Women Friends

Saturday, May 9th, 2009

Men, for most of my life I’ve been surrounded by men. Oh, not in the way you might imagine. They’ve just been everywhere!

I remember growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my brother was my first playmate and friend. Okay that explains one male, but for some reason the entire time I was growing up from very small throughout my teenage years, most of my friends were boys and then of course young men.

I grew up and married a wonderful man, and went on to have three sons; do you see a common theme? I chuckle when I realize that even the dogs who have shared my home since I’ve been married have all been male. Now the holistic life coach part of me says that this fact that I was surrounded by men led me to more likely continue to be surrounded by men, and I think that’s correct. Like energy attracts like energy, pretty simple, basic and true. Even now, some of my closest friends are men and I love every one of them. Still, I have to admit, I don’t understand from a personal viewpoint a lot of what makes them operate in the fashion that they do. Their brains don’t always work the same way as mine. I appreciate that, but sometimes I crave someone who does think more as I do.

Enter the women. While as I said, most of my friends have been men, I’ve always had a few very dear friends that were women and I cherish those friendships. These days I find that my life is filled with more and more powerful, smart, exciting and simply fun women. Yahoo!

Circumstances have changed. My sons grew up and I’m no longer involved in Boy Scouts and all of the largely male dominated activities that accompanied raising boys. In the past few years choices regarding the way I want to spend my time have led me to spend more and more time with women.

Changing careers was part of that shift. When I became a holistic life coach I began realizing that I was dealing with women more frequently than with men. It soon became clear to me that while I was attracted to working with men here and there, I had moved to a place in my life where I was much more attracted to the idea of working with people who shared some of my life experiences from my perspective, those who were more likely to be wired to think in a similar fashion to the way I think. I realized that I wanted a stronger connection with my own kind so to speak. It’s been interesting for me to realize how much I value the strength and the warmth of these women. They’re fun, engaging and determined to move forward in their lives in a deliberate, productive manner.

Reiki has been much the same. While it’s true that I decided to work with a man while going through my master/teacher apprenticeship, almost every one of my other connections concerning Reiki have been women. I’m not at all sure why that is. Well, that’s not true. Once again I know that is what I am attracting into my life and the truth is that I’m very grateful. That energy of excitement, contentment and gratitude continues to attract more women into my life on a continual basis. Most of the Reiki clients that I see are women. And then there are the amazing women that I have come to know and love that gather with me once a month for a Reiki share. We could not be more different in age, background and life experience. But we have come to appreciate and love one another.

For me, that’s the power of women. Politically correct or not, I believe that nurturing on some level comes very naturally to most women. I find that the lovely ladies who I am now proud to call friends actually care about one another, are pleased to see one another succeed and support one another without hesitation when a call is put out. Part of me has been surprised to realize how seamlessly women integrate personal with business.

The women that I am now proud to call friends come from all walks of life. Some are professional, with their own businesses or working for large businesses. Others go to work for someone else every day in grocery stores, restaurants, etc. Still others stay at home, raising families and taking care of the home. Age range has become much more diverse than I would have expected several years ago as well. I have friends from their early 20′ to mid 80′s and we all have enough in common to keep us strongly connected. Politics, food, sexual orientation, religion, food, hobbies, wine, food, sex, gardening and men. We talk about it all, ask questions and try to understand one another, and yes we usually manage to bring a bit of food to the situation as well while we are solving the problems of the world. I think it’s part of that tendency to nurture one another, make each other comfortable and show that we care about one another.

I so appreciate the diversity of these women. I am learning so much! I’ve found that even when we have discussions where our thoughts and beliefs are very different that the conversation doesn’t become hostile. It certainly can become lively, but it stays respectful and I always come away seeing another point of view a bit more clearly.

Of course this appeals to both the life coach and Reiki parts of me. I believe that we get what we ask for, whether it’s deliberate or not. As a holistic life coach I am very aware that every one of these friendships supports me on both a personal and professional level. That gives me confidence to expect more of the same and as I go about my day I realize that I am meeting and getting to know more women who are simply adding to the richness of my life on every level, every day. It’s easy to be grateful for all of this and to expect more of the same or even better the next day. It’s a wonderful cycle. And it’s been an awful lot of fun.

