I have been at my latest housesit for a little over a month right now. And as the time has passed I am noticing a theme emerge… it is…enough.
When I was in the midwest visiting with my mom, I was keeping my eye out for the next thing. A few things came and went that didn’t seem like quite the right fit. When the opportunity came to come to Austin for this long-term sit, I was excited by the possibility but wasn’t 100% sure if it would be a great fit for me. I checked in with my long-time mentor and Reiki teacher, Elizabeth Pellegrin. She has been a great guide for connecting me with and trusting my own intuition as well as providing rich insights of her own. So when she checked in intuitively, the advice she gave me about this new opportunity was that it wasn’t “perfect” or even “ideal” but that it would be enough.
Enough seemed good enough for me and so I happily accepted the offer and made my way down to Austin. In the first few days of being here I ran into a few unexpected things in the house that I just didn’t like. In earnest I felt that possibly they were unworkable. And I thought “this is enough?” because in that moment, it sure didn’t seem like enough to me! I wrestled with myself, with the situation, felt frustrated and angry. But I also looked for solutions to the problem at hand, received a few helpful tips from Elizabeth, and tried a few things of my own.
I kept going with it in part because there were so many things I liked about this housesit and were really very workable! Now here I am a few weeks later and for now the obstacle, the unwanted circumstance is much improved. And resolved in a way that I am okay with. In retrospect I think, wow, I sure am glad I didn’t give up and worked through that obstacle because now I get to enjoy all of the reasons I came and the things I liked about the sit to begin with. And I thought, it really is enough! And yes I did have to overcome an obstacle to get here, but it was worth it!
And so now I am on the threshold of another little new beginning and once again that question was asked of me, is it enough? And I have considered… there seems to be a theme here.
I had a bit of a breakthrough as I was washing my hair, as sometimes happens, that all of this not enoughness, all of this moving into new life circustmances that are good in many ways but fallable in some ways, is not just my rich lesson in what is enough… it is also my rich lesson that… I am enough.
In many ways these past few years during quarantine I think I was in a long incubation phase…being with, experiencing, being alarmed at times and alchemizing so much of my inner world and now I am just beginning to emerge out. In recent years I think I have grown in experiencing and sharing the shiny things in my world and my life – the things I delight in and want all to see. But what lingered was… the other stuff. The parts that felt broken, unlovable, embarassing and all. And I didn’t yet know how to emerge forward in the midst of all of that… the good and the … ya know, less mentionable stuff.
And I think this moving through enoughness is a great step on this wobbly road I am on, that is not always “perfect” or in the way I wish or want. It breaks me open so that things can crumble, so that all can be exposed and I can work with what remains.
What remains for me is… enough… and beginning to explore working with the circumstances in my life, warts and all, moving through and being with the challenging and also appreciating the unmistakable good and benefits. In doing this, ultimately I am creating a similar space for myself to move forward in life…being enough. Not perfect. Not ideal. Some real unexpected challenges and things I’d rather not deal with… but still… enough.
And so that’s where I am for today as I prepare to take a new little step on this quiet Memorial Day. Basking in the nervousness, the brokenness and the allness of being in the wake, in the dust of… I am not perfect but I am…enough.
Back to the Basics
30 Aug
I am here in the Texas countryside towards the end of my current housesit. In the midst of everything going on in the world, I’m glad to have been hunkered down for a bit caring for two sweet kitties and a whole mess of plants in the Texas heat.
As time lingers on and the world and the US face many challenges, I have to remind myself to make an extra effort to get back to the basics. For me, these are the practices, the way of life that best supports my health, wellbeing and my mental and spiritual health, development and growth.
As we’ve been sailing through these unexpected seas for a while, I certainly have had my moments when I wanted to crawl back into familiar territory and habits that don’t necessarily serve me. While of course it does my spirit some good to have some lighthearted breaks and treats, it also does me a world of good to continue to build my foundation on those things that truly nurture me and support an unshakable foundation when so much seems to be crumbling around us.
Reiki has been and continues to be one of the steadfast pillars in my foundation. I find sometimes in the midst of all that is happening I get restless or frustrated and want to settle things “my way” instead of leaning on my spiritual resources. Of course time and experience remind me how uncomfortable this can be and instead to lean more heavily on the steadfast ways that have served me as I have wandered around some of this planet over the past decade.
