The Adventures of Jane, Marley and Cat

This is the scene that greeted me this morning when I left for work. We got about 6″ overnight, and it is still coming down. I’m not complaining. We need the snow. Last winter was very, very dry.

Last night was the first of our Women’s Circles. There were 8 women present. I am thrilled and excited to have this continue throughout the year.

When I was setting up the room, I decided to smudge with white sage. I lit a small stock and cleansed the room. However, Julia mentioned that the house smelled like fying oil (we’d had tacos for dinner) so I turned on the fan to move the smell out. I didn’t put two and two together that the increase in oxygen from the fan would cause the sage to burn, baby, burn.

Fortunately I made it downstairs in time to turn off the fan, put out the sage, and clear the smoke out before the women arrived.

I want to give acknowledgement to Super Hero for her words about closing out the year 2007. This gave a wonderful foundation for our ritual of beginning the new year with fresh, new intentions.

I am also reading a book assigned to us for Illuminated Life. It is called “The Results Book”, by Wally Mento. It is one of those really simple books with concepts that are life-changing. I want to finish the book, and then discuss.

The first weekend of the New Year celebrated an ending and a beginning.

Alchemist Group 9 completed their nine-month course, and celebrated with a Graduation Program of dance and costume and great food. I had two children in this class, and both have loved the experience. Unfortunately, Robbie was unable to come down from Wyoming this weekend because of heavy snow, so he missed the closing experience. It was interesting to watch this class start with 22 and end up with only 11 graduating. Sometimes we aren’t as ready as we think we are.

I began a new class on Sunday. This is the new class just created by Lynette Butcher for Heartway. It is called “The Illuminated Life.” This is a class of Alchemists who wish to take the next step in their personal journey.

Yesterday the class was focused on us getting in touch with where we are in our life. What are we satisfied with, what are our fears, how to we see ourselves. I realized that there are patterns in my life I wish to let go of, so I can move into a state of more grace and joy.

One thing I do want to incorporate, which is such a simple thing to do, is to live in the “I have” instead of the “I don’t have”. To speak of the “I am” instead of the “I am not.” Our words are so much more important than we give them credit for. So I am shifting ( yet again) how I speak, and also my internal languaging.

The Redwood Tree is the class mascot. Out of a pine cone smaller than a dime grow the largest trees on earth. Only 20% of the seeds planted will actually germinate. As the trees grow, their root systems are not deep, but are heavily intertwined with the other trees around them. If a tree falls, it simply sends down new roots and a small branch will become another tree.

I know that for me, my community, or root system, is essential to my growth. I have been blessed to have a circle of women and friends who always love me, support me, and alway call me on my shit. I know when I have fallen, it has enabled me to send down new roots and find new communities to support me.

I have gone through so many huge shifts in the past year. A marriage ended. My entire framework of faith changed. New gifts from God emerged which have empowered me and blessed me. My closets friends became closer, and those who judged me for my shifts, fell away. I became much less black and white, and have incorporated some wonderful shades of grey.

I intend to continue to my growth throughout 2008. When I look back a year from now, I want to write a paragraph that also begins “I have gone through so many huge shifts in the past year…”

The last few weeks I have done some hunkering down and resting. My physical body is reflecting some of the huge shifts I did make, and I needed some time to get some emotional balance back. Today I feel much more grounded and peaceful about things.

And so the circle goes… endings, beginnings, and all over again.

There is a spiritual process at work in my life. God is in charge.

“Malaise is a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness, an “out of sorts” feeling, often the first indication of an infection or other disease. Often defined in medicinal research as a “general feeling of being unwell”.”

So, I’m not exactly sick… I’m just suffering from malaise. The cold that started early last weekend hasn’t really materialized, but my head still feels strange. I ache all over. I saw the doctor yesterday about my chronic hip pain (on the left side) and he really couldn’t put his finger on what it was. The x-ray quality wasn’t great, and frankly the joint doesn’t look “healthy”, but as I do not have insurance I won’t be getting that one replaced for some time.

So, I’m laying low, getting a lot of sleep, being vigilant with my supplements, watching what I eat.

I would just like to feel healthy, vibrant, present.

I sneezed so loudly at work yesterday that my boss down the hall called me on the phone to see if I was okay. That is just sad.