There are moments in my life when I feel as though I am at a standstill
and confused about where I am or where I am going.
Have you experienced this too?
When those moments happen I know I have disconnected from Spirit. I have lost the
connection to my inner compass as I have become “too busy” to meditate or be still.
An inner compass is a feeling, a knowing, an awareness that can be accessed at any
time whenever you pause for a moment in time and figure out your next step forward.
Often we are diverted by our course due to expectations, other people’s influences, and
doubt about the path that we’re on.
Changing the course you’re walking on is necessary from time to time because of your
external circumstances which may not be the right fit for you anymore.
Within each change is a lesson to be learned, a new path to follow, and new connections to be made.
The path is never a direct line and you may encounter environmental hazards along the way. Yet, you’re never alone as your spiritual guide is always with you.
Your inner compass is your truth which only belongs to you. Others may not understand it, and that’s okay. It must be okay.
One of the reasons Libby and I created Mariposas Reiki Retreats is to help people connect with their inner compass through a variety of healing techniques.
Within each retreat we guide you into the depths of your soul so you can connect with the part of you that’s been quiet, waiting for you to see with your insight.
We’re excited to connect with you in our upcoming retreats happening in 2021, each with different time options and locations so you can find the best option for you.
As always, I’d love to hear back from you, so please share your
thoughts by responding to this newsletter.
PS Have you taken my free quiz on your emotional response to stress? If not, simply click here.
Right about now you’ll probably do just about anything to be on a vacation. The stress of your life is just weighing you down a bit and the idea of relaxing on a beach or something sounds really appealing.
Vacations are great, however, retreats are way better and let me share with you why, along with a few frequently asked questions we’ve received when facilitating Mariposas Retreats.
Vacations
Versus
Retreats
Planning.
VS.
Facilitators plan it for you.
Go to restaurants.
VS.
One place to eat, variety of home cooked meals.
Alone or with loved ones.
VS.
Alone or with loved ones, meet like minded people.
Look for different activities.
VS.
Facilitators planned it for you.
Relaxation fades away.
VS.
Learn new skills to incorporate self-care.
Taking a break from your day to day is a necessary aspect of self-love. Perhaps you find an hour here or there to reconnect – whether that be stretching in a yoga class, taking a walk outside, or dropping in to my meditation events live on Instagram or monthly Reiki share. This kind of self-care is vital for you to maintain your physical and mental health, and I applaud you for creating that necessary space in your life.
I have found that often, it takes 15-24 hours for your mind to slip into “vacation mode.” You know the mind-state I mean: the one where you stop worrying about checking your phone or email and become fully present in the moment.
That’s why Libby Creagh and I co-created the Mariposas Reiki Retreat for Self Care & Healing which we offer at least once a year. Within this retreat we wanted to create an oasis for you to slip away from your busy schedule and reconnect to your bliss-filled authentic self where everything is taken care of for you.
All you have to do is show up.
Have you been wondering if this retreat is for you?
Read on for frequently asked questions and their responses.
1. What is Reiki?
Reiki is a Japanese word which means spiritual healing and is a form of stress-reduction energy work. This hands-free technique helps bring your body into a deep state of relaxation that allows you to access your natural healing ability. Meaning you slip into a meditative state much easier as your monkey brain begins to quiet down.
Reiki has recently begun to be recognized by the mainstream medical establishment, and is offered at many hospitals and rehabilitation centers, such as Moffitt Cancer Center.
2. Meditation is hard for me, is this Retreat right for me?
Within our retreat we’ll be sharing with you numerous ways to benefit from meditation which can fit easily into your lifestyle when you return home.
Our intention within the retreat is to create the space for you to realize the benefits of meditation through meditative yoga practices, ancient rituals, dance, and by listening to singing bowls to name a few. You will also have periods of free time to wander throughout the ashram and may choose the time to explore silent, seated pr walking meditation if you wish.
3. Do I have to take part in all of the activities?
No. If you find that you want to spend some time by yourself, or would like to skip an activity, that is fine. We just ask that you let one of the facilitators know so that we are not waiting for your presence to begin.
4. Is this a women’s only retreat?
At the moment it is, as we have only women signed up so far, but men are welcome and encouraged to come.
5. Can I bring children?
There is no childcare on site, so if you choose to bring your children, we ask that they be at least 15 years old and interested in participating in the majority of activities with you.
