Why can't we all help to avoid tragedy?

Today, I sat and read the entire document from the State of Connecticut, which highlighted the history of Adam Lanza; his school and mental health records, and all events leading up to the tragic massacre at the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT.

I don't mean to revisit the past.  My intention is to learn from it so that we can avoid such a tragedy ever occurring again.

This boy needed help, that we all know.  What is obvious to me is how so many professionals (through the years) worked in silos, which ultimately put Adam Lanza, and our society at risk.

Here's the link, if you care to read:  http://tinyurl.com/mmbc7df

The importance of screening children ages 0-3 becomes more paramount.  I want this for every child; not just those in wealthy communities, but the underserved as well.

Please share your comments here if you choose to read this document.

As we move into the Holiday season, some people won't fare well.  Feelings of depression and gloom may emerge.  My response is to proactively share a smile, or be armed with the questions to ensure someone knows how to seek help if they experience these feelings.

Here is a number I hope we all will share with anyone in need.  Let's all do our part to ensuring the safety for ourselves and our loved ones.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Phone Number

1-800-273-8255

Women's online spirit and soul of woman magazine features Mindful Beginnings® article

Plan to immerse yourself in the world of wonder, as you read articles in the latest issue of Sibyl Magazine.  In it, you'll find stories on health, healing, love and relationships.  Page 5 highlights an article  from Mindful Beginnings®, highlighting how to know if you're making the right decision on your journey through life.


http://pnder.com/SibPr/APRIL-MAYSibyl2014.pdf










Enjoy!

~Lisa

Amazing you, oh, yes you are!

Sometimes just hearing the words, "You are amazing" can lift you right outta your chair and up, up, up into the blue sky above.

Think about it.  Just like adding water to a wilting flower, our words have the power to perk another up.

That's all I have today, folks.

Have a lovely day.  Finish it with knowing how amazing I think YOU are.

Hugs,
Lisa

Thank you for making me food so I don't die, and other Valentine love from the mouths of babes

In honor of #OperationFebruary, which is meant to spread more love into the world, I thought I'd share these seriously cute Valentine cards.  Maybe some of these will spark something in my own family to write some on their own.

What I love most about these cards is the honesty.  These children tell it how it is.  They don't beat around the bush.  They haven't "learned" to squelch their feelings and emotions.  They were their hearts on their sleeves.

Enjoy these quotes, and I hope that we all can speak out truths this Valentine's Day.
http://distractify.com/fun/fails/the-most-hilariously-awkward-valentines-from-children/

Time to rally behind art by drawing a heart

And, just like that, we are off to support a local artist who has been spreading joy throughout the land.   My journey started during the month of February, when I wanted to create a vehicle to honor the positive actions of my kids and spouse within the confines of our home.   #OperationFebruary began, where we would write on heart-shaped paper, and put it in the respective member's envelope to read.

#OperationFebruary quickly moved out into the community.  It just had to, because we all can use a little more love in our lives, can't we?

This Valentine's Day, some members of our local beach community will be honoring an artist that has been creating chalk drawings along the cement sidewalk (AKA "Strand").  For the last couple of months, there's been an individual who doesn't approve of these drawings and washes them away.

Rather than give attention to the removal of art, the idea has been to celebrate the chalk artist, whose only intention has been to inspire.

Please read below what was posted on Mindful Beginnings® fan page on FaceBook, and see if you can join us!

Have you noticed all the joy that #Funism brings, via the chalk art expressions all around our beach community? "You are on the path to greatness" as you walk up the staircase where Hermosa meets Manhattan along the strand, "Not all who wander are lost" on the strand wall, or "Hug Your People" are just some of the visual play on words you may have witnessed.  

In celebration of Valentine's Day and the artist behind #Funism, I am declaring #OperationFebruary, where we continue to honor the love in our lives, and spread it even more. Funism could use more love and recognition.

Here's how we can help:

On 2/14/14, #OperationFebruary asks for you to grab your own piece of chalk. Walk, run, jog or skip down to the strand wall anywhere in Hermosa Beach, and bring your creativity.

Draw a heart on the wall, draw a heart on the strand sidewalk. Pinks, purples, blues. Yellows, reds and oranges. Pick your color. When you feel complete with your art, you can also add: #Funism or #OperationFebruary.
Do so any time of the day this 2/14/14.

