Firstly I'd like to thank everyone who has read and/or supports this blog and my work for their support during 2011. When you work alone knowing that people are enjoying what you do and finding it useful is very special and I appreciate the support.
Secondly, obviously, I'd like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy All Year for 2012. I hope that those not of the Christian persuasion will enjoy the break with their families and loved ones, I find it rather nice to think of other people sharing our traditional holiday and it giving them time with family.
Lastly, let's look back at 2011. Has it been a perfect year? No. Has it been a great year? Yes. I've decided that this year I will only remember the highlights and let the petty irritations take care of themselves. It's a much nicer way to remember a year and it brings only the positive forward with me.
My real-life highlight this year will always be learning to enjoy flying and visiting Sweden, Ireland and America, I have Pierre Hasslebrandt to thank for Sweden and The Six Sense Academy to thank for Ireland. I will never forget that. I have Nicky Marshall to thank for Sedona, and I'll never forget that either. Hopefully next year I will bring in something as wonderful for her.
Travelling really added to my Spiritual development, and it also showed me that people can believe that they all speak the English language but that don't. I learnt through travel that it is possible to string together a meaningful sentence without understanding the meaning. I also learnt in Sweden how many colloquialisms we use and how people might think you're over there working in your own language but actually you're frantically editing every word you say to bring it into proper English. I do not speak 'proper' English LOL. I also learnt that I love the Swedish people and I'm really excited that some of them are coming to work with me in Glastonbury in 2012.
In Ireland I met some of the warmest, kindest, most supportive people I've ever met. I don't think I've ever experienced such a welcome. I also made friends with the wonderful Chrissie Astell and feel like I have a sister for life even though we don't get to talk as much as we would like to. She's a very busy Angel lady.
In both countries I loved working with people so open minded and willing to try whatever you asked them to with a light heart and total enthusiasm. Two races of magical people.
In Sedona with Nicky I learnt what "Wow!" means in regard to scenery. I always think of Britain as stunning (and always will) but Sedona was so unusual there are few words for it. Again I discovered that English and English are not the same language, and again I found a race of warm, caring people and fantastic pancakes!
I experience earth energy vortices for the first time, loved two and was totally and literally knocked backwards by two. Nicky was also inspired to attune me to Reiki III on 11/1111 by the side of the creek at the Cathedral Rock Vortex. It was a spur of the moment decision that just felt right, and I did miss the other girls I did Reiki I and II with, but it was special.
We had a great time in Sedona shopping for the shop and gifts for our loved ones, we also had some quite Spiritual experiences that were personal and special to us. We ate well, saw amazing wildlife, spoke to Native Americans, walked for miles, climbed rocks, laid flat on our back on buttes inside a medicine wheel (well one of us did, the other one maintained a modicum of decorum). We laughed, we giggled, we discovered that one of us is quite capable of an in-depth conversation at 6 am and is therefore slightly better suited to the other one's husband, in fact that goes both ways LOL.
Moreover, I learnt that I could spend a week with Nicky in complete comfort, knowing that my humanity would be accepted and handled with grace and charm. You can't say that about a lot of people.
Spiritually this year has been amazing for me and I really feel that I've changed a great deal. I've let things go that I should have released a long time ago. I don't need to become so involved in everything as I used to. I find it easier to stand back. I worry less (yes I tremble when I write that because a born worrier doesn't let go of their worrying easily LOL). I enjoy life more.
As far as the work goes I've put my Mediumship on the back burner and set up the Do Something! Tour with Nicky Marshall, we're both completely bowled over by the success already and really looking forward to a busy year next year. Even more amazingly my lovely friend, and now Nicky's friend, Barrie John has chosen to be part of the Tour. We're both thrilled. We've spoken to a few people about the Tour but no one has 'got' the concept in the way Barrie did, our beliefs are also close to his heart and he has bought so much with him in the way of enthusiasm and inspiration.
Fitness wise I've done more, and I intend to do even more next year. Every time I lapse in my fitness I realise how much better I feel with a carefully planned fitness programme - there is nothing 'fit' about overdoing it!
The thing I find the most amazing though is how many times I've used words such as amazing and wonderful through this blog. What a joy it is to be able to do so.
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, a wonderful festive season and someone to kiss under the Mistletoe. (Off to buy Mistletoe)
Deb xx
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
The "Do Something Tour" Conundrum
On Thursday 8th December at 7.00 pm we have our first ever Do Something! Tour evening in Thornbury, Gloucestershire. As always people want to know what the Do Something! Tour is about, and that answer is quite easy. The Tour is about encouraging people to change their lives by changing the way they think. What isn't so easy is telling you what each event will be about, we just can't do that because you're all different.
