The Root Chakra and Organic Food

Greetings to all Lovers of Clean Healthy Organic Food!

There definitely is a direct link between the Health of Our Planet Earth, Organic Farming and the Health and Strength of our Root Chakra.

Last night, Wed. Feb. 3, 2010 I began another Journey Through the Chakras, an eight week (every Wed. pm) exploration of these fascinating energy centres. As many times as I have presented this Journey, I am always amazed at the new information that comes forward, both through my own reflections and through the reflections and insights of the participants, each and every time I offer this series. Last night's class was focused on the Root Chakra which is the energy centre located at the base of the spine and is our direct connection with Mother Earth. I would highly recommend the book "Eastern Body Western Mind" by Judith Anodea (available at the Library) if you want a really thorough understanding of this energy system. Basically the Root Chakra is connected with our survival issues -- and we know there are plenty of those in our world today. A strong and balanced Root Chakra helps us to feel safe, secure, stable (including financial stability), and comfortable in family and community connections. It is strongly conneccted to our physical health and well being and that, of course, is deeply related to what we put into our bodies. If we put in clean healthy balanced Organic food then our bodies are well supported and nourished. If we eat conventional food with all of its chemicals and pesticides, the body has to struggle to detoxify the food and even then, the amount of nutrients in that food is greatly diminished because it has been so severely tampered with.

A fascinating tidbit -- according to some experiments done by Jane Goodall -- she discovered that if she held an organic piece of fruit in one hand and a conventional, full of pesticides piece of fruit in the other hand, her animal friends consistently chose the Organic fruit. They instinctively knew which one to choose. She has a wonderful book out called "Harvest for Hope -- a guide to mindful eating". This is also available at the Library along with many books on her adventures in Africa and her insights into animal nature. The Root Chakra is also connected with our Animal and instinctual nature which we do all have but our intellectual nature has overpowered that instinct. The more we can re-connect with the animals and pure healthy food, the more sensitive we will become in regards to our connection with the Earth.

In last night's class, after we released our stress and got centered through our Dance Flow through all of the Chakras we refocused on the Root Chakra and its qualities. Then, in our journals, we did the following exercise which you may find interesting to try on your own.

We reflected on and completed the statement, "Out of those Root Chakra qualities, the thing that is most important to me right now is........................................" Then we paused and imagined that thing or quality being in our lives right now.

Then taking that thing that is so important to us right now on a personal level, into a broader global dream, we completed the statement "My dream for the Earth and all of her beings is........................................ We imagined that dream happening and being real right now.

The next statement was "One small step or action or change of thought I can make towards this dream is................................." In our imagination we saw ourselves doing this.

People dreamed about vibrant physical health for themselves and for all people: feelings of connectedness came up. Also desires to feel grounded and stable.

In my own personal reflection on this I dreamed of the availablity and accessabilty of Organic Food for all. The steps that I saw myself taking towards this dream were: 1. Every time I step into the Organic store or go to the Organic Market, I will offer my gratitude for being able to shop and eat organically (as opposed my usual apprehension and anxiety of what this is going to cost as I step up to the cash register with my Organic treasures!) and to send out a prayer that all beings have abundant access to this wonderful food. 2. To support the Organic farmers in whatever way I can.

After imagining myself doing this last night, I was really excited today to discover, through Vitality magazine, that there is an Organic conference coming up next week Feb. 20 here in Toronto. If you like you can check that out at http://www.cogtoronto.org/

Just a final thought -- as I was preparing for this class I also stumbled upon some wonderful information about the Earth and the Universe by Brian Swimme -- if you google his name and then click on video, you'll see and hear some amazing stuff. In one of his videos he says that humanity is "in between" stories right now. The old story that we have been living is over now and our new story has not yet manifested (I am putting this in my own words in the way that I understood it). To me that means we have a tremendous power now to participate in the creation of that new story. And I believe that it is our dreams and our intentions that are creating that new story.

So l am dreaming of the Earth being loved and nurtured by the Organic farmers that we (and our governments) support and that every living being has access to an abundance of Organic food.

