Musings from Joan

We went to the fresh vegetable market again this morning. We asked about Mr. Wood, the gentleman who was robbed in our presence. We were told that Mr. Wood was robbed again, same location, same young boy. After the second robbery, Mr. Wood sat in his truck and suffered a massive heart attack. He is in the hospital fighting for his life. Please keep Mr. Wood and his family in your prayers.

If you have been reading this blog long, you know I am a huge fan of Kate Loving Shenk. Her spiritual wisdom always touches my heart. And today, once again, I am sharing a recent article from her — with her permission, of course. I am weekly blessed to be in a Master Mind group with Kate and Laura — both wonderful people and such a blessing to my life!

Z Is For Z Point
Posted by Kate Loving Shenk on July 18, 2008 at 10:30am

One of my fellow Abundant Babe Master Mind Members offered to do
a Z point session with me by telephone last week. Her name is Laura
Whitelaw, EFT and Zpoint website, and soon to be Z point practitioner and author of
Resume Writing Strategies Revealed

I decided not to do any research on this energy healing method for
clearing old residual patterns and dysfunctional emotions that stymie
progress along the pathway to Self-Realization.

I doubted it would make much sense until I had the session, anyway.

The only thing I did know about it was that the people who practice Z point
also use EFT as an adjunct. My Master Mind partner said that depending
on her mood, she’ll do either EFT or Z point to clear her energy. The beauty
of Z point is that you can do it without anyone knowing but with EFT, you
have to duck into a bathroom or empty room to do it, unless you don’t care
one whit what people think of you as you tap upon designated pressure
points on your face and chest that act as a clearing of your energy field.

People swear by this deceptively simple method of energy healing.

I think Z point goes well with the practice of Ho’oponopono because both
practices are done silently, but healing your own perceptions, in the process.

The night of our session, I was feeling tired from night work and the crazy
circadian rhythm imbalance that sometimes results and is worse at unpredictable times.
The symptoms of this is out of control feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion,
and knee jerk reactions to people who get on my nerves who may not have done
anything at all but my perceptions place my entire biology into flight of fight
by something said or not said.

So the Z point session came at the perfect time.

I drove to a beautiful old Sycamore tree on my property and parked under it.
As I tuned into the tree, I noted a whole ecosystem that surrounded it. Bird
life abounded, bunnies scurried here and there, and a black cat emerged from
under the tree and trotted across the grass.

Lightening bugs lit up every branch and leaf, a solstice in mid-summer.

The session began with a hypnotic statement that suggested that I would
choose a “cue word” that I could use in the future to find peace of mind within
my psyche, and that my subconscious mind would always receive the cue word
with resultant relaxation in every cell and atom of the body when I inwardly
say the word or choose to say it out loud.

Laura Whitelaw asked me to define exactly what it was I wanted to work on.

I decided I wanted to move freely among people without ever having to worry what
state of mind they happen to be in, whether they like or dislike me, and I
never wanted to be effected by negative vibes–ever again.

So we moved through the process.

I chose the word “tree” as my cue word.

Perfect! because now I tune into every tree I see and when I close my eyes, I see
the old Sycamore where Laura and I held the Z point session.

In fact, I feel like a tree. I feel nourished by the grass beneath my feet
and the beautiful clouds passing by my branches, and feel refreshed by the rain
that pours forth from the heavens above.

So this cue word serves my purposes very well.

Laura took me through a series of hypnotic statements after which I inwardly
said, “tree, tree, tree.”

By the end of the session, I felt so relaxed that I immediately went to bed and slept
better than I have for a very long time.

As the week progressed, I remembered to say my word many times. Every time I
thought the word tree, immediately a thoughtless quiet lulled over my being.

The day after the session, I received an email communication from Yoga Nurse, Annette
Tersigni, who said she wants to go on the Oprah show and discuss ways of saving the nursing
profession. She wanted to know if I would join her?

I immediately said I would.

Now we must manifest this idea into reality and after Z point, I believe there are no
boundaries except the ones the mind creates.

Yoga Nurse had a previous career in Show Business and was a Mighty Carson Art
Player on the Johnny Carson show many years ago.

She retired from show biz and became a nurse who believes that healing
the mind is the first step to healing the world.

Naturally we were drawn to one another magnetically by the beautiful internet community
that brings so many of us into a Karmic realization of past close affiliations
and lifetimes.

