A word about Reiki....

Tomorrow I am teaching a Reiki class.

For anyone that doesn't know what Reiki is, you can go here to find out more.

For those of you who do know what Reiki is and aren't sure it's something you would be able to do.

Follow me.....

First of all, Reiki is not about building a business, or opening your home to strangers so that they can receive healing.

Reiki isn't about approaching every person with an ache or pain, whether friend or stranger and offering them healing.

Although, there are many practitioners that do choose to do this.  It is not what Reiki is about.

Reiki is not about having to change your entire life.  It's not about having to dress differently or change your eating habits.  Although, if you feel moved to do any of these things after you have received training, feel free to do so.

Reiki is not about acting differently, and it certainly isn't a religion, cult or lifestyle.

So many people get caught up in the illusion of what it means to be a healer.  They view healers to be people who meditate all day long, in long robes with exotic jewellery adorning their bodies.  They view healers to be unique and special, something they couldn't possibly ever be.

I can't tell you how many times someone has come to my door for the first time and expressed that I was NOT what they were expecting...  I take this as a compliment!

Everyone is a healer.  And if you've lost track of that ability, you can be re-connected (taught) how to awaken it again.

Reiki IS a tool.

How you use that tool is your choice.

You may use it solely for yourself, maybe you feel you need more balance and a sense of purpose in your life.

Maybe you'll use it on your kids when they have an ailment.  Or on your pet when they experience a trauma.

Maybe you'll share it with your friends.  Maybe you'll find you are guided to kick some old habits.

Or maybe you won't.

The point is, that Reiki is about YOU and only you.  Reiki is about learning something new and seeing where it takes you.  Reiki is about experiencing something unique.  Reiki is about self love, self nurturing and self care.

Sure, you can go on to learn how to teach Reiki to others.  You don't have to.

In fact, you never, ever have to use Reiki for anything other than your own needs.  And in doing that, you will be creating change in the world.  You will be sending loving energy out to the people in your life.

Because Reiki cannot be contained.  It does not just flow to you, it flows to everyone.

You will simply be the window that opens to it.

My Miracle

Checking my emails this morning, I came across an article entitled "Discover a Momentary Miracle".

The timing of this article was absolutely perfect (of course!) as I had just come in the house after walking home from Yoga class.  I decided this morning that I would walk to the nearest coffee shop, grab myself a Chai tea and head to the lake to sit and enjoy the sunshine and the singing birds.  I didn't stay long, I didn't have to; I was filled up with appreciation for my life in that small moment of giving myself permission to just be for a while.

As I felt this appreciation, I was reminded of a time when I didn't feel joyful about my life.  A time when I felt burdened by motherhood and the list of self afflicted "shoulds".  My inner struggle sounded alot like "do I stay home to raise my kids or do I go out to work?"  I felt like my true calling was to be home with my children and nurture them and at the same time I felt guilty for not going out to work and earn extra money so that we could enjoy a little more freedom.  This struggle lead to a host of health problems, IBS, depression and anxiety.

Being reminded of this past situation I felt even more appreciative of my life.  I realized how far I have come personally and how much I value each and every moment of my life as a stay at home mom and entrepreneur!

My momentary miracle today is that I understand what it means to really live, Jenn style!  No more living for someone else, or by someone else's expectations of me.  No more inner struggles of "should I or shouldn't I".  No more questionning the direction of my heart.  No more apologizing for who I am.

Even if you are living your darkest moments, I believe you can find a momentary miracle.  Because; like the article states: "Today holds the chance to build new dreams, achieve new successes, and show new kindnesses."

What is your momentary miracle?

The Missing Link

I spoke to a woman yesterday whose been unemployed for a while now, her benefits are running out and she told me she was on the cusp of losing her home.

Unfortunately, in the area where I live, this is a common story.

She told me that she is a student of the Law of Attraction.  She shared with me her belief in this law and her understanding of it.

She expressed her gratitude for the life she is living, the friends that surround her and her awareness of her spiritual journey.

