Wednesday, October 31, 2012

cats, Red Sox fans, and the Lion King

Also princesses, a pink flapper-era dancer, and a little boy in a snowsuit and helmet.

My garden produced just one orange pumpkin: it's on the porch. I have a basket of candy and washed the entry room floor: I'm ready.

A beautiful princess or witch, Mario from a video game, Harry Potter, and a bunny with a pink tail.

I can hear them in the street, shouting, "Candy!" "Happy Halloween!" "Trick or Treat!" and "Thank you!"


Monday, October 29, 2012

Sandy, Hurricane Sandy

It's windy. Rained all day today (Monday) and supposed to rain until Saturday. It's Hurricane Sandy.

Yesterday I bought a new flashlight and more candles.

It's Maine and we're used to hardship here. We're used to winter storms and losing electricity. Still, I dread it. I hate losing power and I'm not a generator kind of person. I like heat and hot water and don't have a wood stove. I'm dismayed at losing all the groceries in my frig and freezer. Otherwise, I'll get by. I'll take cold showers and eat at restaurants, charge up my phone at work. I'll wait patiently for electricity to return.

The best part? People join together, help each other, and look out for each other. It's a time of connection and caring.

Please stay safe & warm, everyone.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Raspberries in October

a second crop. They are pungent, tough, and explodingly flavorful.

They endured 2 frosts, 2 weeks of rain, and cool Maine temps and here they are. Raspberries. Big red puckeringly flavorful raspberries. What a gift. 

Reiki...

has taken me places I never imagined.

Geographically: Albuquerque.

Ethically: oh, the stories I could tell.

Professionally: to the moon.

Personally: my connection to spirit. My books.

Overall: challenging and rewarding. Please try it. Have a session or take a class. Reiki.

so lucky...

to have a great job: I'm a teacher.

My students are brave, intrepid, courageous, compassionate, willing, and curious. They come from a variety of backgrounds, all ages, various genders, have issues... so what, they want to help. They want to give back. They want a job that will engage their mind, body, and spirit. They want a job that will pay the bills. They want to be nurses. I want to help them become great nurses.

So, how do you communicate? How do you express compassion? What are the rules and when can you break them?

How do nurses think, talk, and write? When is humor permissible? We cover all these issues and more.

Nurses are cool. Nursing school is amazing and students are the best.


Monday, October 22, 2012

roasting seeds

Roasting a spaghetti squash- so good with garlic and parmesan cheese.

Roasting the seeds too. Little bit of oil, little soy sauce. Crunchy goodness.

My life is changing and so my thoughts turn to food and self-sustenance. Instead of teaching in the classroom, or a mix of classroom and clinical sites... tomorrow it's all clinical sites, all day, every day, 5 days a week for the next 5 weeks. It's a big change. Here I go. 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

fall in Maine


And there are still flowers.

Maine earthquake: we will rebuild

Totally fine here. No harm, just completely extraordinary. Here in Maine we're usually free of earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, tsunamis, poisonous snakes, and crocodiles. We do get Down Easters; that's a big snow storm.

Friday, October 19, 2012

domo

She was Asian and upset.

I tried to connect. "Domo arigato," I said.

"I know what that means, but I'm not Japanese," she replied.

Yeah. There I go again. 

Thursday, October 18, 2012

a discovery of witches

is so good. Also the sequel. Read both, fast, and immediately started to reread, slowly.

Am just finishing the sequel- why can't I remember the name? -something about the night-  and it is so good. It's like coming home. It's magic, history, philosophy, science, romance, and well written. Thank you, dear sister, for recommending these books.

Author: Deborah Harkness. 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Maine earthquake

I felt it. I was sitting in the living room, reading and listening to the radio. I heard a rumble and my chair wobbled. I thought maybe it was a big truck going by, and went to the door to look. Nothing. All quiet.

Went online and learned about the earthquake. We don't usually get them here in Maine. Freaky.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Reiki goes to college

I taught a 3 credit Reiki class at the University last summer. Now I have another chance to teach it at my small community college. We offered it last year, but no one enrolled. We are going to offer it again this spring. It will be a hybrid class: online and face to face.

Reiki!

