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Coming to Camp Etna
Sunday afternoon.
Rainy and cold.
All alone.
What a lovely day.
The heater is on low here at our cottage in Camp Etna, aka ESA; Etna Spiritualist Association. I welcomed last week's 90 degree temps for our first week back in the not-so-frigid north. I may have grown up in Maine but the last 19 winters in Florida have caused my blood to thin-out. I don't like cold weather unless I have a heater or thermal underwear and both is best. This coming week's weather is supposed to be rainy and cold. I spent my first 35 years in Maine and should expect cold and rainy any time of the year.
Don, my 4th husband, is in Bangor with his motorcycle buddy working on his 1965 Honda Dream. I love how excited Don gets about things he holds dear, and motorcycles are definitely dear to him. I wouldn't make him choose between me and motorcycles, in fact, I wouldn't make him choose between me and anything. Our life together is so perfect I don't have to or want to change a thing. I love everything about him just the way he is. When we first got together I set my boundaries, and, thus far, he has respected them, well. I explained to him early in our relationship I do not threaten, I do not get even, I simply go away after fair notice. He respects me and my wishes and believes he has been waiting for me his entire life. That's good enough for both of us;)
I haven't written anything on my web for quite sometime. Life has simply been too busy. Since I began chiropractic care last December and followed a relatively restrictive nutritious diet my health has been fantastic. My digestive system continues to heal as long as I am careful to only taste things I know are hard to digest; sugar, gluten and dairy. I may have a few handfuls of popcorn, or a sip of Don's beer, if it is something special. I can drink a small glass of wine once a month, or so, and have gluten free pancakes with real maple syrup once in a Blue Moon (now's there's a beer I'll take a sip of;) I eat lots of veggies, and, fortunately I can eat fruit again.
Two summers ago was a painful-completely-sugar-free-time-without-fruit but worth the trouble to eliminate the sugar addiction and the Candida yeast running rampant in my body. I was experiencing shingles regularly back in 2009 and I don't miss those pesky itchy painful patches at all! It's been months since I have had any palpitations or dizziness or any of the symptoms of food intolerances. I don't call them food allergies for a couple of reasons; one, I can have a little bit of them once in awhile now without problems and, two, I believe in the Law of Attraction. If I say, "I am sick with something" or "I have a disease of some sort" I know these thoughts are frequencies I use to create my world. If I recognize I have a digest system I should be careful of, and that I should watch what we eat, then I am able to heal at a deeper level. We should all watch what we eat as this body we live in is the only one we've got.
Which brings me to the spider bite. I still have my smiley face scar but I now look at the entire experience in a different and very healing manner. Spider energy is powerful medicine and one story in Native American teachings has one swallowing the spider. Though my nearly life-ending brown recluse spider bite caused years of uncomfortable symptoms, I realize now I not only “swallowed” the spider, I chewed it up, digested it and learned from it! I still test positive for the venom which I have learned to use to teach and heal at deeper and higher levels.
Speaking of healing, I became a Stone Carrier for the Nemenhah Tribe and study their medicine wheel and practice ceremony. It has been a joy to write prayers to honor the four directions and where I am going with my life. It has brought my spiritual healing practice to a new level. Being a card carrying Medicine Woman of the Nemenhah Tribe also gives me protection should anyone accuse me of practicing healing illegally. I am now protected under the Rights of Religious Practices Freedom Act of 1991.
I left my garden of herbs in Florida with a soaker hose and timer hoping to return to a healthy garden which nearly surrounds my home in the springs. I hope they survive the summer. Living where the Fountain of Youth draws its water source has to be good for me and my plants. I discovered a news article this morning about a gas station a mile away from my Florida home whose gas tanks had been ruptured by the state in 1986 while they were widening the road. They are hoping to clean up the gasoline currently lurking under the surface making it's way to the springs before it's too late.
I hope we can clean up the whole earth before it's too late, but, that is my lifelong dream. John F. Kennedy said, “One man can make a difference and every man should try.” I am sure John meant women should try too and I am doing everything I can. Feminine Energy is critical to our survival.
I attended a 4 day Qi Gong Conference in Orlando at the beginning of May. Four 12 hour days of Qi gong deepened the level of my practice and also helped my oldest son, Joshua, shift into high gear with his practices. He's been teaching yoga and doing Qi gong for a few years now and he says after the classes with Jeff Primack in May he really understands and feels the Qi so much more. I am very glad Josh and I did the classes together as he is going through some difficult times. I know the practices help me make it through the dark days with a bright light of the good in my life. He is learning to focus on his great job and the fact we have need for a manager at the trailer park is allowing him to relocate to DeLand, start a a new life and help me in mine. We bought Lakeside Village Mobile Home Park last October and need an on site manager. Josh can make good money at MGM and enhance his music, taking time to write, play and record. Watching our children cope with the challenges of life is never easy, but, I am certain he will be fine on his journey through these times.
My youngest son, Jason, completed his thesis for his master's degree in science education from Cornell University and is working for Odyssey Expeditions again this summer, teaching science and sailing and diving in the British Virgin Islands. When he returns in the fall he has another teaching job lined up with a company called Ocean Classroom Foundation. He'll be teaching marine biology on a tall masted schooner. He is quite excited about life and so is his brother. I am extremely proud of both of my sons. Life is so much more enjoyable when your kids are doing well, right moms?
Our trip north this year was great fun, and since I love to travel, we left Florida on my birthday! We stopped in Nags Head and visited Kitty Hawk and then went on to spend Memorial Day weekend with dear friends, Karen King and Tootsie in Norfolk. Don, Karen and I spent an afternoon at ARE (Association for Research and Enlightenment; Edgar Cayce's place:) and heard a wonderful talk on dreams. The presenter told us to try to stay in bed when we wake in the morning to help remember our dreams and, how to understand and remember them. Recalling the plot and our feelings during the dream can tell us a lot about ourselves. After the Dream Talk we had dinner at a great restaurant in Virginia Beach and returned to ARE for a discussion by Dr. Shoep on head and back pain. I was delighted to find most of his talk centered around nutrition. He could have been reading from my web site! It makes me feel great knowing so many are spreading the word. As my friend, C. Norman Shealy says, “The future of American health care does not lie in the hands of the medical industry it lies in the hands of the American people.” So good to know people are beginning to change their typical American diet! They'll live longer and be healthier!
My first week here in Etna was spent planting and getting Camp Etna ready for the summer season. It opens with the Creative Awakening Weekend, July 1,2 & 3. I have helped Rev Bob Johnstone with this event on 3 previous occasions. I enjoy his Butterfly Art and absolutely LOVE teaching energy exercises to help participants' creative energies move! It promises to be a wonderful summer.
I have taken advantage of the cold and rain these past few days to get caught up on writing, posting photos to Facebook, catching up on emails and working on this web site. If we all talk about things we are doing and can do to heal ourselves and the earth we can make a difference!
Have a great summer!
Blessings of Peace and Many Smiles,
Diane