Musings from the Journey
Enhance your life and fortify a deeper connection with your True Self.
 While we prepare to slow down a bit, connect, and remember what matters this week, I want to shower a little love on indigenous folks. Their communities and families have been through so much over the last several centuries, and despite hardship and injustice, they are still here. They have stood for sovereignty, human rights, and clean air and water from the beginning. Thanksgiving isn't just a holiday about gratitude for them, it is a remembrance of all the trauma their communities have been through.
We can be a part of the healing from this history and patterns. It doesn't come from sweeping it under the rug, and moving on. It comes from real repair of the harm, showing respect, love, and care. This Thanksgiving, I invite you to think about how you can give back to the native people that are local to your area, and across the United States. This might be support through uplifting their work, voices, and art. Perhaps it's by pouring resources into their communities, or supporting land back campaigns. There are many layers to such wide spread intergenerational healing that will require acts large and small. A couple indigenous authors I am grateful for include: Robin Wall Kimmerer: A mother, scientist, professor, and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Robin is author of Braiding Sweetgrass, one of my favorite books. Her writing is soothing, compelling and honors the land, and many of the stories of native people. She recently published The Serviceberry which I am eager to read. James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw: A member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, a renowned international speaker, digital creator, and author of 'The Seven Generations and the Seven Grandfather Teachings. James is passionate about preserving and sharing the Ojibwe language, and wisdom teachings of native elders guiding us towards Minobimaadiziwin, "the good life"—a life of harmony, free from contradiction or conflict. Birchbark Books is a native owned bookshop in The Twin Cities that features indigenous authors, speakers, and artists. Do you have other indigenous folks that you would like to uplift? Share with us in the comments. ~Sarah P.S. If you are looking for gift certificates for our services, you can find them here. Prices will be going up in 2026 (more on that soon), so this is a great time to stock up at the current rate. Though there is not a rush, you can purchase these until the end of the year. Enjoy the week. Connect with yourselves, your loved ones, and the land. Focus on what matters. :)
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 Last Friday, I had just wrapped up with clients, and decided to log onto Instagram briefly before heading home. The first thing on my feed was a video of the most traumatizing and disturbing ICE encounter I've seen yet. My survival mode kicked in, and I messaged some people I follow about the need to speak up. Why are they staying silent when horrible things are happening? I got home, and I was essentially in a freeze state the rest of the night on my couch, staring at my wall while my kitties purred and tried to soothe my nervous system. The encounter I saw online didn't happen in my neighborhood. It's hard to know how to respond when the threat isn't immediately in front of you. It's hard when you try to say something, and the people in power don't listen, and are the ones actively causing the harm. It's hard when you see people suffering... not just suffering... being brutalized and dehumanized, and you don't know what you can do. I can see the deep scars this moment will make on these individuals, and the help they'll need to heal if they are fortunate enough to access those resources in the future. I know you see it too. At minimum, you know this is happening out there somewhere. Some would say, "Sarah, this is why I don't watch the news. It's too distressing, and I can't do anything about it anyway. You just need to stop watching." Yes, current events are distressing. I'm really disheartened by the decisions many humans are making these days. Some would say, "That's just how humans are! You can't do anything to change it! People will always hurt other people, be selfish, ignorant, etc." Yes, humanity has shown violence, thirst for power, greed, and lies for thousands of years. Guess I should just give up. It's not worth it. Let it all devolve into even greater chaos. ... That last line was so disingenuous, it was hard to type. In my personal life, I'm someone that needs the elephant in the room acknowledged, otherwise I end up feeling pretty gaslit. My life experience has shown me that pretending something isn't happening when it is, not only doesn't stop it from happening, it can also cause more harm. It also makes it harder to address the problem, when you are ignoring the presence of it. While there are limits to how I consume the news (I might need to manage how, when, and how much I take in), avoiding it isn't the solution. About humanity doing dastardly things... yeah, maybe. But that is only one side of the potential of humanity. The other end is full of revelation, compassion, creativity, resilience, service. That's the side I aim to live on. The fact that I feel things when I see injustice and cruelty is a sign my heart is still open. I can use those feelings as fodder to propel actions that bring healing, liberation, growth, etc. I know many of you are walking with me on this path. And, I know it's not easy. I wish we didn't have to do it. And if you aren't already walking with us, I invite you to join us. So, what do we do? I don't have all the answers, and I think it's going to vary depending on what's happening in your communities right now. That being said, here are a few ideas:
One upcoming piece of (non)action: MASS BLACKOUT Wed Nov 25–Tues Dec 2nd (Yes, that's over Black Friday and Cyber Monday) Avoid major retailers, travel, restaurants. Cancel streaming and digital subscriptions. If you must spend: support small, local businesses only. Pay in cash if you can. Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30 is exempted from the blackout To stay engaged for the long-term, we need to be regulating and taking good care of ourselves. You might find our healing work and meditations to be supportive in this process. If so, reach out.