There are lists of famous people who have believed in the concept of your thoughts being the one and only thing that create your reality. Sir Winston Churchill, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michaelangelo; to name but a few. If you read the book "The Secret" or buy the DVD you will see many, many names you will recognise who all have two things in common - they believed in the power of their own minds and they were hugely successful.
My personal favourite is the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (1st Century AD) "Your life is what your thoughts make it", and he should know because he was a Roman soldier who became Emperor.
If we accept that these successful people are correct and our lives can be significantly influenced by our thoughts, then it becomes extremely important to take our thoughts into consideration when we're working to change our lives.
Think for a moment. How many people have you known who have made big changes in their lives and somehow landed back in a very similar position, if not almost exactly the same. "How did she/he fall for someone so similar?" you will have asked. Or "you can't POSSIBLY be as miserable in this job?" Shall I go on?
This happens when you don't change your approach to life, when you don't change your beliefs, and when you don't embrace every possibility that's hidden within your unique and complex personality. It's more often than not caused by believing what other people have said about you in the past, not just your parents but everyone you've ever come across. Most annoyingly you will probably have accepted limitations placed on you that were never your beliefs in the first place, and all this happened when you were too young to sift the information, give it due consideration, and then consign it to the Recycle Bin of life.
This is exactly what Nicky and I are out there trying to change - the thoughts you're thinking that are creating your current reality. You see, we don't believe in the limitations of the past. We don't believe that anyone can tell you who or what you are. We even view our weaknesses as strengths because we identify them and then try to put them to good use.
We DO believe that every person we meet is full of untapped potential, not just to create a happy, vibrant, wealthy and peaceful life, but to live the life of their dreams with no limits.
Most importantly we believe that all change can be achieved gently, that there is no need for vast upheaval and truckloads of anger. You won't need to quit your job, sell your children, file for divorce, disown your parents, or dress in pink and live in a Yurt. You can make huge changes in your life, gently, kindly, and at your own pace.
We also KNOW something very important, everyone has intuition and no one should ignore it. Many people we meet would agree, but they have no idea how intuitive they are, how accurate they are, or how to tap into that potential. Nor have they ever explored their inner truth without being afraid that the world will stop and everyone will fall off if they dare to mention their dreams in public.
Imagine if Martin Luther King had never mentioned his dream? Where would India be today if Gandhi had said "who me?", it might have taken years of bloodshed rather than (mainly) non-violent resistance to gain independence for India. As part of our work we encourage you to access and trust your own intuition, and recognise your inner truth, then work towards it at your own pace and in your own way.
These are some of the things we are trying to achieve with the "Do Something Tour". We've only done one event so far but we are told that at least three lives have changed because of it. (Those people are our heroes.)
So what will happen if you come to Thornbury on Thursday, or Zion in Bedminster Down in January, or Covent Garden in March? The truth is we don't know.
We know that there will be talking and questions and inspiration, because we have an enormous portfolio of ideas, exercises, meditations, thoughts, stories and giggles, all of it in our heads, and only useful if we can do the one unique thing that makes us...us. Tune into the room and intuit what is needed on that night.
You see, you are all individuals and each person has specific needs, whether or not they're aware of those needs. Not everything we say will mean something to you personally, but something will strike a note somewhere in your mind and be stored for future reference. Not only that, one of your family or friends might be in trouble at sometime in the future and you'll find that your mind will run a search pattern and up from somewhere will pop something really useful. You might not even remember where you heard it, but that doesn't matter as long as it helps at the time.
So come along and join us for an evening of fun and inspiration, stories and giggles, and yes it's true - we are the ones who bring chocolate with us (and non chocolate items for those who don't eat chocolate).
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights and bucket loads of useful inspiration
Deb
There are lists of famous people who have believed in the concept of your thoughts being the one and only thing that create your reality. Sir Winston Churchill, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michaelangelo; to name but a few. If you read the book "The Secret" or buy the DVD you will see many, many names you will recognise who all have two things in common - they believed in the power of their own minds and they were hugely successful.
My personal favourite is the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (1st Century AD) "Your life is what your thoughts make it", and he should know because he was a Roman soldier who became Emperor.
If we accept that these successful people are correct and our lives can be significantly influenced by our thoughts, then it becomes extremely important to take our thoughts into consideration when we're working to change our lives.
Think for a moment. How many people have you known who have made big changes in their lives and somehow landed back in a very similar position, if not almost exactly the same. "How did she/he fall for someone so similar?" you will have asked. Or "you can't POSSIBLY be as miserable in this job?" Shall I go on?
This happens when you don't change your approach to life, when you don't change your beliefs, and when you don't embrace every possibility that's hidden within your unique and complex personality. It's more often than not caused by believing what other people have said about you in the past, not just your parents but everyone you've ever come across. Most annoyingly you will probably have accepted limitations placed on you that were never your beliefs in the first place, and all this happened when you were too young to sift the information, give it due consideration, and then consign it to the Recycle Bin of life.
