmony with Self and Spirit, with Gaia,  with universal forces of Life,  and peace you shall have.   Live within the 'death cult',  bringing harm to self/spirit, to the earth,  to others...and so you shall have this too.  The masculine energies have become so far removed from their original purpose to Serve, honor and protect the Divine Feminine.  It has become a Power Over, a subjugation to Will,  an escape from true responsibility to the Light and Life.  The feminine energies have been subjugated for so long,  it is hard to find our voice....but we know it is embedded within Mother Earth, as it is within each of us.  And so we can 'go there' to fill the well of HOPE, of GOOD OUTCOMES,  of HEALING, to share our stories of fortitude and victory and walk through this portal into our SHARED FUTURE ANEW!

There is no time so filled with mythical proportions which asks us all to make a simple choice:  are you crossing into peace, love and harmony?  Or are you married to your old way of life,  to blame, criticism, limitations...to the destructive emotions and actions which hurt and harm, your self, your spirit, your loved ones....

I think I was getting all this before the early morning run on Sunday,  but there is something about that spot at the beach that 'brings it to me' and made it clear.   We are not in competition with anyone to get to this finish line.   It's not going anywhere, and neither are we.  One foot in front of the other, with the spirit of democratic encouragement and upliftment - this is how we run this race...and at the end, when we cross that line,  something wonderful is waiting for us, ready to embrace us...a revision of old ways into New.   Mother Gaia needs you,  She's been waiting for you.   Men, awake and arise!  We need you!  Women,  awake and arise!  Carry yourself as we carry each other across the threshold....   Those cries we hear is the call in our hearts.  Get out there on the 21st,  sit with Mother Nature,  and welcome the New You. 

Namaste, all.  See you on the Other Side. 

Timelines, Tibet and Total Immersion on the Run

I read tons of research about a wide range of things.  Always the generalist,  the 'gestaltist',  I find associations between seemingly disparate things.  Never more so than in these prophetic days!  Today we start with Solidarity with Tibet, as the grassroots movement of Tibetans, both inside Tibet and those in exile mount ever more abundant actions to bring attention to oppression by the Chinese.  Self-immolations and marches....political actions and social media....I am proud to say I support the Tibetan cause and the rightful return of Tibet sovereignty and the Dalai Lama to his ancestral home.

For me it is no accident that the Tibet cause continues to boil to the surface.  Somewhere long ago I read that the Hopi anchor the spiritual realms to the West,  with Tibet to the East...the mystery of Tibet is a lot like Shangra-la....the science of what many spiritual adepts are about in the deepest recesses of Mother Gaia is still largely conducted in secret and without their Work behind the scenes, it is likely we'd be sitting on greater catastrophes than we see today.

We now understand that we don't need to physically be any particular place to assist Earth in Her journey through the Galactic portal of 12-21-12.  In fact,  as the 'grids' continue firing into their new light, which of course includes our very molecular/DNA structure,  we need to ALLOW THE SWITCH,  turn it on and RADIATE,  connecting and illuminating from wherever our point of power happens to be.  This, for me,  is a core message of the times;   get out of the construct of particulars and link into the BIG PICTURE, the awareness of every point of energy in unity.  Therefore,  as we plug in from our point of power,  we are connected to the rest; our family, tribe, region, nation, world, local galactic neighborhood, universe and beyond (yes, I said beyond).

One means I have of gaining impressions of all this is on the run.  This weekend I was fortunate to get out both Saturday and Sunday;  Saturday as exercise to put out the miles and prepare for clients etc.  and Sunday, as free-to-be,  a moderate run with no time constraints.   As I am still mindful of working through the usual physical challenges,  there are no big miles right now,  just what the body tells me we can do.   Up on the long Ravenswood stretch is when it came to me,  the 'lift' of time,  the sensation of expansion- and collapse- as if I could sense the me running with all the rest of 'Me' wherever I am:  dream-world,  star-world,  future-world....

We don't have to know the esoterica or sacred geometry,  or the rituals Mello taught us, or any other skills....we were born 'KNOWING'....and we have within us whatever it will take to leap into the galactic center of ourselves.   The mystery of these days is so deep,  even the Masters are cloaked in their understanding as we all,  seen and unseen,  make it happen TOGETHER.

So if you are a runner,  run!   If you raise your children,  work a job,  fight for your cause, your sanity, your health,  do that too....just open your deepest heart to the ancient promise and possibilities that are waiting just the other side of the door and give it some conscious , creative thought:  through this portal,  this doorway,  what do I want to see manifest?  Who is the 'me' standing on my future timeline, ready to greet me?  

I hope to be one tired, happy runner, as if coming home from an epic run-  an artist at heart,  a Shift-Shaper,  Life-lover and grateful gardener of Mother's many flowering possibilities.  If we all find ourselves in a world of PEACE, LOVE and ACCEPTANCE,  don't be surprised, my friends.  IT IS most certainly what we have worked for all these eons of time.

 

Lunar Eclipse, Pyramid alignment, Adjustment continues 12-2-12

Big breezes buffet the flat roads lately, especially today, when wind in my face brings me to a fast walk up on the big Griffin loop.  A 2 day break brought the pause in the running tape that gave me insight into so much else....so today I was content to let the run take me where it would.  Around the south end, gritting up Angler's until Ravenswood gave me the long straight stretch that enables the trance-like rhythm that helps me scan and straighten whatever has tired, curved out of sync or felt forgotten... Gathering the muscles one by one like wildflowers, and settling them into their new matrix.  Just taking it real easy, breathing deep from the well of dreams which seemed to swirl on the winds...tossling my inner eye while I drank up Gaia's great beauty.  I read somewhere that as earth undergoes Her Grand Transformation she will become Athena, which of course is another name for sacred Feminine,  the Overseer Star who imbues Mother Gaia and all of us with the deep desire to up hold and engage Her, reveal Her,  reverence Her and ultimately reflect Her through our own human prism, bringing male/female tightly together again.  

