Barefoot Phoenix

meet me for tea and tarot

2008-08-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

look i made a yelp map! today is the day of the computer. so far i have joined adwords, made a google map find me thing with a coupon that you can use :D and this little yelp map so people can pick a coffee/tea place to meet me at for tarot readings.

Recent reviews by Amy G.

What's this?

my daily practice

2008-08-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

what i am learning about life right now is that it is all about intention.

i had an amazing chat and lunch with my friend "the queen of the fairies" all about soul, and purpose. that we are meant to awaken. to realize our magnificence and to create what we desire.

and i realized it really is that simple. you just have to opt out of playing the game everyone else on this planet seems to be playing. then you will find others who are also observing and together you can go off and create magic.

now let me tell you that i have had this realization no less than 10 times in my very short life. and things flow really well for a month or so and then i get sucked back in by trying to pay bills and get things done. but every time i remember i take a little bit more with me when i return to the chaos, confusion and heartache.

"inherent in every intention is the mechanics for its fulfillment" deepak chopra

don't worry about how you are going to get there, trust the universe to do its job to provide for those who dare to risk and hold the intention. it is a daily task, you must constantly intent that you are already there. worry attracts all the things you worry about and then you doubt because the universe has brought you all this struggle when really it was you asking to be alone, live in fear, or not be able to pay the bills because that was the strongest thing you were broadcasting.

i intend to perfect this and be able to hold my vision and allow worry to just slide right off me.

abundance!

2008-08-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

I am tired of living in a state of fear around money and this week the universe provided me with a mentor, Kate Phillips. She was so enthusiastic and exuberant and I just wanted to cling to her and download her beliefs right into my little brain.

I am planning on taking her 10 week coarse in the fall and am sending this out so others can join in shifting the universe. Plus I am trying to manifest a Seattle location for her to come to :D

Here is her information, so you can see if you are potentially interested as well. Feel free to pass it on to anyone else who you think might be interested as well.

living in abundance

putting it out there

2008-08-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

look at me i wrote a knol :D about reflexology :D go look

it's pretty and informative and it kinda makes me look smart, which i kinda am when i can own up to it.

i love the internet

oh and the gig at Oregon School of Massage has been solidified, i am now an adjunct teacher specializing in foot pain.

maybe that means i should start using capital letters consistently in my blogs. hmmm, maybe not quiet yet.

tarot class

2008-08-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

The hot summer nights with tarot class is half over and it has been such a joy to play with. I am so excited I am seeking to set up the next intro class in October and am in process of developing a more advanced class for the winter!

If anyone out there has any request for day of the week they would prefer please let me know now so I can take that into consideration.

flip flops cause pain

2008-08-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

The itty bitty shoe is under attack again...

here is the full article

"What we found is that people take shorter strides and that their ankle angle … the angle between their shin and the top of their foot … is actually increased … [We] attribute the change in ankle to protecting the toes as the foot swings through, but also to keeping the flip-flop on the foot so that it doesn't fly off as they swing forward. And so they do alter their gait," said Shrover.

With the average American taking between 10,000 and 20,000 steps each day, the small changes in one's gait can add up to serious injury.

"The major shock absorption occurs back on the heel, and if the surface between the heel and the ground is not supported it does not allow the heel to absorb shock as well as it should. Which means the foot works harder than it should and people tend to develop overuse injuries such as tendonitis, or in this case, lower leg, knee, hip and back problems," explained Dr. Rock Positano from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

Fortunately for flip-flop fanatics, Positano says you don't have to throw away those thong sandals quite yet.

"Look, this is not an attack on a flip-flop or a flip-flop like shoe. Once again, it has to do with when you wear the flip-flop. If it's for hanging out around the swimming pool, or hanging out around the beach, or hanging out with your friends, they're fine," he said.

Reflexively speaking the areas of most impact are pelvic structures including hamstrings, quads, all major reproductive organs and lower digestion, low back, core muscles, lymphatic drainage to lower limps and pelvic region and many more teeny tiny muscles and things like ya'know circulation and stuff.

So if you are going to wear flip-flops please do your ankle circles, calf stretches and some sort of crazy or sexy foot movement to get everything stimulated, loosened up and strong again.

green sunscreen

2008-08-06T20:51:00.001-07:00

found this article in my inbox to blog about and am finally getting to it. It is entirely relevant though since it's still summer :D

"Broccoli may outperform sunblock

By Rick Weiss

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — George H.W. Bush: Call your dermatologist.

