You are The Moon

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Moon is a card of magic and mystery – when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.

The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

It has been a while since I wrote about things that make me happy – it has nothing to do with NOT being happy – just trying to heal myself psychologically and emotionally so that I can get back to where I used to be.

I used to LOVE going out and working on plants and gardening….used to LOVE going shopping and not really buy anything….LOVE taking pictures of nature….LOVE having people over for dinner and just fun…but for years now I barely answer the phone to talk to anyone (including family and friends) – I hide in my little computer room and that is it.

Slowly lately I have been working on creations and moving forward…little tiny baby steps…small improvements – and it feels good right now—then about 4 weeks ago – my son and his wife (he is stationed in Japan) had a baby girl….her name is Savannah Marie….My daughter in law already has a toddler from another relationship – so I am a GRANDMOTHER – and that makes me HAPPY – actually ecstatic!!!!

The picture above is of my son and his wife and “D” their toddler and the new sweetie Savannah – he has received new orders to be stationed in Georgia – only about 6-8 hours away – we are thrilled – they come home Sept 9th so we are just soo00 excited!!! For now that is what makes me HAPPY!!!

The picture of the dam is from a high school friend who took the pic of the dam in our town – i have such awesome memories of the dam – so I was thrilled to receive this pic. Again – makes me beyond HAPPY!!

I hope you are HAPPY and Thanks for stopping by!!!

We did so much together, shared so many secrets..laughed, cried, giggled
whispered, screamed, traveled, hugged, and grew together during those years.

So how – and I cannot recall how – we lost touch…I had friends looking for her
all over the tri-state area up north….constantly checking phone books and calling 411
etc…but no one could locate her….until finally -on facebook – I had entered her name
in the search-(as I did every week since joining facebook) and finally a HIT.
I could not believe it – so I sent a friend request hoping this really was my BFF…and
sure enough it was. I did the HAPPY DANCE….We are just starting to write each 0ther
and filling each other in on what has happened with us in the last 20 years…and I am
loving it all….and now to me, a part of my life is complete….

I have so much my BFF….so missed her laugh…and her sense of humor and her insight
into life, and the beauty that she brings into my life….I am thrilled.

So that truly is my happy moment this past week…..actually for me…a happy moment that completes this year for me…if you know what I mean…..LIFE IS GOOD!!!

Love ya Lauren—-PEACE!!!

Today is the start to The Next Chapter – The Happy Book.

I am really excited – I think it is going to be so different and fun and I am hoping to be more happy – feel happy surround
myself with positive happy energy – because the negative down moments have me drowning!
So this past week – there were a few things that made me HAPPY but the one that is outstanding is my daughter
starting her year as President of The Gay – Straight Alliance club at her college. She has met some super peeps there and she
is so creative that I know she will truly have a positive impact on the club.

She wanted to know if I had any ideas about attracting members or ideas for the meetings or outings and such–so we
threw around ideas and plans and her first meeting as president was yesterday and they had a record number of
members show up….and my daughter provided refreshments, and we put together a door prize and the meeting was
a major success. Hearing my daughter’s voice on the phone of how happy she was because everything went great
really made me happy.

While we cooked dinner – she spoke about it non-stop -filling me in on all the little observations she made
was just so fun- hearing the happiness in her voice is what makes me smile on the inside – I really do feel joy that way.
So this is an awesome way of starting off this next chapter – THE HAPPY BOOK – I look forward to all it will bring~!~

“I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One.”

WOW – The end of Soul Coaching has arrived – I have learned some things that I am truly THANKFUL for.

• I need to Breathe! Taking those few moments and breathing – makes me more centered.
• That meditating is a good thing – something to do for myself – helps to bring a balance in my life
• That I have SOUL SISTERS…who have gone through the same journey I have – and know what the journey was all about…I will always have that connection to them – that is something I will treasure always.
• When my life becomes so overwhelming (hopefully not) perhaps I should start from square one and de-clutter one corner at a time around me.
• That the more positive energy I put forth – the more positive energy is given back to me.
• Reaching out to others may be scary for me – but taking things one step at a time will allow me to do that more
• LISTEN – to listen to what the universe (my surroundings) are telling me – what my spirit is trying to point out – to remain open to what is being spoken!