Then she said something very important....  She said "EXCEPT, I don't know what I am going to do.  I don't know if where I am heading is the right way.  I don't know where the money is going to come from for me to keep my home."

I asked her "Right now, do you need any money?"

This was a challenging question, because she was looking at "right now" as being the day as a whole, the upcoming week & month.  She saw the "right now" as being the future.  What I asked her to do was see herself standing, talking to me and understanding that in that exact moment, she needed nothing more than what she already has.  She was clothed, she wasn't hungry and there was no need for money in the moment we were in.  In fact we stood there talking for about a 1/2 hour and there was no need for more of anything.

Then I said to her "the minute you say 'except' is the minute you put resistance into what is...  It's the point where you go into the future and leave the 'now', it is the moment you lose trust and faith in the wisdom of the Universe."

If you've been studying the law of attraction you may have experienced not always being able to manifest what you need.  You may have realized that there is a missing link.  We are taught that if we really want something, we need to remain in a happy place, be grateful all of the time, then we will receive all that our heart desires.  While this may all be true, it is extremely hard to do.  The key element that is missing in most of the teachings, is the way to stay grateful and happy is to live only in the NOW.  Live only in this exact moment.

If you live in the memories of last week, or you live in the hopes of tomorrow, you are missing the NOW.  In the NOW you don't need anything.  And when you live in the NOW it is infinitely easier to be grateful, happy and grounded because there is nothing to lack and therefore nothing to fear lack of.

When you are living in the NOW you aren't putting your humanly restrictions on the Universe and are then an open channel for what it is you wish to manifest.

Here's a question for you:  Have you ever had a day when your mind is filled with things that need to get done, before you even get out of bed you are dreading the day because you know what is waiting for you?
Your heart races, your in a bad mood, you feel nausceous.

You are living in the future, you are living in a time that hasn't even arrived yet!

Now, think about the days where there wasn't anything to do, or the things you had planned were enjoyable and leisurely.  This gives you time to lay in bed for a bit, feel the warmth of the blankets that surround you, listen to the birds chirping out side of the window.  You are living in the "now".

It feels better, you are smiling inside, you are feeling gratitude and joy.  Most times this day will turn out effortless, you may even receive exactly what you've been searching so long for on days like this.

You have just opened yourself up to receiving the gifts of the Universe, just by being in the moment that you are in.

This is a much better place to live.  Don't you think?

Always room for change

There are moments in my life that have been undeniably powerful. 

They are unforgettable.

I can remember every moment when a lesson was presented to me and I took the challenge because they are also the moments that my life had been changed forever.

In the beginning of my journey to awareness I would be kind of blind sided by these times.  Not really recognizing them for the precious jewels that they were until all was said and done and I was standing safely on the other side.

Now, I recognize them in the moment.  I can feel it in every cell of my body.  The pivotal moment when everything changes......forever.

I had many of those moments yesterday.

While standing at my Uncle's funeral service, the words spoke straight to my heart.  I could feel a presence that was undeniably divine preparing me for the next "phase" of my journey.  At one point I couldn't help but smile as the feeling of knowing nothing would ever be the same again filled my heart and then my body, one cell at a time.

My uncle had a heart of gold.  He was there with a helping hand before it seemed you even knew you needed one.

He lived his life by the grace of God, had a bold faith in knowing that where he was going was a place of eternal bliss.  He hand selected every aspect of his funeral service to deliver a message to the hearts of everyone in attendance.

The message that was delivered answered my deepest questions and soothed my worries and fears instantaneously.  It gave me a deeper understanding as to why I am on this planet and shone a new light on the things I had either forgotten about or tried to hide in the dark corners of my memory.

I am excited about the upcoming days, weeks and months knowing that something profound has taken place within me.

There is always room for a little change in my life!

What about you?

Just Dance

What if every time you were facing a challenge.  You dropped everything..... and danced?

We've all seen the videos of flash mobs that take over malls, streets in the city and restaurants.  Imagine the change in your day when you witness this happening.  Suddenly, your worries and cares go out the window, your swept up in the music and the beauty of hundreds of human beings moving together as one unit!