So, thank you ladies. I’m grateful and proud to call you each of you friend.

This week, I encourage you to take a look around you, notice and appreciate the fabulous gifts that you receive every day from the women in your life.

Warmly,
Sandy

Wonderful, Wonderful Day

Monday, May 4th, 2009

Saturday, May 2nd was the date for our first Reiki Healing Circle for Special Needs Children and their families and caregivers.

To begin with the weather was lovely. Here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin you don’t know what to expect in early May. Even a snowstorm is a possibility, but instead we were blessed with a day that was sunny, warm and just delightful.

The purpose of this free monthly event is to offer Reiki to special needs children, their families and their caregivers. As co-founder of this event I’ve been blogging about it frequently, posting to social networking sites and emailing people that I know. I felt sure that all of these wonderful contacts would bring in the Reiki practitioners and families to make this a success. That’s just what happened. I started getting a call here, an email there from people I had never met, we had a connection and it was wonderful.

Reiki is energy healing; as such it is not limited by distance or space. Meaning that Reiki practitioners did not have to be in the room to send Reiki to these families. Likewise, while families were certainly welcome to attend in person, they did not need to attend to receive Reiki.

In the end, there were thirteen Reiki practitioners in attendance. One Reiki level I, 4 level II practitioners and 9 Reiki masters. Several others could not be in attendance but set the intention for all of these families to receive Reiki and ‘sent’ from their distant locations. Two families with special needs children were able to attend in person, we sent distant Reiki to 3 other families. The love and energy in that room was awesome to say the least. I didn’t want to leave. Finally I did need to move on with my day, but I have to say, the feeling of love, caring and Reiki energy stayed with me for the rest of the day and the next as well.

I would like to offer my most sincere thanks to the families who attended. Please know that each and every one of you will be sent Reiki from now on with love and gratitude. To my Reiki friends, new and old I send my love and gratitude. I knew you wouldn’t let me down, that you would step up to the plate for these deserving families, but I could not have dreamed of the response that was received.

I know each and every one of us participated in this event with the desire to give back to our community. We wanted to offer what we could to these very special families. But I have to say, I think we got at least as much as we gave. The hugs I received from these families were worth every second that I’ve devoted the past several weeks. In fact, just thinking about it allows me to feel small arms around my neck even now and brings tears of joy. I know I got the better end of this deal and can’t wait to participate in this event every month.

If there’s a lesson here for the holistic life coach, it’s simply that when we give from the heart, we always get much more in return. I feel humbled, honored and blessed to have been able to share the wonderful gift of Reiki with these families and with my Reiki friends. I’d say that I got an awful lot in return for my time.

Wishing you a week spent giving to others, you’ll enjoy fabulous gifts in return.

With love,
Sandy

First Reiki Healing Circle – Next Week

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

As co-founder of Reiki Healing Circles in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I can’t tell you how excited I am to realize that our very first Reiki Healing Circle is going to take place in one short week, Saturday, May 2, 2009.

This Reiki Healing Circle is a gathering of Reiki practitioners for the purpose of offering Reiki energy to special needs children, their families and caregivers. This event is completely free of charge; let me be clear there is absolutely no fee to receive Reiki at this event. Reiki practitioners of all levels are welcome to participate either in person or by sending distance Reiki.

This event will take place at 2534 S. Kinnickinnic Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin beginning at 10 a.m. We ask that special needs families register to participate in this free event by calling my co-founder Sally O’Brien at 414-257-1931. Each special needs family will receive Reiki for 15 minutes.

I will co-host a one hour teleseminar for all Reiki practitioners who will participate either in person or by distance. If you are a Reiki practitioner and would like to participate, please send an email to Sobrien23@wi.rr.com or SerenityLifeCoach@SandyWalden.com so that you may be given the number to call and the access code for this teleseminar. During this call we will set our intention for all who will be participating. This teleseminar will begin at 6 p.m. PST, 7 p.m. MST, 8p.m. CST and 9 p.m. EST.

