Rock Booty

There is an interesting phenomenon that happens every year at this time. For anyone who loves crystals, stones and minerals, this is an amazing time to be in Arizona! The Rock Shows in Quartzite start the beginning of the year and run though most of January. Mesa Community College has a weekend rock show mid-month that is always fun. And finally, the Tucson Gem and Mineral show runs through the first two weeks in February. This final show is the largest in the world and boasts over 18,000 vendors all over the city! There is no way you could see the whole thing, even if you went every day! For Rock Hounds it is the ultimate adventure! I love going to the Gem Show. In fact, if you are reading this on Monday morning, picture me wandering around among the tents, hotel rooms and tables filled with specimens from around the world! If you have the slightest interest in crystals… GO! It is an amazing and fun experience. Don’t worry about having a plan or where to start… Driving down I-10, when you hit Tucson, you will see plenty of signs or banners on both sides of the freeway. Stop anywhere, enjoy what you find and then pick up one of the many guides. You’ll never see it all anyway… so just enjoy what you find! You will be able to get AMAZING deals! Which brings me to the second part of this newsletter. EVERY year since we opened, folks come in to the store to share with me their stories of great deals, ridiculously low prices and one-of-a-kind...

Rock Booty

There is an interesting phenomenon that happens every year at this time. For anyone who loves crystals, stones and minerals, this is an amazing time to be in Arizona! The Rock Shows in Quartzite start the beginning of the year and run though most of January. Mesa Community College has a weekend rock show mid-month that is always fun. And finally, the Tucson Gem and Mineral show runs through the first two weeks in February. This final show is the largest in the world and boasts over 18,000 vendors all over the city! There is no way you could see the whole thing, even if you went every day! For Rock Hounds it is the ultimate adventure! I love going to the Gem Show. In fact, if you are reading this on Monday morning, picture me wandering around among the tents, hotel rooms and tables filled with specimens from around the world! If you have the slightest interest in crystals… GO! It is an amazing and fun experience. Don’t worry about having a plan or where to start… Driving down I-10, when you hit Tucson, you will see plenty of signs or banners on both sides of the freeway. Stop anywhere, enjoy what you find and then pick up one of the many guides. You’ll never see it all anyway… so just enjoy what you find! You will be able to get AMAZING deals! Which brings me to the second part of this newsletter. EVERY year since we opened, folks come in to the store to share with me their stories of great deals, ridiculously low prices and one-of-a-kind...

Just Say No

This week I created a Crystal Grid to assist me with “Harmonic Frequency Alignment”. That sounds like a very sophisticated, scientific process or device; but it is not! It was setting an intention that the people, situations, or things that are not energetically aligned with my sense of harmony or flow, be released! You see, it feels like there are so many amazing and magical things happening all around me, all the time. There is joy, laughter, fun, challenges, opportunities and new possibilities that are opening and being revealed. Life is amazing! Then, in the middle of all this – there are things that crop up, that feel old and messy. They feel out of alignment with everything else going on around them! The pessimist who can only see what is wrong in their life. The employee who thinks you’re out to get them or take advantage of them. Being bombarded by stories, marketing or ideology, that says the past is haunting us or the future is bleak. None of this resonates! And yet, it is still here! Theses people and situations still show up and vie for my attention! AND I give it to them! Not intentionally, but I realize I have diverted my focus away from the natural flow and current of life, to try and understand, comprehend or change these energies that are no longer aligned! They don’t fit anymore… But I keep trying them on! What is in this for me? Why do I continue to turn from ease…and then try to push a bolder uphill? Maybe I still think I can change them! (A...

Solo Retreat: Day 1

Today is my first day at Spirit Sky… A solo retreat for 6 days.  The cabin is located in Pine AZ… About 20 miles beyond Payson.  I have never been in this area before.  It is quite beautiful.  It is a much higher elevation than Phoenix (approximately 5500ft), which means it is cooler here.  Today when I left Phoenix at about 11:30am, it was already about 90 degrees.  The temperature when I arrived here at the cabin, was about 74. It is not what I expected, and it is still perfect.  Somehow I had imagined being in a location where no one was around for miles… Isolated on a hilltop.  The truth is… It is 4 acres on a hilltop that has a home being built about 50 yards away, and one roofline just over the crest of the hill… And a cabin/home that is not quite visible below. I think I imagined in my mind that the isolation would intensify the experience.  It would offer a level of freedom that would allow me to tap into some primitive or untapped energies.  A vision quest of sort… Out on the land, surviving in the elements and by my resourcefulness.  AND… the truth is, that is not what I am doing.  I am spending a week, in a comfortable cabin, with amazing views, surrounded by nature (I saw my first deer coming up the drive… And my first elk shortly after dinner, right out side the cabin!) I come with very little.  I kept trying to sneak in projects… And you have no idea how much I wanted to bring...