It truly was my honor to meet some wonderful sisters through this class…..I wish I could have gotten to know everyone – but I will make the effort to go around and visit – at least read up on what they are doing!

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY!!! Thanks for being apart of it all – Thanks SOUL SISTERS for caring about me!

This is the LAST day of SOUL COACHING and the LAST day of NABLOPOMO….I honestly did not think I would make it a month – I feel so successful having made it an entire month – I completed Soul Coaching – blogged everyday for NABLOPOMO and created a piece of art every day for AEDM…It may sound silly – but I am so proud of myself!! I did not give into the negative thoughts – I fought it all – and the rewards have been wonderful!!

WOW – I made it!!!

Today is the last lesson in Soul Coaching – it is Circle Of Love! It has been a BEAUTIFUL walk through this Journey of Soul Coaching. There are a couple of things I wanted to say -

• I NEVER thought I would make it this far…I am thrilled I did…I feel like I have truly accomplished something..nothing historic – but an inner accomplishment…I did not give up…I did not succumb to those negative thoughts that haunt me about pain or tiredness or I am not worth it!!! The one and only reason for that – is all of YOU.
• You all have given me the STRENGTH…the ENCOURAGEMENT…the SUPPORT…the GUIDING WORDS..to keep moving forward. I truly was a TOTAL mess when this book/class started. But I can honestly say that I am thinking fewer negative thoughts…saying more encouraging words to myself…believing more in myself, all of that is ONLY DUE TO YOU MY SOUL FRIENDS!!
• You all have touched my life – truly – you have added a new dimension and I will always be GRATEFUL for that!
• I found that the more open I was in my entries – the more I grew – and the more I found others to be encouraging and supportive and filled with beautiful words and thoughts and ideas!
• Jamie – THANK YOU for accepting me – encouraging me – being so nice to me – and for following your vision for this class/book…your vision has inspired me – hugged me…filled me with HOPE…I am so blessed to have met you!
• TRULY my SOUL and LIFE is blessed to have met all of you – to read your inspiring words and thoughts

THANK YOU for letting me join you all and for joining me – on this beautiful JOURNEY that I will remember for the rest of my life! I believe my journey is just beginning – I want it to keep going – to keep positive!

Today – I will love myself so that I can love others ~!~

Today is day 28 for SOUL COACHING and day 29 for NABLOPOMO.

Today’s topic in Soul Coaching is Creating a Future…there was a point during the last few years of being sick that you could NOT get me to even imagine the future…I just did not see one. But I have discovered (on days that I am not in a depressive fog) that I need to think in different terms of the future…for me it is not GRAND ideas or plans…BUT baby steps – steps to get back to where I am living life as complete as possible because I can. Not letting the sickness take that away. Even if it is in the little things!

I do not have to imagine a house because I am living in my dream house. It needs a lot of work…but it is home and personally I cannot see giving it up for anything…we raised our children here…the neighborhood is nice…we are all in a bit of corner in our area….a little community. We know if something looks out of place or who is where…it is nice!

We live about 25 minutes west of the beaches – LOVE THOSE BEACHES…so I have no intention of giving them up. I can see the miracle of launches from the Kennedy space center from my front yard…AMAZING!!!
I have my pond – so dreamy. I am close enough to main stores to jump in the car and I am there in less then 20 minutes (with traffic-lol) and live far enough away that I can get away from all that of congestion.

What I see/want in my future is -

• to get my craft room set up…to really have it in just a way that I can sit for hours and create and not worry about getting up and down and chase things all over..
• to actually go outside. I would say once a day or once a week – but I don’t want to disappoint myself but to dream I would say once a day – if anything just to take a look out the front yard and take in a deep breathe of the day.
• To go out to the store(s) at least once a month – to just get out there with my family – not necessarily to buy anything – just to be out!
• To have my children home all together at the same time – just to visit us!
• to go motorcycle riding with my hunnie again – to buy a new motorcycle and just ride the roads
• to take a cruise with my hunnie ( a real vacation)-we have never been on a vacation
• to launch my etsy store with goodies I have created -I know it will be successful
• to get the repairs done on my house (new kitchen, new roof, new puter room etc)

I so look forward to the future and what it holds – that is saying VOLUMES because for a long time I saw no future…so I know 2009 will be WONDERFUL!!

