tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44054383358750082872024-03-18T23:47:38.222-04:00Soundwise WomanCreating, relating
through words,voice,
music,sound~~~Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-9848754601412410332021-08-20T22:06:00.011-04:002021-08-22T04:28:52.459-04:00<p><br /></p><p><b>CASTING OUT DEMONS AND THE SPIRIT OF JEZEBEL </b></p><p> <span face=""Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f0f2f5; color: #050505; font-size: 15px;">I got caught up in some emotional reactivity today. Valid strong emotions but when I allowed them to drown out the still, small voice ready to guide me to a more powerful and wise response, I approached the gateway of regret. Like a flash of golden light twice today I was pulled back and able to boldly say what needed to be said, the truth, without lowering myself through that gateway. No regrets about calling out evil by its name. That was the one foot ready to go down. And that was enough to defend what is rightfully mine. Jesus called the demons by their names when casting them out. And so I did. Demons and dark attachments are clever. They try to explain themselves and justify their actions. They attack. They are cunning and try to make you think they know you. Don't succumb to playing their game. Do not respond. They want to engage you and continue to establish a stronghold. With your words you can cast them out. Then shake the dirt off your feet and move on. Demonic presence is born of fear, and "perfect love casts out fear." Our voices are supremely powerful, whether singing, toning, speaking or writing... Even the unspoken voice of our thoughts. And so it is. ~ Selah ~</span></p>Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-64166601484116251342017-05-07T09:42:00.000-04:002017-05-07T09:42:15.911-04:00Some People Never Learn In spite of (or perhaps even for some because of) the pain, cost and harm their actions cause, they continue on in willful ignorance of the principles of honor, integrity and self-respect. They seem to feel they're the exception to every rule. The laws of karma, you reap what you sow, do unto others.... It will show up in their lives at some point though in some form. As their actions have been cancerous to others, something will eventually corrode in their own lives. And when they then choose to don the victim mask most will still persist in their willful ignorance. Some people never learn. All the rest of us can do is forgive them... like Jesus said, "Forgive them. They do not know what they're doing." And so it is.Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-17371432268945094872016-07-08T22:27:00.002-04:002021-08-22T04:32:43.537-04:00Caregiver Thoughts<br />
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If you're not a caregiver personally overseeing an aged loved one's needs, you won't understand this completely. And I'm not referring to those of you who have already needed to place your loved one in a facility. But let me offer some insight in case you find yourself needing to be the main caregiver who must monitor and manage your loved one's life in order to honor their wishes to stay in their own homes and as independent as they can practically and SAFELY manage. And yes, this is lengthy...</div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">All </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">situations </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">are as unique as the people involved. My mother does amazingly well for a 94 year old woman. Note: my mother has always done pretty well on her own, a strong independent woman, basically since helping with her family income when she was 12-13 years old during the Depression. This put into place within her a great determination, perseverance, sense of duty and responsibility resulting in a fortress of inner strength. My mother has said to me that I perhaps know her better than anyone else ever has. I've been the one who has chosen to be most involved in her life, pushing past her strong independence over the years, at times requiring my insistence that she be more involved in my life. We've had our battles, those mother/daughter clashes and times of withdrawing and letting some time and space occur between us as needed. We grow. We change. We learn. As I came to know my mother as a her own separate person, as a unique human being apart from being my mother, I was astounded at her strengths and wisdom and the life experiences she survived that gave her that strength rather than defeat her. I don't know that I would have done as well. I do know I'm thankful for her as my mother and the incredible gifts I've received from her through our relationship. She was not the favorite daughter and she knew it. I have clear memories of this myself as not one of the favorite grandchildren. She was deemed the black sheep because of her career as a jazz musician, a beautiful, greatly talented blonde woman wearing sequined dresses playing out in nightclubs at night and working different jobs during the day to hold her family together and on top of that having been through several divorces. This all forced her to be organized and a bit of a perfectionist in her housekeeping because time was short, so therefore she impressed upon us a place for everything and everything in its place. Her deep love, immersion and knowledge in music combined with her passion to teach gave her great satisfaction in seeing many of her students go on to successful music careers. Her training and experience at Harrisburg Hospital School of Nursing served her well not only in her years at Pa. Blue Shield but also in good healthcare for her children. I have often stated that I give credit to my mother for my great love and passionate interest in health and music, not to mention the inherent gifts and predispositions to such in my own gifts, abilities and interests. Soooo, all these things that were so strongly part of my mother's life now come through to serve her well when her short term memory does not. Her realism, truthfulness, perseverance, organization and pride all help me determine how to make decisions on her behalf and how to respond to her in our daily interactions that are truthful yet preserve her dignity. I have thoroughly researched all avenues, both allopathically and holistically, to help her do her best physically, mentally and spiritually. I Have learned in caregiver support groups that it all too often falls on one sibling or one person to bear the majority if not all of it in dealing with an elderly parent or grandparent, for one reason or another, some very good reasons and others simply excuses for selfishness. I will never post or discuss anything publicly that could be detrimental or disrepectful in any way of my mother. I wouldn't do that with anyone. When your parent or grandparent or aunt or uncle or whomever is dependent on you in those final years, should you be so blessed to accept that sacred challenge, remember to do all you can to not only preserve their dignity but to cherish those moments. They still have a voice. They still have their own feelings, concerns and fears. Consider that. Ask them! And then make informed, appropriate decisions for them that are based in reality for their safety and well-being in every sense. Be informed. Be practical. Be kind and patient. Accept your role as Guardian Angel. Ask for and accept input and help from those who want to help and from those who have the knowledge, training and experience. If you're new at this, you don't know it all. Take care of yourself. Give thanks for the opportunity to give back to those who gave you your very life. Mom's words of wisdom when I was with her on Tuesday: "It's so hard for me to be dependent on anyone because I've been so damn independent my whole life. But if I have to be dependent, at least it's with people who really know me and love me, you and Jim. I hope when you get to my age you have that, too. Everybody needs those kind of people in their lives. Don't waste your time on the rest." </span></div>
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Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-34718814255101483072016-07-08T22:27:00.001-04:002016-07-08T22:32:43.584-04:00Caregiver Thoughts<br />
