Tez In Denver

Warriors on War

"I have known war as few men now living know it. Its very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a means of settling international disputes." —Gen. Douglas MacArthur

"Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind . . .War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." —John F. Kennedy

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who are hungry and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed." —Dwight D. Eisenhower

How I Cleanse and Charge a Pendulum

I've been preparing to fully re-enter the world of energy work. My favorite tool is a pendulum. For the work I will be doing, nothing I already had felt quite right. So I headed down to my favorite metaphysical store to see what they had on hand. The trip worked out well for the shop because I ended up purchasing two: one is made from green flourite , good for healing; the other is a copper spiral good for everything else. Now, for cleansing and charging these new tools.

First cleansed the pendulum by setting it in the sun outside or in a window, or until it felt light and clear. The sun has the wonderful ability to cleanse and purify most any object. If I ever buy a piece of jewelry at a thrift store, pawn shop or antique store and I want to make sure any negative energy is removed, I always set it in the sun for a day or so.

Since one of these pendulums will be used for intensive healing work, I took them both to church with me this morning and dipped them in holy water. Water has cleansing powers; holy water also has charging powers.

This afternoon I lit a stick of incense (I prefer sandalwood or frankincense) and passed the pendulum through the smoke 3 sets of 3 passes (9 times total). I visualize any residual negative energy going "up in smoke." Now my pendulum is cleansed and blessed and ready to be fully charged.

To charge it, I hold the pendulum in my left hand close to my heart and say a quiet prayer. Sometimes I pray for guidance, peace or healing. Usually I simply pray that I can be an instrument of the Divine, trusting that I will get whatever I need. Then I visualize golden light streaming into the pendulum, filling it with Divine Love. I sit with the pendulum and meditate or pray for a few minutes more until the pendulum releases me. This release may feel like a vibration, a relaxation, or I may hear a tone. Now the pendulum is fully charged and ready to use.

I like to keep my pendulum in a special little bag next to my bed. If it's a new object, I'll carry it with me, put it in my pocket or hold it in my hand. I like to really get the feel of it before I use it. I'll meditate with it, listening for it's voice.

This process can be repeated, especially after an intense session. Cleansing and charging is good to do with crystals, pendants, jewelry or other ritual objects you may work with.

Happy 4/20!

On this episode of The Price Is Right contestant Evan Goding does what he’s waited his whole life to do: make it to contestants row and bid 420. Not just once. A bunch of times. The crowd loves him, and at one point he even amuses Bob Barker.

A Prayer for Peace of Mind

FORTIFY me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit and give Your peace to my soul that I may be free from all needless anxiety, solicitude and worry. Help me to desire always that which is pleasing and acceptable to You so that Your will may be my will.  -- Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini

What does "peace of mind" mean? Does it have the same meaning for everyone? How does one achieve peace of mind?

For me to find peace of mind I have to stop searching for it. Peace of mind is within me. Peace of mind is not an achievement. It is a state of being, an experience.

Now and then I see a glimmer of it, fleeting and transient, still and tranquil,  just enough to make me want it more. But the wanting keeps me unsatisfied and out of the moment. Wanting creates distance between me and my self. Wanting peace keeps me from having peace. Wanting is an expression of my will, not Thy will. Peace of mind comes from surrendering to the will of the Divine.

A a Type A woman, surrender does not come naturally to me. Something I must keep working on. Remember that the fleeting moments of peace and serenity are glimpses into what is possible. 

...that Your will may be my will.

Duality of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia reminds me of the duality of being. I am a spiritual being having a physical experience, not a physical being having a spiritual experience.

The chronic pain of fibro makes you want to leave your body or at least ignore your body. At the same time, the pain is nearly impossible to ignore.

How do you balance the two and remain whole?

Paying the price for a great weekend

I'm hurting today. My fibromyalgia is flared up. I had a busy weekend and got quite a bit done, but I'm paying for it today. That's usually the way it goes. I have to pick and choose what I do and decide if it's worth suffering for.

Last week was Greg's birthday. Got him a new HDTV set up. He was so excited. All weekend he was so happy with his gift. It makes me happy to see him happy. It meant moving some things around: furniture, wires, etc. I'm strong enough, so alone, this probably wouldn't have been a big deal, but in combination with other things, it hurts.

The weather has been unstable the last few days. Cool and rainy Saturday evening and Sunday. I tend to be sensitive to weather changes, so spring is tough on my body. But I'm so excited about my garden that we started working on preparing the soil Saturday. My first real day for yard work of the year. Knew that was going to hurt.

Yesterday, being Easter, was a family day: grocery shopping in the morning, big dinner to prepare, grandsons visiting. By the time they left I was about out of gas. But it was fun to have everyone here, as always, so worth the price I'm paying today.

I knew it was gonna be rough today, but the weekend was great! Worth the pain. That's the key: deciding what's worth hurting over. Some things are; some things aren't. This weekend definitely was.

Two tips for Tim

I just left a comment on Newsvine for a guy struggling with fibromyalgia. Here are two tips I've found helpful that I thought I'd share here as well.

Wiggling Awake: I know how awful it is to wake up and feel pain first thing. Not a great way to start the day. It's tough to look forward to the day when it starts with pain. On particularly bad mornings I wiggle myself awake, something one of my therapists suggested many years ago. I start with a foot, just wiggling it gently back and forth. Then move up my leg, then the other foot, and so on, until I'm gently rocking my body back and forth. Sometimes this can take a few minutes, other times it can take an hour, but it seems to help get me moving better.

My Extra Brain: For dealing with fibro fog (or just plain forgetfulness), I use a technique suggested by a professional organizer. I carry a little spiral notebook everywhere I go. It's always in my purse, or on my desk, or in my pocket. Wherever I go, it goes too. I write absolutely everything in it. Notes from phone calls or messages. Quotes I want to remember. Phone numbers and addresses. Ideas for projects. Tasks and to-do lists. I tape business cards in there. I rarely use sticky notes or scratch paper anymore. With my book I know exactly where everything is. I don't have to go searching for "that little piece of paper with that phone number on it." My husband calls it my brain.

Obama Infomercial: American Stories, American Solutions

I thought this was a beautifully done overview of what Barack Obama stands for, who he is, and what he'll do for the country. It was a great way to connect with undecided voters, and validate supporters. Because I'm a political junkie, I forget that this may be new information to a lot of people.   

It was wonderful to watch my 84-year-old mother's face as she watched the piece. She was intent on the stories, listening closely, and truly moved by the piece.

The Daily Show with Barack Obama

John Cleese comments on Sarah Palin

And while we're on the topic of Sarah Palin, here's a Brit's take on her candidacy. A parrot?