Let's meet in a more formal way, with Funism supporters performing their own group operation. 22nd Street and The Strand in Hermosa at 10:30 a.m. Bring your chalk. Bring your smiles. Bring your gratitude for a kind of art that is temporary and fleeting, and the kind that saves lives when it lifts those who suffer from stress and despair. #chalkcanthurt 

If you can't make the 10:30 a.m. time, simply go down on your own at any point during the day!

See you soon!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!! 

"For sale" is the only sign we need

I once was with a group of women.  We were all sitting on the comfy couch of a friend, in her lovely home.  It really was a lovely home.  The sky painted blue through the window.  The wind blew enough that in the pauses between our words spoken, we could hear the tree's branches, as they danced to their own rhythm.   We were sipping tea, contemplating how one knows if she is journeying along the right path, and if there are signs to illuminate or validate the decisions she makes.

One woman shared her process of buying the home she currently lives in; the home we were all in, asking these questions from that same comfy couch. Feeling inundated, this friend wasn't sure if this home was the right one to purchase.

"Give me a sign," she kept saying, as she scrutinized whether to bum it an offer.  This woman wanted some kind of indication that she was on the right path.  She wanted to be jolted out of bed while sleeping, with the hand of God slapping in the face, while hearing the words, "Yes, this is your sign.  Go buy that house."  

No hand of God came.

No messages in her dreams.

Nothing.

This woman felt a surge of anxiety to the point where she wasn't moving forward with her decision to purchase this home.  Days past, and a wonderfully wise friend offered words she'd never forget.
This friend said, "You want a sign?  I'll give you a sign. The sign you are looking for is literally in front of you."  Her wise friend shared that the wooden, 'For Sale' sign pitched right in the front yard was the only "sign" needed.  The "For Sale" sign was the bridge for a new owner to make an offer, and await for its acceptance.

Huge sighs of relief came over my friend.  She was waiting for the lightning bolt, but finally realized that life doesn't always offer them.  She needn't look so hard, try so hard or be so hard in all aspects of her life.  The "For Sale" sign was enough for her to submit her offer, which then led to her ultimate home purchase.

What path do we take?  What job do we ponder?  To whom do we sit with next to sip herbal tea?

Sometimes the answers are right in front of us, and if we are looking too hard, we may simply miss them.

What "For Sale" sign have you been missing in your life?

I'd love to hear!

Be a warrior of love.

I don't think there can ever be enough love in the world.  That's why there needs to be hippie warriors; those that stand tall, with their head aligned perfectly over their necks, arms held out in a "T" position, ready to hold an arrow that will target those who need love the most.

Many people are standing in line waiting for the arrow to hit them, and they may not even know it.  When it hits, they have two choices.  They can:

1)   allow the energy of the arrow to permeate throughout their bodies, nourishing every cell, which may help them heal physically and emotionally

or...

2)  resist the arrow's energy, only to find that they are depleted in every way, shape or form.

If you have the energy to give, then what's stopping you?  Our job is to share, and we can do so liberally.  It's the other person's problem if they don't accept what we have to offer.  Everyone is on their own journey in life, that's for sure.

So, go be a "hippie warrior of love."  How many arrows will you ignite into the world around you?
Oh, how I hope they are all received by those targeted.  Can you imagine what the world would look like?  I can, because I am a "hopeful optimist"!

Fear is my shadow

I thought I'd revisit an earlier blog post about fear being my shadow.  Sometimes she visits and she is all encompassing.  Have a read about how she took up a bit much of my mind space recently, and how I coped with her visit.

My article is on page 7 of Sybil Magazine:

http://pnder.com/SibPr/Sibyl%20Mag%20FEB-MAR%202014.pdf

Let's all tell our shadows to pack their bags when we embark upon something new in our lives.
Instead, let's fill our hearts with love (and more love) for ourselves.

Operation February

I haven't been feeling the love in our household these days.  Running here.  Running there.  We probably even saw a person (or two) in their underwear.

It's time for #OperationFebruary.

I cut out hearts.  I put them into a bowl, some with writing on them.  Some hearts say, "You are special to me."  Others say, "I believe in you", which is a family favorite.  Others are left blank where someone can express gratitude for an act of kindness, behavior or any other love fest they see another member commit in the course of the day.

I hung homeade, red "envelopes" marked with each family member's name.  Nothing fancy; just stapled sides, with a slot at the top for the hearts to enter their new home.  These artful wonders are taped to our dining room chandelier, so we won't have opportunity to forget that Operation February is serious business.

Each day in February, someone can help raise the love vibration in our home through these cut-out pieces of paper.  Although they're just words, they're so much more.  As we all know, sticks and stones can break bones, AND words can hurt.

