Pretty cool

So, I had a really cool experience with one of my Reiki clients this past week and wanted to share it:

Reiki is an amazing energy--something that even I, as a practitioner of it, forget. My last client, however, gave me a great example of it's power to help and heal.

My client came into her appointment with a headache that she had had for hours. I assured her he would work on the at the beginning of the appointment so she could gain some relief. Well, I focused on her head for quite a bit and she actually drifted off to sleep for a bit--(just shows how relaxing a Reiki treatment is). Half-way through the treatment or so I had her turn over onto her stomach so I could treat her back. At this point I checked in to see how she was feeling and about her headache--it was gone! Nice. 35 minutes into a treatment and total relief. I LOVE when that happens.

At the end of the treatment I usually draw the Reiki power symbol on the soles of the client's feet in order to ground them (so when they get up they aren't spacey). In this case, though, I kept being drawn to her hands. I normally don't Reiki a client's hands--so I ignored it. Still, I was drawn to do something for her hands--so I drew the power symbol over each hand and then told her her treatment was now complete. She immediately started touching her hands together saying, "Man, my hands are on fire!" I asked her if that was just now happening and she replied that it was. Then I told her that I just drew the Power Symbol in the palms of her hands which is why they would feel hot right now. Again, that was such a cool experience for me! It just shows the power Reiki has. The Power symbol actually activates the healing energy of Reiki and revs it up essentially--which is why it made sense that her hands felt like they were on fire--pretty neat, huh?

That's all I have to share for now--I just wanted to let others know how cool and REAL Reiki is. It is powerful stuff.

Class

So, Sunday I had my first Reiki I class--as in I actually TAUGHT the class. It was great! I will admit that it was a very small class, but my own Reiki teacher told me she only had one student attend her first class, so I was happy to have two. :-)

I was really grateful that my younger brother attended as it was a good feeling having his support for my first class. Funny enough, he didn't really know what he was getting into (he thought he was going to get a Reiki treatment and ended up getting certified as a Level I practitioner)--but he just went with the flow.

At first I was disappointed that more people didn't turn out, but in the end I was happy the class was small. It allowed me to get my feet wet and see what worked and what didn't.

I know going forward, now, what to expect and how to better prepare. I had several people who wanted to attend, but could not, so I'm looking forward to a fuller class next time around.

I have to admit, though, that teaching the material was a lot more draining that I anticipated! Being the focus for 4 hours is a lot of responsibility---if anything, it gives me a lot more respect for people who do this for a living.

Anyway, I just wanted to report on this since I was very proud of myself and my new venture. I think it is a step in the right direction and that I will continue to grow my little Reiki practice.

Oh, and check out my website if you haven't already done so--it has great info on Reiki!

Remedy Reiki Website

Facebook---

So, I think Facebook can be a good thing or a bad thing---depending upon how often you use it and for what purposes.

Last week, I found out how it can be a bad thing--not for me specifically, but for my friends.

So, I have two friends (not JUST two friends, but you know what I mean)---both of whom I met in L.A. and at the time were BFF's with each other--born and raised in the same town, grew-up together, blah blah blah.

Long story short--a few years ago they had a horrible falling out. Horrible---with one friend taking an extreme turn into a Witch with a 'B' towards the other---let's name them "M" and "A"---so A became the big "B" towards M (man this is going to get confusing)

Okay...so anyway...fast forward to last week. They haven't spoken in years. The last words between them were horrible and mean emails (mostly from A to M) but now with Facebook they can kinda spy on each other. However, since they are not "friends" on Facebook they don't send messages to one another.

Unless...someone like myself posts a comment to which an answer is appropriate---and M responds to my comment to which A (both of them are my friends on FB, but not eachother's as I mentioned) decides this is her big opportunity to let "M" have it.

And she did.

Suddenly there is a crazy comment to my comment aimed at M--full on. It went something like this:

"M, you're such a poser! Why haven't you given me back my champagne flutes from my wedding? Why are you holding on to them! I can't believe that you did that. You were a lousy maid of honor and a lousy friend, too."

Wow. When I saw that up on my profile page I just froze. Do I delete it and hope M never saw it? Do I write to M to warn her? So, I just deleted the whole thing and hoped nothing would happen.

I was wrong.

A emails me apologizing, but saying she had to let the "whole world" know how awful M is. I respond nonchalantly as I don't want to stir up anything.

However, later that night when M see's the email with the comment on it from Facebook (FB sends you status updates if you want) she calls me, twice, and leaves a message while crying.

Good Lord.

I call her back to console her--but this is crazy. And sad. I have to admit, I am on M's side...A is behaving like a teenager and she's 35!

Whatever.

Just a warning, though, FB can be dangerous.

To Teach or not To Teach?

I believe in signs.

Not in any extreme--I take most things with a grain of salt; however, if something keeps coming up in my life then I usually step back and ask why that is.