I'd love to hear what your dream is. chakradancer@hotmail.com or leave a post here.

I'll be in touch next week after our Sacral Chakra adventure!

Keep Dreaming!

Barbara

The Tarot Reading That Keeps On Giving!

Last January, 2009, my birthday(Jan. 11) gift to myself was a Tarot reading from James Wells (see link for Evolutionary Tarot to left of this blog).

This year on Jan. 11, 2010, I began my 59th birthday by re-listening to the tape recording James had made of last year's reading. In fact I even re-created the layout that we had used. When I initially went for my reading, James had laid out many decks of Tarot cards (it is quite amazing to see how many really creative and beautiful decks are available these days) and he allowed me to choose the one I wanted for my reading. It was fascinating to browse through this huge variety of images and wisdom. The Voyager Deck drew me in. It was my first time to see it and to my delight, discovered that it was made by collage. I have a real passion for making collages so I was excited to see these collage images in Tarot. Needless to say, I now have my own Voyager Deck!

In going back and listening to this tape a year later I was amazed at how current it still is and how much of the guidance I received is still extremely relevant and important now, a year later. One thing I really loved about James' reading was the "conversation" aspect of it. In readings I have had in previous years from other tarot readers, it was pretty much the reader telling me about my life and telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing or thinking about. That's probably why I haven't had a reading in a long time. It wasn't like that at all with James. With each card, we would first explore what the images meant to me and how they related to my current situation. It gave me a chance to explore my story from a new perspective. Then James would offer his very wise and intuitive insights, thoughts and observations. In that way, a larger and more complete picture was created.

The question I brought to that 2009 reading was "How can I create work that is both satisfying to my Soul and financially supportive?" We did an eight card spread, but after reviewing the entire spread, I decided, for this year, I would really focus on the first two cards. Just those first two cards alone could give me all the guidance I need right now for my work and for my life in general. In fact I would highly recommend this as an exercise that anyone could do with or without cards.

The first card was in the position of "What is unacceptable in terms of conditions, energies, etc. around my work? What feelings or situations should I back away from? What are the red flags?" I drew the Seven of Wands which struck me as a very dark card with many fearsome looking masks and sharp knife like objects. One large mask looked very disapproving and judgemental to me. There was a depressive and oppressive feeling in that face. I could certainly identify those feelings and the people in my work life who represented those kinds of feelings. James also pointed out the significance of perhaps feeling like I had to wear many masks or take on too many roles. I could definitely relate to that in a then current work situation. So generally here, the lesson for me was, when things feel like this, I need to back away. These are the things that don't nurture my Soul. James commented that it was important to also be aware of when my own inner thoughts and feelings may resemble what I saw in that card. It has taken me some time to really "get that"! Now I fully understand that there isn't really any point in trying to change my outer circumstances until I look deeply inside and see where I am harboring my own feelings of disapproval and judgement that I may be projecting towards myself and/or others. What masks am I wearing and where in my life am I trying to play too many roles? Where am I trying to be everything to everybody? Where and when do I hide behind a mask? Is this just more of that old people pleasing trap that I so easily fall into?

After allowing that card to settle into my psyche for a whole year, I am really understanding that my outer circumstances are doing nothing more than reflecting what is buried deep inside of me. Wow -- maybe I really am getting older and wiser!! I like the "wise" idea!!

