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By Carol, on January 11th, 2012
I am so pleased and relieved to be beginning the new year with a new bridge connecting my home and office to the outside world. Enjoying the simple pleasures of pulling into my driveway to unload groceries instead of carting them over the footbridge and though the mud in a wheelbarrow, the security of getting a fuel delivery at last, and being able to turn on the heat…
Since Hurricane Irene destroyed our bridge, I have been pondering the metaphoric significance of bridges in my life. Bridges as connection, as links, as the pathway from one place or state to another… What does it mean when connections are suddenly severed? How do we adapt to un-expected events that change how we live our lives? How we feel safe when the structures that we rely upon are taken away? (more…)
By Carol, on November 14th, 2011
My beloved companion dog Satika died 2 weeks  ago of a very aggressive cancer. We had 5 bittersweet weeks to enjoy together after he was diagnosed. We woke up each morning grateful for another chance to gaze into his dark soulful eyes and bask in the the calm joy and deep love that radiated from his whole being.
Dogs, like all animals, have a far more comfortable relationship to their bodies than we humans do. They appreciate them when they work, and they accept them when they fail. They know that they are not their bodies, that they only wear them. And they seem to understand without fear or complaint, that one day, they will step out of them and on to their next great adventure.
It was such an honor to be with Satika through this process. As his magnificent body changed and weakened, we were bathed in the endless love, appreciation and gratitude that he beamed out of his incredible heart till the very last peaceful moment.
As a friend who had lost a dog to this same fast and un-stoppable cancer said, “When you are really present, the gratitude is greater than the grief.” I found that such a comfort, to sit with his head in my lap, tears streaming and focus on the gratitude, not the loss. Gratitude for almost 10 years of love, companionship and deep connection with a being who knew far more than I ever will about life and death. And when you focus on that, the gratitude really is greater than the grief. Just barely…
By Carol, on November 13th, 2011
It’s been months since I sent out a newsletter, months since I felt like life was sort of normal. When Hurricane Irene blew through the Northeast it changed my life. In a matter of hours, the rising, chaotic waters washed out the bridge that connects my home and office to the rest of civilization.
Living near a creek has always felt like a blessing. I wake up and fall asleep to the ever present sounds of water, flowing, tumbling, rushing, murmuring. In warm weather I work with the sliding glass doors open in my office and the sounds of water add another level of healing to my work.
But in the hurricane, the water became frightening.Rising higher than I had ever seen it, it rushed by at 40 miles an hour – whole up-rooted trees flying by like twigs. And when the rain stopped, where our sturdy steel and concrete bridge had connected us to the main road, there was only swirling white water and a rising helplessness in the face of that much power.
We are so small in the face of a hurricane sweeping through our lives, whether it is wind and water or tumultuous life changes. But every crisis holds within it the seeds of opportunity, and while as the hurricane whips through, it may seem like disaster, there is also new possibility.
(more…)
By Carol, on July 22nd, 2011
Being centered means having a reference point, a place to come back to when life and emotions and stress push you off balance. Think about those wobbly toys that kids play with; you knock them down and they bounce right back. They have the kind of balance that we wobbly humans often wish we possessed! They have such a strong sense of what their ”center” is, that they effortlessly go right back to it, no matter how many times or which direction you push them.
Being ‘centered’ is that kind of dynamic balance point. It doesn’t mean we are always there, it means we always know where to go back to. Kind of like knowing where your home is. Meditation is one very effective way to get more familiar with your center. Regular meditation teaches you where it is, what it feels like and how to get back there when you get temporarily lost. (more…)
By Carol, on July 13th, 2011
People have asked me how I came up with the Four Steps to Center™ process that I use in many of my guided imagery meditation CDs and mp3s. It evolved out of my understanding of who we really are; not just physical beings, but beings of multiple levels, of heart and mind and spirit as well as body. I try to incorporate this understanding into all aspects of my life and my work, though of course, like everyone else, I frequently forget!
I call my blog and my newsletter “Living in a Body” because I think that’s what we are really here to do; (more…)
By Carol, on July 4th, 2011
I just found a computer program that creates a fancy To Do list for me and I felt an immediate sense of relief. How much stressful mental energy do we use just trying to remember all the myriad details of life? And how relaxing it is to stop keeping track and give it over to someone or something else.
Giving it over is a powerful concept; acknowledging that we can’t and don’t have to do it all, that something else is there to the burden off of our shoulders. Any process of connecting to our higher self, to spirit, God, a higher power - whether in meditation, contemplation, prayer, dance, chanting, Yoga, or your favorite mode is a way of giving over, and letting go of the illusion that we are in this alone and have to do everything ourselves. (more…)
By Carol, on June 8th, 2011
Often clients have told me that they can’t do guided imagery because they “can’t visualize.” I find it ironic, because the truth is, we are all absolutely expert at what I call ‘negative imagery.’ Sending our bodies messages that they obediently respond to; “I’m clumsy, I’m fat (and I’ll always be fat!), I have a bad back, a sensitive stomach, that medicine will make me nauseous, I’ll never heal…” the litany of negative thoughts and negative imagery goes on all day.
So what if we could harness this ability we all seem to have and creatively use it for health and healing? What if the messages were positive and health-promoting, instead of critical and judgmental? What if we were actually kind to ourselves? (more…)
By Carol, on June 6th, 2011
I’ve had some great responses to my new guided imagery meditation CD and mp3 Releasing Stress, Finding Peace. But as this recent email expresses, trying to find the time to implement stress relief techniques can be stressful itself, so I wanted to share with you some quick stress releasing ideas.
“I wanted to thank you for your “Releasing Stress” CD. I tried several relaxation products in the past, but none worked like yours. My life seems sometimes frantic, and the times I most need to relax, are the times I can least afford to spend a lot of time doing so. Your CD helps me feel relaxed and de-stressed so quickly that I don’t spend my relaxing time worrying about all the time I am wasting doing it! Carri H. Kingston, NY
It really doesn’t take long to shift your energy and calm your nervous system and access a sense of relaxation and peacefulness. Here are a few of my favorite, very quick stress releasing tricks. (more…)
By Carol, on May 31st, 2011
The question I hear most frequently is “how do I find time to meditate? I’m stressed enough already, trying to find time to meditate is even more stressful!” Life seems busier, more rushed, more full of stuff to do every year. So how do we find extra time to do the things that will, theoretically, make us feel calmer, more relaxed, more centered?
It used to be with guided imagery meditation, the longer the better. Now, in the age of tweeting, texting and shortening attention spans people want something short and sweet. And actually, I think that’s just fine… (more…)
By Carol, on May 25th, 2011
The CDs of my new guided imagery meditation Releasing Stress, Finding Peace just arrived! I am so thrilled to have this concrete product of months of work finally in my hands. It has been a vision of mine for a long time to create a guided imagery meditation on letting go of stress, and finding that elusive connection with the deep place of peace that dwells within us.
I think it is my favorite piece of work – and working with the very gifted composer Dennis Yerry of the Hawk Project (who turns out to live right down the road from me!) brought it all together.
So I am shamelessly saying “if you know anyone who is stressed, buy them a copy!” The toxic and damaging effects of stress are so detrimental to body, heart, mind and spirit. Take a quarter of an hour to let it go and re-balance your system. It is available on mp3 and CD on my website, and you can listen to a sample right here:
What do we do about stress? We try to manage it, control it, adapt to it and tolerate it. (more…)
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