As I was riding my horse today, I was thinking about fear, and how destructive it really is to ourselves and our lives.  For those of you who know me, you know how much my horse has taught me about myself and life… and one of the most important things she’s taught me is about fear and most importantly, letting go of it, and instead, being totally present. 

Riding a horse can be such a metaphor of life.  As I was riding her today, I was aware of how in tune I am with her every movement.  It’s not even a conscious thought at this point in my life (having been riding horses since I was 5 years old).  When a horse moves in one direction, you move with it.  When you’re in tune with a horse, you’re in tune with where they are and what they are experiencing, every step of the ride.  You can then anticipate how they may react to anything unexpected on the path.  And then you can reassure them that it’s all okay. 

Luckily, Little Miss is about as bullet proof as a horse gets, meaning she rarely, if ever, spooks or gets scared, simply because she’s a wise girl who knows what life is all about.  J  In other words, she’s been around the block before… quite a few times in her 31 years (her 31^st birthday is May 11^th – Happy Birthday, Miss!).  She knows that there’s not too much out there in life for her to be afraid of.  She’s solid and grounded.  In that way, she’s a joy to ride.

However, when riding a horse that is not so seasoned in life, it can be a different story.  A horse’s only self defense when scared is to kick, bite, or most commonly, to run at anything that might be perceived as a threat (and sometimes for a horse, that can be a weed that happens to blow in the wind right in the moment you’re riding by! J)   Yikes!  Before you know it, you could be riding calmly on one side of a quiet country road and in the next nanosecond, you’ve unexpectedly flown to the opposite side in a flash, hopefully still on their back!  

Of course, if you’re not used to horses, it can feel scary to be on their backs or just be around them.  But here’s what thought came to me today…  when we are in fear, we are often in our heads, imagining that “something” might happen that could be dangerous .  (F.E.A.R – Fantasy Experienced As Reality).  Though this is true and is true for life in any moment, yet, even though it hasn’t even happened, we still react  as though it has, triggering the fight or flight response in the body.  We’ve often heard about being “paralyzed in fear” and have probably experienced it first hand.  But this is what being IN fear does:   it takes us out of the moment, and when we’re out of the moment, we’re not in tune to the cues of life around us… and THAT is a reason to be scared, because when we are out of touch/tune, we aren’t able to respond, only react. 

When riding a horse – and in particular, when running – I have learned from my Little Miss to relax and stay present.  When I stay out of my head and all the fearful thoughts that can run amok in my mind, I am able to feel her movements and move with her; it’s like a dance and a totally joyful experience.  If, on the other hand, I was in fear, my body would tense up and in essence, not allow me to respond freely and effortlessly to her movements, and therefore would actually put me in more danger and more fear.  When we’re tense, stressed or worried, we use up so much of our energy and resources that actually takes away from our ability to respond. 

In short, fear doesn’t allow us to respond in a balanced way with life.  Fear takes us out of the moment into another world that is not even happening – not even real in that moment.  This disconnects us with the very cues that actually can navigate us safely through the path and make our experience  an enjoyable one! 

So when you find yourself in fear or worry about something, think again.  What is it that you are actually afraid of?  Is it real and happening right now or is it just a future (or past) scenario that you are playing over in your head?  If so, have enough mindfulness to STOP.  Take a moment to breathe… remind yourself of the moment… that you are SAFE and trust that you are being guided by your intuition, right here, right now. 

Believe me, we teach best what we have most to learn.  I write about this because it’s what I’m constantly learning myself.  But just like anything else, it’s a lifelong practice!  I have to say that I have gotten so much better about this over the years – staying present and out of fear, trusting that all is okay and I am being guided if I can tune in enough to listen – but it still surfaces!  J  It’s okay though.  My best and most exhilarating rides on my horse over the years were a result of me being able to let go of my fear and be totally in sync with her with every stride.  And when we can do that with life, what an amazing ride it can be! 

Cheers!

Lisa

  Wow…  it seems that so many people have been going through life transitions at this time.  I saw this on Facebook the other day and I couldn’t resist in sharing.  It says it all.  Maybe this sounds familiar to what you’ve experienced at some point in your life - in the past or the present.  Enjoy!