Another eve at work, I found myself sitting next to a woman who has successfully
alienated every nurse on the unit due to her impatience with inexperience or “wrong”
decisions.

I silently chanted my word, “tree,” and was in a profound state of relaxation.

Suddenly we got into a spiritual/religious discussion lasting several hours, on and
off, as we tended to our patients. Others were drawn to us too, and a healing was taking
place right before our eyes–a healing of our Labor and Delivery Unit.

Z point very quickly gets me into a mind set whereby I see clearly the conditions
that previously appeared miserable now appear auspicious. As I get clear with my word,
I see every challenge or so-called problem as a good sign and is actually
fortunate because these situations open the great potential for
peace and happiness.

Z point transforms thought and allows me to guard my attitude as a mother
protects her newborn babe.

My mind is the last refuge I truly have.

Let it only be a refuge of joy and peace.

Kate Loving Shenk

Nursing Career Transformation
http://www.nursingcareertransformation.com/

I have seen the town of Pendleton rally around all kinds of events — they even built their own playground — by hand!!! But now, they are expressing their community spirit in a lens I created over at Squidoo. To visit, simply go to Pendleton Be sure to take the time to read the comments section. That section has become a bulletin board of sorts — for all kinds of news around Pendleton! What a powerful example they set for the rest of us! Indeed anything is possible. At this moment, Pendleton is # 10 in Travel in the entire Squidoo community. In fact, the Pendleton lens is ranked # 416 out of over 500,000 lenses on Squidoo. I fully expect it to get even higher! The Pendleton lens is also featured at Squidoo City Guide Stop by and join in on the fun! What a celebration!

Woodburn Plantation in Pendleton, SC, USA

Something wonderful happens to you every single day — without fail!!! You just have to be aware of it!
For the past few months, my sister, Betty DeLorme, and I have been reporting our Something Wonderfuls at the end of the day. E-mail or IM, we manage to find something wonderful to report!
It is a wonderful habit to start. You will find yourself looking all day for the “something wonderful” to report. Find a partner, a friend, a work companion. Find someone and report your good news at the end of the day.

I promise you will feel better!

and if that does not do it, go to
http://www.squidoo.com/legally-blind-blunders
and read about how my legally blind husband maintains his sense of humor…….day after day after day…….and yes, you will laugh with him!

We just witnessed a robbery! I am so mad I am sputtering! My husband and I went downtown to the produce market. I don’t mean some remote place — the middle of our city - in a large Public parking lot. The farmers park their trucks there and sell fresh local produce. There was only one truck left. Everyone else had gone home. We bought a cantelope and some tomatos, and were standing there chatting. A young man walked up, asked the seller if he had any plums. He said no, but he would have some Monday. I made a simple comment, that we would be back Monday, too. Suddenly, before I even registered what had happened, the young man had gone around behind the seller, reached in his pocket, grabbed his roll of cash from the day’s sales, and took off running. A couple of ladies in a nearby car (I think they must have been stopped at the redlight), chased the young man. They came back and told us he had changed his shirt as he ran (He had an extra shirt tucked down in his jeans!) and they reported what street he was running on. We relayed that information to the police (by now we were on the cell phone to the police department).

Why am I blogging about this? First because I am so mad!! Imagine the hours that gentleman had spent in the fields taking care of his crops! Then he had stood in the parking lot all morning to sell them. If the child had been hungry and grabbed a cantelope or something, I would probably not be as angry! But to plan and execute such a thing infuriates me!

What is the lesson? Be aware. No matter where you are, be aware. This kind of thing happens on television, not in our town, right? Wrong. We just saw it happen. I am still shaking. Look around you when you are shopping. Take care of yourself and protect yourself and your family. Whew!

Laughter with Betty and Joan

Kate Loving Shenk did such a beautiful job reporting her feelings and insights about our interview with Charly Leetham — I am going to let you read her report first. I will have more to say about this tomorrow. It was a fun interview and a happy uplifting experience.

Here’s Kate!

I was happy to attend the teleinterview of Joan Adams and Betty DeLorme 7/8/08. Charlie Leetham did an expert job in interviewing these two energetic ladies, whose laughter and
love lit up the telephone lines and cellular phone towers all across the globe!!

Betty and Joan are sisters and several other family members attended the call. They all were full of life and exuded great vitality!