Reiki Nurse: UK

Wow, sales are booming in UK. Thank you to my friends in the United Kingdom. I hope you enjoy my books. Thank you for sharing and spreading Reiki.


Monday, October 15, 2012

family clinic in Albuquerque

They did 13,000 medical evaluations in 2011. They also did tattoo removals, Reiki, acupuncture, curandissimo, and harm reduction.

Tattoo removals: gang, prison, and survivors of human trafficking.

Reiki: energy work, ethics, and path of life.

Acupuncture: Chinese energy medicine.

Curandissimo: Hispanic healing tradition.

Harm reduction: seen as a right. Needle exchange and narcan nasal spray. Reduce deaths from overdose of narcotics with emergency narcan. Clinic provides narcan nasal spray.

Such a holistic, innovative, and responsible place. Start such a clinic in your community? Make it your legacy.

altar at the family clinic in Albuquerque


Thursday, October 11, 2012

the healing circle

Dr E and I went to the healing circle at Paula's clinic.

It was a family services clinic in Albuquerque. The director showed us around. He told us the history and described the business model.

There are no appointments, it's like urgent care. People drop in and pay $40 to be seen.

Dr E and I participated in a healing circle for substance abusers. It was the best part of my trip to Albuquerque. There was acupuncture, Reiki, and curandissimo at the healing circle.

The clients were six males, ranging in age from perhaps 16 to 60, three healers, and three visitors. The three healers were Paula, another Reiki practitioner (E), and a nurse practitioner, L. First L explained the process: four healing circles and Suboxone therapy. She invited questions and discussion.

Next L distributed cotton balls soaked in rubbing alcohol and instructed us to clean our ears. I swabbed the opening to my ear canal, not properly comprehending the instruction. L tossed a package of needles to each client, then went around and inserted six needles into each pinna. That's the big grooved part of your ear. I didn't get the needles because I was going to share Reiki.

Each client reclined in a comfy lawn chair, white washcloth over eyes, calves elevated on pillows. I started to hear snores as soon as the needles went in. L went to the altar and began to pray. The altar was about waist high: adorned with candles, crystals, herbs, and figurines. There was a glass bowl of water with a stone in the bottom. The candles were in tall glass cylinders, painted with images of the Mother Mary. There was an amethyst crystal and other semi-precious stones, bundles of lavender and sage, and clay religious figures.

As L prayed; E, Paola, and I started to share Reiki. E wore skinny jeans, an argyle vest, and a crocheted beret. Her dark curls cascaded down; her glasses reflected the candlelight. Paola gleamed- in her lime top, peppery dreads, and malachite bracelet.

I centered myself; called on my guides and angels because I really wanted them to share the experience with me; called Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi, and Hawayo Takata; and began. My client was snoring; I prefer them awake so they can participate in the experience, oh well, go with the flow; I started at his head. My hands felt warm, but they didn't throb and pulse with the energy as they usually do. Twenty minutes later I finished and started on the next client. When I finished there was one client left. Paola and E joined me to work on the other visitor, a local mental health counselor.

Everyone got Reiki. Then L came in and did limpias. Limpia is curandissimo. It seemed to be a clearing, prayer, emotional release, and blessing. She did each client, and me too. I cried the whole time she did me. She told me to take care of myself. She swiped us down with sprigs of rosemary. She told us to bury the rosemary. I said, "I will take the rosemary back to Maine and bury it there."

She thought for a moment and said, "No. The rosemary has your spirit in it, and all the things you don't need. You have to bury it here."

So when we left, I buried it in some soft desert sand outside the clinic.

Then Dr E and I went across the street for lunch. The waitress spoke Spanish, but no English. I ordered tacos, "no carne."

"No carne?" she repeated, staring.

I could see she understood my words, but not the concept. I ordered cheese enchiladas instead and they were good.


Paula

Tonita found me at a workshop the next day and whispered, "You're the Reiki person, right? Meet me outside in 15 minutes. Paula is coming."

I went outside in 10.

Paula (Paola) greeted me with a hug. She had black and grey dreads nearly to her waist, smooth brown skin, and a wide smile. We sat beside the pool and talked about Reiki and Suboxone.

As soon as she mentioned Suboxone I texted my co-presenter. I knew Dr E would be interested, as she manages a Suboxone clinic.