As a Second Degree Reiki practitioner, sending distance Reiki is a big part of this. This is the same healing energy experienced in a hands-on Reiki treatment but it can be sent anywhere and to anyone regardless of time and space. I remember one time I was driving with a friend who was having painful sinus issues. As she was the one driving I couldn’t very well give her a hands on treatment at the time so I asked permission to send her Reiki. She agreed and immediately she noticed her sinuses start to loosen and drain. Recently I sent Reiki to a friend who had financial and personal challenges stacking up and needed to move forward. The next day she had a breakthrough. I have to smile remembering reconnecting with a friend who is also a Reiki student. I told him I would send him some Reiki and immediately began to do so. “Are you sending now?” he asked as he took note of experiencing that “Reiki energetic feeling.” “I am!” I replied!
As a traveling house and pet sitter, I also rely on using Reiki to clear the energy regularly and repeatedly of the places I visit. All homes, all places are filled with the thoughts, history, and chaos of the moment and the times. I clear the energy because it helps to support a more harmonious living circumstance and honestly, just makes things feel better! It’s also a great foundational tool to support improved mental health, emotional health and any challenges or changes that may need to happen or be addressed in the home or space.
I remember when I was just starting out in Reiki. I was crazy sensitive in the wake of slowly tapering off the anti-depressant Paxil to the tune of extreme withdrawal challenges. I had picked up a little gig working for a friend in their tent at a festival. So many people… all that energy was a big challenge for me especially in my circumstances. My Reiki teacher encouraged me to clear the energy of the tent over and over again while I worked. I was skeptical at first. But in earnest, it made a difference and made working possible in my still pretty fragile state.
I also recall one housesit some years ago where something about the energy of the place just didn’t feel right. It was palpable. I couldn’t sleep at night. My Reiki teacher encouraged me to clear the energy regularly and I did. I was there for a while and with regularly clearing the house felt great and I slept like a baby.
Would you like to explore Reiki energy in your world? A distant treatment can support mental, emotional and physical health as well as challenging circumstances and situations. Clearing the energy of your home can support a more peaceful and harmonious environment.
At a time when many of us are still spending more time at home and there are a whole slew of challenges about, I would love to support you with Reiki.
For a limited time I am offering the following Reiki treatment options:
Distant Reiki
• $35 for a 45 minute treatment
• $60 for a 20 minute treatment four days in a row. A treatment four days in a row in Reiki is very powerful.
• $108 for a 45 minute Reiki treatment four days in a row.
Distant Reiki Home Energy Clearing
• $25 for a 30 minute energy clearing of your home or selected address
Reiki Sample
• $35 Distant Home Energy Clearing (15 minutes) and Distant Reiki Treatment (30 Minutes)
If you’d like to know more about Reiki please follow this link. It shares a bit more about my practice and experience as well as some helpful links.
If you’d like to schedule a Reiki appointment or have questions, please email me directly at gypsywomancafe@gmail.com.
These are unusual times. But also a useful time to practice shifting our attention, taking our time, going within to explore new pathways for living.
House Sitting Escape
12 Jul
In the midst of my midwest coronavirus detour hunkered down with family an opportunity recently came my way for a new housesit. So I took a little leap and here I am in Texas Hill Country enjoying some new scenery, peace and respite on a lovely property.
I was chatting with an old friend the other day who had many questions about house and pet sitting. It occurred to me that many folks out there with a heart and spirit for travel may not realize how possible and viable house and pet sitting is as an avenue to travel. So whether you’re ready for a coronavirus diversion, if even just in the next town, or you’re not ready to travel yet but your heart and soul could use a little future travel planning and daydreaming, read on!
Before I started house and pet sitting I had done quite a bit of travel relying often on work exchanges via personal connections and the website helpx.net. I had always been curious about house and pet sitting but hadn’t yet taken the leap and honestly, wasn’t sure how difficult it would be to “get my foot in the door.” But it was certainly on my mind.