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If you're not a caregiver personally overseeing an aged loved one's needs, you won't understand this completely. And I'm not referring to those of you who have already needed to place your loved one in a facility. But let me offer some insight in case you find yourself needing to be the main caregiver who must monitor and manage your loved one's life in order to honor their wishes to stay in their own homes and as independent as they can practically and SAFELY manage. And yes, this is lengthy...</div>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">All </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">situations </span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">are as unique as the people involved. My mother does amazingly well for a 94 year old woman. Note: my mother has always done pretty well on her own, a strong independent woman, basically since helping with her family income when she was 12-13 years old during the Depression. This put into place within her a great determination, perseverance, sense of duty and responsibility resulting in a fortress of inner strength. My mother has said to me that I perhaps know her better than anyone else ever has. I've been the one who has chosen to be most involved in her life, pushing past her strong independence over the years, at times requiring my insistence that she be more involved in my life. We've had our battles, those mother/daughter clashes and times of withdrawing and letting some time and space occur between us as needed. We grow. We change. We learn. As I came to know my mother as a her own separate person, as a unique human being apart from being my mother, I was astounded at her strengths and wisdom and the life experiences she survived that gave her that strength rather than defeat her. I don't know that I would have done as well. I do know I'm thankful for her as my mother and the incredible gifts I've received from her through our relationship. She was not the favorite daughter and she knew it. I have clear memories of this myself as not one of the favorite grandchildren. She was deemed the black sheep because of her career as a jazz musician, a beautiful, greatly talented blonde woman wearing sequined dresses playing out in nightclubs at night and working different jobs during the day to hold her family together and on top of that having been through several divorces. This all forced her to be organized and a bit of a perfectionist in her housekeeping because time was short, so therefore she impressed upon us a place for everything and everything in its place. Her deep love, immersion and knowledge in music combined with her passion to teach gave her great satisfaction in seeing many of her students go on to successful music careers. Her training and experience at Harrisburg Hospital School of Nursing served her well not only in her years at Pa. Blue Shield but also in good healthcare for her children. I have often stated that I give credit to my mother for my great love and passionate interest in health and music, not to mention the inherent gifts and predispositions to such in my own gifts, abilities and interests. Soooo, all these things that were so strongly part of my mother's life now come through to serve her well when her short term memory does not. Her realism, truthfulness, perseverance, organization and pride all help me determine how to make decisions on her behalf and how to respond to her in our daily interactions that are truthful yet preserve her dignity. I have thoroughly researched all avenues, both allopathically and holistically, to help her do her best physically, mentally and spiritually. I Have learned in caregiver support groups that it all too often falls on one sibling or one person to bear the majority if not all of it in dealing with an elderly parent or grandparent, for one reason or another, some very good reasons and others simply excuses for selfishness. I will never post or discuss anything publicly that could be detrimental or disrepectful in any way of my mother. I wouldn't do that with anyone. When your parent or grandparent or aunt or uncle or whomever is dependent on you in those final years, should you be so blessed to accept that sacred challenge, remember to do all you can to not only preserve their dignity but to cherish those moments. They still have a voice. They still have their own feelings, concerns and fears. Consider that. Ask them! And then make informed, appropriate decisions for them that are based in reality for their safety and well-being in every sense. Be informed. Be practical. Be kind and patient. Accept your role as Guardian Angel. Ask for and accept input and help from those who want to help and from those who have the knowledge, training and experience. If you're new at this, you don't know it all. Take care of yourself. Give thanks for the opportunity to give back to those who gave you your very life. Mom's words of wisdom when I was with her on Tuesday: "It's so hard for me to be dependent on anyone because I've been so damn independent my whole life. But if I have to be dependent, at least it's with people who really know me and love me, you and Jim. I hope when you get to my age you have that, too. Everybody needs those kind of people in their lives. Don't waste your time on the rest." </span></div>
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Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-91183385120390792832015-07-18T13:13:00.001-04:002015-07-18T13:13:36.137-04:00The Path of Revolving DoorsYes, when one door closes often another one opens. And when that door closes we waste our time and energy if we insist on trying to force it back open. Some time goes by, you've continued on your path. Just ahead you sense something old and familiar yet you know you have moved on. As you approach this new door, you realize it is not so new afterall. It is quite familiar. The Light and Love and the Sound of the Calling compel your steps toward it. You question and ponder, "What? I recognize this! This door was closed. I tried keeping it open, and it wasn't meant to be!" You move closer looking for a sign, a clue. You remind yourself yet again that you have moved forward, moved on. If you go through that door wouldn't it be moving backwards.... yet, no, you clearly see you're still moving forward. You haven't gone back at all. The mysteries of life. How can decisions made to close a door move you forward to enter it yet again? You look closer and see that it is indeed that same door, the same frame of energies, the same hinges of knowledge holding it in place. Approaching the threshold you hear the voice of your soul welcoming you to cross over, to enter. The light, the colors, the warmth engulf you as you take your first steps not backwards but forward into familiar and yet new territory. The paradox of life and love and learning. Time is timeless. Sometimes we think we have things figured out only to be reminded that in any given moment everything can change. We can dwell in the Land of Not Knowing and learn to be content with it, or we can fight it and bring undue stress and problems, or we can stay too long paralyzed by fear of decision and consequences. But know this: If you want to arrive at the end of this life with no regrets or as few as possible, make decisions not from a mind of fear but from a heart of love.<br />
