A New Chapter

"Many people will Walk in and out of your Life, but only True Loving Individuals will leave footprints in your Heart."  After a tumultuous past week, with feelings of hope intertwined with feelings of loss, I thought that I needed to take a break from blogging.  So here I am catching up! Ten days ago, I traveled to Wisconsin to see a very close and dear Cary, known as my Tayuka, which means grandmother in Lakota.  By the Sixteenth of August, her heart and kidneys were physical failing.  She was in and out of a comatose state. 

Upon my arrival at the beautiful and recently built rehabilitation center and long-term care facility where Cary was residing, I marched through the main doors armed with my bible, my mother, my sister, and sage. One of Cary's favorite remedies consisted of burning sage.  This practice is an ancient one focusing on ridding areas of your home and environment of evil, dark spirits and shadows. The sage, especially when burned, is such a strong scent that many believe it drives evil spirits from the area.  If anyone has ever volunteered or had the fortunate event of visiting one of these beautifully manicured and landscaped facilities that consist of multiple floors and units, you must know, and I should say anyone with common sense must know, that you cannot burn sage.  Infact, you cannot burn anything. Most individuals in these facilities, like Cary are on Oxygen - highly flammable.

So imagine, a young twenty year old woman marching into one of these facilities with her bible in one hand and a handful of sage in the other.  Her mother quietly walking behind and whispering, "it's 104, the room number, Hannah, stop marching, Hannah!" And her sister, giggling as her mothers' whispers do nothing to stop this young twenty year old on a mission to see a woman who in her mind is a strong spiritual healer and is just deprived of her favorite child (haha yep me!).  And even more so, when she hears this young twenty year old's voice, this older woman whose physical body is failing will open her eyes and immediately get better. 

Honestly, who doesn't go into one of these care facilities thinking that he or she is the one that is going to make everything right.  I highly recommend volunteering in a care facility. You will immediately understand why it is so hard not to march in with the intent and belief that you can make the difference.

Continuing to walk, almost stumbling over my steps down two flights of stairs to the long term care unit, where I proceeded following a long narrow hallway to the very end. The nurses conspicuously followed me to the room, numbered 104 on a gold plaque outside the large door. I walked in the door and said exasperatedly, "Cary I am here!"  There was no answer or movement. She simply laid there with her eyes closed breathing in oxygen. Her nose and mouth looked dry and the skin was cracking.  Oxygen is very drying.  

I let the tears stream down my face. The nurses stood plainly in the doorway just staring. They didn't offer me a tissue or say it will be ok. They didn't know what to make of me. It wasn't until my mom and sister who quietly asked to come in from behind the two nurses blocking the entry way into the room from the hallway, did they stop staring and quickly move out of the way with a sort of huff, as if my mother and sister were a startling nuance that just so happened to direct them back to their duties. I picked up the sage and said Cary I brought you sage. I kept acting like she was going to wake up any minute. I had rehearsed exactly how the visit was going to go, and what I was going to do once I arrived. The key is to not think. You have to plan your actions ahead of time.  I handed her the sage and then I thought what the heck let's just put the bundle of sage close to her nose, maybe she will be able to smell it.  Still she didn't wake. So I said Cary I am going to give you Reiki.  She didn't move. I drew the symbols in the air and said them outloud. I carefully placed my hands over Cary's head and began to breathe. 

My mother, my sister, and I are all third generation reiki healers.  We each have symbols placed in our aura that assist us with moving stagnant energy around the body.  Reiki is alot like chiropractics and acupuncture, only without the physical movements and needles. You need to know the body so you can move the energy around and you can either place the hands over certain areas or you can have them hover above the body. Reiki is always focused on moving stagnant energy, which can be very harmful, from an area laden with excessive energy to the outside world or to other areas in the body so that each area is balanced. The areas are known as chakras. There are seven basic chakras in your body and these emulate intense beneficial and positive energy when they are balanced. If you are a spiritual healer, all of your chakras are balanced.  The balance is key to creating and passing positive energy onto others.  