Solo Retreat: Day 2

I slept well enough last night.  The bed is probably a bit soft for my liking.  A little before 6am I got up for a bit and went outside to enjoy the cool morning.  Very peaceful at that time.  Still, it felt like I could still sleep some more.  The next time I awoke, there were two elk wandering the property.  Not as close as I would like… But still a beautiful morning sight. There are benches all around the property.  The one that I am most drawn to is across the drive on the knoll.  It is placed inside a cluster of small alligator junipers.  So it is in the shade most of the time.  Today, the breeze is beautiful.  Fresh air, cool breeze and just the sounds of nature to keep me company. On the one hand it is peaceful.  On the other, I wonder what I will be doing for my time here?  Moving from bench to chair, to rock to bench?  It is odd not having something to do.  Some place to go, something to prepare for, something to get done. I guess in some way, this is similar to a day off at home.  Except at home, I have things to read.  News on my iPad…or games.  Music to listen to. Laundry to get done.  There are distractions.  And… Sometimes it is similar.  I am simply existing. This morning I laid out a crystal grid for the day.  This one was focused on Authenticity.  Mind, body, spirit, Love, joy, clarity, compassion, strength, vitality, ease, grace and spirituality.  It will be up until tomorrow morning…...

Solo Retreat: Day 3

This mornings grid is for “Fun”.  The components are confident, stimulating, guided, flowing, foundational, natural, abundant, prosperous, mind, body, spirit. Initially when I awoke, I was feeling as though maybe I was sinking in or settling into this solo retreat thing.  However, as the day wears on, I think instead maybe it is my mind, or more accurately my ego, playing a game with me. I find myself having thoughts about how I have already got what I needed from this experience… And perhaps it would be okay to go online… Maybe download a book.  At one point I was thinking about exploring Pine. It took a bit for me to notice what was going on and to realize that this is uncomfortable.  I am not sure what do do with myself, if I don’t have something to do.  I can even find resistance to the mundane or chores… Folding my clothes, making the bed, that sort of thing.  It is as if there is a voice inside my head saying… You can’t make me! It is interesting to catch this… As I think this is something that happens all the time.  Our egos are resourceful… And they have different tapes or recordings they can pull out when the current message begins to lose its affect, keeping us in line or, from the egos perspective, safe. For the last two days I have been very aware of (because my ego has been talking to me about) my weight, energy level and health.  Today… (The message from my ego is that) Everything is fine and I don’t have to stick...

Solo Retreat: Day 4

My crystal grid this morning is for Harmony.  The components these crystals represent are Harmony, entrainment, flow, spectrum, balance, steady, ease, elegance, negotiation, uplifting and resonance. Today my retreat is starting out as a bit of a surprise.  Even though I have tried to remain open for what this experience would bring… I realize I did have a few expectations or assumptions. I thought by giving myself this time, I would sink deeper into myself and start to see or recognize patterns, triggers, behaviors and such.  You know, the ones that make life complicated or seem to get in the way of me having things the way I think they should be!  Boy, is that a mouthful! However, my experience is just the opposite.  I find it hard to focus on anything… It just doesn’t seem that interesting!  My mind wanders… However, it doesn’t go to what is wrong… Instead, my eyes are drawn to beauty.  There are much more than elk here!  Now, don’t get me wrong… I don’t think this is a bad thing.  It just seems like maybe I spend to much time worrying about the wrong things… Actually anything! Even as I write these words, I realize I spend a lot of time trying to control outcomes!  Here there is nothing for me to control.  If I want to sit by the stream, I do.  If I want to lay down, I do.  If I feel like making some notes on my iPad.., guess what?  I do. Now mind you I still have a few days here and plenty more could be revealed.  However… Nothing...