I walked much of the last few miles home.  The deep fatigue that comes from threading the many hoops of our lives, and sewing together the tapestry of the manifest is still there, but not on the mental....Instead the fire of curiosity has been lit as I come just a little closer to new layers and trails to follow.   I seek the steady winds that will take me further,  expand my sails.   I seek my eternal self.

Serving the Infinite

Serving the Infinite
     in time
a part from us
as Calling,
pronouncing the
names of things
even as they
evaporate on the
     wind....

If you breathe
them in
you locate yourself
while simultaneously
investing Space
with their unique Power....

All you need to do
is RADIATE.....

Peace love and Gratitude

Melissa, the massage therapist at Stirling Massage, dove into the maelstrom of my knotted muscles like she was exploring ancient artifacts embedded long ago by the training and trauma left by past visitors....at one point feeling sparks of crystalline light flying off my shoulders, as if the weight of the world, which I often feel I carry,  was released....like sparks from a great fire....and floated harmlessly into the Cosmic Void.   I'm proud of myself:  I did not run for 2 days.   I rested like my life depended on it,  ate well and did what I love best;  putzed around and absorbed the beauty of my own little landscape- potted and trimmed plants,  looked at paperwork, books,  meditated,  prayed....allowing time to sink into the vibe that is me at my centered best, unencumbered by who I am in any other way.

Yesterday,  I took off for a big Griffin loop starting at the south end of things,  meandering around the 'hood until I rounded out at 29th and up Anglers, hitting the long stretch by Ravenswood until I came up to my Publix pit stop...all in all a slow and lazy jog which was more comfortable than I can remember- no expectations,  walked when I had to- absorbing the beautiful crystal blue skies and cool breeze brushing my skin in electric sparks.   The changes afoot which causes us all to hunch into ourselves a little more,  to brace ourselves for war or deprivation or other sources of stress, self-imposed or not,  want to stop us in our tracks.  Force us to 'call it quits' and give up/give in to the drumbeat of calamity. 

Hope lies in motion.   No matter how stuck in our beliefs, principles or thought processes,  whether our emotions are hanging on us like noisy children, we move with energy that ultimately animates our every breath.  We can therefore change our energy with the motion of intent as our goals, no matter how humble,  lead us on.   I felt this as I cruised on down 35th Ave....whatever I think I can do,  my feet will carry me on the rhythm of the run if I trust the movement...and no matter how slow it feels, before I know it I have eaten that stretch, those miles, and find myself walking the last bit home, like an old horse coming back to the barn.

Trust the motion of change.   It can and will take you along, it is only up to us whether we go 'willingly' or kicking and screaming, stuck as we seem to get, in the quagmire of our insistence of the way we think things are.  Lift yourself for a moment above the road itself and feel that instant before the next foot falls....are you weightless?  Can you glide between your thoughts and grab the hope and light which lives in that beautiful arc of  becoming?  I am the footfalls and the weightlessness of light between them.  I am the relief at the end of the run.  And as always,  ready for more.  This week:  I AM GRATEFUL for all that my body and soul brings to me and through me.  And for those who help me along the way, seen and unseen.   

Portals and Eclipses and Cloudships oh my! and more on the Run

Project Integration continues.....as my body takes me along this journey of discovering what is happening around me, inside of me....related to me....and it's efforts to assimilate changes way beyond my scope of understanding!  During the long holiday weekend  I put R & R at the top of my list:  a big "NOT TO DO" sounding out whenever frenetic energy tried to uproot my need to settle myself within the matrix of my own home base.  Nevertheless,  I managed some modest runs, mostly around the 'hood, taking note of my hot spots and feeling a little more friendly towards the roads.  I had hoped to run the Hollywood half-marathon early December, but that is a reach I acknowledge I must release- for now.

More than anything, I am drawn to watch the skies.  The Big Canvas of Mother Gaia never ceases to please, as She arranges the elements of what is barely material- the air, light, movement of ephemeral clouds- into penetrating images which slowly morph into suggestions of our deepest changes.  The Sun itself is so bright,  so powerful I can barely stand to look towards it or be under it except the mornings.  Some of my plants facing south on the back porch are scorched!  And of course everywhere around the globe our Home is undergoing the pangs of birth into something we've never known. 

I've been told that my 'specialty' is transitions, as I, myself seem to move through things without too much of an anchor, too much attachment....and helping others recognize the opportunity in change comes to me naturally.   Since running is also undergoing change,  it becomes, as always another metaphor for making the shift more seamless.   I worry less about anything but what it feels like to be on the move, allowing myself to fly off into those wide skies and soak up the adventure of Nature's artistry continuously unfolding and overarching all. 

Sometimes art is a stark and brutal statement, and reflects the dark shadows of our fears.  Other times, art takes on the saccharin aftertaste of forced sentiment.  We try to be good, nice, accommodating... to 'fit in' with our preconceived ideas of who we are and how we should behave.  But true art is a Natural outflow of Life and Nature is the Greatest Artist of all.   She uses everything fearlessly.   She displays whether we pay attention or not.  She transforms the very molecules of our bodies every day without complaint growing us and everything around us into something only She envisions.

I am learning to put my trust in Her above even my own perception,  knowing I am still burdened by my inherent blindness to forces greater than me...but even still,  I feel every bit of swaying and sloshing, even when my footfalls make their regular beat- underneath is a rocking and shaking that comes up through my body and meets the open air with an explosion of surprise.  Just when I think I can't get any more removed,  I turn around and find I am in the middle again,  -of a run,  a dream,  a session with a client....dreams and life intermingle...and we are making our way into a transformation of both. 

Daylights Saving time, Beach Jog/walk 11-4-12

Like many others,  I experience the shift into November as luminous (just look at that morning sun!), painful, confusing and exciting all at once.  The physical symptoms which are hampering any serious running continues,  forcing me to relax all expectations and take advantage of down time to REST.  As someone who usually keeps up a pretty consistent and busy schedule, including training,  the message is cutting through my ego loud and clear:  LET IT ALL GO. 