This is exactly what Nicky and I are out there trying to change - the thoughts you're thinking that are creating your current reality. You see, we don't believe in the limitations of the past. We don't believe that anyone can tell you who or what you are. We even view our weaknesses as strengths because we identify them and then try to put them to good use.
We DO believe that every person we meet is full of untapped potential, not just to create a happy, vibrant, wealthy and peaceful life, but to live the life of their dreams with no limits.
Most importantly we believe that all change can be achieved gently, that there is no need for vast upheaval and truckloads of anger. You won't need to quit your job, sell your children, file for divorce, disown your parents, or dress in pink and live in a Yurt. You can make huge changes in your life, gently, kindly, and at your own pace.
We also KNOW something very important, everyone has intuition and no one should ignore it. Many people we meet would agree, but they have no idea how intuitive they are, how accurate they are, or how to tap into that potential. Nor have they ever explored their inner truth without being afraid that the world will stop and everyone will fall off if they dare to mention their dreams in public.
Imagine if Martin Luther King had never mentioned his dream? Where would India be today if Gandhi had said "who me?", it might have taken years of bloodshed rather than (mainly) non-violent resistance to gain independence for India. As part of our work we encourage you to access and trust your own intuition, and recognise your inner truth, then work towards it at your own pace and in your own way.
These are some of the things we are trying to achieve with the "Do Something Tour". We've only done one event so far but we are told that at least three lives have changed because of it. (Those people are our heroes.)
So what will happen if you come to Thornbury on Thursday, or Zion in Bedminster Down in January, or Covent Garden in March? The truth is we don't know.
We know that there will be talking and questions and inspiration, because we have an enormous portfolio of ideas, exercises, meditations, thoughts, stories and giggles, all of it in our heads, and only useful if we can do the one unique thing that makes us...us. Tune into the room and intuit what is needed on that night.
You see, you are all individuals and each person has specific needs, whether or not they're aware of those needs. Not everything we say will mean something to you personally, but something will strike a note somewhere in your mind and be stored for future reference. Not only that, one of your family or friends might be in trouble at sometime in the future and you'll find that your mind will run a search pattern and up from somewhere will pop something really useful. You might not even remember where you heard it, but that doesn't matter as long as it helps at the time.
So come along and join us for an evening of fun and inspiration, stories and giggles, and yes it's true - we are the ones who bring chocolate with us (and non chocolate items for those who don't eat chocolate).
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights and bucket loads of useful inspiration
Deb
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
The Do Something! Tour
It started as a joke. Even though Nicky has firmly established and improved her lovely, welcoming coffee shop The Witches Brew (Woman In Total Charge of Herself) in Bristol and I have conquered my fear of flying and taught in Sweden and Ireland this year, both of us were champing at the bit and feeling that we hadn't done enough. There was something that needed to be done and we weren't sure exactly what.
I'm sure many readers know what I'm saying.
We started off joking around trying to cheer each other up in a conversation that went something like:
"I'm fed up I haven't achieved much this year"
(Pause for nice comments about wonderful coffee shop)
"We should do something Deb"
"Ok, I have an idea, let's pencil 'Do Something'" into our diaries for next year.
(Pause for two Guides to pull disapproving faces)
Then it occurred to one of us, why don't we go out on the road and just Do Something! We're always trying to encourage people to get out there and try something, anything, if they want to change their lives. Why didn't we do just that.
So we asked the lovely Louise from Limepark Studios to design us a logo and set up our first event.
As always we tuned into the room when the audience arrived and then started talking, we work together organically very well and whilst one is talking the other one will be picking out important points and noting them on a flip chart, then taking those points forward.
We had a great evening and I can honestly say that it was wonderful to just be 'doing something'. We also realised that in standing on a stage, tuning into the audience and working with them we were really walking out talk. This tour will grow, change, develop and improve every time we set foot in a hall or on a stage, and we have no idea what the end result will be. We are literally just Doing Something! and our audience can see that.
We don't stand up there as world experts on being happy, we stand up there as two people who have learned a lot through our formative years in the Spiritual field, and through our work in the last 17 years or so, and we want to share that with anyone who might need help, inspiration, or just someone who knows how they feel.
It's a wonderful privilege and opportunity, but have I told you exactly what Do Something! is all about? Of course not, because it will be different every time you see us.
Please feel free to share this blog, we appreciate all the help and support we can get at the moment, and we are being blessed with so much support we KNOW this is right.
Our next events are in Thornbury in Bristol, then two more in the Bristol area and Covent Garden in London, and we haven't started planning let.