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Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-9195255878766696592015-05-08T00:56:00.001-04:002021-08-22T04:32:52.798-04:00People in Our Lives It has occurred to me with a fervent frequency in the past few days about how blessed I am to have the kind of friendships and people in my life that I do. More and more there are those about me who have such vibrant souls of love, light, peace, joy and wisdom. And paradoxically, those who have shown a more negative, angry, bitter, or unhappy way of looking at life have been falling away from my more immediate circle. Transparency is a beautiful thing in a relationship. Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-67814067316285893622015-05-08T00:53:00.000-04:002021-08-22T04:32:55.041-04:00I See You ~ Sometimes it's what people don't say that tells you everything you need to know. As I have learned to listen more and more to my intuition, you know that still, small voice, I am realizing just how accurate it is. I have stopped second guessing myself for the most part. The more I have trusted what I pick up from someone's energy, the more I know who they really are. Like one popular saying goes, "I can tell more from a person's energy field than what their words tell me." The more I flex my intuitive muscle, the stronger it gets, the more accurate it is. Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-81453341997822143572015-04-13T16:24:00.001-04:002021-08-22T04:32:59.507-04:00Giving Credit Give credit where credit is due. This was something I stressed to the students in business class year after year. Not infrequently a student would want to use someone else's logo or byline or idea as their own or change just a small part of it to use as their own. I would suggest that rather than plagiarize or "steal" what someone else had worked hard on or perhaps even paid someone to come up with, there were ways they could let it inspire them to come up with their own original creation. And if nothing else, at least ask permission to use the part that they liked. That would be the honorable thing to do. Oh yes it is true - there is nothing new under the sun. And then there are legal ramifications to consider. In this day of internet, facebook, and all social media it is easy to take words, ideas and content from anywhere and present it as our own. There is a fine line between what we have been taught, have learned, have experienced in life and want to share and pass it on in our own way with our own perspective, and taking credit for someone else's work, someone else's designs or words, or their intellectual property. Just think about it. Before you do it. And if you find yourself on the receiving end of having your work being claimed by someone else, you need to politely and firmly address the transgression. That may be enough. I have been in this position a few times,and only once did I need to work with an attorney. The other times the perpetrators apologized and did give credit where credit was due. Two of them were innocent mistakes in that they misunderstood thinking my words belonged to someone else I did not credit. They thought they were just passing on words that they liked. I was indeed happy that my writing inspired them enough to share it but as a writer and a teacher I have spent many years and long hours, not to mention money, into my craft and earning a living. It is just not right for anyone to claim any part of that as their own....unless they are listing me as at least part of the resource. It isn't ego. It's integrity, accountability, responsibility, ethics. I have seen someone take Gandhi's quote, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," and post it on facebook as their own by rewriting it as "If you want the world to change, you must be that change." with their name listed after it. We all make mistakes. And not every one is living consciously. Those of us who know or who have learned such lessons earlier in life do a good service by leading the way, shining the light, speaking up. And so I have. And believe me, this has been a life lesson for me. I have often "given away my power," and just allowed it to happen because I did not want to upset anyone or cause a problem. Or let it go just to be happy that some helpfulness or knowledge was being passed on to help make the world a better place, even if it was a bit deceitful. But then I realized that wisdom infused with deceit is less than helpful and only spreads the negative energy of it. So, better later to have learned and practiced this than never, eh?Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-73558416963875844722014-09-07T13:25:00.002-04:002021-08-22T04:33:01.724-04:00Just Because You Can..."Just because you can doesn't mean you should." I do not know who first said this to me many years ago but it has served as one of those little helpful guiding voices at times when I am making a decision. <br />
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I think that guideline is a good thing to keep in mind when posting on the internet, facebook, twitter, and all the social media opportunities we have to share. There is a common attitude that if it is out there on the internet or posted somewhere that it is fair game to respond to it any way you want, to share it with whomever you want and in some cases misquote entirely or to not give credit or acknowledge the correct source. Of course if you don't really know the source - and this post is a perfect example - then you cannot give credit. Or you can wait and be corrected by someone who does. But even then, there is a way to publicly, or not publicly, correct someone. I guess that old "need to be right" takes over for some of us at some times. <br />
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What has happened to courtesy, giving the benefit of the doubt and gracious words? Everything is not black-and-white. If we know someone does not have their facts quite right, we ought to make sure we have our's correct before chastising them or needing to point out their mistake. I do believe in the political arena this is almost impossible. The right versus the left, and all the propaganda from both makes it impossible to discover what is fact if all we ever do is watch mainstream media. Yet, we see or read something and assume we are being told the truth by the people who do not want us to know the truth. We take sides based on lies or half-truths or someone else's opinion. It is a lot of work to track down and find the truth and the facts. Most of us just don't have the time or want to take the time to do that. Yet in our more personal interactions with one another, it is even more important to do a fact check. We don't need to disrespect boundaries or toss all discretion aside to make things right.Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-26482273413600290212014-08-16T13:02:00.000-04:002014-09-07T13:34:35.315-04:00Let's Go or Let Go?There is a lot being written and said in the media about letting go, in a plethora of self-help books, and of course on Facebook. Like many of the popular memes and quotes, everyone seems to feel the need to parrot them, share them, mention them, repeat them. They are popular because they resonate with the majority of us. I get that. The "share" feature on facebook serves many purposes. I won't bother to list what you already know. I think sometimes this modern phenomena of sharing on facebook is something many of us grew up with. We called it being a copycat. I am "guilty" of that. When it resonates with us, with our path, with our beliefs, with how we would like the world to be, we repeat it. What we learn we often want to share with the world. If we are teachers, we cannot help but share with our students. But back to this "Let Go" mantra. If we are going to truly let go of something or someone that just is not positive or healthy or inspiring for us, then to do so in anger or unforgiveness would just mean we haven't let go at all. Merely ignoring someone or something is not letting go. Any negative emotion attached to the letting go actually binds it to us further. It's a paradox. Letting go is a good thing. Or maybe sometimes not. You decide how you are going to let go. May it be from a place of love, forgiveness, with the best intentions, knowing that the letting go is the best for all concerned because you realize we are all connected in some way. Otherwise, you are not really letting go and moving on. That brings me to the "Let's Go."<br />
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Let's go implies a collaborative and cooperative effort, an agreement. C'mon, Let's Go! Let us move forward together. Let us acknowledge that the relationship or situation is not the best for all concerned, not out of judgmental attitudes or bitter resentment or the inability to bless what was and what will be. Let us resolve to mutually let go from a place of peace and kindness and compassion and healing! Let's go to the next level, which may mean separately and apart, yet acknowledging that all things, all people are connected no matter how much we Let Go. To publicly proclaim that you embrace the concept of letting go while still holding on to the negativity is not letting go at all. So, when it's time to let go, how about offering your hand and saying Let's Go! And be truly done with it. Moving together is freeing. And if your hand is refused, you can then truly still Let Go. The situation or relationship or person will eventually catch up. Or not. But then it isn't about you anymore. It's about them and their choice to stay attached and not let go. Let's go! Like someone once said, "No one ever choked to death on swallowing their pride!" <br />
