The Distracted Yogi

The Cats Who Saved My Life (a short story)

2015-07-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

If you've read my book, The Distracted Yogi then you'll know all about The Cats who saved my life!

Martin passed only just a week ago & my heart is still broken. I'm left wondering, just how am I going get by without his calm, confident & unassuming cat self?

Somehow I will, I'll go on, I must for there are other little ones who need me & it's for them I'll continue until life's passions kick in again & carry me onto the next chapter of my life...

So here it is, my short story, eventually it will become my next book-

The Cats Who Saved My Life

Martin and Sammy, two cats of common cat heritage (as common as is possible for a Cat

that is!), came into this life-dimension probably completely aware and up-to-speed

on Me, their latest Cat-Human assignment of sorts.

I, on the other hand, was completely unaware and, eventually, caught completely off

guard by their wily abilities. This cat infiltration of-a-kind lead directly to full on cat

occupation of the deepest most coveted corners of my heart, then once firmly

established there, claimed total control my heart strings with the deft expertise of a

skilled cellist!

I was sunk from the very beginning I just didn't know it, and yet, I must remind Myself:

This, is a love story.

Sammy: 1999- 2013

Speciality: Undercover Cat-Human Reconnaissance agent.

Mission Assignment: To Remove & Rehome potentially deadly or fatal diseases

and/or illnesses from select Human subjects.

Sammy came into my life as an unwanted alley cat and by the time we’d locked

eyes his life’s mission was already in full-operation mode.
What appeared random and chance were carefully crafted moments of opportunity-Sammy knew exactly what he was doing that day when he glanced towards me, as I slowly and

deliberately scanned the pet cages for that ‘Special’ one, when with expert feline

precision, gave me the secret cat-wink!

I was smitten right then and there, only, I didn't get it then. I didn't get that our

meeting was a set-up right from the start.

Sammy looked and acted like a regular cat only he wasn't regular or ordinary at all. The

cat rescue people named him Sweetie Pie which, while appropriate, had to go!

‘Sammy’ was the name sake of a dearly departed relative and so seemed fitting for this

sweet, unassuming fur ball. Sammy was easy going, liked to cuddle

(his favourite past time!) and be very vocal towards the other cats in the neighbourhood.

Though I’d later surmised that this was probably some secret Cat communications taking

place all along, however, back then

I was completely oblivious I was busy revelling in Cat companion heaven.

In 2012 my health was coming to the apex of a very long journey called ‘recovery.’

I’d had bad car crash years earlier, long after Sammy and Martin were already firmly

established in my life and in my heart.

In the fall of 2012 my doctor told me there was a chance that my head injury sustained long ago could possibly morph into something more, more of what I didn't really know,

probably they didn't know either or just wouldn't say. More tests and scans were on the

agenda but Sammy got sick so I put that all aside somewhere in my damaged brain and focussed on Sammy instead.

‘Little Sammers’ suddenly developed some very distressing and baffling neurological

symptoms. He began crying and crying apparently for no good reason. Then after a few

days of constant yowling he would fall completely silent. This phase was always the

precursor to other more strange and disturbing behaviours such as: walking in circles,

getting stuck in corners of the room and unable to find his way out, going pee outside the

litter box, then the final most devastating phase: complete catatonic demeanour. No sound,

no movement just a limp unconscious little fur-body.

I was a wreck. Sammy was my baby and to see him in such a state was a terrible shock.

The vet prescribed antibiotics and within 24 hours Sammy did come back from the

brink-three times in all. But, after the third pseudo recovery. I laid him to rest

permanently. He’d suffered enough. The vet said Sammy had all the classic symptoms of

a brain tumour so with my permission, a sample of his brain tissue was sent off for

analysis. The vet cautioned me though, saying “it could take years to get back

any results.” I'm still waiting for the confirmation that Sammy took on my troubles and

made them his own. It was his mission, after all.

Martin: 1998-2015

Speciality: Cat Companion Liaison (Earth Division): Cat-Human Interventions

Mission Assignment: Heart and Souls Recovery and Reintegration

Martin’s arrival into my life could not be more unlikely an event yet somehow he

did arrive and even more incredulously, he stole my heart!

In 1998 life came to an abrupt halt when emotionally I’d a hit a virtual wall

after my beloved cat Hillary died suddenly and tragically from a fall.

I was utterly crushed by her death but in particular it was the

mind-numbing guilt of not adequately protecting her from such an awful end to

her short life of only 5 years. The guilt was soul-crushing I had to do something to

cope so, one week later I began a half-hearted search for a new kitty and, in the

space of that distraction, nearly forgot about my grief if only for a moment or two.

It was enough to keep me upright, to keep me from going completely insane from those three, soul destroying what ifs; shoulda, coulda, woulda.

After only a few hours of scanning the local papers I’d found one ad and only one;

‘Rescued Kittens for adoption. To good homes only.’ I dialled the number with

hands tembling. Just one kitten left out of a littler of five. I had to get there

Asap!

As I entered the home of a very young, very kind woman I was

immediately mobbed by critters of all descriptions; nursing kitty-moms, expectant

doggy-moms, abandoned puppies and kittens, lots and lots of kittens!

They were everywhere and so was the Love. It was palpable. I scooped up

one of the tabby boy-kittens as he raced by. I held him to my chest tightly but he

struggled and wailed his kitten cries piercing the air all the while threatening

to squirm away from of my tight grasp. ‘He’s not the one.’ The rescue lady announced, ‘That one there, next to your foot, he’s the only one left.’

This one, the last one, was clearly the feeblest of the litter. The runt. He struggled to crawl even while his siblings romped and did kitty burn-outs all around the room and all over me! I felt a bit dismayed. I needed a strong, confident type cat. One who could handle my grief and still thrive despite possibly being ignored for a time, at least until the worst of the sorrow over Hillary could pass. This one, I’d quickly assessed, the one who looked too needy, cried feebly, and barely crawled on shaky legs, was clearly not ‘The One!’

‘Do you want him?” “Sure, yes, I’ll take him.” I said haltingly not quite believing what I

was saying. Why did I say yes?! I was perplexed; I couldn't believe what I’d just

done yet there it was, I’d agreed to take on this fragile, innocent soul for good; a

promise to care for him for the rest of his life.

‘Martin’ stole my heart and never gave it back until he left this plane of

existence just one week ago. I didn't want my heart back though; I wanted him, not his

memory or a photo but Him and his soft silky self.

After his sudden death I came to the painful realisation that it was not I who rescued Martin but rather the opposite was true.

He'd nurtured me through countless illnesses,

health crises, all manner of traumas, relationship endings and beginnings, career

changes, and multi-digit moves, several across the entire province!

It was Martin who taught me how to love and it was Martin who saved my life.

Forever devoted. Michelle

Sensory Deprivation Tanks...Maybe a little Too Weird to talk about?!!

2015-01-01T17:49:00.006-08:00

It's a NEW Year, how are you going to make this year more about the life you really want, the one that's literally waiting for you to embrace?

The SDT experience might be one of those small things we can all do for ourselves on the journey to reclaim our SELF.

I've been visiting a local Sensory Deprivation Tank-sort-of-place these past few months & what I've discovered is interesting, shocking & well, just plain weird!

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? William Hurt circa 1980 & Altered States?

Ok so maybe I didn't take any Mind-Altering drugs before setting off on this adventure BUT I hear that some people might imbibe a certain herb prior to slipping into one of those tanks filled with a warm (Body-Temp) salty-slippery water solution...

What is a SDT & why would anyone even consider the time & energy it takes to go there, undress (yup ur naked), shower with special soaps and shampoos, slide into the beautifully infused salty brine-like substance that encases your body like a latex glove all heated to a glorious 97F?! Exactly! Sounds amazing does it not?

The SDT experience is much, much more than just a hottub experience. Although, the place I visited, Floatspace, located in Kelown BC Canada has a spectacular tank called 'The Cabin' which is a modified hottub for those of us prone to claustrophobic outbursts. For everyone else there is the Samadi Tanks 1& 2. I took the plunge literally on my last visit & opted for the Samadi 1 Tank...these tanks look like the iconic tanks of Altered States fame, very cool!

