Gratitude makes me feel ALIVE!

For those who know me and come to see me regularly, I am oh so grateful for your flexibility last month! I gifted my little sister Rachel with the role of doula at her daughter's recent birth. With the way birth goes and the unknown plans of her old little soul, Maggie Marie, we were eagerly awaiting labor to start for about 3 weeks! Thus, my life was kind of up in the air during this time. Rachel's 1st labor went right on time, so there was some hope that this one would be the same, if not early! Little Maggie had her own plans though. 10 days past her due date some labor pains started, however Rachel was not very dilated. We ended up making 2 trips to the hospital. Over 48 hours of labor, her husband, Alan and I stayed with her. Rachel had an emergency c-section with her first born, Jackson, and intended to have a VBAC this time around.

I must admit that I've attended 3 births as a doula and not one of them went according to plan-- and two ended up as c-sections. I had a burning desire to witness a vaginal birth other than my own homebirth. My sister Rachel is an amazing manifestor! She was so bound and determined to have this baby naturally that she switched from a regular OBGYN to a midwife practice just 8 weeks before her due date! This turned out to be the RIGHT decision! 

Long story short, I was able to witness the birth of my 9lb 4 oz niece vaginally and it was a truly miraculous experience! I am absolutely smitten with this little cherub!

During that waiting time, I was reminded of the delicacy of life. Each moment is SO very sacred. Losing my sister suddenly really hounded in the importance of appreciating each and every moment!

Here I am, completely in love with this new little being. THIS is the stuff that life is made out of! 

After Maggie's birth and 3 weeks of sleeping lightly-- 2 nights of barely any sleep-- I REALLY appreciated getting my Zzzz's!!! I went through nowhere near the sleep deprivation that my sister did, but as a single mom running a healing practice, I definitely felt maxed out energetically! After a few weeks, I'm back to normal energy levels. I'm OH SO GRATEFUL to all those women that act as doulas and midwives. It's truly a powerful calling and amazing offering to the world!

May you all find appreciation for the little things in your life....as every little breath we take is an awesome reminder of the sacredness of this thing we call LIFE!

What's the point of trying healing work?

What's the point? (Yep, let's just be blunt and upfront!)

I'm making a post about this in an upfront way because the Toltec way inspires me. Life is too short to candy coat things! I have heard a lot of people talk about how much they are spending on healthcare or having to spend upfront before they have no co-pays or can use their flex-spending. In the back of my mind I'm thinking, "So if these people choose to take their health into their own hands and get to the root cause-- then why aren't they choosing to come to people like me and do just that"? I will admit that"I" as healer have NOTHING to do with their healing. Their own belief in their ability do heal does. I am conduit for their own faith, and that's it!

We all have stress in our lives, hence each one of our minds and hearts could use a little healing. The human journey is just that-- a process of imperfection discovering its own faulty flawlessness ;). Our physical lives not only get cluttered with stuff, but so do our minds, bodies and hearts. Just like we clean our external environment and take care of our physical health and well-being-- we also need to take care of the state of our mind and heart.

The modalities offered at Inner Bloom-- Reiki, Metamorphic, Reflexology and Yoga therapy all clear the psyche, heart and body of excess clutter. A lot of us take time to clear our physical environment or focus on maintaining our physical health and well-being. Regular clearing of the mind and heart also keep us in pure alignment with our true state: peace and well-being.

I have been working with those who are committed to really devoting the time, money and energy to keeping themselves clear and seeing what an amazing effect it has on overall health, happiness and well-being! Chronic illness, psychological stress and emotional heaviness begin to release and in some cases disappear altogether! It is definitely an investment, an investment into your health and well-being on ALL levels. I know these services aren't covered by insurance, so for some that may mean skipping that nice meal out in favor of a session focused on healing YOU!

For me self growth is a passion! In college I chose to take my spending money and buy an unlimited monthly yoga pass and take Reiki courses in the summer. Hey, that was my fun! I wasn't a bar hopper-- but a self-healing workshop hopper ;-). And to this day I will take extra money and go to a workshop or class in lieu of a night of dinner and debauchery with the girls or a mani-pedi!

Motherhood has made self healing and personal growth an even stronger focus, as I want to be at my best for my daughter, Wren-- to set a good example and also offer her tools for her growth and well-being as she grows up!

This year has been one of tremendous growth and leaps of faith, like trying out a wellness practice and realizing that it just wasn't the right fit, because there wasn't complete support or belief in all the modalities I offer.

I recently tried to organize a Metamorphic Technique training in Rochester, bringing my teacher from London, UK all the way here to teach. However, after much effort, we just didn't have enough sign-ups to book the workshop. Letting it go took a few tries, but it felt so opening once i released it and realized this just wasn't the right time to host this training here-- not now!