Paula invited us to her clinic, to a healing circle for substance abusers. The three of us made plans. 

the conference

I went to Albuquerque to present my Reiki research to a gathering of integrative oncologists.

That part was great. I talked to lots of people who at least assumed an interest. There was the friendly Chinese doc from Dana-Farber, the federal regulator, the handsome Czech doc from Indianapolis, and lots of others. I could talk about Reiki and my Reiki research for hours.

I went to workshops too. I went to all that I could manage. Sometimes my brain was too full and I had to take a break beside the pool. Breathe some fresh air.

There were lots of oral presentations of research, many involving slides of dissected mice. One presenter urged us to sing, "You Are My Sunshine." Several bravely attempted to address us in English; I applauded their pluck.

The best speech was the mushroom guy, Paul Stamets. The best panel presentation was the one by the host, UNM. University of New Mexico. They talked about their multicultural classes. The panel was really good, interesting. They called on a colleague to say more. She spoke pragmatically, important truths. I felt compelled to find and speak with her.

I encountered Tonita in the vendor hall and stumblingly praised her speech and described my work. She said I should talk with her colleague, Paula, pronounced, "Paola," or "Pa ooou la."

time, distance, space

Thinking about my trip.

I went outside to sit on the deck, to look at the stars and contemplate journeys. It was cold, dark, and overcast. No stars. I yearned for Fluff and the garden. Fluff is at her doggy spa and my garden is hidden in darkness.

I woke up in Albuquerque today at 4:55 am, showered and appeared in the hotel lobby at 5:30. Got home at 8 pm. There's a complicated time difference. Wait, not that complicated: two hours. So I traveled for 12.5 hours. Car, two planes, bus, and car. Home.

Arrived home and it was 40 F outside, 58 F inside. I turned on the heat and hot water, looked at the mail, unpacked. Kept looking for Fluffy, oh yeah. Yesterday I sat beside the pool, and would have gone in if I'd had the time. The conference.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

hearts wide open

What does that mean? My waiter yesterday told me, "You're going to love Albuquerque. Everyone here goes around with hearts wide open." Then he showed me about 20 pics of Albuquerque sunsets on his phone. He was a sweet young California surfer type. How nice.

He's right. Everyone I've met here has been so kind and generous. Starting with my cousins, who picked me up at the airport, took me into their homes, took me to their favorite restaurants, the Balloon Fiesta, and the Broadway production of The Lion King.

Since then I've been at a big downtown hotel, attending a conference. Integrative oncologists.... lots of talk about mushrooms, Chinese herbs, and research. I've learned so much about research. Yoga and meditation in the morning, fruit snacks, sunny lunches.

And everyone's hearts are wide open. 

Saturday, October 6, 2012

fog gone

Woke up before 5, turned off water heater and dehumidifier, turned on light in kitchen. Hit the road.

It was dark, half moon and stars still out. I stopped for coffee. The sky lightened and I saw clumps of gray fog hanging between stands of brilliant orange maples and dark green pines. Fog over the bogs and streams.

Now it's sunny. The maples are red, orange, and green. The pines are rusty with needles about to fall. It's fall.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

yoga...

... can't seem to make it and miss it so much.

I get up around 6 and stop for coffee around 7; I exchange several non-work-related words with cool people at the local coffee shop. There is always great music; there are pretty pastries and colorful vegies.

At work I sip that coffee and read the news. I'm on the clock at 8. I teach every day all day. Home at 5 I bond with Fluffy, wash dishes & laundry, wander the garden & backyard, and check my emails. By then it's dark. Is there any way I can get myself to a yoga class at this point? It's bedtime. I grab a book and celebrate the end of the day.

No yoga classes on the weekend, when I could go. I miss yoga.

leaves

Just drove 2 hours in the rain. The leaves were beautiful, orange maples against the pines. Then it got dark. 

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

guffaws

Reading Deborah Harkness' A Discovery of Witches and the sequel: can't seem to retain the name... something about night. Anyhow. They are rich and deep. Read them through at speed of light was so engrossed and so anxious about the plot. Immediately began to reread and am enjoying now on another level: relaxed, admiring the language and history. It's funny now. I guffaw. Heartily recommend.