For whatever reason, it seems that there is a lot of “shift” going on in so many people’s lives these days, including my own.  More of an internal shift than anything, but those can be bigger, deeper and more profound than the shifts outside of ourselves. 

I believe that the consciousness of the planet is shifting to that of a higher vibration to re-balance itself.  Unfortunately, as is extremely evident, we as a species, haven’t fared so well in regards to being “good stewards” of the planet.  We can see this everywhere we look in the form of pollution, overpopulation, the high demand and depletion of earth’s resources, as well as the extinction of animal and plant species, namely the Amazon rainforest.  When we look at it all, it certainly appears pretty bleak - a direct result of the human beings’ lack of conscious awareness and mindfulness in how our choices impact ourselves, each other and the planet itself. 

The truth is, all hope is not lost.  Not even close.  But another truth is that the planet will survive even if we deaden it to the point that we kill off ourselves.  That would be quite sad.  But that’s why, I believe the planet - as a huge living entity - is shifting in its own way to bring itself back to a place of balance, and because we are its inhabitants, it’s calling all of us to do the same!   

We are all a part of the collective consciousness and therefore, as the planet shifts, so must we, if we are to ”stay around.”   Hence, all the shifting going on for so many people.  I believe we are at a pivotal time in our history where our old ways of being are coming to an end and one of these things is bringing the darkness (the shadow of ourselves) into the light.  As scary as it can feel, there really is no more room for hiding from each other, but most importantly hiding from ourselves.  The light within us all is being called forth so that it can radiate brightly with the Truth of who we all are!  In addition, being the global society that we are, we can no longer act as though we are separate or disconnected from anyone, because we’re not.  We’re all connected and we’re all the same.  What I feel, you feel.  What you feel, I feel.  In daring to be transparent, we actually heal ourselves, but also give others the permission to do the same!  Healing then can actually occur for the planet as well. 

So as everything (including the Universe) grows and expands, it forces us to grow and expand too… and that means leaving the secluded caves and comfort zones of our lives, whether they be physical, mental, or emotional.  And of course, stepping out of the comfort zone is not often comfortable and oftentimes quite messy, but if we can ride through the transitions, and keep our mind and heart open - not being afraid but being “curious” as to what life is asking us to expand into - it can take us to new metaphoric lands that are not only exhilerating and exciting, but also make us feel how connected we really are.  We just have to trust and ride the wave! 

If you are experiencing an inner shift that is manifesting in outward shifts in your life, rest assured, you are not alone.  And so even though it can feel scary and confusing, from my experience in going through these transitions at different times in my life, I know it is only for the better of one’s self and for all if you BE PRESENT with each moment and each feeling that arises.  The only way out is through, and we can heal what we allows ourselves to feel in this eternal journey of awakening and enlightenment.

So, stay in your heart, let the emotions flow and ride the wave!  There is nothing more enlivening than living on the edge of the known and the unknown, otherwise known as living on the edge of creation!   Let the shift happen!!!  Woo-hoo! 

Don’t worry, be happy! 

Lisa

I’m not sure how I came across this video (below) last week but I’m sure glad I did.  It totally took me back to my childhood back in the 70’s, growing up in the country on the lake in Minnesota.  Wow, those were some good times as a kid.  My parents’ full time “job” back then was playing in their rock n’ roll band called Everyday People.  They would play in the evenings while “homesteading” with their “back to the land” way of life during the day.  That included gardening, milking goats, raising chickens and horses, gathering wood from our woods to provide heat for our house in the winter, building various buildings like our house itself, our barn and our garage.  There wasn’t much my parents couldn’t do as they believed in self sufficiency and living as close to the land as possible… ya know, not taking more than we needed and being good stewards of the earth. 