I can't think of any better way to dispel fear, sadness and resentment.

Most music can turn my day around for the better.  And I've recently found that mantras and music surrounding sacred prayer can change not only my mood, but my life as well.

I've listened to mantras just before going off to bed and wake in the morning feeling rejuvenated and full of energy.  I feel like I have more clarity with regards to situations, as well things just start to happen magically for me when I give myself the time to listen to a mantra before bed or at any time during the day.

My absolute favourite right now is MC Yogi.  I discovered this amazing artist during yoga class a few weeks ago.  As we were laying in our relaxation pose I listened to the music and it was really hard to lay still!  The beat, the words, they made me want to get up and dance!  It totally turned my day around! 

I just got his cd in the mail the other day.  I popped it into the player this morning and started to dance! 

It feels so good!

My name is Jenn....and I'm addicted to food!

Yesterday I chased my oatmeal with a spoonful of chocolate icing.

Then I wondered why my jeans don't fit me.

Yesterday I ate a second piece of my son's birthday cake as a reward for getting outside and taking a walk.

And I wonder why I'm not making any progress in my quest for weight loss.

I drink a green smoothie to start my day, then ignore all common sense and eat 3 oreos.

I hide the "goodies" in my bedroom so my kids don't fill up on sugary treats throughout they day and then find myself digging under my bed for the chocolate granola bars.

I don't discriminate mind you.  It doesn't have to be sugary.  It can be anything edible!

I'm addicted to food.

The good news is (although, maybe this isn't good news at all) that I'm not really craving the sugary stuff.

I just eat it, really without thinking about the consequences.  It's like I am on autopilot, like I'm sleepwalking and waking up when it's too late.  Maybe it's boredom, maybe it's just because I can (I'm the only one who knows where the good stuff is hidden) and because sometimes it feels good just to fill myself with something, anything!

Yet most times it feels really bad.

I need to make some changes and take control of this insanity!

Death....and stuff....

This morning as I lay dreaming in bed, I was awakened by the sound of my door bell.  Whether it was in my dream or whether it happened in real life, I knew that no one had been at my door at 7:30.  It only rang once and even though I didn't know what the meaning of that was particularly, I could sense with my entire body that it was a sign that a loved one was crossing over.
Cut to this afternoon.

I got a phone call announcing the passing of my Uncle who had been struggling with cancer.

This is of course upsetting news.  And of course I couldn't help but laugh!  Of course not at the fact that a death has occurred, more at the fact that I got to enjoy a visit this morning.  And of course I'm sure the person that was on the other end of the phone thinks I am nuts.

But this kind of thing has happened to me before....  Many times!

When my dad passed away (11 years ago tomorrow), I was in the hospital rocking my restless newborn in the rocking chair when all of a sudden baby snuggled deeply and peacefully into my arms and fell sound asleep, I also felt like I had been hugged warmly in that moment.  My dad.  Come to say good bye (or hello, whatever)!  I tell that story to my son all the time!  It's his favourite and only memory of his grandfather.

Skip to a few years later when my husbands grandmother is transitioning.  The lady with alzheimers in the bed across from her kept asking me what the fuss was about since there were so many people dressed up like there was a celebration going on.  It was only my husband and I with his grandmother at that moment.  She also mentioned the hometown of hubby's grandmother and asked me when the celebration was taking place.  Grandma passed away that same evening.

When my brother took his life, I could feel his presence around me and every question I had with regards to his life's end was answered as though he was standing in front of me having a conversation with me!

For at least a year after my husbands grandfather passed away I could feel him in the backseat of our car (which we purchased from grandma after his passing).

All of these things help me to believe in something beyond what we see with our physical human eyes.  I'm sorry if that makes me look cold and uncaring to some.  I will laugh when I feel like laughing when remembering a loved one (even if I am greeting friends in the receiving line) and I will cry when I feel like I miss them so much my heart will break open. 