The second card was in the position of "What are the acceptable conditions for my work? What are the "go for it" signs?" The card I drew in this position was Man of Crystals, also called INVENTOR. Initially this card struck me as somewhat chaotic with tons of stuff going on. James explained that crystals related to the mind and had to do with expressing feelings in a creative way. I could relate to that. All of the chaos in the card felt like the ideas and inspirations that were floating around inside of me. At James' suggestion I focused in on the image that stood out the most and it was a beautiful light purple crystal that appeared well connected to the Earth and at the same time was pointing upwards towards a solid looking structure. James offered the suggestion that "what is acceptable (in my work) needs to be solidly connected to the Earth and it needs to be pointing to something bigger than itself". He explained the INVENTOR as being visionary, forward moving and creative. At that point I noticed a bird with a large, bright clear eye looking out at the world. I grabbed onto that image because I have been experiencing a number of visual "challenges" in the past few years. Because my eyesight is very fluid and wavy and changeable, and I see the physical world in quite a unique way now, we determined that acceptable conditions for my work would be whatever feels fluid and visionary and unique. James also made the comment that "through my physical eyesight, I am carrying the energy for all beings who invite different ways of seeing things". This is a truly exciting thought for me. It totally transforms my experience of my "new" way of seeing the world. Instead of focusing on the struggles and challenges that my new sight presents; instead of thinking of it as something"wrong", I now see it as very right, very in tune with the uniqueness that I am here to express. The INVENTOR is about cultivating a unique perspective. It is about surrendering to surprises. No more trying to "see" in the old way which doesn't, and can't work for me anymore. It is a big relief to let go of that struggle.

I could go on for hours about just these two cards, and yet the reading had six more!! Maybe next year on my 60th birthday I'll explore cards 3 and 4!

Thank you James for this incredible gift. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and your knowledge. Thank you for inspiring me with your constant quest and willingness to dive deeper and deeper into the great mysteries of Tarot, and of life! Thank you for the inspiration and clarity I have received through my reading and through all of the wonderful Tarot gatherings that you have created.

I would like to end this by offering an intention or prayer that we all move closer to finding those conditions that are acceptable and that nourish and support us on every level of our being.

I wish you all many blessings for the year 2010 -- and always.

Barbara

The Work That Re-Connects

Everything is connected. If I ever doubted that, the few experiences I have had with Joanna Macy's "Work That Re-Connects", has left no doubt in my mind. You can check out Joanna's work at http://www.joannamacy.net/. She is an amazing teacher, now in her 80th year, who continues to travel and teach intensive workshops.

On Sat. Dec. 19, 2009, I attended a full day workshop based on The Work That Re-Connects, facilitated by Jeannette McCullough (http://www.shamansong.ca/). I was deeply touched and amazed by some of the unexpected gifts and the sense of "knowing" that I received throughout the day. For me, the most remarkable and the most profound exercise that we did involved Jeannette first offering us a prayer of gratitude towards various beings and then we, in partners, each had a chance to speak our own memories, feelings and offer gratitude towards the various beings that were mentioned. First was a prayer and then our offerings of gratitude towards Mother Earth. Then we offered prayers and gratitude towards the trees, and then the animals and the birds and the flowers and the fish. With each sharing with my partner, I found memories of my growing up days just flooding back to me, but I found those memories coming back in a very different way than they ever had before. Instead of seeing the "difficulties" or the challenges of my growing up years, I suddenly began to recognize all of the incredible gifts that I had been given throughout my childhood and teenage years. I was very fortunate to grow up in a little village (Port McNicoll) near the shores of Georgian Bay. I was surrounded by the abundance and beauty of nature. I grew up with clean, fresh air to breathe, water that was ideal for swimming, birds of all kinds. I grew up surrounded by "tree friends" who welcomed me into their arms. How I loved climbing trees. When I wasn't "up a tree" I was swimming. Or riding my bicycle through quiet, safe streets. Or riding horses at my friend's farm. Or I was rescuing stray animals. Or I was feeding the birds. At times our backyard would be a mass of big white fluttering wings as I threw bread (day old from my father's grocery store) out to the seagulls. And of course we had many beautiful birds of every colour enjoying the birdbath and bird feeder that my mother kept well filled for our feathered friends. There were so many gifts in my growing up years, I can't even begin to name them all here. Through that exercise of sharing my memories, I totally re-connected with my past in beautiful, positive, happy way. I felt the beauty and the power and the strength of my foundation, my upbringing, in a way I never had before.

