"Transformative Experience of a Hula Hoop''

"Transformative Experience of a Hula Hoop"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

1.28.2014

Imagine something simple: a circle.  Now enlarge it to 40 inches and the weight of 2.5 to 5lbs.  Not quite finished--step into it or put it over your head and allow it to rest comfortably on your waist...Now, give it a whirl to the right or left.  Trust that it will stay afloat.  Merge with movement of the encircling hoop.  Enjoy the process.  Enjoy the path.  Now hear the music...time to shift.  Sub-cortically, allow the hoop to sustain the rhythm-in-round as you attune to the music.

Slowly, explore more of the experience...slide...step...march your feet to the side, forward, backwards and in a circle.  Explore the possibility of mood, music and mid-body movement.

And there you have the basic premise of Holistic Hula Hoop.  Come to class at Dance Connection 3117 N. Clybourn on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30PM.  Hoop to the music of the 40’s.  Swoop to swing dance music and Bloop to Blues music. 

 

"Training My Thoughts on My Surroundings"

"Training My Thoughts on My Surroundings"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

6.9.2013

Late this night, I drop off a friend for a delayed & well-deserved meal with a loved one at their favorite restaurant.  As I drive away, my thoughts drift to my plans for the next day.  Absently, I turn left/East and find myself driving under the “L”.  The onslaught of sound startles me.   It is disorganizing & inconsistent.  I feel my breathing quicken and with it my anxiety level heightens.  It is funny how the unexpected creates subtle changes.  And like childhood, I seek a place of solace & security.  The scene unfolds with the video capture of my experience…

I am writing this blog after viewing my video footage.  I notice a dichotomy of sound.  There is that loud rolling & clacking sound of the train’s wheels colliding with metal.  And very softly, I notice the rolling rhythm of my music selection—a 1940’s song with an easy swing tempo sung by a male.  As a psychic, I begin to take in the information of my environment.

 The grounding effect of my first chakra connected to the continuity of the rhythm and sound—it was just barely audible.  It reminded me to “pay attention” in an otherwise noisy world full of distractions and unexpected intrusions. 

The video recording indicated the slow movement of my driving underneath the train’s movement.  Suddenly, I began to drive faster. [Was this the Fight/Flight/Fright response?  Most certainly, it was!!!  I was out of there!!!]  Energetically, I aligned with the speed of the train…faster & faster. 

I steadied my intention and aligned my energy with the stability of the parallel metal rails of support. 

After writing this observation, I notice the usage of my language.  From my standpoint as a Medicine Woman, Healing Touch Practitioner and psychic, I recognize the importance of being steady i.e. having the intention of a balanced root chakra.  This particular chakra indicates security, safety and survival for well-being.  Aligning my energy is imperative in my people-filled life.   Often, I have to purge the effects of expected or unexpected encounters with others in my life.  This, too, is a daily requirement for my health & well-being.  The presentation of parallel lines overhead feels like the framing, structure & assurance that were created for me since the introduction of parallel lines in kindergarten & their ultimate provision for the foundation of organization in my life.

The feel of the train morphed into the harried & frenetic pace of an imagined roller coaster that triggered the memory of my childhood fear, while being haphazardly [at least it felt that way] strapped into a seat of a roller coaster.  Hmn…my anxiety is heightened.

As I continue to drive, I get a sense of being propelled through a tunnel.  Where or when does it end?  I register more anxiety…Yikes!   My issues of control are emerging!  My control is ruptured by the pace & duration of this event!  The length of this drive is controlling my nightly excursion to my home…Whew!!! 

Finally, the cacophonous sound is silenced & replaced with the soundless open space.  Aaaaah!  Calmly, I drive home…

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

My recent interest in videotaping various scenes of nature & movement has enhanced my observational skills.  Now that I have coupled it with the writing of my blog, I have created two words: videog (video attachment to a blog) and videogger (one who blogs with usage of metaphysical & spiritual language about the content of the video capture). 

Please enjoy the videog of this videogger. 

 

REFERENCES

Sensory Integration and the Child, by A. Jean Ayres, PhD

True Balance, by Sonia Choquette, PhD

Shaman, Healer, Sage, Alberto Villoldo, PhD

"Parallel Processing: The Message of the Sublime"

"Parallel Processing: The Message of the Sublime"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

6.2.2013

 

What was it that made me look through the eye of my camera at that moment in time?  What was the energetic draw?  What spoke to my Spirit?

My recent interest in these video captures is slowly emerging from my second chakra (creative center).  As an Occupational Therapist, I have been educated to observe & recognize function, sensory processing and behavior.  This scene tweaks my knowing about the auditory, visual & vestibular (movement) systems. 

