Because You Taught Me How

Months ago, I wrote a blog called Have you forgotten how glorious you are?

When the idea for this blog occurred to me, the one you're looking at right now; I wondered if I already wrote this blog in the aforementioned blog from months ago.

But no, this one is different. This one goes further back.

Marcus and I have been working with and providing support to a dear friend who's been struggling with his physical and emotional health. We've been spending a lot of time with him. Almost all of our time, in fact, as when he's all alone, his symptoms seem to get worse.

We're searching for help for him, for more than we may be able to provide.

He's experienced some improvement, but all of his symptoms are not gone yet.

But he believes he's feeling better mainly because he has two compassionate people with him all the time. (I'm also teaching him how to sing and play guitar.) Marcus has modified his diet and that has helped too.

But he's not better yet. Closer, but not better. 

But it occurred to me on one particular night when I woke up to help (as insomnia is one of his issues so we sometimes get up in the night to help him out), that the reason I can show up like this with loved ones is because my parents taught me how.

There's a possibility that this is intrinsic in me. That even if I were raised by wolves I'd still be compassionate, though I'd certainly have terrible table manners.

But somehow, I doubt it.

The reason I can be supportive, compassionate, loving and present with this friend, and with any of my loved ones, is because I learned it from both of my parents.

They are my first memory and example of compassion and love. And while my pool of people with whom I experience this has grown since I was a little girl, they'll always be the originals.

Thanks, Mom and Dad.

You've taught me more than we'll ever know.

The Paleolithic Diet - why it makes sense

The following excerpt is from Aajonus Vonderplanitz's website, wewant2live.com and I think it's worth reading as it helps explain some about the diet that I've grown to love. I feel happier, healthier and stronger than ever. Also, my Mother is currently cancer-free after a little bout with breast cancer 18 months ago, and she underwent ZERO chemotherapy or radiation. She had a lumpectomy, but she's doing fantastic and I think it is due in large part to this diet (my beau Marcus was her nutrition guru during that time, and he was the one who turned her on to this diet, although she was already familiar with some of it since she had all of us drinking raw milk back in the 70s). Anyway, my Mom looks and feels fantastic and her doctor says she's doing great - no signs of anything cancer-like. Woohoo! So, I feel great, my Mom feels great, and I've seen this raw primal diet do wonders with other people. But here's some of the rationale behind it from someone other than me... The second part is a letter to the editor of Whole Life Times and I've included it because it's a testimony from a regular joe. Enjoy! Learning The Benefits Of The Paleolithic Diet Eating Raw For Better Health

A paleolithic diet is one that consists of the same foods the early hunters and gatherers consumed during the Stone Age. This involves eating wild foods and only foods that have not been processed; all-natural unprocessed foods, meat and nuts. 
After all, many foods commonly eaten today are processed in order to be "safely" consumed. If not processed first through cooking or other extensive processes, some foods routinely consumed are actually toxic. How could these foods possibly be good for the body? 
The paleolithic diet, combined with the practice of eating raw dairy foods, is better suited for the human body. The reasons for this are quite simple: the human body had millions of years to adapt to this sort of diet. As such, it learned how to process these natural foods in a more effective method. 
In addition, it involves eating foods in their natural state, ensuring they are truly safe for your body. For this reason, combining eating raw with a paleolithic diet is ideal for the body. It allows your body to function with more natural, cleaner nutrients and fuels. 
Following a diet that goes back to our roots also naturally goes hand-in-hand with Holistic Alternative Medicine, which is a form of medicine that involves treating the entire body rather than just one part. In addition, it focuses on prevention rather than on a quick fix. 
The same holds true with eating food that is raw. By following specific raw diet recipes from Dr. Aajonus Vonderplanitz's books, eating raw foods, your body will be able to effectively metabolize the foods you eat as your body progresses to its original primitive vitally strong healthy state. 
source: wewant2live.com

The following is a letter to the Whole Life Times journal that published an interview with nutritional scientist and author Dr. Aajonus Vonderplanitz titled DIET OF OUR ANCESTERS: 

Note that aprox. 2 years ago you ran an article entitled Diet Of Our Ancestors. That article as I recall at the time was somewhat controversial because the nutritionist who was interviewed, had his clients eating raw foods, including raw meats and raw eggs. 

Note that a few months after that article, I submitted a Letter to the Editor, entitled The Raw Truth, which you published. My letter stated that I had been on the diet for several years and the [Primal] diet had done me 'wonders'. 

I would like for you to consider that...I ... have been on the Primal Diet for five years with ever-increasing health. Will you run a small 'follow-up' article on me , let's say even a paragraph or two which would be like a status check on how my health is doing, 2 years after the Raw Truth letter was published? I noticed that your Fll issue is dedicated to Food and Nutrition. What I could do is coordinate probably several people in the LA area (including former vegetarians) who are on the Diet of our Ancestors and they can all be a part of the testimony.

This solicitation is of my own volition and I have no ties with any food or supplement organizations, nor would I be implying anything other than the powers of Mother Nature - with her raw foods.  

Daniel K. 