After the usual routine of undress, shower then slip-slidding into the tank it can take sometime, 20-30 minutes of ruminating, mind-games ect ect to settle into what is the utter blissfulness of the environment. Warm, dark (pitch-black actually if you don't opt to keep the salt lamp on), quiet, still, peacefull & well, just a little other worldly-weird! Eventually I forget where I am and might even lose the awareness of my body. Though these days I'm trying to maintain my mind-body connection so my main focus is staying in my body for the full 90 minute 'Float'. If that sounds like a long time to be in what amounts to a cave then yes it could be a put-off to some but the reality is: You become completely immersed in the experience of deprivation, which is to say-AWARE, FOCUSSED & IN THE NOW.

I'm hooked! I'm about to book my fifth excursion to the Tanks.

Briefly, this is what I've discovered while floating:

Interesting: That the various stages/dimensions of awareness one can experience is actually limitless.

Shocking: How busy my mind really is & how disconnected my body-mind awareness can be...

Weird: The salty-slime experience, very strange, but in a good way;-)

Fig 1, Samadi TANK:

Fig 2, The Cabin:

Michelle xo

Floatspace Sensory Deprivation Tanks in Kelowna BC, CANADA. http://www.floatspace.ca/, check it out.

Time To Wake Up!

2014-10-14T23:30:00.005-07:00

This past weekend saw me travelling to Victoria, BC Canada for two day retreat. The nature of this retreat and it's facilitator were completely unknown to me however, this did not trouble me at all....I simply Knew I must go anyway!

Have you ever experienced anything like that? You feel guided, actually instructed, to do something the moment you hear about it or read about it. In fact You feel COMPELLED to do it.
This retreat was one of those things that I did because I felt that unmistakable sense of Knowing inside; that I must go or do this thing no matter what, also that it was of critical importance that I follow through!

The title of the retreat was called 'Divinicus; Rise of the Divine Human', now to be completely honest I didn't know what to think of it yet once I'd read the back-story it no longer mattered. The title could have been Anything and I would have gone! But Why?

My book is called The Distracted Yogi for a really good reason-My life post brain-injury has been mostly about my attempts at reclaiming the ability to live-in-the-moment. This is something which had eluded me for years post-injury I just could not get beyond all the distractions & recapture the present moment.

The irony is though that nowadays EVERYONE Is Distracted not just the brain injured or anyone else that might be prone to distraction but rather it's become somewhat of a normal human condition-To Be Distracted!

So, I'm curious, do you ever ask yourself-What The Bleep is going on with that?!

Ok, see what I mean? I got distracted just then...

Anyway, my question is:

Why?

Why are we all so Distracted?

From what are we Distracting ourselves?

Are we being deliberately led away from ourselves into something less authentic, perhaps even non-Human?

And if so, Why & by Whom/What?

You see I needed some answers & 'Divinicus' delivered!

If you want to know more then look here: openhandweb.org

Then, ask yourself these questions because you may not get this right now BUT- YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS! & Please, keep looking because no one else can do this work for you!

It's Time to Wake-up.

Michelle xo

Get to know Shirley Harris-Slaughter.

2014-08-18T10:00:00.003-07:00

Welcome to The Distracted Yogi!

This week I'm doing something a little different, why? Well, when someone comes along & writes an important book I want YOU to know about it: Shirley Harris-Slaughter is that Someone &

Our Lady of Victory:The Saga Of An African-American Catholic Community,

is That Book!

History is written but most often it's incomplete, one-sided, lop-sided or downright fiction! Shirley's book aims (& succeeds!) to clarify some of the gaping holes & inconsistencies of Black American History, specific to southeastern Michigan, pre-1970's.

This is what you can expect: “This book will present the facts – and some of those facts may not make for pleasant reading."

Which is exactly why this is my kind of book & if You appreciate getting the facts separated from the fiction then You will Love it too! So,

please join me & many others who have discovered Shirley Harris-Slaughter then celebrate her devotion to our mutual enlightenment;-)

**see links to Reviews, Shirley's Blog & To Purchase at the end of this blogpost.

In Shirley's own Words:

WATER CRISIS

You have probably heard about the water situation right here in my town of Detroit, Michigan. It is the main news and has been for weeks now because of the emergency situation Detroit has found itself in when the city went bankrupt.

The water Dept. has threatened to shut off water to thousands of Detroiters who have not paid their water bill. Businesses have also been delinquent, but have not gotten shutoff notices, and therein lies the rub.

There have been demonstrations around the country in support of these citizens who are in trouble. The thought is that providing water should be a basic right. Something should be worked out so people can continue getting water while the payments are worked out.

Suddenly big businesses have started paying their bills to the tune of millions of dollars which should never have gotten behind in the first place. The water board is working with delinquent residents to get the threat removed. They only started doing this when it became a political “hot potato.”

I’m listening to the news on 8/4/14, and the water ban was lifted in Ohio so that folks could start drinking that water again. It was too toxic for people to drink. The poison was caused by blue and green algae that had grown out of control and was causing a chemical change in the water. The crisis was caused by too much phosphorus in the water from surrounding communities, rivers and lakes.

Both of these problems can be resolved if all communities including Canada would work together to solve the problem. It’s like we are having problems that they have in third world countries. Is this what we have come to?

Fast forward to a few days ago when we experienced the worst flooding in Michigan history. I say there is definite climate change going on and misuse of our land by unscrupulous businesses. We have to become better caretakers of this planet or we won’t have anything left to pass on to our children.

This is a warning and it’s just the beginning.

Author Bio:

Shirley Harris-Slaughter is a Michigan native. She is a community activist having been a school board trustee in the Oak Park School District. She mentored four freshmen girls in the Winning Futures Program. Her interest also lies in politics and helping to elect candidates running for public office. She studies the issues and votes! Shirley loves trains, vintage clothes, and old buildings with historic significance. So it was a natural that she would write about growing up in historic Royal Oak Twp. and keep alive a catholic community that was about to lose its history and identity. It seems that everything she loved had been closed down and she was not about to let any of it be forgotten.

Shirley joined Rave Reviews Book Club because she recognized the need to support fellow authors in order to move forward in her own endeavors. She already had a thriving relationship with like twitter followers. “We all had the same goals so it was a natural fit.”

The culmination of all these experiences pushed her in the direction of becoming a first-time author. Unlike most authors who have a passion to write from early on, she was pushed into becoming an author out of necessity.

Book title: Our Lady of Victory, the Saga of an African-American Catholic Community.

Shirley Harris-Slaughter, Author

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/aF3ZBZFn3AY

Five Star Review of Our Lady of Victory by Nonnie Jules “Seal of Approval”

CONNECT HERE…

Tour Lineup Page: http://wp.me/P43s9i-2g

Author Page: http://wp.me/P43s9i-1m

Email: sharrislaughter@gmail.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharrislaughter

GOODREADS

Purchase Links…
Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/kindle/dp/B00KDO1MSM/ref=rdr_kindle_ext_eos_detail
Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/4751309
Limited Editions: http://rememberourladyofvictory.com/about-the-book/

SHIRLEY’S BLOGS…
http://shirleyslaughterblog.wordpress.com/
http://rememberourladyofvictory.com/

6 Simple Strategies For Overcoming Trauma

2014-04-23T20:28:00.001-07:00

TRAUMA AFFECTS EVERYONE

Relationship endings, losing a job or not getting that much needed promotion to more severe events such as your house burning down or coping with injuries after a serious car accident. The list is truly endless yet knowing that trauma is common-place is not enough to help us through it.

What to do? & How to cope?

After surviving a cycling accident, then acquiring a Traumatic Brain Injury as a result, for many years afterwards I felt lost & helpless. I pondered those same questions for years; what to do & how to cope?! After years of recovery, through the highs & lows, I developed these 6 simple strategies which have not only become my own personal blueprint to surviving trauma but actually going beyond any immediate crisis and truly thriving!

1) FEED YOURSELF!

Yes nutritionally but in addition to food, feed your Optimism, Your Faith in the Miraculous & the Belief that your situation is only temporary.

2) CHALLENGE YOUR BELIEFS!

