 "All Will Be Well"
The weekend is over, the guests have gone, the house is in order, the garbage is taken out, the laundry and dishes are done, the animals are fed, their pens clean and the wind blows the chime that sounds like church bells representing my mother, Lyla. I take a moment to just “Be” with the reality of losing my mother. To master embracing change whether unexpected or anticipated takes trust in a power that is beyond my human understanding. I’ve had many opportunities to open my heart and practice trusting in the divine but I have not always fully embraced the opportunity. Here is yet another opportunity. I stop the attempts of distracting myself from my feelings through binge watching all the episodes of the Tudors. I do my best to stop the movement of my body and mind. I sit, close my eyes, focus my attention within and hold myself energetically in a space of love, I allow the tears to come, the sadness arises and I breath. In this moment, I hear mother’s chime outside the patio door, it’s accompanied by Walter’s. I’m thankful for the wind today, for my mother’s voice is calling through the chime, “This too shall pass” I open the patio door, even though it’s humid, and rainy. I allow the flies to come buzzing in so I can hear my mother’s song. The resonance is beautiful! Walter’s chime harmonizes with mom’s and the tears flow. It sounds like hope. It sounds like mom’s promise “There’ll be better days ahead Karen”. This is where I open to trust. I trust and put in the divine’s hand the “days ahead”. I trust that there will be “better days ahead”. There will be joy again. The ebb and flow of life is filled with loss and joy. You can’t have one without knowing the other. A well-lived life is full of these moments. The chickens begin clucking, the pig is grunting the goat bleating. I go out to investigate. No emergency just conversations flowing amongst the crew. I coo to the chickens, pet the goat and gently hug the piggy. But it’s just not the same without Walter’s presence. More tears. I come back in the house attempting to journal in hopes of easing my pain. I get uncomfortable. I move. I grab something to eat. I do a small chore like putting the kitchen waste basket in the shower filling it with bleach water to remove the odor I think I smell. I retreat from grieving. I can only dip my toe in the water of pain today. I will test the emotional waters again, perhaps tomorrow as I’ll have watched all four seasons of the Tudors by then. I have no doubt that my body will wrap this grief up and store it. I’ll have no choice but to take it out again or suffer the consequences of the emotional pain morphing into physical pain if I neglect it too long. This is the deep inner work of the soul my teacher Debra Morrill talks about in class. I will come back to it. I will acknowledge and embrace the change. The chime’s deep, beautiful tones softly ring out my mother’s loving and supporting words, “All will be well.”
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I had a vision of having a chicken or two. A synchronistic phone call lead me to a gal who rescues roosters. Although, I sat with getting a rooster, the M&M sisters, Mildred, Myrtle, and Marriane were in need of a home too and they matched the vision I had. I thought the hard part would be getting their home ready. Fred, carpenter by trade, used his skills to create the girls nesting boxes, then a ladder and finished it off with a predator proof door. I had this idea that William and Molly's pen would be a bunk room, with the chickens above and the pig and goat below. I had no idea that a change like this would be hard on them.