Los Angeles ('5 Years on the Diet of our Ancestors')

source: wewant2live.com

Discovering my purpose

The other day I had the opportunity to help one of my friend/clients with some stuff that was coming up.

In the interest of maintaining confidentiality, and because this blog really isn't about the specifics about what was happening, I'll just say it was generally physical pain that had some connection to detoxing and, like most physical pain, there was an emotional component.

If you haven't read books by Dr. John Sarno, you really should. Everyone should. But alas, this blog isn't about Sarno either. I'll just say generally that he writes about the emotional component in chronic pain, and I would say his findings are as important as penicillin.

This blog, though teased to be about other things, is about finding purpose. Sometimes in seemingly every-day events.

For almost ten years now, Marcus has been helping people with their health. The easiest thing to call him is a health expert, but since most people don't know what that is, let's just say he has a gift for retaining information about how the body works, as well as an intuitive gift to tap into what people are experiencing so he can help them to release - through body work or nutrition or herbs or exercise or meditation or assigned exercises/tasks - whatever stands in the way of their highest good.

He's good at it. Really good. I've been around and seen a few healer-types and he's one of the best I've ever seen.

The other day when our friend/client was over, I was a part of the process. Since he's wildly more experienced in this than me, I am sort of his wing-woman. But I will say that I think we compliment each other well. I tend to have a softer touch, and I'm also quite good at taping into my intuition about what someone needs to hear, do or release. Though I also know a vital thing that every wing-man and apprentice should know; that everyone should know, in fact: when to shut the fuck up.

A take-charge person by nature, it's also good for me to be a wing-woman. I'm no slouch, for certain. The spiritual psychology and hypnosis training have served me well; also I have years of helping friends and myself through the trials and tribulations of life. No small feat.

Here I think it's worth mentioning that I have discovered something; something I continue to grow and expand within myself, even though it goes against something I was raised to believe in:

You can sometimes help people by telling them what they want to hear, but you cannot always help someone by telling them what they want to hear. In other words, being a people-pleaser, or someone people like will not always work if your aim is to help people. If your aim is to always be liked (a fruitless aim in my experience and estimation), you've actually got a tougher road than to help people and my advise is to let that one go. People are too fickle, too unpredictable, and their responses to others are too rooted in past experiences to ever predict how they'll respond to you. Also, it's exhausting. I worry less what people think of me, but I still carry the concern. Less though, much less than when I was younger. Thank goodness.


That's one thing Marcus excels at and he expresses it to his clients so I know the speech: My biggest concern is your health; not whether or not you like me. I am a pit-bull advocate for your health and healing and sometimes that means you won't like me. Guess what? I don't care. My biggest concern is to get you well. 

I must admit. I sort of like that speech. It gives me the tingles. In part because he's my man and in part because I think it's a really powerful thing to fight for someone's health and healing once they've hired you to do so. Also, I think it's one of the biggest acts of love I've ever seen. Marcus loves all of his clients, but with a sort of detached sentiment; he doesn't care if they love him back, only that they release what blocks them from experiencing happiness and connection.

But here's where my realization comes in. The next morning, as soon as I awoke, I realized something about myself.

You see, for many years, most of my life really, I thought my purpose was music. It's understandable. I started singing at age 3, or so my parents say - I don't recall when, I just don't remember a time I didn't sing. I started playing piano at age 5, and composing songs soon thereafter. As a teenager, I went to an arts school for music and have recorded 3+ albums. Also, it's one of the things I feel most at home doing. I love it.

Well, the other day forced me to realize the following:

Music is my gift; helping people is my purpose.

Honestly, it was a relief to realize this.

Here's why: I was confused a little about the music thing. I love it and I'm good at it. But other musicians, remarkably less talented musicians, seemed to be getting more than their share of success because of their music while I remain largely unknown (besides to my few hundred fans, friends, and family - thanks, guys!). But that didn't change the unpredictability of my gigs. Sometimes I'd have a full houses for performances, which could be anywhere from 40-500 people, depending on the venue, to crickets chirping along with the 4-5 people that are there for me or just randomly at the venue. It's worth noting the 500 people was at UCSD when I sang and performed in The Vagina Monologues - it wasn't my biggest audience as I had a solo years ago in front of 2000+, but they weren't all there to see me. This is not to make you feel confused or sorry for me (hope that didn't happen), but to illustrate part of my confusion. Not only do I not have top 20 hit singles, I also have unpredictable fan following. Most likely a marketing issue, it still has confounded me. Until recently.

It's worth noting that I've had hints of this before, though this time seems stronger. A few years back during a meditation, I had a ringing voice of clarity wash over me so I asked this thing, this higher wisdom of sorts, if my life's purpose was music (I would've bet the bank that it would have said yes, so certain was I of the music-purpose correlation in my life). The response was almost jovial and hilarious in it's simplicity: think bigger. That's all that came forward. Think bigger.

You see, this realization, that music is my gift; helping people is my purpose has liberated me from that confusion and I feel more free than ever to share my gifts, which include but are not limited to music, while embracing a larger purpose of helping people. I'm not sure exactly how that will look or unfold, but I intend to proceed with an open heart and mind.

What are your gifts? What is your purpose?

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