OM Namah Shivaya

Truth. Simplicity. Love and Service to all sentient beings.

This is the message that has come to me through the Bhagavad Gita. God, it seems, has many roads leading to him/her. God, and the great cosmic consciousness has purposed it this way.

The Bhagavad Gita was brought to my attention years ago by a star that shined on this planet for a very short time. Her name was Dina Certrulo and while she was here, she and I were friends and she taught me about things along the lines of divinity, spirituality, the Tao and Hinduism. She was probably the only person that I ever came in contact with that shared with me in this way. If it weren't for Dina, I wouldn't be leaning in this direction. Because of her safe and valued opinion I am forging ahead. She was wise beyond her years and generous with her knowledge. I would only hope to be as kind.

I have been hungry for these things forever and they very rarely fall on deaf ears with me. I'm always paying acute attention. I am aware. I am present. I am being. I am in the now.

This is revealing. It is liberating. It is cosmic.

Not just in theory. The very nature of spirituality is to take you from yourself, your 'so-called' circumstances and illuminate the magnificence in and of your life.

This year has been a year of karmic cleansing for me. The beginning of 09 was all about my throat chakra and how I was not living my authentic truth. I allowed someone to bully me. I am 46 human years young and I allowed myself to be bullied.

It was not empowering like when I was younger and had more control over the situation. This time, as karma came around, I was not prepared, caught off guard and holding my tongue in the name of 'doing the right thing' or 'taking the higher road'. I suppose for some, peace works like that, but for me communication is the key. Without saying the words "hey, that hurts" the hurt can never heal. On the contrary, the hurt festers until it becomes something entirely different, something much worse. No. Nip it in the bud. That's my new mantra on speaking the truth and living your authentic truth. Look people right in the face and with as much love as you can muster, tell them exactly what you think. Do not be spiteful, judgemental, cruel or sarcastic. Just speak the truth.

"That hurt."

or

"Please do not treat me that way, it makes me feel badly and it is very hurtful."

"If you knew how much I loved you, you could never treat me this way".

Choose your own words, but speak them, out loud, in love, into the ether, into the cosmos, outside of yourself so that God and the Universe can hear you and know that you've worked through your karma and can speak on your own behalf in truth, simplicity, love and service to all sentient beings.

Then I broke my arm. My heart was broken.

What does my arm have to do with my heart?

Well, I was on my way, so I thought, doing Reiki, helping people, giving lectures and .... then ... I had the cast and you know the rest. I was incapacitated up until very recently. It took the rest of 2009 and shoved it right into a plaster disaster. Not to make light of it, but why not. That was then and look at me now, typing close to 90 wpm and doing my hair and taking care of business and giving my biggest lecture of the year at MSU.

Bones heal way quicker than hearts.

My wrist still hurts but when it hurts I do not fall to my knees weeping.

I do not become incapacitated and depressed.

It is just healing and now I know what a healing bone feels like.

In retrospect, I also know what a healing heart feels like.

It's just about the same thing.

It's when we become attached to the outcome...we become attached to the reciprocity of love and when we don't get it...what then? The bones hurt? The bones break? The heart hurts? The heart breaks? I've learned it is better to not be attached to the outcome of love, or bones. To the outcome of life or death. A broken heart should never happen, even though you love with all that you are. Love with no expectation of getting anything in return and then ... when you do not receive love ... you will not be dis-appointed.

I just went to Shop rite and checked out at the express lane because I only had a few items. A beautiful, young, African-American male was working the register. I asked him "How are you? They're not getting the best of you are they?" and he just smiled. I said "I never let them get the best of me" and I looked straight at him. He returned my glance smiling and contemplating.

What I was referring to was the negativity, the monotony, the hatred, the sarcasm, the ill-will, all the negativity that there is in the world that would keep us from living our authentic truths, our authentic lives, the best us that we are in the world and in the cosmos ... no, they will never get the best of me in that way. I will love them though and I will love you despite all of those obstacles and I can only pray that all at once they would fall by the wayside and make way for truth, simplicity, love and service to all sentient beings.

He checked me out and handed me my bags and said looking right at me "I will never forget what you said". I replied "Good. It's important to remember" and I left the both of us smiling.

No, my throat and my heart chakras are healthy now, spining brilliantly on their axis, shining, like the planets, the universe and the cosmos and the karma has been worked through. I will speak my authentic truth, I will lead with my heart with no expectations or reservations. I will live my life in Truth, Simplicity, Love and service to all sentient beings (and firstly, to myself - this I have learned).

Next stop, Babaji.

OM Namah Shivaya.

I bow to whatever good is happening and to whomever is doing it.

I Am A Reiki Master

Friday I became a Reiki Master and while that title states that I am a 'Master' now, I still have a lot to learn. I consider myself a student of life and if that's true, you're never done learning.

