Meredith Kendall's Blog, page 79
January 22, 2013
cold enough to make your teeth shiver
Minus 30 to minus 15 F, that's minus 34.4 to minus 26C. Cold. Makes my teeth hurt, nostrils freeze shut, and fingertips ache. I have to look down to make sure I'm wearing my winter jacket, to see if I'm wearing anything at all. I am. I'm still cold.
No mosquitoes, black flies, or copper beetles. No slugs. Don't have to run the air conditioners. No sunburn. Plenty of room at the beach. Put your towel anywhere.
Better yet, toss another log on the fire and curl up on the couch with a good book. I'm reading Discovery of Witches for the 4th time. Maybe should try another book, I tell myself, as I cycle continually through it and it's sequel. Why switch, I answer. I like being in this world.
So it's cold outside, snowy. Warm and peaceful inside. Winter in Maine.
No mosquitoes, black flies, or copper beetles. No slugs. Don't have to run the air conditioners. No sunburn. Plenty of room at the beach. Put your towel anywhere.
Better yet, toss another log on the fire and curl up on the couch with a good book. I'm reading Discovery of Witches for the 4th time. Maybe should try another book, I tell myself, as I cycle continually through it and it's sequel. Why switch, I answer. I like being in this world.
So it's cold outside, snowy. Warm and peaceful inside. Winter in Maine.
January 21, 2013
crumbs
on the floor.
Haven't had dried food crumbs on the floor for many years. How many? Oh, 13 or so. For this and many other reasons I miss Fluffernutter.
I talk to the plants now. I don't go outside at night to gaze at the stars and marvel at the temperature. When I look up from my work, no one returns my gaze. I walk alone. For these, and many other reasons, I miss you, Fluff.
Haven't had dried food crumbs on the floor for many years. How many? Oh, 13 or so. For this and many other reasons I miss Fluffernutter.
I talk to the plants now. I don't go outside at night to gaze at the stars and marvel at the temperature. When I look up from my work, no one returns my gaze. I walk alone. For these, and many other reasons, I miss you, Fluff.
January 20, 2013
Hawayo Takata's address to the US Congress
Reading a wonderful piece: Hawayo Takata's address to the US Congress in 1961.
Here's the link
She says some marvelous things. Talks about Reiki as a vital life force that radiates from the sun.
Says our hands are electrodes, Reiki is similar to radio waves.
It's a remarkable statement. Please read.
Full link: http://aetw.org/reiki_takata_special_...
Here's the link
She says some marvelous things. Talks about Reiki as a vital life force that radiates from the sun.
Says our hands are electrodes, Reiki is similar to radio waves.
It's a remarkable statement. Please read.
Full link: http://aetw.org/reiki_takata_special_...
January 18, 2013
kirtan
Went to kirtan this evening.
There was a fire in the fireplace: chunks of dry wood produced radiant coals. I longed to poke the coals, rein in stray ends, and artfully stack the pyre. Alas, was too far from the scene, too shy.
There was a most delicious birthday cake. Vanilla, surprisingly not airy and not sickeningly sweet. Oh it was dense moist deliciousness, like a pound cake. Topped with cream cheese frosting. Wow, so good. I rarely eat store cake. This was a worthy exception. "From a European bakery," the host said. It was his birthday.
There were friendly, smiling people. Maybe 70? Maybe 100? We sought companionship, spiritual satisfaction, or maybe just cake.
There was a keg of scalding hot chai. It was milky, sweet, and filling. Thank you, Jewel of India.
There was one beautiful child. She said she was 6 years old. She had wavy, almost kinky, white-blond hair down her back. She wore an embroidered red velvet dress and red tights. She scampered, cavorted, and crawled: drawing our eyes and smiles.
There was sound. Sound healing from the inside and out. Our own sounds and our community sound. Sound and music led us to spirit, love, and connection.
It was loud: I felt free to bellow. I could feel my own sound in my sternum. I was surrounded and enveloped in sound.
