Month: July 2019

Why I Journal – Day 241

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Journal – Oct. ’05 – May ’06 – Photo: L. Weikel

Why I Journal                                  

Very recently I’ve had occasion to wonder aloud about specific experiences or recollections associated with particular dates. (Let me say right here that I apologize profusely for that sentence. It’s a stinker. And I’ve tried fifteen ways from Sunday to rewrite it but it refuses to improve, no matter what I do to it.)

Instead of resting on that outrageous conglomeration of words, let me give you three examples:

You may recall that I mentioned in my post about the Eclipse Season we’re right now in the thick of experiencing, that this particular configuration has not occurred since 2001-ish. And I mentioned that this is a time of major, dramatic change for many people.

It’s often instructive to go back in our memories and look for ourselves to see what, if anything, we were experiencing when a major aspect is heading toward us in the present. Well, that can sound great, but I don’t know about you, but quite honestly, I have a hard time remembering much of anything with specificity from last month, much less 18 years ago.

Cue the Fanfare For Keeping a Journal

Because I keep one, I was able to go back and recall my greatest concerns and challenges of that time. It’s a little wild to recall that I published my book; was by my father’s side when he passed away; and took a new job in a brand new field (development) while uncovering my ‘inner activist,’ whom I’m astonished had kept herself hidden even from me for basically the first 40 years of my life. Not to mention, this was all leading up to my trip to Tuva (Siberia) in ’03 which completely changed the course of my life.

I guarantee, I would not have realized and ‘put together’ all of those life events as having taken place in such a short span of time if I could not read it in black and white. (OK, in my case, it’s written in blue, black, and purple, predominantly, but you get my point.)

Second Situation

The second situation that occurred recently was a question someone asked me about a session they had with me 13 years ago. As anyone whose had a session with me in the past, oh, 11 or 12 years knows, I write a comprehensive ‘follow-up’ email to every client, usually the day after our session. These often take me at least two hours to write up precisely because they are so detailed. Interestingly, I often end up going into a ‘zone’ while I write my follow-ups that sometimes yields additional information or helps me remember even more detail than I might have said out loud the day before, in the session.

The Value of Follow-Ups

But when I first began offering sessions 15 years ago, I did not know enough to offer a written follow-up. I had no idea how valuable keeping track of all of the details I would glean in a session could be to a client. It was only through realizing for myself just how much information I was conveying did I conclude that, if it were me, I’d love a comprehensive record to look back upon of the salient aspects of what took place in my session.

Thus, when my client contacted me and asked what I could remember of a situation that took place back in 2006 (actually, we weren’t even sure at first when the session happened, so fuzzy were our memories) my initial thought was to check my emails. There was no follow up written to her. There were, though, a few emails that referenced the session, which actually enabled us to figure out the exactdate of our work together.

Given that this was still early in my ‘career’ as a shamanic practitioner, I realized I might have written about the experience in my journal, for each and every session was a really big deal to me. (Not that they aren’t now, too – believe me. It’s just that I am more disciplined now with the follow-ups.)

Chock full of life’s details – Photo: L. Weikel

Once Again, Cue the Fanfare For Keeping a Journal.

Yes. Pictured with this post is my journal from October 3, 2005 – May 28, 2006. As you can see, it’s chock full of all sorts of stuff, not least being an amazing amount of detail from the session my client was seeking information about. As a result? I was able to write a startlingly comprehensive follow-up report to my client 13 years after the fact. Needless to say, we were both delighted.

Finally, on a perhaps lesser monumental but nevertheless impressive scale, just today I was able to reference back four months and give someone specific details I’d recorded about a message from Spirit that had come from a most unexpected source. Even more astonishing was the fact that the person I was speaking with today had received a dream the very next night, which directly correlated with the information I’d been given by Spirit.

I Will Aways, Always Cue the Fanfare For Keeping a Journal

I cannot emphasize enough the value of keeping track of the details of our lives. It is because I keep such detailed journals that I am able to write my books. But even beyond that, it’s because I track the details of the amazing occurrences that happen in my life that I’m able to see the connections; I’m able to appreciate the magic Spirit brings into my life – and how it happens on an astonishingly frequent basis.

So many ‘synchronicities’ are happening all around us, all the time. But we need to pay attention and keep track if we’re going to ‘get the message’ – and do something with it.