Attaching the chicken houses to William's pen created a loud noise and adding the door changed the look of his area. It was just too much for the sensitive porker. He couldn't get himself motivated to be curious and check out the space, not even with corn as an incentive. He slept outside on the porch for two nights. He came back to his pen on the third night but when we got the M&M sister's, with their squawking and different smells, William was traumatized! I hadn't really thought about William's possible struggle with transitioning to new roommates. Farms have chickens, pigs, goats, horses, and cows intermingling all the time. Did they have trouble adjusting to change? William was acting like he got kicked out of his home, fussing and whining at bedtime like an exhausted child but not feeling comfortable to go in his bed, he wandered around in the shadowed evening, looking for a safe place to lay. Oh! My poor piggy! I coaxed him on a dog bed in the garage petting and crooning to him til he drifted to sleep. Then I had to deal with Molly, who displays her transition troubles differently. Molly was energetic, skipping and prancing from the gas tank to the rock wall like a Mexican jumping bean. She had been all to helpful setting up the area for the chickens as Fred's irritating assistant, grabbing screws out of his nail pouch with her nimble lips. She'd investigated everything in the pen with her mouth and hooves. She had walked in and out of the pen for days before the new arrivals came. And when the three chickens came, unlike William who withdrew, she walked right in their segregated section and introduced herself, ignoring appropriate personal space boundaries and getting the girls catawallering. I didn't think the change was going to bother Molly, but it did. William and Molly sleep together or at least near each other and the fact that William had been fussing and unable to relax made Molly uneasy. It didn't help that I got William to sleep in the garage, their normal routine was to sleep together in their house and William wasn't going in their pen and she wasn't going in their at night alone! Although Molly had reacted with more curiosity than William's cautious reserve, she was upset at the change too! I thought Molly would eventually settle down next to William in the garage but I could still hear her bell tinkling at 3am. She was on high alert! I shuffled out to Molly, grabbed her by her collar and pretty much forced her in the pen. She went into the house and rammed the sides with her tennis ball covered horns and stamped her hooves in the wood chip bedding. This was a dramatic outbursts not too unlike a two year old tantrum. Here we are, four days later and we still have bedtime issues. William's still sleeping outside and Molly has to be escorted and locked in the pen so she settles for sleep otherwise she acts like a guard dog parading around the front of the house, knocking on our windows and jingling like gypsy girl. The chickens themselves are great! They love it here! They strut around like a cliche around the yard, talking amongst themselves. They are neither aggressive nor afraid of the crew, much to Greg's disappointment as he's been attempting to stalk them. The girls even went for a walk with us in the woods today! The days are great, it's the bedtime routine that's messed up! As I navigate this transition I remember what my mother use to say, "This too shall pass." I find myself repeating her phrase to William as I stroke his belly before bed. All will be well, eventually. Peace! Karen Up Coming Events at Crow Moon Healing Bed and Breakfast "Connecting with Divine Spirit through Shamanism" A two-day basic shamanism workshop led by Debra Morrill August 18-19, 2018 Saturday, August 18 from 9am-9pm Sunday, August 19 from 9am-4pm From the beginning of time, indigenous cultures on every continent shared a shamanic spiritual view. Our forebears lived close to the earth, deeply in tune with her cycles and seasons, the elements and nature. In this connection, they found their spirituality. They believed that every living being had a spirit- not just people, but also animals, trees, stones, and plants. They commonly traveled into the spirit realm to communicate and interact with power animals, spirit guides and nature spirits. Through exploring the basics of shamanism, we can rekindle our connection to the divine and develop our ability to communicate directly with Spirit to receive guidance on our spiritual path. In this two-day experiential workshop, you will:
Debra Morrill, B.A., has a shamanic healing practice in Prairie du Sac, Wi. She specializes in compassionate repossession, ancestral healing and curse unraveling. She leads a six-month ancestral healing circle and a two-year shamanic training program. Visit her website at debramorrill.com for more information about shamanism, spirituality and personal healing. Cost for the two-day basic shamanism workshop: $330 with early registration by August 9- OR- $375 after August 9. Meals included in the workshop fee: snacks, lunch on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday and lunch on Sunday. Healthy and delicious food is served, with gluten-free options. Dinner on Saturday evening is potluck style before the evening fire ceremony and celebration. Basic lodging is available at Crow Moon Healing for no extra charge. There are a variety of beds, air mattresses and sofas available. Or bring a tent and camp. Registration or more information: Contact Debra Morrill at 608-279-4319 or email debramorrill@charter.net.  July 2018 Newsletter