So that's what I did.   Daylights savings time gave me an extra hour to contemplate what to do today:  do I even try to run at all?  But something in me keeps saying 'just get out there'- so I kept it light:  my music only and kept the hydration belt at home.   As I started out,  it felt as if I was drawn to the beach, even though that seemed like an awfully long distance for someone feeling lucky to stay on my feet for a walk around the neighborhood.  And true to that,  my gait is so limited and slow,  that a woman walking a moderate pace easily passed me by, as I kept at my shuffle....it might not look like running at all...but it appears I have morphed into something like a joggish walker....and as I watched her go I felt a pull on my heart wondering as I do every day out now,  'what is happening to me'?

Still there is something to be said for moving just as much as you can.  And my reward came spread before me at the beach, with the Light streaming off the ocean and hitting me in my heart, which I hadn't realized felt just a little bruised from the week past....and as I soaked up that scene I felt proud of my tenacity to get out,  get moving and allow the compassion of Mother Nature to pour into me.

Whatever your beliefs about the hurricane, climate and earth changes and the Big Shift underway,  the fact that our very essence is cradled within the arms of Gaia is comforting to me.   I can easily swirl off into mental realms less secure.  But the forms and feeling of Nature are my comfort and aid. We will see where it all leads us, as we all continue to make our way,  one day and sometimes one step at a time.  But as more Big Events await us,  remember we have each other to lean on,  to love and learn from....Be open to your own heart and the Great Heart of Life beckoning you along.  You only have your fear to lose. 

Resistance Training: Post Sandy 10-28-12

As Hurricane Sandy prepares to move inland and wreck havoc upon the densely populated mid-Atlantic region,  we took a turn into cools-ville, woke up this Monday morning with temps in the low 60's!  While we hunkered down Friday to see what the storm would bring,  I had a window of opportunity to regroup here at the crib and re-orient myself to my own space.  Above,  my very modest wall of running fame....which now serves to remind me:  I am a runner no matter how many miles or races I run.

Saturday and Sunday I did modest loops, which together would add up to a good long run LOL.   But as my usual bucket of aches and pains continues,  I am just not pushing it right now.  Saturday it was a beautiful, bright run on the Emerald Hills loop.   Sunday, it was me and a whole lot of wind down on the southern loop and out Park west,  wind at my back on the 'out' portion,  wind in my face on the 'back' part.  

Meanwhile,  without warning or foresight,  my SO also blew through and as it went,  blew up our night, our relationship....slinging what hurts he harbors at my head and heart,  unable to hear either himself or me.....like the hurricane,  he left debris in his wake....including the safety and sanctity of our connection....which historically and periodically finds itself battered almost beyond repair.

I have hit a lot of resistance lately:  from the Powers That Be and all best laid plans (workshop for NSU postponed;  private clients on the pause..... M.),  from clients who spin into their own vortex of chaos and blame me for the outcomes....from my own attempts to 'plan' things accordingly.   Sunday's run gave me two interesting experiences.  On the way into the western stretch, my attention seemed pulled up into the wind whipping the tall branches in the big trees where the sparkling sunlight met the clear air showering me in that dance of subtle colors which said "all is ready,  anything is possible- at the blink of an eye- changes are coming faster and faster....." which gave me an odd feeling of relief.  And once I rounded back into the winds coming home,  finding the strength deep inside to keep up a good clip....using the wind as a means of testing my own reserves....finding the rhythm....keeping it up even when it seemed the end of the road would never come.

Feeling alone out there on the road is a metaphor for everything I try to do.  The emotion of 'just me' and the elements, the day, the circumstances,  the solitude of my training increases my ability to handle my own Self no matter what blows through.   The World will continue to bring us many unusually high-intensity experiences,  ones we consciously create,  others we find ourselves part of in the larger Gestalt of our mass conscious -(or Unconscious-) ness.  I can't control M., Sandy, the direction of the winds,  the cancellation of events.  I am barely in control of getting enough sleep and taking good care of me.  Resistance is the training we ask for to clarify our own willingness to dig deep and find out what our endurance is all about.  We try to run scared from these challenges, but I have learned it's best to EMBRACE them all as the honored Teachers they are.   So for those of you bracing for the storm,  or feeling storms of your own in your heart,  bow before these forces; I do.   I am humbled by the Power of Mother Gaia to determine Fate in a way which embroils us in Her Big Plans ....for CHANGE.  JUST KEEP GOING.  LOVE WILL PREVAIL.  Stay safe everyone!

Weekend Runs and a Right Brain Workout 10-21-12

The type of runs I had this weekend are characterized by the timeline of flanking on either side of Saturday's Right Brain Workout.  Saturday morning,  as I tried to shake sleep from my head,  I took off for a Griffin loop and an excuse to pass by TY park, site of the workshop and Karmageddon,  and check out the preparations.  As I managed to coax my body into a semblance of rhythm and settled into my gait,   my brain was free to process my own preparations.  Every Right Brain Workout I've ever done starts with 'Plan A' and my carefully choreographed "script."  And then of course there's 'Plan B', or, what happens in the moment,  with the energies of all the participants merging together. 

I will see if the Saturday gals decide to post their own experiences....suffice to say the miracle of any Creative Encounter is the Magic of personal and group transformation,  gently coaxed by the physical elements of the art-making.  For every personal revelation,  there was a deeper nodding inside me which kept saying YES YES YES.   Yes to the divine dialogue with Mother Nature.  Yes to the power of reaching towards Self, with others, in the service of our Greater Awareness.  Yes to the synchronicity of the group members,  the 'Spot',  the Karmageddon event...and the day itself,  unfurled around us like a flag.  I really had to do very little but 'give permission' and all the women were right on my wavelength.  As the power of that original dream continues from so many years ago,  about what a Right Brain Workout was all about,  I see many more to come.

