Music Therapy with Miss Moon

"I deepen my experience of God through prayer, meditation, and forgiveness."
~ Marianne Williamson

Happy Monday, Everybody!!! This week's Music Therapy with Miss Moon has become a sort of anthem for me in the past few weeks. Because the lyrics speak volumes to who I am and how I feel at this moment, I will let Amel Larrieux fill you in. I hope you all will enjoy "Orange Glow".

I want to rise
above
My fears before they burn my solar plexus
Don't want to fight
The new
Just meditate on the state
Of what I'm changing into

Touch the light
orange glow to wash your soul
illuminate you
out of sight
burn your house of pain and watch the flames ignite your breakthrough

I want to take
That ride
To the planet where the brave me resides
And I will face
The fire
Cuz aint no breakthrough gonna come without no sacrifice

Touch the light
orange glow to wash your soul
illuminate you
out of sight
burn your house of pain and watch the flames ignite your breakthrough

I'm like
Vibrating as the liquid enters my fingertips
Pulses in my veins
From my toes to my lips
Fuels my brain
Frees my pain
Breaks my mental chains
Awakened I am
As I blink my third eye
One life
Have I
So its time to live

Touch the light
orange glow to wash your soul
illuminate you
out of sight
burn your house of pain and watch the flames ignite your breakthrough

Be Blessed: And Take a Moment to Meditate - Part Four

“ We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
~ Mother Teresa



This week, I will quiet my mind.

Be Blessed: And Take a Moment to Meditate - Part Three

“Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it.”
~ Anonymous

On most days, when I look at myself in the mirror, I am pleased and content with who is staring back at me. I see a woman who is growing older, and wiser and more sure of herself, and that's dope! There are those days, though, where Gollum is staring back at me (in my own head) - the most hideous thing imaginable. It's my goal to get rid of the Gollum days, between you and me.

Some of you may have your own version of Gollum days, and if by chance you're trying to dramatically lessen those days, this week's meditation is a good one. Entitled, "I Am", it serves as a affirmation of all of the beauty we have inside of us. So when Gollum is staring back at you, tell it to burn the road up with a reminder of all that you are!!!



This week, I will remember everything I am.

Be Blessed: And Take a Moment to Meditate - Part Two

"I pray to be like the ocean, with soft currents, maybe waves at times. More and more, I want the consistency rather than the highs and the lows."
~ Drew Barrymore



Nothing relaxes me more than a trip to the ocean. Laying on the warm sand, the sun shining brightly on me, the sounds of seagulls and waves crashing around me. I get drowsy just thinking about it!! LOL

Because for many of us, our trips to the beach are solely on the weekends (And let's face it... the beach on a weekend is far from tranquil), this week's guided meditation from The Meditation Society of Australia is the perfect "in the meantime" escape until you're physically burrowing your toes in the sand. Let it serve as a reminder that our lives are very much like the ocean: tranquil at times, sometime turbulent, power and expansive. Just like we are.



This week, I will listen to the ocean to relax and renew.

Be Blessed: And Take a Moment to Meditate - Part One

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

~ Bruce Lee

I admit it. I do not meditate as often as I used to, when I was younger and was just exploring self-improvement. It's something that I know is tremendously beneficial, yet I do not make the time to reap the benefit. Perhaps I am not the only one who goes through that... which leads me to this week's Be Blessed. It will be the first of many meditation posts, sharing meditations I've found online and have really helped me.

It is my hope that after reading these words, you will take a moment for yourself and listen to this amazing chakra meditation.... and that in doing so, the rest of your day and the week to come will be a more peaceful one.



This week, I will take time out to be still.

Be Blessed: (Semi) Silent Sunday - Part Three

“See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...we need silence to be able to touch souls.”

~ Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Miss Moon's Musing About: Taking a Break

So as I mentioned in my last post, I've been living with a pinched nerve for a little over a week now, and the pain has been so intense. Because of this, I have decided to take a break from the blog for a few days to focus on getting better.

Tonight I reached my breaking point and had a total collapse: the pain, the frustration and the discomfort got too much for me. The worse thing was that in these past few days, I've had very little to no sleep, which heavily contributed to my break down.

