what really is important

journal entry 9/20/07
What a funny thing this amazing life. We are so concerned with things that matter so little to our continued existence on this planet. If there was one thing I could impart it would be the immanency with which we must act in order to survive. There is so little time and so much to do.

i found this in my purging that began my month of writing. some days i connect and touch what feels like great truth. and some days just are there checking items off the to-do list.

today feels like a little bit of both.

i am trying desperately to remember that my personal development is way more important than what's apparently happening in this crazy world. there will always be some super virus out to kill us, money will still be a challenge for many, hearts will be broken.

the earth, like us, is trying to find balance and its perfect expression. therefore, we will either learn to live in harmony with each other or life will be precarious. it always has been a matter of life or death, why should anything have changed just cause we got smarter, greater in number and spread out. the earth has had just as much time to adapt and find new ways to keep us in balance.

so live. and live well. cause that is what truly matters.

tired of waiting

i keep putting things off until the new website gets done...

well no more.

today i made new adwords campaign to get some fresh faces in here

and

I posted an article to biznik

you should go read it and vote on it :D
and if you don't know what biznik is... it truly is networking that doesn't suck go play!

my life is on sale

so it seems people might either a)have a hard time receiving b) don't trust things that say free or c) not want to take advantage of the person offering things up for free.

so let me spell it out for you. i want you to come in and see me for a session. i need to build my client base and get more people in for healing during these stressful times in our history. you are not taking advantage of me, i am offering my time in exchange for yours and if you feel you get the better end of the deal go out and do something nice for others. this "special" was brought on by a radio interview of random people stepping up in this economy and doing random generous acts. i don't have money to give you all but i seem to have a lot of time. so come grab yourself a slice of it.

until sunday may 10th, when you bring a friend to a session you both receive an hour of my time for the price of one of you. what does this look like?

two 60 minute reflexology sessions for $75 ($37.50 each)
two 60 minute tarot readings for $100 ($50 each)
two 90 minute 'afternoon w/ your soul' session (combo of both tarot and reflexology) $225 ($112.50 each)

yes it's a steal. yes you should sign up now. why? cause it really sucks trying to be nice to people and they ignore you and the gesture. but mostly cause i want to meet new people and to help people de-stress. it's hard functioning on a daily basis and we are all strapped for cash so spread some love and some money around and get yourself a little nurturing.

ahhh the paradox

excerpt from marc lesser's blog

"A paradox is something that appears to be contradictory, unbelievable, or absurd but may in fact be true. Do less. Accomplish more. These statements present a paradox. Acknowledging, owning, and embracing the paradoxical nature of our lives, the lives of others, and the world can lessen our resistance to change and increase our effectiveness. At its most basic it makes us less tense and more open to happiness....

Sometimes we get caught up trying to resolve internal contradictions, thinking that if we can, we will solve our busyness. Instead, this effort can itself become the cause of our busyness and our scrambled bewilderment. Our complex minds, emotions, and personality traits are simply a rather wonderful fact of human existence. Accepting that can lighten and expand our self-image, making it more fluid. In a strange way it is a more accurate view of life. Embrace paradox and you increase self-acceptance, tolerance of others, and your own possibilities.

How would you describe yourself as a paradox?
How would you describe your life or work as a paradox?"

• i am shy and yet i thrive in public speaking
• i believe in the abundance of the universe and yet i cling to things and money
• i nurture people for a living and have a hard time receiving when others nurture me
• i am very intelligent and yet often mumble and don't answer simple questions
• i love being around people i hate being in groups larger than 4
  
• i dance with abandon with people under 5 yrs old around, i don't dance with adults
• my work is an evolution of who and where i am and yet i have to "define it" for marketing

it the time of year for foot pain

every year i have two cycles of people coming in with foot pain. when the weather gets warm and the flip flops come out; and again in the fall when the other shoes (the water proof kind) go back on.

here are some tips to avoid the dreaded foot pain.

first of all don't wear those crappy shoes... wait! this was a post to educate not lecture. sorry. but really if shoes cost less than $5 or is made of bright foam. just saying...

