How do you like your peeps?

There seems to be quite a polarity within the world of Peeps, those brightly colored marshmallow delights found mostly around Easter time.

You either love them or hate them.

If you love them, you either love them blown up in the microwave or stale and hard.

Any way we eat them (or not) we have our traditions that we stick to from year to year.

The springtime is typically a time of religious celebration from Christian to Jewish to Pagan.  To coincide with the energy of spring, these celebrations often focus on renewal, fertility, and salvation.  No matter your heritage or religion, we all have rituals and traditions that we implement to celebrate these principles–even Spring Cleaning, the Ultimate Renewal 🙂

What do you do to celebrate the springtime and reclaim your vitality?

Posts and comments welcome below and on Facebook

Roller derby anyone?

I was just preparing to write this blog–feeling terribly uninspired–when I came across this post in a blog devoted to Roller Derby.  It struck a chord with me and I felt we had to share this.  Enjoy!

Confucius and chumbawumba agree: it’s about falling and getting up.

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Tim Nekritz

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. — Confucius

Fall seven times, stand up eight. — Japanese proverb

I get knocked down. But I get up again. You’re never going to keep me down. — “Tubthumping,” Chumbawumba

Words of wisdom through the ages lead to one of the most impressive feats of roller derby — the tough ladies of Oz Roller Girls and other teams get hit. A lot. Yet they get up. Smiling. A lot.

Roller derby comes with thrills and spills. (Photo credit: Port City Photography.)

Hitting and getting hit may be the toughest adaptation for many derby skaters. You’ll see an initial reluctance to hit in practices, especially because everyone’s friends. And there’s a fear of getting hit. But Coach Phil runs specific hitting drills to accustom rollergirls to hitting (cleanly), taking hits and falling small.

Falling small means that when you go down, you try to pull your body into a ball. Extraneous limbs can get run over and, in what could add insult to injury (literally), if an opponent trips over an arm or leg because you didn’t fall small, you receive the penalty.

Storm Warning and Rockem Sockem spontaneously demonstrate the art of falling small. (Photo credit: Port City Photography.)

There’s no shame in getting drilled hard in derby — our girls often say “nice hit” to their opponent after we get tagged. Even the best skaters will take big hits from time to time. It’s part of the game.

And honestly, watching our newer skaters take the hits, and get back up — smiling, even — is downright heartwarming, strange as that sounds. But then, doesn’t this kind of persistence, the willingness to take a chance, extend to how we should lead our lives in general? Hey, if Confucious and Chumbawumba agree, it has to be true.

Although the subject of “Tubthumper” is a full-on drinking binge, I myself recently found how inspiring the simple message is.  Watch here:

I crank this up when I hear it on the radio.  It evokes that “Don’t mess with me!” attitude.  Doesn’t matter what comes at me…I get up again and you’re never gonna keep me down.

Getting Unstuck

It’s official…we’re now in Spring.  Seems unlikely here in Minneapolis with the fluffy white stuff we were blessed with on Wednesday.  Plenty of people getting stuck on a day like that.  Duncan and Dr. Katie observed a gentleman stuck in a small, slushy drift on the street next to the office.  They cheered for his release but were nonetheless entertained by the process.

As you read in our blog last week, we discussed the new addition of our desk and the breath of fresh air it gave to the office.  We certainly felt stuck having a nonfunctional wall occupying space in our office and gladly accepted the new energy and momentum our new desk gave us.

This evening at The Healing Loft, we will be having “Getting Unstuck,” an intensive workshop designed to help you…well…get unstuck.  We will be looking at things causing you to be stuck whether it’s with addictions, grief, or your own perception of self-regard and self-confidence.  Naming the cause is often enough to help you move forward.  Lucky for attendees, we will also be covering tools to help you move forward in your life.

If this sounds like something you could use to give your life more momentum, please visit the website at http://www.thehealingloftmpls.com/?p=644.  If you miss the Eventbrite deadline, don’t worry!  We will gladly take admission at the door!

See you at our blog next week…

 

Letting Go of the Stagnant

Before

If you have been following our “doings” here at The Healing Loft, you will know that we have a brand new reception desk.  (If you can’t tell by now, we’re pretty excited about this)

Previously, what we had in the place of a reception desk was purely a facade.  It was a wall–a very beautiful wall no less–of a portion of a reception desk bought for a marginal price off of Craigslist.  It looked great and we had grandiose plans for transforming it into the reception desk we envisioned.  We bought it six months ago…

Contractors were called, quotes promised, and nothing came to fruition.  There sat our non-functional but beautiful “reception desk.”   After six months, it seemed to be time for a change; it was no longer serving us or the needs of The Healing Loft–even though it looked pretty.

At that point, we were ready to burn the wall and toss it off the roof (insert devilish laugh here).  As soon as we decided to get rid of it, we received a phone call that our new reception desk would be built and it would be ready the following week!  We also started receiving calls for more clients and people wanting to book rooms in our space.

After

So, Lesson #521:  We had to let go of old stagnant energy to be open and ready to receive and empower us to gain new momentum.