I'm here for you, and walking with you, Sarah P.S. A little palate cleanser and chuckle for ya, from the Canadians.  Seasons are shifting. Snow flurries are swirling outside my window as I type. I don't know about you, but my hibernation mode is starting to kick in. My kitties are extra snuggly and looking to share some warmth. They seem to lull me into sleep anytime I take a break on the couch.
While there's lots to do in our personal and collective lives, the work never stops, it's important that we find at least pockets of rest. It might mean putting a little less on your calendar, letting your pace slow down. Maybe you turn in earlier at night, or carve out a couple hours a week for yourself to just be. I invite you to think about what kind of rest might supportive for you, and how you can realistically make it happen in your schedule. Sometimes, we need a little assistance getting our systems to settle, or a place that doesn't have the distractions of home. If that's resonates, you might find find some Reiki time supportive. You can get all tucked in with the table warmer going, and let the Reiki energy gently soothe away your troubles. Many people note that they sleep quite well after having some Reiki, and things that would normally bother them, don't impact them as much as they used to. Let me know if that's something you're interested in. You can book online here. Rest well friends, Sarah  Uff Da.
The blame game abounds. How are you feeling right now? Let's pause and breathe with those feelings for a second. I wonder what universal human needs might be under those feelings? Perhaps a need for safety, understanding, a shared reality, love, fairness, etc? It makes sense why you feel the way you do, when you can see the unmet needs underneath. I invite you to offer yourself some compassion for whatever it is you are going through. Now, we can look outward and notice that others also have their own feelings, and needs underneath them. Many times, the blame game is a tactic (often unconscious, because we haven't learned anything different) to not be with our pain and acknowledge what's underneath. It pins the problem as another person, rather than saying, "I feel hurt, scared or angry, because I'm needing to matter, be heard, or belong. Will you help be part of the solution?" That can be far more vulnerable. Blame also makes it easier to forget that the other person is human too. In being human, we all have the expanse of emotions to feel. We also all have the same universal human needs. We might not like how other people are acting. We don't have to agree. But if we are going to find our way through this, each of us has to remember our own humanity. Then we need to look for it in others. (Even if they don't see it in you, which I know is especially hard and painful. Sending extra love and gentleness for you here if that feels true for you.) The small moments of connection, softness, openness that cut through the blame, have a chance to save us when they ripple into the world. It has the capacity to disarm. This isn't easy work, but it's important. It starts first with empathy for yourself. Then you extend it outward when you've filled your cup a bit. You can't give what you don't have. It's not always fair, but sometimes it's necessary to be the one who shows up first, so things don't spiral out of control. Hopefully, the grace is reciprocated later, or you find others who have the capacity to hold space for you. It's not an excuse for harmful behavior or letting accountability slide. But we'll never have a chance for true repair if we can't get past the walls of protection and attack to what is underneath. The practice of non-violent communication is where I learned much of this, and you might find it supportive if you would like to learn more. While I don't have the answers to all the things we are going through now, I do believe that when we remember our humanity it can be an antidote to the harm. You never know what might happen if enough little pebbles crumble off the wall of division. Hang in there. I care for you. Sarah  We've all been seeing the hub bub that's arisen from lots of insecure, defensive folks in positions of power about three simple letters lately.
