Phase 5

 What an amazing weekend I had in North Carolina.  It has taken me several days to finally get access to the internet.  For the past several weeks, I have been "tech" challenged, having very little, if any, cell phone service and internet access.

Last night I stayed at Chris' house.  This is Chris on the left, with the beard.  I met him through my friend, Douglas, and he attended his first-ever  firewalk workshop, and I'm happy to report everyone pictured here walked the fire for the first time.

I called the workshop "Standing In Your Power" and focused the work on the throat chakra.  The throat is where many of us hold our emotional blockages.  For some of us, especially women, we've been told to "shut up", "who cares what you think, feel, need...etc.", and other like-minded statements designed to make us feel inadequate in some way. 

Since the throat represents "speaking our truth" this is where we take back our power and speak the truth of who we really are.  Is this an easy thing to do?  Not if you're holding in and being fearful about who you are and how others perceive you in your world.

The young man on the left is Brian.  A man of few words but a beautiful spirit.  He wants to be a "healer" and when he put his arrow together on Saturday morning, his explanation of why he wrapped it the way he did, was simply "Look, I healed it!"  That was it, plain and simple.  We all got a big laugh out of that!!!

Here's Reem, Brian's girlfriend.  She's from the Sudan, and also, a gentle spirit.  She told the group on Saturday she was Muslim, and I asked her if she'd offer up a prayer.  She asked if I wanted it to be in English or Arabic, and I said "both!"  It was the most beautiful prayer and when she spoke the prayer in Arabic I got chill bumps.  This is what this work is all about for me, bringing people together in a setting that enables each of us to recogize how alike we all are, with the same fears and the same challenges.  Reem also mentioned she'd like to do the advanced workshop in October, which excites me.

 This is Melissa.  She told us the story of really having alot of fear about coming to the firewalk until her 18 year old daughter said to her "Mom, you have to go because we look up to you to model these things for us!"  This is not the first time a child of a parent has said something so wise that the parent has then stepped through the doorway of their own fear in order to bring the experience back to their family.

Finally, here's Amie.  A gentle, lovin spirit who is, like all of us, trying to find her way.  She touched my heart, I believe, the most.  Her struggle is about finding her own home and being alone.  I remember when I moved into my own apartment on Madison, how very hard it was for me.  The first year I was there, I had no phone, and I hermited myself.  I didn't want anyone to be able to get in touch with me.  I went to work, I came home.  Finally, I started to really enjoy my surroundings and ended up staying in that space for 24 years.  I know Amie will find her strength as well and will find out just how powerful she really is.   So, to all these wonderful people I again say "thank you!!!" for having the courage and the spirit to follow your heart.  I am deeply honored!!!