As well as the beliefs of others. Remember: Facts Are Fluid, consequently they are always changing. We all want closure thus we are attracted to answers and some of them hinder rather than help-they keep us stuck. For example, if I'd chosen to believe the 'experts' who had insisted that I would not recover beyond the 2 year post-injury mark then I would not have progressed any further than that...I challenged their ideas about my recovery potential.

3) TAKE 100% RESPONSIBILITY!

Your life or life-situation is yours to create or un-create. Remember that only you can make this commitment and that no one else can make the decision to change. You are also 100% in charge of your life and 100% responsible for your recovery! I spend months, probably years blaming the person who ran me over with her car but eventually all that energy was redirected into positive change.

4) MEDITATE!

Okay, I know we've all heard this one yet so many people just do not make the time. If your time is really tight then why not try Brainwave Entrainment? It's easily accessed via Youtube and other sites plus it's free! Binureal Beats are digitized simulations of our brains' natural states such as: Alpha, Beta, Theta & Delta brain-wave states. This technology, when listened to through stereo headphones, causes our brains hemispheres' to synchronize, not to the input but rather the difference between the two separate tones which comprise the Binureal Beat . It's a bit technical but it works & best of all you only need to set aside 10 minutes a day but trust me, you will soon want more!
Go To: http://fractalenlightenment.com/category/spirituality (page 3). I was a daily meditator prior to my injury and not until I discovered this technology did I once again feel the pure bliss, calm and peace of my former yogini life. I cannot live with out this stuff, it's a difference-maker for me.

5) GET OUT!

Outside that is. Reconnect with nature not for just the fun & enjoyment of it but because nature stimulates our brain to function in the calmer states of Alpha & Theta, and in some cases Delta (think of a Yogi on a mountain top). Our brain waves synchronize with the natural 'heartbeat' of the earth sometimes referred to as Isochronic Tones or Schumann Reasonance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7DiOB8E5Zc & (http://www.isochronictone.com/). This rhythmic tone emitted by the Earth is it's signature; it's primal voice if you will. Our brains are naturally drawn to and resonate with this sound-wave vibration.

6) PRACTICE GRATITUDE!

Say thank you for Everything especially those things which challenge you. As Rumi said: '...each has been sent as a Guide from beyond.' My favorite quote regarding this subject sums it up perfectly: 'If Thank You was the only Prayer You ever said your whole life, that would suffice." Meister Eckhart
Through this practice you will allow your being to become saturated with gratitude until soon you will feel grateful without even trying;)

In real life though...it's easy to get off track. Sometimes a minor bump in the road can lead to a permanent derailing if we are not fully committed to going beyond the trauma. My most reliable go-to strategy, especially in difficult times, has been the addition of an Accountability Person/Partner in my daily living regimen. This person can be a partner, a family member, a friend or even an acquaintance the important criteria being that they are someone you trust with your 'personal stuff'-impeccably! An Accountability Person/Partner is the person who will help dislodge you from your denial. They will, at times, be brutally honest but will back it up with love, which is exactly what we all need when we are stuck, slacking off or in a 'thought-rut.' We don't always want to hear the truth about ourselves especially when we are afraid to move forwards however, is it a requirement of healing-to keep pushing on. Imagine if our ancestors gave-up when life got tough or tougher?! We wouldn't be here if it were not for their extreme level of persistence and perseverance.

The bottom line: You can do it with the right strategies and a sufficient amount of loving support. You have what it takes to go on and get through trauma. It's in all of us.

Michelle xo

Violence & Aggression in the On-line world

2014-03-27T14:37:00.001-07:00

Have you noticed the increasing aggressiveness of people who frequent forums and/or leave comments on the Internet?

C'mon now, I know it's not just me!

I am a Comment/Review/Opinion-type person so I often find myself perusing the most interesting & intriguing part of Any article: The Comment sections of the On-line world i.e News Sites such as; Huffington Post, CBC; Health/Diet/Lifestyle: MindBodyGreen, MarksDailyApple, Wellnessresources.com; Consumer: Amazon; Sports Sites: TSN, ATP ect, ect.

You get the picture, I get around on-line!

What I've been noticing lately is an increasing trend towards aggressive & foul language and overall meanness in the tone of some comments. To be honest, I enjoy swearing from time to time, Ok daily, But I don't bring my potty-mouth into the realm of the public domain- why? Think about it, do you enjoy reading expletives in comments? I don't & I like to swear especially when the situation really begs for it which is usually when I'm by myself, driving, or when I want to emphasize something or impress my closest friends!

Swearing casually, especially in public, is unattractive & a clear sign of social-ineptness, low self-worth & down right pathetic! However, in some situations I'll admit that it can be just a simple case of frustration, sometimes extreme frustration (speaking from experience!)...but that's NOT what's going on in the internet world-for the most part.

What's happening on-line is downright scary & a complete turn-off!

I've personally witnessed on-line attacks that where so intense they'd qualify for police intervention if it weren't for their anonymity. Maybe the police were involved, I have no way of knowing but my point is that it is growing unceasingly UnSafe in this Cyber-World.

Often those who 'expose' their opinions on-line, in a seemingly innocuous article or post, are the most vulnerable to ambush or attack.

Words by themselves are without judgement but when aggressively hurled at others, usually strangers, without pause of consideration are like ammunition & do go-off like bombs in the minds & hearts of others.

As a side note: Some scientist now postulate that a new species of human being has emerged, within the past 50 years, they call it The Psychopath. This new type of human being is almost identical to it's predecessor with one notable exception: this new breed lacks a conscience.

Their rate of occurrence is approximately 1 in 4 persons however this ratio is steadily increasing.

I'd say the evidence is everywhere including on-line where there appears to be roaming groups of highly aggressive, rude and even violent comment/forum-crashers.

My Rule: Before I Comment /Criticize Anyone, I do some research first. This often results in a 'Pause' which then helps me reflect on the author's words & ideas. Once I've formulated my reply I write it out, think about it for a while then & only then do I post it. This rule or routine actually intercepts any compulsion to reply immediately which I think is the problem for some people. They rant & write before they think, they don't seem to have the elusive stop-gap strategy for whatever reason while the more aggressive types are not interested in saving anyone's feelings their aim Is To Hurt.

Yes, even after all that, I'd still love to know what You think;)

Michelle xo

2014-03-15T18:17:00.003-07:00

Excerpt from The Distracted Yogi:

Each week (or so) c'mon back here & get some free reading from my book, The Distracted Yogi: How I reclaimed my BLISS After Brain Injury & Trauma.

On the subject of Trauma...below are a few paragraphs from my book.

From: Part II, Confessions Of An Abuser-Chapter V-The Distracted Yogi:

The Customer Service Wars, A Continuing Saga.

It was with this backdrop of grief, frustration and discontentment that my attitude took on ever increasingly dark and bleak outlook. I’d often think about how horrible my life predicament was, and note that I would never have to remain somewhere I didn't want to be. I’d always been free to pack up and leave whenever I chose to, but not now, I was firmly stuck in what felt like a cavernous sized rut.

It’s comical now, and with a sense of irony that only hindsight can bring, to reflect back on all the ongoing simultaneous product and service difficulties I was dealing with that appeared to spring up endlessly during that time. I could not then, it seemed, be capable of purchasing anything that didn't eventually turn out to be defective or outright broken.

These Customer Service Wars manifested as constant daily battles between me and the many customer service contact persons of their respective corporations. Mostly, these companies were giant conglomerates, which only served to feed my already enormous sense of feeling persecuted and hard done by. I had become an extreme victim of sorts; the world was out to get me. Under these circumstances, my feelings of anger, and what were by now an infinite number of resentments simply continued to multiply.

A Very Close Call

I’d be reminded daily of the parallels to my experience in recent times with the legal system. To me it was the same old same old, how had I gotten myself into such a horrid mess? I’d spent my days raging at the world, and my nights crying while shaking my fists at the same cruel world. I’d become hopeless.

This was a dark and miserable period in my life that nearly did kill me. I’d honestly thought I wasn't going to get through it. This awful cloud, that followed me everywhere and blanketed my every thought with darkness, came to a dramatic conclusion of sorts one day, while I was driving into town to see my family doctor.