Cary is a well-known spiritual healer. She is a second generation reiki master from Hawayo Takata, who is one of the original masters. Usui Sensei began the practice of reiki. He fasted for 21 days on Mount Kurama, where he was given a vision of how to place his hands on others in a form of healing.  Cary also received healings from the John of God,  MataAmritanandamayi, Amean Hameed, an infamous Tibetan Monk, and many more individuals that I have or have not had the pleasure of meeting in person.  She also survived two near death experiences, which means that she was pronounced dead for a period of time longer than a few minutes and then, resumed life activity.  Can you imagine meeting Cary?  She could see your past, touch your future, and be forever in heart during the present. She was so strong that I met many who flew to see her just to be touched by her. 

Being one of my closest companions during my dramatic teenage and early adult years, Cary taught me how to see the present, she taught me how to forgive the past, and to hold on and hope in the future. Nonjudgmental in her beliefs and actions, she profoundly changed my entire life path.

I am forever grateful to Cary.  When I was around the age of ten years, she chose our family to mentor. With her fellowship, I began meditating, reiki, and buffalo drummings at the very young age of eleven.  Carys' talents and wisdom combined with my young age and naivete motivated my practice.  I soon could see and hear so many wondrous elements of the spiritual world. I heard the flutes of the Lakotas and even saw the animal spirits who often rid our ailments.  Animals are an important element to any spiritual healer because of their innate protective behavior.

I practiced up until I went to college, and then sometimes during college. When I graduated, I continued to move farther away from the gifts Cary had instilled in my soul and being.  I was afraid to practice without Cary around because I believed that people would think I was crazy.  I did not want people to view me as different or not "normal" especially not during college, and after college, well that could be even worse! I could be considered an outcast! 

When you are young and do not know the world as it is in all its grace and disasters, you are at ease with the teachings and practices of your elders because you truly believe they hold the key to wisdom. They are the ones that beautifully manicure and landscape your realm of knowledge. 
 
I was given the gift of insight, even more so, the emotional companion of insight which is compassion from Cary - an amazing gift. 

Insightfully, I proceeded to give Cary a healing, and when she didn't wake, I decided to call Amean. It was Amean who provided Cary with a healing that awoke her from her comatose state. She spoke three words, "thank you, perfect, and amazing."  She laughed and listened to our stories. Can you imagine someone whose heart beat is so slow - the nurses even insisted on us saying our goodbyes - waking up after someone over the phone provides them with a healing? 

It was then that I realized that Cary's biggest desire was for me to continue learning all of the wonders that are combined with the faith and love of healing.  You must have faith to practice reiki or meditate, which is quieting your mind into a blank state.  You must have faith that God's gift of light and energy will flow through you.  I do not possess God's gift rather it flows through me to the person to whom I give Reiki to.  I am healed in the process of giving rather than receiving and those who receive reiki from me provide me with more strength and faith that I can continue to give. 
Reiki is cyclical just like nature. Everything that is good and full of love is cyclical for when one things receives, it must always give back and in giving back, it will continue to receive.

I will be beginning a new chapter in my life.  I have a new job.  I have old goals like scoring high enough on the LSAT to receive substantial funding, and I am going to embark on a journey where I will develop my gifts.  I sincerely believe that everyone has the ability to be the footprint in anyone's heart.  I appreciate all of those people who continue to support me, but not only do they support me, they also continue to sincerely love me.  Thank you for you have all been footprints in my heart and will continue to be. 

God's Way of Saying Everything is Going to Be Okay!

Ezekiel 1:28: Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking. 

 Last night after church, we saw a double rainbow. What was most spectacular was the fact that the arch was directly over the Church.  Raised Catholic, I have received four of the seven Sacraments.  These four are Baptism, Eucharist, Reconciliation, and Confirmation.  Even though I attended Sunday School and a Catholic Church almost every Sunday with my family, I would not say that truly valued the written words of God in the Bible.  However, all that has changed now that I attend a non-denominational Christian Center and Church.  I have much to be thankful for, and I attend mass (almost) every weekend to be reminded of God's love and Generosity. I should admit why I really attend mass on the weekend.  I love hearing our Pastor 'comediate' the written word and how it really applies to my life. You might think comediate? - That isn't even a word! I know.  Pastor Troy conveys the written message in the Bible to an audience full of everyday people in an entertaining and enthusiastic way.  Did you you know enthusiastic means "In God?"  Our Pastor makes you want to come to mass to hear the reasoning behind a certain situation or predicament that as everyday people we don't know how to answer; we don't know how to take care of it; we can't fix it - on our own.  

