Ram Dass said that even in all of our differences as people around the world, from many walks of faith, many beliefs, many countries of origin, that "we are all just walking each other home." We are here on this blue dot for a time with each other, we have a fraction of souls we interact with during our time here, and we can choose how we show up in this world. We can choose to see that we are just walking each other home.
Thank you for moseying on over here to my blog to find my musings and also to journey with me as I create the sound healing retreat center of our dreams. More on the center in just a bit, and first, allow me to introduce myself. As you have likely read a bit from my website or we shared an interaction together, at my booth at the local farmer's markets, or at my current sound healing studio called the Sound Nest, I'll share some about myself that you may not have heard. I grew up here in Western North Carolina, Asheville to be exact. For the last 20 years though, I've been away except for visits, living in Tennessee, Colorado, and Hawaii. I love to travel and explore new places. I'm also enjoying exploring where I grew up with new eyes after having lived elsewhere for a while. So much changes in 20 years!
The past two years of the pandemic have been a doozy for most of us. For me, it caused me to stop all that I was doing, raise my head up from the grind, take a deep breath, and realize I was burned out. I had been wanting a change of vocation for a while, but like many people, "ya gotta keep paying the bills and figure it out on the side." Well, when the pandemic began, it all stopped for me. Doing massage therapy couldn't go virtual in my world. So I did what any normal person would do really; I packed it all up and moved from Aspen, Colorado to Honolulu, Hawaii to start a new relationship at the very beginning of the lock-down. Of course! Why not. No better time really. All joking aside, the pandemic has been good timing for this reinvention. I dove deeply into reexamining what talents I want to explore. I went online with some of my offerings like yoga and started making and selling my handmade goods (soap, jewelry, CBD salve and tinctures, crystal candles). I have been studying many subjects (recording gongs and recording software, buying a property, learning how to launch an online program, learning how to heal my thyroid). I have also made a hobby out of self improvement for my whole life, but I have taken it to the next level by examining and finally changing self-limiting beliefs, limiting views of money, and most importantly, silencing my inner critic. One huge help for this for anyone who is interested, is the Break Method by Bizzie Gold. It is a phenomenal program for self-inquiry. I explored houselessness, lived in a tent, lived in a van, meandered my way with my boyfriend from California to North Carolina. We have and continue to explore depths of relationship, communication, and understanding another. We have many differences--he likes cats, I love dogs; he can't handle the cold, I don't like it too hot; he doesn't mind that his family is not close, I love spending time with my family; he needs a lot of space and time to himself, I have learned to not put all my energy into just one relationship to have my needs met (contrary to what our society makes us believe romantic relationships should be!) Couldn't this be a great new take on The Odd Couple?!?!
But through it all, one inner thread ties us together....a shared dream of having a sound healing retreat center. You see, we met at Gong Camp. We later learned we both have this dream and during our reinventing process (he is also breaking from a career he has done for 25 years), I remember saying, "We both have this dream and we're not doing anything else...Why don't we buy property and bring it to life?" And so here we are.
I've been convinced for a while that in this area of Asheville, NC, you practically just breathe on an idea and it comes to life...there are so many creative businesses here! I'm grateful for my mom's support in transforming the garden level of her home in Alexander into a gorgeous sanctuary for small group and individual sound healing sessions. It's cozy and warm and I treated the room acoustically to help guests relax easier and to hear and feel each tone the instruments make. It is my joy to bring relaxation to the world through sound healing. I have also honed a method of working with the sound to help emotions, stuck energy, trauma, relationships, and be an overall support for life experiences. More details will come on that method in a future post.
In late January, we finalized the purchase of a gorgeous property in Wolf Laurel, NC, just 30 minutes north of Asheville, with easy access yet with the feeling of being worlds away. The property has a large creek that runs through the middle of it, several ponds, several large buildings that are ready to be transformed into our retreat center. Here are some photos from the autumn when we began the process of buying the property. I am thrilled for you to join me on this journey as I create the retreat center. We are still searching the nooks and crannies of our brains for a name for the property, so any suggestions are welcome! We really liked "Sonic Space" but it is already in use.
Future blog entries will share the transformation of the physical space into a sanctuary of sound. I do hope you will come share some time with us and also refer your friends here; after all, we are all just walking each other home. Please click below to sign up for my newsletter and to walk with me on this wild ride called life!
It's so gorgeous and peaceful!!
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