By the end of the call, my vibe was revved up! I wanted to go dancing! But instead I found my favorite jazz station on the radio and called my brother and had a wonderful chat!

Two of the Electronic Book contributors were on the line besides Joan and Betty, and they were Buz McGuire and me. Buz is the author of “The Power of Release” and is the Executive
Director of the “Viral Happiness Initiative,” and both raise your energy as you read them.

Everyone on the call had a Southern accent accept for Charly with her Australian, (and me with my East Coast USA). This gave a musical quality to the call which was melodious
and soothing, adding to the good will and beneficience of everyone there.

When Betty was discussing the need to celebrate everything in our lives, her optimistic spirit was what I was listening to. And yes, celebration is so important. Noticing the greatness
and all the miracles of life, slowing down enough so that these gifts are noticed in their entirety, that every color, smell, emotion are embedded forever in memory.

Everytime I successfully start an IV, I do an inward little dance!

Today I picked juicy, plump red delicious rasberries off the vine and ate them all.

That in itself was a celebration!

Joan discussed the synchronicities and magic of how the book came to be. Betty and Joan decided around the holidays of 2007 that they would write and compile this project, and by March 2008, all the contributors had submitted their unique gifts, and family members pitched in to help put it all together.

It sounded like one of thse miracles of creativity where you allow all good things to come to you because of happiness and receptivity to the creation at hand, focusing and loving every moment.

Charly asked about the contribution of Todd Silva, “Give Away A Dollar A Day.” This great idea came to Todd in an AHA!! moment and has started a small movement that has every potential of growing over time.

This is how it works: You take a dollar bill and tuck it in unsuspecting places so that someone finds it at a later time.

Joan said it’s like finding a four leaf clover, which transported my mind to my dear mother, who absolutely loved to pick four leaf clovers. You couldn’t take a walk with her in any timely fashion because she’d end up crawling around a clover patch looking for those elusive four leaf beauties. The amazing thing is, she’d always find 1, sometimes 3 or 4.

So Todd’s latest Give Away A Dollar idea is to tuck a dollar in a gas cap, so that a person doesn’t feel so badly about the gas prices. Joan said she likes to drop a dollar behind the dog food in a store to contribute to the coffers of someone’s beloved four legged companion!

The idea of spreading feelings of abundance and prosperity is what makes this method a real mood enhancer. You are giving away “only” a dollar, but in the act of giving, happiness
becomes a new found habit because you are giving energy in the form of money every single day.

This metaphysical act creates more and more abundance.

Today I walked the “Grotto of Lourdes” in Emmitsburg, MD, where Mother Mary is said to heal the pilgrams who go there. This place is regarded as a Power Spot on this planet and plane of existance.

Power Spots are real and they raise your energy!

Walking the “Grotto of Lourdes” reminded me of a labyrinth where you are able to stop at each station of the cross with beautiful statues of Jesus as The Sacred Heart and Mother Mary and all the Holy Saints and Apostles at various surprising places behind an old growth tree or at one place a purple “Veronica” peeked out behind a prominant bush.

And there were two beautiful chaples along the way where you could sit and meditate and pray. Nature in all her beauty was gracing this lovely place.

I lit a candle and asked Divine Mother to help me with a “problem” that has stalked me for 35 years, more pressingly for the last seven. And naturally it’s too early to say what the miracle will be but my perception has changed about this so-called problem.This is a miracle in and of itself, says A Course In Miracles.

I even got a rosary to use as I finger the beads while doing Kriya Yoga.

We all had a wonderful time. My companions had spent their formative years in this Grotto so they felt as if they had come home.

I also felt totally uplifted by the experience!! By purposely going to a place where healing is known to occur, transcendence pulled all of us into higher and faster vibrational fields where
forgiveness and love are naturally present.

My challenge of 35 years didn’t seem real in this plane of reality. In fact, it no longer feels like “it” has any power over me at all.

Instantaneous healing?

Letting Go/Letting God?

Touched by Mother Mary?

No matter what, the Blahs were Banished today.

This and much more are the gifts of keeping the mind open for joy and transformation.

http://www.nursingcareertransformation.com

If you are “frozen”, stymied, or stuck with a problem, you probably want a simple solution. Do not sit and muddle your problems over and over. Do something! Action breeds action. Try one or all of these methods:

1. Write a letter to your angels. If you are worried or concerned about a particular loved one, write a letter to their angel. Simply start your letter “Dear Susie’s angel” or “Dear Jacob’s angel”. Then pour out your heart. State the situation, your feelings about it, and ask for angelic help. When your letter is ready, put it in a special place — in the back of your Bible, on your prayer alter, under a small angel figurine. Simply stating your problem, and placing it in the hands of the angelic hosts will relieve you.

