In this aspect, I also feel I may be like most.  I often felt like a square peg being stuffed into a round hole.

Really rather, I felt like a uniquely-me-shaped-me who didn’t necessarily fit the rigid containers seemingly designed as one-size-fits-all.

Did I suffer as a result of this experience?  No.  Not really.  Well, OK…by definition, maybe.
Were there times I tolerated?  Yes.
Were there times I felt subjected to situations or things less than pleasant?  Yes.
And did I choose to observe the qualities inherent in the toleration that led me to a brighter awareness of who I was in my greatest, most purest sense? Absolutely.

Through out our life experience, we’re given the opportunity to grow, to expand and to breathe into all that is possible within us.  We are limitless.  We are truly our own Genie inside the bottle…just waiting to give birth to our potential.

Parenting Woke Up Sleeping Aspects Within Me

When I became a parent, something new was ignited in me.

You Are Your Own Genie Inside the Bottle!

There was an aspect of my passion that was lit that day that has fueled my path well.

As I watched our son, Destin grow I could see his Brilliance, I could feel his JOY.  It was easy to see what he was passionate about.  And even if it wasn’t always exactly my passion, it turned me on to know I could nurture, encourage and foster those passions within him.  I knew that if I did that, I was doing well by him.

When he reached school age, we sent him to school.  The conventional way.  The way his father and I had experienced.  After all, we turned out OK. This would work for him too.

And it would have worked fine, I’m sure.

But there was something deep down within me that knew that for Destin, there was a better (different) way.

Guided by Passion

We chose to home school Destin after he finished first grade and we’ve been enthusiastically following that path ever since.  He’s now an excelling, passionate Sophomore who loves his life and enjoys creating his experience (with guidance from his passionate, committed parents) his own way.  He knows who he is. He’s confident and assured.  He’s sensitive.  He’s kind.  He’s funny.  Is he doing everything exactly as I wish he would? No. Am I confident that he’s doing it all in harmony with his becoming?  Yes. And that’s enough.

Best of all?  Destin gets that HE creates his reality, his experience, his Joy.  And he knows he’s fully supported in doing so.

I came across this quote from Resa Steindel Brown this morning in an interview she did when CBS News did a recent story on Home Schooling~

Each child is born with the seeds of their own brilliance. ~Resa Steindel Brown, Author of The Call to Brilliance, A True Story to Inspire Parents & Educators

I agree with Resa wholeheartedly!  And where ever we are in our journey through life, we owe it to ourselves to nurture those seeds of Brilliance within.  We are blessed and born to shine!

The Greatest Blessing

More than anything, what being a home schooling parent has afforded me is my

• steadfast commitment to following my passion,
• leading my life with JOY from the inside out,
• continually tapping ever more deliciously deeper into my own unique brilliance,
• and expressing that more fully day by day.

By committing to home schooling Destin, I’ve committed to my own lifelong expression of my Brilliance.

Home schooling gives me permission to follow my bliss and holds me accountable to being a walking example of what I hold to be true.

This path has been one of the greatest blessings of my life.

What do I know for sure?

I know that it’s never too late to follow your passions.  It’s never too late to write a new story, to dream a new dream, to create a new reality…one that you cherish, adore, thrive on and find magically delicious in every way.

Your book is yet unwritten.  What will you fill your pages with?

Every day upon waking, ask yourself…

• What JOY will bubble forth today?
• What do I choose to create today?
• What will I engage in today that makes my heart sing?

Creating your day in this way is bound to bring you exactly where you want to be.

Is it that easy? I believe it is.

(Beliefs are just thoughts we keep on thinking.)

Here are a few I repeat often:

• Life is Good…and getting GREATer all the time.
• JOY is mine.  Always.  All ways.
• Ease and Flow as my guides, JOY my true north, Life amazes me with its goodness.
• I’m awesome.  :)  (…like that one?)

What are some thoughts you keep thinking that have turned into Happy Power Beliefs in your life?

Shine on, Brilliant Ones!

Photo Credit

The vision was intensely powerful.  As I considered how I could share that with all of you the intensity of the water sounds grew in my mind and I felt my heart pouring over with qualities of gratitude, love, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, peace, joy, trust…these qualities just continued to flow abundantly and surely.

I sat with this experience for a moment.  I felt the ecstasy of the vision; the feeling of the cool, clean water washing over me; gently caressing my cares away, tenderly nurturing my God Self.  I started to feel each of you entering the pool, one by one experiencing the bliss of the moment.  Each of you allowing the pulse of the waterfall to fill your senses, giving new life to your cells, regenerating your aliveness.  As I watched this in my mind’s eye I observed the glow of brilliance shining all around.  I saw love growing, I saw peace flowing and every soul’s knowing.  I saw the purity of each and every soul, each in your own unique nature being embraced by All; connected by the ONEness of creation.

In this moment I am completely immersed in euphoric bliss.  I’m envisioning now that each of you are immersed as well…cradled in the womb of Mother Ocean…the origin of birth, the origin of creation where all is possible.

Thank you for appearing in my vision for New Year’s Eve ~ Water Wisdom Wednesday.