Growing up on the lake in the country, there were hardly any dull moments.  There was always something to do, whether it was canoeing and swimming in the lake.  There were also my “weak” attempts at fishing with my friends, which didn’t result in much “success” as blaring the radio in the boat seemed to be more of a priority than actually catching fish! Ha!  There was also bike riding, horse back riding, climbing trees, building wooden forts in the woods, ice skating, sledding down the hills at crazy speed, hoping we’d dodge all the trees in the process (not always successful at that either :)!  There was also the “make-you-tough-as-nails” experience of taking care of animals in Minnesota winter’s 40 below weather!!!!!!!  UGH!!!  I remember carrying buckets of water to the barn through 2 feet of snow, milking the goats with bare hands while freezing, and of course the wanna-forget infamous 40 below night when my dad woke me up from my warm bed at 3 in the morning.  He and Mom had just gotten back from their gig and noticed our horses (MY horses) were out of the fence and out in the field next to the road.  What did that mean for me?  That I had to get out of the cozy warmth of my bed (and a dead sleep) and go with my dad out into the bitter freezing cold to find the horses in the dark and ride them home!!!!!  My parents always told me that the horses were my responsibility and if I wanted them, I had to do the work of taking care of them… with their help, of course, but darn it…  sometimes it was serious painful work.  That night was one of those moments.  For a 12 year old kid, let me tell you…  it makes you dig deep and realize that if you survive something like that, most everything else in life is cake.  Minnesota builds hearty people, that’s for sure!!!!  :)  Dad still calls it “God’s Country”…   um…  ha!  Yes, in some respect, but I see CA and it’s very NICE moderate sunshiney weather as pretty much God’s country too!!!!  More suited to me, honestly! 

But the one thing about my childhood that I have some of the fondest memories of is the music.  There was ALWAYS music playing on our record player in our house. Did I say always?  From The Beatles to the Marshall Tucker Band to the Allman Brothers Band to the Doobie Brothers to Fleetwood Mac to the Ozark Mountain Daredevils to Janis Joplin to the Rolling Stones to the Bee Gees…   Music was our house!!!!  Often my dad would just be sitting out on our deck on a summer evening playing his guitar and singing to himself for hours.  Or, a common gathering that would happen at our house was when they’d invite all of their other “back to the land” musician friends.  Us kids would be running around playing with the animals in the woods while our parents would be sitting in a circle with their guitars and harmonicas, just singing away…  Ah, life was very simple back then.  No computers… no internet… no cell phones…  just people sharing and loving each other’s company, singing to their heart’s content.  Wow… it doesn’t any better than that!

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooo grateful for those times.  What a great time to grow up and to have parents that saw such value in teaching their kids that it was all about living simply and respecting the earth and all that she gives us.  I can’t thank them enough for all of it. 

So when I came across this video the other day, it took me right back to that time!  This was them:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfM6nRVBvGs  What amazing music!!!!! 

And just for fun, here’s another one they used to LOVE playing together!   You can’t listen to this song without tapping a foot… it’s happy music and it’s what I grew up with! 

Standing on a Rock by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI8r6NjM7sk&feature=related

 That’s my thought for today!  Good memories!  Thanks, Mom & Dad!  I love you!

Lisa

Well I recently watched an amazing movie that I highly recommend!  It’s called THE WAY starring Martin Sheen & Emilio Estevez.  Here is the synopsis of the story from the movie’s website:

This movie is a powerful and inspirational story about family, friends and the challenges we face while navigating this ever-changing and complicated world. Martin Sheen plays Tom, an irascible American doctor who comes to France to deal with the tragic loss of his son (played by Emilio Estevez). Rather than return home, Tom decides to embark on the historical pilgrimage “The Way of St. James” to honor his son’s desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn’t plan on is the profound impact this trip will have on him. Through unexpected and oftentimes amusing experiences along “The Way,” Tom discovers the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose.”

Watching this movie was incredible for me, simply because it reminded me of my own backpacking trips throughout Europe, Australia, SE Asia, and Peru over the years.  There is something very magical that happens when you’re out there in the world on a “journey”.  I’m always blown away by the people you meet while backpacking.  It always seems that people who travel with their only belongings on their backs, are on some kind of personal pilgrimage… looking for adventure, freedom, and a way of experiencing life that is not of the normative routines and ruts.  When traveling like that, it never ceases to amaze me how everyday presents a new opportunity and a totally new experience - of which you never know will come your way - but this is the adventure that not only enlivens one’s spirit, it allows one to live fully in the present - something we RARELY do when we are caught in the automatic, robotic motions that, unfortunately are typical of our everyday life at home.  It is adventures such as these that literally are life transforming and awaken us to a whole new way of living, as Tom - the father in this movie - finds out as he walks “the Way,” otherwise known as the Camino…  the sacred 500 mile pilgrimage across northern Spain. 