1) roll out your feet. purchase yourself a nice $5-15 foot roller and treat you feet at the beginning and the end of the day to a good 2 minute foot rub. yes you can multi-task while doing this, like check you email, or brush your teeth.

2) soak 'em in hot water and epsom salts. epsom salts are magnesium and magnesium helps heal sore and achy muscles. so does hot water. forget the foot bath! stick your whole self in.

3) ankle circles. i will never get tired of promoting this simple and VERY effective stretch. ankle circles stretch both lower leg and foot muscles. do them often as you transition into your summer shoes. by often i mean at least 10 rotations each direction 4 times a day.

4) calf stretches. most summer shoes have little to no heel. if you have spent the winter in heels your calf muscles are going to be mad at you if you don't stretch them out. twice a day for best results.

5) get yourself some castor oil, mix in a nice amount of your favorite scent and some other oil if you don't like it sticky (my favorite is avocado) and give yourself a nice little foot massage. This is the perfect way to maximize time spent watching you-tube or the boob-tube (do people still refer to tv's as the boob tube? obvious cool people don't) spend extra time on your arches cause they will be the most sad. also between the toes cause they will all of a sudden have lots of room and that might be scary for them toes.

*both avocado and castor oil can be found in the beauty section of whole foods and PCC. castor oils is like magnesium in that it helps breakdown and heal damaged tissue. both oils are very hydrating and can help prevent icky cracked heel and summer calluses.

and as a bonus you can visit your local reflexologist (preferably me :D) for a quarterly tune up. because no self massage will ever feel as good as a professional reflexology treatment. and really preventing foot pain... getting education on developing problems so you can maintain your exercise program and/or avoid surgeries or orthodics. plus relaxation or an un-iterupted nap. i'd say that's worth $75. i'd almost say it was priceless

i am saying a little prayer for myself and for others. i had an immense attack of "i don't like you" energy and find within myself a jealousy and an intense focus on there is not enough and i don't want you to have any of it.

so i am owning that part of myself, and trying to release the ego attachment and offering up a little prayer.

we are all here learning. most of us are currently treading water and have been for awhile.
there is always enough. always. sometimes you have to do things you'd rather not, like ask for help, or work long hours.
we all come in with baggage. it matters not how amazing or terrible our upbringing was, we all came in with hurts and challenges to work through.
be thankful for those feeling of anger, resentment and jealousy for they show you where you are most grievously wounded and ready to heal.
be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
every word you say is a prayer.
love conquers all.

Love yourself some Earth

this place is one of the most magical places in the entire universe.

where ever you are find yourself a patch of dry, damp, dusty, lush earth and park yourself there for at least 10 seconds.

say thanks

take a breath of air you can breathe even if it's full of pollutants... and try to not add too many more of those pollutants.


no will save the earth alone. no group will save the earth. no political party. maybe not even aliens can save it.

but stopping to give thanks might just turn the tides.

gratitude can and will save anything.

and the earth will respond with love.

in my time on discovery bay i learned a magical truth. book on enlightenment often talk about stillness, and silence that comes with transcendence into a higher state of being.

over the course of this month i found this to be a huge mistake. there is no stillness ever in the universe. things are constantly moving in and out of states of being, tides never stop ebbing and flowing, air never stops moving in and out and around. there is sound everywhere, birds, air, sand, animals, traffic....

we were gifted with great big brains. may we use them.

we were gifted with great big beautiful hearts. may we love with them.

we were gifted with ears and eyes and 4 other magical senses, may we use the ones we know and develop the one we don't quiet trust.

thank you mother earth for holding us and for shaping magic each day. may you teach how to love as unconditionally as you do.

can you receive... this is a test

Do you need to run away from your life?
Are feelings of stress or confusion ruling your day?