But these situations have all helped me to believe that life is to be celebrated, not mourned (although go ahead and mourn if that is what pleases you).  They have helped me to find peace in an unpeaceful time.

My Uncle showed me that you can live life with happiness and joy despite the fact that you are being handed a pink slip!

And that is a life worth celebrating!

Trials of childhood....

About 3 years ago my middle son was struggling with the loss of a friendship and not being accepted by his peer group.

One night as we were driving home from hockey we were talking about these struggles.  He shared with me that there were boys who teased him about his clothes, his hair, his lunch and even the type of containers his lunch came in!

I asked him about how he felt about it all.  Did HE like his clothes, his hair, his lunch and his containers?

His answer was "yes" to all of those.

So then I said to him "what's the problem then?"

I remember his eyes lighting up as he realized that, that was all that really mattered.  How he felt about himself.

Right at that moment a song came on the radio called "What do you think about that?" by Montgomery Gentry.

It's a song that talks about not caring what other people think of you, no matter what their judgements are.

There are NO coincidences in life!

I told him then, that this song needed to be his theme song until he had found himself on the other side of this situation.  Everytime he dealt with these particular boys he thought of this song.

It helped him find the courage to stand up for himself and the confidence to find new friends that liked him for him!

He is now in grade 8 and will be entering high school in September.  He is one of the most well rounded boys I have ever met.  He gets along with everyone in his class, is caring and compassionate, and has a great sense of humour.  He is confident and willing to try new things.  He definitely brings something special to his peer group!

Our kids struggle all the time with issues of self acceptance (heck most adults struggle with this as well!).

As parents it can be equally difficult to help our children through this.  I have found the key to this is to not "fix" their problem for them, but to give them tools, ideas, options to use when they are faced with difficulties.  Allowing them to figure it out on their own and learn how to deal with life's ups and downs themselves will set them up for success in the future.

Having the opportunity to affect change in a situation for themselves can give them the confidence boost they need to go far in life!

And those are life skills that will never go to waste!

Dear Mr. Media.....

Dear Mr. Media....

I am writing you today, to ask you to please stop advertising and promoting your thoughts about 2012.

Please stop sensationalizing the wars, the dying, the natural disasters.

Please stop creating the video games, movies and music that bring violence into our homes and into our children's minds.

Because today my son asked me if he would live long enough to enjoy his life as an adult. 

And my youngest son is near sighted (which in energetic/emotional terms means he is afraid of his future).

And do you blame him?

I mean, as an adult I can make the choice to believe or not to believe in what you are supporting.  Our children on the other hand have minds that are ripe with imagination, they go to bed at night worried about what their dreams might show them.  They go to bed worried about what the world will look like when they wake up in the morning.

As a parent I want my child to feel secure, yet have a REALISTIC outlook on life. 

I believe it is my duty (not yours) to educate my children about why people decide to fight for things like land and oil, the changes the world is facing and the hunger and health crisis we have not only in third world countries but in our own backyard.

I believe it is my duty to teach my children compassion and understanding.  How to make their own decisions about how they should help this world to become a better place for their children.

What I do need is for the evening news to go on strike.

What I do need is for the people of this world to see how many are actually working towards peace for this planet.  In their homes everyday offering healing as my friends, colleagues and I do.  In our schools and office buildings, in our parks and playgrounds.  Showing compassion and understanding to everyone who meets us.  Inspiring others to change their perspective on this world.

Just one day a week without the media infiltrating our homes and holding our families hostage.

Please, just one day....

Sincerely,

Jennifer Merritt
Concerned Citizen

"But you're...a....Panda!"

Raise your hand if you've seen the movie "Kung Fu Panda"...

I got to watch it again for the gazillionth time last night...  I never tire of hearing Jack Black's voice, let alone watch that Panda realize that he is the greatest Kung Fu Master alive simply because he wanted to be!

I have a lot of favourite moments in this movie.  So many that my 11 year old son turned and said to me "Mom, why don't you just say you love the WHOLE movie!"

