Transformative Memory - One of Many

My friend commented on my welcome blog and gave me my first assignment.  This has nothing to do with bath meditation, however during this time in my life I took plenty of them :).

“My assignment for you is to write a post about one of your most transformative memories, not including giving birth to those two fine children of yours.”

It was 2001 and I was pregnant with our third child. The month was May and it seemed like it was going to be a fabulous Alaskan summer, but I didn't see the beauty in it. Life was hard, money was tight, emotions were askew.

One day I woke up and something didn't feel quite right. I made the kids breakfast, and ate myself. I waited for the little being in my womb to kick around which usually happened after I ate. Nothing happened. I drove into Anchorage and had an ultrasound. The child inside had died.

I was a wreck. I know many can relate. I prayed and prayed and asked, “Why, God?”. I didn't often go to church, but I felt like maybe it would help. One Sunday, I went to a church which had a preacher I liked. I had to resist the tears, I didn't want those around me to ask what was wrong.

I sat in the pew prepared to experience a miracle which would make me feel better. This sunday service was different though. Instead of the preacher I liked getting up and saying something wise, it was an elder of the church prayer day, or something like that. There were 5 or so men, no women, and each one took time to pray for whatever seemed important.

The first ones who spoke were fine. It wasn't what I needed, but I was hopeful yet. I kept on listening and concentrated on not crying. The last man stood up and began to pray. Well, I think he was the last one, all I really know is after he started talking all things of my spiritual understanding completely changed.

“Dear God, we pray to you today to rid our world of the abomination of all gays and homosexuals. That they be removed from our world and burn in hell forever....”

My soul screamed, “DO NOT LISTEN!” Every cell in my body shuddered at the hatred spewing from this wanna-be holy man's mouth. I wanted to throw up. I instantly had a knowing his words were not of God. The message continued to say God is Love, a perfect being who only Loves. Whether this wisdom was from the Divine, an Angel or my own soul I don't know, but it wasn't going to be ignored. Later, I learned man is the hater and the creator of hell, judgement and fear.

I looked around the church. There were teens, heads bowed with tormented looks upon their faces. The week before a young man of 16 killed himself, the cause rumored to be because he was gay and couldn't deal with the ridicule. Those children in that church were suffering from the man's cursing, struggling to fight their soul wisdom which surely screamed like mine. Tortured to accept their friend was burning in hell for all of eternity as are the teachings of the christian world.

One often hears how going to church can change your life. I say it is surely possible.  I know this Sunday was in June and I believe I did receive a Divine miracle. The death of my son led me to this awakening and realization that my Spirituality is my own journey. I began a long process of healing the misguided teachings I grew up with.  It is now a joy, not an obligation, to understand my Higher Power in my own way and develop my own relationship with the Divine.  I do not need to be of one religion or another, I do not need to be labeled a Christian, or Jew, or Buddhist to be a good person or to love unconditionally or to heal the sick, help the weak, or vanquish "the" evil.  I only need to be Spiritual.  

City Toxicity

I had a conversation last night with a dear friend. She had called troubled about a situation and how it made her feel. I will share her experience because this happens to millions all over the world in small towns, huge cities, and even the middle of nowhere.

She explained how she took her two children and a couple of extras to a local town fair. Not much for crowds to begin with and not delighting in having the extra kids to keep track of, her mood was already a bit off. Still, she wanted to take them and have a good time.

When she walked through the gate she could feel the energy change. She was amazed at how instantaneous the shift was, as if she had crossed an invisible force field filled of negativity. In addition, the children who were told to mind took off in four different directions and became possessed by the chaos.

She was able to gather them up and spent a short amount of time walking further into the crowd and at the same time semi-tame the little wild beasts. Suddenly, something happened. A feeling like she had never felt before came on, like a panic attack. Luckily, it wasn't so severe she lost it completely, but it was enough for her to recognize she was not to be in that place and it was time to go.

She needed to have some time to recoup but was expecting out of town guests to arrive any moment. She was upset to feel like she could not have personal space to work on healing. She didn't know what to do.

“Well, you have your bathroom right? Take a bath!” Considering this blog was started by the idea of my amazing friend, I found it ironic she didn't even think of it.

“Oh my gosh I am so taking a bath tonight!”

So what happened? Well, I could clearly visualize in my mind a gate of energy around the fair. I also saw a point where she stepped into what I call an “Earth Burp”. Her already aggravated state shows her energy was low and she lacked “filters” to keep the crud out. When people are empathic they can easily pick up on other people's negativity. She, and the children, were experiencing the energy of those around them.

Second, the “Earth Burp” is where the Earth has let go of negative energy. You could also consider it a fart. Some people can smell these too, and they don't smell good. I once had such a vortex in my garage, I complained for months at how bad it smelled (and I don't have much of a sense of smell) and apparently no one could smell a thing but me. I did a land clearing and it was gone.