A few years ago while living in Asheville I met a full time traveling house and pet sitter at a local meet-up group. She was generous enough to share her experience. It was so helpful to simply have a conversation with a real person who was doing it and to be reassured that yes, it really was possible and accessible.
I didn’t jump in right away and continued with life as usual. Then over a year ago life “gave me a push” as it sometimes does. My apartment unexpectedly flooded and I had to hit the road. Sometimes in the midst of uncertain times lies an opportunity to take a leap and do something new. For me, this led to my latest adventures in house and pet sitting.
Whether you’re a full time traveler or simply curious about embarking on the occasional diversion, house and pet sitting is worth exploring.
Choose a House Sitting Platform, Join and Set Up a Profile
Some people may be unaware that there are many house and pet sitting websites where you join for a modest fee and have access to apply for house sits all over the world. Typically homeowners post their house and pet sitting opportunities, interested subscribed house sitters apply, and the chosen house sitter cares for their home and pets in exchange for a place to stay. There are many sites out there including Trusted Housesitters, Nomador and HouseCarers.
After you choose and join your site, you begin with setting up a profile. When I set up my profile, there were a variety of things I paid attention to:
- I chose photos that reflected my experience caring for others including people and animals. I also selected photos that reflected my experience traveling.
- In my written profile I highlighted all of my personal and work experience that demonstrated I was a reliable and trustworthy professional. I also focused on all of my experience caring for pets and animals and caring for houses.
- I shared information about me that was unique and distinct.
- I included external references as the system allowed since I didn’t yet have any reviews within that house and pet sitting community.
- I took my time writing my profile to present myself well.
Diving In!
After I set up my profile, getting started was as simple as applying for sits. I had received some advice that it can be helpful when you’re just beginning to apply for local sits to get your foot in the door. This may make a homeowner more comfortable plus you have the possibility of meeting them before they leave which is often appreciated.
When applying for sits I did my best to present myself well, address the homeowner and their pets personally and by name, and highlight my enthusiasm and the ways I felt I was a match for their needs.
I was fortunate to find a wonderful two-week sit for a sweet little dog in a laid back coastal town as my first sit. From there for me, things continued to flow. I applied for sits that felt like a match for me with homeowners, home and pets plus responsibilities. I chose locations that weren’t too far from my current sit. As I got additional sits and started receiving internal reviews, it made it easier for me to apply for sits with more applicants and be considered as a contender.
When you apply for a sit, some home owners may choose to interview their top candidates. When discussing the opportunity on the phone or Skype, I would do my best to have some prepared questions, to learn about the temperament and needs of each animal, and be thorough in my responses and inquiries.
As I continued with my house sitting journey, an important piece of the puzzle was to leave the house in great shape, better than it was left to me, with a little token of my appreciation, often a note with some flowers or a plant.
It’s fair to mention that of course house and pet sitting has been impacted by our current national and worldwide circumstances with COVID 19. House sitting websites do currently have opportunities, but for now those numbers are certainly reduced from the typical fertile field.
What Now?
So how about it? Do you want to hit the road? Maybe even just a safe escape to a nearby location? If you’re ready to jump in now or down the road, follow this link to save 25% on a Trusted House Sitter membership.
Whether it’s in the coming months or future plans, house sitting is a wonderful opportunity to be of service to home owners and their pets while offering you an opportunity for a little escape or adventure. Full time travelers and part-time explorers alike can benefit from the opportunities of house and pet sitting.
How about you, what are your house and pet sitting stories, adventure and advice? If you’re curious to know more, feel free to ask any questions about house and pet sitting!
Wholeness
22 May
Greetings from the midwest as the Coronavirus journey continues! Like many of you out there, I am shifting through an unexpected set of life circumstances at this time. In an effort to relate to what’s so in my life in a way that serves me, I am doing my best to expand and adjust my way of thinking and not get lost in my own mind or tripped up on the intense world of emotions out there out in plain sight and hiding in some unexpected corners.
In the past weeks I’ve tuned into a handful of zoom meetings and youtube videos in an effort to keep myself tuned to a positive channel.
Here are few of my “favorite hits” and resources from recent weeks!
