And then... I danced.

Tonight I was supposed to work on one of my mom's hula students, however, my mom didn't read her text message indicating that her student wasn't going to see me this evening. (Such is life.) Before I knew this, I decided that I would hang out in my mom's halau (hula school). There were people there that, of course I didn't know but my mom keeps telling me that "so and so is related to so and so; and this is so and so's cousin and her family"... etc.

This weekend my cousin Nae was supposed to dance a solo hula for my mom at a wedding reception, but Nae has a church function to attend for her ministry; leaving us without a solo dancer. So, of course with my bright idea, I volunteered to dance. Um, I know that sounds fantastic and all, however, I haven't danced in front of an audience since being in Iraq - 2 years ago where I danced in boots and ACUs. Before that? Who knows! I think the last hula I danced in front of an audience was... 2007ish? Gads - that's a while ago!

With time on my hands, I asked my mom what hula I was going to dance, and she said, "you're a solo, you can dance whatever you want". Normally, I would pull some random old school number out of my behind, but I don't even remember any of those! So, I looked at my mom, and with pleading eyes, asked her, "will you teach me a hula?" (Okay, maybe not with pleading eyes, but I did ask her to teach me a dance.) She smiled and did.

It's the song: "Ke Aloha" by Natalie Ai Kamauu. It's my Auntie Renee's choreography, and man alive - I loved it! I can't tell you how sore my hips are from dancing hula (and a bit of Tahitian afterward), but it felt good to dance again. Once I got the hula down, I got to be more expressive in my movements and it felt AMAZING! The hula is absolutely beautiful.

In Idaho I had a friend ask me to dance a hula for him, and I blushingly denied... but now?... Heck yes! Bring on the peeps, Pili's got her hula groove back! Ha ha ha Okay, maybe not my "hula groove".

See, this trip has been an eye opener, a Chakra opener, a healing trip one of Spirituality, focus and direction, singing and guitar playing, and then... I danced.

one love~

Healing in the Highest and Best...

My trip here to California has been a healing one. Not that I've not mentioned it before, but it really has!

Today was another great healing day. I was able to work a woman today that I didn't expect to do a Reading on, nor to do Theta Healing. Our session ended up being an amazing one that helped her with self discovery of what has been keeping her back from achieving the things she wanted in her life and to understand that she didn't need to feel like she had to do things on her own. I was also able to work with her on teaching her muscles that they "know" how to lengthen and release emotions that are not serving her in the highest and best... and guess what happened? Both she and I felt the muscles in her body loosen and were pliable to manipulate. It was a fantastic discovery for the both of us!

The next was a gentleman who is a Reiki Healer. He works with balancing the Chakras and calls on his mother, Saint Miguel, and Rafael has his helpers to assist him in his work. He wanted to meet me since I was another healer so he could connect with someone who believes and does similar work. (It's always fun to meet with people who believe in the same things you do!) Anyway, we were talking and his mother came forward and told me I had to work on him. There were things that came from the other side that were precious... words from his mom, his brother-in-law, his family members and especially his grandfather.

I did not expect healings and Spirits to come so easily, but God/Creator/Heavenly Father is always there waiting for us to allow Him in and to help others. In the scriptures there are constant examples of healings, of miracles - why do people think that they have gone extinct?

Moroni states: Chpt 10: 6 - 25 (bits and pieces; emphasis by bolding and italics are added)

v.6: "And whatsoever things is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

v. 7 ... by the power of the Holy Ghost; ... for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

v. 8 ... deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

v. 9 - 16

• teach the word of wisdom
• teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit
• exceedingly great faith, gifts of healing
• mighty miracles
• prophesy concerning all things
• beholding of angels and ministering spirits
• all kinds of tongues
• interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues

v. 17: And all these gifts come by the Spirit... and they come unto every man severally, according as he will

v. 23: ... If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

v. 24: ...that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief.

v. 25: And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God."

The world is changing. It is shifting into a more Spiritual "enlightenment" and there are those that will want to crush it because they don't "understand". I say, hold to your faith and allow the Creator to help others embrace their calling, their attributes, their gifts from Him/Her. It's a beautiful time in the Universe. It's a beautiful time to be on Earth. It's a beautiful time to be alive. I choose healing... in the highest and best.

"1"

The number ONE has many significant meanings:

- God, Commandment number ONE: Thou shalt have no other God(s) before me.
- Christ, the ONE true King
- Singular (without others or assistance)
- Single (without another)
- Self (independence, self reliance, self assured, self confidence)
- The number I use and say to myself if I need to go into a deeper meditation
- Become ONE: a union of TWO, part of an equation/partnership, each holding an equal value
- 0+5+2+6+2+0+1+3=19, 1+9 = 10, 1+0 = "1", (My birth month, plus birth date, plus this year) This is my numerology year, meaning:

"Year of New Beginnings"

The end of June was a "tough" one. Why? I think because I attracted it to my life. I had a wake up call that put me in motion/action to make the changes in my life that weren't serving me for the highest and best good. I vowed that July was going to be my month of change and transformation, and all I can say is that it surely has been.