Solo Retreat: Day 5

Crystal grid for today is “Releasing Anger”.  The crystals represent the following… Discovery, comprehending, contemplation, expression, learning, savor, own, release, breathe, allow, adjust. I went to sleep last night knowing that there was something brewing.  Something that wanted to reveal itself, that had gone unnoticed.  This morning, I think I know what that is and it the reason I chose the particular grid for today. This may be a bit had to convey properly, because I don’t want to leave you with the wrong impression.  So let me start by saying up front… I love being gay and I love the Spiritual Being that I am. Yet last night, I was aware that I was angry about both! The other thing that I realized as I sat with this, is that when I trace the anger back or try to find who I am angry with… It is God.  Which of course makes me aware that in this instance… I am thinking of God in the Christian sense.  Old bearded white guy sitting on a throne somewhere. So this is my first clue that this anger is being held by my adolescent-self.  And he doesn’t think God played fair!  Life would be so much easier if I didn’t have to deal with being gay, or connecting to my spiritual journey in a unique way!  If I could just look and be like the majority… If I could conform… If I fit in… Life would be easier! I think one of the things that reminded me of this was yesterday I was doing a video blog.  I heard myself say,...

Solo Retreat: Day 6

I am going home later today.  The last crystal grid here at Spirit Skies is “Contentment”.  The crystals in this grid represent Contentment, breathing, relaxation, joyful, peace, stability, belonging, communication, decisive, and beauty. It is interesting to be thinking about leaving.  There are parts of me that are ready and can’t wait to be back at home with Fito, my amazing husband, our dog Archie and to just sleep in my own bed!  There is so much I appreciate about my life… Perhaps even more as a result of stepping away from it. There is also a part of me that is in fear that I won’t be able to hold on to the piece and tranquility I have found this past week.  That some of the clarity and resolve that was found so easily here in nature…, will be lost in the day-to-day grind that is our lives. Just sitting with this today makes me aware that once again, my mind wanted to make this retreat a destination, and not simply part of the journey.  I can see how I had invested a lot of energy into thinking that this retreat would “change” everything that felt out of alignment.  That my problems would be solved and I would have clarity of direction. The truth is… We all probably need to give ourselves a week, once a year to de-stress!  We need to find a way to slow down, check out and let our minds clear.  This is not a destination… This is PART of the journey.  The gift of time to ourselves is priceless. I leave here more...

Judith

There is change afoot. It is time to celebrate and time to reflect. We are preparing to celebrate the 4th Anniversary of becoming “a center for intentional living”… the birth of Storm Wisdom. So, it is easy to focus on how different it feels now, than when we first opened our doors or any of the annual celebrations we have hosted since. It is a magical time for us… yet there is also a bit of melancholy too. You see, when I was inspired to create Storm Wisdom, I was woefully unconnected with the spiritual community in the Phoenix area. I had been doing a lot of my own spiritual growth work through seminars and retreats offered by “Lucid Living”. However, most of these were held in California, Mexico or Canada. (BTW… Lucid Living has an all new membership website, offering their amazing teachings and materials at www.LucidLiving.net). Which meant I had a strong community of support. Just not here in Phoenix. However, as I would tell people about my dream of what I wanted to create, they would tell me about places in the valley, where they thought someone was doing something similar. “Angel’s Serenity”, “Lightworker’s Gifts”, “Rainbows from Heaven”, and “A Peace of the Universe”, were all places that people pointed me towards. The first time I went to “A Peace of the Universe”. They were closed! It was a Monday. As I stood outside the door of this well-hidden space, I thought to myself… “I don’t know how long they have been open, but they will NEVER survive in this location! I had driven around the...

Changing the Past

Process, process, process! It seems that everyday there is a new awareness for me in my ever evolving journey toward enlightenment! More these days, than ever before, the lessons, language, messages and insights are starting to come together in a way that might make sense. IF… I pay attention or at least stay open to all that is unfolding. This week, I have been witnessing old behaviors and coping mechanisms. They reveal how they have hindered my personal desires for shifts and change… with the realization that they have been with me for a LONG time. These are the ways that I thought I was coping or even growing in the context of some situations. In reality… Not so much! Let me describe a couple that have come up this week. The first is replaying or rerunning a situation or conversation over and over in my mind! Most of the time, when I catch myself doing this, I am aware that it has been going on for awhile. By the time I catch what I am doing… I am emotionally on edge. I feel tense or angry, frustrated, martyred, or.., (any number of other feelings)! This week, I found myself reliving an e-mail I received 6 or 7 years ago! In the e-mail a manager from another area in the company, basically said some things that felt disrespectful. And my boss who was copied on it.., responded in a way that felt like my options for retaliation were limited. So here I am, years later still crafting the response that would make me feel superior. The response that would...