(T-870)

Listening Retreat at Amadell – Day 240

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
View of the Smokies from Amadell’s Vista – Photo: L. Weikel

Listening Retreat at Amadell                                

Just in case you haven’t planned a getaway for yourself yet this summer, I’ve got the best suggestion: a jaunt to North Carolina in early August!

But not to the Outer Banks, as many vacationers might think. No, I’m thinking the completely opposite end of the state: the mountains of western North Carolina, near Hot Springs, where water bubbles up from deep within Mother Earth and creates places of healing pools. The Smokies. Amadell.

I’ve not been shy about sharing how that land feeds my spirit – I wrote about it here, and here, and here, for instance, when I was there just this past May. Not only did I attend a wonderful workshop with Peter May, but I also held a gathering of my own.

Friday, August 9th – Sunday, August 11th, 2019

This time, from early evening Friday, August 9th, to mid-afternoon Sunday, August 11th, I invite you to spend time with me and 11 other like-minded, open-hearted, and curious individuals, learning how to listen.

This is not a ‘silent’ retreat, although there are times during the weekend that we pay particular attention to the necessity (when we choose to open our mouths and allow words to come out), and then the quality of those words when they are expressed.

We also don’t focus upon solely listening to people. Goodness no – there are many more Beings desiring to be heard, paid attention to, honored and respected, especially on Amadell’s special mountain, than you might initially expect (or imagine in your wildest dreams).

And that doesn’t even count the messages that might be encountered when we learn a new and distinctively precious way to listen to the guidance that is available within all of us.

Drive or Fly

I’ve made the drive from Pennsylvania on my own several times. Now…I will admit: I love to drive. So making the trek on my own, in my precious Prius (also known as “Good Girl” or the “Grey Ghost”) has been lovely. And even when the red triangle of death raised its ugly head, it was still a great drive.

But if you’re not into driving like I am, you can get astonishingly low price fares on Allegiant. They fly out of Newark, direct to Asheville, and very reasonable service can be arranged for your transportation to and from Asheville Airport. I encourage you to check the fares out. They’re so low they’re almost obscene.

Nurturing

Probably the most amazing thing about Listening Retreats is how nurtured people feel when they slow down enough to actually reconnect with and listen to Mother Earth and her children.

But don’t take my word for it. Check out my website and read the testimonials. Better yet, take a look at the photos both on Amadell’s site and in my various posts that I wrote while I was visiting there in May. Look at the lovely accommodations. They can’t be beat.

Amadell ‘finned ones’ – Photo: L. Weikel

Full Disclosure

The program cost is $395 ($350 if paid in full before 7/26/19) and includes most meals during the weekend. Delightful and extremely reasonable lodging accommodations are arranged separately through Amadell directly.

Perhaps I should write more about what we do on a Listening Retreat to tantalize you into attending. I am reluctant to share too much, though, because part of the fun is allowing each weekend to generate its own life and vibrancy. What does that mean? It means I have a plan that I’ve developed, but I always talk to the Beings of the Land (wherever I am) and ask them to come co-create with me.

And they always do…  So I listen!

Consider allowing yourself to come and experience the magic of Amadell. Combined with the intimacy of sacred listening, you will emerge from your weekend feeling refreshed and reconnected to what’s truly important.

(T-871)

Sunset – Day 239

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Summer Sunset – Photo: L. Weikel

Summer Sunset                                   

As Karl and I were taking a walk this evening, I was stopped in my tracks when I caught sight of the setting sun.

The fiery orange-red ball appeared massive as it gave the illusion of setting amongst the branches of a towering oak. I almost asked Karl to pretend to place his hands around it or on top of it or whatever so we could create one of those optical illusion photos.

But instead of doing something hokey like that, I opted to attempt to capture the simple beauty of the sun in relation to its own stunning surroundings.

As you can see, the photo turned out reasonably well. I assure you, it does not capture the magnificence of just how grand the sun appeared this evening. But the beauty suffices. If you open your heart to take in the color captured as the orb sank below the horizon, you can appreciate why I tried.

If you are lucky enough to have the personal mobility, I urge you to take a walk tomorrow. Don’t let another day go by without drinking in the beauty of our world.

(T-872)

A Sense of Oneness – Day 238

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
View of Cemetery from Ridge Trail – Photo: L. Weikel

A Sense of Oneness                        

Today I had the opportunity to walk along well-kept trails through a remarkably quiet, delightfully fragrant New England evergreen forest.

Peering out over jagged-edged outcroppings, we looked across the Farmington River valley and could see the pale monuments of the cemetery in the distance.