Find calm. Reground and center yourself. And connect with someone you love to hang out with.

When you bring... your mother, friend, auntie, niece, partner or anyone you love to a reflexology or tarot session ...you get an hour free. **

Please receive the gift of nurturing,
and with my gratitude, forward this on to everyone you desire to nurture.

Why am I doing this? Because my clients and their friends and families deserve to be honored for the extraordinary lives they are living. And to remind us all, that by opening our hearts and taking care of others we take care of ourselves.

Remember, Mother's Day is coming up. This is a wonderful way to honor yourself and treat your mother, friend, sister or partner. Even if you cannot take advantage of this, please help me nurture others. When you send this out, you may be earning referral credits towards more time with me.*


Between April 25 and May 10th
Bring a friend and receive:
Two- 60 minute tarot readings for $100
Two- 60 minute reflexology sessions for $75
Two- 90 minute Afternoon with your Soul sessions for $225

You will leave feeling relaxed, clearer, calmer and more able to deal creatively with the challenges of daily life. Plus you will have spent at least 2 hours laughing, playing, and relaxing with friends.
Remember you deserve to be nurtured and by taking good care of self you can better care for others.


**Promotion of bring a friend and get one free runs from Saturday April 25th-Sunday May 10th. There are only so many people I can squeeze into two weeks so book your session soon!

amy@barefootphoenix.com
www.barefootphoenix.com
206-818-3118

*refer 3 clients to me and get $50 credit towards your next session.

twitter

i have been back in civilization for less than 8 hours and what do i do but something absolutely insane.

i take on twitter.

because nothing will slam you back into life like the internet, and being deprived of easy access for the last month has addled my brain.

so you can follow me. i won't be tweeting much cause i'm kinda scared to death to get sucked in.

i'm: barefootphoenix

but i will be updating daily draws: the tarot cards of the day update.

this way i can justify my socializing as "work"

have i told you guys lately how much i absolutely LOVE my job!

so go subscribe to my twitter feed so i have someone to tweet at

nearing the end...

of my writing retreat. i have started to look back over all i have done. i am not sure i accomplished much in the "real world" but i cannot help but think i have done amazing things in my physical and emotional body.

i have been dreaming vivid, huge, impactful dreams. i cannot remember most of them upon awakening but i somehow feel different. like my entire body is somehow regrowing, regenerating and transforming into something much more able to live in a constant state of love, peace and flexibility.

kayaking yesterday i had a blissful experience of pushing my body too hard and relaxing it completely into the boat and the water and the world around me. i have never been able to easily do this. i have great fears come up when thinking of myself in this tiny boat sitting a top a vast deep body of cold salt water. i have great respect for the water and i know at any moment it can snap my life clean away. but yesterday my goal was not how to fastest get back to land but how to experience my body, in this boat, the wind, the waves the creatures and the deep teal and ever changing rich blue shades of water and land.

this is the dance i am striving to bring back as i prepare to re-enter the normal daily life. the beauty of the dance, the surrender to trust, the ability to look around and take it all in. to love, to see, to play, to push, and surrender.

see you on the flip side.

discovery bay

this month away seems to be defined solely around water.

we live by the water.

the water falls from the sky.

the water forms big fluffy clouds that block out the sun.

i can't get enough to drink and the electric heat does not help.

i keep having to cross water to return to my real life and see people.

i use hot showers to get warm in the morning and sometimes before i crawl into bed.

the snow covers the hills around us at least once a week.

this area and this bay in particular seem very much like the scottish highlands and instead of a large body of salt water we are besides a giant lake.

we are still awaiting the whales to arrive.

i used to read descriptions about enlightenment and connection to the universe being about stillness and silence. spending a month time out here has shown me that those may be the path to get to enlightenment but God and connection is all about noise and movement. the tides never cease, the wind blows, the rocks tumble in the waves, the birds delight in treasures and each other. nothing is still or silent, but sometimes you must become still and silent in order to realize this.

more will come in time.