Where would the fun be in that?!?!?

Kung Fu Panda has a great message for us.  That each of us IS the special ingredient in life!

That there isn't anything we cannot do if we simply own up to the fact that we are brilliant, capable and powerful beings!

We can get easily sucked into the "I need to be more educated, smarter, skinnier, prettier, more muscular, etc. etc." crap!

We can easily look around at everyone else and reason as to why THEY are more deserving than we are.

Sometimes we even get stuck in our fear of actually doing something that may get us recognized.

Many of us are afraid that we might even be a Kung Fu Master ourselves!  lol   You know what I mean!


Po (that's the panda) experiences this too, when faced with the realization that he will have to face his greatest fear.  He doesn't believe in himself, thinks that the force he will fight against will be stronger and more able than he is to win the battle.  Until the one instant that he realizes that there isn't anything outside of him that makes him special!  No secret ingredient, no additional education, no more years tackling his fears.  Everything he needs to be a Kung Fu Master is already inside of him.  It's in his uniqueness, his crazy ways and his ability to keep going!

All any of us really needs is one of those moments of fearlessness!

One moment of wondering what would happen if we really just took that next step.

And then the beautiful moment of standing up, being ourselves and doing what WE do best.

And kicking the ass off that fear!

KADOOSH!

The Ugly Side of Hockey....

In the four years that my son has been playing hockey, I have tried to remain cool, calm and collected.

Now that he's reached the Bantam division the stakes are higher.  The hits are harder.  The parents.....are crazier!

I have begun to see the inevitability of losing your mind the more you watch your child play hockey (or any other sport for that matter).

You want them to skate faster, check when they need to check and hit the net with every shot they take!

You become a crazed lunatic... 

It's happened to me in moments when I've let my guard down.  Last weekend I could have used a massage after the game we watched.  The tension was so high I had a knot the size of a grape in my neck from watching!

(massage therapists take note, set up a table in the lobby of the arenas, you'll make a killing!)

There are parents that give the "slow motion" verbal playback after every bad hit or missed goal.  The ones that go blind to every misstep their team takes and blame the whole of the game on the referee's "bad calls".  Then there are the parents that have stood on the edge of hockey insanity for far too long and in one moment of weakness they fall off and find themselves being escorted out of the arena by the OPP.

Standing in the lobby waiting for your child to emerge sweaty and stinky from the dressing room, you can see the dazed looks on the faces of parents, like they've just ingested a drug that has rendered them brainless.  You see them congratulating the player that was evicted from the game for continuously checking from behind.

These would be the same parents that would string the ref up by his "jewels" if it was their kid that took that hit from behind.

They have to be high on insanity to be doing that?  Don't they?

Last night I had a mother mock me for congratulating our team members on a game well played.  She continued to shout out to all who would listen to her how stacked our team was and what a waste of time it is to come out and even play against us.

Okay then.....

Yep.  Strange things happen to the minds of parents in those arenas.

Maybe it's something in the air?

My history buff....

Sometimes I wonder what video games and too many zombie movies does to a brain.

Then I have a conversation with my 16 year old and I get my answer!

On our way home from the city this afternoon he proceeded to tell me how quickly a nuclear war could start and that he has a plan of action to ensure his safety.

He has a detailed plan of how he will survive Armageddon as well.  It's quite a passionate plan!

There are some moments when I wished I had a urine container handy so I could get a sample and have it analysed... 

Then it hits me that the boy plays WAY too much XBOX and doesn't have a firm grip on reality.

It went something like this:

Nate:  And those things right there.  They just tell you that they are water towers.  But really, that's where they keep the nukes.

Me:  They keep the nukes in the water towers?  {as I reach for the kleenex to wipe the tears running down my face from extreme laughter}

Nate:  Yeah.

Me:  Okay.

Nate:  And you know that we're on South Korea's side eh.  So, we make one wrong move and North Korea is going to take us out.  But probably only Windsor because it's bigger than Belle River.  Just saying.