The route into town was a 10 minute scenic drive complete with spectacular views of the rolling hills of ponderosa pine punctuated by areas of grassland range. It should have been beauty to the eye of any beholder but not to me, not then. It was with tears streaming down my face, as I approached a sharp corner that bent hard to the left, where I considered the idea of just driving off the edge. It would be quick, I imagined then.

I just barely stopped myself from going through with the hastily conceived plan, because I reasoned that if I died, Debbie would get everything, and that my friends and family and my beloved little cats would get nothing. It was too much for me to bear, so I chose instead, to continue to live. This was the second time in my life where resentments actually kept me alive.

This week the subject was trauma, a theme common to my life after I sustained a brain injury in 2002. I'll be posting more excerpts each week or so...please leave a comment because your opinion counts here;)

Michelle xo

A Primer on Trauma.

2014-01-23T17:39:00.001-08:00

It's great to be back to writing about important stuff like, for example... LIFE!

My journey from Brain Injury to Health (relatively speaking of course;) allowed me many insights into the How's of Recovering from almost any Trauma.

Until you experience Trauma in it's myriad of manifestations you can probably only do your best impersonation of someone who has been authentically traumatized. I also recognize that most people have had some version of the trauma experience...traumatic life situations are happening all of the time to everyone, everywhere!

Oh Really?!

This begs the obvious question: What Is Trauma?

Trauma (from Greek τραῦμα, "wound"^[1]) also known as "injury",^[2] is a physiological wound caused by an external source.^[3]^[4] It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow".^[3]^[5] Unintentional and intentional...

Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event. A traumatic event involves a single experience, or an enduring or repeating event or events, that completely overwhelm the individual's ability to cope or integrate the ideas and emotions involved with that experience

Emotional and Psychological trauma?

Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless and vulnerable in a dangerous world.

Yeah, I think you're getting the picture now...it's Everywhere! Every time we watch or witness a violent or bizarre event on TV/You-tube/Netflix we are streaming Trauma!

I mean do people randomly & repeatedly run through Your Neighborhood with military style armaments & vehicles? In some parts of our world this is an every day experience but for the most part in North America the answer is NO, but...

This isn't just a rant about violence 'Out there' it's the about the acknowledgment of trauma in our every day lives. When we see or hear about something traumatic this information leave a small irreconcilable stain on our psyches especially when we cannot rationalize it away sufficiently which is our primary way to cope with information which feels like a massive slap to the face or punch to the gut...we simply have to deal with it somehow so rationalizing it away is our most often used go-to method.

It's a kind of temporary relief from the burning reality that we are totally helpless, & possibly quite

sickened to the core in that present moment. & It works, if only briefly.

The question is then, What Really Happens to all those Residual Feelings?

Stay tuned, We will discover together, through my own '6 Steps To Recovering From Just About Anything!' what happens to us & how we can release these 'left-overs' of emotion which conspire to make us sick, shut-down & apathetic to our selves & the world around us.

Michelle. xo

Thank you, Sincerely;)

2014-01-20T17:02:00.003-08:00

I can at last take a breather from the relentlessness of self-promotion...& I really, really need it!
The internet is necessary & to deny this is to be afraid of this new realm we call the digital world. It's here to stay, get used to it!

Why the rant?

Well I've met many people of late who are mystified by the amount of time some people spend-online.

These past 2 months have been hectic for lots of reasons one of them being the three major book promotions I did. There were 2 FREE Downloads weekends & 1 giveaway contest all requiring Huge amounts of time online.

My daily routine is one spent constantly updating facebook pages, blogging, reviewing new books, checking emails & other promising promotions, webinars about spirituality/eBook creation/marketing strategies then there's the 'personal' stuff...it just goes on & on adding up to hours & hours of sitting!

But that all changes today because I've recommitted to my health & since I've just been informed that 'Sitting is the New Cancer' I'm extra motivated to live differently.

I started last week when I picked up my former habit of hiking. It was amazing!

The creativity begun to flow, slowly at first, then like river about to overflow it's banks, OMG I've missed The Great Outdoors & the pain, YES THE PAIN, of growth beyond my limited rituals & routine. Even while my legs & hips were screaming Enough! The Bliss of it all was the loudest, clearest voice in my head...I simply felt incredibly grateful & incredibly alive. I'm hooked, again!

If you're still reading then You need to take more regular breaks, better still, Incorporate them into every day. You need them, your body needs them & your creative self craves them, Do It! Don't wait! Do It Now!

Your Life Loves You (even if you don't love it back;)

Michelle xo

FREE eBook Promotion Starts in 2 DAYS!

2014-01-15T23:59:00.003-08:00

Yeah, you heard right!!

Starting Friday @ midnight until Sunday Midnight, Jan 18 & 19 my eBook will be available for FREE.

Come back here JAN 18 & 19 & Click the link below & get your FREE copy:

http://amzn.to/1laIeBQ

http://www.amazon.com/The-Distracted-Yogi-Reclaimed-Brain-Injury-ebook/dp/B00DBLCVD4%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJ26DDJ5EQTAPQ4BQ%26tag%3Damc06-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00DBLCVD4

I'm busy posting this info EVERYWHERE! Please re-post this to your friends/facebook ect especially if you know of anyone who might benefit from my story.

I really, really wanted to do another book giveaway but I've run outta books! The printer is bust printing up some more for me so as soon as I get them I'm giving 'em away!

So, until then-

You can visit my twitter account & Re-Tweet my Free eBook Tweets!

https://twitter.com/distractedyogi1

In The Mean Time, What can I do for you?

I can review your eBook & post it on Amazon.com/.ca (just leave a link to your FREE eBook in the comments below, No Erotica thanks;)

Retweet your tweets about your eBook Launches/Promotions etc

'Like' your Facebook page

Offer you a Guest Post here @ The Distracted Yogi

All for Free-Naturally;)

"Nothing important in life is truly ever achieved without the love & support of others." The Distracted Yogi

Michelle xo

Why REVIEWS are SO important.

2014-01-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY NEEDS & USES REVIEWS.

Think about it- Each & Every time you consider consuming/patronizing something, anything where is the First Place You Look?

THE REVIEWS!

& They are EVERYWHERE: There are Review Apps, Links, Websites, Star Ratings, Friends, Yellow Pages (tho nearly obsolete), Comments, Preferences, Likes, Tweets ect., ect.

EVERYTHING has the potential to be reviewed because almost EVERYBODY has an opinion about something, even fence-sitters are making a statement albeit one of neutrality or indecision!

HOWEVER,

A 'Review' can be a tricky thing.

I leave a review whenever I have an Honest Opinion to share. Honest according to Me naturally!

As an Author I'm particularly interested in them & in Need of them. & Yes, I NEED them. A book, by it's nature is a subjective experience for all it's readers & anyone who has ever considered buying a book usually checks out the Reviews first. I read most of them generally starting at the worst (1 star) & working my way thru to the best (5 star).

I also check out some of the Reviewers Other Reviews to get a better insight into their opinions.

The entire process is obviously flawed but it's all we have right now. I mean what do I know about certain products that I've only used once or not used at all?!

& what does any of us really know about the Mindstate of the Reviewer?

& YET, knowing what we know about the Review Process,

WE STILL NEED THEM ENOUGH TO SEEK THEM OUT!

Bottom Line: Only Leave A Review if you have Used/Read/Experienced the 'thing' that has the option for you to do so &

Be Honest because How else can any of us really make an informed choice?!

Napoleon Hill said it best:
"You must get involved to have an impact. No one is impressed with the won-lost record of the referee."

Thank you to Everyone who has gifted me their time & thoughts regarding my book;)

Michelle xo

Get Ready for Another FREE eBook Promo!

2013-12-29T19:59:00.004-08:00

I think I know what I'm doing!!

January 18 & 19 is the next FREE eBook promotion scheduled for The Distracted Yogi. Comeback here & click the link below for a FREE Copy:

http://www.amazon.com/Distracted-Yogi-Reclaimed-Brain-Injury-Trauma-ebook/dp/B00DBLCVD4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=

I had a blast with the first go-around plus the free book giveaway really exceeded my expectations, for example:

The Free Book Download event of Dec 22-24 yielded 720 FREE DOWNLOADS!

& The Free Signed Copy Giveaway attracted 320 entries! (Watch for another one of these great promos soon!).