We're on the wonderful UKPN Radio on Sunday, which should be a riot if the guys are in their usual top form. See our Facebook Page for details. http://www.facebook.com/DebAndNickysDoSomethingTour
It's very exciting and two months ago we couldn't have imagined this, which is why Do Something! is a good idea in every sense of the world.
Look forward to meeting you one day.
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, and the inspiration to change your lives
Deb xx
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Sedona - Back Home
Well I'm back here in the UK after an annoying flight from Phoenix. I'm sorry BA, I want to support my home airline but I'm afraid your economy seats are a joke. Nicky and I are normal sized adults and we couldn't find anywhere to put our arms during the flight, nor could we stretch out our legs. I came home cramped up and tired.
That, however, was the only downside to the trip.
What I have found interesting though is the reactions around me to my reaction to Sedona and the holiday. It's as if people expected more for me from the trip than they think I've got, as if they sent me off with expectations that I didn't have.
For me any life changing experience happens gradually and the effects are normally noted quite a while after the experience that generated them.
I also found it odd that when I said that the UK is just as nice as my admittedly small experience of America, the Americans said 'great' and the British thought I was nuts. Which shows you what a downer many people have on what is a truly magnificent country with similar problems to most developed countries in the world.
I understand from Nicky that, like the UK, each area is different. In Sedona I found that the food didn't appear in buckets, meal sizes were normal. They don't seem to eat vegetables in the same way we do and I had to have a Mexican meal and send 2/3rds of it back to get any real vegetables during the trip. The Airport Mesa was, for me, the best restaurant we went to and I understand why Nicky raved about it on her first trip.
I enjoyed the scenery in Sedona, your first sight gives you the kind of 'wow' moment that you never forget. The shopping was interesting as there was a lot of Native American produce, but the shops were as repetitive as anything in the UK, with a few exceptions.
The vortices were incredible but if you're not into earth energy they do take some getting used to...they WILL ground you LOL.
The shape of the rocks are fascinating and you can give them your own names if you can't remember the real ones, Nicky called oen the pregnant lady and I also named a rock but it's best not mentioned here, although it was close to Nicky's expectant mum!
A few people have mentioned that they expected me to be more changed, which is odd when you consider I've done a lot of work on myself over the years and I would hope that changes would at long last be more subtle than they were.
So what's this blog about? It's about not allowing the expectations of others to weigh you down and not feeling that you've failed because other people expected more. It's also about allowing yourself to absorb your changes in your own good time, and not feeling bad if a treatment, a therapy or an experience fails to change you. It just wasn't your experience and you didn't let the 'provider' down by not being changed.
Did I change in Sedona? Oh yes. I've done Reiki III now which was wonderful. I learned to sit on a rock and just relax. I realised that we don't have to have major earth-shifting changes at times that other people have designated 'times to change dramatically' and there is nothing wrong with that as long as you're enjoying the here and now.
I've come home with clarity in my mind that will solve two of my major issues in life, which gives me a real feeling that I'm moving forward and will no longer be stuck in the same rut I've been in for over 4 years. I also understand that I can do the same thing I've been trying to do for all that time in a completely different way, something I may not have seen if I hadn't gone over 8000 miles from home.
I found that in a positive place I noticed negativity far more, especially on facebook, and it was negativity that other people might not even realise was negative. This led to a far deeper lesson about people being who they need to be. We all understand that at a top level but there is a deeper issue going on that needs addressing and I'm working with this in my book and through the Do Something! Tour with Nicky.
More about that later...
It was such a valuable experience going there and I will look back on it always with great affection, after all, I had a holiday!!!! As Mike Dooley would say...
Woo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo! Sound of cheers and clapping!
And thanks to Nicky for suggesting I went, Tony for caring for the cats so I didn't worry (even taking into consideration the mangled toy and missing 8" of elastic!) and Jayne for trying to maintain some kind of order even if the milk got donated to the hall we use for my meetings!
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, recognition of who you are, and change at your own pace
Deb
That, however, was the only downside to the trip.
What I have found interesting though is the reactions around me to my reaction to Sedona and the holiday. It's as if people expected more for me from the trip than they think I've got, as if they sent me off with expectations that I didn't have.
For me any life changing experience happens gradually and the effects are normally noted quite a while after the experience that generated them.
I also found it odd that when I said that the UK is just as nice as my admittedly small experience of America, the Americans said 'great' and the British thought I was nuts. Which shows you what a downer many people have on what is a truly magnificent country with similar problems to most developed countries in the world.
I understand from Nicky that, like the UK, each area is different. In Sedona I found that the food didn't appear in buckets, meal sizes were normal. They don't seem to eat vegetables in the same way we do and I had to have a Mexican meal and send 2/3rds of it back to get any real vegetables during the trip. The Airport Mesa was, for me, the best restaurant we went to and I understand why Nicky raved about it on her first trip.