It is not just our Pastor Troy who is inviting, but the entire congregation. I love how our congregation welcomes all.  You walk into our church half way through service if you can't get off work in time, if you forget what time it starts (- my first two times), or even if the bus rusn a bit late. You can walk in if you have never been to church before and someone will hand you a bag of cookies and find you a place to sit. You can sing loud or you can sing in your head. You don't have to say things at specific times like you do during a Catholic Mass. Our Church really welcomes all and our Pastor constantly reminds us that each one of us, including him is human. We must continually forgive each other for things we say or do.  I go to service to be reminded of that every weekend, and then I try really hard - and I do mean TRY to remember it during the week. Man, I am not that good at it.   I figure one day, I will get it - I will remember.  

Now you might think why is Hannah (this is a question most of my friends from College and Highschool will think) why is Hannah writing about God.  I was the one person during college who went to a  reconciliation service at the on-campus Catholic Church in high-tops and a big over-sized puffy (it was winter and snowing in Wisconsin), and left with a request from the priest to stop acting "not-god like" and if I managed - he would take me out! For a Steak Dinner!! I even pointed at my friend and asked if she could come too (I thought maybe he was joking). His reply to my request: to stop doing "ungodly acts (most college things)" for 3 months, he would take me out for a steak dinner.  Now you are thinking, what?!? Yes, I thought the same thing and never stepped back into that church.  I mean all the scandals with the Catholic Priests were being reported on at that time and it just seemed as if I did not belong as a 'Catholic'.  But this post is different. This post is about truly understanding why I attend Mass. I never thought about the why before. I always thought about the why do I have to (ha).  My parents, mostly my mom, would say, every Sunday Morning, "Hannah let's go" for about 20 minutes prior to Mass. I would roll out of bed and be told, "No, you are not wearing that. Change!! We are going to be late," and I would change and then sit with my mom and dad sing the prayers and hymns, say the the "right" things, receive the bread and body of Christ, and leave.  The best part was summer masses because on the way home we would get donuts! Now, I truly believe that I have a reason as to why I go to Mass and most importantly,  I really feel a need to go to service. 

The best news is that my current Church Center is expanding because it believes that Everyone will come to God. So they are building a bigger Center that will fit all who want to attend. We have grown so much as a congregation that we need a new building.  

Therefore, I decided not only to donate, but to ask others to help raise funds with me! My goal is to climb a fourteener and have people donate per foot, two feet, five feet, ten feet, hundred feet, ect. for every foot I complete. I have always wanted to climb a fourteener and I thought why not do something extremely challenging while raising money for God. All that I raise will go to God. I thought about climbing one in October. 

Anyone can donate, and you can pledge a penny, five cents, a dime, a quarter or even a whole dollar for every two feet, every fifty feet, every hundred feet, or even thousand feet that I climb. I would document that I climbed and I would climb with an experience Fourteener climber.  

I think the double rainbow over our church last night means that I need to contribute and offer others the opportunity to contribute as well.

I am stepping outside of just our church or any church and ask everyone to be apart of making a dream come true! These days everyone is asking for help in a monetary form. So I know this is more like ugh! Hannah would ask, but:

 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

It is true those who plant only one or two seeds will only get one or two plants.  Those who plant many seeds will get a much bigger harvest and from one seed comes many flowers and many produce.  The seeds that we plant, whether or not, I stay in this community will give me more than I can imagine down the road. Can you imagine giving to a campaign, and meeting someone years down the road who is helping you finance your home or car and they say that they were in a dark place in the middle of Steamboat CO and they went to a Christian Center and they felt accepted and wanted to make something of themselves and you tell them that you helped to donate to that center and they give you the best rate?? I think of all the possibilities and how we are all connected...