Have you ever had a subject come up and up and yet you keep setting it aside? Only to have it show up in your life again? For me, it has been teaching. I have gone back and forth about my career choice when I graduate. I researched different schools (private) and their method of teaching. I looked at how to get my degree in teaching, etc. Eventually, though, the reality of how little teachers make (in many cases, less than I am now) made me put the idea of teaching back up on the shelf.

But then it just kept showing up in my life. I just recently learned that DU has an accelerated program for graduates to get their teaching license and do their student teaching and be ready to enter a classroom as a new teacher--in only 9 months! I also came across the Teach For America program months ago and was really interested. It's a paid form of volunteering for Americorps--only you teach. Check it out HERE ---I took it off my radar and then low and behold it shows up AGAIN. My mom saw a whole story on it on the news in fact.

It just keeps presenting itself, this teaching thing, so I figure, maybe I should really consider it. I told a friend about the salary issue (as in I want to make a decent one) and she told me about some private schools that pay upwards of 60 to 70K a year! I had no idea that even existed.

So, here I am again...thinking, maybe I WILL do this when I graduate. Why not, right? So...I'll let the idea "marinate" for awhile and see what happens. I think I will get an answer if I contemplate, meditate and pray on it enough.

Or, I could just check some oracle cards....like THESE.

:-)

Seriously, though...keep me in your thoughts and prayers about this...I have always felt that if we bug God enough, he has to answer us ;-).

Blessings,

N

1,2,3...follow me!

So, I am really interested in who really reads and follows my blog...which sounds stupid, but it helps me to know what to put up on here (and what *not* to...tee-hee...kidding.).

Anyway, the great thing about blogger is they have the option of "following" blogs...if you read my blog and want to know when I put something new up (as opposed to constantly checking back) please click "follow" on the right side of the screen under my slide show. That way, I have a better idea of who reads this--other than the zillion tweeners who find the picture I posted of "Edward Cullen" from the twilight movie in Google images and just click to see that and swoon and leave. Seriously, have you noticed how many people have visited my blog? Over 12,000 I think. Not even I have that many friends---;-)

Thanks everyone!

N

Help out!! Please--it's good for your Karma bank!!

My lovely sister, Jama,(pictured above) has been preparing a beautiful benefit concert for Women for Women International for two years--the concert will be held next month in Manhattan at Carneige Hall.

Sadly, with the downturn of the financial world many people have held back with giving to charities and attending benefits.

The concert, appropriately entitled, "Baroque Heart" will still go on; however, Jama has kindly asked me to reach out to others who, although unable to attend the concert in person, would like to donate to the benefit: Women For Women.

ANY donation helps--seriously, $1, $5, $10---obviously the more the better--but this organization needs your help. All donations benefit the Women for Women International organization and are tax deductible! But c'mon...you have $5 to spare, right? To help out the cause? I know you do....just skip the Starbucks today..besides, you'll get it back next year after you file your taxes!

Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. Since 1993, Women for Women International has directly assisted more than 93,000 women and has distributed nearly $32 million in direct aid and microcredit loans. It currently operates in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sudan. www.womenforwomen.org

Anyway, if you can find it in your heart to give to this benefit...thank you! You can donate securely and on-line by going to the link below.

Thank you! Oh, and for more information about the concert itself, I have left the description of it after the link.


Unable to attend the concert but would like to make a tax deductible donation? Making a contribution is easy and secure just click on the following link to donate by credit card https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/2099.


~ Please join us for an elegant evening of Baroque music
to benefit women survivors of war around the world ~



Baroque Heart
Music of Purcell and Handel
Proceeds benefit Women for Women International

Jāma Jandroković, Soprano
Jory Vinikour, Harpsichord

March 10, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall
154 West 57th Street, New York, NY


Soprano Jāma Jandroković, recently heard at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in a "revolutionary" performance in the contemporary stage work Five Lovers, brings her "pearly tone" to the early music repertoire at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall for an evening of passionate Baroque songs and arias entitled Baroque Heart. Ms. Jandroković will be joined by Jory Vinikour, "an authentic poet of the harpsichord" whose "immaculate virtuosity" has partnered opera stars Cecilia Bartoli, David Daniels and Anne-Sophie von Otter. Couturier Mika Inatome, celebrated for her sumptuous haute-couture gowns, and jewelry designer Donna Distefano known for her exquisite hand-wrought, classical and medieval inspired gold works will create couture for Ms. Jandroković. Proceeds from the concert will benefit Women for Women International.

Tickets are $30 -$100 with student and senior discounts available.


To purchase tickets click here http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/events/evt_12380.html, or call the Carnegie Hall box office at (212) 247-7800 .

Unable to attend the concert but would like to make a tax deductible donation? Making a contribution is easy and secure just click on the following link to donate by credit card https://www.fracturedatlas.org/site/contribute/donate/2099.

The Baroque Heart Benefit Concert is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. We are grateful for the services of Fractured Atlas which allow us to receive online donations and distribute tax receipts for contributions to the Baroque Heart Benefit Concert. Contributions on behalf of the Baroque Heart Benefit Concert may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the

Thank you for supporting the arts and Women survivors of war and their families around the globe.

