In the Shade of the Ancestors

Unaware of what really was happening she began to walk with a skip in her step.  Her pony tail swayed from side to side as she moved quickly down the lane.  It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, a cool breeze and lots of clean, clear air.  She moved along with ease totally consumed by the beauty of the moment.  She breathed in the variety of green she saw in the trees, grass, bushes, and plants.  What a glorious day!  As she approached her grandfather's yard she was aware of the sense of belonging to her family, the connection with her family - her ancestors who had come and gone before her.  She could feel their presence, their encouragement, support and pride in her.  When she'd come to the edge of the yard she approached the big old oak tree.  She stopped when she got there and stood under it's shade.  She leaned against its trunk and felt the strength of its firm, steadfast presence.  She looked up and could see the sunlight coming through the leaves.  She breathed in and felt the fullness of the tree - the presence of something - so much bigger than her - it somehow encompassed all time and space, all that was before and after her as well as the present.  She sat down at the base of the tree and closed her eyes and breathed in the reality of timelessness.  She felt the expansion of her body as she became aware of her own presence on the earth as a bridge between what was and what will be. "I am the Present".  She felt peaceful and strong within.  She didn't want to leave this Presence.  She lied down and continued to sense the enormity of the moment.  She felt her body relax and almost melt into the Present moment.  Soon she found herself in a Great Hall standing before a large banquet table filled with beautifully colored foods.  Many people were milling around, moving with ease as though they were floating.  A sense of joy and ease with each other, moving freely.  She was welcomed without words as she felt the movement of their acknowledgement of her presence.  There was a familiarity with these folks, even though she didn't recognize them by sight.  She knew they were her family, her ancestors.  As she approached them they embraced her.  Their eyes seeing way beyond her body into her soul.  She felt the warmth and welcome and ease with them. She went to the middle of the room and began to spin, to turn, and turn, spinning round and round, dissolving into a blur.  Things began to fly off her body as though she were in a centifuge.  She became lighter and lighter and her sight became clearer.  She began to rise up as she moved her arms up and down as wings and she took flight - moving freely through the air.  Her vision clear, her body light, she felt wonderful!

Time to play again! Hurray!

Hurray Hurray it is time to play!
I hope that some playmates will join me tomorrow night in the awesome space at Mind Body & Spirit Studio (next to the Paramount) in St. Cloud.
This will be my first time playing in the space and I really am looking forward to it.
I am realizing more and more that play is essential to my wellbeing.
Of course play can be sprinkled into most any activity and that is good news.
Life feels lighter, less burdensome, less of a project and more like an adventure when I have the attitude of playing with life.
I am learning to trust myself and the Universe on a deeper level.  I am feeling more at home within my own body, less self-doubt, and more affirmation of my be-ing.  For this I am grateful for Interplay.  It really is a transformative tool.
I look forward to my next playdate - would be great to have other bodys there too!

Exformation

What a great tool - exformation - the gift of exforming....letting go....releasing...
It is as simple as taking a deep breath and letting it out with a sigh or writing about something that is overwhelming you and then tearing it up or burning it...maybe a simple hand dance -put on some music, lie on your back, raise your hand with your concern in it and let your hand dance it out or invite your other hand to help.  Go to the "focuser" - that space right between your eyebrows and with your hand pull all that information you need to let go of out, throw it up in the air and give a big "wheeeee" as you do so... 


Not sure why we humans have a tendency to not trust the little ways that lead to the door when it feels like we've come all the way into the room and gotten trapped in the closet.  Hard to believe that one little step at a time can get us to the freedom we are longing for.....Give it a try----big breath and let it out with an audible sigh....

Would love to play with you....check out times/places on the events part of this blog....


"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Thanks for playing

Last Saturday 8 of us gathered to play at the Spirituality Center in St Joe.  What a great time we had.
We were young (6 yrs) and old (50+)...and we did laugh, dance, and even do some somersaults (well at least the 6 year old did!).  We gathered in a safe place, of no judgement, and plenty of exploration of what play really is....telling stories, walking, stopping, running, holding shapes, hand dances, and offering shouts of gratitude for soooooo many blessings....

Thanks to all who shared in the play.   Hope to see you again July 16th 9-11 at the Spirituality Center.
All are welcome....young and old.