This will be an on-going event. We will be holding these Reiki Healing Circles every month, the second Saturday of the month. Please feel free to share this information with anyone who you think may be interested in participating.

The holistic life coach part of me is very excited about this event. I know that when we offer others Reiki that healing and blessings are not only received by those who we have invited to receive, but also by all involved. When you have shared this information with others, you are part of this circle and we will send you blessings as well. So, once again the simple fact that everything we think, say and do not only goes out to others but comes back to us is confirmed once again.

Thank you for sending your love to this project and for sharing this information with others. I know this is going to be a fabulous event and that all will benefit.

For testimonials from a reiki circle in Pennsylvania, please see: http://www.the-place-for-reiki.com/children_circle.htm

Namaste,
Sandy

Saying Good-bye

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

I spent time with a friend of mine today, I’ll call her Cindy. Cindy’s mother is dying, Cindy knows it, her mother knows it and the doctors confirm it.

As I chatted with Cindy it was clear to me that she is at peace with the situation. Now don’t get me wrong, Cindy loves her mother and expressed her feeling that sixty-seven is simply too young to expect her mother to die. On the other hand, she told me that she feels her mother is done with life. Recently she has expressed as much, she misses her son who died very young, most of her dear friends have passed and with the exception of her beloved husband, most of her relatives near her age have passed away as well. She misses them dreadfully and feels as though she is simply done with what she was supposed to do here in this life. She’s not depressed; she’s just ready to move on. The disease that is ravaging her body is simply the vehicle that is taking her on this final journey.

Cindy is determined that her mother enjoy the time she has left. Cindy has learned so much from her mother. She was a loving, fun mom to grow up with and has become a trusted friend to the adult Cindy. She showed Cindy that it was possible to not only love her husband but that it was possible to like him and to enjoy being his friend. And now she is teaching Cindy that it is possible to die with grace, dignity and joy.

Unfortunately, Cindy is getting a bit of flak from some people. Apparently there are those who have hinted that Cindy is doing something wrong because she is not crying, wailing constantly and pushing her mother to accept painful treatments that will extend her life, but not improve or even preserve the quality of what is left of her life. So, Cindy asked me for my point of view.

Oh boy. It was time to not only think and feel as Cindy’s friend, but to think this through as the holistic life coach and Reiki master that Cindy knows I am. So, we continued to talk. I asked her how she was dealing with all of this. She told me that she is definitely heartbroken to be saying good-bye to her mother, but that she is saving the tears and grieving for her time with her husband and a few trusted friends. She’s not stuffing her feelings or denying them, simply expressing them to those who know and love her best. Because her mother is determined to enjoy the time left, Cindy is determined to enjoy it with her. She’s told her and will continue to tell her how much she loves her, has enjoyed being her daughter and they talk about the fun they’ve had together. They laugh, tell stories and simply spend time together being happy. Cindy has made it clear to visitors that her mother has requested the time remaining be happy and so she has asked visitors to honor those wishes, in fact she’s insisting on just that. She’s taking special care of her father, again honoring her mother’s wishes and doing what she simply feels is right.

The truth is that both Cindy and her mother are at peace. Her mother is getting ready to meet her God and Cindy is very appreciative of the opportunity to spend this time with her before she passes, she’s now learning how to say good-bye to loved ones and to die with grace, dignity and joy.

Before I left, I gave Cindy a long hug, told her that I would pray for her, her mother and all of her family and friends and I thanked her. While Cindy is learning one more lesson from her mother, she is teaching many of the rest of us as well.

I hope that if I’m ever faced with a similar situation that I am able to move through it with the same peaceful heart, love and gratitude that is demonstrated by Cindy and her mother.

This week, I wish you all the opportunity to express your love and gratitude for the special friends and relatives in your life. I am grateful for Cindy and I thank her for the lesson of love and gratitude.

Warmly,
Sandy

Reiki Healing Circle – Update

Saturday, April 4th, 2009

I’d like to update you about this wonderful project.