So… if you’re looking for a movie that will touch your heart and maybe even inspire you to do something similar (which I highly recommend - whether it be walking the Camino, hiking the Inca Trail, or just participating in some kind of adventure or event that challenges you to step out of your comfort zone - physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually), this is a GREAT film to watch!!!!  The music is hauntingly beautiful, the scenery is breathtaking, and the interaction between the characters is endearing.  Give yourself the gift of watching (and maybe even walking - one day) the Way.  :)  You will love it! 

Here is the trailer to give you an idea: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi923573529/

 Though it’s easy to get caught up in the “shoulds” of our society…  the shoulds in how to live our life (who makes up the rules anyway?), may we always have the courage to live life from our heart and as our heart feels it.  In other words, may we have the courage to live life… our way.

Cheers!

Lisa

One must realize that the comfort of the cocoon is in reality restrictive and imprisoning to break out and fly high as a butterfly.  Like the caterpillar, we made our cocoon so trust in the process of transforming into a butterfly and like the butterfly trust that you will break free.

It feels like there is a lot of change going on in many people’s lives these days.  Not that this is any different than any other time in history, but for some reason, it all seems to be amplified right now.  I feel the change within myself as well. 

We all know that the only constant in life is change.  And we also know that with change often comes discomfort because we actually have to step out of what we know and are familar with in order to experience growth and an expanded vision/version of who we are.  This is not easy, by any means, as no one likes to feel uncomfortable.  I have had my share of these times throughout my life, and yes, I will confirm, it’s not comfortable in any way, shape, or form.  Part of that discomfort comes from fear… fear of the unknown and what is to come; it’s easy to stay where we are - even if it’s not that fulfilling - because at least we are familiar with it… the ”safety” is it’s what we know.  But there comes a time when the pain of familiarity becomes greater than the fear of the unknown and we know we have no choice but to step out… or die, in a spiritual sense.  And that takes a ton of courage, faith, trust, and most importantly, belief in ourselves.

The good thing is once you’ve gotten yourself through a time of darkness or transition of some kind and you get to the other side, you often see that this new territory isn’t “so bad” after all… and actually it can be quite exciting and exhilerating as we get to experience a whole new level of joy and fulfillment.

I remember my very first experience with this phenomenon.  I was all of 8 years old.  My family was living in this small little house in the farm country of Minnesota and about a quarter of a mile down the road from a big farm family; they had 10 kids… the youngest 3 years older than me.  I used to LIVE at that farm.  Any chance I’d get, I was over there simply because there just was soooooooo much to do - whether it meant milking the cows, going up in the hay barn to swing from the ropes hanging high from the ceiling, to getting the eggs in the chicken coop, to riding horses, to driving the tractor in the fields, to feeding the pigs, to making lye soap, to who even knows what else…  All I remember is that there was NEVER a dull moment and with that many kids, there was always plenty of laughs and mischief to get caught up in…  especially for me, being the “runt of the litter”…  I was as gullible as all get out and the farm kids loved to get me in various kinds of trouble.  All good fun though.  Like I say, it was the BEST! 

We lived down from the farm for about 3 years… from the time I was 5 to 8 years old.  I loved living there.  That’s why I was devestated when my parents bought a piece of land on a lake 5 miles away to build their own home.  There couldn’t have been any worse news to my young heart.  The thought of leaving my “playground” and best friends at that farm just tore me apart.  I distinctly remember thinking to myself, “how could life get any better than this????  It just can’t.”  And I cried… 

Well…  we moved and it was a painful transition for me.  I was depressed feeling that we had left the best situation ever and as far as I was concerned, life was over!  Ha!  (But as a kid, this is how it felt).  However, it wasn’t that long, I have to admit - maybe a few weeks - in that summer of 1977, when I met my “new” friends who lived just down the road on the same lake…  Greg and Monica - brother and sister - 3 and 4 years older than me, respectively.  It didn’t take long and they were my new “best” friends and I was experiencing a whole new brand of fun.  It wasn’t the farm fun that I loved so much, but it was it’s own form of fun…  this was “lake” fun!  OMG!  There was swimming, there was boating, there was fishing, there was riding our bikes down the hill and off the end of the dock (which worked better in theory than in reality, btw Not sure who’s idea that was - ha!), etc, and then in the winter there was ice skating galore as well as sledding down the hills and building snow forts, including other forms of mischief… whatever that might have been. 

