Category: Blog, Coffee & Conversation
Author: heartbodyandsoul
By Raven Bren
When I was pretty young, maybe six or so, my mother and I had a
type of verbal ritual. I’d be hanging around the house, bugging her,
whining about nothing to do. She’d stop whatever she was doing and
turn to me and say, “I’m not your ringmaster, go find your own
circus.”
I always understood I was being sent out to play. As I got
older, there were times I’d complain of being bored and she’d start
the saying and I’d finish with, “Okay, I’m going to go find my own
circus”.
I would suggest not much has changed despite becoming an adult.
When tired with work or bored with all the have to’s, most of us turn
on the TV, scroll FB, review our to-do lists and just whine that life is
not so much fun.
Whenever happened to being sent out to play?
When I think of play, numerous words, pictures, and feelings fall into
my consciousness automatically, many from very different
perspectives.
I think of youth and childhood, exploration, curiosity.
I think of action and movement.
I think of laughter ringing.
I think of activities that challenge my brain but have some kind of
sweet payoff.
I think of spontaneous overload of creativity that must be expressed.
I think of wonder and awe of something not yet experienced.
I think of heightened emotional states and juicy feelings of
excitement.
I think of endorphins surging.
I think of companionship and friends, of safe places, and trust.
I think of that good kind of exhaustion that brings sleep with a sweet
smile.
I know emphatically that my life and the lives of most of my friends
do not include enough play. We are busy with work. For most of us
work is not-play. Most of us work at jobs for pay and we work hard
and put in long hours and why? Beyond the basic necessities of life, I
believe secretly it is so we can have more to “play with”. If not, why
not just scale back our necessities.
For most of us play involves some level of outlay of our hard-earned
income or at least the investment of some. That is, unless you create
cool games from rocks and dirt, which is how Mancala came about as
the first game developed by humans. Unfortunately, now if we want
to play a cleaner version of Mancala, we have to buy it. See, an outlay
of $$ to some degree.
So I think there are two good excuses right there for not so much
play. “I don’t have the time AND I don’t have the money for play!”
So, my personal philosophy is that we have all the time we need; it’s
just a matter of carving it out. We can literally make time through
rearranging our priorities.
This often requires saying NO to some things to be able to say YES to
others. Sometimes it means being just a wee bit selfish, to allow
others to make their own choices and take care of themselves so we
can have some play-time for ourselves. It means being really
intentional about it. Make a play date for yourself. I know this feels as
though it eliminates the cool factor of spontaneity, but it is really
about creating a habit. Then, spontaneous play, once it feels safe
being in your life, can visit more frequently down the road.
To do this, we need to create a different mindset about it being okay
to have fun and make the time for it to return to our reality, without
guilt and without feeling like we took something away from
something or someone else to have it. With this more carefree
mindset, spontaneous play will feel more comfortable being a part of
our everyday lives. It will feel more natural and the need to carve out
time for it will diminish.
But, but, but… what about the money? Regardless of what play
means, it usually costs money. Travel, equipment, games, whatever it
involves, there is always some investment of money.
Again, my philosophy of “there is always more than enough” kicks in.
Always, it is about choice. Do we choose to work a few extra hours so
we can have more expendable income? Can we choose to forego some
purchase so we can spend a silly amount of money doing a zip line
and a catamaran cruise for an anniversary? My husband and I once
gave up a week’s groceries to do just that very thing and I fed us on
whatever was left in the pantry. Not easy, but it was worth it.
There are times when our play is something we already have. It
means a little more effort to look around at what we have available
now with no additional outlay of that hard-earned cash. It requires
more creativity. Sometimes the fun is IN the creativity of making fun
where none may be obvious.
For example, my husband plays online Scrabble with a number of his
friends. We have a beautiful Scrabble game that has been sitting in
the top of the closet for years. We pulled it out one weeknight and
stayed up to an ungodly hour playing. We laughed, created our own
rules, and lost valuable sleep over it. It was fun. And the energy from
the memories of it far outweighed any lost sleep.
My point is, sometimes we have to choose one thing over another to
have enough to do this or that, which needs to be fun now such as our
anniversary fun. Other times, when there is no extra and fewer
choices, we have to look around, get our creative juice flowing and
make some fun.
As children, we had a creative ability to make fun with nothing more
around us than the entire world we saw. Playground equipment
became monsters to be slain and sand and pebbles were gourmet
meals. We had games grown from our fertile imaginations, creating
elaborate stories we could then spend hours playing roles in, until we
were called to dinner. And then we grew up and got lost in all the
musts and shoulds that consume our waking hours. And the only
wonder we tend to share is that of why we are so tired. We loose our
sense of play.