Today I will dream of my future and live it too!!

Today is day 27 of SOUL COACHING and day 28 of NABLOPOMO.

Today’s topic in Soul Coaching is having a home for your soul. I will have to say that I owe this to my mom.
Without me even realizing it – my mom was always bringing nature into our home, while I was growing up. As much as furniture is part of the decor of a house – my mother always filled our house with plants – plants everywhere of all kinds, sizes and colors. I truly thought that this was the norm. Come to find out it was a healthy addition to our home and it brought the beautiful outdoors inside no matter what the weather was outside!

Well I have a few plants that can survive in my house ( due to dogs)…but I have been more towards sounds….Like yesterday’s entry – The sound of the Ocean just thrives in my home. I love the peaceful atmosphere that it creates. The other thing that I just love (again adding a bit of nature to my home) is water fountains…That is my new fascination….my kids one year created a pond right outside my dinning room window…it is wonderful. There have been hundreds of times that I have just sat and listened to water fountain in the pond…it is just the sweetest sound…so in some way I wanted to bring that into my home. So we have table top models of water fountains in our home – just to hear that water flowing when you are sitting near by.

The picture is of the pond that my kids made for me…it is right below our dinning room windows and the sound is just awesome to listen to.

The other sound that is wonderful to have in a home is a fish tank…it is proven that fish tanks provide a natural calming affect to a home…first by the sound of the water going through the pumps…but more importantly – watching the fish. It is better then TV….very entertaining and calming and fun!!! We always have tanks going…

So I think every home should have some form of nature inside – I think our minds need it – our hearts will reap the benefits of it…and our souls will grow from it! Just imagine sitting on your couch and putting a cd in of ocean sounds and sipping away at your tea or coffee or hot chocolate and just relaxing…guareenteed the day’s troubles/worries will melt away and your stress level will go down and your body and mind can become rejuvenated naturally.

Today I will take time to enjoy nature both inside and outside my HOME…because I am home with nature!

Today is day26 for SOUL COACHING and day 27 for NABLOPOMO!

Today in Soul Coaching – the topic is connecting with Nature. Just typing that makes the world seem so much more simpler. I think just as basic human beings – you should connect in some way, shape or form with nature. There are infinite number of ways to connect – what matters is how to connect to what part of nature. What I mean is….my favorite part of nature is – the ocean…not so much beaches to just lay there and soak in the sun (which I have done all my life) but to sit with your eyes closed….and concentrate so intensely on the sounds you hear at the beach…after a while – you will no longer hear people talking or kids screaming or crying or laughing. If there were radios/music playing – that also fades away.
What you hear – are the waves rolling in – once in a while you hear a seagull squawk. You feel the heat of the sand on your feet – the sand squishing  between your toes. The sun shinning on your face – feeling that warmth.

The sounds of the waves become hypnotic. It makes you feel drowsy. Once you hear the rhythm of the waves crashing to the shore – once you recognize the beat – that is what I call one with nature. It is almost as if your heart beat is beating at the same rate as the waves rolling in. That is where I find peace…peace with nature. It makes me feel like I could live like that forever – I never want to leave it….and even tho being in the sun usually makes you tired later on….those sounds make you feel re-energized. Full of life…awake again in a renewed fashion to the world around you.

In those instances of finally feeling one with nature – you could be on a crowded beach yet be very much alone – that no one else is around – no one else exists…it is a feeling of peace!