I instructed my friend to take a bath and put some dead sea salt in the water. This is a very basic energy cleansing bath but highly effective. Even table salt or epsom salt will work. Live in a hot area near the ocean? Take a dip in the salty surf and let Poseidon wash the ugly away. You know, think about all those surfers, so laid back and happy, and if something negative happens to them they go out and surf only to emerge at peace again.

The majority of humans do not know how to discern the energy around them. Nor do they work daily with their intuition. It does take practice. I don't want to get into citing sources for all this, I'm sure there are thousands of blogs already doing that. I am just going to say energy exists, humans are energy sensitive beings made of energy, and we can affect each other energetically either negatively or positively. We can also protect ourselves and our energy (information coming soon).

Thank you for stopping by and may your life be blessed with Love, Light, and Healing.

Welcome!

I wasn't expecting to start a blog page so easily.  I confess my great ideas are still neatly tucked away in my head and I have some work to do....

Coming up with a catchy blog name is not easy.  I wanted a name to fit the purpose of my blogging intent and I'm pretty happy with what I came up with.  My idea here is to be an inspiration for anyone wanting to experience a little more serenity in their life.  Maybe even meditate.  Particularly in the bath or in watery environments.  For me water is really the only place that works, for now.

I stumbled upon the word quagmire and the definition was absolutely perfect:

[kwag-mahyr, kwog-] -noun
1. an area of miry or boggy ground whose surface yields under the tread; a bog
2. a situation from which extrication is very difficult
3. anything soft or flabby

Metaphorically speaking the first definition fits me and so many I know.  We try to muddle our way through and sink, or we are in such a mirky state maybe it would be better to sink away and be discovered centuries later perfectly intact with dark circles under our eyes.  I am not talking about depression.  While I am sure at points in my life a psychiatrist would have easily written me a Prozac prescription I don't really fit that category and can't write about it personally.  I am mostly talking about needing a way to find inner peace.  A method where I know when I am there it is all about my spiritual needs or learning, about my total well-being.  I have a long way to go, but one piece of this journey is clear: taking a bath, or floating in a hot/cold spring, relaxing in the ocean or a pool water helps me get there.

Secondly, the word revelation was better than miracles.  I have definitely experienced miracles in my life but I don't want to proclaim I am so awesome as to make them happen.  I know I have, I am a mother and kids know Mom's are pretty darn amazing.  To illustrate I will put in one of my favorite quotes:

"Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children."
William Makepeace-Thackeray

Actually, I like the version on The Crow(1994) better.  Still, it does justice to how important and God-Like Mom's can be.  While able to be impressive in the eyes of my children, I am not sure I can write miracles but I can strive to help others experience them for themselves.  I also want to add in that my husband, a Dad, is equally amazing and even more so as he puts up with me.  I am sure the quote could lead with the word Father too.

The word Revelation makes more sense.  I hope my water wisdom helps even just one person have an "Aha!" moment and maybe even a couple light bulb moments which would help me.  I am pretty sure at this point if I ever experience Nirvana, it will be in some type of watery place.

Just for fun, and to help me have something to write about, I am going to rate my water experiences.  From hotel/motel tubs, pools, hot tubs to rivers, springs and oceans, I will let you know what I think.  For me a bath is a very important part of my day.  I believe using this time is not only a way for me to meditate and find some serenity, but for others.  It seems logical anyway.

In addition to rating the best bath around the world, I will add in bits of wisdom which has helped me in my journey.  For example, great candles, soaps, crystals, herbs or essential oils, etc.  To tie it all together there will be a taste of what I would call spiritual flare: CD's, mantras, even rituals and ceremonies.  Now don't let me freak you out when I say ritual or ceremony.  Yes, a ritual or ceremony has a religious connotation but what I want to do for myself, and you the reader, is create personal rituals/ceremonies/dances to aid in achieving a peaceful and soulful experience.

I think it would be fascinating to draw on my catholic upbringing in this new way, healing what I had once come to hate.  Incorporating ancient greek "stuff", maybe some hindu and Native American wisdom, to channel whatever spirit has to share with me, or whatever else floats my boat.  If such ideas are offensive to you then please don't subscribe to this blog.

Now, I would like to convey I am dedicated to this blogging idea and while I have succumbed to a grade A in procrastination in years past, I am on a healthy recovery track and promise to add bits regularly.  I am sure I will get plenty of inspiration and I welcome any "assignments" readers may have.  I don't mind being a guinea pig.  So post positive comments and suggestions (no negative allowed unless you have thoroughly gone within and your motives are pure and reasonable, no one wants to read you complain anyway) are welcome and encouraged.

Now, as I start, why don't you too?  Go take a dip in the pool or ocean, or maybe Liard Hot Springs in British Columbia.  Remember it is your time and demand your family or co-habitants respect this.  As a close friend says to her kids before she closes her door and takes a soak, "Don't you dare knock on that door unless someone has severed an artery."