At my hubby-to-be's promptings (after soothing my tears and massaging my back and shoulders with his favorite cure-all: clove oil) I meditated on the pain and asked it what, metaphysically, was it trying to teach me. So much came to be, and I can't wait to share it with you all, hopefully sometime this weekend.

In the meantime, be sure to vote for which bag I should get to ensure this pain doesn't continue!!

Peace from Brooklyn!

Be Blessed: & Laugh.... Often!!

At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.

~Jean Houston

I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, "Ain't that the truth."

~Quincy Jones

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.

~e.e. cummings



When was the last time you had a really, tremendously good laugh? A laugh that you felt from your head to your toes? Do you remember how you felt spiritually after that laugh?

For me.... after a good laugh, once the tears have been wiped from my eyes and I've caught my breath... I always have a good sigh that sets my soul to vibrating. After a good laugh, that wonderfully, blessed feeling lingers and it takes very little to keep that goodness with me.

When I want to laugh heartily and plentifully, I go to movies (One of my favorites is the Abbott & Costello movie, "Hold that Ghost" and the squirrel scene with Chevy Chase in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"). But a good "America's Funniest Home Videos" marathon is always good for laughs!!! Whatever the source, laughter is so tremendously important.

From the good folks at The Daily Om:

Centered Silliness
Laughing Meditation

Many people might be surprised to think of laughter as a form of meditation. Yet not only is laughing meditation one of the simplest forms of meditation, but also it is a very powerful one. The physical act of laughing is one of the few actions involving the body, emotions, and the soul. When we laugh, we give ourselves over to the immediacy of the present moment. We also are able to momentarily transcend minor physical and mental stresses. Practiced in the morning, laughing meditation can lend a joyful quality to the entire day. Practiced in the evening, laughing meditation is a potent relaxant that has been known to inspire pleasant dreams. Laughter also can help open our eyes to previously unnoticed absurdities that can make life seem less serious.

There are three stages to mindful laughter. Each stage can last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. The first stage involves stretching your body like a cat and breathing deeply. Your stretch should start at the hands and feet before you move through the rest of your body. Stretch out the muscles in your face by yawning and making silly faces. The second stage of the meditation is pure laughter. Imagine a humorous situation, remember funny jokes, or think about how odd it is to be laughing by yourself. When the giggles start to rise, let them. Let the laughter ripple through your belly and down into the soles of your feet. Let the laughter lead to physical movement. Roll on the floor, if you have to, and keep on laughing until you stop. The final stage of the meditation is one of silence. Sit with your eyes closed and focus on your breath.

Laughter brings with it a host of positive effects that operate on both the physical and mental levels. It is also fun, expressive, and a way to release tension. Learn to laugh in the present moment, and you'll find that joy is always there.



This week I will take the time each day to laugh. even if its just funny faces in the mirror!!!

Be Blessed: Letting Go of Understanding (From The Daily Om)

I am a person who spends a lot of time with her thoughts & feelings. A lot of times, I become frustrated deciphering my thoughts to determine what is coming from my soul and what's negative ego bullcrap... And in the frustration, I ultimately feel like a failure. I've realized this process is counterproductive, as I began the inner reflection to get in touch and connect with myself.... to feel GOOOOOOOD, not to end up belittling and doubting myself.

This article from The Daily Om, "Letting Go of Understanding: Deeper Meanings" really put into perspective how putting all my thoughts under a microscope has distracted me from the connection I sought in the first place.




October 31, 2007
Letting Go Of Understanding
Deeper Meanings

All of us who seek to be conscious and aware regard our experiences as teachers, and we try to discern what lessons we are learning from the things that happen in our lives. Sometimes the lesson is very clear from the get-go, and other times we have to really search to understand the deeper meaning behind some event. While this search often yields results, there also comes a point in the search where what we really need to do is move forward. It is possible that we are not meant to know the deeper meaning of certain occurrences. Answers may come later in our lives, or they may come as a result of letting go, or they may never come.