It is amazing how connected everything is. Just a couple of days before that workshop, I had "re-connected"with all of my photographs, from my infancy up to 1994. When I left to live in Mexico in 1994, I had stored my photos in my cousins dark, dusty basement in my hometown. For almost 16 years I had not seen any of these treasures. In "rescuing" these treasured photos from the basement of my cousins house, I felt like I had rescued a part of myself from the dark and dusty basement! After the workshop, I knew that the only thing that I really wanted to do on Christmas Day was to go through all of these photos and to remember and to receive fully, all of the gifts that I was given through each stage of my life. With my Beloved Spirit Guide (Sweet Wisdom) at my side, I explored those photos one by one, remembering the gifts and showering my young self and all of those around me in those precious pictures, with Love.

Just one final thought on the work of re-connecting -- I see now how, even though I haven't experienced very much of Joanna's work (this was only my second exposure to it), re-connecting has been a theme in many of my recent endeavors. In my ongoing work with the Chakras, the whole focus is on re-connecting the various aspects of ourselves as we re-connect with SOURCE. In my current vocal training, the entire focus right now is re-connecting my deep rich chest voice with my head voice and learning to transition smoothly through my full vocal range.

It is very exciting to see and experience many aspects of myself and my life and my voice coming together, re-connecting at the deepest levels.

Thank you Jeannette for this enlightening work that you are offering us. It is a gift.

And thank you to all of the Beings -- Human, Animal, Plant, Rock .... and of course to all of the Beloved Spirits who guide our way.

I wish you all a Wondrous New Year. Thank You for allowing me to share my story.

Barbara

The Power of the Human Voice to Transform

This post is inspired by an amazing event I attended on Dec. 13, 2009 called "Sounding for Wisdom at Copenhagen" facilitated by Wende Bartley, Composer and Sound Healer here in Toronto.

First a little background note: Those of you who know me are likely aware of my growing excitment and passion for anything to do with vocalizing, singing or sounding. After about 57 years of feeling like my voice was trapped deep inside of me, my voice now refuses to remain silent any longer! And with that vocal energy guiding me, I am now finding incredible opportunities to work with and use my voice in ways that are fun, energizing, healing and transformative.

My own vocal journey and wxploration began a little over a year ago when I found myself in a group where people began to spontaneously offer and share songs. I could feel my voice retreat deep inside of me in terror that someone might expect me to sing. I couldn't do it. And that was also the turning point when I knew that i also couldn't live with my voice trapped inside any longer. My search for "vocal help" led me to a remarkable teacher and a remarkable method (see speech level singing link at the left of my blog) of training the voice. While this method is aimed largely at training the voice to sing (which I now really want to do!!) its effects on me have been much more far reaching (but that's another story to come!!). But thanks to my weekly lessons and my dedication to my daily vocal practice, I now have the courage and the vocal strength to begin using my voice in many transformative ways.

I was really excited to receive Wende's invitation to her vocal event "Sounding for Wisdom at Copenhagen". This was based on a Worldwide event called Sounds of 350 (www.350.org) It sounded like a wonderful way to explore my own newly developing vocal power in a way that could also help to support the planet in these crucial times. i can only say -- that sounding event was awesome. We met in the Sanctuary of Trinity St. Paul's Church on Bloor St. so we had a great, huge space with wonderful acoustics. Wende led us through a lovely series of vocal exercises to warm up our voices and spoke to us about connecting with the Earth's song. Because of all the damage that is being done to Mother Earth, Wende explained that her (Mother Earth's) song is being silenced. By connecting with Mother Earth and allowing her song to be sung and sounded through us, we can help to revive the song. Through our voices we can connect with the vibration of the Earth and strengthen it. Wende also referred to this as "subtle activism" (www.gaiafield.net)-- a concept that really resonates with me. Led by Wende and the vocal group HATHORA, we were led into a prolonged time of sounding our own sounds as they wanted to come through us. It was a very large group of people, everybody sounding the songs and the sounds that wanted to come through them. With everyone sounding differently, the result was incredible harmony and connectedness.

As I continued to connect more deeply with the Earth, I found sounds coming through me that I had never sounded before. At one point, I could feel deep, wild animal sounds coming through me and then I realized, from somewhere across the room, another animal had emerged and was sounding back to me. In this midst of all the sounding that everyone was doing, I found myself carrying on a back and forth "animal conversation" with someone -- I have no idea who -- across that huge room. It was an amazing feeling, not only to be channeling that sound from who knows where, but to find someone who was speaking exactly that same language. This was definitely one of the most fascinating and powerful "conversations" I have ever had.