D E I Yeah. I said it. Firings, loss of contracts, fear of retribution for using certain terms/letters... Organizations twisting themselves into pretzels. Seems to me, the regime only wants the First Amendment to apply to certain folks. Well. "I do what I want," says my rebellious part. I have the privilege of answering to no one, except myself and my conscience. I get to call the shots for my business, and I don't risk getting fired for saying something. And, I'm a white lady, our western society usually doesn't pay me any mind. So with that privilege, I am going to talk about it, and I'm going to invite you in on something. Just because the regime is trying to silence oppressed groups, erase history, and intimidate us doesn't mean we all have to give in. We can still share the stories, uplift the voices, and keep doing the work on our own time, whether or not the organizations we are a part of are doing the same. I hope we get to a time where the systems of oppression oppress no more, but they are really doubling down right now. So that means, we mustn't stop! We keep going! And those of us who are less at risk... people who look like me... we need to be taking more risks so those targeted aren't shouldering this burden. A few of my trusted resources for D.E.I. and history:
Take a class with them. Donate to their platforms. Share their messages. Support others who are doing the good work. They are all excellent! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! ~Sarah P.S. For anyone wondering, "Sarah, why are you talking about DEI? You practice Reiki and healing work, why do you have to talk about this?" First, pretty much all of us are impacted by DEI, because of the different identities we experience around race, class, gender, sexuality, ability, age, etc., etc., etc. When I work with folks in session, we talk about this impact ALL. THE. TIME. It's inescapable for many people. If you can escape it, you are probably in a preferred or privileged group. (This doesn't make you bad. It just means you inherited power, whether it has anything to do with you or not.) Finally, the health of the whole, impacts the health of the individual. If our systems are harmful, it harms the people in it. Just like if our water is poisoned, it'd be pretty hard to stay healthy drinking that water. Hope that helps.  Hey there,
A friend of mine recently shared this poem with me. I feel it relates well with healing, and thought I would share. For When I Am Hard on Myself If you can soften your body, your heart can settle, and if your heart can settle your mind can listen. —Augusta Kantra When you are full of self-regret and turn your fists on your own heart, I hope you will recall that summer afternoon when you dove headlong in the pond and floated there until your fingers pruned, until hard thoughts were soft as milkweed down, until you were a gentle thing without a thorn, until you were the song of birds and frogs and dusk … I know how shame and not-enoughness turn us on ourselves. And that is why I plant this seed of memory. When shame shows up, remember, self, you float. Remember, you can soften. Love, like water, gentles us. Such gentleness is how we learn to listen. —Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer Your assignment this week: Take part in an activity that helps you soften, or take five minutes to conjure the memory of a time you did and soak that in to your bones. If you need a little help, you can always let the Reiki melt away your troubles. Reach out if you need to. You can read more of Rosemerry's poems and support her work here. Take good care of you. ~Warmly, Sarah What do you want to grow?  If you know me, you know I am a sucker for a good metaphor. As I've been gardening over the years, the process has revealed how it is very much like healing, and personal growth.
When we first come upon a parcel of land upon which we wish to grow flowers or food, we don't always inherit a pristine plot that's been well-tended by previous stewards. It might be overtaken by weeds, had poisons or debris that have seeped into the soil, or be a monoculture and the lack of diversity shows in the dullness of soil life. Our lives might be like this. We don't have control of what we've inherited from our families, culture, or communities. There might be many blessings you've received, perhaps this garden was well cared for in the past, and you have many healthy perennials or trees to enjoy fruit, shade, and fragrance. Though many of us who find our way to healing practices often need to clean up what was left to us, even if it wasn't our fault, because if we don't, it may poison us, or keep us from cultivating what we wish to enjoy. Just like gardening, healing is an ongoing process. We need to continue to check in with our plants making sure they are getting the water they need, nutrients, aren't been crowded out, and are in harmony with the other plants, insects, and beings around them. By making small or big tweaks along the way, what you want to grow gets the support it needs. Sometimes, there are other things beyond our control. A stretch of drought, a wave of pests that eats up your peppers, a huge wind storm that uproots your sunflowers. Some of these scenarios can be curbed, or recovered from. For other events, we just have to accept our losses, and that we won't be able to continue as planned this year. My favorite parts of gardening are when I see the bright little shoots of new growth in the spring, or tasting a cherry tomato warmed from the sun, or catching glowing the sunset as the songbirds fly while smelling aromas of sage and sweetgrass. Gifts from just being out in the broader web of nature, and the sweet little wonders from having a very personal relationship with the soil, the plants, the pollinators. There are so many ways that our healing can surprise, and sustain us in simple, profound and grounded ways. How is the garden of your healing looking today? What do you want to grow? What does it need? Cheers to you, and the green and growing ones, ~Sarah Leaning on the wisdom of good ol' Mister Rogers.  Hey Friend,