It was hugely satisfying for me to mail off those copies, to the 5 lucky winners, on Christmas Eve no less. The lucky entrants were mainly from the USA: Maine, New Jersey, Oregon & Louisiana & one coming all the from India! Thank you again for entering!

The good vibes that have been circulating around me ever since the free promos started have been fantastic...I only wish I would have done this sooner. If you are a new author & are considering a freebie event-DO IT! The feedback is priceless & cannot be overstated. Use any & all Free Kindle Alert services that are out there. There are so many great sites who exist to help you promote your works.

& for Everyone who Loves a Good Book Deal (Like FREE!) then enjoy the links below:

http://digitalbooktoday.com/free-kindle-books/ (top 100 FREE)

http://bookgorilla.com/k (Huge Selection!)

http://www.fkbooksandtips.com/for-authors/ (Quality eBooks)

http://www.centsibleereads.com/ (More FREE Books)

Michele xo

THANK YOU!! The Giveaway Contest has closed....WOW!

2013-12-24T15:07:00.004-08:00

CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS OF THE BOOK GIVEAWAY!
&
OOPS to those who thought you had one more day to enter;( I goofed on the dates...more promos in January tho...like FREE STUFF!

The Winners, Four from the USA & One from India, will receive their free signed copy of The Distracted Yogi: How I Reclaimed My BLISS After Brain Injury & Trauma, in about 2-6 weeks, depending on their location. (btw That was FUN!!)

Oh yeah, today us the last day to Download my book for FREE...at least until next time;)
Click this Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Distracted-Yogi-Reclaimed-Brain-Injury-Trauma-ebook/dp/B00DBLCVD4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1387655561&sr=1-1&keywords=the+distracted+yogi

I'm new to the intricacies of Self-Promotion & I'm going Solo relying instead on the Culture of Sharing that the Internet has become so famous for.

What does that mean exactly?!

Well, it means that I've got great Cyber-Friends who have become great Cyber-Contacts.

The process of Self-Promotion has become one of discovering that it's mostly the People I Already Know who have provided me with the way through, the short-cuts, the details & the courage to believe I Can Really Do It.

How appropriate then that on Christmas Eve (Christmas Day in some parts!) that I'm posting about Gratitude cuz that's what I'm feeling today. I'm a self-taught kind of person, maybe you are too, I mean anyone who embarks on the book-writing, self-publishing trip has to be self-motivated because it's a minefield! The hits to the self-esteem come daily, without impunity...not for the fraidy-cats among us! Although I must admit I thought about changing camps a few times in the process;)

If Christmas is Not your thing then I'll call it Gratitude Day on Your Behalf...

THANK YOU to Everyone that has: Downloaded The Distracted Yogi, left a review, given me advice (good or not!), consoled me, taken my advice (good or not!) or just in general been a friend;)

I APPRECIATE YOU ALL VERY MUCH!

Michelle. xo

FREE Download Dec 22-24!! The day has arrived.!!

2013-12-21T18:54:00.001-08:00

Please Help Yourself to My Book, I mean it!!

You've Got 3 Days to Get your Free Copy Here:
http://www.amazon.com/Distracted-Yogi-Reclaimed-Brain-Injury-Trauma-ebook/dp/B00DBLCVD4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1387655561&sr=1-1&keywords=the+distracted+yogi

& Please, Do Share The link with Anyone & Everyone you can think of...this book & it's message does no-one any benefit if it's not getting read.

After nearly 6 months of promoting, halfheartedly at the best of the time, I'm really throwing myself into this process now.

*ALSO, I'm Giving Away 5 Signed Copies: Click the link below Before Midnight Dec 24th!!
(Just Clear My Name & enter Your Own)
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_choose_address/76373?utm_medium=api&utm_source=giveaway_widget

GOOD LUCK!

*After that, sometime in January, there will be a .99-19.97 price promo so if you miss out on the 'free' period then you can still buy it for a little as .99 cents.

If you haven't purchased my book already then Please download it for free & share it;)

Why Now?

Well, I'm feeling the urge to get on with my next two projects so The Distracted Yogi is my springboard. It's like the calling card of Me. If people like it, and so far they do, then I'm much more motivated to keep on contributing to the greater good. Up till now My dilemma has been whether or not my words & works are really useful & make a difference to others. I've come to the conclusion that the answers are Yes & Yes...
so, I'm putting it out there on as big of a scale as I can. It's been just another learning curve...I'll tell you about it one day!

In the meantime, get a copy, read it, share it or give it away...just get to it!

Oh & if you are inclined to, Please Leave A Review on Amazon...cuz Everybody Wants to Know What You Think...Especially Me;)

In Gratitude, Michelle xo

Free eBook coming soon...yes, you read it right!

2013-12-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

Self-promotion is an art form & for some people, like me, it's a mysterious thing. Once I'd finished my first book I didn't grasp the reality that it was going to then take tons more energy for me to Promote my work!

(Self-Promotion is an inescapable reality if one wishes to get their message out-regardless of the usefulness of the message).

To be completely honest tho I have discovered that it is much easier to give away my book then to sell it.

What I've come to understand about myself in this process is that I feel better emotionally when I just give it away to anyone who expresses interest in it. It's been a huge lesson for me, to discover that I'm not a natural self-promoter or that I'm actually uncomfortable receiving money for my works. This came as a huge shock to me!

All that charity has let me to the inescapable reality that the main purpose for writing TDY remains the same today as it did a year ago or 10 years ago...to help others through their own trauma processes.

I get it now. I've been thinking about this thing from a backwards perspective & have consequently felt paralyzed by a deep internal conflict: that I abhor the idea of accepting money for good-works.

This belief/fear has prevented me from really launching both myself & my works...but that's all about to change!

*Free eBook Promotion Dec 22-24*
with as many people/social groups you can think of! I'll be posting the link soon.

A sincere Thank you to those who have already bought TDY & also left a review at Amazon.com.

It's taken me a while but I've at last come to the sobering conclusion that good-works do no one any good if they simply sit on the shelf gathering dust...in if it's only cyber-dust;)

Michelle xo

When Distraction is a GOOD Thing.

2013-11-10T23:51:00.002-08:00

There have been times in my life where I've experienced a lot of pain-Psychic, Physical, Emotional ect. I've had to come up with many different strategies for coping & while some have created more pain, others didn't work at all. My favorite tho, time & battle tested, is Distraction!

I'm in the middle of one of those times right now. It was not an unexpected event yet it still hit me hard. The shock set in first then the rest of the 5 stages begun their inevitable journey through the labyrinth that we call grief.

The process of grief is not unique yet it remains a very personal, & for some, a very private experience.

I believe I've reached a kind of personal critical-mass when it comes to grief & loss.

What this looks like is usually after a certain amount of gut-wrenching moments my Distraction-Coping kicks in. This is the point in the grief where I no longer know how to feel so instead I distract.
It's effective coping & I would encourage anyone who is currently in a grief-experience to not only engage in distraction technique but to actually Plan for it. In other words incorporate distraction into your life at that critical moment(s) when you, yourself no longer know how to feel about your particular situation.

Distraction gets a bad rap because most of us associate it with too much of something like TV, Internet, Games, Facebook, eating, drinking, having sex ect, ect.

Distraction in moderation is my motto...
We do not have to suffer endlessly when we are going through the heavy stuff, at least no more than is truly necessary to get us thru to the other side.

We've all heard this one:
"Pain is necessary, Suffering is optional"

Bullshit! Pain & Suffering are part of the package of Grief. Period. Sometimes we suffer so that we can know the pain of others or because we believe we must suffer.

Whatever the reason(s) they are valid & when our friends & family begin to say, "ok, that's enough" then ok, maybe it's time to stop but until then indulge your pain & your suffering & your distraction too. It will all be over eventually & then it will be just a memory.

Rest in Peace Rodney. xoxo

Michelle

Hey, it's been a while!

2013-09-26T21:01:00.001-07:00

Maybe you're wondering "Where's that post re building my book...?" What's happening?
Or,
Maybe I'm the only one actually wondering when I'm going to get the next post out. It's been more than a month & honestly, I was completely shocked to see how much time had passed.

Groan!!...