#OperationFebruary aims to bring back love in our home, where it belongs.  Words of kindness.  Words that help another feel esteem and joy.  I will post back as to how we are all faring.

Care to join us this February?  It's never too late to start, because we all can use a dose of love!

Mindful Lisa: I had the courage to share from my heartOf all th...

Mindful Lisa: I had the courage to share from my heart
Of all th...: I had the courage to share from my heart Of all the things I've written in my life, I think the piece below is at the top of the lis...

Mindful Lisa: I had the courage to share from my heartOf all th...

Mindful Lisa: I had the courage to share from my heart
Of all th...: I had the courage to share from my heart Of all the things I've written in my life, I think the piece below is at the top of the lis...

I had the courage to share from my heart

Of all the things I've written in my life, I think the piece below is at the top of the list for the "Vulnerability Prize".   Some of you know that I had a very interesting summer that was met with health challenges.  I'm grateful for all the lessons that I learned along the way, and finally have the courage to share with the world, hoping that my story will help others.  

My story was published in the latest online Women's Spiritual Health magazine, www.SibellaPublications.com.  Look for page 24, where you'll see the article below.  There are many other great writers who have lots to offer, so be sure to sit down with your glass of wine, your cup of tea, or any other way that you can get quiet enough to sit and take in their words.  

MINDFUL BEGINNINGS

Perimeno-PAUSE – Taking Time For Healthy Reflection

By Lisa Pedersen

Sometimes perimenopause creeps up on you, other times with a big bang. In my case, it was

the latter. After mentioning at a routine physical my heavier menstrual cycles, an ultrasound

revealed ovarian cysts (one measuring 5.4 cm.) and a thickened uterine lining. An endometrial

biopsy and ovarian cancer screening were performed. Despite relief over the negative results, I

continually bled for over forty days, ultimately requiring intravenous iron therapy for the added anemia diagnosis.

Surgery loomed in my future, having been informed I should have the cyst, and part, if not all, of my left ovary

removed. This happened close to my 48th birthday. Here lay a pause I had yet to encounter: perimenopause.

I’m in the healing profession, counseling on the importance of self-care. This time, I was the person needing care,

especially if there was opportunity to continue life on this planet. I slept, cried and felt guilt for arriving at this life

event. Through working with healers, utilizing calming techniques, journaling and allowing others to help me, within

two months, my body changed to its natural state of health. A repeat ultrasound was miraculously NORMAL! No

more cysts or thickened lining. My doctor had never seen a woman heal within such a short time frame. All surgeries

were cancelled.

The following list may help women create space to graciously navigate menopause and beyond:

1. Find your “team”. Besides family and friends, mine included a medical doctor who prescribed natural

progesterone, an herbalist who offered herbs, an energy worker who used the art of touch and loving kindness, and

a gong therapist who played while I immersed myself in the surrounding vibrations. This didn’t happen overnight.

Find who works for you; be willing to accept their expertise, while listening to your own inner guidance.

2. Listen to calming music, or meditate. Taking time to pause is the true lesson for us all. We must slow down

and quiet our minds so that magic can take over.

3. Write about hopes, dreams, desires and resentments. Be honest about your relationships. I realized how

complacent I had become, needing to return to the joy of life’s offering.

4. Evaluate responsibilities and allow others to share the load. I felt exhausted doing what others could do for

themselves. I now ask myself the simple question, “Whose

job is this, anyway?” If it’s not mine, I move on.

My new lease on life begins nourishing my soul. Writing is one

act that falls into this category and I humbly share my story here.

What feeds your soul? Pausing well before menopause may help

you discover exactly what you need to live with optimal health

and well-being.

www.mindfulbeginnings.com

lisa@mindfulbeginnings.com

When friends need soup

Someone has a baby.   Another person breaks her leg, finding herself confined to her home for months.  The neighbor down the street is on the couch with the flu.  What this means to me is a call to action for "love soup."

What is love soup?

Did anyone ever see the movie "Like Water for Chocolate?" where any creation made turns into a magical feast of yummy?  That's the idea I have in mind each time I make my love soup.

I know that it works, because people ask for the recipe and I'm not sure how to answer, because the ingredients change from time to time.

The only constancy that rings true is the idea that when I think of the person I'm offering the soup to, I stir all of the ingredients, and send love to him/her.  It also might help that I use Maidya Mishra's ayurvedic herbs, such as Moringa Leaf Soup Mix, Soma Salt and SVA Mum's Super Spice.  All of those products are imbedded with herbs that heal the body and soul.  Even my kids "drink" this soup up, and they're not always fond of my "healthy" meals.