Sunday,  I took myself to John Lloyd state park and shared the roads with the Tri folks,  who were smack in the middle of a race!!  Plodding-along-me was easily passed by every biker-become-runner....as they rounded their loops...showing me yet another athletic alternative to the usual running world.  I like cycling and swimming too...! But the tri folks are very gear-heavy...so for now, I stick with one sport at a time....

This run was reflective and celebratory.  I was less concerned with my mileage, and more content to take the road before me and stop at the end...soaking up the sun,  the breezes and plopping myself down by the ocean to dream of more.....more encounters with Mother Nature,  more opportunities to share this Right Brain world.   When we give ourselves permission to embrace our healing,  we are more forgiving of our vulnerabilities and challenges, which are GIFTS laid before us to unwrap our True Selves.   Make art, make music,  make more love and make someone happy today by showing them their own Creative Self at work....you will see it in tears, 

Big Winds Weekend Runs 10-14-12

While unusual weather patterns continue to surprise folks all over the globe a stationary high pressure system gave us big winds here in SoFLo.  I ran both Saturday and Sunday with the winds a major factor:  wind in my face, resistance training,  wind at my back, cruise control.

Saturday, after my lolly-gagging around,  I caught a late morning westward loop and still had mild temps throughout.  Still trying to work out all the tight spots, I had a nice stretch all the way down and around to tiny Anderson park,  heading north towards Emerald Hills from there.  Sunday,  it was the big Griffin loop and a surreal and powerful stretch down 35th as my music cut out and the only sounds I heard were the birds, the wind and the occasional car rumbling past.  There is nothing I love more than a big open road and no timetable to be on....very often 'lifting' off from my present moment to find myself wandering the associations in my head,  and getting lost in the beauty around me...

 

 As many of us have been noticing,  the winds feel like they are at our back.  And even with the fear-mongering, hype-making, drama-ratcheting going on,  something is pulling us into the Center of ourselves,  a core essence where our purpose and passions make sense.  And where pared down to our very being,  the joy of breath, movement, laughter and love come to us like gifts from Life Herself, filling our need for sustenance from Spirit,  soul and each other.

Whether you are feeling the wind at your back,  or smacking you in the face,  trying to push you backwards,  remember you can always change directions.   You can go on cruise control and take in the liberty of your momentum,  soak up the progress,  enjoy the lack of pressure, praise yourself for maintaining your pace.  Or you can take the winds head on and get strong from the fight, get clear on what's important,  get tired,  then relax into the pride from standing up to powerful forces which only seem against you because you are standing in their way.   Put your finger to the air and test the winds today.  See if you are ready to let them take you further, or if its time to put up, put it out there and allow your heart to get stronger.  Great Mother is a relentless but loving Teacher.  If you let Her She will show you every time;  step out your door and you will see. 

Expedition Sunday Run 10-7-12

"No matter our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born."  -Dale Turner

With the crazy weather patterns these days,  it took some thought to figure out how to create a Sunday long run that matched my needs;  not too long or short,  with enough interest to keep me motivated over the miles....deciding finally on making a 'base' at a Publix lot and get back up on the Dania Beach loop.  I had a decent Saturday Griffin loop, and was eager to work on getting my endurance back.  Basing at the store saved me money from the State Park (plan B) and removes me from the triathletes crowding out the parks.  Plus I have everything I need at the end, including a chance to pick up a few groceries! 

When I was little and took off on my many expeditions through the old orchard paths,  I never knew exactly where I was heading until I 'got there'.   This love of exploring serves me well in running- and life- as my curiosity usually outweighs my fears of the unknown....and keeps my enthusiasm revved.
I started out up the road finding my gait, loosening those tired muscles and enjoying the quiet.  The skies remained overcast with occasional spots of sunshine or washes of drizzle....the ideal long distance conditions (well a little cooler would be nice).  The first surprise was the pair of monkeys (not chimps) I found foraging through the underbrush by the canal....!They looked peaceful and purposeful,  so I kept to my pace and they kept to their business.  They were so beautifully out of place!  As I speculated on where they came from etc I rounded out onto Dania Beach Blvd and the long, straight stretch to the overpass before the beach...feeling comfortable, relaxed and soaking up the morning, shared on occasion with the cyclists and bikers on their Sunday rides. 

It was good to see all the landmarks, and finally the ocean unfolding as I made it up on Surf Road (above)...heading on down to North Park and more confident than I felt in a long time in the power of my own two feet to maintain the distance, and allow my mind to wander the immense beauty that is Nature.

North Park swung this vista into view.   The Grand presentation of light, water and palms waiting for me, giving me that shout out as I stopped and snapped photos....ahhh....the cooler breezes were washing off the waters....as I headed west and took the intercoastal overpass I could feel the brush of that cool air lifting me like air under wings.  I felt buoyant and free bounding down the other side, giddy as the kid I once was breaking my own path through a dense woods many years ago.   As I came up to the car I felt like I'd been away a long time, some where far away....and refreshed as I grounded once more to my chores, my day,  my work week to come.

The spirit of the expedition is deep in me from those old days long ago, and my determination to get out, get away, get close to those elements that have always called to me:  the silencing of human activity to hear the songs of Nature,  the deep resonance with pattern, color, light and movement that creates the corresponding deep peace in me.   In these days of seeming chaos and deflection from what truly matters in Life,  an expedition into Mother Nature is a sure way to reconnect with your true Self.  Gaia will show you in Her magic mirror what beauty lies within,  not just in Her own amazing World, but in the world within YOU.   Take the risk.  Make a plan.  And get into a natural place with yourself soon. 

Dale Turner

Goodbye Sept, a Harvest Full Moon, back on the roads and THRIVE

I'm basking in the bright warmth of the sun pouring into my big windows where my desk is placed, and I realize part of what I like about this spot is a pretty decent swath of sky to watch...skies are becoming something I feel increasingly drawn to, drawn into, and a great means of getting good stuff:  associations, inspirations, relaxation, revelations....  Nature does that for me as well, as a whole,  but I seem to develop individual relationships with aspects of Her,  like The Standing People and my love affairs with trees and wood,  becoming a wood sculptor in VA.  Maybe too because Michael flies gliders....a part of me actually up there....and 'seeing' the world from that perspective has been wonderful.