Lately I've been feeling the need to open myself up to more of my intuitive/healing abilities. There are no words to express how wonderful this has been for me. I've been working on digging and finding out my beliefs that are holding me back from achieving the things I want/desire/deserve in my life, and changing them.

Recently, I found that I was holding a lot of resentment and anger towards some family members. It was deep. When I identified who, what, how, etc of why I was feeling this way, I was able to release and change it. Not to mention, I had a beautiful emotional release with it. The next day, I dropped 2 pounds because I had released that resentment. (Goodbye extra baggage that's not serving me in the highest and best!!!)

This "Year of New Beginnings" is true. I am making changes around me and within myself that will allow me to become and BE who the Creator has always wanted me to be. This is my year of transformation, of growth, of love, of Spirituality, of Being - and I am excited for it. I understand that there are those who are reading this and may think I've fallen off the rocker, but I've not. I find that God is even more present in my life as I get to communicate and work with him on an even deeper level than I ever imagined I could. My Spirit, my mind, my soul, my life has been enlightened and I am looking forward to being a better "me".

My goals for the rest of this year:

- To work for myself with more than enough financial income to pay off all bills, debts, and be financially independent and free
- To either buy a house or get into a place of my own with at least two bedrooms to serve; 1) As a living quarter and 2) As a home office for massage therapy and Theta Healing
- To continue with my Theta Healing classes (energy healing modality), and take Intuitive Anatomy and DNA 3 by the end of the year
- To complete and go through my transformation with ease and grace, without judgment of self, or others thoughts, feelings, judgments, or projections on me
- To prepare myself for next year's greatness that will be happening in my life, and know that I am deserving and worthy of all the unconditional love, freedoms, gifts and blessings that are coming

So, my dearest family and friends that are reading this... this is my year, and beautiful changes are happening inside of me, and I love it. I hope each of you are loving your life and are receiving the gifts and blessings that are coming to each of you today. Know that you are sparks of God, children of the Creator of All That Is, and therefore worthy of His/Her help in your life.

Love and light~

Heart and Soul - and a slap in the face...

So, most of you know (or at least those who still read this) that I am a Massage Therapist. I love my job and what I do. I love being able to bring relief, comfort and joy to other's lives through the healing touch. For me, Massage Therapy is what saved my life after being overseas. It's helped me with my transition and how to connect with people again.

So, I've been pouring my heart and soul into my work and doing my best to make ends meet. I work my butt off to cover other therapist's shifts, pull 12 hour double days when needed, come in on my days off, take over for others when an emergency is needed. It's because I LOVE what I do. However, I need to feel that there's an equal exchange of energy for the value of my skills and time.

Well, I received my pay check today from doing 35.5 massage hours in two weeks. Sounds like a lot, huh? You'd think that would be a pretty penny, right? Wrong. I felt like I got slapped in my face with such a low paying paycheck making less than a quarter of what the National average is for someone in my field, per hour.

I walked out of work and needed a place to calm down. I was disgruntled. I found myself going to Vianna's Nature's Path instead of heading somewhere for a drink. I had a friend make me a drink, and found that I was getting rather emotional and didn't know exactly how I felt about that. Tears started flowing and I turned away so others couldn't see me cry. I was given a hug by my friend Taylor, and the hurt just started to overwhelm me - I found that I started holding on tighter. Not like me. I let go, and had to get back to work. (I was thankful for the hug.)

In the break room, before taking my next client, I started to cry again. This time, I was holding my mouth to try not to weep. I don't know why I was so emotional, but I know that if I value what I do, I can't allow myself to keep having this inner struggle about my personal ethics and what I am going to allow others to dictate regarding my professional value.

Thus, this coming month, July... is going to be MY month. A transformation month, with a new job in site, a month of gratitude, a month of personal wellness and clarity. A month to move ahead and stop keeping myself back. I'm taking back July, and it'll be fantastic. I'm first starting with my attitude... and I "choose" not to be a victim of my circumstances. I am going to change it! And, it's going to start with me.

My Battle Buddy...

Two days ago I got an e-mail from my battle buddy who is serving overseas. I can't tell you how happy I was to hear from him and to know that he is alive and well.

Every day, since the last December, I always look at his unit patch that he gave me and ask God and our guardian angels/Spirit guides - to watch over him and keep him safe. There's not a day that goes by that he hasn't been on my mind.