New research suggests broccoli, the vegetable that the former president famously demonized as inedible, can prevent the damage from ultraviolet light that often leads to skin cancer. And as Bush would surely appreciate, he would not even have to eat it.

In tests on people and hairless mice, a green smear of broccoli-sprout extract blocked the potentially cancer-causing damage usually inflicted by sunlight and showed potential advantages over sunscreens.

The product is still in early stages of development. Among other issues to be worked out is how best to remove the extract's green pigments, which do not contribute to its protective effects and would give users a temporary Martian complexion.

But scientists said the research represents a significant advance because the extract works not by screening out the sun's rays — which has the downside of blocking sun-induced vitamin D production — but by turning on the body's natural cancer-fighting machinery. Once stimulated, those mechanisms work for days, long after the extract is washed away."

middle of the night ponderings

2008-08-05T01:39:00.000-07:00

maybe it's because it is 1:30 in the morning but for some reason this makes perfect sense right now

Exerpt from OSHO.com newsletter

"Confusion is a great opportunity. The problem with people who are not confused is great — they think they know, and they know not. The people who believe that they have clarity are really in great trouble; their clarity is very superficial. In fact they know nothing of clarity; what they call clarity is just stupidity.

Idiots are very very clear...clear in the sense that they do not have the intelligence to feel confusion.

To feel confusion needs great intelligence.

Only the intelligent ones feel confusion; otherwise the mediocre go on moving in life, smiling, laughing, accumulating money, struggling for more power and fame. If you see them you will feel a little jealous; they look so confident, they even look happy.

If they are succeeding, if their money is increasing and their power is increasing and their fame is growing, you will feel a little jealous. You are so confused and they are so clear about their life; they have a direction, they have a goal, they know how to attain it, and they are managing, they are already achieving, they are climbing the ladder. And you are just standing there, confused about what to do, what not to do, what is right and what is wrong. But this has always been so; the mediocre remains certain. It is only for the more intelligent to feel confusion, chaos.

Confusion is a great opportunity. It simply says that through the mind there is no way. If you are really confused you are blessed. Now something is possible, something immensely valuable; you are on the verge. If you are utterly confused, that means the mind has failed; now the mind can no longer supply any certainty to you."

staying young

2008-08-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

I was reading a magazine while waiting for my massage today and there was a tidbit of an article about 3 ways to stay young, by Dr Oz. I was delighted to say that reflexology provides all three!

1) Reduce Stress. Reflexology does this by giving you a whole hour to just be. It also stimulates brain wave activity similar to deep meditation, so the body, mind and spirit enter a deep renewal period and recharge. Frequent session of reflexology (about 1 per month) help to teach your body how to relax and maintain that relaxation and adaptability much like bio-feedback training.

2) Increase Sleep. I always tell clients on their first session that I will take their snoring as a compliment. Reflexology is like a major power recharge. A study several years ago found that a 1 hour session of reflexology was like the equivalent of 8 hours of sleep, your body can really respond to this amazing work! Find yourself working long hours trying to meet a deadline, take an hour out to recharge both body and brain. It will save you years of your life.

3) Decrease Toxicity. It is estimated that we are exposed to hundreds of toxins per day. YIKES! Several of those toxins settle in the feet due to gravity and decreased circulation. Reflexology helps remove toxins from your system by stimulating circulation, and gently balancing all your organs through their reflexive points.

To wrap up reflexology not only makes you feels great but it actually makes you younger :D in a round about kinda way!

the art of abundance

2008-07-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

abundance what a magical word a-bun-dance can't you just visualize your breakfast rolls dancing with joy at being lathered with butter and eaten with large cups of tea.

silliness aside... I have just been re-exposed to my limiting beliefs around abundance, money and receiving.

As part of a magical group of amazing self employed women I was given the opportunity to read a secret new document centering around these concepts.

I walked away with so much hope in my heart and so much appreciation for my abilities as a service provider. I am finally getting it through my thick skull about how I really can help more people in more profound ways if I truly take remarkable care of myself first. At the core of this is working through beliefs that cause me to undercharge for the work that I do.

So get ready world Amy the person is separating herself from Amy the business and she's gonna clean house and create some seriously amazing things for her clients.

Look soon for some beautiful packages that are designed to create a truly unique healing experience and transform your life while providing stress relief!
I can't wait! and what an amazing time of year to be growing, so in alignment with the magic of summer.