I suggest a return to a simpler time, if only for a bit of time, away
from our adult-ness and back to when we dreaded being called in for
supper.
Adult coloring is all the rage and I am an enthusiastic participant. The
interesting thing is, that I wasn’t able to begin enjoying it until I let
myself stop caring about it being good enough and simply allowed
myself to play with it. As children we would color, show it off for five
seconds, and then forget out it. The secret was in the joy of the doing
and the appreciation, not in the product.
Life is not about getting it right. Life can truly be about enjoyment.
And although we probably won’t enjoy every moment of it, creating
time… intentional time… to play, can remind us of the joy that is our
birthright. Play doesn’t take energy, it gives energy.
So my challenge to you, dear friends, is to create for yourself some
playtime. Carve out a couple of hours a week; get your creative juices
flowing. Be your own ringmaster and create your own circus.
Raven Bren is a Crone, a writer, a grandmother, mother and wife with stories to share from her many years of life experience and too many hours in the sun pondering the meaning of life. She has recently moved back to her beloved Columbia after spending the last twelve years out on the west coast. Now retired to the boondocks, she has even more time for sharing thoughts in her areas of interest: the cosmos, why are we here, relationships, physics and consciousness, manifesting the life we desire, and how to keep deer from eating the lilacs. With wit and wisdom, rough edges and all, Raven invites you into her world… bring coffee.
Category: Blog, New News
Author: heartbodyandsoul
We’re kicking the month off right with a May Day / Beltane Celebration on Sunday, May 1 (6:30-8) to which all are invited. Time to come kick up your heels, metaphorically speaking (… or not?!?). Either way, come help us welcome back Mother Nature in all her glorious lushness! And since it IS the season of Gardening, stop back in a couple of days later and catch Jane-Ann Stahl’s Feng Shui Your Garden on May 3 (6:30-8; $10). ‘Cause you deserve to be surrounded by beauty AND balance, right??
Two new events this month offer the chance to consciously explore the energetic vibrations that impact our lives: The Energy of Words w/ Rachael Sparks (Sat, May 7 1:30-3; $20) and Robyn Lee’s Color Spa: Color Yourself In (Sat, May 14, 10:30-5:30; $100) on the energy of color & light. Register in advance for one or both!
Looking for still more healing modalities? Come to the free Group Healing Attunement w/ Adrian Campbell (Wed, May 4, 6:30-8), give Yoga Nidra a try (Thurs, May 5 & 19, 7-8; $10), or make an appointment for the Quantum Crystal Healing session of your choice w/ Lynn Wobig. Check out Crystal DeShazo’s Yoga Therapy classes (Thurs, May 12, 6:30-8 & Thurs, May 26, 6:30-8; $15) or give one of Mary Cruise’s Tai Chi classes a try. And of course you can also always schedule an appointment with one of our on-site massage therapists, Mary Cruise or Barbara King. You’ll find their info & Lynn’s on our Healing Services page.
If you enjoy a good discussion of meaningful topics, consider dropping in on the new Science & Metaphysics Discussion Group, happening the 3rd Sun of every month (starting May 15, 4:30-6) or the Tao Discussion Group that meets the 1st & 3rd Sundays each month (May 1 & May 15, 2-4). Or stop in any Saturday morning at 10:30 for Coffee & Conversation. Topics this month encompass What’s Up with Emotional Eating (May 7), Reclaiming Your Childhood (May 14), Astrological Insights (May 21) and Dreams (May 28). All discussion groups are free of charge to attend.
Our monthly series exploring The Divine Feminine (May 25, 6:30-8: $15) continues the 4th Wed of each month through October, ending with a day-long Goddess Celebration Event at The Sapattu Retreat Center outside of Jefferson City the first Sat in November. Attend them all or just drop in on the ones you can make.
Tarot 101 Workshop: Looking for guidance? Learn to read the Tarot for yourself w/ Grant McPeetie’s first of a five-part series on (Sat, May 15, 1:30-4:30; $15). This first class will review the anatomy of the Tarot, the symbolism of the foundational Rider-Waite Deck, the relation of the cards to the Four Elements, and how to do a simple one-card reading. Sign up in advance to ensure your seat!
Tarot Readings:
Walk-ins are always welcome, but if you want to ensure you get a reading, you may want to call ahead and reserve an appointment time since these folks can fill up fast.
So yeah. A bit to do. And then there’s always shopping …
Category: Featured Item
Author: heartbodyandsoul
The Evil Eye Protection amulet originated in Turkey, where it was believed that people could transmit bad energy with a look — even unintentionally. Over the centuries since it first came into vogue, the Evil Eye Protection design has found its way into bracelets, pendents, and talismans for the home. And now into these fun new decor items where it has been paired with owls, elephants, knot work, and Hamsa designs. Come check out the new collection and …hey — stay safe out there!