I will have more details later, but I would like to climb Mt. Elbert (a fourteener).  If you know of any experience climbers or would like to pledge a certain amount towards this cause, I will be posting more about the campaign when I have all the details figured out.  I just needed to write about the plans because I have been praying about how much I can give, and I feel like I can give more if I just ask! NOW WHO IS EXCITED TO JOIN THIS CAMPAIGN?! (haha)!

It is Time to Start Blogging Again...

As a young adult, I feel lost. I feel like I should have a "college" educated job, which I get paid enough to afford a vehicle without going into debt. I want to explore and travel.  I want to have a job where I feel like I am doing something to benefit others instead of condescendingly telling customers our policies and terms.  I know that so many of us go to college, maybe, when we are not quite ready. I went to college because I was accepted into the greatest school located in Wisconsin - The University of Wisconsin-Madison.  I went because I wanted to be a college athlete; I wanted to succeed as a rower. I worked incredibly hard to be a rower. I told myself that I would never take myself too seriously and I would never think of myself as good, but only getting to be good.  I didn't realize that getting injured would be my downfall in a sport that I still cherish today. Rowing truly helped me overcome alot of my insecurities and it made me confident not only in my physical abilities, but also in my academic abilities.   With that confidence, I decided my final year of college to undertake a directed study with an acclaimed Native American Professor. I learned blue code book citing, and I learned how the law works, which is not clear to many who abide by the laws or to many who break laws. I found myself engaged in law and what the law offers.  After graduating, I set my heart on being something.  I wanted to go to law school.  I still do! However, I have a fear of debt. I have never been in debt, which is rare, for America is the most indebted country. Instead of studying for the LSAT directly out of college, I took a detour and landed in Colorado.  I met the love of my life, and he has been my biggest cheerleader. I decided to study for the LSAT, while having fun skiing in the Rockies, and scored high enough to get into the law schools that I wish to attend. Unfortunately, not high enough to receive funding.   I am now at a place in my life where I feel I have reached a crossroad.  For the past year, I have been working at a job, where I sit all day and stare at a computer screen while answering calls of customers, where half the time I insist that there are terms and conditions, and therefore I cannot assist them. I don't wake up excited to start the day, but rather sleep in trying to decide if I should get up.  I have never had a sick day at my job. I have only taken off work for travel.  So I am looking inward. Why do I live out in CO, away from family and friends? That answer is easy - to be with the man I love.  Why did I take my current job?  I wanted to have a "big girl" job. I thought this job was going to open an opportunity for a different job.  If I could do anything in CO what would I do? That is what is unclear.  If I am going to live in this gorgeous place, I need to revise my goals.  I need to choose happiness, regardless of what I think I should be doing.

Do you have a set of beliefs that are influenced by what you think others will think of you?  Perhaps you have parents who have achieved much in the career and academic world?
What would you do if you could do anything in the location where you currently reside?

Stubborn Pounds

Typically I eat Healthy...but there are times I make a Peach Cobbler or chocolate chip blondies like I did this past weekend. What do you do to get rid of stubborn pounds?

We have begun a weight loss "TRIO".  After watching Dr. OZ one day, I thought I need to start not only working out more, but also working on taking supplements and vitamins that expedite the weight loss. It is hard to be motivated when you feel like you continue to gain weight. I began by measuring my waist, stomach, and butt to make sure that I had a starting point.  I then read about the supplements.  Calcium Pyruvate is a key component in energy production by transporting glucose from the bloodstream into the muscles.  When combined with Conjugated Linoelic Acid, which speeds up the breakdown of fats and helps block the growth of new fat cells, you get a dynamic duo that builds muscles and breaks down fats. However, I said that this was a TRIO! The final supplement is Coconut Oil.  I take a supplement that is coconut oil in a tablet. Coconut Oil contains Medium Chain Triglycerides, which speed up your metabolism and help you lose those last stubborn pounds. Now, if you really want to speed up your metabolism and you plan on working out, the final product is a Capsicum Extract or Cayenne Pepper extract. So I guess it is four things, but the the fourth one is necessary only before you workout!
Before starting any supplement or weight loss program make sure that you contact your doctor.  Always do your research and get more than one opinion!

Supplements can be more on the pricey side, so you should check out Muscle and Strength for Daily Giveaways!