Reiki Circle for Special Needs Children, their Families and Caregivers
Saturday, May 2, 2009 10am
2534 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Suite 202
Milwaukee, WI 53207
2 Hour event – once a month
(There are no chairs, so please bring a chair if you would like to sit)

To recap a bit. We are putting together a monthly event for the purpose of offering Reiki to special needs children, their families and caregivers. Those who choose to receive Reiki will simply have a seat in the center of the room while those offering Reiki will either stand or sit in a circle surrounding the receivers. For approximately fifteen (15) minutes, Reiki will be offered.

Please note, we now have a location (special thanks to Reiki master Jeff Montoya for making the arrangements for this wonderful space). We have also set a time to begin, 10am on Saturday, May 2, 2009.

Now I’m calling on everyone I know and those that I hope to get to know for some assistance. In order to make this monthly gathering happen we still need a few things.

1. Special needs children; do you know any families who may benefit from this experience? Do you have any contact with someone who does? Groups, centers, etc. If you know of someone who would be interested in receiving, please pass along my contact information so that we may make the appropriate arrangements.

2. Publicity – let’s get the word out, Internet, television, radio, newspaper, magazines. The more people find out about this, the more can be served.

4. Reiki practitioners of all levels. If you are in the area we would be honored if you are able to join us in person for these events. If you are not able to attend, we would greatly appreciate and welcome distant Reiki.

5. Public figures, does anyone know of a politician, elected or aspiring to office who might like to lend their face and name to this project? It may greatly increase visibility and get the word out to more families.

I have no doubt that this will be a wonderful success. How can it fail to be a success? Those of us who are able to offer Reiki are already blessed by the opportunity to share and the opportunity to come together and offer this to others simply increases our blessings. Now we’d like to share this wonderful blessing with others in our community.

I’m asking you to keep us in mind this week as you go about your business. If you know of someone who might be able to assist, participate or help out in any way,
please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Your support and any participation that you offer for this powerful event is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact me via email or give me a call at 414….

Namaste,
Sandy

Reiki Circle

Saturday, March 7th, 2009

Recently I met an amazing woman. Her name is Sally K. O’Brien and she offers her talents in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a life coach and a Reiki master, among other things.

Prior to our meeting I knew we would have some things in common, as I am also a holistic life coach and Reiki practitioner. What I had no way of knowing before our meeting, was how much I would like this woman and find that I had the desire to know more about her and to work with her. She is warm and friendly and very direct, all qualities that I value and appreciate. Most of all, she believes in giving back and that’s where things got really interesting.

It seems that some time ago Sally had read about Reiki circles in a magazine that was published in 2005. These Reiki circles had been developed for the purpose of offering Reiki to special needs children, their families and caregivers. This touched Sally very deeply and she had kept the information for a model that she knew she herself would someday develop.

This is really a very simple, powerful gathering. Those who choose to receive Reiki have a seat in the center of the room. Those offering Reiki either stand or sit in a circle surrounding the receivers. For approximately fifteen minutes, Reiki is offered to those who are in attendance.

When Sally shared this information with me we immediately agreed that it needs to happen in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. This was one week ago. We’ve met again since that first time and outlined a plan for making this happen, as I know it will.

So, now I’m calling on everyone I know and those that I hope to get to know for some assistance. In order to make this monthly gathering happen we need a few things.

1. Location – we need to have a place that everyone can meet
2. People! Who are these special needs children, how do we find them? Any contacts?
3. Publicity – let’s get the word out, internet, TV, radio, newspaper, magazines.
The more people find out about this, the more can be served.
4. Reiki practitioners of all levels. If you are in the area we would be honored if
you are able to join us in person for these events. If you are not able to attend
we would greatly appreciate and welcome distant Reiki.

As for me, once again, this brings me back to the most basic of all beliefs. The holistic life coach in me is grateful for the opportunity to give back, as I know I have received great blessings in my life and this will simply keep those blessings ‘in flow’ so to speak.