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Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-85443909930291446642014-06-08T14:29:00.000-04:002014-06-08T14:30:05.210-04:00Land of Not KnowingLast month was challenging in many ways for me. How was your merry month of May? It is within my favorite time of year, for one thing. So many good May memories and beautiful life-changing events have occurred throughout my life in this gloriously blooming month. To name a few, the birth of my daughter, the birth of my first grandchild and the birth of the first true love of my life who became the father of my children. Often Memorial Day marked our first trip to the beach to stay at my mother's little summer home there in the Cape May, NJ area. There's that May word again! <br />
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I knew a big decision had to be made since several unexpected events knocked me off my feet in May. I happened to be on beautiful Hilton Head Island when I realized I could not delay or try to finagle things to work out in the direction I already had planned. It meant letting go of what I had been holding onto for the past several years, vacillating from total commitment on the familiar path to retiring from everything I loved doing. It all coincided with the energy shifts many of us were experiencing during 2012-2013. I was not used to not knowing where I was going. I was standing atop one of the mountains in Alaska, looking out over the Magnificence just being silent and thankful, breathing it all in when the phrase came to me, "The Land of Not Knowing." Surrounded by the majesty of creation, I was humbled and peaceful as most of us are in such awareness. It's okay to not know, and to let go of the need to know. <br />
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So last month there I was again not knowing. I put one foot over the boundary and realized I did know what I had to do. I knew quite clearly and without any doubt. I cried. I smiled. I prayed. I meditated. There was very clearly a way to take the next step. So on the very last day of May I knew I had to write a letter of resignation to a number of people and events. As I pondered what to say and prayed for divine guidance about it, I began by writing this as a facebook post: <br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"Heavy rain painting us some very wet and shiny vistas just outside the house this last day of May. Goodbye May. You were a roller coaster of emotions ranging from the joy of long awaited answered prayer and happy, memorable times with famil</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; display: inline; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">y and friends to shock, sorrow, letting go and heartbreak. We received unsettling news, good news and encouraging news. We came face to face with life changing decisions and which fork in the road to take. But really, I ask myself, was this May so vastly different than any recent months? Yes. Yes, it was. And I am letting the driven rain cleanse the path of May's debris so I can keep moving forward. I think of one of my favorite Beatles' songs, "I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in and stops my mind from wandering where it will go... And it really doesn't matter if I'm wrong I'm right where I belong... I'm taking the time for a number of things that weren't important yesterday..." Yes. It's a beautiful, rainy Saturday morning, filled with some laughter, a silly dog and easy breakfast conversation. May you, too, be surrounded by such things that mean the most to you this day."</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So I wrote that email letter. I hesitated twice before hitting the send button. All but three people responded. And every one of those responses were understanding, gracious, kind and encouraging, moving me to tears of gratitude for their wisdom and love. It affirmed what I had been teaching and preaching for years: When you listen to that still small voice within, when you heed the call of the Divine, when you truly desire the very best outcome for everyone involved in a situation, self included, it really does all work out. If you are in that Land of Not Knowing it can seem like forever. It can be very unsettling. It can be scary. But so can Knowing. Wherever you're dwelling these days, I wish you peace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-52411226427099170332013-11-04T12:12:00.001-05:002021-08-22T04:24:35.485-04:00Sound Works I met several people over the past week and had a couple phone calls from people asking pretty much the same question about sound therapy. They wanted to know how sound works for health or healing and why does it make us feel better. One woman asked if she could use it separately or along with her current healing practice. I have been asked many questions from so many beautiful seekers over the years when sharing how sound might work for them as part of overall health regimen or to add to their existing healing practice. At an event this past weekend, I was reminded that there are still many who have not heard of sound therapy, and have no understanding of the fact that everything is energy. If everything is energy(and it is), then everything has its own frequency or vibration. If it has its own frequency, it has sound. Everything is sound. Sound can be a powerful healing energy in the hands of a trained, experienced practitioner. In this lifetime, I was blessed with experiencing beautiful music as sound therapy being carried into this life in my musician mother's womb.<br />
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When I first started teaching others about using sound, voice and music for health, there was not a lot of formal research and documentation about it. I am thankful for those "pioneers" of modern sound healing for their work, what I learned from them, and certainly my own clients who were willing to let me use sound along with their massage and energy sessions(Reiki, Healing Touch, Chakra Balancing, Craniosacral Therapy, Polarity, Foot reflexology and numerous hands-on massage modalities). I am still learning! The more I learn the more I see there is so much more to learn. I frequently say that sound is a vast subject, and there are so many subjects and aspects of it! Fortunately, in recent years due to the advances in technology and the increased interest in sound healing and sound therapy, hundreds of studies have documented not only that sound and specific frequencies may bring about healing and help us maintain health, but it also contains necessary nutrient frequencies. Our bodies absorb sound. We don't have to be able to literally hear something for there to be sound or for us to be effected by it. We basically only hear between 20-20,000 Hz. There are a few people who have increased hearing ranges, and there are many of us who hear less, especially as we age. We know that many animals have much greater hearing capacity than humans.<br />
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By entrainment and resonant frequencies or sympathetic vibrations, might even the cells of our bodies be restored to balance or harmony, i.e. their healthy frequency? While shamans and tribal healers throughout the ages have used quite a variety of means in healing with sound, so have ancient cultures, churches and societies used it for such purposes as controlling populations, healing and warfare. Sound is still used in this way through frequencies, types of music, specific vibrations. If you have a room full of grandfather clocks and start the pendulums at different times, within hours they will all be swinging in sync. There is a popular YouTube video showing this happening with a movable/floating tray filled with 32 metronomes. They start out all swinging at different degrees of the same rhythm. Within minutes they all are swinging back and forth at the exact same time in the exact same beats per minute. Synchronized oscillation. While this is a mechanical example, our bodies are in constant rhythmic patterns always working for homeostasis or balance.<br />