Me:  {can't speak, laughing too hard}

Nate:  Go ahead and laugh Mom.  You don't even know what you are talking about, okay!?!  You don't even know, I took history, I know what's going on!

Me:  You failed History.

Nate:  Well, I heard the part about the nukes because it was the most interesting part, so I didn't fail that part.

Me:  Oh, I wish I had my voice recorder with me.

Nate:  And don't worry I have it all figured out if we there's a zombie attack.  But we need to get our hunting guns from the cottage so we have something for me to shoot them with.

Me:  Aren't they already dead?

Nate:  Yeah, but it slows them down and plus it'd be fun to shoot them.

It kind of just kept going on and on like this until we reached home.  We even touched upon how he doesn't have to plan for college since the world is ending in 2012 anyway.  Okay then.
 
And this is what all you new moms out there have to look forward to.

Charlie Sheen and Me....

So I have become absolutely obsessed with Charlie Sheen interview videos on the online news channels. 

Which doesn't take much since anyone who knows me knows that I'm totally addicted to YouTube already.

I don't watch news on tv, so when I started hearing about all the Charlie Sheen stuff, I had to look into what all the fuss was about... 

At first I was totally concerned for him...  He seemed a little "unbalanced".

Then the more I just listened to what he was saying, I realized.... "Sh**, he's saying what I WANT to say!"

Charlie Sheen is channeling ME!


In one video he says "I'm tired of pretending like I'm not special. I'm tired of pretending like I'm not a total bitchin' rock star from Mars. ... You can't process me with a normal brain." 

And I can totally relate to what he is saying!!!

Okay, so I'm not sure I would've been creatively brilliant enough to think up "total bitchin' rock star from Mars" but it's pretty close to what the tiny voice inside of my heart wants to say!

The more I thought about how I felt about this particular statement, the more I thought about the service he is doing for all the people in this world that really would like to shout that kind of stuff from the rooftop but are afraid they'll get put in a straight jacket and sent to the "place for special people".  Or at the very worst have their family think they are conceded ;)

Charlie Sheen is a trailblazer people!  He's lighting the way so that we little guys can wake up tomorrow morning and say to the nearest person listening "I am special.  I am WINNING.  Duh?"  And not have to worry a bit about it because we still won't look as crazy as Charlie!

I feel so liberated! 

Amazing!

I'm writing him a Thank you note right now!

Don't Piss off the Granny with the Potty Mouth!

This is one of those "guess what happened to me today" stories.

I had run into the local Value Village to see if I could find some cheap old frames that could transform my art pieces and make them more hip...

Anyway, I didn't find any frames, but did get my hands on some Cuban maraca's (I only know they are Cuban because they are engraved as such) and a couple of really vibrant colored scarves (maybe I'll use them together?  Maybe not?)

So I proceed to the check out.

It's seniors day.

It's busy as all get out, the line ups are long and I'm contemplating whether or not I REALLY need the maraca's and the scarves when a member of the staff asks me to excuse her as she needs to move a clothes rack through our line.  So I move to the side (in front of the cash register area) and the elderly woman behind me moves back a bit to allow the girl through with her rack.

Before I can get back into line the old lady that was behind me rams her cart up really fast so that I can't get back into line, so I stayed where I was and as I was next in line proceeded to put my items on the counter to pay for them.

I guess this woman thought seniors day meant that on top of the 20% off she should get to cut in line whenever she wants to (and for the record, if she hadn't of rammed her cart up the way she did and been so rude about it I would have gladly given up my space in line to make her happy) because she turned her cart towards me, looked me straight in the eye and called me a "cunt"!

That's right...  You heard it here first people!


Since when do granny's say "cunt".

The woman ahead of me at the checkout turned to me with her eyes all bugged out as if to say "did she really say what I think she just said?" and at that moment I started to giggle....  I couldn't help it, the whole scenerio was priceless!

This made granny even more upset and she stomped her way over to the next cash register to wait in a line that was twice as long as the one she had been in.

I'm guessing this was not her day....

But she certainly made mine!