Want to know more? check out Mikelann my magical guide of money here:
Womens Earning Institute
blog
this ebook will be available later on so subscribe to her newsletter for great monthly articles and updates on this book that will transform the way you do money.

PS my new mantra is "I am now open to receiving" especially some yummy a-bun-dance with butter please :D

in the light of the moon

2008-07-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

Friday was a full moon and I had the pleasure of spending it in Port Townsend with my sister and brother in law and their wonderful 10 year old daughter.

As we returned home from dinner I was helping out by doing a little clean up. When I took back the cleaning supplies I looked over the horizon and saw the full moon rising. It was red and huge and breath taking.

I immediately ran into the house and got my husband and niece and we proceeded to run to the trampoline where we celebrated the joy of cycles and life and love by laughing loud and jumping high to catch glimpses of the rising moon. After a bit the others joined us in the magical moment, draw by the sounds of our delight and laughter.

I wish I had a picture, and yet I think it is something so magical that it could never be erased and a picture could never fully document the "everythingness"... the dew on the trampoline, how huge the moon felt and looked, the screaming laughter, the collision of bodies, the scratchiness of the surrounding grass, the slow and steady appearance of stars.

Enjoy this cycle of release. May you laugh long and loud and remember the magic.

blessed be.

symbol and Tarot

2008-07-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a brief bit from the upcoming Tarot class I am teaching in West Seattle. There are still 2 spaces open if you'd like to join. It starts Monday night (july 21st)

Since language can be limiting and it is sometimes difficult to articulate spiritual journey in linear form, we are now seeing a resurgence of symbol as expression in the western world. As people delve into new experiences, many are finding that our current languages lack words to describe these events. To be able to communicate the “unspeakable,” people are turning to and rediscovering systems of symbolic language such as the I Ching, the Tarot, runes and astrology. “To the imagination the sacred is self-evident,” Nietzsche said. It is to the imagination that symbols speak, our focus should be learning to play again as we discover new ways to communicate with each other.

Symbols are rich channels of information. Determining the meaning held within them is a journey of personal discovery. No two people will ever view the same symbol in quite the same way. We each have our own life story behind us that adds to our experience and interpretation. Mythologist Joseph Campbell once remarked that those who do not know that symbols hold hidden meaning are “like diners going into the restaurant and eating the menu rather than the meal it describes.” The soul thinks in symbols. It is not literal-minded. It is play minded.

We sense that metaphor and symbol is a pathway to discovering, really discovering, ancient archetypes that hold the keys to personal transformation. Tools like the labyrinth, the tarot, and others can help you walk a path of deeper understanding, linking you to the collective unconscious and leading you to rediscover a life with more play and less “reality.”

Adapted from Walking a Sacred Path, by Lauren Altress

BizJam Seattle 2008

2008-07-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

Seattle's amazing networking group is hosting their 2008 conference today and tomorrow! What a delight to mingle with inspired business owners and get to practice my non-existent self promotional skills :D

Today's theme was Social Networking and I found myself overwhelmed by the second presentation. Fortunately I know how to combat that with my Super Reflexology Powers and I found myself, sitting in sessions working my hands and twirling my ankles.

Gently pinch your fingers from the base (web) all the way to the tips Reflexively this area corresponds to the neck, head and brain. In addition grab and squeeze each finger, don't go in order and that creates a meditative and soothing response if you are trying to be alert alternate your pattern to stimulate your brain.

Also the very tip of your fingers and toes is the actual brain reflex, if you find anything lumpy, painful or hard in these areas then some of your nerve pathways aren't working on all cylinders. Break those deposits up by gently rolling on them with your knuckle, pinching them or rolling them on a table or the floor.

Find yourself getting a bit of a head ache? gently pinch the "ouchy" spot in the webbing between your thumb and pointer finger. Also pull on your earlobe gently squeezing it as you pull and hold until pressure decreases. Make sure you are drinking water!

If it's at all possible slip off your shoes and spread your toes, this allows your shoulders to relax and reminds your body to continue breathing so you can stay awake and absorb more information! And my favorite gently do ankle circles (and wrist) to increase circulation and loosen the body before standing after sitting.

Have a great conference! You can also use these tips to stay awake and retain information in meetings, traffic and anywhere there is information to be absorbed, sorted and processed. I wish I would have know this in college!