I remember a couple years later actually thinking to myself (I was probably 10 at the time) and remembering my sadness of leaving our old home and the farm.  At that time, I couldn’t imagine that life could get any better, but now I knew that it could, or at least it had the same potential of being exciting and just as fun, even though maybe a little different.  I know I was very young to be aware of this, but I never forgot it and reflect on this whenever I am going through a transition in which I’m leaving the known behind and stepping into the unknown.  Yep…  it can certainly feel scary, sad, and maybe even a little depressing…  but there’s always the promise for a brighter and better day.  For me, this has always been the case. 

Life is always changing.  And in turn, it forces us to grow and expand, and step out of the comfort zone.  And thank God for this or we’d still be in kindergarten!  Ha! 

Anyway… though there is plenty of change and discomfort happening to all of us at this time, let us always hold the knowingness that if we keep our hearts and minds open, life is just waiting to show us the next most amazing and miraculous thing!!! 

Here’s a diagram that summarizes it so well:

May we all choose to live where the magic happens! 

Cheers,
Lisa

With the unexpected passing and tragic death of Whitney Houston, there has been much talk about the comparison between her and Michael Jackson…  how they, both, of course, shared their incredible gift of music and inspiration with the world and yet, both died tragically - and way too young - due to drugs. 

Sadly and unfortunately, drugs and that kind of fame often go hand in hand.  I noticed one person on Facebook asked, why this is the case.  Well… here’s how I see it:

Artists, performers, writers, musicians, and those with incredibly brilliant minds like a Howard Hughes, for instance, live on the edge of creation.  They bring to the world what most can’t see or feel.  In other words, the very nature of their beings is that they are - for whatever reason - open and tapped into another realm that the average person doesn’t see. They can see beyond and feel into a realm of infinite possibilities and they bring these ideas into this physical world, as their gift and they are considered pioneers and geniuses, which is what sets them apart from the rest.  They are considered “ahead of their time” because they are, or they’re at least seeing beyond what the rest of the world sees. 

For a performer like Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston, who have been on stage and have literally transported thousands of people in one moment with their voice or dancing or whatever it might be, they have served as an open channel for the Divine - becuase their hearts are wide open, sensitive and vulnerable to all of life - and as a result, the energy of pure Spirit flows effortlessly through their beings.  This touches and moves the hearts of all who watch and are there with them.  I can imagine that there is no greater feeling than that kind of high.  I have had similar experiences in teaching my spin classes at times, but that is VERY small scale, obviously, but I’m saying I do know what that kind of connectness feels like.  It’s incredible.  So,  how - after experiencing the incredible magnitude of what a Michael or Whitney have experienced in moving thousands - how do you experience everyday life after that?   It requires one to be completely grounded in themselves as well as having an incredibly strong support system around them.  For Michael & Whitney, I don’t believe this was was the case.

For people like this - with wide open and vulnerable hearts - sometimes, drugs may seem like the only reprieve… the only way to somewhat exist in normal every day life. 

Having been an empath my whole life, meaning that I’m able to feel so much of life including what is often going on in the people around me, I can understand. As a kid, I thought this was “normal” and that everyone was feeling the same.  As an adult, I’ve learned it’s not.  Being that wide open to feeling everything can, at times, feel overwhelming and just too much.  On one hand, it has been a gift, in that it has given me so much compassion for people, when others might not be so understanding, but it also can feel like a curse, simply because it can feel like too much at times.  Though I, personally, have never touched a drug in my whole life, I can understand why people would reach for them..  just to numb the feelings, especially if one is a sensitive soul.  Is it a solution?  Obviously not, but I’m just saying I can understand it. 

So with Whitney Houston, like it was with Michael Jackson, I can see and feel how drugs - whether recreational or prescriptive -got in the way, and yes, it’s incredibly sad and tragic. 

On that note, I want to honor who both were and what gifts they both gave to the world through their incredible talent.  They both have left us with music and performances that will never be forgotten.  I find it interesting that both gave unfortgettable and moving performances at the SAME Grammy Awards in 1988.  Wow.  Here are their respective performances:

Whitney’s “One Moment in Time: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixB-pxLB30o&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLC7ABCC32EAF5EAE4

Michael’s “Man in the Mirror”: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4COxumzxKw

Thank you, Whitney & Michael, for your gift you shared with the world!  We are incredibly grateful for the inspiration.  May we all have that “one moment in time” when we’re “more than we thought we could be.” 