Aka, we felt stuck…

So if you can relate to that feeling that something is “just sitting there” and you feel like it’s really challenging to make that next step, you may want to attend our “Getting Unstuck” workshop next Friday, March 25th from 7-9 PM.  Click here for more details.

We at The Healing Loft encourage you to get unstuck and take that next step in moving forward.

If you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment with our practitioners, call 612-208-1408.

In our Grand Connection, we experience ALL suffering

I’m sure we are all overwhelmed with the tragic images of the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan and affecting the rest of the Pacific.

What a tragic event!  Can you imagine living there and seeing an enormous mass of water sweeping away entire buildings and carrying along houses and cars?  What would go through your mind, your heart, your soul being a first-hand witness to this?

Dr. Katie went to see her chiropractor this morning, where 4-5 clients are treated in a room at the same time.  Her chiropractor gave them all a reminder of the power of prayer, the power of connection, and the power of numbers.  We are all essentially connected, and as we connect to our own suffering, we connect to the suffering of the entire world.  On the hopeful side, as we each work on our own healing journey and process, we help the entire consciousness to progress through its healing journey; your process may entirely help along someone else’s.

Once again, “it’s not all about me…”

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people around the world affected by this tragedy.

Keeping the Bigger Picture In Mind

It’s easy to get caught up in the details…

Doing laundry.  Paying bills.  Catching up on e-mails.  Keeping the kids fed.  Remembering your dentist appointment.  Making the deadline for your project at work.  Doesn’t it sometimes feel like your life is one big To-Do List?

Amidst being immersed in the minutiae of life, how often do you revisit your soul purpose?  If you aren’t very clear about your soul purpose (Do we ever really have COMPLETE clarity?), at least begin to ask yourself more meaningful questions than, “Hmmmm….Do I want fries with that?”

In Duncan’s blog this week, he mentioned realigning himself with his own soul purpose by being able to serve underprivileged people and provide them much needed guidance.   Kris talked about having the ability to find the answers within yourself during times of confusion and reaching clarity.  I talked about Stage 9, the bodymind rhythm in which you feel love, light, and connection to yourself, others, and The Universe.

By staying connected to the heart and truth of the matter, you are guaranteed to find clarity.  This is often enough to realign yourself with your Divine Purpose.  You very clearly see WHO YOU WANT TO BE rather than WHAT YOU MUST DO.

Right now, two weeks before our opening, it seems we have never-ending “tasks” and “to-do’s,” but the fire that keeps us going is our vision and our purpose.  If we lose sight of that, our direction will be completely off-course Where would our path lead if we were to continually base it on every task at hand?

This might seem cliche to “keep the bigger picture in mind,” but for me it helps to have reminders.  I invite you to begin every day with asking yourself these questions–present company included:

Why am I here?  What do I truly believe in and value?  Who do I want to be?  How can my life align with that today?

This won’t be a giant cross-off on your task list, but will often provide a different focus for your day and give you momentum to complete the tasks without becoming caught up in them.  The tasks very simply become a means to your beautiful, magnificent vision!

Keep that vision in sight!

–Written by Dr. Katie Fahnel, D.C. owner of Body Harmony Chiropractic, a partner of The Healing Loft.  Comments to this blog can be posted below.  Dr. Katie also has her own blog for Body Harmony Chiropractic.

Stop fighting the current and reserve your strength

The Oak and the Reeds

A very large Oak was uprooted by the wind and thrown across a stream. It fell among some Reeds, which it thus addressed: “I wonder how you, who are so light and weak, are not entirely crushed by these strong winds.”   They replied, “You fight and contend with the wind, and consequently you are destroyed; while we on the contrary bend before the least breath of air, and therefore remain unbroken, and escape.”

Stoop to conquer.

An Aesop Fable

Free will is a wonderful gift from Source.  We are allowed to use the tools given to us to make decisions whether they be sound and wise decisions, or poor decisions that were not well thought out.  In your current incarnation you were given characteristics that define who you are as a person, and you have tasks in your soul contract that you agreed you would do or other souls you agreed you would interact with.  However life is not pre-determined and you are not forced to do anything.  More than likely though you will have the desire to conduct your life according to the soul contract you agreed to before you incarnated but this a desire or pull, not a submission of your free will.

This is the case for every one else as well.  All the people around you have the right to choose to live their life as they see fit.   Sometimes they live their lives and take actions which are in congruence with your belief systems, and other times it’s very contrary and causes tension and sometimes deep seated anger.   If you have a disagreement someone it is very appropriate to have a discussion or disagreement or the conflict.  If you feel that it is important in the situation to speak your truth in a healthy way, then by all means do that.  What you cannot do is impose your will by force or bullying.

Often times when people do not like a situation they become stubborn and attempt to impose their will on other people wanting them to mirror their belief systems.  Whether you are dealing with people, groups of people, or even large incorporated entities or institutions always keep in mind they have every “right” to exist as they are, act as they do, and have feelings or opinion as they choose to express them.  You have three choices in how you react.   You can accept that things as they are, be a positive agent of change and influence things to your liking, or let that energy out of your life and walk away.  Trying to force change will leave you exhausted and feeling powerless.