My experience with my teacher was one of peace and instruction and very positive energy. She told me that I may experience a detoxing as with any of the attunements. After the first two attunements, Reiki I and II, I did experience a lot of emotional issues that surfaced, or resurfaced. Things that I thought I had dealt with came back to the forefront of my mind in a big way. I also had some physical manifestations that led to some major surgery.

It forced my hand somewhat in that I don't believe I truly dealt with some major issues in my life. We have a tendency to push things down and to try and forget them or 'get over it' like I've been told to do many times, but that doesn't work.

Pushing emotional issues or trauma 'down' only brings it back in another way. Stress will manifest itself in your body. Perhaps in a way that is most uncomfortable. Stress can manifest in anger, in mistrust of others, in illness, in self medicating, in overall malaise and a 'putting up a front' sort of personality. Alot of people are like that. They have two sides to them. They put on a smile when they really want to wring someones neck. So they act out in many different ways - but they never face their problems head on.

I was like that for a long time and it did not make me happy or healthy.

I'm not exactly sure what to expect after this Reiki Master attunement but I can tell you this much. I am not who I used to be. What I Am To Be I am still becoming.

I embrace change and I embrace the cleansing process. In an effort to help others, I must first help myself. So, that being said, it's my time to shine. Regardless of the aftermath. No one's life is more important than mine. I have a right to be my authentic self, to live my authentic life and to speak MY truth.

And, I have a funny feeling that MY TRUTH is going to help a lot of people.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs and background, Reiki can help you overcome trauma, past hurts and offenses, drug abuse, you name it. It can help you to heal and to live a better life.

So far, I have three lectures scheduled for the next couple of months;

• The National Guild of Hypnotists - Northern New Jersey Chapter - March 11, 2009;
• Montclair State University Peace Conference - March 30, 2009; and
• Bergen Community College - Women in Religion - April 29, 2009.

How's that for manifesting some major change? I couldn't be more humble or proud at the same time.

My topics will cover overcoming trauma, past offenses and hurts, healing, and of course how Reiki helps with all of that.

If you have a speaking opportunity that you would like me to consider, please reach out and let me know.

Reiki Master! Who knew?

Still in the Moment

Here are two more shots from my night at MSU.


I can't wait to go back. We're talking about doing a Reiki Workshop!!!

Of course, I'll keep you posted.

In The Middle of Creation

Last night was a big night for me and my list of intentions.

I have been focusing on my path.

This is unlike any other path before it.

This one is deliberately created by me.

The other paths I think I sometimes just stumbled upon.

Not all of them, but most.

I learned a lot. I wish I could forget a lot.

But, then I wouldn't be me, would I?

No, the path that I'm on now is sublime.

I know I am a teacher, healer and blogging author - but I didn't know anyone else knew that.

I'm mean really?

My Grandmother used to say to me "Maria, you could sell sand to the Arabs!".

That's hysterical.

She was right.

Corporate Sales was awesome and fun. I managed multi-million dollar books of business.

I travelled all over the US and brought in more new customers than my counterparts.

It was easy for me.

Let me clarify. Selling was easy. Public speaking and presentations, easy.

Travelling away from my home - not so.

Sure I loved to fly. I loved to visit new places and explore. But not alone and I digress...

Once I believed in a product, I could sell it. People responded.

Well, indeed, I've always had the gift of gab.

I received a D in Conduct in First Grade. Just would not shut up and disrupted the whole class.

This was different.

Last night, I had the privilege and honor of speaking to two Montclair State University's Introductory to Religion classes about my passion - the healing modality of Reiki.


There were about 35 students in each class.

Only four students had ever heard of Reiki.

One said she had a Reiki treatment and didn't like it. Hmmm.

This was not selling sand to the Arabs.

This was important.

You can see Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, behind and directly above me in this shot. How appropriate.

I'm sure most of these students have heard of lexipro, prozac, and paxil just to name a few.

I'm sure they've heard of antibiotics, and flu shots and drugs on the street.

And I could list probably a million more drugs that they might not know about yet, but if the pharmaceutical industry has it their way, these students will know about them, think they need them and be addicted to them before you can say 'heal yourself'.

But Reiki, they've not heard of Reiki.

My time has come. I taught them all I could.

The response was wonderful.

Lots of questions at the end. Hopefully, I answered all of them.

And a few angels that needed some extra special attention came up to me and we talked.

Yes, that's who I showed up for.

It was not about selling or pushing a product.

It was about connecting with people in their vulnerability, in their dis-ease and dis-comfort for themselves, or someone they love.

The selflessness struck me.

They shone like the sun/Son in that moment.

My eyes got all twinkly.

Namaste to the students at MSU for allowing me inside.

A loving thank you to my friend, my cousin, my sister, Professor Lisa Sargese who invited me to her home court at the lecture hall on the campus of MSU. Please visit her blog at http://www.theskinnyonline.blogspot.com/. She's witty and funny and beautiful and has a serious crush on comic Jimmy Norton that has reached new heights : )

And lastly, a sincere thank you to God who has freely given.

Those who have ears to hear . . .