I promised myself that if I started a blog I wouldn't neglect it like so many others I've come across. You know the ones I'm talking about. Those sad little posts you stumble across in this realm, apparently, simply abandoned to cyberspace.

I realized a while ago that I had a huge resistance to writing the 'How To' post...not because I thought it couldn't be helpful or useful to you, no, I know it will be all of those things but...in truth, the desire to write it simply evaporated from my body.
But why?

The reality is: To write about how to build & self-pub your book is just not important enough for me to write about, right now.

Life has come at me hard these past weeks and I've been scrambling to find & maintain my center through it all. I'm talking about Family stuff, Personal stuff, World stuff, Ascension stuff & just plain Everyday stuff. It's been tough and I think most of you could relate to the 'life on life's terms' kinds of stuff.

That's it in a nut shell: it's just my life in it's exposed & raw form and I've been present for all of it which means I'm feeling totally knackered!

But,

I'll be back...
Michelle xo

Wow, 2 posts in Two days!! What's happening?!

2013-08-24T15:28:00.004-07:00

I know, I know!

I wanted to share my first newspaper interview with you. It's a short & concise but what really impressed me was that it was nearly 100% accurate! I've come to see that this is not the norm in our society.

Not only are 'facts' mis-communicated through the media but they can be downright wrong! One never really knows what will come of the telling of 'one's facts' when imparted onto another.

Read it here:
http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/lifestyles/220752711.html

The process of giving an interview was surprisingly simple & organic. Remember, once you get your book out there you will want to promote it otherwise how else can you get your unique message to those who you hoped would absorb it?
& btw, promoting your book actually begins before it's published, something that most authors are reticent to do but the marketing/pre-publishing process is essential to the life of your work.

I'm mentioning it here because I want to share my process with you-from start to end. How I prepared myself & became sufficiently organised enough to not only write my book but also seek out those for the editing, cover design & digital formatting all required steps prior to publishing any book in ebook & softcover formats.

Stay tuned for part one: First things first-How to organize Yourself & Your thoughts in preparation for book writing.

I sincerely hope to demystify the entire process so that you can do it too.Please join me on the journey, won't you?

Michelle xo

Do you Really Want to Get Better? Good Question!

2013-08-23T12:21:00.003-07:00

Not to put anybody off, well okay, it may happen & yes you may be miffed by my intro but I got your attention and that is not a easy thing to do these days.

Most people are distracted & side-tracked & unbelievable busy-way too busy! It doesn't require a brain-injury to be distracted or a massive trauma to be overwhelmed, no, sometimes it's the everyday things, the little meaningless stuff, that, over time, have successfully conspired to steal your life away from you.

What's my point?!

It's this: We all want to have a better life, more (insert the thing(s) here) plus we're already so deep into the living of our current life that we don't have any more time/energy to donate to getting more of what we really want, whatever that may be. So, what to do about it?

Maybe you still don't get my meaning, I asked you 'Do You Really Want To Get Better?" & now you might be thinking "There's nothing wrong with me, per se, except maybe that I'm not getting what I really want out of my life"

I've been there & perhaps I'll be there again, I really don't know for sure but what I'm absolutely certain of is this: Only I can make the decision to live differently, not you not anyone else, just me & only me.

I know, that sucks cuz you were hoping for a instant cure for your dilemma & actually that's it, that's as instant as you can possibly get. Make a decision to change what you don't like about your life & start with your perception of it because this is where you are probably most troubled & where your life is likely off the rails.

Then,

Question everything you think about yourself, your life, the people, places & things around you-you must begin to see that it's your ideas & the ideas of others especially the ones you covet the most, which have created your current life-story. Maybe you are living in a comic-tragedy? Perhaps a morose & depressive sad story? Or, a ho-hum & boring nothing-really-changes existence? Or, none of the above. Whatever your life-story-line might be it's yours & you invented it so the really awesome news is that You can re-invent & change any detail you don't like.

Oh c'mon! You might be saying.

Fair enough, here's how...

1) Your reality is of your choosing so choose a different story, preferably one that is happier than the current theme. What's it going to hurt especially since you're already in pain?!

i.e. You are disabled & you can't get out as often as you want/like OR Your job sucks & can't do the work you really want OR Your friends are never there for you or you have no friends at all OR You are stuck with (or abused by) a mate/partner that you know you should leave OR You are broke all the time & are convinced you are jinxed with bad luck OR You are a supreme victim & people are always taking advantage of you & finally, The government is corrupt & elites run the world anyway (which is true!) so what's the point!!

If you found your story within the above discourse on discourse then great ! If you didn't then you are not using your imagination which, is also another a big problem with most people these days.

Contained within the body of your Life-Story is the real issue; Your description of your life is the problem & not the other way around. Hold on! Yes it's true that you are being abused & Yes it true that bad things are happening to you BUT, why haven't you changed your life-situation yet despite all the pain & all the suffering?!

Answer: We are addicted to it. We need/create the drama to justify our belief system otherwise who would we be if not for the Victim identity?!

One Very Big Caveat-IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF ABUSE YOU ARE BEING VICTIMIZED-IF AT ALL POSSIBLE-GET OUT OF THERE!!

I've transformed myself & my story from a Victim, living a tragic-comedy with no friends, disabled & unable to work, perceiving my partner to be a mental-case & being deep in debt (ok, not quite fully-evolved there Yet!) plus feeling completely unloved, unwanted used & abused.

My new story took time & determination to really develop into what it is today. The point being that it all started when I made the decision to change my opinion of my life-situation. One by one my perceptions of all the injustices, which were operating in my life at the time, immediately begun to drop away.

With every change in perception came a freedom of being. I suddenly had more energy. I cursed less & inexplicably begun to hear the sounds of nature again. It was as if I'd been completely closed off, living in a bubble of discontentment.

Stay turned for more...& please leave me your comments.

Your real life is waiting for you. It's time to catch up to the magnificence that is You;)

Michelle xo

Feeling the fear and writing my story anyways...

2013-08-07T22:21:00.003-07:00

I am participating in the ‘Writing Contest: You Are A Writer’ held by Positive Writer. Click here for details!

Writing contests, at least the two that I've been brave enough to enter, have first brought out my deepest insecurities then second, some of my best writing. Why is this?

I suspected from a very early age that I'd missed out on the ‘Creativity Gene' all together. I didn't know for certain but I'd thought then that I lacked this critical ingredient; that I was somehow inexplicably Un-Creative.

I knew I was smart maybe even a bit crafty but not in a knitted-dish-cloth-kind-of-way, no, I was more like the sneaky-crafty type! I had to find a way to outwit my 5 other siblings and competition could be stiff so using one’s smarts was paramount to survival in a family of 7 others!

This ‘sneakiness’ of mind manifested itself during my high school years as the person, me, who would finish everyone else’s creative writing assignments…for a price naturally! I found it fun & maybe just a little challenging too as I had deadlines to maneuver around and then there was the necessity of variety so that all those stories didn't sound like they’d been written by the same person-which of course they had been.

But, to consider myself a writer? No, never because I wasn't the creative type and besides there was a greater incentive behind the writing-real goodies like candy and stuff!

Throughout the rest of my school years and well into my employment experience writing was there in some form or another. I wrote short stories for the office rag. Storytelling was something I loved doing yet, I could not own the identity of writer-wanna-be it just felt too…fake, not me, I mean, I just didn't possess the creative soul that it takes to be, well, the creative type! This became a galvanized idea within my psyche. I’d created this alter-idea of myself so that I could function in a world where creativity was some kind of sacred path but not just anyone could lay claim to this hallowed state of being only those deemed the ‘special people’ which I clearly was not.

I’d dabbled in painting but that too felt like just another futile path until I dropped it completely after several false starts. I really wanted to be creative. I sensed that being in the creativity-club meant you were somehow more whole as a person. You were complete whereas I simply felt hollow and counterfeit to my core.

Perhaps I would have lived my life this way never feeling the fulfillment one gets with taking risks and challenging one’s own status-quo. Sure, I took risks I was an adventuresome person but I’d not dared to venture beyond my comfort zones; beyond the physical, logical and practical realms and besides I didn't like surprises anyway. But, something happened that was so unexpected, so out there and utterly mind-blowing that my perspective about life, mine in particular would never be the same again-not even close!