Just last week, I organized my open house, an evening of art, healing, craft bazaar and socializing, all in an hour with ease and grace, getting Inner Bloom listed on the First Friday website as a venue! It's wonderful when things flow so gracefully and all works out. Makes you wonder why we fight the flow when something just isn't working?

The same goes for your draw to the services offered here or to working with me. When I gel with a client it's wonderful! My clients become like dear friends or family! I truly care about each one of you that works with me and want you to live your bliss-- your Highest most healthy version of yourSelf! This definitely takes dedication and commitment and it is beautiful to see it as it unfolds!

I love that quote, we are in each others' lives for a season, a reason, or a life-time. I definitely get attached and in my humanness feel sad when our seasons end, as they sometimes do, but I trust the process! And for those that are in my life or even practice for a longer haul, I so enjoy dancing the dance with you as I learn as much from you as you receive from coming in.

Everything truly does happen for a reason, and even though we don't always understand why, at least we get to enjoy the process and maybe someday on the road we get that clarity we once sought-- just maybe.

Peace, Love and Total TRUST in the Process!
Sarah ;-)

Giving in

We all go through "stuff". We all have stories.

We all go through daily ups and downs.

Yoga has taught me that the mind can play lots of "tricks"; it is truly like a wild horse that just wants to romp free... to think any which way.

Yes, the chaotic, untamed, wild-horsey of a mind is just a little, shall we say, cray-cray?!

A lot of clients and friends are telling me the past few weeks have been chaotic for them-- inside and out! Emotions and relationships are running wild. I have definitely felt that same turmoil bubbling and boiling in my mind, body and heart!

When the heat is turned up, there is a natural fight or flight instinct that comes up. When my students are in hip-openers or hamstring opening poses and some inversions, that same feeling of inner heat creates a desire to rush through the pose and just be done with it. BUT... this is when we need to hold-- be patient-- listen-- breathe and tap into that inner still, quiet place beneath the fire of release happening. I tell my students to be with the sensation and get out of the mind, because that is where all that struggle is occurring.

I tell you that life is like one long yoga pose. If we give into the mind and its impatience, we will fall out of our center, just like we want to consciously or subconsciously fall out of an intense asana in our practice.

Being a yogi is not about doing poses on a mat. A true yogi is ALWAYS doing yoga-- because it is a practice of the mind. If you are present with yourSelf in each moment, you are doing yoga.

The power and strength lies in the EVERY MOMENT presence. Ram Dass called it out when he wrote "Be Here Now". That's all we need: to BE... right HERE... right NOW.

Simple, right?

Hahaha. The great cosmic joke is the ego=the personality that makes us who we are as a human being. I remember having a profound spiritual opening just after I graduated from college and began working a few "soul-sucking" jobs. I was working with a spiritual teacher at the time and reading Krishnamurti and some Tibetan Buddhist stuff. I had also read through Seth books and Barbara Marciniak channeled works. I was also obsessed with the movie "Waking Life" at the time, just to give you a picture of where I was in my mind and with my Spirit. I was in this space of feeling the need to absolve my ego or somehow detach from it.

I remember having a day off from work and sitting in my living room on a sunny summer day with nothing to do. The mind likes to be active and have problems to solve, so usually in a dull moment, it comes up with some sort of question to ponder or thoughts to bounce around-- maybe feelings of some recent event, etc. In this moment there was NOTHING. I sat looking at my books with no desire to pick one up just to keep busy. In fact, I was happy just sitting and being with no desire for anything or to DO anything. This was a satori (an awakening) for me. I felt this deep sense of peace wash over me-- taking me over: it was bliss!

"This is it!" I thought. "This is what life is meant to be like: problem free, easygoing, light-filled and simple."
A teacher friend then called me and we had a nice chat where I shared this experience with him. He put it well: "The ego likes problems. Just watch, soon the mind will come up with something to stew on. But enjoy this peace-- anchor in it." Sure enough within a short time there was something to occupy my mind with and keep me busy "doing".
That doing I've found is the difference between ego-self and the spirit or soul-self. Ego likes DOING.

The Spirit likes Peace. Surrender. Presence. Stillness. Being!

The paradox is finding the Spirit in the storm. Being the peace in the chaos; the stillnes amongst the constant busyness.

This is why I chose the lotus for Inner Bloom: the beauty that lies in the muddy, mucky waters.

Here is one of my favorite hand mudras, lotus mudra. Try it! It stimulates the sensation of the lotus... that beauty, peace and profound stillness that resides within each one of us-- IS US!

Enjoy it!

~Sarah owns Inner Bloom, offering yoga, reflexology and energy work for deep release, healing and well-being. Sessions are local (Rochester, NY) and phone sessions are available for Reiki and Intuitive healing work

www.innerbloomyoga.com