Even if you are in a position of authority and can “force” someone to take an action according to your will by fear and coercion there is a cost involved in doing this.   They end up feeling angry and dis-empowered and you feel this negative energy whether you are conscious of it or not.  Also we receive what we put out and abusing authority always has its repercussions.

So like the reeds if we respect the winds of other people’s or situations energy, and bend with it, we feel more power and not less.   We are not spending our energy trying to change people and instead use that strength to navigate through the challenges and the joys of life.  Being a reed is not being a doormat, we still are free to carry out our will.  To be a reed means that we stand unbroken and we are not controlled by the whims of others will.

Namaste,

Duncan

Duncan Metzger is an intuitive medium, life coach, and chakra healer.  He is a co-owner of The Healing Loft in Minneapolis.  http://www.thehealingloftmpls.com

He also known as Northern Lightworker and his personal website is http://www.northernlightworker.com

Are you REALLY living your life?

Do you prefer your salsa extra-mild?  Do you wear a lot of beige?  Have full insurance coverage on your car?  Perhaps you go 5 mph under the speed limit?  Do you commute to work, sit at a desk for 8 hours just to go home, go to bed, and start the routine all over again?

These all sound like very safe, secure choices…not very bold, not straying too much from the status quo…very stable, average.

So, let me ask you this:  If you base your choices in life on what is the safest, what do you really gain?  How passionate and ALIVE do you feel?  Does your motivation to play it safe come from a place of FEAR???

Straight from the Merriam-Webster dictionary (ahem)—

Fear:  an unpleasant, often strong emotion, caused by anticipation or awareness of danger; reason for alarm

So, if you have an “awareness of danger” as your motivator, of course you play it safe–because you think you have to just SURVIVE.  You’ve probably felt this in your body at some point.  (Think of getting pulled over by the police–the shortness of breath, sweaty palms, tense shoulders…you get the picture).  Stress physiology is prompted by your perceived lack of safety.  Protecting your life is important, but you can gain so much more if you can create a sense of safety within your body and in your mind.

If you can perceive that your life is safe, you can take a more accurate inventory of YOU.  Then you can see more options, make more intelligent choices, and look at life differently.

You can take in ALL of the information and ask yourself, “Is this the best I can do?“

Then after that, maybe you’ll decide you’ve always wanted to learn how to fly a plane…or become a first responder…or pose nude for an art class.

**Disclaimer:  This is not permission to quit your job at Dullsville, Inc. and  open your surf shop in Florida!!!

I invite you to experience more joy and passion in living rather than just surviving or getting by.  Ask yourself why you really play it so safe and begin to experience your strategies for defense.

Expand your capacity for life.

New Beginnings – Taking that first step…

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Whenever we are at the beginning of something new, it can be downright intimidating.  In anything we do there is always that inherent risk for what we may perceive to be failure.  I say “perceive” because on a higher level, that’s just what it is, perception.  On a higher plane nothing is a failure.  An experience, whether we in our human ego self see it is a positive or negative, is just that…an experience.  Often times I ruminate on things on my life and keep asking “what if…?” over and over again and I inevitably find myself looking at the glass as “half-empty”!  I perpetuate that state of fear and end up feeling paralyzed and not able to take that first step.

That uneasiness that I feel however is not a bad thing.  Whenever we begin something new we always come to a point where we are preparing ourselves to move forward.  Think of riding a bike.  When you start peddling the first few strokes are difficult.  In physics this is called inertia.  When something is at rest it wants to stay at rest.  In much the same way emotionally it’s difficult to get started, but when you do you find it easier to keep going. So if you are feeling ill at ease,  excellent!  You are starting to peddle!

As I said earlier, we don’t have the answer of what is to come and that makes us hesitate in fear.  What’s at the end of the road, help!!!   I will let you in on a secret…you don’t need to know!  The only thing you need to worry about is the step that you are currently on.  That’s it!   Be present for where you are and don’t worry about what comes next.  When you reach that next step, be present for it when it comes and so on.

What comes to mind for me is the “Fool” card in the tarot deck.  The Rider-Waite version shows a a young man with a nap sack with what we assume are his few worldly possessions over his shoulder stepping off of a cliff with his head held high.  The sun is at his back and a dog nips at his heel.  (Perhaps the dog has more sense than the man.)  The fact is there is wisdom in being foolish.  Is the young man stepping off to imminent death?  We don’t know what’s below the picture on the card.  Perhaps the cliff really is a step to something wonderful.  In tarot readings this is a powerful card.  It means all roads are open and fear is parting as we are letting ourselves become “foolish” and stepping off the precipice.  The tarot deck I use most often with my clients the fool card is actually labeled “New Beginnings”.   Perhaps there is much to gain from this “foolish wisdom”!

~ written by Duncan Metzger (Intuitive Medium & Energy Healer) Partner of The Healing Loft