A Time to Rest and Cleanse

A while back (January 20th) we entered the Rest and Cleansing Moon. This is one of my favorite moon phases around the medicine wheel because, in addition to my birthday falling in that moon phase, it promotes rest, cleansing, and preparation for what is to come. Is it any wonder that the Pagan holy day Imbolc is also during this moon (February 2nd....NOT stupid Groundhog Day....sheesh)?  Imbolc celebrates the first stirrings of the seeds deep inside the earth that will sprout and become vibrant plant life in the spring.   As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, this is my spa. I LOVE being able to slip into the warm water (kept at body temperature by the heater in the tub....ahhh), relax, cleanse, meditate and chant to my heart's content. This, in addition to my tanning time, is a place where it is all about ME and my needs. No one else's problems enter my spa. No one else's demands enter my spa. No one else enters my spa. This is MY TIME. Sometimes we have to be very strong in declaring "MY TIME" moments. It is way too easy to allow others needs and demands to overwhelm us. But allowing them to overwhelm us makes us that much more in need of "MY TIME".

To put it frankly...when I am in my spa..... I really don't give a shit about anything else or anyone else in the whole world. I like that.

Everyone needs moments like that. When you work in a care giving field like I do and have a partner with health issues like I do, it becomes that much more important to, now and then, at least 2-3 times a week (just sayin') not give a shit.

Today I utilized crystals in the water to charge the molecules of the water and thus of myself. It was delicious! The candle light and the incense added that deeply relaxing and spiritual touch that I was so wanting, and a visit from one of my Spirit Guide who helped me to recharge my heart and third eye chakras was greatly appreciated.

Ahhhh....

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn

Home Spa

I love things that are serene. To me this photo is indicative of those aspects of serenity. The flames of the candles represent the Spirit, the stones are the groundedness of the earth element, the metal container is the sleek peacefulness of the experience, and the darkened room is the Divine Feminine in action all around us. Ahhhhh......

Although this photo is not from my home, I do have a home spa. A nice large jet tub with lots of plants and stones and candles around it with a bathroom that is decorated in an underwater theme. When I run the water in the tub (the only one in years in which I have been able to be completely covered by the water!) I sprinkle in Baking Soda and Sea Salt. Then I pour in a few ounces of Holy Water and then add the Shaman Sphere to the mix. The Shaman Sphere brings harmony into any environment. Then I light a candle and incense, turn off the lights and immerse myself in the luxurious experience of the warm, healing waters of the home spa. You would think that with this available at my fingertips every day I would dive into that experience more frequently than I do. I allow myself 2-3 times a week for this. Any more and my water bill would skyrocket! The tub also has temperature control, which is nice because it keeps the water at body temperature for as long as that switch is on. So although the water will cool down slowly, it doesn't go lower than the temperature of my body. This is magnificent! Ahhhhh....

While I am in the spa tub, I will meditate, contemplate, pray and chant and do all sorts of fun stuff. Whatever spirit moves me to do is how it will roll. This is MY TIME and it lasts as long as I like and I can do and express whatever I wish. It always feels so much better when I am done. Even if my day has been beautiful in the first place, I still feel even BETTER.

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn

Stop Dragon Your Butt!

So often people tell me that they have things that they just never get around to doing because they are so busy with other things in their lives and taking care of other people's things in their lives and taking care of the other people as well. This frustrates me a wee bit. I have been there. In fact, just the other day I was there. I had to remind myself of the words of wisdom that I often share with "those" people....STOP DRAGON YOUR BUTT!!!!

Really, if we want to do something we need to get to it. If we want to accomplish anything in life, we need to do it. If we are the only people in the entire world that will find that accomplishment satisfying or inspiring, we still need to do it. We are just as important as anyone else in the world is. We need to stop sacrificing our own fulfillment for the sake of others needs, no matter how valid their needs may be. If we cannot nourish our own spirits or our own minds, then we are not really fully there for anyone else.

I have Tuesdays off. I have had them off for some time, but because of scheduling and stuff, they were usually spent getting groceries and running a million errands. I have decided to just say "screw it". I need the day off. It is the last day off I have before going back to work and when I am at work I work hard, no matter how much a passionately love what it is that I do for a living. So screw it. If, for example, the groceries cannot be bought on another day, then they don't get bought at all. I am no longer pushing myself to meet everyone else's needs only to sacrifice my own. From now on my day off is as sacred as is my day with my kids. After all, if Dad is not nourished, how is he supposed to nourish the little ones?

So I invite all of my readers to look seriously at how many ways each of you sacrifices your own needs for the needs of others. Once you identify the ways, don't blame other people for it. It is you and you alone who created it. Simply stop doing it. There is too precious little time in each life to spend it doing things that we feel obligated to do while ignoring what it is we are actually responsible for, that being ourselves. Self care is the most important aspect of life. Without it, our lives get cut short.

Blessed Be

Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
http://www.deerhornshamanic.com/

One Step At A Time

Being from the Butterfly Clan and thus one who tends to multitask, I often expect myself to always be able to take quantum leaps here and there and everywhere and always land perfectly. Most often this is true. There are many times, however, when I find myself juggling way too many balls and end up dropping one, two or many more. I am a driven shaman. I admit it. I have this thing within myself that is nasty. It is called "perfectionism". It is what often drives me to accomplish more than I have so far, which can be very good for me. It is also, however, what burns me out. When I get burned out I will either become ill as all the emotional stuff physically releases (which doesn't happen all that often because I have an impeccable immune system), or I suddenly find myself with huge amounts of time on my hands and nothing with which to fill it.

I have, over the last few weeks, had many backyard projects on the go and many social engagements and lots of get-togethers with my daughters and many tasks to be done around the house and a business that I run and so on. Suddenly, it has become quiet. I have decided to take advantage of that. I am getting things done that I have not been able to get to for a while. For example, I delivered an order of my Candle Magic candles to a local store today while I had a break from work. I know that this is also "work", but it is a change and a task that has been niggling at me for awhile now. I have also, over the last week, rearranged my counselling room. It is much more functional. Have you ever noticed how you have to be in a space for a little while before you know exactly how it should be arranged to suit your needs? That was me. Now it is much better. You may have also noticed that I have been blogging more of late. I have actually had time to do so!

So instead of feeling stressed about the extra time I have on my hands I am relaxing into it. I am not demanding that I change my life just so that I am busier. I am taking it all one step at a time. Heck, I was even able to create a new workshop today that I will be presenting in July! It also feels like this is a bit of a lull before a storm of events coming up, the likes of which I am currently unaware. I know that I am going to be crazy busy in the next while, so I am appreciating the time I now have to do things like mow the lawn before I need a swather to accomplish that task. I am also taking more me time. I am meditating more, having lunch with friends, enjoying a cup of coffee in my sacred outdoor space, and allowing myself to relax in a tanning bed a couple of times a week. I find this type of nurturing to be extremely beneficial. I think I will now book a massage.

Blessed Be
Trent
http://www.youtube.com/trentdeerhorn
www.deerhornshamanic.com