I hope to meet more people tomorrow and continue practicing networking skills; someday maybe I will be able to convince myself I am not a shy introvert and people do actually want to know this information. Until then my Super Reflexology Powers will stay quietly hidden in West Seattle.

beautiful food

2008-07-09T14:34:00.000-07:00

It's my favorite time of year! The farmers markets have beautiful organic freshness in all shapes and colors.

Here's a favorite salad dressing

1 small avocado
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup plus 2 TBSP lime juice
1 handful cilantro
1 green onion chopped
1 TBSP shallot
1/2 small jalapeno
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
fresh ground pepper

Blend it all in a food processor until it's your desired consistency. It will keep in an air tight container for 2-3 days.

Pour it on your favorite greens, herbs, and other veggies or use it as a dip. It is so good you could drink it as a smoothie :D

home sweet home

2008-07-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th Everyone!

If you are in Seattle and you know someone who needs a place to rent, I know a place :D My friend is seeking a person (or two) to rent her basement. I did not include contact info as I don't want it accessed by just anyone so if you are interested comment here and I will email you!

It is a great space, near lots of restaurant and farmers market and not too far from Lake Washington!

here is her ad;

Native plant landscaper/community & nature lover seeks 2 environmentally & socially conscious housemates to share 1700 sq. ft. house near Columbia City, Seward Park, & Sound Transit Light Rail. $375/month + 1/3 utilities for your own room in newly remodeled daylight basement with separate entry and full bath. 3 of us share laundry room, kitchen/dining area, living room areas, and yard. Available for move in July 1^st until filled. $500 damage deposit is also part of the deal.

Must be happy to share house with my 15-year-old cat, Jerry. May work to have one other cat join us, but no dogs. Prefer housemates who are vegetarian/eat little meat in our home & would like to cook together sometimes; enjoy being tidy & sharing chores; are communicative & content with occasional social gatherings at our home; can commit to one-year lease; and want to work together on living more sustainably.

solutions for the people and planet

2008-06-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

see... i have great faith in humanity. they find wonderful solutions that benefit on so many levels when they put their amazing brains to work.

i found this over on treehugger. it seems the help reduce their carbon imprint the stat of Utah is going to a 4-day work week. it's absolutely brilliant. better for the people, and they get to have lots of buildings closed and not using resources. let's hope they find it works wonderfully and more states follow.

can they do a study on the reduced impact of telecommuting now :D

Friends

2008-06-27T11:44:00.000-07:00

I got a call this morning from my Morganna queen of the faeries. She is one on the most magical people I know. It was amazing how after 3 months of her being away there was never any loss of connection. I feel like a years worth of activity has taken place but it only took my 15 minutes of rambling to have her fully caught up.

There are only so many people on this planet that you feel safe enough to have that deep of a connection with. The wonderful thing is that once you find one, more pop out of the wood work to join in.

We are all seeking love. To be connected at such a deep level that words are no longer needed, just the sound of their voice and suddenly all is understood, even from across the country, or the world.

To have this I have recently learned you have to be so open and so vulnerable that it no longer matters if you feel like you are breaking apart. Most people are so afraid of that openness, but in it we find our true self, our true strength and the silvery connection that binds us all. And from this view we see the pain of humanity and understand that nothing is ever about us but is only wounds being expressed to be healed. We are all hoping that by driving others away we will find that one person who will look back at us and say NO I won't leave.

exercise

2008-06-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

do you ever wish someone else could exercise for you and you would get all the benefits?

i'm just sitting here knowing i need to go to the gym and not wanting to disrupt my very snuggly cats nor put in the effort to actually move.

there are just days where it is difficult to be motivated. in my rational brain i know that i will feel so much better after... alright, alright... here i go.

sorry kitties.

Reflexology in Portland

2008-06-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

Whew!

I have made it past my trepidation and fear and am finally putting myself back out there to teach reflexology. It has been a roller coaster of highs and lows on this journey and I am so delighted to be back.

Oregon School of Massage has accepted my proposal of teaching a weekend reflexology class! The class will focus on how reflexology can help reduce and eliminate foot pain. I never would have made it this far without my dear friend Nancie! Thank You!

I'm heading down on the 15th of July to meet finalize things and pick dates!

I have also decided to make a video of the sequence I have created, I'm sure there will be many funny stories to tell about that process in the near future!

Next stop! Cortiva in Seattle... then on to who knows where...

saying YES by saying NO

2008-06-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

These past few weeks have been a little manic. I am finishing up one job and trying to recover momentum in my reflexology practice while building the awareness that I do tarot reading.