Soprano Jāma Jandroković has charmed audiences and critics with her clear, pure soprano and engaging stage presence. A versatile interpreter of song, she is equally at ease in early music, new music, Lieder, and Broadway. Native to the wind-swept plains of Wyoming, she has appeared in major international concert halls including Konzerthaus Berlin, The Croatian National Theater, Munich's Gasteig für Kultur, as well as New York City's Steinway Hall, Alice Tully Hall and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Critics and audiences have thrilled to her artistry, delighting in her "lovely lyric soprano and gift for poetry" [New York Newsday] and praising her "appealingly sweet" [Opera News] and "clear and beautiful voice" [Glamour Magazine Germany]. www.jamajandrokovic.com

Jory Vinikour is recognized as one of the outstanding harpsichordists of his generation. Born in Chicago, Jory came to Paris in 1990 on a scholarship from the Fulbright Foundation to study with Huguette Dreyfus and Kenneth Gilbert. First Prizes in the International Harpsichord Competitions of Warsaw (1993) and the Prague Spring Festival (1994) brought him to the public's attention, and he has since appeared with leading orchestras and in festivals and concert series throughout much of the world. Increasingly known as an accompanist, he has appeared extensively in recital with artists including David Daniels and Anne Sofie von Otter, with whom he recorded Music for a While for Deutsche Grammophon. www.joryvinikour.com

Women for Women International provides women survivors of war, civil strife and other conflicts with the tools and resources to move from crisis and poverty to stability and self-sufficiency, thereby promoting viable civil societies. Since 1993, Women for Women International has directly assisted more than 93,000 women and has distributed nearly $32 million in direct aid and microcredit loans. It currently operates in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and Sudan. www.womenforwomen.org

Spinsterhood...?? Not yet.

This has been on my mind a lot lately and I figured I should might as well get it out there. Besides, it seems to be "the elephant in the room" whenever I am around certain people and I might as well address it.

This topic was sparked by a conversation from my "paramour" or as I refer to him among friends, "Pseudo Boyfriend" and now just "Pseudo Steve". Anyway, I get this call from him this morning while at work and he declares that I have to visit to Utah. Whhhaaat? I am a bit perplexed. A part of me is thinking, okay, he is based out of Salt Lake (he is a pilot for Delta--he flies from Denver to his "base" as he prefers to live here) so maybe he wants me to go visit some of his pilot buddies in Park City? Of course I was WAY wrong.

No, no, he thinks I will have to marry a Mormon therefore to find a Mormon one must visit Utah. That's all there is to it and I won't be happy otherwise. In retrospect this is funny, but at the moment I was offended. He knows I love my Mormon family and friends, but I'm afraid that I would never be happy married to one. ---I know, I know, many of you think otherwise, but trust me on this one, k? But this is not what I really want to blog about---it's the fact that my own "pseudo bf" thinks my "clock is ticking" and I need to hurry up and jump on the wedding train.

I'm really tired of this. I mean, I'm 28, not 48 and I have plenty of time to have kids and have a happily married life. What is more annoying is that Steve actually told me he would marry me "in a second" if I didn't want kids. But, I do and he doesn't so we have this bizarre situation where we are best friends with some extras and know that eventually we will part ways romantically. Fair enough. But it sucks that we have this disconnect. However, that's life.

So because of this understanding he and I have, he is "looking" out for me---wanting me to be happy and comes up with stupid ideas like this. Now, some of you are thinking, "well, if he really loved you he would...blah blah blah." Listen. Our relationship is far too complicated to explain here, but let's just say I have no doubt about his feelings for me, but realize he is aware of too many practical differences between us to ever make it work in a marital way--and I agree.

Anyway, I would be lying if I said, "I don't care about getting married" of COURSE I care. I so want that someday--a great, successful and loving husband, maybe a couple kids and a beautiful home--however, I am NOT in husband-hunting mode nor will I jump on the "clock-ticking bandwagon" so many near-thirty women hop onto out here. (yes, and it is only in certain parts of the country--in NYC or L.A. for example---TOTALLY different... WOMEN are closer to 40 when they marry there).

The thing is, I'm sorting out some stuff in my life--I'm back in school to FINALLY finish my degree, I'm starting to feel more comfortable in my spirituality and I'm finally learning who Nancy is. Not Nancy the Mormon or Nancy the youngest daughter or Nancy the black-sheep. Just me, just Nancy--and I like what I'm discovering. As I have explained to many, I am in a "cocoon" phase to reemerge a butterfly when I am good and ready. That may be 1 year or 3, but when I do I think I will be in the position to attract the perfect partner--soul mate and helpmate and husband. So, that's my story. That's why I am NOT pursuing dating or "getting out there" or joining match.com...I'm just doing my own thing.

And that suits me for now.

On a funnier note--my bf texted me a hilarious incident that occurred to her while she went inside her office building. While entering the door she came across a very handsome young man and smiled, however, as the door opened a huge gust of wind assaulted her and managed to blow open her wrap dress to reveal her semi-nakedness to aforementioned hot guy. Awesome. Embarrassing, but hilarious.

Have a happy day.