creating mindful space

This Winter. This year. This life. Has got me thinking. More than usual, which is already a lot.

I finally finished reading a book a friend chose for me. It was a book from her old reading group that she thought I would like. It was witchy. Maybe she was trying to tell me something LOL! She wasn't, the recommendation was spurred for a different reason.

The Witch's Daughter flops around different centuries (1600-2007) with a lot of death and fantasy weirdness. Reading it started out slooow, with pages full of tiny type. About a third of the way through the book, I was all in. I just found out this book is part of a series. I may or may not read more of them. I am familiar with the main witches ('er characters) and reading it involves imagination.

Meanwhile, among a few other TBR books there was one that jumped the line. Waiting to be cracked open. Suspenseful. I try not to start one book before I finish another. You can guess which book jumped the line, Sacred Spaces. Mentioned previously here and stemming from the Beautiful Mustang blog. 

I promptly read the Preface, Intro and Chapter One with interest. It closes with packing these three things for the book journey:

"A Desire to Learn.

An Open Mind.

A Loving Heart."

I already have those packed! Although some might beg to differ. My intention is to read this book slowly. To pause. Not for lack of interest, but to make space. Something that will be difficult for me. My files are always full and over-flowing. Letting go is hard. At least for me. 

I started reading Chapter Two in the evening, aaand said "this is way to technical right now". Perhaps it was the distracting drone of the wha-wha-wha TV noise. Suffice it to say, my night time reading is better kept light.

The next morning, I re-read the pages between sips of coffee. Finished Chapter two...and whoa!! Where is the mind blown emoji when I need it?! Oh, here it is 🤯 found on my laptop scrolly. Needless to say, I will be re-reading "Getting on the Same Wavelength(s)" more than once! Being on the same wavelength is not only necessary, it is interesting.

I give the author a lot of credit for acknowledging that not everyone is into science/techy/brain stuff. She suggests those readers skim, and skip ahead. I already noticed, questions are posed for the reader to decide. Meanwhile, theories and information shared is backed up by studies/science. 

Which leads me to a segua into my past and why this brainy-mind stuff is so exciting for me. One of my favorite college memories was sitting in a Psychology lecture about the brain. Why people do what they do. I recall thinking "that is me" and "oh no, that is also me"...and that is why so and so does XYZ. It was then that I fell in love with Psychology.

I took two elective Psychology courses in college, and did very well under an amazing tough love instructor. I looked into switching my major (Applied Arts) so I could marry the things I loved. I wanted to help others through Art Therapy. Specifically children. However, it required a separate Art Therapy Masters. A field that was new-ish back in the day and not offered in the big-little city. As a single mother, it would have been difficult at best to travel to classes and achieve all the extra schooling. What really swayed me, was finding out that an Art Therapist might spend one hour a day actually working with kids/art. The rest is spent managing/paperwork. No thanks. I didn't need more managing roles in my life, or paperwork.

Back to the present. Where shifting mindset will be close to impossible for me. It requires me to:

"Hone my Senses.

Pay Attention to Messages from my Senses.

Gain Control over Thoughts and Emotions (aka Energy Signature)".

Easier typed than done. Reframing my awareness will no doubt be trial and a lot of error. A worthwhile time (and mind) investment. I have already started my accompanying reflection journal, and have the remaining chapters in Sacred Spaces to guide me. One by one. 

Nemo & Cierra and Jameson
1.14.26