I feel sure that if the seed of this idea is planted, these circles will develop in many other places and serve many other groups. Personally, I feel drawn to develop this type of circle for our military, police and fire fighters, in short those who serve and protect us. However, it’s my hope that this idea is like the pebble thrown into the pond and that the ripples that are created become circles for those recovering from addictions, those who have been abused, the lonely, groups of people who would simply appreciate receiving Reiki, they need have no more in common that that.

I am asking you to keep us in mind this week as you go about your business. If you know of someone who might be able to assist, participate or help out in any way, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Wishing you a week filled with blessings and fabulous opportunities to share those blessings with those you care about.

With warmth and love,
Sandy

Balance

Sunday, February 22nd, 2009

If you ever read my blog, you know that I’m a holistic life coach. Why? Because I strongly believe that we must find balance in our lives to move forward in a meaningful way. That means that what happens in my personal life affects my social life, my business life, etc. That’s the holistic point of view.

Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin I am surrounded by people who do not accept change quickly or easily, and yes, I am one of them. We tend to be pretty conservative in that respect. We like to think about things, talk it over and look from all angles. If we see value, we generally give it a whirl. Once we experience value, we embrace this change and are staunch supporters. This is of course a generalization; however, I’m a prime example of this behavior.

I first experienced Reiki at the prompting of my son, Jeff. There were a lot of issues going on in my life, leaving me feeling physically, mentally and emotionally stressed. He recommended a Reiki master in the Milwaukee area. If I say that it changed my life I would be offering an understatement. Reiki helped me to bring balance into my life. Very important to someone who has a holistic point of view. I did have the attitude that comes naturally to most of us from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I had a million questions and prior to the experience I was not ready to wrap my arms around the experience. However, after my first Reiki session I knew I had found something profound that would change my life.

Reiki has been a valuable tool for me ever since my first experience. Because of that I have become a Reiki practitioner myself, pleased to offer Reiki to family and friends as would request it. Now I’ve decided to make Reiki available to my coaching clients as well. Actually it simply makes sense. The Reiki experience has helped me to experience calm and balance. When I work with life coaching clients we are striving to find a way to move forward in a positive, balanced manner.

Once again, a citizen of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has found a new experience, approached it carefully and come to embrace it enthusiastically. Some of us in Milwaukee may be a bit slow to experience something new to us, but when we do, if it proves to be a beneficial experience, it becomes something we stand behind.

Look for my website to be updated in the next week or so. It is my pleasure to offer Reiki to life coaching clients, but I am also very pleased to offer it to those who would simply like to experience Reiki on its own. My life is very good and I would like to share as much of this wonder, peace and serenity with others as possible.

I wish you a balanced and fabulous day.

With warmth and love,
Sandy

Black History Month

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

February is Black History Month. It’s a month when hopefully we are all learning a bit more about American history in full,and the amazing contributions that have been made by our African American citizens. It’s also a time to acknowledge the struggle that they have fought to get to where they are today. This is not about blame or recriminations, it’s about learning from the past so that we may make positive steps into the future.

I’m blessed to know a wonderful woman named Barbie. I don’t know her well, but I like her more and more each time that I have the opportunity to spend time with her. She’s smart, loving and a lot of fun. In short, Barbie is an incredible person. Recently I began to realize that she is also an amazing mom. She sent me an email, telling me a bit about her daughter Allyn and granddaughter Buchanan. It seems that Allyn has decided to teach her daughter who is only three years old about the history of her heritage. In addition to television, books and what she will undoubtedly learn in school, they do a skit everyday. Every day! This is brilliant! This lucky little girl is learning from her mom in ways that she can understand and will remember throughout her life.

As a holistic life coach, I realize and appreciate that we all learn in different ways. Allyn is taking the time to introduce the world and American history to her daughter with love and accuracy. By making learning fun, Allyn is not only enjoying the time she spends with Buchanan, but she is making sure that Buchanan understands exactly what the world is about, in terms that she can easily understand. Allyn is my hero for the day, kudos to her and the mom who has taught her so much.

