Gaia Community: Laura's Blog

What weather are you today?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:57:16 GMT

sunny in the morning, partly cloudy in the afternoon with a chance of showers, clear and cool in the evening.

When you feel tense or stressed, what do you do to relax?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:31:49 GMT

breathe first...i usually find that if i'm freaking out about something, and i check in with my abdomen, i've been holding my breath for quite a while! a few deep breaths, and then i call someone to help calm me down and formulate a game plan so that i can face whatever it is head on. taking action on whatever is stressing me out usually helps to calm me down. and lately, acupuncture and chinese herbs have also been incredibly helpful!! :)

Tags: Q&R, tension, relaxation, stress

What, in this moment, are you most grateful for?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:59:24 GMT

had to have a medical procedure done today, and the anxiety leading up to it all week was very hard on me. well, as it turns out, the procudre went great, it was way less painful than anticipated, and my recovery hasn't been nearly as painful as it was the first time i had to have it done. and my friends and family were so supportive of me today. i'm so grateful for the best outcome possible! :)

Tags: Q&R, gratitude, appreciation, thanks

What worry would you like to let go of?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:14:59 GMT

i worry that i may not be able to handle all the obligations i have to manage this semester. it's a bit weird because this confident part of myself knows that i'm going to be able to do it and that i will do it well. but there's this little nagging voice in the back of my head that's still worried about it! i'm know it's just coming from an insecurity that needs some compassion and attention, but MAN, it's getting old...especially when i'm trying to gear up to do my best! so i'm just choosing to tune into the part of me that is planning and ready to meet this challenge head on with the intent to succeed. so far so good!

Tags: QaR, worry, concern, letting go

What helps you deepen into the present moment?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:46:58 GMT

becoming aware of my breath. i recently read a bit of a book by thich nhat hanh that was about tuning in to the breath. what struck me was the simplicity of the instructions while breathing:

"right now, i know that i am breathing in. right now, i know that i am breathing out."

it transformed the rest of my day, and has continued to transform my entire week since. fantastic!

Tags: Q&R, relaxation, presence, present moment

Where do your answers come from?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:49:18 GMT

i think my answers to the big questions come from within, but it took me a long time to recognize it. that gut feeling or instinct that something was right or wrong for me to do, have, pursue, feel, etc. was always there, even if i didn't want to listen to it or take the guidance i was given. but by asking questions and seeking answers from my teachers, mentors, friends, books and experiences, i've been able to start looking for the answers from within. i am learning that my journal is a great source of comfort and a tool to access this knowledge whenever i need it.

Tags: Q&R, answers, questions, origin, intuition

What was the happiest thing you saw this past week?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:30:06 GMT

my cat starting to bathe himself after i was finally able to remove the cone from around his head. (he had to have it on to keep from licking a cut on his hind paw) he was the happiest animal ever to have life be business as usual!

Tags: Q&R, happiness, happy, joy

What would make your day perfect?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:47:56 GMT

if i hadn't run out of ice cream! :)

Tags: Q&R, vision, ideal, moment, day

What would you most like to experience today?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:43:29 GMT

the awesome feeling of knowing i did something to contribute to one of my goals. fortunately, that has already occurred--today my sifu told me i was doing well in my bagua qigong training!! and it will occur again in about a 1/2 hour when i finish some homework. and hopefully i will do a bit of pleasure reading tonight instead of wasting time on the computer. it's all about the baby steps that i'm able to make that help me get where i want to be. they're little things, but it feels really good knowing they all matter.

Tags: Q&R, experience, intention

If you could undo one rule, what would it be?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:43:11 GMT

*at least in america* i'd get rid of that whole mandatory naps stop in kindergarten rule. every adult always told me to enjoy it when i was young, but i never wanted to sleep. boy were they right!!! i would love to still get a nap every day!

Tags: QaR, rules, laws, freedom

What is the biggest project you've taken on?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:01:07 GMT

waking up. redefining what compassion and love means to me. learning how to live consciously. changing my perspective--trying to recognize life's challenges as opportunities and lessons when i can. giving my intuition more credit. trusting that i'm always ok. doing my best at all of this...it feels pretty big sometimes!

Tags: QaR, projects, tasks, accomplishment, work, ambition

If you could combine two interests, what would they be?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:44:04 GMT

dance and chinese medicine. strangely enough, the thought just popped into my head the other day that...how awesome would it be to be the acupuncturist for the dancers at juilliard or the joffrey ballet or alvin ailey or paul taylor dance companies??! to be on tour with them, helping them perform at their best...that would be prettydarncool. :)

Tags: QaR, connection, passion, creativity, new, interests

What have you been missing?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:08:21 GMT

journaling with my right hand. i had shoulder surgery a few weeks ago, so i can't journal right now. it's kind of bizarre, but it's becoming very clear how integral it is to my connection and sense of myself. and typing/writing with my left hand doesn't cut it! there's something about the physical act of pen-to-paper with my right hand that helps my jumbled mind process and sort things out. it is my main tool for checking in, calming down, and listening for inner guidance. i have no access at a time when i could realllly use it! i have to admit, it's frustrating.