6. What kind of food is available?
The location will be serving vegetarian meals with allergies taken into consideration. I hope that helps answer some questions you might have been considering. We have limited availability in single rooms.
Deadline to register is October 23.
We hope you will join us as we incorporate amazing ways to embrace self-care into our daily lives!
Time continues to move quickly especially as we’re entering the new academic school year. Regardless if you have children or not, you feel the shift as people are back from their travels, stores are packed with people preparing for schools, and the roads are once again congested. Parents are feeling overwhelmed as they’re preparing for the new school year through the purchase of new school supplies and clothes. Children are shifting their energies too as they’re preparing for change whether they want to or not as they enter their new school year.
As summer slowly shifts into fall, we may feel the subtle change in the seasons as we’re connected to our environments and to the people around us. One of the biggest changes of summer are routines as more often than not they were thrown out the window as children were not in school and many families were traveling. Absences from work were frequent which caused shifts in the working environment which could have led to more work on our plates to make up for those who were out of the office or for entrepreneurs in service based industries, less work because people were traveling.
Truth is, having a consistent routine is important year round because it keeps us centered and grounded. For example, if you’re accustomed to waking up at a certain time during the week but try to sleep in on the weekends, it does cause your body to struggle as it readjusts. You may experience this especially on Monday mornings as it’s harder to wake up because of the changes that may have happened on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Apart from having a routine, another important aspect is having a consistent time for you to be still as you release tension and energies that are blocking the flow which will then help you rest better at night so you’re body can heal.
This time may be through meditation, a mindfulness practice, or receiving healing sessions, such as a massage, acupuncture, or Reiki to name a few.
I want to share with you one of my client’s favorite and most popular ways to release tension and feel more relaxed, a remote chakra balance, aka a virtual tune up.
Simply put, because a chakra balance works in such a way that it relaxes the mindwhich then allows the energies in your body to flow with ease. It is easy, from within this relaxed state it’ll help you quiet the constant chatter in your head and assist you in handling the day to day activities with ease.
The virtual tune up includes Reiki and color therapy which your body instantly recognizes as helpful tools to assist in a deeper energetic clearing.
Within our remote session which can be done by phone or video I’ll guide you in a brief grounding meditation and then use these energy based tools remotely so you can feel relaxed and at ease.
The benefits of this session will last for various days and it’ll enhance your productivity and temperament especially as you’re around others who are in their aspect of changes.
The purpose overall is to help you stay grounded and focused.
Schedule now your virtual tune up as I only have a few slots left this month for remote sessions. Click this linkand scroll down to the virtual tune up option and find the best time and date that works for you.
Allow me to assist you in releasing stagnant energy so you can be more present and calm in your day to day activities.
A couple of days ago the United States celebrated the signing of our constitution which was written by men whose families came to this country seeking religion and social freedoms, what we call immigrants today. The fourth of July is usually represented by get togethers by family and friends for cookouts and fireworks. Not everyone agrees with this tradition based on numerous factors such as traumatic symptoms triggered by the fireworks, which is a right Americans have.
Truth is that the United States is one of the youngest countries formed Democratically by European immigrants and it’s sought out by citizens of other countries who are escaping torture, crime, death, and other horrors based on their beliefs. The traumas endured as they travel to the US can be horrendous at times and then they arrive to face another traumatic situation as families are ripped apart either at the border or even from their homes. This is a social and public health crisis happening within our borders that is affecting many people.
We all have our struggles and differences, sometimes we face them on our own unable to speak honestly about our ideas and values which is a sad truth. As a developed country we lack the interconnection many others embrace yet I believe that we can break through that so we can make a positive difference to influence our lives.
I believe that ignorance and fear is built by a focus of independence and that people who look and act differently from us are in some way wrong. I believe that in order to counter that it’s important for interconnection with others and nature. It’s through conversation and coming to the table that we can enact change. Yet, it begins with wanting to work with others.
When we judge others we hurt them for being individuals and we lessen the interconnection. Before you judge someone based on their values or personal choices, ensure you’re taking a look at yourself and remember the words to Michael Jackson’s song, Man in the Mirror.
Let’s take a stand today, together, to be more interconnected, to appreciate each other’s differences, and to be more loving towards ourselves and others. It’s through small and consistent actions that we can create change at least within ourselves.
