Meditation for All excuses...

I have been meditating forever, it seems. In my Master’s program in Transpersonal Psychology many years ago, a teacher asked: “Who meditates ‘wrong’?” Everyone raised their hand!  What I’ve discovered is that any meditation is surely better than no meditation, and I don’t think there is a “wrong” way to do it! 

The trick is to find out which techniques you like enough to do on a regular basis! I’ve been working with this, and have come up with a menu of techniques to satisfy some of those objections… If your mind needs to “help”, we’ve got things for it to do, Don’t worry if you can’t sit still...moving  meditation might be for you.  Essential oils go directly to the primitive brain and can create relaxation and spiritual connection without the conscious mind.

I believe in this time of profound change and awakening, that our ability to connect with Spirit and our deep Selves is crucial for us to follow the urgings of our Souls.  

For the first time, this Summer, I will be offering this meditation course designed for any level of experience. Hope you can join us! 

Love and Light, Elaina

Course meets 3 Mondays, July 15, 22, 29, 2013. Follow this link to registration! 

Open printable Course flyer

Soul Path Alignment in the most interesting places!

Sunday, September 18, 2011. Tillamook, Oregon.  Ah, sweet surrender!  Yesterday morning, I awoke to the soft patter of raindrops on our tent...surely it was just a mist as no rain was in the forecast for 2 more days!  But, alas, it kept raining, increasing over time.  We stayed snugly in our tent, knowing it would blow over, but, alas, it increased!  Being the adventurous souls we are, we hauled everything to this little overhang area where we shook, wiped, and packed up our bikes!  Off we headed for Tillamook (2 miles away!) and our motel, to dry out.  Picture of our indoor campsite and drying room:

We are still here!  It's still raining! Tomorrow promises some sun; we are leaving even if it's not true!  We've had plenty of time to dry out, explore Tillamook, human population 4400, cow population much greater, we think.  Eau de cow patties wafts everywhere.  "Why are we in Tillamook?" I wondered,   "Does everything REALLY happen for a reason?"  After searching the internet for the like-minded souls (no hits found on Google for yoga or health food store or healing center or....), I meditated and asked to be guided to why I was here. I knew the first reason was the woman at the front desk at the motel. I headed out to "interview" her, with questions about yoga studios.  She had no info like that, but I told her that when I called to see if there was a room available, it was her voice on the phone that made us choose this motel.  She said she loves people.  I asked her "If you could do anything at all, had a magic wand, no limitations, what would you do?", expecting some lofty response.  Her answer:  "Exactly what I am doing...I LOVE my job."  We went on to have a conversation that left me absolutely clear that she was on her Soul Path, and I know nothing!!!

What's next, I asked?  It's still raining, but more softly.  Bob and I head out on a walk to the grocery store 7/10 mile away, after both knowing this is the direction to go.  (But no more info was coming our way at that point) We get "lost" and happen upon a store called "Moondancer".  The Proprietor, Evelyn, turns out to be the like-minded soul we were here to find.  Born and raised in Tillamook, always the oddball growing up, she has created a bead store (and stealth spiritual gathering place).  Bob makes a Hematite necklace, which I promptly borrow...and my headache finally subsides.  I play with the rocks and sprinkle love in all the aisles.  My heart was deeply touched by this woman doing her work in a place where she's not really understood.  We connected and laughed, and the Web of Light got another connection.


Evelyn's husband brings us our next destination...Contagion (the movie) is playing at the theatre around the corner.  We are SO adaptable...dinner was fetched at the Safeway Deli (land of Hi-Vibe road food!) and off we go. On the way, I suddenly wake up to the name of the movie, and wonder if it will give me nightmares (have to watch that sensitive person goes to the movies thing...).  Bob really wants to see it, so it was surrender time for me again.  Don't want to spoil the movie, but it turns out it really spoke to me.  I was never scared, not even once, because of focusing around the drama and on the deeper story. The take-away messages I hope people get are 1. We DO have some control over our how an epidemic might effect us (especially the health of our bodies/immune systems) and 2. To be aware that we might not always get the information about the simple, effective solutions through the mainstream media.  Cool messages from a "regular" movie!