September was crazy wet and grey.  I heard we had all but 2 days of it the entire month.  I am mindful of how easy it is for SAD (seasonal affective disorder) symptoms to be triggered by the sheer lack of sunlight.   My continuing to stay here is in large part to be exposed to the sun.  I toughed it out,  got sick, got enlightened about some of my own, old issues as one does when sick...got clearer, better- got back to work.  My enthusiasm and energy are coming back and I am so looking forward to October!

Running was pretty minimal last week;  I did run a few times sick which may sound counter-intuitive, but they were nice and easy out and backs,  and nothing  like it to help the systems get circulating.  But today, I woke and saw the hint of this brilliant sun in the early morning and thought;  okay, let's go.
It's always fascinating to me to see how my body responds to the intervals between runs.  When I am down miles like now,  it felt very light-like as I began...all the muscles are nice and soft...I took the overpass and headed up 29th thinking "wow, so I didn't lose that much endurance"....and almost bought it until the 3rd mile got under my feet and I felt the deep fatigue that wanted to stop me dead in my tracks.  Much of the discipline of running is, for me,  working through that moment.  Because when I do it is practice for the same moment at work,  with family,  with myself when I need to muster the 'umph' to get to the next place in the process (wink, CeeCee).  The greater my endurance,  the more I can keep a steady gait along bigger distances,  the more I also tolerate and cope with the annoying and frustrating aspects of daily life.  

When I do this loop I have several 'outs' if I need them, cut down from the bigger loop to make it smaller.  I did my Publix/Griffin pit-stop and decided my zeal for revisiting my favorite landmarks overrode my concern for my condition, and headed out the usual way.  The fly down 35th, where I usually enjoy a full-out (well for me anyway) romp down the winding road was decidedly more reserved,  but no less enjoyable.  Ahhhh  Nature, sweet nature,  there is nothing I don't love about your colors, temperatures, forms, designs, fragrances, movement....You are full of infinite gifts and I feel like You offer them all up to me so freely just by traveling through.  If I gained one big insight this interesting week it was "APPRECIATE"....because it might seem pretty f-ed up most of the time,  but look around:  She's a pretty amazing place!!!  LOVE YOUR MOTHER TODAY.  Buy a plant,  plant a garden,  save the world.  We can.  And enjoy "Thrive" if,you also missed first go arounds and SHARE.  MUST SEE. 

Fall Equinox 9-22-12: Balance in Motion/Rest

The front which has parked itself around us for what seems a long time now continues to pour its prolific curtains of rain.  This morning, I awoke to that surreal feeling of being under water;  the skies full of low, dark roiling clouds exploding with close lightening.  Even now as I look out from my back windows, the sensation persists of being holed up in a kind of ark while the world seems to float on oceans and currents of moving change.

It was the run in the pouring rain early this week that started this near-cold I am still fighting:  today my body just said "no."   No run, no yoga....for once I took my time meandering out of bed and into the morning routine,  getting ready for my Saturday schedule and chores.  As all runners know,  wrestling with the tendency towards compulsiveness in our training comes with the territory.  In my case,  knocking off a few days from running can begin the internal questioning of every aspect of my self-care.  Today,  in my efforts to reframe I simply acknowledged that now was not the time to push it, demand it or otherwise strong-arm myself.   The day,  as rainy and dark as it can be,  has called me to rest, rest and regroup my inner energies to heal myself.

I can almost sense the exquisite still-point upon which the earth seems to tip, as the cycle of the year begins to build momentum into the last quarter of 2012.  This 'breathing space' is a welcome relief!  The pressures from so much constant change, and our efforts to keep our feet under us as we move along can deplete our reserves, make us doubt our resources,  play into our fears and anxieties and cause much disruption in our personal connections. 

While balance is manifest, even as a portal of Now that can resonate with us long after Equinox is past,  we can reinforce the experience of larger forces interlocking into vast patterns that underpin even the most minute movements of all life.   It is ego which fears, labels, hides, denies.  Heart, spirit and the open windows of the Right Mind will take you up into the Great Matrix of your expanded Self where a place is set for you to both witness and experience the Wheel of Life.   Mother Gaia gives freely both the balance points and rush of movement, woven together in the oscillation of our evolution.   We think we have stopped, lost ground, lost something,  lost our way.   But if we rise even a little above our earthly point of view,  the Vast Cosmos will join with you and open your eyes, heart and mind.  Find your Balance Point today and remind yourself;  you are a Star in Motion...you are the Eyes of Mother Gaia.  See the "rightness" of Your own becoming. 

Back to the Beach Run 9-16-12

I wasn't sure what the weather had in store this morning, we've been stuck under a stubborn ribbon of on and off rains; I miss the full on sun since returning from DC this week.  When I poked my head out, a surprising and gorgeous dawn light show was beaming from the east.  Then and there I decided to gear up for the beach and check out the skies, the ocean today.

I am so practiced at this, I can drop out of bed and on the road within 20 minutes.  One secret is I always have a set of running clothes out so I don't fish;  and the rest of the gear is stowed in predictable niches near the door- I wanted to have my water belt, and extra plastic cover for my phone.  Other than that,  a quick protein smoothie, laced up the Sauconys- out I go!

This is my first pair of Sauconys- thanks sales guy at the Davie running store who heard me when I said "stay light, more cushioning."  When I tried these at the store I liked their wrap-around my foot feel and enough support...so today's run was a real test- the beach and back is a solid 8-10 miler depending on my route.   Usually by halfway home, my feet and legs will be very tired and sore.  Today,  I vaulted up the overpass, a little slower, a bit stiffer than former years....but settled into a nice, easy rhythm, the shoes soaking up the compression, finding my footing while I kept trying to adjust the ongoing rambling jam on my right side, now settled around my knee.   The proof of good shoes?  That pain eventually disappeared, telling me the the shoes were helping realign my gait.