I enjoyed the scenery in Sedona, your first sight gives you the kind of 'wow' moment that you never forget. The shopping was interesting as there was a lot of Native American produce, but the shops were as repetitive as anything in the UK, with a few exceptions.
The vortices were incredible but if you're not into earth energy they do take some getting used to...they WILL ground you LOL.
The shape of the rocks are fascinating and you can give them your own names if you can't remember the real ones, Nicky called oen the pregnant lady and I also named a rock but it's best not mentioned here, although it was close to Nicky's expectant mum!
A few people have mentioned that they expected me to be more changed, which is odd when you consider I've done a lot of work on myself over the years and I would hope that changes would at long last be more subtle than they were.
So what's this blog about? It's about not allowing the expectations of others to weigh you down and not feeling that you've failed because other people expected more. It's also about allowing yourself to absorb your changes in your own good time, and not feeling bad if a treatment, a therapy or an experience fails to change you. It just wasn't your experience and you didn't let the 'provider' down by not being changed.
Did I change in Sedona? Oh yes. I've done Reiki III now which was wonderful. I learned to sit on a rock and just relax. I realised that we don't have to have major earth-shifting changes at times that other people have designated 'times to change dramatically' and there is nothing wrong with that as long as you're enjoying the here and now.
I've come home with clarity in my mind that will solve two of my major issues in life, which gives me a real feeling that I'm moving forward and will no longer be stuck in the same rut I've been in for over 4 years. I also understand that I can do the same thing I've been trying to do for all that time in a completely different way, something I may not have seen if I hadn't gone over 8000 miles from home.
I found that in a positive place I noticed negativity far more, especially on facebook, and it was negativity that other people might not even realise was negative. This led to a far deeper lesson about people being who they need to be. We all understand that at a top level but there is a deeper issue going on that needs addressing and I'm working with this in my book and through the Do Something! Tour with Nicky.
More about that later...
It was such a valuable experience going there and I will look back on it always with great affection, after all, I had a holiday!!!! As Mike Dooley would say...
Woo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo! Sound of cheers and clapping!
And thanks to Nicky for suggesting I went, Tony for caring for the cats so I didn't worry (even taking into consideration the mangled toy and missing 8" of elastic!) and Jayne for trying to maintain some kind of order even if the milk got donated to the hall we use for my meetings!
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, recognition of who you are, and change at your own pace
Deb
Monday, 14 November 2011
Sedona Three
Well the week has gone like greased lightening and it's really difficult to take the whole experience in.
Sedona is an amazing town surrounded by sparkling red, black and cream rocks. The first few days were brilliantly sunny and absolutely freezing, then we had two pleasantly warm days followed by a day of rain. What stunned me was walking out of our hotel to see nothing but mist but knowing that out there somewhere were huge rocks that had completely disappeared. The romantic in me imagined that they had gone walkabout while they had the opportunity.
We visited all four vortices in the area: Boynton Canyon, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock and the hyper popular Airport Rock.
I found Boynton Canyon to be a very gentle experience, Bell Rock knocked me over backwards and I wasn't happy there (in fact I still shudder thinking about it), the one I really wanted to visit (Airport Rock) had a similar effect although I did stand where James Redfield (The Celestine Author) stood and saw the view described in his latest book, but I didn't calm down until we drove away. The best for me was Cathedral Rock - which we visited twice.
We first visited on 11/11/11 and sat quietly and meditated at 11:11, then we went for a walk and picked a spot for my Reiki 3 Attunement. So I was attuned sitting on a rock next to Oak Creek at Cathedral Rock on 11/11/11. It was an awesome experience and just as Nicky was attuning me a round of cheering and applause broke out. If you follow Mike Dooley of www.tut.com he would tell you that applause, cheering and "woohooing" should always accompany a really special event and is a necessary celebration to accept and acknowledge abundance - so I had my applause, cheering and woohooing!
We visited Cathedral Rock again today from the other side. Staring with a hilarious drive along a road that turned into a trail with regular signs saying "do not enter if flooded". When we got to the end of the trail we were miles from the rock. So we drove back up the I179 to the Back O Beyond and turned there. Although there was no signpost to the rock we guessed from our map that this road might actually lead to Cathedral Rock (not because we're women and can't read a map but because there were extra roundabouts on the map with non-existent roads leading from them).
The rock was at the end of that road and we climbed up to Courthouse Butte at the bottom of the rock, and then a little way up the rock. We were considering going to the top (big lie) but we didn't have crampons and grappling hooks nor were we feeling particularly insane. However, the next time we visit Sedona Tony is coming with us and he has two no-longer slim women to drag up to the places we couldn't get without a burly hairy-chested body builder on hand (guess who's getting a gym membership for Christmas!).