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And yes there are frequencies that are harmful to our well being. Think EMF's. Electromagnetic fields, ultraviolet rays, radiation, power lines, cell phones, microwaves, televisions, computers, other appliances. We are walking around in a sea of invisible frequencies. <br />
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Sound therapy is a collaborative effort between the practitioner and the client/patient as is any type of health relationship. When the sound therapist uses an instrument or their own voice, your being is affected by those frequencies. Every cell, every organ, every system, every layer of your energy field have their own individual healthy frequencies. If any of these areas are literally out of tune, the sound therapist's use of sound may help entrain the out-of-tune area back to harmony, at least temporarily. Sound is the energy of creation. "And God said, let there be..." The spoken word is powerful! Our sound on our breath, whether speaking, singing, chanting, praying manifests! May we be conscious of and choose thoughts and words that heal and unite rather than those which wound and divide. Love is the purest and highest frequency. God Is Love. Ah, but I've digressed....back to the practical explanation... :)<br />
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As for using sound therapy along with any other practice, I personally wish all healthcare practitioners would be trained to do so. I am not saying that any other therapy, modality or treatment is not enough on its own, but I am saying that using sound may reinforce, enhance and strengthen what other healing efforts accomplish. I have seen this repeatedly over the years in my own practice using multiple modalities. Licensed Music Therapists(4-5 years college plus internship and proficiency in musical instrument) have seen how effective music is as an adjunct treatment with patients in a variety of allopathic medical facilities. Unfortunately anyone with little or no training can call themselves a sound therapist at this point in time. There are people working to set standards and requirements for sound therapy practitioners. "Let the buyer beware," is good to keep in mind if you are considering a session with someone who offers sound therapy.<br />
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Perhaps, next time I will discuss how to choose a qualified sound therapist. For now, just know there is so much more than just whacking a bowl or beating the heck out of a gong or merely mimicking something you saw someone else do. One of my "revered highly knowledgeable and experienced" teachers explained that you can actually do more harm than good when you don't really know what you're doing, as harmless as it may seem. There is a balance to be struck. (pun intended)<br />
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All of Life Is Music....<br />
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~ Peace Through Music ~</div>
Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-58005807743110599652013-10-26T16:12:00.001-04:002013-10-27T00:47:47.838-04:00Saturday Sermon<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I have been reading and hearing a fair amount of talk about illusion lately. More specifically, how all that is and all that we are and all that we think this world is, is really an illusion. This is not a new concept to me. As soon as we start delving into trying to understand the mystery of life we are going to come across the teachings of the Masters who speak of the grand illusion, and all the lesser ones as well. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>I participated in a group meditation recently where we were guided to let go of third dimensional thinking, behaviors, perceptions, patterns, habits. It was not the first such group journey for me. I give them myself with the use of sound frequencies through a variety of instruments including my voice. I enjoy and appreciate being able to simply partake and grow without being the leader of one. We were encouraged to move into being more love, more of who we as individuals are, to not "give away our power," and help bring the fifth dimension into reality in our own lives. This would also serve to bring that reality more fully into the world. To bring more love, grace, forgiveness, peace and health into this world surely is the highest calling we have. God Is Love. We must bring it to ourselves consistently or we can't bring it to anyone else. I think this is exactly what Christ meant when he said to Love Others as You Love Yourself. We cannot love others until we understand healthy self love. The New Heaven and the New Earth are being birthed. It is an exciting time to be here on Earth. (Illusion or not :) )</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Many years ago I went to churches that preached Jesus first, Others second, and You(self) last. That is actually kind of backwards when you understand the full meaning of the words of Christ. When invited, The Christ Consciousness (or Buddha or Krishna or Jehovah or Allah or G-d or....) permeates our soul with sacred (healthy) self-love. It is not a self-serving, fearful, insecure, insensitive, self-impressed love with a doctrine of me-itis and hatred. Two blatant symptoms of me-itis are the over-riding need to be right about your particular viewpoint or interpretation, and making mini-gods of certain theologians and gurus throughout history who have convinced you their interpretation is the "correct" one. Never the less, could we not all at least respect one another's views? Especially views that encourage us to love one another, to forgive, to heal ourselves and one another, to make the world a better place. I learn from them all. I love that quote, "promote what you love instead of bashing what you don't(love or like or agree with...)." Besides, if we were motivated to win people over, kindness, love, mercy, compassion would attract me. Fear, cruelty, sarcasm, self-righteousness and anger would drive me away. In fact, it did.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As I have studied a few other "religions" and dogma, I cannot subscribe to any of them 100% either as they continue to insist their way is the Only Way or the Best Way. I recently read an article relating that as long as you think you are better than someone else because of your "enlightenment" in any one area(spirituality, environmental, dietary, etc.), you are guilty of spiritual egoism. As soon as we say we are "more evolved" or "more enlightened," than any other one belief or state of being, we are guilty of the ego dominating the soul, are we not? Please know that I realize there is a difference between healthy functioning ego and narcisstic, selfish ego. And I know there is a fine line between observation and judgment. And the longer I live, the more I realize I don't know very much at all. I knew so much more when I was younger. (please laugh at that tongue in cheek illusion!!) When you have found what works for you, it is beautiful that it works for you...or you work for it. We each find our own way (or not). We each have free will and choice. We learn from the darkness and the suffering as much as we learn from the light and bliss (or not). But what do I know? I know that I Am. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>For most of us there is the ongoing battle of varying degrees within that we must balance to become the peace we want for the world, to become the love and joy and healing we wish for others. If we don't have it internally, it cannot manifest externally. Most of us presently still live and are very much entrenched in this third dimension. However, the earth and her inhabitants are moving into the fifth dimension. Some of us now accept this only because science and modern technology have been able to "prove" this. Blessed are those who have believed and yet not seen. :) When we choose to let go of the old ways of thinking and behaving, and choose to practice and live with more love, forgiveness and respect, we are doing the most powerful thing we can, not only for ourselves but for everyone. We have heard so many times, "you cannot fix anyone but yourself." Yet many of us still try. To fix others. I like what Christ said when he reminded his disciples to take the log out of their own eye first. I remember thinking that perhaps the log is so huge it has blinded some of us. Or maybe the log is an illusion, too. :) Isaiah wrote that God will make a way when there seems to be no way. He is making a way, folks, right before our eyes! Separating the wheat from the chaff. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Now I have come back to the illusion. I like what Thich Nhat Hanh said, too, when he reminded us that we are here to realize the illusion that we are not separate, we are One. Like Jesus prayed in the Garden at Gethsemane....that we would all be One. Like Ram Dass said so beautifully, "We are all just walking each other home." Being one doesn't mean being all the same. We are all wonderfully diverse. We are created in God's image...all the richness, love, wisdom, peace and diversity. All the unique and specific frequencies of energy that make us individuals. All on as many paths as there are souls. And that many illusions, if you will. Most importantly, All on our journey home. </i></span></div>
Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-74234222873059820142013-10-22T00:01:00.000-04:002014-04-11T17:09:24.785-04:00Parrot I often hear the words of a colleague a few years ago strongly admonishing me to be more of who I am and less of what I see and hear and read from others. "Stop parroting what you have heard someone else say. Just because they put themselves out there like some authority doesn't mean they're right or have the whole answer! Be You! You've done this work a long time and have so much more to offer than only someone else's words."<br />
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At the time it really struck a note with me. I mean literally it struck a note because we were all talking and teaching about Sound Healing. I felt a twinge of Ouch when he said it, but the greater revelation was in my knowing he was right, and that I needed to hear that. I can't thank him enough because that phrase, "Stop Parroting..." has come to mind most times when I want to just share or post a status on facebook, or update my sound therapy manuals for the students, or revise a workshop talk, or even just in casual conversation when I am tempted to quote someone else so as to give my own experience validity...or so I think. <br />
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I have found that I now pass that on and try to encourage others. Now this has resulted at times in great frustration. Many people still aren't plugging into more of their authentic selves based on some of the posts I see on facebook....there is still waaay too much sharing of someone else's words in order to express or validate their own views, feelings or situations. A little of that goes a long way. Especially when ten or twenty of my facebook friends share the exact same post of which I have already received myself from the original poster. Oh I know about changing the settings, but then I would miss the original posts or comments in my regular newsfeed. And I can't spend as much time on facebook as I used to.... Too many wonderful new opportunities have come into my life and there is not one minute to waste. (as if there ever was, silly me)<br />
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Why are we afraid to be more of ourselves? Why are you hesitant? Is it being vulnerable that is so scary? Is it lack of self confidence, low self-esteem? Is it just laziness or lack of motivation to write your own words, to be original, creative, put yourself out there? Do you fear rejection? Disagreement? Judgment? If we let others define us, we are held captive in that box called What Will People Think? Believe me, some of those reasons were/are my own. Some people are going to judge us, criticize us, find the faults anyway. Follow your heart, and let the judges and critics suck their perfect little thumbs. Really. Yes, I did say that.<br />
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Okay, so yes it is being vulnerable. And maybe you won't use all the right grammar or syntax, and it won't flow or be on pretty framed pictures(facebook postcards), or maybe we'll overdose on too many exclamation points!!!!!!!!! but when you do say something that causes people to respond to the real you, to your heart, to your authenticity, it is so much more rewarding. And it is inspiring. Those who occasionally write their own inspirational thoughts are giving the rest of us a huge gift, the gift of You! And then again, you might get a few challenges to address. Not everyone will agree. Diversity is a wonderful thing, and often ruffles our feathers(parrot feathers?) to perhaps make us consider thinking a little differently. It can be uncomfortable. And it doesn't necessarily mean someone doesn't like us if they see things differently. We all have our own filters and perspectives. And, we are all mirrors for each other if we are looking. Of course this is not just limited to facebook postings. You know that, right? Sure, we often learn by imitating and copying our mentors and those who have set the standards. But real leadership and great teachers are those who have acknowledged their mentors, then found their own way, used their own natural gifts, lived life from their hearts and inspired others to do the same. Please note that I am not saying to not share and relate those things that resonate with us, and align with who we are. That goes hand in hand with our being who we are, choosing to encourage others with either our own words or someone who already nailed it for us. My point here is to just encourage you to be more of you more of the time. It has been said that what we give or perhaps what we choose to post on facebook or other social media is what we ourselves most need to hear first of all! Hmmm ....<br />
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The Dalai Lama reminded us that we need to be more of our authentic selves in order to be healed and at peace within ourselves, in order to bring that peace and harmony to the world. ( I guess I just did that parrot thing again....) I encourage you to be more you and less of someone else and *their* words. The world needs YOU to be you. Like Dr. Seuss said,<br />
Be the best you that you can be and not somebody else. Everybody else is already taken. (or something like that :) ) Be Who You Are. Yes, we learn from others. Yes, we quote the words of the sages and the gifted and the teachers. But if that is ALL that we do, we give nothing of the uniquely beautiful gift of ourselves. Do you see what I am saying? <br />
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Or like my friend said, "Stop being a parrot...." <br />
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<br />Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-2840862345995116752013-10-20T23:11:00.000-04:002013-10-23T10:56:35.209-04:00Halloween energyFor a number of years now I have had the recurring thought about the energy of Halloween. I know it can be a fun, dress up like somebody you're not or somebody or some thing you would "like" to be, a gathering of treats for the sugar addicts of all ages, and a chance to scare or be scared. This adoration and emulation of the energy of zombies, vampires, murderers, and vengeful creatures is just for fun, right? Cute little goblins and witches and fairy tale princesses and dragon slayers and cartoon characters... nothing wrong with that, right? Dressing yourself or your child like a demon, a devil, a vampire, a werewolf, a machete wielding murderer or death row inmate....harmless! All in fun, right? <br />
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Well....here's where I part company with many. I mean especially those of us who say we are healers...lightworkers...proclaimers of promoting higher energies and a better world of peace and love and health. <br />
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If you really are that, and you really do want to do your part in making the world a better place, then why would you participate in such activities, even under the guise of "fun?" There is so much goodness and beauty in the month of October or any month for that matter, so why expend energy promulgating the dark side? Why make it seem okay and fun to partake of energy that is very far removed from the Light? Why engage in any activity that celebrates fear and evil? <br />