There are so many ways to become involved so find one and let’s make a change together so people can heal. One way I chose to take action is by creating a prayer circle once a week so that we can join either via Facebook live or energetically to raise the vibrations of peace. If more people find hope within their hearts, there’s less chance to find fear. The circle will be in English and Spanish.
What do you choose, fear (independent) or hope (interconnection)?
Have you been feeling out of sorts lately, sometimes without reason?
I have and it feels like the world around me is in continuous chaos. From various social media feeds to online news outlets to front page news and even loved ones sharing the latest updates, information comes charging into our lives which can sometimes knock us down emotionally.
Since we’re energetic beings, we’re connected to one another and so we do feel in various degrees the negative energies from the chaos around us.
Lately my heart has been crying for the people in Nicaragua (my second home) who are living in a constant state of fear due a civil uprising due to police brutality and a non-engaged government who prefers power over peace. Also, along our southern borders we’re seeing the tragedy of the families being torn apart because they seek a new way of life from the chaos and challenges they’re leaving behind. Immigration is a challenging issue, yet human rights should be upheld along with dignity.
Of course, some of us who are in social activism are aware of many other issues affecting our country, like missing children from the foster system, health care issues, high costs, etc.
We’re also seeing the chaos Mother Earth is causing due to the energetic shifts of being taken advantage rather than taken care of, leading to changing temperatures that’s causing irrefutable damage around the world.
Perhaps in your life you are currently feeling the weight of many changes on a personal basis such as relationship issues or chronic stress due to various reasons.
Chaos and trauma affects us all at one point or another in our lives in various degrees.
As one client mentioned earlier this week in a session, “when it rains, it pours,” referring to the onslaught of challenging issues that have shown up recently in her life.
Regardless of what’s going on around you, when you’re in control and able to be present, you then stand tall like a tree and rooted to the ground.
One way, my favorite way, of being grounded is walking barefoot. At home and at my office I always take off my shoes as soon as I enter the door. I just immediately feel better.
Did you know that walking around barefoot helps you to be more mindful?
Grounding, which means being connected to the earth is probably the oldest preventative medicine as the energy, electrons, found within the earth assist in balancing the entire body.
When chaos, a disturbance in energy, swirls around us we can feel out of control especially if we want to help but are unsure how. By grounding and being present (a daily practice) we can stay in control of our reactions so we can make better choices in our lives.
Don’t just take my word for it, try it yourself right now. If you have shoes on, place both feet flat on the floor (inside is fine) and feel the connection (if any) between your feet and the ground. Now, take your shoes off and do the same.
Do you feel a difference?
For more information about the science of grounding, check out this amazing video below.
I invite you to spend some time walking around barefoot outdoors and focus on gratitude, then send love through the ground to the people who need it.
Let me know your reaction to this activity and/or share a picture or thoughts about this video and grounding in general.
This time 8 years ago I was sitting on my sister’s hospital bed in our room at our parents’ apartment in Key Biscayne. I was staring out the window with her hand in mine as she gently slept. I recalled how just last year I was at her apartment listening to her talk about she was going to beat the cancer and spread out her arms highlighting all of her books on cancer, natural healing, chakras, and so much more. She had affirmations written on all of her walls reminding her how amazing and beautiful she was, plus how she was healing.
It was only 1 year ago when she introduced me to energy healing, green smoothies, raw food, affirmations, and oracle cards. She had embraced these techniques and seeing a counselor as her choice of treatment to clear the cancer from her body. I remember listening to her talk about chakras (no idea what they were at the time) and how she believed her cancer stemmed from her inability to speak her truth for so long plus insecurities she struggled with. It was truly hard for me to understand some of the things that she told me about back then.
Now, 8 years later, I’m the one sharing these techniques and so much more with people who find me because the universe merged our paths. I believe with all of my heart that Yoli’s journey has helped me to really look within myself to heal as I’m able to support others on their healing path.
Honestly, after Yoli passed away I did shy away from many of these energetic discussions and natural healing techniques. I dove head first into staying super busy with graduate school while living in New Mexico and not really thinking about what she taught me. Yet, Spirit had other plans for me and began to place in my path people and opportunities that have truly shaped who I am today as a person and business.
In 2013 the year I graduated with my Masters, I also became a Reiki Master/Teacher. I vowed then that my mission would be to empower others, like Yoli, on their healing journey and offer them support and kindness by being present with them.