The sidewalks are complete now on the north side of Sheridan....I love the sulfur smell of the mangroves,  the wide waters of the intercoastal,  the big southern skies full of movement and color.  Coming up onto North Park, the view out the ocean did not disappoint;  I shared my photog experience with another photographer eager to catch the unusual light and shimmers.  The art of Mother Nature is in Her ability to lock onto the viewer's focus, and deliver the quintessential design;  not just as 'beautiful view' but as a living, breathing panorama we stand in the midst of,  ourselves the lens and revealer of Her perfection.

I hunkered down and headed home with all that big air filling my lungs, making me feel a buoyancy like the misty atmosphere floating somewhere just above where my feet fell slap-slapping the sidewalks,  keeping time with the tunes...traveling down the mental roads the broad landscape and music inspired....If you have no similar outlet, then I urge you to find your way to a private appreciation of your natural surroundings;  there is more healing to be had in Nature than any human has invented.  And She's free. 

Post Isaac Run, at last!

 Four days off running is as long as I've gone in a long while.  In between the shopping and preparations for Isaac, which became a somewhat minor event for us in SoFlo (unless it was your neighborhood that flooded), I managed to find some of that remarkable quiet time where 'tuning in' to the external world became a contrasting mirror to the internal.   Since I couldn't move in my usual way,  I became still.   Weather news, yes,  cooking and prepping yes.  But sans all input,  it was a loss of control from my 'fix' and a lovely break into my own space.

Today,  I ventured out for a Griffin loop,  willing my legs to go forward.  Despite mini-tramp, yoga and weights (my off-road routine),  I had stiffness that only began to lift, as usual about half-way up 35th-  trying to find that sync in my gait,  looking for the weightlessness as I lift my feet,  with surprisingly decent endurance over all.   Loose debris and standing water is everywhere.  The water birds are having a feast on bugs, and some of the younger trees did not withstand the winds (neither did my porch).

The big skies are still filled with the wheeling remnants of clouds as Isaac slowly grows stronger in the Gulf.  Seven years ago now Katrina clobbered us before devastating New Orleans area.  It is a strange 'deva ju' all over again to hear the updates from LA, while the RNC toughs it out in Tampa.
Earthquake swarms and the changes underway can create emotional and physical instability, if we lose our Connection, or a grasp of the tools which work for us.  That run today helped me reinforce my body's presence on the planet in as fundamental way I know,  in the fluid, flexible motion, to the rhythm of the tunes in my ear,  with the matrix of my mind let loose in all its Right Brain glory....taking it all in,  enjoying the scenery, and the ride.

There are times when you might wake up to a world you barely grasp, as it careens ever closer to the fundamental Shift we sense.  Think of it as your Blank Canvas, and create the day,  the experience, the dream closest to your heart.   Underneath the mantel of imposed fear,  tap the true excitement of your Self, coming ever closer to what, and Who you really are. 

Manifesting my Inner Runner

While Mother Gaia blankets us with hot and humid tropical air,  and my schedule remains ramped up into high gear,  I am managing to get some miles out there,  an out and back on Saturday and a decent long Griffin loop for my Sunday long run.   The chronic 'approach/avoidance' matrix I've applied to my running routine feels like it's softening into another mode, one in which I take my Expanded Self out into that same experience-  with different results.

I noticed it most yesterday,  as I took the overpass and began my lope up 29th, and made the hook into Anglers and Ravenswood;  already the temps and humidity were a formidable force.   Even in these early miles I would come into those mysterious stretches when an inner rhythm was able to overtake me and for a fartlek or so,  the motion would take me up in the swing of my footsteps, as if I had no weight at all.   Again,  swooshing down 35th,  I set up a nice gait.  And despite all the elemental features to the morning,  dropped down onto Stirling feeling like I'd been in flight,  catching air under my arms and seeing things from a higher perspective.  

Somewhere along the way I have reconnected with the true power of my inner runner.   The alchemy of male/female energies,  or left/right brain capacities creates the vortex for moving change.   Between the manifestation of my Work and the 'training' on many levels which continues to ramp up and express itself,  the Powers that Be are grooming us all for our roles in the coming New World.

It takes integration of our opposites;  the alchemical marriage of shadow and light-  our ability to see beyond the duality of our normally limited ego to sense the higher path of this merger....as it works its way through our belief systems.  Once awakened however,  how can you go back to the same poor choices, or accept your limits ever again?   We are made to come into a beautiful union with our Selves and step out onto whatever road calls.   When the rhythm is right,  flying high is the reality that supports us as we extend our reach towards each other and the potential of our shared path.   So muster your courage today and step out where you've been hesitating.  Feel the full power of your Expanded Self take you where you dream to go, and dream big!!  The only way to find out what's out there, is to GO!

Homage to the Olympics: Sunday run 8-12-12

As I tried to shake sleep and pull dreams back from the night,  something compelled me to get the heck out of bed:  when I checked Facebook,  Marlon (thanks!!) posted that the men's marathon was starting...by the time I tuned in, they were about mile 17, and the 2 Kenyans and 1 Ugandan were in a tight bunch at the lead.   Think of the most grueling physical effort you have ever done.  Now imagine whatever that is,  doing it for a very long time or distance, full-out.   I watched as these 3 uber-runners lifted their long legs in a stride that blew those miles into dust, as they rounded in and among the many historical sites in London.  The back story is that the 3 train together (as many do) and now it was a race to see how the medals would stack up. 

Somewhere after mile 20 the Ugandan pulls out from around a corner and just puts on the speed!  Soon there is a lot of daylight between him and the 2 Kenyans who suddenly have looks on their faces like,  "uh oh"....and start pumping fast trying to catch up.  The Ugandans have never reached gold, and like many African runners,  hardship and triumph over incredible odds got this one to this point.  You could see the shift in his effort once he got within a mile or so of the finish and realized:  he had it...his expression opened and his gait, while still speedy, seemed to relax.  He came into the line and like many, running with his country's flag draped around his arms, dropped to his knees and kissed the ground.

