Heart break Heart ache Heart opening Heart longing All sharing the same thing : The Heart. Feeling the feeling of feeling. Time past and time future point to time present. Drip drip drip The sound of the faucet Like a heartbeat Thump thump thump In the chest The magical mystical Heart.
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Fish jumping Church bells chiming Birds chirping Splush another fish Motor whirl Splish another fish Humming truck Leaves rustling Soft whisper of the grass Fish fish fish Water slur Big breath of peace Remembering Holy jumping fish in jubilation Wishing safe journeys Returning again and again To the calm abiding of the island.
Whoaaaa…….It’s Labor Day. I arrived home today from a weekend vision quest to Florida and sat and cried in my EV apartment. Will this dream ever come true, I wondered. I texted my friend in hopelessness seeking some sort of consolation and he said, “Don’t breakdown. Use the energy to create.” Yes. Create. Breathe.
I’ve been remiss in communicating because I’ve been so enthralled in my own dream weaving over the last couple of months. Selfish of me, I know! But there are times when dream weaving and vision questing require quiet time to listen and reflect and get clear. ‘Tis what I’ve been doing. And, in doing so, everything so far with this vision quest has been miraculous and magical. Truly. Do you wanna hear my story? Sooooo….it’s kind of long…..and I do hope in reading this story that it will inspire you, too, in whatever way that serves you. I believe in magic and I believe in miracles and big breath of gratitude, I’m sharing with you from a very vulnerable heart space. In early August I was asked to attend and teach yoga to the guests of a dear friend for their very beautiful wedding in Anguilla. It was beyond my wildest dreams and imaginations to be of service to so many wonderful people in SUCH a gorgeous environment filled with friendship and love and generosity and warmth and spirit and pinch pinch pinch….it was ah-mazing. Well, during that trip I had many self realizations, one of which was that I wanted to write stories and teach yoga and writing classes and offer Reiki and healing and whatever other service of love that came my way in a small seaside beach community. I imagined living in a very small old-school teeny tiny (2 bed/1 bath) beach cottage that was walking distance to a pier/marina/beach/bay and that had a quaint village of shops and services where I could walk or bike most of my days. A place that was in the States but atypical American and that did NOT have big department stores or big box stores or fast food chains. A place where I could develop a yoga clientele and be a part of a sacred space. A place where I could grow into my future. A place where my family and friends would visit and vacation and maybe my mom would one day live there, too. A place that was year-round warm and pleasant. A place that was relatively easy to get to and that a couple of ways out. (One way egresses always freak me out….’tis why I don’t like Williamsburg for all you Brooklynites…only one train in and out!) A place of my own that I could call home for a long long time. When I returned from Anguilla, I listened to the mermaids (my mythical spirit creatures who guide me) and they called me to Florida. “FLORIDA!!!!”, I asked. It was like the last place on earth that seemed to have my vision but I listened. I booked a flight on Labor Day weekend on my way to Ft Myers with a plan to scout the SW Coastline from Ft. Myers north and south. That was all I heard at the time. And then I started digging and digging and listening to the muses and researching and googling and you name it to find some message, sign and signal that Florida was the place to go. At a certain point in my quest, I was looking at real estate searches and started liking what I was seeing from a place north called Anna Maria Island. I’d NEVER heard of it and yet, the pictures of the cottages and homes that were being represented were saying YES YES YES. There was something magical about this little place. Back at the ranch in NYC, I continued planning my visionquest and there were a lot of skeptics. Many were worried that I would be bored or that the consciousness of the people was not there or this or that….but I kept listening to the song of the mermaids and the muses. They were leading me somewhere to find something. I just needed to stay open to the signs. When the time for my 5 day visionquest journey arrived, I spent the first day looking at real estate in Fort Myers that I had set up already with an agent and then planned on staying the night in Sarasota at an Airbnb reservation that I had preplanned. It was the only day I had organized in advance. I just knew I needed to head North and make my way to Anna Maria Island. On Friday, the journey began all the way up the coastline along the side highway so that I could get a feel for all the towns along the way. When I had described what I was looking for with my Airbnb hosts on Friday morning, they thought what I was looking for was in Siesta Key. So, I planned the day to head north and hit Bradenton and then Anna Maria Island and follow the island back south to end up in Siesta Key for Friday night. Bradenton was super nice and I really liked it. There was a sweet Village of the Arts there and I felt like I was getting closer. There were more independent restaurants and services and less big box stores. It felt like a more organic community. Heading west now, I was on my way to Anna Maria Island. Upon crossing the bridge and seeing the Eco Surf Bus that takes people on paddleboard and ecotrips on the island, I felt like this was definitely moving in the right direction. I ate lunch at the Sandbar Restaurant with a table in the sand and looked around at the people : young, stylish, fun-loving, happy. I kept listening and watching. I drove around the island and scouted all the nooks and crannies and ended up on a dead end rode towards a marina. I turned around and took another turn to get back on the main road and saw a hand painted, quaint FOR SALE sign that appealed to me. I called the number and the owner answered. As I was walking around the most enchanting cottage straight out of my dreams, I was speaking with the owner who had a delicious French accent and I just couldn’t believe that the house that she was speaking to me about was the same house I’ve been dreaming about and envisioning and was the same house that I was now looking at and the price was a bit more than what I had been looking at (like $100,000 more) but I imagined it is STILL in the realm of possibility for me. It was a miracle. She