I am a Medicine Woman and have studied the traditions of Cherokee Shamanism.  Again, I have been motivated by my attention to the subtleties of details esp. in Nature.  I observed the elemental connections of Fire (passion), Water (emotion), Earth (bodily sensation), and Air (intellect) in this scene.

While I stood there and observed Nature through the lens of my cell phone, thoughts began to swarm around me.  Through auditory processing: wind sounds were prevalent, akin to a blustery day.  Perhaps, this is October?  [No, it’s April].  Despite the coolness of the day, I heard birds chirping in the background.  The ambient sounds rose and diminished – – akin to musical dynamics. Through visual processing: There seemed to be a lack of color in the scene. While scanning the scene with my cell phone, I noticed that pastel colors of pink and green softly entered from the left to the middle of the camera frame.  Through vestibular processing: The branches wove gently from the wind’s prompting. The thicker limbs sustained their immobility against the wind’s insistence.

Later, when I viewed the images, I drew conclusions from the symbolism of the scene. The element of air was prominent with its connection to intuition and cognition.  My first impressions drew me to the underlying and subtle aspects of Nature.  Holistically, there seemed to be gentle encouragement, trusting connection, acknowledgment and assurance.

This scene of sublime beauty and spiritual thought taught me a valuable lesson – – pay attention. 

 

 

"A Gift of Symbolism"

"A Gift of Symbolism"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

4.28.2013

After my performance of "The Nearness of You" with Laura Hoffman, jazz/blues pianist, my friend, KRR, gifted me with a beautiful wooden statue of a softly poised woman with a handful of flowers held gently in front of her face.

Following is the intuition-inspired message of thanks that I gave her:

Thank you so much for coming to my performance.  My spirit would smile when I saw your face.

Willow Tree's carving, "Surrounded by Love" (willowtree.com) described my feelings that evening when I would see, feel or hear everyone's response to my musical and comedic intent.

As I held her, I began to feel her story.  It began to dawn on me that her shape, color, grooves and weight reminded me of the humerus [bone of the upper arm].  This led me to the reading of the statue.

Immediately, I was drawn to the soft depths and heard the word: sulcus [grooves on brain surface].  The trio of sulci positioned my hand in a tripod grasp [a functional grasp].  It gave me a feeling of pulling something out... this tells me to explore and excise what I have stuffed  or disallowed to come forth–so far in my life.

The sulci indicate the subtle debts where messages of intuition and Spirit reside– where we must go to learn and discover our Truths.

The eight flowers provided the cover and comfort of her gaze or of being seen by others. This captured my post-performance fears [and insecurities] very aptly...I often feel a need to disappear – to descend into my self.

 Her left head tilt further portrays the emotional process that I experienced throughout the inception-to-completion of the show (da capo a pied: from head-to-feet; top to bottom).

Her right hand  holds the left hand at her heart. This double hand-hold typifies how nurses and  healers taught me to conclude another's healing and an assurance of love i.e. that they are Surrounded by Love.

Thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness.  She stands gently amongst my wooden shapes and figures–Subtle Woman.
.

"The Message of Two Plump Seagulls"

"The Message of Two Plump Seagulls"

Denise E Williams/Subtle Woman

Occupational Therapist/Wellness Counselor,

Healing Touch Certified Practitioner &

Psychic/Intuitive Empath & Medium 

4.28.2013

Prior to my performance, "The Nearness of You," a retrospective of my psychic pathway with my vocal rendition of 1940's jazz selections & piano accompaniment by Laura Hoffman, I was softly amazed by the unusual perching of two seagulls atop the roof of my car!!!  Really!?!

Whatever can this message be???  Two plump seagulls sat atop the roof of my car!!!  In addition, they were facing me as I returned to my car with my daily decaf in my hand.  I am Subtle Woman, a Medicine Woman studying Shamanism.  So, my interest is tweaked immediately.  Seagulls, according to Ted Andrews, author of Animal-Speak: The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small, cites that "the appearance of a gull usually indicates lessons or abilities in proper behavior, courtesy, and communication.  It may reflect you need the lessons, or that you may become the teacher of such.  It may also reflect new learning in the subtleties of communication...They can help you to read between the lines and understand the body language of others.  They hold knowledge of the techniques of psychological communication."

Well, of course, I need & nurture others with the subtleties of communication.  As a true student of metaphysics, I smiled at this cosmic opportunity of reflection, recognition & awareness.  When I perform my show about my psychic pathway, I will bear in mind the foretelling elements of the avian totems of color (white: truth, black: protection, yellow: communication ), species ("...ability to respond automatically from an instinctual and/or to use our innate intuition..."), air (unity), directionality (East: healing, creativity & communication) & number (two: relationships with others & self).

Thank you, Universe.