There were strings of colored lights. A conch, bells, and clapping. The fire flamed and glowed in the stone fireplace.
There was sacred music. The host sat down to his harmonium. We started with gentle chanting: sing and repeat. We Are All One. Then the drums started. There were startling, barely contained, explosions of sound and energy. Kirtan.
There was a fire in the fireplace: chunks of dry wood produced radiant coals. I longed to poke the coals, rein in stray ends, and artfully stack the pyre. Alas, was too far from the scene, too shy.
There was a most delicious birthday cake. Vanilla, surprisingly not airy and not sickeningly sweet. Oh it was dense moist deliciousness, like a pound cake. Topped with cream cheese frosting. Wow, so good. I rarely eat store cake. This was a worthy exception. "From a European bakery," the host said. It was his birthday.
There were friendly, smiling people. Maybe 70? Maybe 100? We sought companionship, spiritual satisfaction, or maybe just cake.
There was a keg of scalding hot chai. It was milky, sweet, and filling. Thank you, Jewel of India.
There was one beautiful child. She said she was 6 years old. She had wavy, almost kinky, white-blond hair down her back. She wore an embroidered red velvet dress and red tights. She scampered, cavorted, and crawled: drawing our eyes and smiles.
There was sound. Sound healing from the inside and out. Our own sounds and our community sound. Sound and music led us to spirit, love, and connection.
It was loud: I felt free to bellow. I could feel my own sound in my sternum. I was surrounded and enveloped in sound.
There were strings of colored lights. A conch, bells, and clapping. The fire flamed and glowed in the stone fireplace.
There was sacred music. The host sat down to his harmonium. We started with gentle chanting: sing and repeat. We Are All One. Then the drums started. There were startling, barely contained, explosions of sound and energy. Kirtan.
January 14, 2013
walk
Took myself for a walk yesterday. Realized it was my first walk since Fluff passed 6 weeks ago.
She took just short walks the last year of her life. We used to drive off for explorations, but she mostly stayed in the car. She would get out for short rambles, but not long walks or hikes in the woods.
So I went, just me. It was warm and foggy. I hiked up a small hill. It's a funny hill. Right in the middle of the city, at the edge of a college campus. Only 500 feet up: you can just about run up, but here's the funny thing- it feels quite alpine at the top. It's bald rock with stunted plants and 360 degree views. It's surrounded by big old pines, woods, forest. It feels far away. I'm usually the only person up there.
Stayed up there awhile. Found rabbit tracks in the snow. Too wet to sit, I wandered around the top. Fog gathered and dripped from pinecones. There was moss and lichen.
I slid down in the slush, didn't want to fall and get all wet. Slid, didn't fall.
Took a long walk around campus. It's so beautiful there: architecture, landscaping, and wide spaces. Lots of people walking dogs. I walked quickly, enjoying my own pace, and hardly cried at all.
She took just short walks the last year of her life. We used to drive off for explorations, but she mostly stayed in the car. She would get out for short rambles, but not long walks or hikes in the woods.
So I went, just me. It was warm and foggy. I hiked up a small hill. It's a funny hill. Right in the middle of the city, at the edge of a college campus. Only 500 feet up: you can just about run up, but here's the funny thing- it feels quite alpine at the top. It's bald rock with stunted plants and 360 degree views. It's surrounded by big old pines, woods, forest. It feels far away. I'm usually the only person up there.
Stayed up there awhile. Found rabbit tracks in the snow. Too wet to sit, I wandered around the top. Fog gathered and dripped from pinecones. There was moss and lichen.
I slid down in the slush, didn't want to fall and get all wet. Slid, didn't fall.
Took a long walk around campus. It's so beautiful there: architecture, landscaping, and wide spaces. Lots of people walking dogs. I walked quickly, enjoying my own pace, and hardly cried at all.
January 12, 2013
January 11, 2013
Walt Disney and spaghetti
When I was a kid every Sunday night was about Walt Disney and spaghetti.