For me, I was reminded when I was overseas and how he was home with his family - living life. Now, the roles have reversed and he is fulfilling his duties, and I am here... Thinking. Wondering. Hoping. Praying. Missing him. Our bond is special- we went to Basic and AIT together. We've been with each other through the crappy and good times, and not to mention, during the stinky, sweaty, and horribly looking times as well. (There's NOTHING cute about female "BCG"s.) Now, we've both supported each other through our respective deployments. To me- he is an inspiration, a loving father, a dedicated and motived Soldier, a hard worker, and a wonderful man.

He is my Battle; and Battle Buddies are forever.

Orando, con todo mi corazón.

Christmas 2011 - Fond memory

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Well, I guess we could have Christmas in June! ha ha ha

May I say - what a difference a year and a half has made.

In 2011, I was overseas in Iraq serving my God and my Country - hopefully for the benefit and upliftment of others who were oppressed by the selfishness of foolish men. I have had some time to reflect, yesterday and today, of some of the things that I was doing last year. One of my fond moments was playing "Santa in Iraq".

On Christmas Eve, when I finished working, I got all of the candy out of our headquarters, took it back to my CHU to separate and organize it. I counted out the candy etc, then proceeded with a huge bag of candy and tape then went to every CHU within our unit's area and put candy on all of the doors. It was about 0330 by the time I got back to my room.

In the morning, I could hear SGT D. Hall asking people if they knew who put candy on their door - no one knew. I walked outside nonchalantly and SGT Hall came up to me, put his arms on my shoulders while asking me if I put candy on his door. (Of course I said no...) He then proceeded to tell me that he was Skyping with his children and they asked him if Santa left him any presents in Iraq. "No. Santa didn't find me over here." When he walked out his door and saw a bunch of Christmas candy taped to his door, he called his children back and told them that "Santa found me! He left me candy all over my door!"

To me, that was quite the highlight of my Christmas in Iraq. To be honest... I miss being there. The work, the purpose, the mission.

Need You Now (How Many Times)...

I don't know how many times I've said these exact words this last year and a half. Lately it seems like I pray, cry, sing things words more often than I thought.

To those who are dealing with life, life's little hiccups, victimized by the Boston Marathon Bombings, depression, PTSD, family struggles, war, separations, lost loved ones, health issues, stress - this song is for all of us. Let us be kind to others, and kind to ourselves. May we find strength in the Lord.

Much love, pili girl~

The Wonder Years...

"What would you do if I sang out of tune"....

Oh the blessed TV show, The Wonder Years. Definitely the days of innocence. Sometimes I wish the simple live of being young again with no worries or outside influence had any affect on what I chose to do on my day to day basis. I knew I was safe. I knew I was loved. Now - everyday is an adventure in itself. Struggles. Choices. Faith. Work. Life.

Sometimes it's hard to move forward when stupid mistakes from the past keep getting thrown in your face. When there's no support to help you rise above where you are. When you, yourself, are holding you back. When does breathing become easier? It doesn't.

At times, we just need to hold our breath and get through the smuck and crap.

Here's to the hopes of fresh air and filled lungs of hope and joy.

Paz~

Freedom and Struggles

This past weekend was long.We had our record APFT and although I was a bit nervous - I didn't quit and gave it my all.

My goals were:                          Actual:

p/u: 17 (60 pts)                            p/u: 33 (79 pts)
s/u: 45 (60 pts)                            s/u: 51 (66 pts)
2 mi: 20:30 (60 pts)                     2 mi: 18:58 (73 pts)
Total: 180 points                      Total: 218 points

I also passed my height/weight tapping with being 2% body fat under. I felt really good being able to pass everything. To be honest, I did A LOT better on the APFT than I thought I would. Especially since I ran the 2 mile run the day before and ran it in 20:19. So, to beat that time by 1 min and 21 seconds. I was ecstatic to pass my run by that much!

I realized that I felt "stuck" here in Idaho, and the truth is, "I" am the one holding myself back. And what I was holding myself back on was the height/weight and record APFT. Now that I've passed them, I feel very FREE. The only thing is - is deciding what I want to do, where I want to go and do it.

Now, to the struggles? Let's just say that everyone has struggles in their lives, and I, Super Pili, am no different. This past weekend, I was asked a few questions about deployment - blah, blah, blah, and a bunch of stuff is coming up from that. You'd think that once you've worked through emotions and issues that they would be gone, but it's not always the case. I wish there were more here in Idaho that kept me uplifted and supported. Oh well, such is my life.

And, to my battle (if you ever read this): keep your chin up. You have a lot to live for and people who love you. Stay alert, stay alive. Bac~

APFT up and coming...

Next weekend is a record APFT. I've been out of the exercise loop for quite some time, so my goals are to pass with at least 60 points in each section. Sad to say, but here are the goals:

P/U: 17
S/U: 45
2 mi: 20:30

Will take another PT test in June to see if I can improve it especially on a new grading scale. =)