 |
 |
| |
| Departments |
Home
Columns, Special
Topics & Features:
The Columns:
Angels, Guides, &
Loving Spirits:
Angel Blessings:
with Dr. Doreen Virtue
Ask Valerie Morrison,
Internationally
Acclaimed Psychic
Trust Your Vibes
By Dr. Sonia Choquette, PhD.
Internationally Acclaimed Psychic Healer & Author
Love Letters
by Erika Morrell,
Soul Mate Medium™
Astrologer's Notes:
Carin Martin,
Astrologer
Donna Cunningham, MSW, Astrologer
Basil Fearrington,
Astrologer
Diana Stone,
Astrologer &
Huna Shaman
Jeff Jawer
Astrologer
Ray Merriman,
Financial Astrology:
MMA Market Week
Noel Tyl,
Astrologer
Daily Aspect Calendar
by Care
MoonWatching with Dana Gerhardt and Friends
Creating Bridges:
The Spiritual &
Philosophical
Act of Power
Discovering the Key to Living Your Sacred Dream
by Lynn Andrews
Avant-Gardening:
Insights
by Frank &
Vicky Giannangelo
From The Heart:
Alan Cohen
Teachings from the Western Mystery Traditions: The Esoteric "Paths of Return"
by Jacquelyn Small, Eupsychia
Spirituality in Daily Life: by Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron
The Conscious Column
by David Ault
Spiritual Mastery
for the 21st Century
Dr. Gwen MacGregor
Encounters on the
Shaman's Path with
Dr. Hank Wesselman, PhD.
Anthropologist, Zoologist, Author, Shamanic Healer & Teacher
The Divine Human
by Ornesha De Paoli
Awakenings
by Karen Johnson
Worshipping by Wondering with
Sankara Saranam, MA Founder of the Pranayama Institute
Wisdom Walks in Circles
by Margaret Lewis
Author & Shamanic Practitioner:
The Awakening Generation
by Ann Marie Judge
Water For The Dry Sponge: Chronicles and Essays
by Shaun Brown,
Be Well Publications
Crystals, Minerals
& Gemstones
Light and Love with Crystals, Minerals & Gemstones
by Raven,
Raven Crystals
Furry & Feathered Family Members:
Dr. Carson's Holistic Animal Care
by Dr. Kathleen Carson, D.V.M.
Animal Insights
by Charlene Boyd, Animal Communicator,
talk-to-animals.com
Healing & Alternative
Health:
"Spirit and Practice
of the Wise Woman
Tradition"
By Susun Weed
The Holistic Mystic,
by Lonny Brown
Medical Intuition: Tune
in to Your Body and Improve Your Health
by Caroline Sutherland, Sutherland Communications
Transformational Healing through the Violet Flame!
by Eva Kettles
Herbs for Health
with Kami McBride
Cure Your Cravings
...For Life
Rena Greenberg,
Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming & Hypnotherapist
Humor:
Wake Up Laughing.Com:
Swami Beyondananda
Interviews:
Watch for Upcoming Announcements
Kabbalah:
Kabbalah Revealed:
Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, Kabbalalist
Numberscope Forecast
by Vincent J. Barra
Oracle & Divination Systems:
Be Your Own Oracle
by James Wanless, Ph.D. Creator of the Voyager Tarot Deck
Resources:
Archives
Blessings & Messages
The Book Nook
The Directory
Event Calendar
Historical Notes & Data
The MetaPersonals
S.O.L.A.R.®:
S.O.L.A.R ®
Beyond Materiality. Beyond Spirituality. Toward the Complete Human Being...
by Martin Lass, Emissary
Tarot:
Moment to Moment
by Gigi Miner
Author, Tarot Consultant, & Teacher
Reviews:
Tarot, Cartomancy,
Oracle Decks,
Books, & Software.
by Bonnie Cehovet,
Tarot Educator
Tidbits:
Almanac of the Ancients
by TripleMoonGoddess
News Briefs
Op-Ed
Pearls of Wisdom
by Astro Aeon
& Astro Care
Symbols, Seals,
Amulets & Talismans
The What in the
World Department
Trivia & Life's Other
Novel Moments
Publisher's Corner
General Information:
Advertising Information & Opportunities:
The Directory Advertising Rates
Premium Pages:
Groups 1, 2 & Display
Advertising Rates
The BookNook
Advertising Rates
About
The Meta Arts Magazine
Editorial Submission
Information:
Contact Us
Legal Notices
|
|
|
|
|
|
Creating Bridges: Spirituality & Philosophy:
Water For The Dry Sponge
Chronicles and Essays
By Shaun Brown:
HITCHCOCK And The Wallet
Humility A True Story
|
|
|
by Shaun Brown |
|
|
One day, after I had been in practice for about 6 years, I had reached a level of confidence and competence at what I did for a living. I was great and no one could touch the highly developed superior skill that had transformed me into a Goddess! I had arrived as the best massage therapist on the planet! This was borderline arrogance, ok I was arrogant.
I was to meet a client that afternoon that had been a referral. Everything was perfect, I had everything in place. She was new to my practice. The principle of a school. She being a true professional I wanted to really impress her. As she arrived I greeted her and welcomed her into the beginning of an experience she would never forget.
Having just had another client leave, I quickly escorted her into the living room, sat her on the couch, and gave her a medical form to fill out while I got her room ready. I never have a client begin this process in the living room, because I am usually ready for them. This time I happened to be running a little late. The stage for the pre scenario was about to begin.