Now that it was too late to start a longer long run,  I quickly packed my gear and headed out to John Lloyd state park.   Basing out of my favorite spot at the end of the road,  I mingled with a large group of tri-athletes just coming out of the ocean and climbing on their very nice bikes...as I began my run down the road I needed to pay attention to the knots of riders, other runners and even a few bladers- not to mention the cars coming in for the beach- for space on the narrow road.   Most everyone was young; but once in a while I'd catch a grey-head like me:  I sent a silent "thank-you" to the running gods which give me this gift to have my health, my strength to put it out there like I do, no matter my age or ability!

Lately,  despite some lag in my miles or overall endurance, I am feeling the boost from these magical stretches where suddenly it almost feels as if I am 'lifted' from gravity, as my legs move effortlessly, even if for a small stretch.  That feeling of freedom makes all the other parts of the run worhwhile....as I headed down to the gate and turned back.   The heat was full on...I did not stop this time to shoot pics:  I wanted to get back to my car and get into the water as soon as I could!

La Mer....what can I say?  I have a love affair with the ocean....as She unfolds Herself below me off the quiet cove...the sea gulls loudly hunting in the surf, the sun glints like diamonds off the water.  I walk into the swell and fall into the sweet, cool sensation...absorbing all the power of Mother Gaia to rest within,  to mingle my sorrows with Hers,  to heal my wounds- with Her- to help Her as She helps me see - and feel- the inter-connection of our metaphysical lives.

Finally, as I lay on the sand and watch the sky,   I feel the deep peace of being.   For all the effort those Olympians put into 4 years (and more) to prepare for their performances,  there is, in the end, only fallible humans who go out and lift, dance, throw, tumble and run because something in them loves that movement, that energy which catapults them forward in some way.   Their best efforts are still a remembrance of long hours on the roads, in the gym....working to perfect the signals between mind and body, and just how the body will respond.

There is an Olympian within us all.   Until you dig deep and find your ultimate limits, you have no idea how far you can push into your goals.   We are too often lazy this way,  conditioned to expect the comforts that keep us locked into small increments of change.  If there is one lesson I take from London,  it is anything IS possible....! if you work for it,  and cultivate it like it was your prized possession;  the gift that is given to us to STRIVE....is our desire to GROW.   As we grow, we find ourselves further down the road one day, looking back and wondering just how we got here!  Revel in your accomplishments!  Give yourself a 'medal' for your hard work today!!  And thank The Mother who supports you, loves you,  nourishes you....remember HOW and WHY we do what we do; never just for ourselves.  We elevate everyone and every thing.  She will remember. 

Through the Lion's Gate, a gentle run

If vibratory forces are the factor behind how we perceive the world (and ourselves),  the gist of the 8:8 portal appears to be in place.   As I stepped out the door,  this is the sky I see....despite the high temps,  the air has a feeling of lightness (as in weight) and Light-ness as in a crystalline quality that shines like diamonds.  I began an out and back loop aware that my body seemed mired in a gravitational muck that belied this beautiful clarity, and after a bit of a 'humfph!' I got over myself, tuned into some good music and relaxed into a slow gait.  My legs would not obey my desire to go any faster than what probably looked like a fast walk, I could barely pick up my feet.  All the while I was drawn into the skies, the sunlight, as if everything had a new shimmer to it- the cat crossing the road,  the palms at the walkways....nothing seemed as if was, and yet it was all the same.

Once I hit my water-stop,  I meandered towards hiome,  and slipped into the back alleys where I could spy out the beautiful mess of the backyards and their curious array of all things natural and human.   Once again,  stopped in my tracks with the beauty of a bougainvillea climbing all the way up a telephone pole, awash in morning light!  I have walked this alley many times;  it was as if I had never seen this before!

Mother Nature is changing and we are in transformation with Her,  for Her,  and our perception of Her is the affirmation of Her connection to and within us.   With every moment of being in the external Garden acknowledged, the immense internal landscape of our bodies resonates....and spins a little faster in delight! What sings to us is the deep instinct that beauty is our natural expression, which seeks to find itself mirrored in the world-  if we would only look.  And see.

Today,  as you scurry through your timetable of obligations and practices,  of work and home,  take a minute to look around you and SEE ....  Mother Gaia wants to show you who She really is,  as if looking in the mirror at the REAL YOU.   We hold the key.  We can open the door. 

Rainbow Run

As I geared up for my Sunday long run,  I let the morning take me up the overpass and turn up 29th to begin a long Griffin loop.   I wasn't sure I had a beach run in me and craved some empty streets.   The pace was nice and comfortable as I keep working more jams out of my right foot.  I cruised up Anglers and into Ravenswood feeling the heat, the humidity and slowing now and then just to adjust.
The sun and breezes were at my back as I wound up to my pit stop at Publix and filled my water bottles.

Just as I had headed out and made the turn on the cut-down to Stirling,  the skies opened up with a quick summer squall,   quickly chilling the air and drenching me....the squish of my shoes in puddles...drips off my visor....I turned the corner to see the rainbow (above) and stopped just to watch the magnificent bridge of colors breathe over the skyline....!

The rest of the run caught me in intermittent stages of sun, rain and the slow slog home thoroughly soaked.   I laughed to myself at the unexpected, and watching my own resistance to change.  All we want is a smooth way, no storms thank-you,  and resent when things 'pop' at us unexpectedly.  That rainbow was a Gift;  as much a message from The Powers that Be as anything written on paper, or said in the news.   What I 'saw' and 'heard' was a reminder that nothing is static and especially now, in these times of enormous change, we must be fluid and adaptable, able to keep moving even when the skies open up on us.   The unexpected may come in a form you least expect, with colors of the rainbow flowing around you, in the banners of expectation,  love and light!   May we all be open to receive what our Mother Gaia has to give,  and give to Her our appreciation, always!