I love you,

Lisa

When I heard the “call” in the 2nd week of January that I was to go to Hawaii - the Big Island - to do a little personal solo retreat, I wasn’t sure what that was about.  I was riding my bike in Santa Monica when all of a sudden I knew I had to go.  It was odd how it came out of the blue, but in truth, that’s kind of how my life has been.  I’ve always - for whatever reason - been very in tune with my inner voice… call it my heart, my intuition, my higher self, (whatever fits), but it’s always been there, and I am not a stranger to these “random” and ”spontaneous calls” where I just know deep inside that this is what I have to do, even though my logical mind doesn’t always (or ever) comprehend… at least until maybe AFTER the fact.  This was one of those particular moments.

So…  without really knowing why, but knowing it’s absolutely what I needed to do, I looked into flights & accommodations to Hawaii for January 20th.

When I arrived to the Big Island, I could immediately feel the energy difference from here in LA.  Huge.  Everything there felt so quiet…  it was so distinct for me.  I told a friend that the energy was so “quiet” that it almost like I could hear the “hum” of the earth.  It was very interesting. 

In my 5 days there, I had a very solitary time…  which is what I was looking for…  just being with myself and nature, and the Big Island of Hawaii offers nature in some of it’s rawest form.  It’s a very “young” island…  with an active volcano that is constantly creating new land everyday.  But because of this, the Big Island has a lot of desolate black lava fields that go on for miles.  One evening, I was standing on this moonscape by myself, right on the edge of the ocean watching the sun set into the Pacific.  It was surreal, to say the least.  I felt like I was stripped bare… just me, my soul, and the elements of life.  What a unique place to be.  How often are we that intimate with the earth and the very elements that give us life?  Though I was technically “alone”, I also felt very connected… to my own soul, to the earth and to everyone.  It was profound and enlivening at the same time.  Magical, really.

All the while I was there, I would spend my mornings writing…  writing one of the last chapters in a book I have been working on for the last 3 years.  For those who are close to me, they know about this…  the book I am writing.  For those of you who aren’t aware of this, I will share with you (as it is time… it will be coming out this year).  It is a book called, “Michael Jackson:  The Man in Our Mirror    A Reflection of Our Collective Soul”.  There is a very LONG story as to how I came to write this book…   it goes back as far as when I was a teenager living in Minnesota… and the journey through the years of what I call, the “Michael Magic and Miracles” that has happened in my life over that time.  Though my logical mind didn’t understand ANY OF IT (and that was the very point - to recognize and acknowledge that there is sooo much more to life than we can see and explain), it has been the most surreal journey and I knew that one day I would write a book about it all…  and after Michael died in June of 2009, I knew it was time.  Basically the essence of the book is how Michael - in his amplified state of being - served as the mirror to us all.

Anyway…  so the chapter I “happened” to be writing while in Hawaii is called, “Earth Song:  A Call from the Deepest Part of our Heart”.  Well, I hadn’t necessarily planned that I would be writing this chapter when I was in Hawaii, rather it just kind of happened that way.  “Earth Song” is one of Michael’s deepest songs… where he calls for all of us to really look at what we’ve done to the world and in that reflection, to see that what we’ve done to the planet is really about what we’ve done to ourselves, because the earth is only a reflection of US.  How we treat ourselves is how we treat others and also how we treat the planet.  Michael pleads with us in this song to look at this connection because it is the KEY and the path to healing our planet; in truth, it’s really about healing our own hearts.  There’s much more to say about all of this but you’ll have to stay tuned for the book. 

Anyway…  as the days went on in Hawaii, I soon realized that this was the very place I needed to be to write this chapter, because I was feeling it ALL… I was feeling the earth in its purest and rawest form.  I wasn’t writing from my head, I was writing from the feeling in my heart, and this is the only place from which it could be written.  What we feel, we can heal.  It all was making sense.