This New Year’s Eve…and forevermore, may each and every one of you be blessed with the purity of water, the life giving qualities of water.  May you feel the steadfast, gentle yet ever powerful qualities of water at work in your lives.  May you recognize water’s gifts both physically and symbolically and receive them to your highest good.  On this New’s Year’s Eve I wish you ease and grace as the flow of 2008 washes away and the tide of 2009 sweeps the sands of promise; bringing with it all that you dream it to be.

As an added treat I found this video for you to enjoy.  As you watch, perhaps you can imagine the vision we just walked through and taste the sweetness once more.

Peace, Love and Harmony…
Blessed Happy New Year!!  ~Debra

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Changing Water, Changing Lives ~ Vitalize with Alkaline Antioxidant Water by IonWays.

YES!  Is my unequivocal answer. Yes, my personal involvement with animals has helped me become more sensitive (aware) of the energy I flow.  And I’ve observed, even facilitated this with many others as well.

From little on I have been blessed with the awareness of energy, how it flows, how it effects or influences change.  I also grew up understanding the deep connection we have with the creature kingdom.  One of my favorite things to do to this day is to tune in to an animals spirit (my dog, cat, a bird, a spider, even a gorilla once!) and listen for the messages he/she wants to share in the moment.

Two of my most dear and deeply respected friends work with horses and people…teaching people the language of equus, the language of the horse.  Horses have much to teach us about partnership, trust, unconditional love, leadership and forgiveness.   Experiencing this connection first hand strengthens one’s knowing, if there was ever any doubt, the power of energy, intention and how energy flows, creates and manifests itself outwardly.

Both Anna and Franklin are the real deal.  They get it.  Their integrity and understanding of the horse/human connection is truly inspirational.  I’ve worked side by side, personally with both of them as well as watched them in action with others. Their work is magical, transformational and empowering. Franklin Levinson exudes “horse whisperer” from head to toe, heart and soul.  Anna Twinney’s work extends beyond general horse world themes as she is first and foremost a remarkable horse trainer…who also just happens to use Reiki healing energy, flower essences and animal communication in her work.

The language of horses holds so much wisdom.  I’d love for you to visit my podcast site;  “In Horse Harmony~dancing in partnership with horse and human” is an expression of my passion for this very topic.  Within the podcasts you’ll find interviews with amazing people who deeply understand this connection; who deeply understand the energy flow at work in our lives.

Because of my love for all animals, not just horses, you’ll also find interviews with animal communicators and even a few with Reiki energy healers.

Both Franklin and Anna are featured in many interviews.  In fact, over the last year Anna and I teamed up and did shows together.  I hope you’ll have a listen!  Whether we’re dog or horse people or not, there’s much to be learned within this “arena”.  :0)

In addition to the podcasts I’ve also posted some of my experiences with animal connection/animal communication.

I’m grateful to the Creature Kingdom for being such an incredible, wise and gentle teacher!  And I’m grateful for each and every one of us who sees the connection, learns from the wisdom and shares it with others.

Peace & Love in Harmony…  Debra

* This post was inspired by a friend from Intent.com,  Jeanette Maw in her post entitled:  “Dog Whisperer Wisdom for Manifesters”.

It’s always a positive, vibrationally charged atmosphere…ever evolving depending on the energy in the room…and just plain “what’s up” for people. There’s no agenda, no program to follow…we just flow in enlightened conversation around what ever comes up.

This past Monday was especially charged. I don’t know why exactly, except we all know there’s been an abundant resource of material around us to respond to!

We somehow (it happens quite easily and frequently to be honest) got on the subject of Abraham (go figure, just happens to be one of my favorite topics). We were discussing the difference between Upstream and Downstream in sync with Abraham’s teachings.

I was in the middle of my lively dissertation on the subject when the other Deb of “Deb and Deb” jumped in enthusiastically and started singing, “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.

OMG!!!!! Seriously!! Have you ever considered the consciousness and profundity of that one little nursery rhyme?? Go on, sing it out loud right now…and sing it in the frame of complete consciousness! Now THIS could be our new Global Anthem!! :0)

We had SOOO much fun with this the rest of the evening…later when the conversation turned to the topic of “Why do people always tend to ask, “What do you DO?” I couldn’t help myself! I started laughing like the inner child I am and said…oh, this is good!! Listen to this! …and here’s what followed:

My Conversation with Someone:

“So…what do you DO?”, said Someone.

“Well…I used to row, row, row my boat; but now I flow, flow, flow my boat!”, I replied.

“What exactly do you mean?”, Someone inquired.

“You know! I FLOW my boat, GENTLY DOWN the stream.”, I said.

“Huh??? Wait, but HOW?”, came Someone’s still quizzical nature.

“Well, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, of course!”, I smiled.

“Seriously??!!?? What kind of company allows people to DO that????”, expounded Someone.

“LIFE IS BUT A DREAM”, I kindly shared!

~~~HAH~~~ :0) Isn’t that just the best? Next time “someone” asks you, “What do you DO?” try this one on them! If nothing else it will inspire some laughter which is some of the best medicine around right now!

In the meantime… Flow Gently, with Grace and Ease, Downstream…ever merrily rejoicing, Life is but a Dream!

In the Flow of Love, Light & Harmony,

Debra