West Coast Wanderings

As we have been doing for the past 15 years, my family thoroughly enjoyed exploring Vancouver Island this summer! Back-country hiking the Juan de Fuca Trail with my two daughters and our dear friends was a definite highlight, as was the quality time we shared with our nearly 18 year old daughter, Ayla. We first came to Vancouver Island when Ayla was only two years old and we fell so passionately in love that we returned every year since. Ayla will be graduating next year and, though she intends to steal away from her “adult” life to join us next year, she won’t be able to spend the 5-6 weeks with us again. Sharing her full presence this summer was a real blessing and is one that is not lost on me for a single moment. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to spend so much time each summer in such a beautiful part of the world.

I’m also proud to say that I maintained my qigong practice over the summer, enjoying a 10-20 minute routine almost every morning!

And here’s a glimpse into the adventures we had in all these beautiful places!

Cleaning, Clearing and Letting Go

 
What do you want to carry with you in your balloon? What are you ready to let go of?

What do you want to carry with you in your balloon? What are you ready to let go of?

 

It seems that everywhere I turn I am hearing about the “cleaning-up” energy of January and the immense opportunity for 2019 to truly be the FRESH START that so many of us have been craving for the past several years. I realize that this may sound cliche, but I simply cannot ignore the energy that is stirring up within and around me. And, so I wonder, can you relate?

Personally, I have had a surge of energy to clean, clear and let go. It started with a physical decluttering of our house, followed by a far less enjoyable physical cleansing of my body (compliments of a stomach illness), and then moved towards an incredibly gentle, compassionate and surprisingly easy (and ongoing) release of some age old patterns and habits. This impetus to release seems to have an energy of its own and I have felt very little resistance.

My friend Cathy (and fellow qigong wise women) and I discussed this over a scrumptious lunch yesterday. We visualized ourselves standing in a hot air balloon, fearlessly ready to ascend. But in order to do so we first need to untie the ropes and release the weights inside the basket. I shared with Cathy that the biggest weight I am ready to release is the weight of expectations…all expectations! After lunch, Cathy sent me a quote which I wish to share with you:

“ Expectations are resentments waiting to happen” - Anne Lamott

I wish to share with you an excerpt from the Power Path School of Shamanism January forecast. I was referred to this website about a year ago by a skilled acupuncturist and qigong practitioner, Patti Mayer, and I have always been amazed at how relevant and accurate it is, so I wasn’t completely surprised when I read the theme for January…

 

The main theme for January is “CLEAN IT UP”.

 We have some very big energies coming in that you will not be able to take advantage of if you are bogged down in physical, emotional and energetic clutter, old intentions, unfinished business, anything you have put off or procrastinated and should have done “yesterday”, regrets, unexpressed communication, attachments to disappointments and unmanifested dreams, persisting bad habits, and we can go on and on as the list is very long.

You cannot bring in the new without making space by cleaning out the old. It is very simple. We spend lots of time making new lists and talking about what we want to accomplish in 2019 but there is no room for anything new unless we declutter the past. If you clean up the past, you will have many more options about what and how to bring in some new dreams and experiences. And we have tremendous opportunity to do so.

Here is an image. You have an old roof that has been fixed and layered with new material many, many times. Now it is time for a new roof again as this one does not serve you. It is cracked and leaking. You can patch or put on another layer of roofing making the roof very heavy and requiring you to use the same material. Or you can completely remove the existing roof and start over giving you many options of what materials to use. Although it will take more time and energy up front, it will be something better and much improved and certainly much lighter.

Read the rest of the January forecast HERE

Power Path School of Shamanism www.thepowerpath.com

 

Qigong, by its nature, is designed to release blocked energy. Over the coming weeks, in our circles, I will guide you through gentle, compassionate movements designed to move any physical and energetic blockages, so that, if the time is right, you may release. As always, the invitation is just that, an invitation, and you will be held in a safe container of compassion.

For those of you who are not joining an upcoming circle in person, I invite you to ponder this question and consider releasing any weights that are holding down your balloon!

As always, feel free to write back, I would love to hear from you!

With deepest gratitude and utmost respect,

Patti

Tradition and Transformation: two unlikely friends unite

Dear Wise Women,

It is Christmas Eve, the sun recently rose. My husband just left for a few hours of work at the office and my daughters are sound asleep in front of the tree. It is a tradition of theirs to push our two couches together and  sleep in front of tree on the few days leading up to Christmas Eve. Our oldest turns seventeen next month, yet she remains the youngest at heart when it comes to Christmas traditions.

Last night we also fulfilled a long standing Christmas tradition of ours by attending the Nutcracker Ballet. When Ayla was only two years old we were gifted tickets to the Nutcracker. We thought it a risky venture to take a two year old, but she sat quietly through the whole show, utterly mesmerized by the music, costumes and dancing. She has seen the show 12 out of 14 years since and her love of music and ballet is fully entrenched in her heart. When her little sister was born in 2007 she asked us if we could name her Clara, after the main character in the Nutcracker, and we said yes. So the show holds special meaning for Clara as well.