The truth is that we live in a complicated world. Even here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, life is not as simple and straight forward as some of us would like to pretend. Our city, state and country are made up of many cultures, many injustices and an awful lot of pain. We can most easily move forward by acknowledging these injustices and pain. Teach each every generation where we have come from; give them the tools to move forward with hope for the future. I believe that is what Ms. Allyn is doing with her lovely daughter Buchanan.

I’m honored to know Barbie and I hope at some point to meet Allyn and Buchanan as well. Thank you for sharing with me. You ladies are fine examples for how we all can move forward in this complicated world.

Wishing you a fabulous day of learning and growth.

With warmth,
Sandy

Are you Connected?

Saturday, January 31st, 2009

My five favorite guys, good reasons for me to keep in contact.

Friends and family are important to me, so I try to send cards, make phone calls, and basically keep in touch. The truth is that sometimes I’m just not as good at it as I would like to be. Life gets busy, it’s just that simple. Now you are welcome to tell me that as a holistic life coach I should be aware of how very important these relationships are, and you would be right! I am aware, but I still get behind from time to time.

Enter the picture, the Internet. I was not at all sure when I started tooling around on the Internet that I would ever be comfortable, but it’s done so much for me. Email saved my sanity. When our eldest son, Bill, was deployed we had an easy way of communicating with him. Naturally he was not often able to catch up on his emails, but I had the ability to write a few lines or a short novel anytime I passed the computer, it was terrific. This absolutely did not replace cards and letters, but it allowed me to know that what I was saying him was instantly available to him when he had the opportunity to read it. The same story is true when our son Jeff travels, a great way to stay connected. At this point most of my family and friends at least check out their email once a week or so, I love that.

Facebook has entered my world more recently. Now I’ve got to admit I was a bit reluctant about the whole social page thing. I didn’t understand it, truly a few things about Facebook still confuse the daylights out of me, but I’m having fun with it. It’s given me a way to find some friends that I have not spoken with for a while, I can post pictures, send short messages and best of all find out what my family and friends are doing by just taking a quick peek. It’s awesome!

Now, I’m not suggesting that we abandon phone calls, greeting cards and personal visits. All of these are amazing. What I am suggesting is that when things get busy and we find ourselves feeling a bit lonely or simply missing those we care about, the Internet offers another option. After all, my job as a life coach is to offer alternatives and suggestions, to find another way to approach the situation.

Wishing you a fabulous day connecting with family and friends.

With warmth,
Sandy

Thanks for the Blue Water

Saturday, January 3rd, 2009

We’re all familiar with the line ‘little things mean a lot’. I think that’s true, little things are very important. Small compliments make us feel warm inside and leave us smiling for hours, sometimes days.

We have three grown sons. One of them sold his condo last spring and has spent most of the time between then and now traveling, working from his laptop where ever he may be at the moment. He has recently come back to town for a visit and has been staying with us. During this time we have of course tried to do what we can do make him feel at home. Nothing major, his favorite peanut butter cookies made with crunchy peanut butter, his favorite meals now and then and of course there’s the blue toilet water. When he was a little boy he was always so excited when I would use the blue toilet bowl cleansing tablets, so I’ve been using them again since he came home. Apparently he noticed and really appreciated this because he came up to me one day, gave me a big hug and said ‘thanks for the blue water, I love that!.

Every time I think about that comment, hug and grin it makes me feel warm and I know that I’ve got a silly grin on my face. I appreciate that he made it a point to tell me about his excitement. It’s motivated me as well. When I think about his comment it reminds me that it doesn’t take much to lift someone’s spirits. What a wonderful, easy way to make myself and others feel better. How cool is that?

As a life coach I encourage you to take positive action. Keep in mind how little things, small kind gestures, friendly smiles and genuinely friendly comments affect you. Then take the opportunity to pass along these gestures, smiles and comments to others. They’ll feel good, you’ll feel good. I do believe that’s a win for all. And if I may make a suggestion, you might want to try the blue water to get even more smiles.

Wishing you a fabulous day, filled with little things that make you smile.

Warmly,
Sandy