said she could show it me the next day and then I started wondering : Is this really happening? Could this really be IT? I mean it was IT, but can it happen for ME???? I drove away a little dizzy with anticipation. My heart was hurting from a longing that was inexplicable on the drive away from Anna Maria (the name of this section of the island). I knew I had found it. But I had already made a reservation for a place in Siesta Key for the night. It was my last round. Onward I trekked south again, stayed in Siesta Key and first thing in the morning darted my way back to Anna Maria Island. The mermaids were calling me much louder now! As soon as I entered the island again, I felt at home. I found a seaside hotel for the night right on the beach and then called the owner of the cottage. “Yes, you can see it today at 4p.” OMG! I played on the beach at Bradenton Beach and in the small kidney shaped heated pool of the hotel and waited and waited and waited for the time to pass to see the little cottage again. It was time! The energy of the beaches really shifted a lot as I drove north through Bradenton and Holmes Beach and finally, Anna Maria. The energy kept getting more and more magical as the drive headed north. I arrived on the Ave of the cottage and drove into the stone laid parking area for all the little cottages in that section and met the owner with a big hug. We walked through the cottage and she pointed out all the details and I just drank it all into my being with huge gulps of grateful breath. “It comes furnished and it has all new this and all new that and there is tremendous rental income and there is a VBRO website that is included and and and and”….my head was spinning. It still is…… I started considering the actuality and asked her what the next steps might be in which she said she could give me a contract signed by her with all the information and when I was ready, I could proceed. I told her I would call her and confirm and …. well …. long story short : From Thursday to Sunday, a day before I was scheduled to head back to NYC, I had a signed contract from the owner of my dream cottage in my hand ready for me to get my finances together. From a listening to a longing to a visionquest to a vision to a mission to an almost completion, I am back in NYC right now wondering how on EARTH and in this UNIVERSE I’m going to come up with the money to make my dream come true. When my head hit the practicals, I start crying. I only have about half of what I need to make it happen and this is such a pipe dream of mine, I’m wondering who in their “right mind” is going to agree to help me buy a small beach cottage sold “as is” on a barrier island in Florida….ummmmmmm…..very risky flood and hurricane territory….. Holy moly mermaids and muses : You really gave me a heart calling to complete ! I’ve got to get creative with this one for sure. It’s a first time home purchase as well as an investment property as well as a business! All for the asking price of $315,000 plus $25,000 for ALL furnishings everywhere. TURN KEY PERFECTION! My big creative plan right now is to blast out a crazy relentless campaign for my Shizzle and Shine Method which is only $40 for an e-course program of inspiration, but I need about 1000 people to sign on to make that a go. It’s kind of a crazy place of possibility I am smack dab in the middle of and I’m wondering how it will all turn out. Another first step for me tomorrow is to call the mortgage broker I’ve been working with out of my uncle’s mortgage company and get him cranking. But the truth is : I don’t think I’m going to qualify for squat. I’m staying hopeful though and going to go through the steps. So far, all that has happened has been a miracle of miracles of miracles. Maybe more miracles are being brewed RIGHT NOW. Thank you from every last breath of my being for hearing my story. It’s a true tale and one that is in process. Stay tuned. www.shizzleandshine.com Last year, I developed a 40 day transformational e-course called The Shizzle and Shine Method. (www.shizzleandshine.com) An email comes to the participant each day with 3 “gems” in their “jewel box” for contemplation and action and there is a private Facebook group for sharing revelations and dreams and inspirations. Many people have enjoyed the process. We’ve gone through a couple of rounds over the last year. We will start another Shizzle and Shine group on September 15th, but you can start ANYTIME.
As some of you are following this blog, I’m in the process of following my future Self’s calling to be of service in a smaller community in a seaside beach town called Anna Maria in Florida. The personal process that I am in right now is an actual process of manifesting a dream into a reality using the tools, steps and awarenesses (is that a word?!) that I share in the Shizzle and Shine Method. I’m walking the walk and talking the talk. It’s a true tale with tools that bring results. The more Shizzlers in the group, the more opportunity we have to experience many different paradigms and perspectives together. It’s incredibly rewarding and inspirational to have a virtual dream team for 40 days! You’ll see when you join the journey!!! It’s incredible! The message is clear : My journey is everybody’s journey. If you have a heart calling, follow it and listen, watch and wait for the signs and signals to guide you from a true heart space that is filled with clear intention. You feel the way to go along the path with every bone and breath in your body. Trust yourself and trust the Path. It is your journey. Everyone will have their perspective and perception of YOUR journey and give you all kinds of counsel and wisdom. Listen and then LISTEN to what YOUR guides are telling you. It is important to respect the counsel of others especially those that have more skills and understanding in things that you may be seeking, but also trust your own process and be patient and loving and kind to yourself and everyone along the way. It is an ultimate message of Self Love and self awareness and trusting in a much bigger Universal wisdom that guides you. And then we open to a bigger possibility that may be awaiting for us. To join the Shizzle and Shine Method, it’s really simple. Just go to www.shizzleandshine.com and hit the Buy Now button. It will take you where you want to go! Some people have already joined and are already rolling along their days. It’s an ongoing process. And some people do it many times over and get something new each time. We are always growing. Until next time….xoxoxo |
Stephanie Culen#theartoflivingpoetically #talesfromthetreehouse
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