A few hours later, we sat at the peak of that very same cemetery and drank in the beauty of the ridge across the valley that we’d just ascended.

View of the ridge from the cemetery – Photo: L. Weikel

A Spectacular Sense of Peace

There was a peace about today; a shared appreciation of Mother Nature’s gifts and the nurturing she is so willing to give to us – if we simply ask, and then open ourselves up to receive her generosity.

I close my eyes as I write this post and can once again instantly feel immersed in the aroma of that forest.

And while I’m not one to ordinarily frequent cemeteries, I for some reason asked if we could walk there as well. I wanted to be in the cemetery we saw from the ridge line.

Once there, I felt a sense of connection between these two experiences that I must admit surprised me. What I found most remarkable was the unmistakable sense of shared quietude each place afforded.

I felt a sense of oneness.

Another view from ridge trail – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-873)

Not a Bear, But… – Day 237

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Simsbury Sycamore – Photo: E.Naughton

Not a Bear, But…                

Nope. Still no bear sightings.

But my mesa and I did have a chance to hang out with this massive, majestic Sycamore tree for about an hour.

What a peaceful, centering, and humbling experience, especially considering what this tree has seen through the years. Rumor has it that it’s at least 200 and probably closer to 300 years old.

Probably the most amazing part of visiting this grand old Mother Tree was the startling amount of life force that could easily be felt coursing through her body and the ground surrounding her. It was startling, I think, precisely because of her age. She felt so vibrant and vital, it almost felt like she wants to be a role model. She was modeling maturity and grace in every molecule of her being.

It’s hard to convey the girth of her branches, many of which were far larger than most tree trunks. I think about what it felt like to sit at her foot today and I feel like a child. I am a child. I’m just some young whipper snapper who barely has an idea of what time is and how much life has changed over the past couple hundred years.

No, I didn’t get to see a bear today.

But visitng this Grand Mother Sycamore was even more profound.

Mesas hanging out at the Grand Mother Sycamore – Photo: L. Weikel

And I hope she liked the treats we left her!

(T-874)

The Bear I Didn’t See – Day 236

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
The Bear I Didn’t See – Photo: M. N.

The Bear I Didn’t See                    

Is this not an impressive specimen of ursine magnificence?

Yeah, it is. And I am SO jealous. (Perhaps envious is the more accurate adjective?) Either way, I covet an encounter with a bear. To be clear, though, I would like to encounter a bear in a setting where she is happy and good natured, perhaps out for a stroll with her frolicking cubs, and not feeling threatened in any way.

This bear – this actual bear – was seen by my nephew on his way to work this morning. He saw it begin to cross the road as he made his way up the mountain outside of Hartford, and then saw it change its mind and turn back. So he pulled off to the side of the road and waited – his patience rewarded with the opportunity to snap this great photo.

Meager Manifester

Frankly, I’m disappointed in my manifesting abilities. It’s been years that I’ve been hearing about all the meandering bears up here, and I’ve seen so many amazing pieces of photographic evidence of their visitations, only to come up empty-sighted again and again.

The most amazing sighting I managed today was this dragonfly. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not knocking this lovely creature, and I’m truly grateful that it chose to hang out on this day lily right beside my chair. But a bear it is not.

Dragonfly on Day Lily – Photo: L. Weikel

Then again, Dragonfly is all about ‘Illusion.’ So maybe I was being encouraged by the dragonfly to realize that the magnitude of magnificence I’m bestowing upon the prospect of seeing a bear is misplaced. Perhaps experiencing Dragonfly energy is every bit as precious and significant as experiencing Bear energy.

Yeah, sure. I’ll tell myself that. There is no magnitude of amazingness to Mother Earth’s creatures. And I did appreciate the dragonfly pictured here, as well as the neon green one that flitted past us, the brown and tan one that landed on a Jart and blended into the background so perfectly that we couldn’t even see it when I took its photo, and the hawk, blue jays, squirrels, and woodpeckers that also shared the loveliness of this exquisite summer day with us.

I still want to see a bear.

(T-875)

Whoa, Crisis Averted – Day 235

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Crisis Kitty – Photo: L. Weikel

Whoa, Crisis Averted                      

Crisis? What crisis? (You really need to cut me some slack here. I’m tired and thought that was clever. And if you’re a Supertramp fan, you’ll understand what I mean.)

In all seriousness, in the grand scheme of things, this was not a crisis. And it actually probably would have been an outstanding learning experience.