You can get that same feeling taking a walk in the woods….first it seems like there is so much to get through while walking – but if you stop and notice that the woods have a natural cushion to walk on – so soft – and the trees are the guardians of the woods – the bark showing the age, the history of each and every tree – they protect the land below – they protect all creatures…they offer a haven for all living things…if you close your eyes – there is a pure silence in the woods – that carries it’s own peace…the smell of the woods is a mixture of the soil, rocks, trees, and such – that give an Ora of strength – a majesty among all natural things! The leaves of the trees filter the natural sun light coming through – as if they know how much light is really needed down below. The soft lighting…the smell of deep strength…the high trees and soft floor is a peace that is built into nature. You do not have to go look for it – it is there – just waiting to be enjoyed!

So go listen to the waves or talk a walk in the woods and become one with nature – and feel the peace!
Today I will breathe in all of nature and feel the beat of it’s peace!!!

Today is day 25 of SOUL COACHING and day 26 of NABLOPOMO.

Today’s topic in Soul Coaching is Using The Physiology Of Your Body. I really like this topic…at least I am comfortable talking about it. I think this all boils down to body language. I remember when I started working in NY at a residential treatment facility for children with emotional disabilities (severe)(violent) – one of the training classes you go through – is how you carry yourself. How you hold your body, how you walk around, sends off tons of messages to the kids at the facility…they can spot weakness (the phrase the trainer used not me).

I found that to be so VERY true. The first dorm I worked in I had a supervisor who was an idiot….he truly set me up against the disturb boys and it made for a lot of injuries to me and him just laughing away claiming that he was right woman do not belong in the field. I was approached by two other supervisors who saw what was happening and said they wanted me to work in their dorms…that they would further my training and teach me everything I needed to know. Well I did ….. (mind you – they were good friends with my first supervisor but they also knew what a JERK he was). I found out first and foremost that I made myself look vulnerable – I looked down a lot, my back after a while would slouch forward…all signs of weakness…or no power…no strength. Well they trained me in all of that and how to be a supervisor…in 18 months total from the day i started I received a HUGE promotion and became a supervisor. I was in charge of my own dorm…made my own rules….NEVER had a physical confrontation with any child in restraining them (yes that was just part of the job because they became violent over “whatever” reason). Hired staff that loved to have fun with kids…wanted to try new and different things with them..(like camping, going to the movies, going to a mall – etc)…my staff were supreme…I taught them what was taught to me….they NEVER had any of the problems either.

Interestingly enough – that first supervisor was fired (about 3 months after I left his dorm). Well 6 months before I left that job to move to Florida (almost 6 years after I started there)…he was hired but as a teacher’s aide. He was not allowed to be in charge of kids like he used to. I noticed his whole demeanor changed…he was walking with a slouch…not sure of himself…he kept wanting to have conversations with me and I kept telling him I was too busy for his garbage…I happen to hear that he had had a nervous breakdown and was not the same…the life was zapped out of him. He had cornered me one day and wanted to know why I felt the way I did about him…I told him he treated me like garbage – he set me up to get hurt – he was dangerous to be around – and he could not be trusted with staff or kids…just his whole attitude had sucked…well his eyes kept getting bigger and bigger as I spoke my mind…he was floored. He tried to apologize – I said that was fine but I don’t want or need his apology – it was just to make himself feel better – but for me – he was in the past. From that day forward until the day I left he always tried to be nice – but he was VERY cautious around me and I never gave him an inch. He noticed I carried myself differently…I had an ire of more self assurance… I could look someone in the eye and tell them upfront and honestly what I thought and that was that.

I carried those lessons with me ever since….especially when I worked in the state prison system. There were workers (non security) that were terrified of being near inmates…but my position of being a counselor, you could not be. I was very confident in my work, in what I could do, and how to deal with inmates. In all the years I worked directly with inmates (in a testing room of 30-80 inmates by myself) I NEVER had a problem, never had an inmate disrespect me, NOTHING!!! I contribute that to my body language – to the way I carried myself – looking directly at them, walking with confidence and strength..back straight…each step taken in confidence. That is truly how I survived.

I have noticed the my body language has changed since I have become sick…yes again I slouch. My head is down a lot…I look introverted….I will make an effort to change that – be aware of it more often – especially when I go out (if I do) so that others can see that confidence shine through.

Today – I will stand/walk with power and confidence – my body will express the strong me!

Today is day 24 of SOUL COACHING and day 25 of NABLOPOMO.