Category: Staff Picks
Author: heartbodyandsoul
If you haven’t checked out our line of Wise Women Botanicals products, you’re going to want to add that to your list of things to do. (Sorry, I know the list is long, but that’s just a fact.) Hand-made locally by Connie Jacoby, founder & creator of the line, these essential oils and therapeutic blends are among the best around (and some of the regular uses would argue with us about the ‘among’ part of that line as opposed to just ‘THE’!)
One of the most popular items in the ‘among / THE best of the best’ blends is MJ’s Staff Pick this month: Monster Cream / Spray. Coming — as the name might imply — in either a cream or a spray form, Connie developed the blend to help calm children with night terrors and ease them to sleep. However, it turns out that it also works great on adults whose only monster / terror is another sleepless night! Spray your bed linens or rub some of the cream on your feet, your wrists, your temples, your chest, your call — and enjoy a good night’s rest naturally. Ingredients include such fab oils as Rosewood, Palmarosa, Geranium, Lavendin, Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Lemon, Bergamot, Rose, Orange, Cajeput, & Lime. What’s not to love???
Category: Coffee & Conversation
Author: heartbodyandsoul
by Raven Bren
I am cranky. My brain won’t stop bouncing. I itch from the inside. No “solution” I come up with feels motivating. I am not sleeping. It’s been this way for days now and it’s becoming frustrating. Is something trying to get out? Am I shedding a skin now too tight?
What I know about myself speaks to this. My ego is a great distractor. “Don’t change”, she says, “it’s too scary”. Distract, distract, with all the doing-ness. Get this done and you’ll feel better. But is this true? I do want to feel better and doing feels good. Accomplishment is my reward. But there is so much I can’t seem to focus on one thing long enough to move. Overload, overload. The mirrors of my world feel shattered and splintering, overlapping images, all out of focus.
Turning away from the mirrors, refocusing. Re-new focus from foci. Singular from plural. I turn away from the plurality out there to the singularity that is self.
So I move back to the basics of self care. Shower, dress, eat, go outside… just move… in any direction that is movement. Far out there on the fringes of my consciousness are all the things that need doing but my heart is asking me to come back to the center… the singularity of self care. Of baby steps when put in alignment with the harmony that is the universe, bring me back into the dance. The heart beat that continues even when I no longer care to hear it. The breath that moves when muscle cannot. The structures of bone that hold like standing stones of the monument that is self. Back to the elements of this body is the beginning of motivation out into the larger world of creation. The self reflects outward and colors the entire creation.
So it’s about choice … again … always. To care for the gift that is self. To step out of my mind and into my body, give in to the cravings for deliberate, slow, conscious care. Four steps. I need only choose these first four steps. There is no need to know where they will lead.
Sometimes, some days, reducing it down to what is essential is enough to crack that bitch wide open. But there are no promises.
Raven Bren is a Crone, a writer, a grandmother, mother and wife with stories to share from her many years of life experience and too many hours in the sun pondering the meaning of life. She has recently moved back to her beloved Columbia after spending the last twelve years out on the west coast. Now retired to the boondocks, she has even more time for sharing thoughts in her areas of interest: the cosmos, why are we here, relationships, physics and consciousness, manifesting the life we desire, and how to keep deer from eating the lilacs. With wit and wisdom, rough edges and all, Raven invites you into her world… bring coffee.
Category: Blog, New News
Author: heartbodyandsoul
If you have Spring Fever and are looking for something to get you off the couch and out of the house — here are just a few little suggestions from the list of events happening at HBS in April. Cause there’s more coming up here than just Deb’s tulips!
We have our first ever Aura Photographer Weekend at HBS! Charles Drummond, from Sedona, AZ, will be taking aura photos Sat & Sun, April 16 &17. ($35 per photo/ indiv or couple). Walk-ins are welcome, but if you have limited time to hang around, you’ll want to call ahead and reserve a spot. That’s a busy weekend all round, because we also have Tarot Reading by Grant McPeetie from 12-2 and Jewelry-Making (bracelets & bangles!) on that Sat (2:30-5:30), then on Sun is another Essential Oils Workshop with Connie Jacoby of Wise Women Botanicals (1-3).
