Looking Within

Posted on July 19, 2011 by admin

Dan and I were at a Psychic and Holistic Faire over the weekend where he gave his Manifesting Happiness Workshop. This was our second time at this particular fair, and once again we made some really great connections with vendors and customers.

There were many types of intuitives and psychics offering readings (tarot cards, angel readings, channeling, animal totem readings, etc.), and while I didn’t have my readings done this time, I do know how much fun it can be.

But while we were there enjoying being a part of the positive energy that surrounded us, I couldn’t help but look around and feel a bit of sadness for each of us (definitely myself included) who have spent so many hours and days and years looking outside of ourselves for the answers. And while there is definitely a need and a place for intuitives and self help books and inspirational blogs and personal growth magazines, my hope is that we simply use these for what they are: tools to help you uncover your own answers that reside within you rather than taking what these sources offer as the final, definitive answer.

Our souls really do have the answers. I know it may not always feel like they do. I know that life gets complicated and hard and busy and can actually feel like a mess. But if we slow down, center ourselves, and look within, we always find the answer is there.

I love reading inspirational books and blogs and articles that are written with the intent to help and motivate. I love taking it all in and then sifting it through my soul’s filter to see what feels right for me – what gets to stay – and what doesn’t.

This is a great way to get all of the information you are looking for while still giving a voice to your inner wisdom: your soul.

P.S. – I’m super excited to announce that our biggest giveaway EVER starts tomorrow! More details then! 🙂

Hearing Fear Out

Posted on May 31, 2011 by admin

Have you ever embarked on a wonderful new adventure that you were super excited about, and just when you really started to get into it with both feet in – fear stepped up and started listing all of the reasons why it’s probably not a good idea for you to do this after all and tries to get you to see how much safer it would be for you to just step back into your comfort zone?

When this happens, what if we took some time to listen to what fear has to say?

It’s there to protect you – it doesn’t want you to get hurt or fail or be disappointed.

So the next time this happens for you – take some time and write down everything that the fear inside of you wants you to know.

Get it all down on a piece of paper. Give yourself the time and space needed to go within and bring up any reason why your new adventure might not be a good idea or why it’s a scary place to be.

And then you can crumble it up and throw it away.

Or…

You can go through your list one by one and turn it around.

Fear is ego-based and faith is soul-based.

Give your soul a chance to counter each point that your fear brought up.

I think you will find that if you really dig deep and go within, you no longer need fear to protect you on this journey. Your old patterns of letting fear take over will no longer work in your new life.

In my own life, I am writing my first full-length book. It’s a very personal book for me to write, and it requires me going within and really looking at myself and my life with what feels like a magnifying glass. And this can be a hard process that my ego doesn’t want me to go through – it can be painful and yucky and sad to relive certain events or examine my patterns and habits that haven’t always served me. And yet my soul knows that in sharing my story – in putting it out into the world – it will not only help to heal myself, but hopefully others as well who are sharing similar experiences.

So when my fear starts taking over (and boy is it strong!), I recognize it for what is is: a scared ego that just wants me to be comfortable.

And I thank it and let it know that we can’t learn and grow if we always stay comfortable.

And then I get back to writing.

So please take some time today and look at the role fear plays in your own life. Give it a voice – let it be heard. And then either crumble it up or counter what it had to say with all of the reasons why these fears and ways of sabotaging your spirit will no longer work in your new, soulful life.

And then get back to what you know you need to be doing to grow into the you that person you were meant to become.

Grateful for Caring Souls and Sweet Animals

Posted on May 18, 2011 by admin

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time to write a post about gratitude!

Feel free to click here (or below) to learn more about our Gratitude Project.

Okay – now for today’s post:

Yesterday, Dan and I visited Sanctuary One, a wonderful farm here in southern Oregon.

For those of you who remember, Sanctuary One has a very special place on our hearts. With the help of over 100 people last year, we rescued three steers who were scheduled to be killed. After we saved them, Sanctuary One kindly adopted them – even though they had never before adopted steers. I honestly don’t know what we would’ve done had they not taken them in, and I will be forever grateful for their kindness. Since then, the steers have been adopted into their permanent home where they live a peaceful life on 40 acres of lush grass. They are definitely happy there!

For those of you who aren’t in this area, here is a little background on this magical place (in their own words):

Sanctuary One at Double Oak Farm is the first care farm in Southern Oregon. Care farms are farms where people, animals, and the earth work together for mutual healing. We envison a future where care farms are as commonplace in the United States as libraries, hospitals, and colleges.

With your help, Sanctuary One can provide a safe and caring home for needy animals; we can do something about the nature deficit disorder that more and more people are suffering from because they are constantly plugged into a computer instead of outside interacting with nature and animals; and we can teach others how permaculture can convert a traditional farm into an organic and sustainable food forest.

***

It had been a year since we had visited, and I was absolutely amazed at how much had changed in that time.

They built two cottages where dogs and cats can live in while they are waiting to be adopted. The work they have done on the land is astounding – planting, composting, building fences for the animals – the list goes on and on.

Robert (the executive director) and Sansa (the animal care manager) have such open, kind hearts and their love for the animals and this farm shows through in everything they do. This all started with a dream Robert had – in fact, his master’s thesis was basically a business plan on how a sanctuary such as this could work. And now it’s a reality! (A great lesson for all of us to make sure we have a clear vision for our goals and dreams – that’s how our ideal lives come into being!)

My favorite part of visiting the sanctuary by far is seeing and interacting with the animals.

It was so great to see some our friends again:

Lisa the beautiful pig

Stevie the sweet goat

Rosie, the sweet and grumpy pot-bellied pig

And we got to make new friends, too!

Cookies and Cream

Bryan (a one-week old lamb who absolutely stole the show. We even got to bottle feed him!)

Plus there are horses, ducks, more goats, sheep, chickens, and geese!

It’s such an amazing place that is doing so much to help animals, people, and our planet.

If you live in the area, please call to schedule a visit so you can experience this wonderful place firsthand. They love volunteers, and your help would make such a difference!

If you aren’t able to visit, there are still ways you can help!

You can sponsor an animal.

You can help them win an entire fruit orchard.

(To vote, click on “list by state.” In the Oregon section, click Sanctuary One. Then follow the instructions to “Plant My Vote.”

You can donate an item from their wish lists:

Animal Care Wish List

Straw bales
Metal food bowls
Dog and cat collars and leashes
Cat litter
Towels (any size)

Farm and Garden Wish List

Picnic tables
Work gloves
Compost, potting soil, and clean fill dirt
Metal garbage cans
Heavy duty garden hoses
Gardening and farm tools

You can fan their Facebook page.

You can join their mailing list.

I am so grateful for Sanctuary One.

Dan and I are proud to be affiliated with such a wonderful group of people.

If you do visit, be sure to buy some of our notepads and notebooks that we made especially for them – 100% of the proceeds go directly to Sanctuary One! 🙂