At this time my Queensland Healer, Hitchcock was a pretty well mannered puppy but had a penchant for chewing on things. Even though I halted some of his prolific activity by giving him lots of rawhide chews, at one year old, he had gone through 3 remotes, a series of footstools and some of the baseboards. He also claimed a couch I purchased a few months ago. Hitchcock had pulled a chunk of fabric and fluff out of the backrest and was sticking his nose in it at night as if it were his own personal nursing station. Ahhh, how sweet. My new, very pulled together, conservative client had just been escorted in to sit on his couch.
So once the room was ready, I ushered her into the room, medical form in hand, she entered the massage room. I closed the door, I said good by to Hitchcock as he was headed to his couch. I had an eye shot into the living room and as I closed the massage room door all seemed well.
As my new client was sharing and explaining some ailments that she had checked on her medical form, she stopped and asserted, “My life is so boring; I need a change.” Not uncommon for someone to share personal feelings with first contact so with that we began the session.
About half way through the session, with the serene sounds, the smell of lavender permeating the whole massage room, the massage was going perfect, the new client had finally relaxed into a state of bliss. I was a Goddess and in perfect harmony with the Universe!
All of a sudden Hitchcock was at the door chewing on something, which was perfectly natural. He often came as close to the door as possible to share in the cosmic experience of a massage session. This time the chewing seemed kind of unfamiliar, not the common crunch of a chew flip rawhide. So I quietly excused myself and peeked out the door. Well much to my surprise I looked down at Hitch and he had the biggest treat, the most wonderful of chews in his mouth and he was smiling, reveling in his treasure and thanking me for being such a good Mom. He wanted to get as close to me as possible to share his pleasure. He had found the leather wallet that she, in the moment of receiving her first massage, had forgotten on the couch.
As I looked from his mouth to the couch, there was a trail of non-important items to Hitchcock. Most of the items, except paper money, were shredded. Credit cards, notes, and a drivers license with a few punctures was all that was left from the original pulled together package.
The living room looked like a party had gone on, as he struggled to separate all non-important dressings from his prize genuine leather wallet. As he was lying at the foot of the massage room door he looked up at me in perfect joy and contentment as he was having a rich and unobstructed chewing experience with this expensive piece of leather chew.
This dramatic scenario, of me cracking open the door to get a look, took place in real time in about 15 seconds. Can you imagine what the words were that came out of my internal mouth! Yes, that and more. I immediately went from “Well I guess she gets her wish of excitement to #%&*! This will certainly be a complimentary session.” Thinking, “Should I tell her now or continue to give her the most relaxing massage of her life?” I shut the door and continued the next half hour; pulling it together with all of the tools I had learned to stay calm and grounded. Part of me was planning the outcome of my demise; part of me was present and professional as I finished the session.
What would you have done? I stayed with the basics. After leaving the massage room and telling her to take her time, I rushed out of the room, closed the door, the dog had pretty much eaten most of the wallet. I gathered up all of the articles, shredded and not and put them in a straw basket. I got her the standard glass of water, placed it on the table and waited near the business area for her decent back into the real world.
As she came out of the room, I was reluctantly standing by the table with the basket in hand. At first she didn’t notice me, she was so relaxed, and had a smile of total relief and relaxation in and about her. She uttered, “Wow that was the best massage I have ever had! I can’t thank you enough!” My thoughts were focused on the basket and I knew she wouldn’t be thanking me at all in about one minute. As I tried to breathe and stay as grounded as possible, I held the basket out in front of me like a beggar and said, “The dog ate your wallet.” She looked up at me as if I had two heads and said, “What?” I repeated my statement and also added about as many “I’m sooooooo sorrys” as I could fit in about 15 seconds.
As she held the basket full of shredded articles, the haze of her very professional, relaxing massage was starting to ware off, I could see the veils lifting, and her ethereal experience had shifted to “OH MY GOD!” I was waiting for the wave of shame or at best a great chiding to beseech me. But, she came back with “…that is the most hilarious thing I have ever had happen to me, wait till I share this in a staff meeting!”
Of course by that time my arrogance was a distant memory and I had been transformed into a VERY humble and blessed massage therapist. It could have gone really bad. Her session was a complimentary one, obviously, and I paid for the very expensive wallet. WOW, I got to learn the lesson of non-expectations and humility all in one mini class!
She continued to be a great client and it just went to show me who was in charge of me and everyone else. The Universe answers all wishes not necessarily in the format we expect. This woman went on to have a better sense of humor, she kept the drivers license with the punctured holes in it, showing it off for any reason to tell this story, and of course she bonded with Hitchcock on a very deep and sweet level.
Animals are such a pure, unconditional, bright addition in our lives. This column is dedicated to Hitchcock who passed away 02/25/07. Be Well my sweet spirit you will be missed.
Until next time,
Shaun
BeWellPublications.com |
|
|
|
|
|
Shaun Brown,
Author, Speaker,
Columnist
|
 |
Shaun Brown has been self employed most of her adult life. She has an AA degree in General Business and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University, Sacramento, in Communications.
Her main focus of education is in advertising, promotion and production. Ms. Brown began writing music 1971 and has continued to unfold as a writer in many other directions since that time.
Her best selling book is based on the course: "Create A Successful Holistic Business." She has authored two books on the subject and is actively involved in teaching workshops in N. California. Her holistic business articles are published in several national holistic magazines, and she has a successful holistic practice in Orangevale, California.
To find out more about Shaun’s books and workshops visit her on-line at
www.BeWellPublicatons.
com.
BeWell!
Shaun Brown
BeWellPublications.com
916) 988-4322
|
 |
You'll find it in
The
Directory! |
|
|
|
|