We stopped and did a quick meditation before skidding back down in a slightly frantic way, avoiding the mountain bikers wherever possible. Actually, Nicky laid flat on her back on a freezing cold rock in the middle of a medicine wheel that someone had built, but I showed admirable common-sense and care for my clothing by remaining upright and in control at all times.
During this trip we've seen ravens (one of which struck up a considerable conversation with Nicky this morning), bluebirds, rabbits, chipmunks, buzzards, eagles (well one of us did and it wasn't me), and birds we don't recognise. My first exciting sighting was of a sparrow. I travel 8000 miles and the first bird I see I could have seen in my back garden (being chased by a cat!).
We've shopped Sedona until Nicky dropped (I have far more shopping experience), and we've met Native Americans and seen the amazing and beautiful products they make. We've seen scenery so beautiful it will live in our hearts forever and defy description, and we've shared an experience that I couldn't put into words. When Nicky first visited Sedona she came back and failed to describe it, just shaking her head and saying "I can't tell you". Nor can I, you have to come here yourself.
We've eaten moderately (huh!), had minimal ice cream (fairly true), very little chocolate (actually true), imbibed almost no alcohol (amazingly true but then I'm a very good influence), made a few connections over here who will try to help us set up a course in Sedona, and climbed a mountain of pancakes.
Nicky has driven on the wrong side of the road which is the right thing to do, without confusion providing I remembered to say 'turn left right' or 'turn right left' in the right order. She's had almost no telephone calls this week which is very rare, and I've been inundated which is also rare but s*d's law as they say.
This is my first trip to the USA and I'm extremely impressed by the scale and grandeur of what I saw, however, the UK press often seem to find Britain wanting when compared to other countries and I'm happy to say that's unfair. Our food isn't as plentiful as in America but it's good, it's varied and we eat vegetables! Our shopping is just as good, our people are just as nice, our roads don't match up but at least we drive on the right side (LOL).
All in all I'm proud of my own country and completely in love with America and the American people, and that's just perfect.
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, and the ability to come to America - particularly Sedona - as soon as possible (if you want to)
Deb xx
Sedona is an amazing town surrounded by sparkling red, black and cream rocks. The first few days were brilliantly sunny and absolutely freezing, then we had two pleasantly warm days followed by a day of rain. What stunned me was walking out of our hotel to see nothing but mist but knowing that out there somewhere were huge rocks that had completely disappeared. The romantic in me imagined that they had gone walkabout while they had the opportunity.
We visited all four vortices in the area: Boynton Canyon, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock and the hyper popular Airport Rock.
I found Boynton Canyon to be a very gentle experience, Bell Rock knocked me over backwards and I wasn't happy there (in fact I still shudder thinking about it), the one I really wanted to visit (Airport Rock) had a similar effect although I did stand where James Redfield (The Celestine Author) stood and saw the view described in his latest book, but I didn't calm down until we drove away. The best for me was Cathedral Rock - which we visited twice.
We first visited on 11/11/11 and sat quietly and meditated at 11:11, then we went for a walk and picked a spot for my Reiki 3 Attunement. So I was attuned sitting on a rock next to Oak Creek at Cathedral Rock on 11/11/11. It was an awesome experience and just as Nicky was attuning me a round of cheering and applause broke out. If you follow Mike Dooley of www.tut.com he would tell you that applause, cheering and "woohooing" should always accompany a really special event and is a necessary celebration to accept and acknowledge abundance - so I had my applause, cheering and woohooing!
We visited Cathedral Rock again today from the other side. Staring with a hilarious drive along a road that turned into a trail with regular signs saying "do not enter if flooded". When we got to the end of the trail we were miles from the rock. So we drove back up the I179 to the Back O Beyond and turned there. Although there was no signpost to the rock we guessed from our map that this road might actually lead to Cathedral Rock (not because we're women and can't read a map but because there were extra roundabouts on the map with non-existent roads leading from them).
The rock was at the end of that road and we climbed up to Courthouse Butte at the bottom of the rock, and then a little way up the rock. We were considering going to the top (big lie) but we didn't have crampons and grappling hooks nor were we feeling particularly insane. However, the next time we visit Sedona Tony is coming with us and he has two no-longer slim women to drag up to the places we couldn't get without a burly hairy-chested body builder on hand (guess who's getting a gym membership for Christmas!).
We stopped and did a quick meditation before skidding back down in a slightly frantic way, avoiding the mountain bikers wherever possible. Actually, Nicky laid flat on her back on a freezing cold rock in the middle of a medicine wheel that someone had built, but I showed admirable common-sense and care for my clothing by remaining upright and in control at all times.
