My Blog

My 1st public hoop!

Amy — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:02:15 GMT

Yesterday I was in the 4th of July parade....my first experience hoopin' in public and it was a blast! I wore red, white, and blue and put "Hooping for peace" on my back. My sweetie (who transported the music) wore a similar peace shirt too. There are a couple other photos on my profile if you want to see them. Anyways, I made a cd with music that had conscious lyrics ahead of time and hoped I wouldn't get nervous. I had a friend who was going to join me but had to back out at the last minute. Thankfully, nerves never kicked in, maybe because I was hooping for peace! It was just pure fun! I don't think many folks here in northern Michigan have seen hoopdance and we got a good response from the crowd. Lots of people yelled back "peace!" Even though I wasn't doing real mind-blowing things, it was neat to hear some wow's and cheers and provide some entertainment! Other floats tossed out candy, and at one point a guy held a piece up and tossed it to me and I caught it while hooping...hee hee. That got some cheers too. It felt really GREAT to shed some fun & light-hearted focus on peace & hoop~joy. My biggest fear was that my hoop would fly out of my hands and hit a baby or an elder......thank goodness that didn't happen!!

Mid-Cleanse Hoopin'!

Amy — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 23:55:30 GMT

So today is the 6th day of my 7 day cleanse, the Polarity cleansing diet and I feel Amazing!! I first did this in my Polarity Therapy class (an energetic bodywork) 8 years ago. I feel lighter, straighter, more pure, more clarity, and more my Self! A lot of the foods we eat are acid forming, which causes all sorts of problems with health because of the pH imbalance. With this cleanse, breakfast consists of a 'liver flush tonic' to help the liver release toxins. It sounds worse than it tastes, but it is a blend of the juice of one lemon, one grapefruit, a 1-inch piece of ginger, 1 or 2 garlic cloves and olive oil. A tea made of ginger, anise or fennel seed, flax seed, fenugreek seed, licorice root and peppermint is taken right after to also get rid of toxins. Lunch and dinner consist of only alkaline-forming foods are allowed, basically non-starchy vegetables either raw or steamed. No grains, coffee, tea, meat, starches, sugar, eggs, yeast or tamari. For some protein, 4 peeled almonds are eaten. This diet is so fascinating because it shows what kind of attachments we have to food and how the emotions and health are affected due to those attachments. During this last week, I have felt a weakness in my muscles, nauseous a couple times, a few big headaches, and moodiness....all signs of those toxins being finally processed and released. But as I am entering the last day, I feel like I am vibrating on a higher level than when I started. I feel closer to Spirit, back on a path of health and well-being that I have strayed from in the last few years. I hope I don't fall back into old patterns after it's over, I want to continue on this path with more vigor and dedication!! I must remember moderation in things that may not be quite healthy for me if over-indulged in. It is easy to go overboard when I get so caught up in life, in distractions and responsibilities. My awareness has been refocused to the importance of being balanced and treating my body as the temple it is. All is sacred....all is one....I feel deep gratitude to the Great Spirit for all the blessings I have. I must embrace the gifts given to me, for I am a reflection of the divine, a unique being with strengths and weaknesses who is doing the best I can at any given moment. If not, I must not direct any negativity on myself or others and move forward to seize the new opportunity to re-direct the bow of my boat back towards Spirit & Love. I know I will make mistakes & life will present new challenges....but for now I dedicate myself to moving towards higher conconsciousness to gain momentum that will carry me through any tough times to come. I will not take anything for granted~every moment on this beautiful Earth is a blessing & I will try to contribute loving, positive energy...to be a channel for healing & peace & light....to remain grounded and humble....to not be judgemental, fearful or doubtful. I must constantly be filled with faith, thankfulness, and prayer. My intention with exercise, dance, hooping, massage, motherhood, & yoga practice is to be a messenger of spirit. And always give thanks. That said, I filmed a clip of myself hooping today to capture how good I feel. It is a bit repetive, I felt so connected with the music that my mind was blank and didn't really get creative with a variety of movements, I only called on moves that are in my muscle memory now. That danged angled hooping still is not consistent but oh well. I wore my red outfit to symbolize this renewed connection with the universe! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CKQbZ3ar_0 Aum Shanti!

My most healing sounds

Amy — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:01:40 GMT

I am a lover of music & rhythm and pay close attention to its healing ways! I have enjoyed exploring sounds that I can make and note the after-effects in my body. One sound that I have found to be healing is "AUM", it feels very restorative. Then the other day, as I was snowboarding down through powdery snow, I felt weightless and as if I was flying! I found myself shouting, "WOO HOOOOooo!" And I realized that this sound, seeming quite the opposite of aum, was just as rejuvenating! Funny how 2 sounds, one going inward & one going outward, can have the same effect on me. I guess it just reaffirms the dual-nature of this mysterious and wondrous universe!

Jack Kornfield quote from 'After the Ecstasy, the Laundry'

Amy — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 03:50:02 GMT

From mystery's vantage there's no fixed path. In truth, there is no path at all, for that would be to place it in the realm of space and time. Yet space and time too are a mystery~the past already disappeared, the future only imagined, and the present as fluid as water. To awaken is not to fix or hold but to love whatever is here. Knowing this truth releases our hearts from grasping. The mystery that gave us birth becomes a dance.

rumi

Amy — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:24:01 GMT

Face that lights my face, you spin intelligence into these particles I am. Your wind shivers my tree. My mouth tastes your sweet name in it. You make my dance daring enough to FINISH. No more timidity! Let fruit fall and wind turn my roots up in the air, done with patient waiting.