Ahhhh…..the power of tradition to open the heart and pluck the strings of this divine instrument until all hearts begin to play the same song!

And, boy, did our family need some tuning. Despite how it  may sound, our family was not all merry and bliss yesterday. In fact, quite the opposite.

Ever since school ended on Friday Clara’s excitement was being projected in a less than positive way (that is an understatement). And the night before last, Dave and I had some words regarding a party he had rsvp’d us to without  first asking me. So filled with this underlying tension, off we go to see the Nutcracker.

We returned home and, with our hearts softened, we played a board game…but things turned  sideways pretty quickly because Clara was losing (and she doesn’t like to lose).

And then it happens, in comes the power of the Solstice and this incredible Full Moon! Tradition meets Transformation… and I am ready (as I also happen to be at the most honest stage of my menstrual cycle). With full hearts but angry feelings, our family entered into the most honest and real conversation with Clara that I can recall. It took deep presence and patience, but what transpired was truly transformational. Without a doubt I know that the combination of deeply rooted family traditions, a steadfast commitment to keeping an open heart and the potent earthly and celestial energies contributed to this particular Christmas miracle.

Dear wise women, however you celebrate and whatever your traditions are at this time of year, may you feel their healing power and may you allow whatever transformations are ready to arise.

Sending you the warmest wishes for this holiday season!

With love,

Patti

 
Full Moon was on December 22 at 10:48 am

Full Moon was on December 22 at 10:48 am

 

Winter Solstice Warmth

Dear Wise Women,

I write to you on the morning of December 22, the dawning of the first day on our journey towards spring. This morning I woke up just as the sun was peaking over the horizon. Looking out my bedroom window I was greeted by the glow of blue lights shining on our large pine tree and the glimmer of the rising sun. I knew I needed to cherish this moment and feel it fully so I performed a nourishing series of qigong movements as I watched the sky gradually brighten.

What a wonderful way to begin the day and to root in the power of the celebration that I was part of last night. Last night, over 30 of us gathered together in the cozy and warm Mount Royal Community Centre (it was very cozy…there was just enough room of us all). Surrounded by fairy lights and warmed by the fireplace we sunk into the significance of the Winter Solstice. We shared qigong, yoga nidra, guided meditations and the most gorgeous live music provided by Nicole St. Michel.

Our ceremony ended with each of us placing a magical tea light into water (the candles light up when dropped into water). Through Ariel’s wise guidance, we were guided to think about what we want to bring into our lives in the coming year and what we are ready to let go of. As we placed the tea light into the water we silently stated these intentions and watched it come to life through the magical lighting of the candle. We then continued to warm our bodies and souls with mulled apple cider, home baked cookies and the most delicious conversations.

For those of you who were there, I loved seeing you, thank-you for sharing this evening with me! For those of you who were not able to come due to space restrictions, I am truly sorry - next year we will be booking a larger venue!

I would like to share with you a few photos and the guided meditations that I created and shared at the beginning and closing of our qigong routine.

I invite you to fully take in the energy of this season and to contemplate: “What do you want to bring into your life this year and what are you ready to leave behind?” Consider solidifying your intention through some sort of ceremony or ritual (journaling, bathing, walking, lighting a candle…follow your intuition). 💗

“At this moment of Solstice, we stand on the cusp of change, the point when dark begins to change to light, this is a potent time in which our intentions are amplified and the benefits of qigong are maximized.

Together, let us set an intention to connect to the biological rhythm of the earth. Let us feel into the natural energies of winter and her wisdom, this is a time to rest, repair and regenerate so that we may grow and blossom come spring.

Focusing inward, we sense the power and healing benefits of silence and stillness. We allow ourselves to fully sink into the peace of darkness so that we may nourish the rising light within…just as the yin calls forth the yang in the infinite dance towards wholeness.”
“I honour the darkness, the stillness and the silence of this solstice. Attuned to the natural forces, I root inwardly and experience the peace of emptiness. I fully embrace the virtue of darkness and its revelation of the mysterious formless. Guided by the highest wisdom of the dark, I move towards the light with renewed awareness, balance and flow.”

When I got home I heard the sound of giggling and soft conversation and found Ayla, our almost 17 year old daughter, and her three girlfriends tucked into sleeping bags in front our Christmas tree. They asked me to join them and tell them all about my evening (it is not lost on me how amazing this is) - they were very interested in the energy of the solstice and asked if they could do their own tea light ceremony and of course I said “YES”!

 
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Wise women, those of you who have gathered with me in the past and those who will gather in the future, I express my gratitude to you all!

We now embark on a precious time of rest, the time between now and the official new year. May you find peace in your heart, stillness in your being and joy in your interactions.

Blessings,
Patti