During this trip we've seen ravens (one of which struck up a considerable conversation with Nicky this morning), bluebirds, rabbits, chipmunks, buzzards, eagles (well one of us did and it wasn't me), and birds we don't recognise. My first exciting sighting was of a sparrow. I travel 8000 miles and the first bird I see I could have seen in my back garden (being chased by a cat!).
We've shopped Sedona until Nicky dropped (I have far more shopping experience), and we've met Native Americans and seen the amazing and beautiful products they make. We've seen scenery so beautiful it will live in our hearts forever and defy description, and we've shared an experience that I couldn't put into words. When Nicky first visited Sedona she came back and failed to describe it, just shaking her head and saying "I can't tell you". Nor can I, you have to come here yourself.
We've eaten moderately (huh!), had minimal ice cream (fairly true), very little chocolate (actually true), imbibed almost no alcohol (amazingly true but then I'm a very good influence), made a few connections over here who will try to help us set up a course in Sedona, and climbed a mountain of pancakes.
Nicky has driven on the wrong side of the road which is the right thing to do, without confusion providing I remembered to say 'turn left right' or 'turn right left' in the right order. She's had almost no telephone calls this week which is very rare, and I've been inundated which is also rare but s*d's law as they say.
This is my first trip to the USA and I'm extremely impressed by the scale and grandeur of what I saw, however, the UK press often seem to find Britain wanting when compared to other countries and I'm happy to say that's unfair. Our food isn't as plentiful as in America but it's good, it's varied and we eat vegetables! Our shopping is just as good, our people are just as nice, our roads don't match up but at least we drive on the right side (LOL).
All in all I'm proud of my own country and completely in love with America and the American people, and that's just perfect.
Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, and the ability to come to America - particularly Sedona - as soon as possible (if you want to)
Deb xx
Friday, 11 November 2011
Sedona Two
Well I'm back again, posting into the ether hoping that someone somewhere is reading this.
The trip is going very well. Yesterday we went to the Grand Canyon with a bus driver called Devon. He commented that he understood he was named after a place in the UK, but all I could think of was Cream Teas. It took Nicky to sort that one out! It was 7.30 am though.
After a 3 hour trip up through Flagstaff and across to the Grand Canyon National Park, we were deposited at the rim of the Grand Canyon. Now we all know it's big, we've seen the photos on TV and it certainly looks big, but for those of you who haven't been there let me share a further insight - it is BIG. Big on a grand scale, so big you can't take it in with your mind and your eyes.
It's also high, I know this because Nicky and I climbed over the walls to have a little peeky-poo downwards, we did peek and quite frankly we nearly...well we got back over the wall pretty sharpish.
After we'd been driven miles around the canyon, stopping at various vantage points, Devon took us onto the Navaho land which stretches for miles across the Arizona Desert. It's amazingly unspoilt and gives you the chance to see what this beautiful country must have looked like centuries ago, although apparently one of his clients once commented that it was a pity the Navaho didn't do more with their land.
He also told us that the Hopi people believe that they entered this world through a portal at the mouth of the Little Colorado River, which is the starting point for 220 miles of 10 mile wide Canyon.
We then stopped at a Navaho trading post where most of us did serious financial damage to our bank accounts.
Throughout the day we were stalked by a raven, saw several rainbow prisms in the sky, and Nicky saw an Eagle sitting in a tree. Because she was the a) the only person who saw this eagle and b) told us, if you want her you will find her walking at the side of the highway. Only kidding, she had the chocolate in her bag.
There's loads more to tell. Tomorrow, being tuned to Reiki 3 at the vortex at Cathedral Rock in Sedona.
Wishing you happy days and peaceful nights
Deb
The trip is going very well. Yesterday we went to the Grand Canyon with a bus driver called Devon. He commented that he understood he was named after a place in the UK, but all I could think of was Cream Teas. It took Nicky to sort that one out! It was 7.30 am though.
After a 3 hour trip up through Flagstaff and across to the Grand Canyon National Park, we were deposited at the rim of the Grand Canyon. Now we all know it's big, we've seen the photos on TV and it certainly looks big, but for those of you who haven't been there let me share a further insight - it is BIG. Big on a grand scale, so big you can't take it in with your mind and your eyes.
It's also high, I know this because Nicky and I climbed over the walls to have a little peeky-poo downwards, we did peek and quite frankly we nearly...well we got back over the wall pretty sharpish.
After we'd been driven miles around the canyon, stopping at various vantage points, Devon took us onto the Navaho land which stretches for miles across the Arizona Desert. It's amazingly unspoilt and gives you the chance to see what this beautiful country must have looked like centuries ago, although apparently one of his clients once commented that it was a pity the Navaho didn't do more with their land.
He also told us that the Hopi people believe that they entered this world through a portal at the mouth of the Little Colorado River, which is the starting point for 220 miles of 10 mile wide Canyon.