I need to end by saying thank you Wende for offering me this opportunity to experience the newfound power of my own voice and for giving me this opportunity to be of service to the Earth through my Voice.

This was a profound event and I am really excited about the discovery that I can use my voice in this Transformative way.

Thank you to all of those (and there have been a few!) wonderful people who have helped me to unleash the Power in My Voice.

And may we all continue to sing and to sound Ourselves and the Earth back to Vibrant Health!

Peace and Love to all of you.

Barbara

The Crown Chakra

On Wed. Nov. 25, we donned our Crowns and journeyed to the top of the mountain!

The Crown Chakra, also known as Sahasrara, is the seventh and highest Chakra that is still directly connected with the physical body. It rules the brain and the nervous system. Energetically if offers us a more direct connection with our SOURCE, our CREATOR, THE DIVINE POWER THAT GUIDES US, or whatever image or word resonates for you.

The question we opened with was: When you think of Our Source, what word, name or image comes to you?

Another name that resonates with me is Rob Brezsny's (http://www.freewillastrology.com/) "The Divine Wow! I would also highly recommend his book PRONOIA -- How the Whole World is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings. According to this book, there is a unique spiritual path for every person on this planet. That idea certainly opens up possibilities for exploration and creative inspiration.

Through music, dance and sounding, we then journeyed from the ROOT CHAKRA which connects us with all of life (humanity, animal, plant, mineral kingdoms), to the CROWN CHAKRA which connects us with the SOURCE of All Life.

Then we entered into deep meditation on the Crown Chakra and allowed that energy of the Thousand Petaled Lotus to connect us more deeply with our Source. After some time of enjoying our Divine Connection, during which time the peacefulness in the room was profound, we began to channel Divine Light from our source through ourselves. By this time our Chakras were open and receptive. Light flowed from Source through each of our Seven Chakras, cleansing and energizing, until it moved down through our feet and into the Earth. We ended our meditation by visualizing that every step we take on Earth will be guided by Divine Light and Wisdom. We stretched and moved our bodies to the sound of gentle drumming to bring us fully back and to ground ourselves in this new place.

We didn't have time for journal writing this week but I would highly recommend writing a Conversation or Dialogue with the "Divine Wow!"

We ended our Seven Week Journey Through the Chakras by singing together,

Go in beauty

Peace be with You

Til we meet again in the Light.

Barbara

PS For some unknown (to me) reason, there is a big gap of empty space between the Third Eye and the Throat Chakra entry. Keep scrolling down through the emptiness after the Third Eye and you will find the remaining November entries.

Namaste

Thrid Eye Chakra

Welcome to the Third Eye Centre -- Ajna Chakra

This is the centre for Intuition, Inspiration, Development of Psychic Abilities and Higer Wisdom. Through this "Eye" we can see the true purpose or meaning of events in our lives. We can develop a greater degree of discrimination and, centered in the high vibration of this energy centre, we will come to live a truly inspired life.

On Wed. Nov. 18, we explored our Third Eye Centre in our ongoing Journey Through the Chakras at Britten Memorial Church. We began the class by creating an intention to attune more deeply with the messages of our inner world. To begin that process of listening more deeply, we tuned into our bodies and reflected on the question:Where, in my body or being, do I experience intuition or inner knowing? We discovered that inner knowing doesn't always present itself only in the area of the Third Eye. For some people, the sensations of inner knowing were experienced in the belly, in the Solar Plexus, in the Heart, in the Throat.