Tags: QaR, missing, missed, lacking, remembering

What is life?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:58:31 GMT

pure opportunity and potential! that's one of the first things that comes to mind. we look at babies and they (hopefully) have long healthy lives ahead of them full of god-knows-what, and they naturally view the world the way so many of us wish we could without having to 're-learn' it. and the elderly can look back on their lives lived and (hopefully) find a sense of value and accomplishment that was achieved by channeling that potential. life is full of so much to learn and experience... the potential is truly incredible.

Tags: QaR, life, living, explaination, description, personal

Who have you recently been reminded you of?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:51:47 GMT

strangely enough, it's more of an energetic quality that i've been reminded of, rather than any actual person. lauren and jenn-- 2 college friends--came visit me a few weeks ago. i haven't seen them in about 6 years! they live in nyc, and while it was great to see them and catch up, i noticed that hanging out with them was SOO REFRESHING!! i kept trying to figue out why i felt that way, and last night it hit me: they practically reeked of "east coast." i can't quite explain it, it's just an energy that they carried with them--a certain buzz, mannerisms...i'm not sure what it was, but it was something so different than what i experience in my daily life here in az that it was almost a bit like being high to be around it again! it wasn't until after they left that i realized just how much i do miss it over there sometimes. it made me just a little more excited about my potential move to boston this summer. it's not that i don't cherish my az experiences, but for my east coast heart, it will be good to be home:)

Tags: QaR, community, vision, energy, reminder, past, friends

What was the last thing in your life that 'clicked'?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 16:39:48 GMT

i had a click just yesterday, actually! i'm having shoulder surgery tomorrow, and during my pre-op interview the nurse told me it would be best if i had a recliner to sleep in early on in recovery. well...i don't own a recliner. in my typical fashion, i panic, because where am i going to find a recliner in 24 hours?! i get home, and tell my roommate, to which she camly replies, "oh don't worry about that. there's one in my grandma's apartment that we have to get rid of anyway, so you can use that. i'll get my boyfriend to bring it over tomorrow." wow! life is good. :)

Tags: QaR, click, coincidence, plan, synchronicity, insight

What little things make you happy?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:52:59 GMT

strawberries. hugs. my cats purring and curling up with me at bedtime. falling asleep to rain. caramel apple cider from starbucks. smiles from strangers. a glass of wine with good conversation. crossing something off my to-do list. learning something new. stand-up comedy. hearing avalon's laughter over the phone. the torturously wonderful smell of turkey all day before you eat on thanksgiving. pictures of autumn on the east coast --although to be honest, this makes me a little sad too! and of course, QT with anyone who shares my sense of humor:)

Tags: QaR, happiness, simplicity, appreciation, gratitude

What role do dreams play in your life?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:58:51 GMT

i think my dreams help me process my life. sometimes they're very literal, and i know exactly what the elements of my dream are from. (like a dream about test anxiety around finals time, or the night after i watched charlie and the chocolate factory--that was a weird one!) but other times, things come up in my dreams that i've either been ignoring or didn't even know were things that wanted my attention! sometimes if i ask an important question before i go to sleep, an answer will come in my dreams.. or at least a nudge in a certain direction. if i remember them, my dreams can be pretty helpful!

Tags: QaR, dreaming, dreams, sleep

What's your favorite thing about being alone?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:20:29 GMT

life gets hectic sometimes and i'm a extrovert by nature, so i don't always spend a lot of time alone. up until a few years ago, i really didn't put a lot of stock into alone time. but then went through some life changes and started having a lot more time to myself.. and grew to appreciate it. now, even though i 'm still a social butterfly and life still gets crazy, i CHERISH alone time. it's catch up time. a chance to switch into lower gear, relax, get my bearings and recharge. check in about how it feels to life in my skin. let my heart and mind have the chance to talk and make sure they're on the same page. journaling is my favorite way to let this happen. but curling up with the cats and a good book works too!

Tags: QaR, solitude, alone, thinking, favorites, thoughts, retreats, silence

What do you like best about being with others?

http://josiemonkey.gaia.com — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:56:26 GMT

o that's an easy one! the hugs, of course!!! :)

Tags: QaR, people, sharing, connection