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I am asking you to think about it. There are ways to indulge in Halloween that don't have to glorify murder, killings, demonic activity, fear and horror. And while I'm on the soapbox, if you're into healthy living, why would you pass out sugar-laden treats let alone eat them yourself? Integrity. Authenticity. *sigh* Yes, it's possible even at Halloween. And, yes...we can agree to disagree.Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-91016223388836124612013-10-17T23:38:00.000-04:002014-04-11T17:11:49.102-04:00Sound SleepWe had a marvelous, filled to capacity turnout for our Sound Therapy Workshop last evening. The room was filled to capacity not only with some pretty fabulous, bright and caring people, but also with delicious sound! Participants came to learn about sound for health and healing. Besides myself, our presenters were long-time musician, businessman and sound explorer RA Campbell; Quantum Physicist, Healer and Performer Narayan; and scientist, healer and Himalayan Bowl practitioner Kathleen Baker. Attendees learned what sound therapy is and what it is not, the science and art of it, how to use a number of the modern and ancient tools including our voices, Himalayan (Tibetan) and crystal bowls, ting-shas, tuning forks, bells, drums, and gongs to name a few. The evening concluded with a mini sound immersion utilizing mostly the bowls. <br />
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Abundant positive comments from those present followed the meeting and continued to be received either in emails or facebook posts today. The most common comment was how well quite a number of people slept last night. Talk about sound sleep! Gives the phrase a deeper meaning. So as I was replying to some of these comments today, the first song that popped into my head was "Mr. Sandman," and the second one was "I'll See You In My Dreams." That started my creative brain energy into a whole list...Sweet Dreams, Wake Up Little Susie, All I Have to Do Is Dream, Sleep Walk, In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning and the old hymn Wonderful Peace. <br />
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What do all those songs have to do with sound and healing? I can only say that with sound being the energy of creation, it caused my mind to bring forth all kinds of memories of songs that deal with our sleeping state.<br />
That, in turn, made me think of how good it is to have good memories and good dreams and good music. I certainly have an abundance of those in my life. It's Magic. Magikal.<br />
(Written originally three years ago)<br />
<br />Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-23705866514673259922013-10-17T23:36:00.003-04:002013-10-23T17:20:38.770-04:00Somebody's Waiting to Hear From YouWho is waiting to hear from you? Come on, think about it. Listen to that still, small voice. There is somebody who would benefit from what you have to say. There is somebody you're not saying something to because of what? Your pride? Your chip on the shoulder? Your fear? Do you owe an apology to somebody? Repair the damage you caused whether intentional or not, but you know you played a part. Is there someone you simply need to encourage and say, "good job!" Do it. Step out of judgment and see only the good. Tell them you appreciate them. Tell them you love them. If you cannot say it, then at least write it to them. I guarantee you, somebody is waiting to hear from you. And I bet you know who it is now that you've read this. There is an opening awaiting your words.... an opening in somebody's heart.<br />
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Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-5377248540686348072012-04-29T18:16:00.001-04:002012-04-29T18:23:25.760-04:00Be LoveTake away your life's work. Take away where you live. Take away those classes, those teachers, those hallowed institutions which bestow more letters to your name. Take away all that you would have others believe you are. Take off the martyrdom of scars from the past. Take away all the decorations and accolades and the masks. Especially the masks! Deceit, lies, charades that inflict deep scars on others not to mention your own soul, off with their heads! Keep the mirror, the sky, the trees, the sunlight, the blades of grass and bending flowers, the ocean's scent on the fierce stormy gales, the cawing of mid-day blackbirds as they watch you play your game. Keep the heart, the love, the light, the knowing I Am. Cease trying to convince all of your goodness, your rightness, your purity, your enlightenment. Strip down to the essence of what is. Cease the talk of noble poets and writers crowned. Speak your own words. Crown your own soul. Discover and Be. Donning exotic attire makes you no more spiritual than your quoted unoriginal musings. Shake your finger at yourself and then laugh. Laugh at the joke you play on yourself. Love that you can. When you are secure in this, your need for garnishments falls away. And the highest honor of being is Love. Not looking like Love, not talking about Love, not anything but being Love. Love requires no adornments, no titles, no gurus, no piousity or trappings. Love can only fill your soul when you are empty of all her imitators. Love. Love One Another. You can only live it when you have done what it costs to Be Love.Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-21595953477315359062012-03-03T12:16:00.002-05:002012-03-03T13:33:13.723-05:00Life or Death decisionIt has taken another friend's blog to get me to write in my own blog after waaay too long. My friend is faced with a life or death decision, literally. And more specifically it comes down to what kind of life or what kind of death she prefers. Yeah, we all prefer to live healthy, live long and prosper, and then die peacefully in our sleep knowing we have not left one thing unsaid or undone. Anyway, her writing got me thinking more about my writing. I seem to have one recurring admonition from my heart the past two years, and that is to keep writing. Writing, in whatever form, is now proven by "them" to be healthy for us whether as journaling(we used to call this "dear diary" when I was a kid) or writing poetry, our life stories or fictional stuff. A lengthy session with a numerologist, a detailed session with an astrologer, and several encouraging emails and actual hand-written notes from students and friends over the past six months have specifically encouraged me to write, write, write. Heck, even in our little writer's support group, fellow writers have encouraged me and been quite kind in critiquing my essays, poems and flash fiction. And, that brings me back to my friend I mentioned. She, too, has been writing for some time. We have all been encouraging her to get published or to at least start a blog or write more in her notes on her facebook page. Just do it! Anything! Finally she is doing it, and I am believing it will be one of the best things she could do for her health at this difficult time...not just the writing, but sharing it with a lot more people. What will it take for you, dear reader, to step out and share that one unshared gift with the rest of us? How much longer will you delay? How many excuses will you use to keep you from doing it? Is it the fear or self-discipline or lack of knowledge ? Mostly I write these questions for my own benefit, you see. Looking in the mirror. What a gift my friend has given in choosing to step out and write about the biggest and most difficult decision of her life. Thank you, Georgianna. I wish for you many more years of sharing your gifts, whatever decision you make. And may we all have the courage and wisdom to do what we must.<br />
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Georgie's blog and facebook page have the same title: How To Make Hash Out of Your Life (her original book is a recipe book/autobiography combined!) howimadehash.blogspot.com is her blog link.Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-28074934656387036752011-04-01T22:14:00.000-04:002011-04-01T22:14:03.404-04:00OverdueThings have been wild and crazy so far this year. How about you? <br />