Birds of a Feather

As I sit here contemplating where to begin, my mind is drawn to the past. In times like these, when I sense or feel change coming my way.., one of the things I am aware of, from my past, is impatience! I guess I always considered myself a “change manager”. Mostly because the changes that I was aware of were external (moves, relationships starting or ending, new jobs, mergers, etc.). So, my goal was to get in front of the situation and attempt to control the outcome or impact of the change. My impatience came from being able to see the vision of what I thought would be the best outcome for me AND doing everything I could to ensure it happened my way! And yes… I know how arrogant and self-serving that sounds. It is also true. However, if like me, you believed that these changes were inevitable.., then why not maximize the return on your investment of time, money, love, boredom, location, or <fill-in-the-blank>! It was always a very calculated process. A game if you will, and I was impatient to see if I was going to get my way… if I was going to win! Fast forward to this time in my life… What happens when the changes that I feel coming are internal ones? What do you do, when there is no vision of what is to be… When the change is not a job or relationship or move? What happens when the change is “how you live, breathe and walk around in your own skin”? It is hard to be impatient for a change...

Blocks That Matter

Earlier this week, I was working with a crystal (Picasso Jasper), in preparation for a workshop. The properties of this particular crystal were stimulating creativity, dissolving blockages to our creativity, and helping to move beyond excuses! What has really stuck in my mind was the awareness… That we only create blockages for the things we really care about or that “matter” to us! Isn’t that profound? On one level I know this so well. On another, it makes it so clear that each day the things we spend our time and energy on, are the things that we manifest! You see we all have ideas, dreams, desires, hopes, visions, images, and thoughts for our possible futures. However it is the ones we continually revisit or where we invest our thoughts and emotions, that we are creating. If you have a thought.., (You see a cute puppy, and you think… Wouldn’t it be fun to be surrounded by puppies all the time!?!) and then the thought is gone. You may have planted a seed, however that does not mean anything will ever grow from this. However, if you have such a strong connection to animals and can’t see or imagine yourself doing anything other than caring for and being surrounded by them… That is a different scenario altogether! Then you begin to see animal related opportunities all around you. Your behavior around them has other people take notice. Caring for and interacting with them becomes a part of your conversations. Others who are drawn to animals take notice and start to share their own stories and connections with people and...

SBNR

Over the past couple of months, and then again this week, I have read articles about two varying sides of a debate. The subject is people who define themselves as “spiritual, but not religious”, or SBNR for short!. To simplify it… It goes something like this: People who are religious, believe that people who claim to be spiritual, but who don’t belong to a particular religion, lack the fortitude and discipline it requires to follow the tenants, expectations and guidelines of religion. As a result they lack the guidance and structure to have a strong moral fiber… and as a result, can be easily thrown off course and succumb to earthly temptations! They end up doing bad things because they don’t have the structure of religious teachings behind them. On the other side of this debate about SBNR people are the atheists who believe that people develop their moral fabric through family, community and education. They believe the decisions made between right and wrong or good and evil are part of each individuals character. They have a notion that the person who describes themselves as SNBR, is an atheist who is afraid of social disapproval or is someone who wants the “theoretical benefits of faith, including hope of eternal life, without the obligations of actually practicing a religion”. There was even a recent study out of England that theorized that “People who have a spiritual understanding of life in the absence of a religious framework are vulnerable to mental disorder.” ( Michael King, a professor at University College London). WOW! Once again, I find myself in the middle of...

It’s All About the Reframe

Oh my goodness… What an interesting and introspective week! It has been all about “the reframe”! You see, sometimes we (okay “I”) get caught up in the circumstances of our life. We start linking events, promises, people, situations, desires, challenges and all kinds of stuff together and we start sending messages to ourselves and building a story. Sometimes it is a great story and it is perfectly aligned with what we want to create in our life (at least for awhile). Other times… Not so much! The problem is once we start telling ourselves these stories… They become real. We know they are real because we have already assembled all the evidence and proof! If you’re anything like me, then you also have this keen ability to associate this new story to old ones you have told in the past… And suddenly you not only have a current perspective.., you also have confirmed, you have a pattern! Maybe these pattern are a good thing, when they have a positive impact. Something like… “Things always work out perfectly when I put my mind to it” or “Wow, it is easy for me to attract exactly what I need!”. What happens when the message we are giving ourselves, doesn’t feel positive? “See… It is hard to stay focused, I never create what I want.” Or “this has always been a weak area for me, there is nothing I can do to change it,”. Or one of my favorites… “Everything I have done was wasted… I am back to square one!”. When we are telling ourselves these stories, it can be challenging...