And to top it off, just to make sure I really got it, I “happened” to do a whale watching trip on the last morning I was there.  In my heart, I just felt it was going to be something special.  Again, how did I know?  My mind didn’t know, but my heart did.  Well…  never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what we were to experience with the whales that day.  Let’s just say the captain of our boat said, “In 9 years of doing these excursions, NEVER have I seen anything like this; you are seeing the whale watch of the century.” 

Yes, there were whales - Humpbacks - EVERYWHERE!!!!!  Tales here, mothers and babies there (some swimming within FEET of our boat) to whales breeching - jumping high out of the water - and slamming down with a HUGE splash.  Breathtaking and awe-inspiring!  Enough to bring tears and to put everything in life into perspective.  I was overwhelmed and so was everyone on that boat that day.  And so for 3 hours straight, we watched a show that no Hollywood movie or Broadway show in NY could EVER EVER EVER top.  Ah, nature…  it is the greatest show on earth… and the most awesome.  I felt so humbled.  Especially because on some level I knew…  though as I say, I could’ve never known THIS.

As the captain told us we had to head back - with sadness but also total gratitude - he turned up the motor and we headed back, only to realize that the show wasn’t quite over!!  I was sitting in the front when all of a sudden, 2 huge whales on EITHER side of us surfaced right in front of the boat and escorted us for another 10 minutes!!!!!  They wanted us to know how appreciative they were that we were there… and for me, I “heard” them say, “Thank you…  “  They knew what I was writing about…  about the Earth… about how we need to wake up - all of us - and take personal responsibility in healing our world… by healing ourselves. 

Wow…  I kept thinking about the words in Michael’s song…  “What about the crying whales?  We’re ravaging the seas… “  Not only did he want me to know this intellectually, he wanted me to FEEL it but also to experience it first hand…  to experience our brothers and sisters of the sea, the biggest beings to ever inhabit the earth.  Wow… I soooooooo got it.  I was moved, as that is what the heart does… it moves us…  not only to feel, but also to take action.  Emotion is energy in motion.  When we feel, we move. 

After the “whale watch of the century,” I found myself at one of my favorite secluded beaches for the rest of the afternoon.  I sat on the lava rocks on this white sand beach with palm trees and wrote in my journal about all that I was feeling and experiencing.  All of a sudden, a sea turtle pulled him/herself up on the rock about 10 feet from me to take a nap while another frolicked and swam in the tide pools surrounding me.  Just when I felt I couldn’t get any more blessed and honored, those beautiful turtles showed up.  Hmmmm… 

What a trip it was.  Simply magical.

I wanted to share the video and lyrics to Michael’s Earth Song.  Please watch… and most importantly, go into your heart and feel…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgeNDUChKPA

The lyrics:

What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain…
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine…
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we’ve shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?

Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh

What have we done to the world
Look what we’ve done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son…
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine…
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores

Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh

I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don’t know where we are
Although I know we’ve drifted far

Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh
Aaaaaaaaah Oooooooooh

Hey, what about yesterday
(What about us)
What about the seas
(What about us)
The heavens are falling down
(What about us)
I can’t even breathe
(What about us)
What about apathy
(What about us)
I need you
(What about us)
What about nature’s worth
(ooo, ooo)
It’s our planet’s womb
(What about us)
What about animals
(What about it)
We’ve turned kingdoms to dust
(What about us)
What about elephants
(What about us)
Have we lost their trust
(What about us)
What about crying whales
(What about us)
We’re ravaging the seas
(What about us)
What about forest trails
(ooo, ooo)
Burnt despite our pleas
(What about us)
What about the holy land
(What about it)
Torn apart by creed
(What about us)
What about the common man
(What about us)
Can’t we set him free
(What about us)
What about children dying
(What about us)
Can’t you hear them cry
(What about us)
Where did we go wrong
(ooo, ooo)
Someone tell me why
(What about us)
What about babies
(What about it)
What about the days
(What about us)
What about all their joy
(What about us)
What about the man
(What about us)
What about the crying man
(What about us)
What about Abraham
(What about us)
What about death again
(ooo, ooo)
Do we give a damn?

Pictures of the whales…  

Life is magic!

Lisa

Since this is the “recognized” time of making change in the year, (though life is always about change), I thought I would share this interesting article about motivation for change.  Hmmm…  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jim-taylor/motivation_b_1179582.html