Krishna Das Chai and Chat Series
I love this series of little snippets of Krishna Das having tea while answering questions from selected curious minds. If you’re unfamiliar with Krishna Das, he is a well-known Kirtan Artist and loved and respected worldwide for his soulful chanting and humble, fun and down to earth nature. What I love about these videos is I feel he is the real deal sharing simple earnest truths from his journey. I love the vibe of his talks, the information shared and the way I just feel better after I’ve relaxed in them for a bit.
The “I” of the Storm
This is a book I am reading with an online Unity Church book group. We’re just a few chapters in, but already it is assisting me is shifting and developing a new point of view. The heart of the message of this book is that nothing is against us. The journey so far supports coming from a place of wholeness, outside of our automatic beliefs and meaning that we assign in this world of opposites, and living, making choices and viewing our lives from this lens. He refers to this as the “I” of the storm. A worthwhile read and a great lens for strengthening new muscles and adjusting points of view!
Creative Mornings Acts of Wholeness by Katherine Wintsch
Creative Mornings is an international meetup group in cities around the world that supports gatherings of creative folks – which is all of us! They recently shared this video in their regular email offerings. It’s a fresh light story of a professional woman’s journey of needing to totally reevaluate her life when it was broken and not working. She shares some wonderful metaphors and her own experiences reminding us to start within in assessing what we need to make our life work and build out from there.
Maureen O’Shaughnessy, Reiki Master
Maureen has a distinct intuitive gift and offers numerous light-hearted and fun reminders of how we can stay tuned to joy in our lives no matter what our circumstances.
The unmistakable theme of all of these is wholeness. In my experience, it’s easy to get lost in feeling fragmented and tripped up. There are so many distractions out there that invite us into that! I found all of these to be like signposts and simple reminders that it needn’t be so.
How about you? What beacons of light or simple joys are helping you stay connected in a positive way?
Thanks for tuning in! Here’s wishing all of us wisdom and grace as we continue this journey!
Landed
10 Jun
My world has been in motion! Since my apartment flooded in October 2018 and I loaded up my car and flew the coop I have been in Texas, North Carolina, Virginia, Massachusetts and Michigan. My recent series of house and pet sitting appointments have served me well – some downtime, new scenery, BIG personal growth, old & new connections. Each location has been a burst of fresh air in its own right (and at times a burst of cold air… brrr… with chilly spring temperatures up north) plus appreciated doses of natural beauty.
My most recent trek found me leaving Ann Arbor, Michigan and on to my current nesting spot where, happily, I will be for the summer. I have landed in a charming college town in the heartland, not far from family. My last few days I have been busily undoing a bit of my travel-self tucked up in my SUV and settling in… just a bit more with the luxury of a little stretch of time.
I am pet and house sitting for a senior woman off for the summer in her rented cottage in France while I happily stay here with her kitty and tend to the modest needs of her home. My mind and body relax just a little as I hurriedly rush around unpacking but then – catch a glimpse of the trees, hills, open blue sky and lush green land leaping inside from the window.
I have just dipped my toe in the new scene of my summer abode. You know the standards… a visit to the local farmers market and neighborhood food coop – both lovely and satisfying with high quality and a friendly easy atmosphere.
My mind and body are still somewhat on the go as I do my best to coax them into a little stillness. Tending to a little old business, a little new business and a new furry companion who is friendly, but definitely still keeping an eye on me to see if I meet with her approval. There is a downstairs room filled with a Steinway grand piano where I try to coax out a few songs from the memory of my childhood hands that so loved to play.
And so the journey continues. Landed for now in a soft and sweet spot. Here comes summer!
Opening Doors in the New Year
1 Jan
Happy 2018! Well, time is rolling along and I can hardly recall where 2017 has gone. It’s fun for me to remember that while it’s 2018 for many of us, in Thailand it’s the year 2561 with a calendar based on the Buddha! That was one thing that traveling always offered me… just when you thought a thing was “so” – it gave you an opportunity or experience to see that it just wasn’t the case.
I am here in Hendersonville somewhat bundled up with the chilly air outside. It’s been a satisfying and at times quiet holiday season for me. While in some ways I am used to spending the holidays on my own with my years of traveling abroad, I find I tend to approach this season a bit tenuously not always sure what to do with myself and in some ways just doing my best to “make it through” until it comes around next year. This year it’s been a pretty nice balance of connection and independence and I am grateful for both.