“Holding Space” One of the most important things I’ve learned on my spiritual journey is how to “Hold Space”. Many years ago my son asked me this question, “When someone is talking to you, do you listen to what they are saying? Or is your mind busy thinking of how you’re going to respond?” I had to sit with that question for a bit because I thought that my college kid was handing me a trick question. My ego was feeling threatened. I had been an engaged parent. I had helped my kids, especially my son, through some rough patches. I was always problem solving with and for them, so yeah when they would share their pain story, my brain was going to judgement of the situation and solutions. “I don’t know?” I confessed. “I think I do both, maybe?” “Mom, when your fully present with someone your mind is with the person, in that moment, hearing their story, not judging, not trying to contemplate your response, not trying to fix, just being in that moment and allowing,” Bryan responded. “Oh, I guess I don’t,” I replied sheepishly. At this point in my son’s life, he was on his healing journey from an illness that had threatened to take his life, so even though his question made me feel small I knew Bryan wasn’t trying to hurt me. He was sharing a pearl of wisdom he had gained from his experience. Bryan had many insights he’d share with me and it made me hungry to be in the world differently. It took several years for me to digest, study, process, and put into practice what my son expressed. I call this type of deep presence with another human being, “Holding Space” and it can be the most beautiful gift you can give. To “Hold Space” for another person doesn’t require words, solutions or similar shared experience. It only requires that you be present. FULLY present with your mind and heart open. "Holding Space" is part of the experience at Crow Moon Healing Bed and Breakfast. Up Coming Events at Crow Moon Healing Bed and Breakfast "Connecting with Divine Spirit through Shamanism" A two-day basic shamanism workshop led by Debra Morrill August 18-19, 2018 Saturday, August 18 from 9am-9pm Sunday, August 19 from 9am-4pm From the beginning of time, indigenous cultures on every continent shared a shamanic spiritual view. Our forebears lived close to the earth, deeply in tune with her cycles and seasons, the elements and nature. In this connection, they found their spirituality. They believed that every living being had a spirit- not just people, but also animals, trees, stones, and plants. They commonly traveled into the spirit realm to communicate and interact with power animals, spirit guides and nature spirits. Through exploring the basics of shamanism, we can rekindle our connection to the divine and develop our ability to communicate directly with Spirit to receive guidance on our spiritual path. In this two-day experiential workshop, you will:
Debra Morrill, B.A., has a shamanic healing practice in Prairie du Sac, Wi. She specializes in compassionate repossession, ancestral healing and curse unraveling. She leads a six-month ancestral healing circle and a two-year shamanic training program. Visit her website at debramorrill.com for more information about shamanism, spirituality and personal healing. Cost for the two-day basic shamanism workshop: $330 with early registration by August 9- OR- $375 after August 9. Meals included in the workshop fee: snacks, lunch on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday and lunch on Sunday. Healthy and delicious food is served, with gluten-free options. Dinner on Saturday evening is potluck style before the evening fire ceremony and celebration. Basic lodging is available at Crow Moon Healing for no extra charge. There are a variety of beds, air mattresses and sofas available. Or bring a tent and camp. Registration or more information: Contact Debra Morrill at 608-279-4319 or email debramorrill@charter.net.  “The Joy of Birding”
Many of the guests this spring have been treated to a spectacular bird show! Migrating as well as summer residents are congregating at the feeders. It’s the main topic at the dining table as guests enjoy breakfast with a show of color on the deck. What joy it brings as the guests excitedly try to name all the different species. The surprise bird is the scarlet tanager; a fire-engine red bird with black wings. In the past I’ve only gotten a glimpse of this gorgeous bird at the waterfall in mid-summer, but this year three males showed up for oranges on the deck bringing their girlfriends along, which really stumped me as I’ve never seen a greenish bird like her before. I love hearing the unmistakable songs of the red-breasted grosbeak and the oriole. I smile as the wren scolds and shake my head when the Catbird calls my name “Karrreeen, Karrreeen,”. I love seeing the finches, indigo buntings, chickadees, titmouse and nuthatches bounce and flutter. I love these feathered friends and now I delight in sharing them with guests who may have never had an opportunity to see songs birds up close. At Crow Moon Healing Bed and Breakfast guests can enjoy the joy of birding on the deck, at the dining table, or while relaxing outside, perhaps on the hammock. Up Coming Events at Crow Moon Healing Bed and Breakfast "Connecting with Divine Spirit through Shamanism" A two-day basic shamanism workshop led by Debra Morrill August 18-19, 2018 Saturday, August 18 from 9am-9pm Sunday, August 19 from 9am-4pm From the beginning of time, indigenous cultures on every continent shared a shamanic spiritual view. Our forebears lived close to the earth, deeply in tune with her cycles and seasons, the elements and nature. In this connection, they found their spirituality. They believed that every living being had a spirit- not just people, but also animals, trees, stones, and plants. They commonly traveled into the spirit realm to communicate and interact with power animals, spirit guides and nature spirits. Through exploring the basics of shamanism, we can rekindle our connection to the divine and develop our ability to communicate directly with Spirit to receive guidance on our spiritual path. In this two-day experiential workshop, you will:
Debra Morrill, B.A., has a shamanic healing practice in Prairie du Sac, Wi. She specializes in compassionate repossession, ancestral healing and curse unraveling. She leads a six-month ancestral healing circle and a two-year shamanic training program. Visit her website at debramorrill.com for more information about shamanism, spirituality and personal healing. Cost for the two-day basic shamanism workshop: $330 with early registration by August 9- OR- $375 after August 9. Meals included in the workshop fee: snacks, lunch on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday and lunch on Sunday. Healthy and delicious food is served, with gluten-free options. Dinner on Saturday evening is potluck style before the evening fire ceremony and celebration. Basic lodging is available at Crow Moon Healing for no extra charge. There are a variety of beds, air mattresses and sofas available. Or bring a tent and camp. Registration or more information: Contact Debra Morrill at 608-279-4319 or email debramorrill@charter.net. photography by Jacob Harter jbharter98@gmail.com The furry staff are very healing to be around. I can feel my heart rate slow as I rub William's belly. I feel connected to something spiritually magical as I walk the entourage down the road. I feel content with myself and my place in the world when I allow myself to just "BE" in the moment with them. All their antics, from William's grumblings about the April snow storm, to Molly's exuberance over morning walks, Greg's playfulness and bantering and Walter's constant fussing over daily activities brings a smile to my heart as I witness that animals, like people, are unique and quirky.
I invite you to come and "BE" at Crow Moon Healing Bed and Breakfast. We offer, Reiki, Shamanic Healings, small group healings, personalized retreats and respite as well as standard bed and breakfast services. ******************************************** Upcoming events and classes being held at Crow Moon Healing Bed and Breakfast "Spa Day" Sunday May 20th, 2018 Reflexology (50 minute extensive foot massage) Openings at 1pm and 3pm with Heidi Fromi, a relaxation specialist for 20 years. Mayo fascial release opening at 11am with Corey Schultz. Reiki opening at 10:00 am with Reiki Master Nancy Malmberg. Contact Karen at 608-393-3196 "Herb Walk" Sunday May 20th, 2018 1pm - 2:30pm Led by Jennifer Helmer (Herbalist) Cost $20 Come to Crow Moon Healing and walk around the yard and wooded area with Jennifer as she points out the different plants and herbs that grow naturally around us and explains their uses, medicinal and otherwise. Meet William the pig, Molly the goat, Greg the cat and Walter the old schnauzer as they tag along for the walk. To register or ask questions, contact Karen McIntosh at crowmoonhealing@gmail.com or call 608-393-3196. "Connecting with Divine Spirit through Shamanism" A two-day basic shamanism workshop led by Debra Morrill August 18-19, 2018 Saturday, August 18 from 9am-9pm Sunday, August 19 from 9am-4pm From the beginning of time, indigenous cultures on every continent shared a shamanic spiritual view. Our forebears lived close to the earth, deeply in tune with her cycles and seasons, the elements and nature. In this connection, they found their spirituality. They believed that every living being had a spirit- not just people, but also animals, trees, stones, and plants. They commonly traveled into the spirit realm to communicate and interact with power animals, spirit guides and nature spirits. Through exploring the basics of shamanism, we can rekindle our connection to the divine and develop our ability to communicate directly with Spirit to receive guidance on our spiritual path. In this two-day experiential workshop, you will:
Debra Morrill, B.A., has a shamanic healing practice in Prairie du Sac, Wi. She specializes in compassionate repossession, ancestral healing and curse unraveling. She leads a six-month ancestral healing circle and a two-year shamanic training program. Visit her website at debramorrill.com for more information about shamanism, spirituality and personal healing. Cost for the two-day basic shamanism workshop: $330 with early registration by August 9- OR- $375 after August 9. Meals included in the workshop fee: snacks, lunch on Saturday, breakfast on Sunday and lunch on Sunday. Healthy and delicious food is served, with gluten-free options. Dinner on Saturday evening is potluck style before the evening fire ceremony and celebration. Basic lodging is available at Crow Moon Healing for no extra charge. There are a variety of beds, air mattresses and sofas available. Or bring a tent and camp. Registration or more information: Contact Debra Morrill at 608-279-4319 or email debramorrill@charter.net. |
AuthorKaren Mcintosh - Crow Moon Healing Owner & Operator, Shamanic Healer, Reiki Master.
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