2. Find a friend. Surround yourself with positive people. Do not sit alone. If you belong to a prayer group or a Master Mind group, that is even better. There are many different types of Master Mind groups on line. Find one that suits your needs and relish that support. A good forum can also be a strong support system.

3. Make an imaging book. This is the most effective prayer technique I have ever used. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale introduced me to the concept of imaging in his book Dynamic Imaging. Catherine Ponder talks about it, The Secret talks about it, Simple Abundance talks about it — in fact, tons of people are talking about it — your imaging book, your imaging posters, your wheel of fortune. Some use a poster board, some use a book, some use a journal. I have made imaging posters, and I have even made file folders with my imaging pictures inside. Cut out pictures and words from magazines, or use real pictures.
I have had some exciting results with this prayer method over the years. It is as if somehow by creating the pages, we create a mental picture of what we want and impress it upon our subconscious minds — and the universe lines things up to make it happen. One of the most important by-products of the pages for me is on a daily level — if I catch myself with negative thoughts about someone or something, I immediately “see” the picture on my imaging page. It just makes that mental transition from worry to release about 10 times faster!!!!

4. Find a suitable affirmation and repeat it at least 20 times a day — whenever your concern pops up in your mind. Give your problem a positive affirmation. It will relieve your mind to do so. An affirmation is just a positive prayer. For example, if a loved one is suffering an illness, you can repeat, “Susie, you are whole, well and free”. In other words, you are knowing and believing in your heart of faith that Susie is healthy and you are picturing her healthy in your prayers. There are thousands of affirmations on line. I am sure you can find one to fit your problem.

5. Let it go. You now have an action plan. You are doing everything you can. Let go and let God. Release the entire problem. Your worry simply makes things worse. Remind yourself that you have already released this issue, and get busy doing something else.

I am learning! As you know, I am busily learning about Squidoo and creating lenses. I now have 19 toward my 100 planned. Visit my lenses at http://www.squidoo.com/joanadams
I am also doing an interview today with my friend, Charly. Again, a stretch for me! And yet, I know that every new experience broadens my mind, clarifies my thinking and challenges me to grow and grow — even at age 64!
So today’s note is simply an invitation - a challenge - to do something today you have never done before. Learn how to do something new. Try a new sport. Visit a new place. Read a new book.
Dare to grow!

When I was a little girl, growing up in Ware Shoals, SC, I often heard my parents speak of “Fessor Camak”.  He was a well-respected gentleman in the community and a fine poet.  One of my dad’s favorites was Laurels.   Good lesson for all of us!

Laurels by Marion Boyd Camak

Somebody told me that I was good,

And I believed what they said,

And thought I would

Rest on the laurels I had won.

So I took a nice seat up in the sun,

That fellows not so lucky as I

Might be inspired as they staggered by.

And there I sat, with pride in myself

Like a brand new trinket on a brand new shelf,

And slept on the job, like I thought I could, -

For hadn’t they told me I was good?

But I awoke one day, and with surprise

I found no worshiping human eyes

Beholding me in my lofty space.

They all seemed turned to another place

And centered on to another chap,

With a workman’s apron on his lap,

And grime and sweat upon his face,

At work out there in my old place.

I swaggered down with a lordly air

And strutted to where they were, out there.

They looked at me, and then they said

It’s old Bill Hicks; we thought you were dead.

After 3 months, my sister and I launched our new e-book yesterday.  Banish the Blahs and Be Happy - 28 ways to Battle the Blues

In October 2007, I read Pat OBryan’s book, Portable Empire and joined his Portable Empire University shortly thereafter.   I have had a grand time studying and learning and meeting new friends since that time.

Banish the Blahs grew out of a conversation with my sister, Betty.  We realized that over the years we had learned myriad ways to lift our spirits — and so we put all those thoughts into the book and 10 friends added their thoughts as well.  The result is a resource for battling the blues — some articles are funny, some are deeply serious and thoughtful and others are just, well, practical — i.e. Get up and DO something!

My personal hope right now is that you will enjoy the book as much as I am enjoying telling folks about it!