Sunday Beach Run: Mother Gaia calls

When I usually run to the beach and back, I don't go in the water, since I'm on foot all the way.   Sunday morning I felt a 'call' to do just that, so packed all my gear including bathing suit and based at Dania Beach.   I ran a very sluggish bit down past North Park, then circled around ON the beach itself to run back to the pier.   Early AM on the Broadwalk was remarkably busy!  But as I found a nice little rhythm through the sandy surf I had La Mer all to myself more or less with the rising sun hitting all through my body with a lovely warmth.   The fresh salt breezes felt uplifting, and before long, my body began that morph into something 'a part of' the landscape of the natural world.

Once I changed out,  I went into the gentle waters and swam, lulled, floated into the arms of Our Beloved;  for that's how it felt- as if I was embraced and rocked in the rhythm of Her Heart, all tensions gone,  all worries swept out to sea.   In the powerful matrix of water and light I felt buoyant, vibrant,  filled with compassion for my Great Mother and grateful that the Shift we have so diligently dreamt of, worked for,  hoped for, appears on our horizon- at last.

The response to such a Big Shake-up as this will mirror the vibe we carry, and we all see those around us who are meeting their issues and agendas with much suffering at this time.  Those of us who are fortunate to find ourselves in a place of balance need to remember to serve the Greater Good with full compassion.   It is not for us to hoard our good feelings and rest on our laurels.   Now more than ever, make yourself available to the Light as it permeates all of the many levels of existence and raises us up into the perfection of that union with All That Is.   The Earth gives us Her healing essence in so many ways;  as She helps us help Her!  And whether we stumble, or slog along, or sprint like the gods, we all get there, we all gather together in one way or another.  There is no more US and THEM.  It is ALL of us in the rhythm of the run to a fast finish:  until the next road unfolds.  

Forward and Back: Staying Centered amongst the Changes

July 22nd Crop Circle:  The Merkabah

My Sunday long run was a lesson in humility.   Just ahead of a storm front, the air was so muggy my arms were covered in a sheen of water just minutes after I begin.   Needless to say it was tough going, as I attempted to round out my warm-up loop and headed out west on Park enjoying nearly empty streets and overcast skies.  My initial hope to put in at least 10 miles quickly re calibrated.   I stopped at Anderson, then John Williams parks and circled back through the back streets to 56th and Emerald Hills.   I most likely walked most of several miles before home,  unable to will my legs to keep up even a minimal gait, so heavy did I feel.

When the rains opened later,  a great rush of relief seemed to fill me.   As events continue to unfold globally for the redemption of our oppression into greater freedom and light,  the healing of our collective traumatic wounds and our own inner hurts still processing,  finding even a small window of time to go within for that 'balance point' becomes ever more important.

The Merkabah has been coming to me in all sorts of forms.   Not surprising to see it as a form of The Star of David and realize how my bloodlines and spiritual lines cross around this image which speaks to me of the inner dynamic of wholeness.   Our Elders (on and off planet) are telling us the same things over and over:  to bring our awareness back within,  to awaken our common Heart and Humanity within the greater Stellar Families, and to continually work for the uplifting of our purpose and connection with each other.   

Ultimately even a so-called 'bad' run gives me much to contemplate.   While my own body adjusts through the stresses and strains of the 3-D world,  I now freely 'give myself a break'- physically and psychologically.   I forgive myself faster for my struggles,  and I accept the Process of unfolding in its own creative way.   But most of all,  The Mother seems to open the road for me either way, even if She often seems to ask that I take my time and just relax, and stop seeking the fastest way forward.  Only She knows How, and When, and Where the Shifts may come.  I understand why: it is our imperative as spirit beings to grow, and glow....to be...and BECOME FREE!   Give yourself permission today to be WHO YOU ARE, and TRUST  the process to hold you in the balance point now. 

Beach Run 7-15: Big Weather

Inner oscillations and agitations ebb and flow, in sync with the rhythm of the atmosphere here in SoFlo.   Hot and steamy air creates the Big Weather systems that moves in and out of the Atlantic ocean and Everglades, buffeting the end of the Florida peninsula.   I take my chances, like today, that I could make it to the beach and back without any downpours, and I did, even as the skies looked full of rain, moving just to my north.

I worked out a huge jam in my right ankle yesterday, so took my new feet out for a 'test drive'.  Our bones are prone to settle into complicated pretzel-like patterns, the result of stress, physical pressures and too much sitting.  Much of my post-run routine is stretching and self-massage.  During the run, like today,  I monitor the connections between top and bottom, side to side,  shoulder to shoulder in my eternal quest to find the comfortable gait.   Watching the Olympic track trials yesterday reminds me:  there are people who run big and easy and have the range of motion and endurance I dream of.....just to know what that feels like-! I attempt to anchor even a little bit of that super-awareness and fly off the roads...to feel the magic uplift of mind and body together.

The wind began to pick up the closer I got to the beach.   At my North Park pit stop I saw,  in place of the usual church service,  the homeless guys gathered, who apparently sleep on or near the beach, swapping news and cigarettes, while I took my photos and filled my water bottles.  As I headed back out,  the wind came at my back and gave me just that lift I was looking for, a little push,  a little help, on through the back alleys,  the parallel neighborhood streets, until the last mile, walking home. 

Processing the depth and breadth of current changes takes enormous fortitude...endurance comes with inner practice, and time.   Finding the ease in our movement while releasing everything that jams us up is the crux of our current quest.   Follow the Process;  the run takes care of itself, if I don't focus too much on how I compare to my past self,  my ultimate vision or anyone else I pass on the way (or who passes me!).

After CC and I chat earlier I am again reminded:  we do nothing alone.   While Big Weather has us all in the strong grip of transition and transformation,  the force of change, revolution, liberation will try to dislodge our moorings- if we let it.  Instead,  offer yourself words of encouragement while reminding those who struggle, as we all do, to throw your arms open and embrace the wide skies of Possibility!   Your dreams and there, your future self is waiting for you, at the end of the run,  at the close of all your suffering.  See yourself Released.   And move forward.