I am frequently at a loss about what to say in these letters lately. In the early days, my intentions for writing them was to provide some healing, support, solace, and reflection. With the intensity of the current events lately, it's hard to feel like I know what to do. I'm a human going through this right with you. As I say often, I'm not master and commander of the universe. I never imagined we'd be living through times like this. Though I've got tools I use and share, they're not a magic wand that makes the flood waters recede, saves the systems of support that provide health care and food assistance, or dismantles the concentration camps in the Everglades. These camps are not far from where I spent the first decade of my life, which is sort of surreal to me. There is a significant lack of empathy and humanity in many of our leaders right now. Honestly, there's a lot to cry or be angry about. That is a natural, and understandable response to what's happening. The more that time goes on, the more it's clear to me that all that we have is each other. I find my faith in humanity gets restored a bit when I spend some time with friends, each of you in session, or out in nature. It reminds me that there are good folks out there, who care about what's happening, and that care about other people and the planet. It got me thinking about Mister Rogers, and the saying he got from his mom. When sh*it hits the fan (no, that part isn't from Mister Rogers ), "always look for the helpers. You will always find someone trying to help." There are a lot of us out here that are trying to help, and that care. Things are hard, and there will be more tough moments to come. But if we speak up, and show up for each other, we will find our way through, and it will lessen some of the suffering. Don't give up, Sarah. If there's anyway I can help you during these times, reach out. I'm here. Take good care of you and your community, Sarah Happy Solstice!  Happy Solstice!
Today the Northern Hemisphere is as close to the sun as we will get all year. The day is long, the night is short, and summer is in full swing! I hope you are finding ways to take care of yourself this season. Action embodied in light and warmth. Light that radiates to give life. That is what I think of when I tune into the archetype of sun energy. Take a moment and breathe with me. Place a hand on your upper belly (your solar plexus). This energy center is often considered our inner sun. Can you feel your warmth? How's that inner fire? Is she dormant, blazing or somewhere in between? Ideally, our inner fire has a steady burn like a hearth fire: safely contained, gently warming the surrounding area, and able to cook a nourishing meal. I invite you to reflect on how you can tend your inner fire. Maybe your fire needs a little more oxygen to breathe and warm you up. Conversely, maybe a little flowing water is needed, letting the tears of your feelings release pressure, soothe anger, and calm the flames. Perhaps your fire is ready to share some comfort, nourishment, or guiding light for others. Notice your solar energy, and let it inform you. If you'd like some support tending that inner fire, you know where to find me. Sarah Being Yourself = an Act of Courage and Beauty  Embodying who I really am, and supporting others in doing the same has always been a primary undercurrent of why I do this healing work. We all have parts of us that are wounded, hidden, or rejected. Parts that lay dormant, afraid to shine; "Who am I to be brilliant, courageous, or _____?" Parts that contort themselves into roles we've been told we need to fill, or that are just trying to help us survive. As we bring curiosity and care to these aspects of ourselves, we release burdens, and we begin to feel more like our Self.
As we go through this exploration, we often are confronted with beliefs we've absorbed by osmosis from our family or society: what it means to be a certain gender, masculine or feminine, who or how to love, how we "earn our worth," or "what makes us lovable," etc. Many times, we find that the ideas we've adopted don't fit us in certain places and need to be reworked, or abandoned completely. The cost of holding onto these ill-fitted beliefs might mean losing ourselves, our mental and emotional well-being, or far worse... our life. When I see the LGBTQIA community, I see folks who are willing to engage in this self-inquiry. Folks who explore what is real within them, despite what may or may not be supported by the circles around them. People who have the courage to say yes to (or at minimum ask) what is true within, and in doing so, save themselves rather than make others feel comfortable. You all are some of the bravest and most beautiful people out there. You lead by example of how to be your authentic self. Together, we have the opportunity to learn what it means to be fully human. We all have access to this wide range of experience and expression. None of us are excluded from being gorgeous, compassionate, handy, strong, brave, intelligent, creative, gentle, etc, etc, etc. There are so many ways to love, and so many ways to be. None of this is new. People have existed in these multitudinous expressions for centuries and across cultures. Diversity is part of humanity, and nature. Anyway, these are precarious times, especially if you are trans, non-binary, or are a part of the queer community. If that includes you, I would like to offer you this blessing if you would like to receive it. As they say, take what speaks to you, and leave the rest.
Hugs and Happy Pride, Sarah |
Sarah Barlow
Reiki Master Teacher and Owner of Embrace Your Essence Sign up for our E-Letters Here
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