Do You See Me?

During the recent American Herbalist Guild conference, an attendee shared to the group how she felt seen among us as to who she really is. In her hometown of California, where she grew up, among her family and friends, she lamented that she isn’t seen and therefore, feels out of place and frustrated. Can you relate?

As I consider this situation, I believe I can relate. It’s easy to pigeon hole a person into who they seemingly have always been and not allow them to break out of that mold to become a better version of themselves. Often times, hurt, fear, and perhaps safety keeps us locked into a particular mindset causing rigidity and therefore the inability to see with “new eyes.”

In one of the classes at the conference, the speaker gave participants the opportunity to sit with a plant medicine. That meaning, smelling the medicine, tasting the medicine, and then sitting quietly for a few minutes to feel if anything was happening in the body. Previous experiences have left me with very little “feeling.” However, this time, I was able to experience a shift with just one drop of tincture.

The instructor did not tell the group what emotion we were to work with or the plant that provides support for that emotion. Rather she allowed the group to discuss what they had experienced each time. It was an eye-opening experience for me to understand that a mere drop can cause a shift in one’s spirit.

Emotions get stuck inside and often times lives there for years buried deep inside. Every once in a while, there may a feeling of something, but we quickly bury it again because it’s just too painful to deal with. I think of people in my own life who have behaved in a certain way that caused harm and even though they have worked to overcome that behavior, I may be guilty of keeping the old mindset and not allowing change to take place. It’s certainly not easy, but I think prayer and meditation can help. Our minds are amazingly strong and capable to change even when our physical body struggles. In his book, MENTAL TOUGHNESS, authors Moses and Troy Horne describe a study whereby basketball players were divided into two groups. One group went out on the court and practiced while the other group sat and visualized shooting and the ball going in the hoop. When the two were compared as to which group improved, it was the group who visualized who made more shots.

Meditation is an opportunity to get mentally tough and see yourself as a better version of who you desire to be. It’s in those quiet moments of relaxation that our best ideas emerge. Although for me it usually in the car or the shower, and I want to write them down!

If there is someone you are holding down, keeping in a box, or just not seeing with new eyes, I challenge you to pray for that person, meditate on a renewed relationship and watch what unfolds. Forgiveness isn’t for the other person, it’s for you.

*The photo are Turkey Tail mushrooms I found growing on a huge log while walking in a park near the conference hotel.

Dealing With It.....

When I was a little girl, I loved playing poker with my dad. It was usually the two of us with my mom's cousin at our family cabin. The cabin was primitive, and at night with no television, it was a time to play cards. We sat at the kitchen table with a kerosene lamp on the side. Because I was the young one with the best eyes, I usually sat in the middle where there was only limited lighting. We would divide the chips and "ante up" to begin the game. The dealer got to decide whether it was black jack or five card draw and what cards, if any, were wild. It was the only place my dad played cards with me. It's one of the best memories I have of him.

In life we are dealt circumstances, many beyond our control. The hand we hold will look different throughout our journey. Sometimes we can hold onto our hand and play, hoping it's enough to get through. Other times, it's necessary to throw a couple back and take a chance for something better or maybe even a wild card. Perhaps that new outlook will change the circumstances for the better.

How do you play the cards in your life? Do you hold onto your hand because you don't want to take a risk? Unless a few cards are exchanged there's no way to know if there's something better in store, but the risk is the next cards drawn could be worse. Sometimes we get stuck in our routines and cycles of life that may not be serving us well. While some people are big risk takers, others tend to be more conservative. Which area do you fall into?

Think about what's not serving you well. Is it your current job? A relationship that's holding you back? A health crisis? Imagine your life in a different way...what does it look like? What can you do today to make a change and find peace, joy, and balance?

I think in order to grow, we must give back some of those cards and explore what else is possible. It's a chance for growth and explorations and adventures! Even if you draw a deuce, it will be okay. Ever heard of the word, bluff? I was pretty good at that part in cards. Sometimes it's necessary to bluff in life too. What I mean by that is the attitude in which the deuce is handled. Being grumpy, mad, or having a poor attitude is not healthy and serves no good purpose. That deuce is a gift. It was drawn for a reason. Treat it so and treasure it as such. There is something to learn from it, so start learning.

Each of us is shaped by the cards we are dealt and the ways we play them. If you've ever had a royal flush, you'll understand the feeling that comes with holding the highest possible poker hand. It feels great to take that chance and win the hand. But it is just one hand in many events of life. It usually doesn't happen that often, the odds are against it. That's doesn't mean though you shouldn't take the chance. Look at the cards in your hand right now. What can you throw back that will allow the possibility of something better?

Health bite: It's not the hand you are dealt, it's how it's played.