This morning...more rain. We are here for another night.  This adventure sure is not what I expected; I have been learning to surrender, let go, and make the best of everything... I guess this is where I really get to practice all that I am learning!



Our sunny, dry campsite...we FINALLY are camping (Friday)



For those of you following this for a chronological report... between my last post and this one, we had one glorious, peaceful, beautiful, sunny-day ride along an almost flat stretch of coastline between Manzanita and Tillamook. Funny how the aha's and things to write about haven't really been coming from those kinds of days!  However, it does occur to me those 30 miles with a loaded bike were easy because of all that has come before. And I look forward to more of those easy, beautiful days! 

Here we are at the Tillamook Cheese factory at the end of that sunny day..an amazing creation of a cooperative of local Dairy Farmers...it has turned into a big tourist attraction; they make 169,000 pounds/day with 2 shifts of workers.  They started this 100 years ago.  Can you imagine 100 years of co-operation???

Stopping to enjoy the scenery and a snack

The power of that little CD we made!

Here we are in beautiful Seaside, Oregon.  Wow! What a trip so far.  After a great time ROASTING in Redding with Katie and Larry, we headed up to Portland, where they were also having record heat.  Time to burn away all the old, evidently.  Didn't I set an intention of transformation?? On the first day of riding, we were dropped off at the top of a BIG hill, so we would have an easy ride into Astoria.  The whole time, I am thinking: if this is an EASY day, I don't want to be around for a hard one.  I kept pedaling, focusing on the scenery and the strength I knew I had with each new hill we climbed.  When we reached Astoria, more hills!  The whole town is bisected by a tall hill/ridge.  Great views from the top...we'll leave it at that!  So our 15 mile easy ride, was 23 miles and a big challenge. 

When we arrived, Mimo wasn't expecting us...some communication snafu with her son.  But she welcomed us, and we had a relaxing evening.  This amazing tree was in their back yard.

Finally, I had the courage to ask Bob about our "easy" day.  He assured me this was one of the hardest days we would have.  I decided NOT to go home yet....It was actually fun, especially looking back! 

Day 2, off to another easy ride to Seaside, expecting 12 to 15 miles.  Kept my mind on track, and my pedals moving.  My first bridge crossing, the ride a little longer than predicted, but due to synchronicities, a "wrong" turn and the help of a local, we found an amazing route to take. Beautiful, sweeping views of the ocean, no cars.  Bob said, this might be the best route we find on the whole trip.  I countered with "This is a preview of ALL the great routes we will find on this trip!  This or better....Ah, here is the magic I am looking for!

We met up with our host when we first entered Seaside, and he sent us off the highway to reach his house.  Amazing route #2: The Promendade.  See picture at top of this blog entry.  Beautiful place..met two other touring cyclists (on their way to Argentina;  link to their blog)and enjoyed the town.  We are staying with a great man who travels and welcomes lots of guests into his home.  I noticed once we arrived I felt a little like I had jet lag.  I just wanted to stop...here we are in a great beach house, a few blocks from the beach. This feels like a vacation!!! I kept trying to tune into my body; no luck. Seemed like the phone line was down.  Kept doing things to rejuvenate and refresh.  Eventually, I realized that my ego wanted to hit the road running the next morning, to prove I could do it, but my body wasn't in tune with that plan. However, it took a headache and a sinus irritation to really get my attention.  Oh, that I would honor my true self earlier!   We considered staying here another day, and I went to sleep. Woke up at 5 am, and remembered that I had been guided to make sure I had a bunch of meditations loaded on my Droid so that I could re-balance if needed.   "The Bliss of Transformation" recorded by the QuietStar Band called to me.  I listened to the whole thing for the first time in awhile....and WOW!  I relaxed, my energies aligned and I felt the healing energy flood my body.  I felt connected to Spirit and to the QuietStar community all at once. Every time I listen to that recording, I find it strange, at first, to hear my own voice.  But then I began to be amazed that we really recorded that!  (CD is available through our online store or at QuietStar if you want to hear it yourself).  I was reminded what powerful energy came through us that day...and I have an inner urging to make it available to more people.  

It was such a powerful connection that I wonder if anyone else was "tuned in" around that time: around 6 am PDT this morning (Wed, 9/14) 

I went back to sleep and had a really amazing dream (saving that for another time!), woke up clear that I needed to stay put today, to blog, to write, to drink healing potions and prepare for tomorrow's adventure. 