We are all part of a complex system of being, and things work themselves out in the system as a whole. Sometimes we are just playing a necessary part in that process with a result larger than we can understand. It may have very little to do with us personally, and while that can be hard to understand, it can also free us from overthinking the matter. Sometimes it is best to see it in terms of karma, a past debt we have been able to repay in this way, or as the clearing of energy. We can simply thank the event for being part of our experience and let it go. This completes the process that the occurrence has made possible.

To make this letting go official, we can perform a ritual, make a final journal entry on the subject, or sit in meditation with the intention of releasing the event from our consciousness. As we do so, we summon it one last time, honoring it with our attention, thanking it, and saying good-bye. We then let it go out the door, out the window, out the top of our heads, or into the earth through the bottoms of our feet, liberating ourselves from any burden we have carried in association with it

For more information visit dailyom.com

This article is printed from DailyOM - Inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Register for free at www.dailyom.com
© 2004-07 DailyOM - All Rights Reserved

This week I will connect to my inner spirit without doubting and questioning every aspect of the journey. I will let go of any aspect that does not lead to total happiness

The Greatest Miracles Happen When the Odds are Against You...

A little background history: Last year, I was working as a Customer Service Representative for Carol's Daughter here in NYC (If you called or emailed last year you perhaps got me. If so, I hope I helped and didn't piss you off! lol). I also got really serious with my then long-distance boyfriend (now cohabitant/hubby-to-be) and decided that I would move from Brooklyn to a small-ish town Upstate NY called Corning to be with him. So I quit my job, and sure that the fates would smile upon me for making such a uncharacteristically brave leap, made the move in November on my 31st birthday.

And I am not saying that the fates haven't smiled on me at all. They have brought me the most fulfilling and loving relationship I've ever had in my life. They have brought me a man who has the most amazingly loving family, and they have brought me so many wonderful experiences in the time spent in Corning (including the most wonderful surprise proposal I've ever witnessed - and it was ME being proposed to!). They just didn't bring me a job! LMAO

So, newly affianced hubby-to-be by my side, I moved back to Brooklyn, where I was 50-75% sure I would get my old job back at Carol's Daughter, as they seemed very enthusiastic about me moving back to the city. I didn't. They didn't even send me a "thanks, but no thanks" letter after my interview. Which sucks anytime you go on an interview, but sucks really hard when you have a relationship with a company and have made positive contributions of time and creativity to said company.

Fast forward 3 months, several interviews and several rejections later... I am still unemployed, and it's moments like this when it's hard to keep optimistic. Especially when I read this comment from a DailyKos article that suggests the fervor about the Malia Obama picture is not about her tee shirt, but about her hair:

"I recently attended an employment coaching class for unemployed women looking for work. Part of it entailed the usual lesson on how to dress for an interview and was astonished to hear an African-American woman speaker advise AA women not to wear "ethnic" hairstyles. It was really shocking, because as a white woman, I find braided hairstyles to be very neat and no-nonesense[sic], as they signal that the woman is not spending her mornings doing her hair."

This coupled with an article from LiveSteez that reports that the unemployment rate of black neighborhoods in NYC is way over the rate for the entire city is far from encouraging, as I happen to be an African-American woman. With "ethnic" hair. Trying to find a job in NYC. According to these articles, I have a better chance of simultaneously being struck with lightening and contracting swine flu.

Suffice to say, I had a mini-breakdown as the weight of this information landed squarely on my shoulders. I decided to regroup with a long hot shower/mini meditation. While in the shower, this phrase came up for me during the meditation:

"The greatest miracles happen when the odds are against you"

I truly believe this, and it made me instantly feel better about the situation. I don't know if I will be immediately successful, but I do feel stronger and more optimistic. In short, I am ready for the challenge and I am (sho nuff!) ready for the triumph I believe will come from it.

So I am arming myself with the love and support of my friends and family (most importantly myself!), and this amazing meditation by Lilou Mace that I plan on watching twice a day: after waking up and before bed.



And I will be open, receptive to divine instruction and guidance. And I will succeed when I find the opportunity that has my name all over it!