Only a few minutes ago, I found myself sitting on a couch, laptop upon lap, wondering what in the world I might be inspired to share with you. I knew I was cutting things close. It was 12:20 a.m., and my font of ideas was sputtering.

That’s when I realized I wasn’t hooked into the WiFi. I’m not where I usually find myself at this time of night, and I’d completely forgotten about the reality of WiFi – as in, you need to be hooked into the internet in order to post stuff on the web.

It’s funny how totally for granted we take jumping on and off the internet. (I do, anyway. You may not.) But I also suspect I don’t actively think about it because of the ubiquity of our cell phones and how we can access the internet almost (seemingly) anywhere – WiFi or not – because we just access the cellular network.

WiFi SchmiFi

YAWN. I know. Tech-talk. Sorry.

But all of this background information leads me to the crisis – or learning opportunity, as it were – that I managed to sidestep.

You see, as I was trying several variations of the password to get myself onto the WiFi network, none of which were working, I realized that I had downloaded some time ago the WordPress app which might allow me to write a post ‘on the fly.’

Oooh! I’m such a hybrid of technological neanderthalism and wannabe geek that I both confound and surprise even myself. This paradoxical nature of mine is exemplified by the fact that I actually have the WordPress app on my phone – but have never used it.

Adrenalin Surge!

I have to admit, there was a surge of adrenalin starting to course through me being urged by circumstances to figure it out immediately! I sort of leapt at the challenge because it was forcing me to take a risk and learn something new, something outside of my comfort zone – and the incentive was maintaining my Act of Power.

But then, just as I started writing a post on my iPhone, wondering not only if I’d figure out how to publish whatever I might write, but also whether I’d manage to add a photo (if I wanted), another version of the password was offered. Obviously, this time, this one worked.

Hence the title of this post.

I regret to inform you, I probably cannot come up with an appropriate photo. So, you may get stuck with another set of clouds.

Or not.

(T-876)

I Got Distracted – Day 234

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Setting Out – Photo: L. Weikel

I Got Distracted                   

I’ll admit it; I got distracted this evening. I became engrossed in trying to edit my Listening Retreats page on my website, and when I looked up, I was (am) appalled to discover that it’s 12:41 a.m. Even worse, I could not for the life of me manage to substitute the photo at the top of the page!

I don’t know where the evening went tonight. Well, yes, I do.

Karl and I took an amazingly wonderful walk this evening.

In spite of the rain that fell sporadically throughout the day, the air just kept getting thicker and hotter. So much so, that we knew we weren’t even going to bother walking until the sun was much lower in the sky.

As a result, we didn’t set out until 7:30 p.m. or so. Since we took the walk-about route (4 miles), by the time we got home the clock was pushing 9:00 p.m.

Oh, but can I tell you? It was SO worth it!

The mists of the Faerie Kingdom – Photo: L. Weikel

We Walked Into a Magical Kingdom

It was as if we walked through a magical storybook. At first, high swirling clouds and the setting sun painted messages in the sky. About half a mile later, we encountered fields where everything was muffled under a blanket of light fog – which even, quite eerily, crept out onto the road.

As we continued into the shelter of the towering trees near High Rocks, darkness started seeping into our consciousness and we became quiet and pensive. But of course, this quietude lasted barely an eyeblink because – of course – the lightning bugs started their evening ascension, which never fails to bring delight and a light-hearted joyfulness to our time together.

I must try to get those photos uploaded right now, so I can share them with you. The lightning bugs, though – they are elusive, at least in the eye of an iPhone’s camera.

Mist Crossing the Road – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-877)

New Moon/Total Solar Eclipse – Day 233

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment
Trying to see the forest for the trees – Photo: L. Weikel

New Moon/Total Solar Eclipse                  

Considering what’s been going on in the heavens today, I’m wondering how your day went. I heard from a handful of close friends and it sounds like the day, for them at least, provided opportunities for experiences that completely changed their perceptions and attitudes.

That’s not something you can say every day. And it’s exciting.

I’ve barely had a chance to think about how this eclipse season is impacting me. I suppose I may not have felt any direct effects yet.

I can’t tell you how many sentences, even paragraphs, I’ve written and then deleted. I think I’m over-tired. As a result, pretty much everything I type looks odd to me. For instance, I don’t like the way the words line up when I allow myself to just talk through my fingers. I start second-guessing comma usage. I start doubting word choice.

Ha – just reading that last paragraph makes me laugh.