In the midst of all the commitments and housework and gardening I ran across something that made my head spin and my body perk up and pay attention.

I saw an activity in that requires you to say No to every invitation you receive for the next two days. This is to get you into the practice of artfully being able to say no. I believe the reason you have to say no to everything at first is so you can begin to pause before answering and from the pause decide if the activity is of interest.

From this pause and momentary check in with body and breath you can begin to truly say YES to life and the opportunities that really resonate with you.

so let's practice:

Hey do you have a minute? No, I'm really busy right now please send me an email or voice mail
Do you want to....? No, right now I'm a it overwhelmed but what about in a few days
Can you....? I'd like to but I am crunched for time can you email it so I can look at it later or go ask so-in-so

See you can be courteous while saying no. It is great practice, and you don't have to miss out on any opportunities just ask them to get you the details and make the decision later. Our instant reaction is often YES when faced with a request. We are by nature wanting to ease other peoples burdens and help out, often to the detriment of ourselves. This leads to mis-directed anger and resentment. Stop playing the victim and learn to say No first, then gather details and make an informed decision after.

Remember your body NEVER lies. Listen to it so you can say YES with lightness and strength. I have noticed a huge increase in my energy from playing with this activity, I hope you do too. And feel free to use me as a sounding board, I'd love to hear you say NO :D

what I want

2008-06-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

I just found myself responding to a friends inquiry and felt the need to share as someone else out there in this big world might relate.

How do I know what I want?

Well this is a very difficult answer for me. Here is what I know. I know that when I get confused, angry or freaked out that I am not asking for what I want. Unfortunately this reaction usually has a negative effect on the person with me and I end up pushing them away and getting exactly what I don't want yet somehow think I deserve.

I had a hard childhood (we all did), I grew up in a emotionally needy yet detached family who had sever money issues and believe they would a) never get ahead and b) were haunted by familial beliefs of poverty and self denial. It has taken me 10 years of therapy just to be able to begin to identify these issues and start to move on them.

So how am I starting to understand what I want. I smile... I can help but smile when I see something or think about it. I feel peaceful (versus the butterflies I get when I state something I think I should want, or am offer something i don't want). When I have identified something I really want and start to think about how to get to it or obtain it things fall into place, the universe conspires to give it to me in strange and beautiful ways. And the most difficult one. I hurt... and I cry a lot... why? Because of the years that I have denied myself? No mainly because it hurts acutely to come back and love yourself enough to give it to yourself. So when the hurt is almost unbearable and I find myself smiling and crying at the exact same time I know I am in the exact perfect place and that I have begun to heal one more piece.

Imagination and Failure

2008-06-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

JK Rowlings Harvard Commencement Speech

unicorn

2008-06-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

a one horned deer was found in Italy.

a most important movie

2008-06-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

I love having a spouse who is a film composer. It gives me the chance to go to film festivals! I have got to see several in the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) but on Tuesday we went to a show at (STIFF) Seattle's True Independent Film Festival.

We went because a short Eric had written music for was showing :D

The feature we saw after was incredible. Anyone in the US who can vote needs to see it. It will piss you off and hopefully make enough people stop being apathetic and stand up and take back this country. It talks about the last two elections, and that's all I'm going to say. Here is the website. Check it out... attend a screening if you can. Order a dvd and host a gathering. I have to say that the best thing about this film is at the end it gives you solutions to the problem so you still leave angry but with a possible solution in hand.

Uncounted The Movie.com

Time

2008-05-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

"We have what we seek. It is there all the time, and if we give it time it will make itself known to us."
Thomas Merton

Journal Activities
how do you really wish to conduct your life?
what would you no longer tolerate?
what activities would you no longer participate in?
is there anybody you would remove?

Walking Meditation
leave all watches and time pieces here and then journey out into the world for what you believe to be 20 minutes. Just notice if you can let go and be present or if you are constantly aware or stressed about time. See how long you were actually gone, and if you were able to relax and enjoy your time.

Journal
plan your ideal day... time you wake up until the time you go to sleep, what would it include. This is a real life day so be sure to include work, if you work.

After discussing this with the group I shared that I find it useful to make an ideal schedule for each season as I like to include tea out in my garden first thing in the summer but would not be likely to do this in the winter.

"When God made Time, he made enough of it."
Celtic Saying