We spread newspapers over the living room rug, my brother, 2 sisters, and I. We each had a table and chair, our own. We set those out over the newspapers. My dad made spaghetti and sauce with meatballs. There was parmesan cheese, Kraft, in the green can.
We were allowed to eat in the living room, and watch TV while we ate. It was the biggest treat of the week.
We spread newspapers over the living room rug, my brother, 2 sisters, and I. We each had a table and chair, our own. We set those out over the newspapers. My dad made spaghetti and sauce with meatballs. There was parmesan cheese, Kraft, in the green can.
We were allowed to eat in the living room, and watch TV while we ate. It was the biggest treat of the week.
January 10, 2013
laughing Reiki
We tried a new format at our Reiki share tonight. Less talking, more laughing, and more Reiki.
We talked for 20 minutes, down from our usual 60, shared Reiki for about an hour, then gathered again to process and close. There were 14 practitioners and a couple of guest clients. While sharing Reiki we had 3 rooms going. I could hear raucous bellows of laughter from the room next door. Reiki party room! We were too relaxed to speak at the end, we flopped and melted into soft chairs. We laughed at our inability to speak, we laughed at ourselves; we laughed for no good reason.
L led us in reciting the Reiki principles in Japanese. M brought peppery crackers and mellow cheese. B provided the deepest belly laughs, C told us about upcoming Reiki retreats, and N managed to speak wisely despite our collective merriment and languor. I could tell you how happy I was to see each person, but this post is long enough. Revel in the light & love; laugh :)
We talked for 20 minutes, down from our usual 60, shared Reiki for about an hour, then gathered again to process and close. There were 14 practitioners and a couple of guest clients. While sharing Reiki we had 3 rooms going. I could hear raucous bellows of laughter from the room next door. Reiki party room! We were too relaxed to speak at the end, we flopped and melted into soft chairs. We laughed at our inability to speak, we laughed at ourselves; we laughed for no good reason.
L led us in reciting the Reiki principles in Japanese. M brought peppery crackers and mellow cheese. B provided the deepest belly laughs, C told us about upcoming Reiki retreats, and N managed to speak wisely despite our collective merriment and languor. I could tell you how happy I was to see each person, but this post is long enough. Revel in the light & love; laugh :)
January 8, 2013
Reiki article
was rejected. Again.
The reviewers did not like the study design.
This is 3 years of research, hundreds of Reiki sessions. What a disappointment. So I guess I toss the data. Right? Redesign the study, start over?
Or try one more journal. And redesign study anyway. The reviewers want an experimental group, but how do you separate out what is Reiki and what isn't? What if every human has inherent healing abilities, whether he or she has been educated on Reiki or not? How do you figure out what Reiki is?
The reviewers did not like the study design.
This is 3 years of research, hundreds of Reiki sessions. What a disappointment. So I guess I toss the data. Right? Redesign the study, start over?
Or try one more journal. And redesign study anyway. The reviewers want an experimental group, but how do you separate out what is Reiki and what isn't? What if every human has inherent healing abilities, whether he or she has been educated on Reiki or not? How do you figure out what Reiki is?
January 6, 2013
Reiki has a flat organizational chart
Something I love about Reiki: no hierarchy.
Lineage, Level, ability to access Reiki, effectiveness: all flat.
It's you and the energy.
Ok, there are differences in things you can learn: therapeutic communication, Reiki history, and ethics. These aspects are important. Study and experience make you a more effective facilitator. Yes.
But overall.... flat. Anyone can do it. Just learn. Practice self-Reiki every day. That's it.
Lineage, Level, ability to access Reiki, effectiveness: all flat.
It's you and the energy.
Ok, there are differences in things you can learn: therapeutic communication, Reiki history, and ethics. These aspects are important. Study and experience make you a more effective facilitator. Yes.
But overall.... flat. Anyone can do it. Just learn. Practice self-Reiki every day. That's it.