To review and energize the previous Chakras, we moved and danced to various rhythms -- Earthy Drumming for the Root; sexy, sensual, flowing Belly Dance rhythms for the Sacral Chakra; Dynamic horms of Mexican Mariachi rhythms for the Solar Plexus and for the Heart, we chanted "Listen Listen Listen to My Heart Song. The chanting helped us to transition up to the Thraot Chakra which we activated through sounding and a vocal siren exercise. (Note: I highly recommend the Book and CD by Wayne Perry -- Sound Medicine)

Then we moved into the Third Eye Centre and we began by massaging that place between the eyebrows, the forehead and the temples. Because it is necessay to relax and soften the physical eyes in order for the Third Eye to see more clearly, we did some relaxation exercies for the physical eyes. Then we entered into a guided meditation to meet that Wise Being part of ourselves.

Aside -- A few years back, I did lose my physical eyesight for a period of several months and during that time, my Third Eye opened to the extent that I was able to "see" and draw on paper (despite not being able to physically see what I was drawing) many amazing images and beings. This is one that came out of that inner seeing and it is called An Infusion of Wisdom.

We ended our Third Eye meditation by journaling our insights and/or dialoguing with tha Wise Being part of ourselves.

After a brief sharing, we closed by drawing all that newly awakened energy back into ourselves. We reconnected with the Earth energy and from that Earthy place, we chanted the healing sound of Om to more fully ground ourselves and our experience.

Stay tuned as we journey up to the Crown Chakra this coming Wednesday.

In the meantime, may the messages of your inner world shine through to inspire and excite you!

Barbara

Exploring The Throat Chakra

On Wed. Nov. 11, we continued our weekly Journey Through the Chakras by focusing on the Throat Chakra. This energy centre relates to Communication and Creativity. It is through the Throat Chakra that the Soul can express and manifest its deepest desires and longings.

I found it fascinating to discover that the Sanskrit word for Throat Chakra is VISHUDDHA and that translates into PURIFICATION. This centre purifies and harmonizes all opposites.

To allow our creative spirit to come forward, we began by imagining or remembering ourselves as playful, creative children. We reflected on the question, "What is one thing your child self would love to be creating or making right now?" Many wonderful and happy childhood memories emerged as people re-connected with that playful child within.

We reviewed the previous Chakras through music and people were offered the option of moving and dancing to the music or to simply relax and allow tne music to move through them. Everybody opted for moving and dancing.

We energized the ROOT CHAKRA through sounds of nature and drumming.

The SACRAL CHAKRA was explored through the sensual music and movements of BellyDance.

For the SOLAR PLEXUS, we danced to the very energizing Mexican Hat Dance. The dynamic sound of horns in this wonderful Mariachi music are very stimulating to the Solar Plexus.

As we arrived at the HEART, (with our physical hearts beating more strongly after our energetic Mexican Dance), we slowed things down as we explored movement and dance that would express sending out Gratitude and receiving Divine Love. We danced to Luciano's Heart Chakra music in his Dance of the Chakras CD. As the music gradually became livelier, we imagined dancing with the beloved child part of ourselves. The dancing here became very playful and joyful.

Then we arrived at the THROAT CHAKRA. We warmed up and stimulated our vocal cords with breath and a variety of vocal exercises and sounds. Then, through meditation, we connected with the Soul and we asked the very important quesstion, "What is the deepest longing or desire of my Soul?" We then allowed the energy of that desire to emerge from the depths of the Soul and to be expressed through the voice as sounding. There was, for me, a definite feeling that I was singing with the angels during the sounding of our Souls' desires.

When the sounding was complete, we went back inside to ask of our Souls, "What is one step I can take towards fulfilling or manifesting my Soul's deepest longing?"

After some reflection on that question, we picked up our journals and we began with the sentence,"The deepest longing or desire of my Soul is......"

Then we wrote "One step I can take towards manifesting the deepest longing ore desire of my Soul is .........

By this time, the energy in the room felt extremely peaceful, centered and pure.

We ended by placing our hands on each Chakra, starting at the Crown and ending with the Root in order to draw in and contain the energy within ourselves as we began to prepare to go back out into the world. We ended by chanting the Universal Sound of OM three times, focusing primarily on our Root Chakra for grounding the energy.

The journey continues next Wed. Nov. 18 when we explore the Centre of Higher Wisdom -- the Third Eye Chakra.

Stay tuned as the adventure continues!

Barbara chakradancer@hotmail.com