Planting Seeds on this New Moon

One seed I know I want to plant today/tomorrow is recommitting to my writing. Thanks to my 1111 Devotion to Karl, and the discipline I’ve attempted to bring to my life through this Act of Power, I feel like I’m getting closer to seriously making time for the book. One of the reasons I know this is true is because of the anticipation I feel even when I just write that intention.

Another seed I know I want to plant today/tomorrow is announcing my new “Walk Your Talk” Sessions.

And yet a third seed is announcing a Listening Retreat at Amadell the weekend of August 9-11. I’ll write more about that tomorrow.

There are other Listening Retreats taking shape as well, but I’ve not yet set firm dates. I’ll let you know when I do.

Here’s hoping that any revelations you’re experiencing in your life are rocking your world in a way that will make you smile, maybe even laugh, and will bring you the insight and change you seek deep within.

(T-878)

Eclipse Season Commences – Day 232

Posted on by Lisa Weikel Leave a comment

 

Eclipse Season Commences           

Just a quick post on the astrological event that’s most prominently being discussed at the moment: tomorrow’s (Tuesday’s) solar eclipse. Tomorrow’s new moon in the sign of Cancer kicks off eclipse ‘season,’ as eclipses never happen in isolation.

The eclipses occurring this month (the full moon lunar eclipse will occur on July 16th) are considered to be particularly significant and powerfully influential on human behavior (although it is not limited to human behavior) because of some of the other influences being created by the position of our celestial brothers and sisters, such as the aspects being created by Saturn and Pluto and their relation to the Sun and Moon.

Other Players Doing Their Dance…

Mercury and Mars are dancing around together, which can lead to some, um, incendiary words. And perhaps a little extra special caution might be warranted as they take their ‘dance’ from the watery ‘feeling’ space of Cancer and move into Leo – which is a fire sign, and thus could lead to putting those words into action.

As I’ve done before, here are links to two of my favorite sources of information on astrological events and how they might play out in our personal lives as well as the greater world environment, Kaypacha’s Pele Report and the report of Chani Nicholas.

With respect to reading Chani’s assessment of what’s going on astrologically and how it might impact you and your life, it’s important to know both your sun sign and your ‘rising’ or ‘ascendant’ sign. I’ve discussed this before, and here’s the link to help refresh your recollection on one of the sites you can go to that will calculate both your sun sign and ‘ascendant’ or  ‘rising’ sign. That way, you can read both and see which resonates with your experience.

My Observations

Eclipses tend to be revelatory in nature. In other words, when the moon gets between the Earth and the sun and blocks out all the light shining upon us from the sun, the metaphoric result is that things that were hidden or in the shadows, things that we couldn’t see because the sun was too bright, are revealed. And with the planet Pluto aspecting all of this, we’re in for some dramatic revelations of things we didn’t know about or failed to see before this.

Quite amazingly, within the past three days or so, as we’ve approached this initial total solar eclipse, I’ve personally witnessed people I know suddenly and unexpectedly discovering information (the ‘truth’) about, a variety of circumstances, such as:

(1) their life partner’s interests ‘elsewhere;’ (2) a health situation that a loved one was attempting to hide from both my friend (and probably themselves); (3) significant misrepresentations and subterfuge being propounded by a company represented by a friend of mine; and (4) six years of royalties not having been paid by the publisher of a book written by someone I know.

Each of these ‘truths’ were exposed literally within the past three days, which I find rather astonishing.

Remember – What’s Your Ascendant?

I urge you to pay attention and take notice if you or the people around you (family, friends, co-workers) are discovering new and often dramatic or significant information touching upon their life in some way.

The links above to Kaypacha and Chani can provide you with more in-depth information that you can apply to your personal situation.

Again, believe me, I know. This stuff is complicated and your eyes may glaze over when you hear a description of all the ‘aspects’ (i.e., the Sun is conjunct the Moon’s North Node in Cancer while in direct opposition to Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn).  It can definitely sound like gobbledeegook. But both astrologers take that technical information and translate it into fascinating understandings of how they can be interpreted.

Plant the Seeds of Your Highest Intentions

Finally, I encourage you to remember that New Moons are the perfect time to plant the seeds of new beginnings! And this New Moon tomorrow is particularly powerful not only because of the eclipse but also because it is a ‘super moon.’

So plant the seeds your soul yearns to cultivate. Create something new. Take a risk. Be courageous. Dream big.

(T-879)