Honestly, this journey does have it’s ups and downs as I struggle to find my own entrepreneur path while also dealing with personal issues that come up from time to time. What helps me through these challenging times is my personal practice of Reiki, meditation, and reading of the oracle cards.
If you’ve worked with me at any time then you may have received a reading from my Angelor Nature Whispers deck so you understand the power these have to move hesitations or doubts from your mind.
On Mother’s Day, after completing my personal practice I drew a card from the deck and received Gratitude and Appreciation (below). Formethe cardconfirmed that evenwhen I’m strugglingor sad ormiss mymom, sister or other loved ones that have passed to focus on gratitude and appreciation. I felt it was a sign from my mom as I would always shower her with gratitude and her she was sending me her appreciation. The picture depicts the innocence of a child with a magical creature, full of love for one another.
Ibelievethe purpose oforacle card readingsis not to know my future but to seekconfirmation whenI doubt my path. Sometimes we don’t have all the answers, yet the cards we choose say exactly what we need to hear.
So, when I’m in doubt as if I’m on the right path or my next idea is the correct one, I pull a card from my deck and receive the confirmation I need. Then, I move forward and take action as I believe it’s what Spirit wants me to do to fulfill my purpose in life.
I’d love to hear from you, what’s your experience with oracle cards?
Not a day goes by that I don’t talk to my mother and thank her for all that she’s taught me. I share with her my frustrations, my hopes, my adventures, and so much more. She’s become such a better listener now that she’s in heaven as she doesn’t interrupt with her advice. ha ha!! Although I do miss that too, especially her voice.
I remember the first time I was able to share my gift of Reiki with her and was so excited about it. Normally, it was her taking care of me and now I could take care of her so she could relax. It was fall 2011 and I had just taken a semester off of graduate school so I could focus on being with her at home as she had surgery to remove a tumor from her spine. She had been diagnosed with cancer that month.
She laid down on the massage table I set up in my parent’s living room with the drapes open to look over the ocean (that was for my personal benefit). I began with my customary routine; confirmed she was comfortable, turned on soft meditation music, and placed lavender oil on my hands so she could smell it as I placed them a few inches above her nose.
I then began to move my hand over her body looking for energetic blocks and placed crystals over the areas so they could pull the stuck energy. Using my hands I slowly moved from the top of her head towards the bottom of her feet. During this time I heard her gentle snore and I smiled for I know how hard it was for her to fully relax and allow someone else to take care of her. Finally, when I finished her session (both front and back) I gently called her back to the present.
She mentioned how relaxed she felt and her pain had greatly decreased. The look on her face confirmed that. I then made her a relaxing tea and we sat down to talk.
Reiki has been a relaxation tool that I could share with people in person and remotely with amazing benefits for the recipient. I’ve been able to travel around the world offering healing services and share Reiki within multiple cultures. I’m also privileged to teach Reiki to anyone willing to learn (check out my local classes below).
For this Mother’s Day I want to give back and share with the first 10 mothers who respond to this email will only pay $85 for 2, 45 minute relaxing stress release session. Yes, that’s 2 for the price of 1. Special ends June 30, 2018.
Yes, gift certificates are available. Purchase 1 for your mother today, she’ll totally appreciate it.
Click here to book an in person Mother’s Day session (scroll all the way down) or call/text me to schedule a remote session or purchase a gift certificate.
You deserve time to simply lay back like my mother did many years ago and just let go as someone loves on you.
P.S. Receive a special essential oil gift in exchange for a video testimonial after your session.
Imagine what your life would be like if for 6 months you stepped out of your comfort zone as you shared your truths with others.
Imagine if by speaking authentically you were supported and appreciated.
I guarantee…
You would open up more.
You would feel more powerful.
You would experience an energy surging within you.
You would try new and fun activities.
You would learn tools and techniques you could apply every day to release stress.
You would connect with others struggling with similar feelings.
Say yes today and give yourself the gift of joining a small group of individuals ready to push through limiting beliefs and step into the light via a confidential online program.
Learn how to set specific and small goals that you will accomplish along with accountability.
Join me in the launch of my new online group program, May 21, as together we transform with love and empowerment.
Doors close Friday May 11, 2018
To learn more, I’ve opened up my schedule to offer 20 minute discovery calls to verify if this is the right program for you! Click here to schedule the discovery session.