Wednesday, August 16, 2017

On Returning from my Personalized Maui Retreat

How the time continuum does affect my life!  Life seems to complicate itself and time just goes on.  I have entered into a new phase of life, my children are adults, young still, but nonetheless adults.  This change of responsibilities and daily schedules has opened for me the time to look more closely at my life patterns and style.

A few years ago I followed a whim and became an ordained minister.  It was a whim, but as I have considered that choice, I think it was a nudge from my inner self that I actually followed through on.   Nudges come and then reasoning and perceived constraints usually kick in so that many nudges fail to be acted upon.  Of course its not only inner nudges, sometimes its visible choices that are made or invitations not accepted.  In 7th grade I remember reading the poem Two Roads Diverged in a Yellow Wood... it spoke to me then and has come back to my thoughts countless times.

A few years ago I decided that I would look into anything that intrigued me.  That's all, just learn about it and go on with my regular daily life.  After a while a noticed that certain concepts or things would come back around to entice me into a second round of study.  In the last five years there have been a few concepts that have come back a third or fourth time begging or almost insisting I research them.  So with a couple concepts I did and realized that in learning more, they enlightened my living.  Parts of my experience in life began to show me new meanings and pieces began to fit together, providing greater peace.

Having spent time again on a tropical island, I combined my long lost feelings of island living with the ability to be mobile and explore Maui.  I was able to sit or swing on the lovely lanai and absorb the serenity of busy jungle life on my own schedule.  The mountain top excursions, the cultural music, the waves, and coast views, will always be mine.  I reflected on how there is such a different feeling that can be had in a similar location.  Originally I was young and excited for adventure yet had a role to play and the heavy daily responsibility of a school teacher.  Now I was at a retreat of my own, not so young and glad to enjoying slow leisure with no role to play and minimal responsibility.  The island was similar, the ocean the same, culture and living styles had changed over 30 years, but I was still the same, in some ways.   In some ways I was bigger - all the knowledge I have accumulated and life experiences of the intervening 30 years gave me a somewhat expanded feeling that came with being back on a tropical island.

I don't know if Maui inspired my choice or the contemplation I practiced on the lanai every day, but I chose to embrace one of those concepts that has been coming back around and getting my attention to study it more in depth.  I am incorporating the concept of Human Design into my lifestyle and business.  I've included Human Design into my services offered at the Salt Crystal Cottage now.

Signing off for the Saltroom of Spokane & the Salt Crystal Cottage, supporting health and life.
-Faith

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Faith a few Experiences later...

I have long been fascinated by symbols, one of my first young adult purchases was a book called "Dictionary of Symbols".  Somehow I only have met a very few people in my life who are interested in things that really fascinate me.  Why?  Is it something in how I am seen that belies my inclinations, and people with common interests just do not make contact?  Do I not express out loud my interests to enough people so that some one person who shares my interests learns of our common interest?  

This seems to be a pattern in my life, not having friends who share my interests.  For so many years I have adapted to the interests of others, which can be mildly fun and expand my knowledge base, but consequently I feel a tad superficial in the back of my mind.  So I often wonder what it would be like to have friends, friends who really know and share my interests on their own accord.  An autodidact on a number of subjects and especially since completing an MBA course in 1990, I would love to discuss topics I have knowledge in with a person similarly interested in the topics.   Instead I find myself with immediate family who tolerate tiny bits of my discussions, and really few friends to talk to.  A few years back I decided to curtail a good number of my personal courses of study and focus instead on what my immediate family needed from me.  I have a few dear friends that I keep due to longevity and kindness and their tolerance.  I chose to no longer seek friends that make me feel I will have to "walk on eggshells" about any conversations because they might be uncomfortable.

Recently I attended an event, being there provided me a few ideas as to how I can come out of my imposed hermit lifestyle.  None of my friends think that I live like a hermit, only recently has my SO even caught a glimpse of how truly isolated I have become. Anyway one of the ideas that came to me at the event, is that I must continue with my own fascinations and renew my studies deeply into my own interests.  Basically be true to myself and authentic with my inner knowing.  Another idea I will put into action is to open up appointment times in my business for people to chat with me.  That will become my business model going forward.  During the remainder of this year my rates will be low, less than $100 per hour, because I will be on a learning curve to be efficient with my time.

I know I do provide kind support to persons who chat with me about topics I have experience in and knowledge of.  Over the years I have had many off hand remarks about how my "pep talks", "new options" or "amazing ideas" have helped people.  I didn't know how to process those comments or even testimonials that have come into my business that I have been hesitant to post because they talked about me not the saltroom therapy.   Recently I had a referral partner mention that she tells everyone to make sure I am the person running the saltroom when they make their appointments, now that really shocked me.   This week a professional I do business with a couple times a year, told me how they regularly go to my page to read my musings and comments because they gain inspiration from so many of them,  WHAT?    Wow its kind of humbling but also kinda a kick in the pants to get busy to turn my conversations into my career to improve the state of humanity one person at a time. AND I can continue my autodidacticism as part of my career!

Since I haven't written on this blog for a number of years, I doubt anyone is following, so this post will serve myself first to clarify my thoughts.

Signing off, to our improved health!

-Faith

I will be using my middle name in my new career.  :)