Meredith Kendall's Blog, page 17
June 29, 2016
how to help
As a teacher, a nurse and a Reiki practitioner ~ I recognize that providing opportunities and witnessing are powerful ways to "help" someone.
June 20, 2016
grief
D's mom died.
I sat with D on her mom's lawn last week. We sat in the sun, beside a rose bush. D greeted relatives as they arrived to say goodbye. There were hugs and tears. D wanted to be outside, wanted to be the greeter, wanted a break from the bedside.
We talked about her mom, life, and Reiki. I stayed about an hour. It was her childhood home, the place her parents lived in together for over 40 years. Her mom died a few hours after I left.
I went to visiting hours at the funeral home yesterday. Pulling in to the parking lot I nearly hit a nun. I mouthed "Sorry!!" and she made a motion with her hands. I thought it was a blessing, the motion, a downward motion. I felt grateful, forgiven, blessed. Later a friend told me the motion was not a blessing, it meant "Slow down."
D greeted me inside the entrance. I chatted with her, and with another Reiki practitioner, L, and L's mom. There were lots of people there, the casket, an altar, posters, and a video. More Reiki people arrived, and other healers. We stood in a big circle and talked. I met another spinner, another Dr Who fan, and a father with a patient young son.
We talked about our sunrise hike the previous day. How we had to park outside the closed gates at the state park, and feared our cars would be towed. Feared that we were breaking the rule, as the park opened at 9 am. We did see sunrise from the top and it was beautiful.
Grief comes in waves. It's good to have friends around to lean on when it's a big wave. It's good to have a community to help you get to the top and see far.
I sat with D on her mom's lawn last week. We sat in the sun, beside a rose bush. D greeted relatives as they arrived to say goodbye. There were hugs and tears. D wanted to be outside, wanted to be the greeter, wanted a break from the bedside.
We talked about her mom, life, and Reiki. I stayed about an hour. It was her childhood home, the place her parents lived in together for over 40 years. Her mom died a few hours after I left.
I went to visiting hours at the funeral home yesterday. Pulling in to the parking lot I nearly hit a nun. I mouthed "Sorry!!" and she made a motion with her hands. I thought it was a blessing, the motion, a downward motion. I felt grateful, forgiven, blessed. Later a friend told me the motion was not a blessing, it meant "Slow down."
D greeted me inside the entrance. I chatted with her, and with another Reiki practitioner, L, and L's mom. There were lots of people there, the casket, an altar, posters, and a video. More Reiki people arrived, and other healers. We stood in a big circle and talked. I met another spinner, another Dr Who fan, and a father with a patient young son.
We talked about our sunrise hike the previous day. How we had to park outside the closed gates at the state park, and feared our cars would be towed. Feared that we were breaking the rule, as the park opened at 9 am. We did see sunrise from the top and it was beautiful.
Grief comes in waves. It's good to have friends around to lean on when it's a big wave. It's good to have a community to help you get to the top and see far.
June 14, 2016
Reiki retreat with Frans Stiene
Home from a four-day Reiki retreat with Frans Stiene and 12 wonderful Reiki women. We chanted in Japanese, meditated, did shamanic journeying, and shared hands-on Reiki. We met all day in a big room with windows all around and skylights too.
The retreat was held at a resort, 20 acres of woods on the Massachusetts-Vermont border: hilly, woodsy, old dairy farms, ravines, and rivers. There was a pool and two hot-tubs. Lots of flowers: roses, peonies, lilacs, irises, and columbine. Lots of birds: rose-breasted grosbeak, turkey vulture, cardinals, jays, and sparrows; lots of birdsong.
The food was fabulous. Vegan and vegetarian, delicious and plenty. We had tempeh reubens, kale smoothies, spinach souffle, and carrot-ginger soup. Chocolate flour-less torte, chocolate chip cookies, and strawberry-rhubarb pie. Hot coffee and tea 24 hours/day. Hot was good as the weather was cloudy and chilly.
I walked to a dairy farm one morning and found three dark pink crystals in the road. Dark rose quartz or rhodocrosite? One night after dinner Dusty and I drove out looking for a river. We found one, with a covered bridge and a waterfall. I picked up chunks of milky quartz and Dusty found sturdy round gray river rocks for herself and spotted dinosaur eggs for her son.
My room-mate told me about plant spirit medicine. Every woman had a story. Every woman had a story of injury, loss, and conflict. Every woman had a story of rebirth and healing. Every woman experienced visions of transformance and empowerment. We sang and danced. We sat in bright light.