I suffered a huge trauma. Then a short time later came the drama, then more drama and then, after that, some more drama. Suddenly, not only did I have something to write about but I had lots to say too plus I felt compelled to write, yes, you read that right, c-o-m-p-e-l-l-e-d to write!! I felt inspired coupled with a deep inner knowing that this was something I needed to do. I was ecstatic! But wait a second I’m not a creative person so how can I expect to pull this off? I’m no writer, am I?!

Which brings me back to my initial question; why do these types of situations, contests and what are essentially proving grounds bring out such fear, vulnerability and sagging confidence in me?

Well it all goes back to feeling like a fraud. All the insecurities I ever felt about not being in the creativity-club come up and taunt me once again then before I can run and hide I begin to write. I write from my gut. I don’t really think too much about it, the words just flow and I know it’s real; it’s really me in here after all.

You Are Enough;)

Michelle xo

Overcoming My Fear of FEAR!

2013-07-31T18:58:00.001-07:00

It's true, I'm afraid of Public Speaking.

I'm actively putting myself out of my comfort zone everyday in an attempt to derail this dreaded state-of-mind. We're told by the experts that fear it really is just a state of mind but perhaps it's much more...

Lately I've been intro'd to the world of Past Life Regression. This used to be a subject that I could barely stay awake for but now, well, somethings changed. I've recently met many people, I'd add that they are relatively sane types (at least I'm counting on it!) that have changed my mind about this 'out there' topic.

It is a funny coincidence that although I believe in reincarnation I never thought of it as a physical phenomenon. I mean, how is that even possible?! I honestly don't know how or why I have this crazy philosophy but I do. I can probably chalk that one up to Brain Injury (the list is growing!).

Naturally I needed to see for myself what the big deal was so I opened myself up to the possibilities & then it just happened. During my first guided hypnosis session I suddenly just dropped into another life in another time. I was a Samurai.
I looked at my hands & body then I saw 'my' face...it was astounding & I just knew it was me. This man, who was me, was terrified and frozen on the spot and shook visibly. What I saw in my face as that Samurai was the same terror which floods my mind & body whenever I'm confronted with the possibility, no matter how remote, that I may be called upon to speak in public.

Was this the moment of conception? Had I just regressed to the very moment in time when my energetic-life gave birth to my most dreaded fear?

I don't know, perhaps yes, perhaps not. What I do know is that this experience changed me. I've since regressed many more times & embodied many more 'selves' each one leaving me with the indelible feeling of familiarity, of family.
I ponder their meanings and messages for days and weeks but mostly I feel connected to something so vast that it defies description, or at least by my limited vernacular.

What I got as a net result of all this soul-excavation was quite unexpected-Serenity & Joy.

Hmm, you just never know where the gifts are going to come from anymore, especially when you don't put limitations on their source or definition.

OK, I'm still afraid of Public Speaking but-much less so. Now I'd say that's a victory of a kind right there;)

Be Yourself-That's Awesome Enough!
Michelle

Book Review-Media Wire Service

2013-07-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

Sometimes gifts can come to you from seemingly unlikely sources.

A short time ago I used the Media Wire Service to post a press release. Perhaps you might remember that the owner of this service replied with an amazing message to me. He mentioned that he too suffered a brain injury & took extra time in proofing my release prior to sending it out into the ether-world.

Now this same service has branched-out into book reviews & chose my book to be the first one to launch this new service offering!

I'm thrilled, naturally, but this also serves to remind me that brain injury & concussion touches so many people. The Walking Wounded are everywhere.

Please check out the review at the link below.

http://www.media.wireservice.ca/the-distracted-yogi/

Why Distracted? This I am often asked...

2013-07-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

First tho, I had an amazing trip to Idaho where I was surrounded by nature, good vibes & beautiful children! There was hot tub time & tea parties too. Nail painting & herb gathering but lastly but not least some awesome Chinese food! Good times all around;)

Now back to the question of being Distracted....

My book's message could be encapsulated this way: Trauma-to-Drama-to-Transformation.

Before an cycling accident in 2002 I would have Never considered myself this way-as Distracted. Rather I would described myself as Aware, Bright, Calm & Serene, Focused, Energetic & Fun. Obviously I left out the less flattering adjectives so let's just all agree that they are there & move on!

Meditation was a huge part of my life back then, before the accident. Probably I wouldn't have coped with life's trauma's & drama's nearly as well if it were not for the practices of yoga, mindfulness & meditation.

After 2002 that all changed the moment my head struck the windshield of a car that ran a stop sign...

That was to be the first trauma in a string of trauma's, loosing my ability to meditate or focus. Once you have 'acquired' a brain-injury the traumas just keep coming until eventually morphing into drama after drama of seemingly unexplained happenings & events, all conspiring to dislodge one's self from their relative sanity.

Your trauma may not be from a brain injury or even a car accident. It could be emotional or mental but whatever the 'cause,' the effect is similar-drama soon follows trauma.

but okay, back to the question of Distraction...(you see how this works?!)

Distraction comes with the territory of trauma, it's a cousin of sorts, always present & undermining any attempts of 'getting through' or 'getting past' because it simply sabotages one's efforts to transcend the event of the trauma.

What to do about it?

Not until I stumbled upon the technologies of Binureal Beats/Brain Entrainment did I actually have a breakthrough from all the relentless distraction & mind-chatter.

If I can impress any idea upon you it would be this one-try it!! It works!

I personally use Holosync by Centerpoint & Om Harmonics by Mindvalley. Also, I listen to a number of other funky sounds all day such as;

Isochronic tones- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euAcZUtAU38
528 Hz DNA Frequency-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc4_xaWsQC4
Tom Kenyon-Calling of the Angels-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc4_xaWsQC4

Check these out too just to keep the vibes in your space rich with the sounds of the earth.

Please tell me what you think & share some of your own thoughts around dealing with Distraction etc.

Remember, Awesomeness is all around Us;)

ROAD TRIP!

2013-06-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

I'm off to visit a friend who lives half a Canadian province & 2 states away...Idaho! I've never been but I hear that I'm in for a treat-can't wait.
My dear friend is non-other than Stacy McCusker- the same Stacy who did the cover-art for The Distracted Yogi. You may not believe this but we've never actually met face to face & I can promise you that we are both really stoked to finally be meeting one another on this level.

...a bit of background on her incredible creation.

Stacy & I met during a contest called The 90 day Transformation Contest. The contest's creator, Craig Ballantyne could not have known the profound impact he was about to have on the 47,000+ participants who entered all hoping to transform one or more aspects of themselves and their lives. Craig's promise was to provide resources via both cash$ & mentoring opportunities. The contestants promise was to 'update' their progress daily to the rest of the 'contestant community' & use the community as a sounding board and support system of a kind.

Long story shortened....the TC, as we the contestants affectionately call it, became a life-line, an authentic connection point for thousands of people re-committing to the betterment of their lives & in many cases the lives of those around them. It was life-changing & life-altering for many, many people...it was that profound!

Stacy & I connected there & soon found ourselves drawn to not only one another's journey but to a small group of others who seemed on similar paths...there were niche groups forming within the greater structure of the contest. We would notice that a person just seemed drawn to some other contestants more than others. It never felt to me like cliques which is why I used the word niche.

Over time Stacy expressed her self in poetry & artwork via Facebook where, if you'd optioned, your 'update' would appear on your facebook wall simultaneously as it did in the 'closed contest community.'

It is there where I first saw her amazing creations on canvas for the first time. Without speaking, only commenting, she created a cover-art for me based on my request for 3 specific colors...the cover-art that you see on the front of my book. It blew me away at first sight & I believe this beautiful image conveys exactly my internal temperature & state and consequently that of The Distracted Yogi...

Now You Know;)

Press-Release!