Last week I took just a couple of days to visit the Art of Living Center in Boone, NC to spend some time with the head of the organization, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. I first stumbled upon the Art of Living in post-Katrina New Orleans as they were there offering courses to support the community in the aftermath of the storm. Something about the energy of the organization caught my attention. I attended an information session to learn more and when the wife of a favorite minister joined the session as an experienced participant with the group, I knew I was in the right place.
I took their foundation course called the The Art of Happiness and their practice called the Sudarshan Kriya quickly became part of my morning routine. In the craze and aftermath of life post-Katrina, I took a little refuge in the peaceful feeling of this organization and periodically attended their evening long Kriya’s, gatherings and service opportunities.
That was over ten years ago. Since then I’ve been fortunate to stay connected with the organization and the practice. I’ve connected and practiced with local groups while traveling including Vienna and Kansas City. To my amazement and delight, I was also able to attend their World Culture Festival in Berlin in 2011 while I was staying in Wettenbostel, Germany.
Sri Sri has brought yoga, meditation and practical wisdom to millions of people in over 150 countries. I was encouraged by a trusted friend to take their second flagship course, Art of Silence, in their European Center in Bad Antogast, Germany in 2014. This was an opportunity not just to grow further spiritually through the framework of this course, but also to meet and share a little space with Sri Sri who would be at the European Center for a few days of the course.
Since that experience in Germany, I keep in mind that it’s a good idea not to miss an opportunity to be in Sri Sri’s presence and that is why I headed for Boone over the holidays.
Sri Sri was in Boone teaching an advanced course to students who had taken at least eight Art of Silence Courses (I have taken one) and have practiced with him for many years. The evenings were open to the public for chanting and an address from Sri Sri and that is where I fit in.
When I first arrived, making my may up the windy roads to this somewhat secluded mountain escape, who do I see walking solo down the road but a small Indian man. Is that….? I thought… and sure enough it was… it was Sri Sri walking down the road apparently taking some respite from the intense teachings of the day. What do I do? Uncertain… I slowed down, rolled down my window, waved and said “hello!”…
At first, it was a bit of culture shock seeing this tiny spiritual man dressed in robes coming straight from the throws of more regular American life. But it was a good reminder to shift… to turn the dial just a bit and take things in a little differently.
With over 1000 students attending this course, I joined the busy dining hall for a modest meal of Indian fare, rice and dessert. I sat with a few folks participating in the class who have been long-time students of Sri Sri. They talked of spending time with him over 25 years ago at the simple Ashram in India and noting the many differences and shifts in their life since then. I also met a woman who lives in Asheville, also a long-time student of Sri Sri, and a great reminder of some of the benefits of these practices in the long-term including a youthful spirit and demeanor.
Then I headed to the large meditation hall where I joined the 1000 plus participants as well as other guests, friends and family. Sri Sri eventually came and took his place seated on the stage up front. He didn’t speak for long, but his simple and refreshing words were a great reminder to me about this whole thing called life. He started by asking us to imagine all of the conversations we’ve had, thought, participated in, watched on tv… and then to imagine that we were separate from that. And to consider that all of that, this changing world of conversation, beliefs and opinions, can distract us from experiencing the unfathomable joy and beauty found in our inner depths. He encouraged meditation as an important tool on this journey. All in all, he just reminded me that half the things I was worried about, considering, trying to figure out were in many ways distractions from the very opportunity he was talking about.
I left from my time there reminded of this. Of course I still think too much, still need to make life decisions and don’t always know what to do… but this simple message and his presence reminded me to continue to explore opening a door just beyond on all that… and that journey is always available to me no matter what I may or may not choose to do in this life…
And so, here I am, trying to enter a bit more gently and mindfully into 2018. Sometimes gracefully, sometimes less so. Trying to not take all the conversations in my head and with others too seriously. And just taking it from there.
Here’s wishing you a little extra dose of peace, happiness and well-being this New Year! And may we all find that little door within us, in our own time and own way, that opens us up to greater gifts of joy, wisdom, peace, freedom and happiness!