Frans taught us lots of guided meditations. He told us stories of his teachers and travels.
My favorite meditation was stepping into a tree, becoming a tree.
The retreat was held at a resort, 20 acres of woods on the Massachusetts-Vermont border: hilly, woodsy, old dairy farms, ravines, and rivers. There was a pool and two hot-tubs. Lots of flowers: roses, peonies, lilacs, irises, and columbine. Lots of birds: rose-breasted grosbeak, turkey vulture, cardinals, jays, and sparrows; lots of birdsong.
The food was fabulous. Vegan and vegetarian, delicious and plenty. We had tempeh reubens, kale smoothies, spinach souffle, and carrot-ginger soup. Chocolate flour-less torte, chocolate chip cookies, and strawberry-rhubarb pie. Hot coffee and tea 24 hours/day. Hot was good as the weather was cloudy and chilly.
I walked to a dairy farm one morning and found three dark pink crystals in the road. Dark rose quartz or rhodocrosite? One night after dinner Dusty and I drove out looking for a river. We found one, with a covered bridge and a waterfall. I picked up chunks of milky quartz and Dusty found sturdy round gray river rocks for herself and spotted dinosaur eggs for her son.
My room-mate told me about plant spirit medicine. Every woman had a story. Every woman had a story of injury, loss, and conflict. Every woman had a story of rebirth and healing. Every woman experienced visions of transformance and empowerment. We sang and danced. We sat in bright light.
Frans taught us lots of guided meditations. He told us stories of his teachers and travels.
My favorite meditation was stepping into a tree, becoming a tree.
May 30, 2016
the vegetarian
Was travelling and got hungry. Was unprepared, no healthy snacks. Stopped at a fast food place and ordered egg & cheese on an English muffin, secretly horrified at all the non-GMO and caged chickens.
I paid and she handed me a bag, Egg McMuffin! she said cheerfully. No meat, right? I mean I ordered egg & cheese. Oh, she said. We looked. A circle of pink moist tissue. Meat. Ick. So sorry, could you make me another one? Thanks.
She whisked it away. There was a long line of cars behind me. She brought back a new one right away really fast. Too fast. Here you go! Um, did you just take off the meat and bring it back? Yes. I did. Why yes, she did. OMG. I freaked out a little. So grossed out, I'M A VEGETARIAN and so grossed out right now.. could you please make me a new one? Oh yes, no problem. I watched her toss out the original and soon brought a new one.
I hate to complain. What was the cook thinking and doing? Crap. Not so hungry any more.
I took a bite. It was crunchy. Ground glass? McYuck. Tossed it.
I paid and she handed me a bag, Egg McMuffin! she said cheerfully. No meat, right? I mean I ordered egg & cheese. Oh, she said. We looked. A circle of pink moist tissue. Meat. Ick. So sorry, could you make me another one? Thanks.
She whisked it away. There was a long line of cars behind me. She brought back a new one right away really fast. Too fast. Here you go! Um, did you just take off the meat and bring it back? Yes. I did. Why yes, she did. OMG. I freaked out a little. So grossed out, I'M A VEGETARIAN and so grossed out right now.. could you please make me a new one? Oh yes, no problem. I watched her toss out the original and soon brought a new one.
I hate to complain. What was the cook thinking and doing? Crap. Not so hungry any more.
I took a bite. It was crunchy. Ground glass? McYuck. Tossed it.
life hacks
... ways to make my life easier, maybe yours too
French press. I love coffee. Can't tolerate caffeine anymore, but still love the smell and experience of hot coffee. So it's decaf for me. Lots of local roasters, so I buy decaf beans. I love the dark oily fragrant beans. To open a new bag... ahhhhh. Smell it? .... grind them and then, the best way to make coffee? A French press. Easy, deep rich & tasty flavor. The usual French press is small, makes one small cup of coffee. I used small ones for years. I had to refill it with hot water to make a large mug of coffee, refill it again for a second cup. Why? There are LARGE French presses. I finally bought one, wow, so much easier. Plenty of good coffee.
Free your houseplants. It's spring. I'm going on a trip. Get someone to water my houseplants? Nope, Set them outside. I put them on the shady end of the deck for partial sun. Rain, easy, done.
Grocery shopping is fun. Ok, grocery shopping is tedious. How to make it fun? I like to explore on weekends. There are tons of gorgeous places to explore within 2 hours of my house. When I'm out and about, adventuring and exploring, I shop at a the local grocery. New, different, fun.