2013-06-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hey, this was totally new for me. I know I'd heard something vague mentioned re press-release but I'd quickly let that suggestion go-I had bigger issues to deal with like finishing the edits on TDY!
Inevitably this idea came around-again & again. The other day a good friend asked "have you done a press release?" Ah, no. How do I do that?
As is the reality of our lives these days I simply searched online & found many options and thus became quickly overwhelmed. Eventually I settled on the free service of wireservice.ca. Being a Canadian resident it just made sense to me to start where I live. There were paid services everywhere & many insinuating that if you pay less then $100 you are getting ripped-off. Hmmm, I ignored that sentiment. I don't actually know what I'm doing, yet, I feel guided so I'm going with my gut instincts & I recommend you do the same.
So I got a template & was able to view a few sample docs of PR's & within 15 minutes I had my document done. We are writers after all...this is the easy part.
I released it into the world to be reviewed by the wire service people & about half an hour later I got a reply from them (I've purposefully obscured the author's name). Read below...

Hello

Sorry for the delay in responding to your inquiry - your press material has been reviewed and published/distributed. You can view it online:
http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=10563

All material is held for review before publication/distribution.

As an aside I'm currently dealing with a TBI and the associated concussion related stuff myself. In a few weeks it will have been one year since my accident. I lost four months of work, my sense of smell is gone and I'm lucky to have a day or two a week headache free - so I took some extra time reading your press material. ;)

Thank you for your work in this area as it was something I never even considered till it happened to me. I'm lucky my family and friends are really supportive of the changes that I have encountered since my accident.

Best regards,
(protected)

Wire Service Media
www.WireService.ca
Canadian Media Distribution and Press Release Service

To recap: Follow your inner guidance. To do this you must get quiet & operate from there- not the antsy, excitable & stressed out parts of yourself because you won't be able to 'hear' your guidance from those states. Just listen & be patient. The answers are already on their way. Watch for their signs & do not dismiss anything as coincidence. Your life loves you;)

The Distracted Yogi

The Cats Who Saved My Life (a short story)

Martin passed only just a week ago & my heart is still broken. I'm left wondering, just how am I going get by without his calm, confident & unassuming cat self?

The Cats Who Saved My Life

It was enough to keep me upright, to keep me from going completely insane from those three, soul destroying what ifs; shoulda, coulda, woulda.

After his sudden death I came to the painful realisation that it was not I who rescued Martin but rather the opposite was true.

He'd nurtured me through countless illnesses,

It was Martin who taught me how to love and it was Martin who saved my life.

Sensory Deprivation Tanks...Maybe a little Too Weird to talk about?!!

It's a NEW Year, how are you going to make this year more about the life you really want, the one that's literally waiting for you to embrace?

The SDT experience might be one of those small things we can all do for ourselves on the journey to reclaim our SELF.

I've been visiting a local Sensory Deprivation Tank-sort-of-place these past few months & what I've discovered is interesting, shocking & well, just plain weird!

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? William Hurt circa 1980 & Altered States?

Ok so maybe I didn't take any Mind-Altering drugs before setting off on this adventure BUT I hear that some people might imbibe a certain herb prior to slipping into one of those tanks filled with a warm (Body-Temp) salty-slippery water solution...

Briefly, this is what I've discovered while floating:

Interesting: That the various stages/dimensions of awareness one can experience is actually limitless.

Shocking: How busy my mind really is & how disconnected my body-mind awareness can be...

Weird: The salty-slime experience, very strange, but in a good way;-)

Time To Wake Up!

This past weekend saw me travelling to Victoria, BC Canada for two day retreat. The nature of this retreat and it's facilitator were completely unknown to me however, this did not trouble me at all....I simply Knew I must go anyway!

The title of the retreat was called 'Divinicus; Rise of the Divine Human', now to be completely honest I didn't know what to think of it yet once I'd read the back-story it no longer mattered. The title could have been Anything and I would have gone! But Why?

Ok, see what I mean? I got distracted just then...

You see I needed some answers & 'Divinicus' delivered!

If you want to know more then look here: openhandweb.org

Then, ask yourself these questions because you may not get this right now BUT- YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWERS! & Please, keep looking because no one else can do this work for you!

It's Time to Wake-up.

Get to know Shirley Harris-Slaughter.

This week I'm doing something a little different, why? Well, when someone comes along & writes an important book I want YOU to know about it: Shirley Harris-Slaughter is that Someone &

Our Lady of Victory:The Saga Of An African-American Catholic Community,

This is what you can expect: “This book will present the facts – and some of those facts may not make for pleasant reading."

Which is exactly why this is my kind of book & if You appreciate getting the facts separated from the fiction then You will Love it too! So,

please join me & many others who have discovered Shirley Harris-Slaughter then celebrate her devotion to our mutual enlightenment;-)

6 Simple Strategies For Overcoming Trauma

TRAUMA AFFECTS EVERYONE

Relationship endings, losing a job or not getting that much needed promotion to more severe events such as your house burning down or coping with injuries after a serious car accident. The list is truly endless yet knowing that trauma is common-place is not enough to help us through it.

What to do? & How to cope?

1) FEED YOURSELF!

2) CHALLENGE YOUR BELIEFS!

3) TAKE 100% RESPONSIBILITY!

4) MEDITATE!

5) GET OUT!

6) PRACTICE GRATITUDE!

The bottom line: You can do it with the right strategies and a sufficient amount of loving support. You have what it takes to go on and get through trauma. It's in all of us.

Violence & Aggression in the On-line world

Have you noticed the increasing aggressiveness of people who frequent forums and/or leave comments on the Internet?

C'mon now, I know it's not just me!

You get the picture, I get around on-line!

What's happening on-line is downright scary & a complete turn-off!

As a side note: Some scientist now postulate that a new species of human being has emerged, within the past 50 years, they call it The Psychopath. This new type of human being is almost identical to it's predecessor with one notable exception: this new breed lacks a conscience.

Their rate of occurrence is approximately 1 in 4 persons however this ratio is steadily increasing.

I'd say the evidence is everywhere including on-line where there appears to be roaming groups of highly aggressive, rude and even violent comment/forum-crashers.

Excerpt from The Distracted Yogi:

Each week (or so) c'mon back here & get some free reading from my book, The Distracted Yogi: How I reclaimed my BLISS After Brain Injury & Trauma.

On the subject of Trauma...below are a few paragraphs from my book.

From: Part II, Confessions Of An Abuser-Chapter V-The Distracted Yogi:

This week the subject was trauma, a theme common to my life after I sustained a brain injury in 2002. I'll be posting more excerpts each week or so...please leave a comment because your opinion counts here;)

A Primer on Trauma.

It's great to be back to writing about important stuff like, for example... LIFE!

My journey from Brain Injury to Health (relatively speaking of course;) allowed me many insights into the How's of Recovering from almost any Trauma.

Oh Really?!

This begs the obvious question: What Is Trauma?

Emotional and Psychological trauma?

The question is then, What Really Happens to all those Residual Feelings?

Thank you, Sincerely;)

I can at last take a breather from the relentlessness of self-promotion...& I really, really need it!The internet is necessary & to deny this is to be afraid of this new realm we call the digital world. It's here to stay, get used to it!

Why the rant?

Well I've met many people of late who are mystified by the amount of time some people spend-online.

These past 2 months have been hectic for lots of reasons one of them being the three major book promotions I did. There were 2 FREE Downloads weekends & 1 giveaway contest all requiring Huge amounts of time online.

But that all changes today because I've recommitted to my health & since I've just been informed that 'Sitting is the New Cancer' I'm extra motivated to live differently.

I started last week when I picked up my former habit of hiking. It was amazing!

If you're still reading then You need to take more regular breaks, better still, Incorporate them into every day. You need them, your body needs them & your creative self craves them, Do It! Don't wait! Do It Now!

Your Life Loves You (even if you don't love it back;)

Michelle xo

FREE eBook Promotion Starts in 2 DAYS!

Yeah, you heard right!!

Starting Friday @ midnight until Sunday Midnight, Jan 18 & 19 my eBook will be available for FREE.

Come back here JAN 18 & 19 & Click the link below & get your FREE copy:

I'm busy posting this info EVERYWHERE! Please re-post this to your friends/facebook ect especially if you know of anyone who might benefit from my story.

I really, really wanted to do another book giveaway but I've run outta books! The printer is bust printing up some more for me so as soon as I get them I'm giving 'em away!

So, until then-

I can at last take a breather from the relentlessness of self-promotion...& I really, really need it!
The internet is necessary & to deny this is to be afraid of this new realm we call the digital world. It's here to stay, get used to it!