What should you do the next time you feel called to make a creation for someone you love?  Take out your crock pot (or go buy one).  Throw in Bob's Red Mill Soup Mix, or dried black, pinto or kidney beans (or all of the above).  Add in butternut squash, garlic, onion, carrots and any other vegetable that you have waiting to be part of this loving creation.  Add in the herbs and wait.

Each time I make the love soup, it turns out differently.  Isn't that what life is about anyway?  We have a plan going in, and sometimes the plan works.  Other times, the plan works better than our wildest dreams could ever imagine.

I hope that the soup will help the new mom find the time to snuggle her little even more.  I hope that my friend with the broken leg gets to relax and find peace instead of worrying what to serve her family for dinner.  I hope my neighbor down the street heals soon enough to join us outside for our sun-filled days.

I hope you'll spread the idea of cooking with love and share it with your world.

Blessings,

Lisa

P.S.  To order the ayurvedic herbs, go to www.chandika.com
++I have no affiliation with this company.

Making hearts and honoring love for others.

Cut out a bunch of hearts and for the month of February write something on one of them sharing what you are grateful for (and for me it'll be about someone in the family and a particular attribute or behavior I am honoring in that moment).  Post it in the house to have a magical February!  Repeat this activity daily.

I heart this and will commit to doing it.

I imagine writing on a heart, "Thank you for walking the dog."  I may write, "I love watching you play basketball."  And, the oldie, but goodie is to see the words, "I believe in you."

If you care to partake, let me know how it goes!  I'm certain that by doing this activity, we'll all feel the love that's always there for the taking... even more!!!

She thought she could so she did

"She believed she could, so she did."


Who's ready to fly?  We all can, especially if we believe we can.  January is a time to take stock and believe in ourselves.  It's a time to believe that we can, just like the little train that could.

My hope for you in this new year is that you stretch yourself, literally and figuratively.  Be kind to yourself.  Be kind to those around you.  Go for a walk when your body tells you running is too much. Sip some tea and sense how the steam feels as it enters your mouth and you begin to swallow the savory, blended herbal concoction.  Say please.  Say thank you.  Say no thank you, because you know it will hurt those around you if you do offer a note of thanks.

Laugh.  Cry.  Take out a piece of paper and doodle.  Doodle some more.  Doodle until you believe that doodle can turn into a piece of art to be hung on your bathroom mirror.  Hang it up so that it represents the life inside you that's screaming to come out and have a chance to introduce itself to the world.

Fall.  Get up and start over, and then start over again.  Write down your dreams.  Put shaving creme on the kitchen floor and "skate" barefoot.  Fill your bathtub with water and color the water with food coloring.  Put floating candles and create your own oasis of crazy.

Take chances.

Take risks.

I've done all of the above activities and I can honestly say I'm the better for it.  They may feel like they hurt, but the secret is -none of them do.

Happy New Year to all, and to all a good day.... a good night.... and a good flight!

See you in the sky!

Lisa

A team approach to a cesarean birth should include a doula's presence

Yes, there’s a new baby in the world!   I’m usually very quiet when it comes to sharing about my doula services because I want to ensure privacy for my clients.  I’m not going to post details regarding a most recent birth that I attended, but about the health care team in general.   This recent birth had all involved working as a team when their was a (much needed) cesarean delivery on the horizon.  As a doula, I was invited to be part of this team and  I’m grateful that the obstetrician from Cedar Sinai Medical Center acknowledged the relationship I had with my client and consented to my being in the operating room (OR).  I know that Cedars doesn’t generally allow for such.

My question is WHY NOT?

When a doula is in the operating room it’s  ”win-win” for all involved:  1)  the mom, because she has continual emotional support to mitigate any anxiety 2) the health care team so that they can focus on the tasks that they have been skilled and trained to do, without worrying about any kind of emergent situation ensuing 3) the baby, who enters the world in a more peaceful way.

From their coaches that lend an encouraging word, to trainers stretching and nutritionists hydrating, athletes delivering babies shouldn’t miss out on the team approach to birthing, even win it comes to a cesarean birth.  Generally, women do not want to feel alone at this critical juncture, and research shows that feelings of isolation can lead to problems with postpartum depression in mom, which ultimately sets up a disconnect in bonding with her baby.

My post today is a plea to all hospitals:  please allow doulas in the operating room.  As long as they are aware of their place in the team, the “winning run” can be scored; the “prize” is the baby.  Let’s ALL be part of that home run.