French press. I love coffee. Can't tolerate caffeine anymore, but still love the smell and experience of hot coffee. So it's decaf for me. Lots of local roasters, so I buy decaf beans. I love the dark oily fragrant beans. To open a new bag... ahhhhh. Smell it? .... grind them and then, the best way to make coffee? A French press. Easy, deep rich & tasty flavor. The usual French press is small, makes one small cup of coffee. I used small ones for years. I had to refill it with hot water to make a large mug of coffee, refill it again for a second cup. Why? There are LARGE French presses. I finally bought one, wow, so much easier. Plenty of good coffee.
Free your houseplants. It's spring. I'm going on a trip. Get someone to water my houseplants? Nope, Set them outside. I put them on the shady end of the deck for partial sun. Rain, easy, done.
Grocery shopping is fun. Ok, grocery shopping is tedious. How to make it fun? I like to explore on weekends. There are tons of gorgeous places to explore within 2 hours of my house. When I'm out and about, adventuring and exploring, I shop at a the local grocery. New, different, fun.
May 27, 2016
summer reads
To read: How to cook a moose, Kate Christensen
Being Mortal, Atul Gawande
Eligible, Curtis Sittenfeld
The Vegetarian, Han Kang
My name is Lucy Barton, Elizabeth Strout
Old Filth, Jane Gardam
Nobody's Fool & Everybody's Fool, Richard Russo
All the light we cannot see, Anthony Doerr
Hunger, Knut Hamsun
The little Paris bookshop, Nina George
The Door, Magda Szabo
Preparation for the next life, Atticus Lish
Barkskins, Anne Proulx
White dog fell from the sky, Eleanor Morse
next Bill Roorbach
Nobel Prizes in literature
Source: Maine Calling, MPBN
Being Mortal, Atul Gawande
Eligible, Curtis Sittenfeld
The Vegetarian, Han Kang
My name is Lucy Barton, Elizabeth Strout
Old Filth, Jane Gardam
Nobody's Fool & Everybody's Fool, Richard Russo
All the light we cannot see, Anthony Doerr
Hunger, Knut Hamsun
The little Paris bookshop, Nina George
The Door, Magda Szabo
Preparation for the next life, Atticus Lish
Barkskins, Anne Proulx
White dog fell from the sky, Eleanor Morse
next Bill Roorbach
Nobel Prizes in literature
Source: Maine Calling, MPBN
alive
Tuesday: annual physical with venipuncture.
Wednesday: I called office and spoke w receptionist. "Can I get a copy of those labs?"
Receptionist: Sure! Unless you're dying. Ha ha ha! Pause. Longer pause. Oh. Ohhhh. The doctor will call you.
Me: I'm gonna die.
Friday: phone call from Dr's office. Numbers are fine. I'm not gonna die.
Wednesday: I called office and spoke w receptionist. "Can I get a copy of those labs?"
Receptionist: Sure! Unless you're dying. Ha ha ha! Pause. Longer pause. Oh. Ohhhh. The doctor will call you.
Me: I'm gonna die.
Friday: phone call from Dr's office. Numbers are fine. I'm not gonna die.
May 24, 2016
one of those days
Woke early, at work at 0630. Annual physical with my doctor at 8 am. She's a medical student and she's graduating, so it was our last visit. As usual, I politely declined all invasive diagnostics. Well, not all, I agreed to a complete blood profile. This will check my kidney and liver function, serum glucose, and cholesterol. I also agreed to a FIT test. You're welcome to google that.
Back to work for important meetings. We met all day. We're learning to collaborate and it's a creaky process. Before, after, and between meetings I answered emails and worked on syllabi. Also a creaky process.
Stopped at the grocery store for vegies. It's rainy. It's only Tuesday.
Back to work for important meetings. We met all day. We're learning to collaborate and it's a creaky process. Before, after, and between meetings I answered emails and worked on syllabi. Also a creaky process.
Stopped at the grocery store for vegies. It's rainy. It's only Tuesday.
May 22, 2016
Book 3
Started writing a new book.
This is going to be a summer of big changes, travel, and discoveries. I'm searching for Reiki wisdom. Will be looking in unusual places.
This is going to be a summer of big changes, travel, and discoveries. I'm searching for Reiki wisdom. Will be looking in unusual places.
Robust
Why is that the new word? I see and hear it everywhere.
Meanwhile it's spring. The ice cream stands, bike trails, and beaches are opening. Feeling robust.
Meanwhile it's spring. The ice cream stands, bike trails, and beaches are opening. Feeling robust.