I will load more pictures on the QuietStar page in Facebook, where I will be uploading pics throughout the trip. 

We appreciate your wishes for the wind to be at our backs, for me to remember that my body is strong, and for our way to be clear as we are "in the right place at the right time with the right stuff meeting the right people".  Love to all of you!  Elaina and Bob

Here we Go!

Here we are, all loaded up and ready to go!  This is our trial run around the neighborhood; today we head out to spend some time with our dear friends Katie and Larry in Redding.  

Then on to Portland, and to the Coast of Oregon.  A friend is is taking care of our home, and QuietStar-ians are keeping the light on there!  I am ready to let it all go for a few weeks!  

Thanks for visualizing for us beautiful scenery, sunshine and lots of love on our journey.  We look forward to meeting all the right people and being in just the right place at the right time! 

Love and Light, Elaina and Bob

Mind-Spirit-and now, the Body!

Really soon, now, Bob and I embark on a Bike Trip that we have dreamed of for a really long time.  OK, let's tell the truth here...HE dreamed of it, I could barely imagine it!  We will be cycling (yes, pedaling!) the Coast of Oregon.  The process of getting here has been quite an adventure already.  

My body has often lagged behind the growth that I have accomplished in the world of spirit, emotion and mind.  When I read The Way of the Peaceful Warrior years ago, I was amazed by the idea that one's body could be that much of an ally on the path of life.  I grew up using my mind to get me through.  In high school, I woke up to the fact that I could actually LEARN to use my body in fun ways, first through interpretive dance, and then through volleyball and basketball.  I was amazed to discover that my body could learn too!  I began to look forward to PE, instead of it being the dreaded class of the day, and I had fun there.  In the next decade, I learned to rock climb, and began to lead wilderness expeditions (similar to Outward Bound), and became a ropes course instructor.  In all of these experiences, I had a sense of personal power, and wanted to share that with others.

Fast forward to meeting Bob 12 years ago.  As you may know, that man never stops moving!  His process is the opposite of mine; in many ways his Body leads the way.  He first convinced me to get on a bike by creating Monday lunch rides:  yep, if I rode my bike up this gnarly hill, the reward was lunch at Cabo San Luis.  We did this regularly, and it got easier and more fun.  Lucky for me, he had previous girlfriends who trained him not to leave them in the dust!  He was patient and encouraging. 

Over the years since then, I have continued my practice of yoga, worked with the Law of Attraction, meditated regularly, and ridden to lunch almost every Monday.  Little by little, we started taking bikes on our trips, and last summer I surprised myself by being able to mountain bike at 10,000 feet in Colorado!  The wildflowers and the pristine meadows in Crested Butte were their own reward (lunch was actually secondary!).  As many of you know, I have been working with the nutritional aspects of live food, superfoods and the emotional/mind piece of seeing food as fuel not as entertainment. The process continues, and some days are more powerful than others! 

Bob and I added errands and missions to our Monday rides. We made the Tribune (local newspaper) with a picture and all, focusing on our alternative transportation.  I even found myself choosing clothing that was bike-friendly. 3 years ago, I dropped Bob off in Seattle, and he pedaled all the way home (to San Luis Obispo, CA), while I drove to visit friends and family.

A year ago, I finally said yes to a new bike (there it is, above, on a ride in Cambria this spring). Bob had been trying to get me one for years, but I kept saying that I didn't ride enough.  I have to admit, though, my new bike, a Trek FX 7.5, has really inspired me.  It was easier to keep up; what I had thought was just not being in shape turned out to be (partly) a function of the equipment!  I got a really cool rack and panier set, and began to find excuses to go for a bike ride!  As you can imagine, Bob was delighted.  We began to talk about touring (after all, I had the packs for it).  I kept waiting to be in the kind of shape that would allow me to do this ride. Then one  day the lightbulb went on.  I thought back to my days of backpacking.  I was always in great shape at the END of the trip.  So, what would it take for this to be do-able for me?  Where were the campgrounds closer together so I could get from one to the other?  The Oregon Coast.  Alas, the planning began.  And the training rides. 

Check out my next blog for the preparation!