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As of 9:32am I am officially 25! I definitely don’t feel old but I have this feeling that once you turn 25 people assume they can take you seriously…This could be an issue!

I only had one resolution for 2011 so I decided to set some goals, and non-goals, for my twenty-fifth year.

1. I spent much of last year trying to figure out exactly what I wanted from a career and which career I wanted it from. I intend to continue to do just that and keep dreaming big dreams.

2. Breathe. Surrender. Live. Love. I want to stop giving up, giving in, pulling back, etc. This year I will learn to enjoy the ride even more.

3. I will to continue allowing my creative spirit to soar. More writing, reading, photographing, painting and working on my spiritual health.

4. Stop defining. I don’t need a title for myself, my personal style, my outlook on life, my failures/successes or my choice in men.

5. I want to celebrate my family and friends as much as possible. They’ve all earned it.

6. Drink water. Eat healthfully. Exercise whenever possible. And all that other good stuff.

7. I want to surround myself with good. Because when I do that I have a whole lot less to complain about and a whole lot more to be thankful for.

8. Try new things. Wear bright lipstick. Find cool coffee shops. See foreign films. Go on a cruise.

9. I must find time to decompress every night before bedtime. It wipes today’s slate clean so I can start fresh tomorrow.

10. Smile. Even when I’m not happy.

Found via Susannah Conway who found it via Vivienne McMaster

These are the 5 Reiki principles ingrained in the amazing healing technique, but they have become goals that I set for myself every morning.

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Just for today, I will not be angry.
It’s not a matter of never getting angry, but rather, when anger creeps in try to deal with it accordingly and then let it go.

Just for today, I will not worry.
Again, there is no way to absolutely avoid worrying, but rather than worry about what happened before or what will happen next, be present and let the worry pass.

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Just for today, I will be grateful.
Be grateful for simple things and as well as the things in the larger scheme of life. Even difficult things can give way to things such as thanks, forgiveness, smiles, good words or gratitude — all things that worth being grateful for.

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Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Believe in the work being done and do that work respectfully. Life should be lived honorably and with a head held high.

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Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.
Bring loving-kindness into every personal encounter. Treat things as you would treat people, and as you would like to be treated in return.

images via Little Garden

Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu — May the world be blessed with eternal peace and goodwill.

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Just a reminder: If you are interested in trying Reiki please let me know. I would love to set up some appointments and share as much as possible about this powerful universal life energy!

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I am starting to take a more active approach to my health and happiness. Doctors, some forms of therapy and even my yoga practice has become a more passive experience to becoming healthier and more fulfilled. In an effort to take control I have started going to Lisa Levine, an incredible Reiki master, for both Reiki and breath work. Lisa is helping me unlock my highest self, the person inside all of us that can help us get through the rough times and who shines though during the easy, breezy moments of life. Lisa is also an incredibly talented artist, above is some of her work from her site. You can also buy t-shirts with her art!

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I’m going for Reiki 1 training this weekend so I will be able work on my own healing and begin to share my knowledge with other people. I am so excited!

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Reiki (pronounced Ray-Key) is an ancient laying-on of hands healing technique that uses the life force energy to heal, balancing the subtle energies within our bodies. Reiki addresses physical, emotional, mental and spiritual imbalances. The Reiki practitioner serves as a vessel that supplies healing energies where they are most needed by flowing out of the practitioner’s body through the palms of the hands and sent through to the recipient.

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I learned in yoga part of the essence of yogic philosophy is ingrained in the concept of “Attention without Tension”. I was immediately struck by how poignant that thinking is for my life, and probably for many people. Usually when there is something I have to pay a lot of attention to I very tense, I even get tension headaches. But this way of looking at it helps lift that weight. I feel like I can now apply the same level of attention but release the sense of impending doom/tension that gets the better of me.

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Arnold Patrick Martin’s ‘Ring Tension’, above, is a beautiful piece the exemplifies, to me, this idea of how tension and attention can, and should, work together rather than being diametric and opposing opposites in our lives! know I have to apply a lot of attention to, I get very tense of me. Phew!

Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung is a healing mantra that means “I am Total”, or literally translates to “I am Thou”.

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Ra is sun
Ma is moon
Da is earth
Sa is self.

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So you are finishing the cycle of the earth, moon and sun — You are whole. You are Total.

Two things that never cease to inspire me to dream and fantasize about the future — the great outdoors and great art.

“There is nothing like a dream to create the future” — Victor Hugo

After yoga, when I get home and I am showered and fully relaxed, I lay in bed or stare at the mirror and try to say to myself:

Nothing in this moment needs to be different for me to be happy

And it really works!