Sound and Vibrational Therapy Classes and workshops have been going well, and if there is any song that come to mind at all about that it would be The Sound of Music. "My heart will be blessed with the sound of music, and I'll sing once more." Music is not only songs. It is so much more. The music of the universe encompasses all sound....<br />
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more about that later...and the powerful energy of Sound, the energy of creation. Sound, the final frontier!Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-73599287717913581482011-01-05T11:38:00.000-05:002011-01-05T11:38:10.175-05:00A new year of sound, song and silenceSomeone wrote that each day of the new year is a blank page, pure with no blemishes just waiting for our entry, for our mark. We often gather up our memories at this time of year and think back to what has gone before. For me it brings to mind specific songs identified with both happy and sad moments of the past. As I sang to my new baby granddaughter last evening going from one song to the next I found myself singing some songs I sang to my children. If music is anything, it is the connector of our souls to memories, and the feelings we had at the time those memories were made. The joy. The Joy ! The power and continuity of a song to connect a memory of joy and hope from over 40 years ago to that same joy and hope in the now. <br />
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What song is in your heart today? Is it one of joy? or sorrow? or somewhere in between perhaps. Name it. Relish the memory to which it connects you. When my time of crossing over, I have specific songs to be played quietly in the background. We come into this place on a beautiful wave of sound, and we shall leave the same way. I have read this somewhere and it so resonated with me I knew it to be true. <br />
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People are reading this blog and clicking on the comments, yet no one has left a name or signed up to follow on a regular basis, and that's okay. I am glad you are reading, and hope that you are enjoying them, being inspired perhaps, or taking something from them to give you hope or courage or insight for the moment. Bless you. Listen to the music.Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-30165358585457931272010-11-19T06:03:00.000-05:002010-11-19T06:03:02.426-05:00The Sound of SilenceDo you hear it? It's a beautiful thing. Your ears are not going to hear sounds outside of the range of 20-20,000 Hz, but your body will. Right down to every little cell. Sound is experienced all through your body. Think of ultrasound....it is soundwaves, but you don't hear them. <br />
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Hello darkness my old friend. I've come to talk with you again. Simon and Garfunkel's song. Powerful. Like silence. Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-69053537105681775772010-11-07T16:20:00.000-05:002010-11-07T16:20:32.969-05:00Japanese Sandman<em><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"That" was the name of the song going through my head I wrote about previously.</span></em> (in case you wanted to know!) <em><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia;">Thanks to my Mother who knew what it was after I hummed just the first line to her. </span></em>Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-51069016494222900072010-11-02T10:28:00.000-04:002010-11-02T10:28:22.328-04:00I woke up this morning with the same song in my head for the past three mornings, and it's funny because I do not know the name of the song nor the words, but I can hear that melody over and over and over and over. It's from the 1920's, upbeat, and quite repetitive. All I can think of are flappers dancing merrily about on the dance floor without a care in the world. Is that my "message?" Maybe lately I have been trying too hard and caring too much about things that I can't do much about anyway. Yep, I think that's what it is. Got it. Short and sweet. (and sometimes a little slow...)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHtVedgo2sTmEEM8fcB51luyh4glQ_fRWrdmvvBEog8eUyLCn2V-sKrYsHa7yervtdlKo3O9wfbG5QIQv1mMHJsInEsITG3cp_Ddz8w4nTyY73cghEzCfOk-PvtHG3flYqQz_MnBQXw/s1600/Autumn+2010+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHtVedgo2sTmEEM8fcB51luyh4glQ_fRWrdmvvBEog8eUyLCn2V-sKrYsHa7yervtdlKo3O9wfbG5QIQv1mMHJsInEsITG3cp_Ddz8w4nTyY73cghEzCfOk-PvtHG3flYqQz_MnBQXw/s320/Autumn+2010+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405438335875008287.post-42398818501854971432010-11-01T22:16:00.000-04:002010-11-01T22:16:38.642-04:00Sound TransitionsQuestion: Do you ever listen to the sounds of the seasons, I mean really listen? Around the end of the year there are music formats and concerts and special events called "Sounds of the Seasons." I would ask you to think about the sounds of the other seasons. The "real" sounds. What are summer sounds? You could include songs like Summer Time by Gershwin, or Summer Breeze by Seals and Crofts and that would be a good start. What about those other summer sounds? The sounds of the children screaming at each other on a hot day in a cool pool or running from ocean waves, the sea gulls squawking overhead as you sit on your comfortable beach chair, the crickets and cicadas chirping away on a warm evening, the crackling of a fire at your campsite, the nearby trickling brook, the ice cream truck's toy piano tune, the crack of lightning during a refreshing August storm or the fireworks booming in the distance on a hot July 4th. Sssh....listen to all the sounds in the silence of your memories. You'll hear them. <br />
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And what about Spring? You think of some sounds this time. What are some sounds of spring? Think about it for a moment or two, close your eyes and listen to the sounds of the spring memories you may have forgotten about. Then of course beautiful Autumn, leaves crunching under foot, and what else? Early Autumn, Autumn Leaves, Autumn in New York. The silence of a new fallen snow in winter in some parts of the world. What else do you hear?<br />
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My point is that if you can pause and recall these sounds with the intention of drawing on each season as a time of transition, one season into the next, you will reinforce them there in the memory of your heart to listen to, to hear, to transport you to that feeling and that time. You don't have to wait for that actual season to arrive. As each new season comes and goes, commit to memory what "is." As we transition from one season to another in our personal lives, what are the sounds you remember?<br />
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What a powerful force sound is! I hear my mother calling me to come in for dinner, not so much during the memories of summer, but during those winter afternoons where my sister and I were making the best snow man anyone in the neighborhood had ever seen in their whole lives. I hear my children laughing and yelling excitedly for us to "Hurry Up!!" when we were walking from our campsite to the free outdoor movies being shown. I hear the phone ringing in the middle of the night unexpectedly yet knowing the sad news that will come from the voice after I say "Hello?" <br />
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Sound is a fundamental part of the transitions in our lives...treasure what you hear, and hold it close. When you hear something you don't like, realize it is serving a purpose, perhaps a painful and maybe necessary one. Yet it is a marker in the transitions of your life, a milestone in every day beingness or something as monumental as "I Do, " or "It's a boy, " or "I'm sorry." <br />
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Do you hear the sounds of times of transitions in your life? They really are all around us, in songs, in voices, in nature, in the connections of all living things and perhaps most precious of all, our relationships. Who wouldn't love to hear the voice of a loved one who has transitioned to the other side? One day we will all hear what we have heard before...laughter, life and love. And we will know as we have known. Listen ......<br />
Memories light the corners of my mind....of The Way We Were. Lana Ryder http://www.blogger.com/profile/06184643682540656105noreply@blogger.com0