The sweetness of morning

I love early morning! 
It is so fresh and crisp. A little before 5, earlier some days, the cue is given and the birds begin their morning prelude.  Incredible!  The freshness of the morning is something to behold. Each day holds the promise of so much.  Early morning is filled with hope as I feel the offering of the choice to be alive today. 
Thanks be to the Creator of all Life! 
How magnificent!

The Night of the Big Little Finger

I had a great story to tell you about my Big Little finger...I'd written all the background so you'd get the whole feel of things leading up to this Big Little finger event...but because of the Big Little finger I unintentionally deleted the entire post.   Now in my frustration I will only tell you part of the story.
I was very tired last night and after dinner at 7:30 I thought I would just go to bed but decided it was too early and feared I'd wake at 3AM ready for the day.  I figured if I washed dishes that would wake me enough to wait to go to bed later (does that make sense?)  I was cleaning a glass when "bing" - I heard the snap of the glass, felt the searing pain, and saw the river of blood flowing from my then "Little finger".  I hollered, "Help! Is there a BoyScout in the house?"  (My 12 year old son had recently finished his first aid merit badge and my husband is an Eagle Scout!)...My husband was standing on a ladder about 12 feet in the air vacuuming the ceiling (a different story another time) and my son ran into the bathroom to get a box of band-aids.  My husband saw this as a perfect teaching time for my son and proceeded to explain step by step how to care for my "Little bleeding finger" as he wrapped layers of gauze and tape around it.  I took all this incident as a clear sign that I should just go lie down and go to sleep.  My now "Big Little finger" was throbbing like crazy.  The youngest BS in the house took it upon himself to entertain me with his latest phone apps trying to distract me from the pain.  He even began doing magic tricks until his father decided the ceiling job in the living room should take precidence over his entertainment responsibilities.  I fell asleep well before 9pm and at 12:30AM I was awakened and here I am 4 hours later trying to type with this ricidulous Big Little finger hitting random keys.  I think I'm ready for a nap!

Incrementality

Incrementality is the art of taking many baby steps that result in a really big step....like eating a whale, one bite at a time....It is a way to break down a big project into smaller do-able steps.  I remember one of the first times that concept hit me....I was helping my 12 year old son deliver newspapers.  We started out with about 45 papers and it seemed like alot of papers....we moved quickly and delivered them one paper at a time and in less than an hour they were all delivered!  It helps me to remember this concept -to take a look at the bigger picture, then break it down into smaller steps and be intentionally present with the little step I am taking now....in time the whole task will be complete.

InterPlay is an incremental practice. Each step of Interplay involves relatively simple things. In time one finds they can do things they didn't think they could. 

It'd be great to play with you!!!

It would be great to play with you....Consider coming to Interplay NEXT Saturday - the 18th from 9-11AM at the Spirituality Center at the Monastery in St. Joe.

No worries, everyone can do Interplay because there is no wrong way to do it.  Come as you are and enjoy the freedom and space of listening to YOUR body and deciding how you want to move - or not....

I am looking forward to it - what a delight it is to play...and it would be great to play with you!

Magic Place of Play

I remember the freedom I felt as a child as I ran through the trees with my flowing chiffon robe following me. I had no cares but felt the joy of being able to move freely, swept up in singing, laughing, and dancing with my many fantastic friends in that magic place of play.


Over time the heaviness of life's burdens took a toll and the place of play became buried in the mire of everyday survival. I became such a good girl, doing the right things, being sooo good, smiling so nicely, worrying about whether I really was "good enough".  Wanting love and acceptance and thinking that I needed to somehow earn it by being what others wanted or needed me to be.


Fortunately the deep essence of who I am, that part of me I call my highest/truest self - that part of me that is connected to the Source of Life, the seed of Love, has continued to burrow through the soil of my life and is even now surfacing to bud, bloom, and bring forth the ripe fruit of love. 


Hurray! Hurray!  I can play again...I am remembering what I am here for - to play, create, and rest and inspire others to do the same....


I was introduced to Interplay a little over 2 years ago and I knew immediately it was a gift to me.  I have spent many years processing "my issues" and even came to an understanding of how "my issues" have played out (so to speak) in my body. And through my exerience of Interplay I am coming to a deeper insight into my own "Body Wisdom".  I am loving the freedom of movement, laughter, song, and story of Interplay and invite others to join me in this delightful magic of play.