We then stopped at a Navaho trading post where most of us did serious financial damage to our bank accounts.
Throughout the day we were stalked by a raven, saw several rainbow prisms in the sky, and Nicky saw an Eagle sitting in a tree. Because she was the a) the only person who saw this eagle and b) told us, if you want her you will find her walking at the side of the highway. Only kidding, she had the chocolate in her bag.
There's loads more to tell. Tomorrow, being tuned to Reiki 3 at the vortex at Cathedral Rock in Sedona.
Wishing you happy days and peaceful nights
Deb
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Letter from Sedona
Hi everyone
This is more of a personal blog for the next few days to keep my friends up-to-date with my antics but also, having felt the Spirituality of Sedona, to update you on the amazing learning I'm sure will be happening whilst Nicky and I are over here.
So, we started off crammed into BA's cattle class for 11 straight hours in a seat barely big enough for a small person with no legroom. However, the flight attendants were amazing, the service was superb, and I want one of those sleep pod/reclining chair things next time I do long haul!
We arrived at Sky Ranch Lodge last night after 24 hours with no or very little sleep, having had the most amazing night time tour of Sedona on the way from Phoenix airport. What should have taken 2 hours took over 3 but we met some lovely people and now know that we need much, much more time here if we're really to get the full experience.
Today we're having breakfast at the airport - which is amazing apparently - then we're going to find out about a hire car and then get ourselves into town and have a mooch. We don't want to do too much because tomorrow is the Grand Canyon!
On a Spiritual note I'm being a typical Gemini at the moment, on the one hand I've left the house in good hands and everything is being well looked after, the cats have company etc., but I want to come home now!
On the other hand I'll be off for the quickest shower in recorded history shortly (cleanliness may be next to Godliness but it doesn't have to take all day!), glam myself up and then I'm off to party round Sedona and the amazing red rocks - those guys are BIG! I want a coffee at the coffee pot restaurant which used to be owned by Jayne Russell the Hollywood starlet. Then we have an amazing amount of checking out the MBS and artists' places in Sedona and keeping the US Mail in business by sending home a few dozen parcels. Thus turning up on our doorsteps in far too few days time smiling innocently saying "I barely bought a THING and they must have misrouted Deb/Nicky's parcels to our house...but we might as well keep them!"
Seriously, we don't want to overdo it today but there will be videos for you all around the area and there will be much walking in this amazing...outdoors. I don't think it's called the outback or bush over here, and you definitely can't call it countryside. It's far too grand and definitely doesn't have the gentle rolling hills of England. Pictures will be appearing on my page tomorrow.
Take care all
Send thoughts to Tony, the cats are sulking at him!
Lots of love
Deb xx
This is more of a personal blog for the next few days to keep my friends up-to-date with my antics but also, having felt the Spirituality of Sedona, to update you on the amazing learning I'm sure will be happening whilst Nicky and I are over here.
So, we started off crammed into BA's cattle class for 11 straight hours in a seat barely big enough for a small person with no legroom. However, the flight attendants were amazing, the service was superb, and I want one of those sleep pod/reclining chair things next time I do long haul!
We arrived at Sky Ranch Lodge last night after 24 hours with no or very little sleep, having had the most amazing night time tour of Sedona on the way from Phoenix airport. What should have taken 2 hours took over 3 but we met some lovely people and now know that we need much, much more time here if we're really to get the full experience.
Today we're having breakfast at the airport - which is amazing apparently - then we're going to find out about a hire car and then get ourselves into town and have a mooch. We don't want to do too much because tomorrow is the Grand Canyon!
On a Spiritual note I'm being a typical Gemini at the moment, on the one hand I've left the house in good hands and everything is being well looked after, the cats have company etc., but I want to come home now!
On the other hand I'll be off for the quickest shower in recorded history shortly (cleanliness may be next to Godliness but it doesn't have to take all day!), glam myself up and then I'm off to party round Sedona and the amazing red rocks - those guys are BIG! I want a coffee at the coffee pot restaurant which used to be owned by Jayne Russell the Hollywood starlet. Then we have an amazing amount of checking out the MBS and artists' places in Sedona and keeping the US Mail in business by sending home a few dozen parcels. Thus turning up on our doorsteps in far too few days time smiling innocently saying "I barely bought a THING and they must have misrouted Deb/Nicky's parcels to our house...but we might as well keep them!"
Seriously, we don't want to overdo it today but there will be videos for you all around the area and there will be much walking in this amazing...outdoors. I don't think it's called the outback or bush over here, and you definitely can't call it countryside. It's far too grand and definitely doesn't have the gentle rolling hills of England. Pictures will be appearing on my page tomorrow.
Take care all
Send thoughts to Tony, the cats are sulking at him!
Lots of love
Deb xx
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