And every Saturday morning at 10:30 we have an open “Coffee & Conversation” gathering. We provide the coffee (and herbal tea if that’s your preference), the topic, and a discussion facilitator and you all provide the conversation! Still to come this month, we have Relationships, led by Raven Bren, on Sat April 9 (and who doesn’t have lessons learned in THAT topic?!?); The Divine Feminine, led by Nancy Tanner-Thies on the 16th, and The Energy of Words, led by Rachel Sparks on the 23rd. We close the month out on April 30 with The Art of Ascension facilitated by folks from Ishaya Worldwide. No charge to attend any or all — though if you want to throw a little in the Love Offering bowl to help cover the cost of the treats, it’s always appreciated.
New workshops this month include Manifesting Desires on Sat, the 9th (1-3; $10) w/ Raven Bren — which will involve both figuring out WHAT you desire (no small task that), and then the ‘how-you-get-there’ piece; followed by two Saturdays focused on the Top 12 Messages from Your Body, w/ Cherie Doyen (4/23 & 4/30, 10:30-6:30 each day). You can attend either day as a solo event for $39 or catch both for a package deal of $69. And we have the start of a new monthly series on The Divine Feminine, facilitated by Nancy Tanner-Thies & Cat Kelly that kicks off on Wed, 4/27 (6:30-8). This series will discuss the many stages of womanhood that fall within the broader Maiden, Mother, Matriarch, & Crone labels — from Daughter to Amazon, Priestess to Dark Mother — and explore working with goddesses that embody the associated energies and life lessons of those stages. $15 per class or $100 for the entire series which runs thru October and concludes with a day-long Goddess Retreat at the Sapattu Retreat outside of Jefferson City. And we close out the month on April 30 with a workshop on Making Fairy Gardens (1-3) w/Deb Carney & Paula Curry.
In the ‘workshops-back-by-popular-demand” category, we have two repeat special events this month: Intro to EFT by Kelly Howe, teaching the powerful Emotional Freedom Technique of Tapping (Sun, 4/24 2-4 pm at just $20) and Wand Work w/ Jeff Scott (4/26 6:30-7:30, $10). For practitioners of many earth-based spiritual traditions that utilize wands in intention-setting, healing, protection, and ritual work, this is a great opportunity to learn about the gathering, creation, and uses of wands from many natural woods.
And some regular awesomeness you can catch includes: Women’s New Moon Drumming Circle (Fri 4/8 6:30-8), Exploring the Tao Discussion Group (Sun 4/10 & 4/24, 2-4), Hearthfires Pagan Meet-up (Tues 4/12 6:30-8), the Ayilla Link-up (Wed 4/13, 6:30-8), Yoga Nidra (Thurs 4/14), Open Reiki Share for Reiki practitioners (Wed 4/20 6:30-8). And yes, the ongoing book clubs will meet this month as well: Goddesses Never Age (4/14 & 4/28, 1:30-3) and Fire-Starter Sessions (4/7 & 4/21, 1:30 -3); and the Spirit-Seekers Discussion Group will hold the last meeting of this series on 4/10 (4:30-6), not to mention the fab ongoing Tai Chi classes you can catch every Tues & Wed (5 pm) & Thurs (10:30 am).
Last, but certainly not least, if you’re interested in a reading for some extra guidance this month, we’ve got you covered:
Tarot Readings w/ Rexanna Ipock-Brown, Sat 4/9 (10-2) & Tues 4/19 (4-8)
Tarot Readings w/ Grant McPeetie, Sun 4/10 (1-6), Sat 4/16 (12-2) & Sun 4/24 (4-6)
Psychic Readings or Past-Life Regressions w/ Paula Curry, Wed 4/20 (4-8)
(Be sure to call for an appointment though — these guys fill up fast!)
So that’s it. No more “there’s nothing to do” whiny days! (Yeah, sorry about that. Or not.)
Category: Blog, New News
Author: heartbodyandsoul
WOW! It’s May already!!!!! May Day. Beltane. New Discussion Groups. More Coffee & Conversations! Be sure to stop by and get a copy of our May Calendars to keep up with all that’s happening and when…. And, of course, you can always head on over to our Classes & Events page by clicking HERE for the latest and more….
CLASSES THIS MONTH
The Divine Feminine: May 25th
Feng Shui Your Garden: May 3rd
The Power of our Words: May 7th
Tarot 101: May 15th
Yoga Therapy: May 12th & 26th
CONSULTATIONS & READINGS
Past Life Regression Consultations: every Wednesday
Psychic Readings: every Wednesday
Tarot Readings: May 7, 14, 15, 17, and 21
DISCUSSION GROUPS
Book Group – Goddesses Never Age: May 12th & 26th
Coffee & Conversations
Science & Metaphysics Discussion Group: May 15 – NEW!
Tao Discussion Group: May 1st & 15th
MEET-UPS & RITUALS
Beltane: May 1st
Hearthfires Pagan Meet-up: May 10th
Women’s New Moon Drumming Circle: May 6th
RELAXATION
Healing Attunement: May 4th
Tai Chi: Every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday
Yoga Nidra: May 15th & 19th
What more could you want? (Let us know if you think of something!!!!!!!)
Category: Featured Item, Staff Picks
Author: heartbodyandsoul
The Staff pick this week is an easy one: Masks Extraordinaire!! Dragons, tigers, eagles, and butterflies; elegantly jeweled femme fatale black, the stars & stripes forever, and everything in between. These are one-of-a-kind and hand-made by local artist, Paula Curry; and the variety is (almost) as stunning as the handiwork! These lovelies will find a natural fit, not only at Mardi Gras, but at Renaissance Fairs, Masquerade Balls, and even ritual celebrations or work with totem animals. Do stop in and check them out. We all have our favorites — come find yours!
Category: Coffee & Conversation, New News
Author: heartbodyandsoul
February is a month of celebrations: First comes Mardi Gras (and be sure to drop by the shop to participate in the fun stuff we have planned Sat, 2/6 in honor of the occasion!) and then comes Valentine’s Day. We actually have two Valentine’s Day displays: the more traditional romantic one — filled with lovely Rose Quartz, Emerald, & Aventurine, candles charged for Attraction / Love / Soul Mate, astrology books for lovers and those seeking to learn what lessons the planet of love holds for them given her placement in their own astrological chart. Books on Energies of Love and the Science of Attraction. All fun stuff. (And yes, we have lots of great gift possibilities for the special someone in your life!)
And then we have the ‘anti-Valentine’s Day’ table. Smaller. Off to the side. Standing a little more by itself. Kind of like many of us when it comes to Valentine’s Day — or even big crowd celebrations in general. This one calls it like it is with books like “I’ve Seen Your Future and He’s Not In it” and “Emotional Bullshit.” Slightly kinder but equally realistic books on healing broken hearts, moving on after divorce and coming to terms with the fact that co-dependence and love aren’t the same thing. This table holds candles that go “Poof!” or threaten to send out the Flying Monkeys — or at least offer a lovely flame to that wishful thinking.
The thing is … life is both of these displays. For all of us. Nobody escapes a broken heart. We will all cry and we will all laugh. We will all love and we will all mourn. The wheel turns. For those of you in a place to dance in the streets this Mardi Gras, may the joy of celebration fill your soul. For those of you filled with the love of and for that someone special this Valentine’s Day, savor it to its fullest. And for those not in a place of celebration this year, who find themselves drawn to that Anti-Valentine’s Day table, consider taking a page from that fabulously wise poet, Mr. David Whyte:
Blessings on all your heads.
Category: Coffee & Conversation
Author: heartbodyandsoul
Emelie Thibodeaux
“I vow to hold you gently in my heart all my life. I vow to be a clear mirror always reflecting your beauty. I vow to keep my heart open through all doubt, fear, anger, and pain. I vow to open to the truth of each moment. I vow to cherish and honor your trust for the precious gift that it is. I vow to be as spacious as the sky, and give each of us the space to grow. I vow to love, honor, and cherish you always. With all my heart, with a clear mind, and with each breath, I commit to you.”
These are the vows made by Diane Mariechild (author of OPEN MIND, Women’s Daily Inspiration for Becoming Mindful) with her partner at their commitment ceremony years ago. As I read them over and over, it came to me that they could be appropriate vows for commitment to Self.
Read them again, with Self in mind. Might we not hold ourselves gently in our own hearts, as we do our loved ones? Reflect our beauty to ourselves (not the outer layer, but that which we hold inside)? How would we be different if we could keep our hearts open through all doubt, fear, anger and pain, and be open to the truth of each moment?
And trust. What if we could learn to trust ourselves in all ways, especially knowing that we are always there for ourselves, taking good care at all times, treating ourselves as a beloved friend? What if we could give ourselves space — space to stand in our power, space to fall down and trust that we will pick ourselves up again, space to be who we are right now and to grow into who we will be … space to just be our human selves, without judgment? How powerful would that be?
If we promise to another in commitment ceremonies to love, honor, and cherish that beloved, why can’t we make those same vows to ourselves? Could taking these vows to honor ourselves even change the world in which we live? If we gave these blessings to ourselves, each of us could be stronger, happier, and live more mindfully with peace in our hearts. Surely that would flow over into the rest of the world!
As we begin another year, let’s think about making Ms. Mariechild’s vows as our own and see if committing to ourselves makes a change in us and maybe even the world.