Tag: #bethelight

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

The work is the prayer

April 7, 2019April 6, 2019 emyminzel

“I pray every single moment of my life; not on my knees but with my work.” Susan B. Anthony

This quote always makes my heart smile and my soul sing. One of my favorite things about my grandmother was that even though she was a good Catholic woman, she did not preach her faith to others, she lived it. She just lived her life as an excellent nurse, wife, mother, grandmother and wonderful caring friend whose life seemed to be her living prayer. She had a wonderful effect on her small town of 600 people over the 60+ years she lived there. She was even out delivering meals on wheels the day she passed away.

I admire others who change the world by just being themselves by following their hearts and offering compassion. I believe that even small acts of kindness can make a huge difference to everyone. The person who gives and the one who receives the kindness; are both blessed by the feeling of caring. In a world so big, we must not forget it is the little everyday actions that make up our lives and legacy. My goal is to live my faith; by exhibiting compassion, kindness, and inspiration so others will feel free to share their light as well.

If we all take a moment to share the light inside ourselves with others, it tends to have a chain reaction. It’s as if we take turns relighting the spirit we all hold inside. This is important because there are times in our lives that some candles burn brighter than others and we all need a little motivation (or fuel) to get your pilot lights glowing again.

My friend Stacy and I take turns firing each other up all the time! We hold space and love for each other on our hardest days because we know that life has its ups and downs. During the downs, we do our best to uplift and inspire each other with ideas and suggestions on how to pull ourselves out of these lower vibes.

This doesn’t have to be miraculous or extravagant action, simple things tend to work best. Stacy often will suggest a book, or a Kundalini Yoga set that helps me in just the way I need. We take turns fueling the creative light in each other and then go out and share it. We do this by sharing ourselves with the world through our stories of growth; writing of our life-lessons, the gatherings we hold, coming soon retreats and even in our careers!

I shortened the original quote “The work is the prayer” to inspire myself to keep moving forward with our goals. Our ‘work’ as the Adventure Sisters does not really feel like work at all! I can truthfully say that it feels more like a living prayer. It is what I have to offer the world. The higher power did not give us these skills or desires for without reason. We have them because they are our gifts to the world.

Stacy and I are very different in many ways, yet so perfectly in sync that we complement each other’s strengths and even benefit each other’s weak spots. It is no accident that we came together in this lifetime; we have work to do and we know it. This inner knowing, listening to our guidance and desires to help other women grow and become their best selves, is our way of sharing our light. We believe lighting up even just one person can indeed change the world for the better.

We know this is true because we’ve practiced with each other, our families and our communities with positive results! Sometimes this doesn’t always look like light or sunshine on a beautiful day. Somedays it’s quietly listening and caring through tough times. Such is life though, it is not all sunshine, glitter and rainbows.

We know in those moments of darkness or difficulties, that we tend to grow the most and in the most valuable ways. These times are just as precious as the good days. So, as you go about life, remember that every action can indeed be a light in the world. Even little things like smiling at a stranger in your way at the grocery store, instead of an exhausted sigh and eye roll as an example.

We all have the power to change our world by changing ourselves, our attitude and this also changes our lives. When I am much older and look back at my life, I would love to say I spent my days living my prayer. By following my inner guidance to make the world around me a little kinder and brighter, because of my efforts to spark the light of others.

The work is the prayer!

I’d love to hear what inspires you?! Please feel free to share!

Wishing you love and blessings,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

Are you feeding your faith or your fears?

February 21, 2019February 21, 2019 emyminzel

They say, what we focus on, grows. Which is why I have been choosing to focus on good, even though I know darn well there is plenty of darkness in the world. I want to grow the goodness in myself, my family, friends, community and even the world if possible.

It seems like a lofty goal doesn’t it?! I mean, who do I think I am, to be able to affect global change for goodness sakes? I am just little ol’ me, a middle-aged woman from rural Minnesota with a humble job and no real connections to ‘greatness’ as defined by society.

But isn’t that the best part of it all? Even though I am just me, a regular Jane, I am choosing to nurture my environment in hopes that the love I have inside my soul will ripple out into the world around me. Listen, I fear plenty of things, but what good does it do? Holding on to fear has an immobilizing effect on me. When I get scared, I just want to hide in my house away from the world. Does this ring true to you?

I’d like to share a little story of my path through fear to reach faith. When I was thinking of running for State Rep, I was fearful of all sorts of things, like losing my privacy. Although I am a writer, who wears my heart on my sleeve, I still cherish my private life. I know I am far from perfect and worried that the world, or my little part of it anyways, might find out all the lesson’s I learned the hard way. That might lead to judgments from those who think or believe differently than I. Am I prepared to handle those judgments? I mean… it’s guaranteed to be kind of a lot!

One person even told me. “It is truly a selfless act to run as a Democrat in this District.” History shows this is true. All the hard work of Democratic Candidates generally ends in defeat, according to the political election results of previous decades. Is this something I should also fear? Nobody likes to lose, especially when they are working hard and doing their best. Many knew it would probably be a losing fight.

However, no matter what you believe, you cannot win the game if you do not play! Everything about this path scared me. Public speaking was my worst fear magnified by a hundred or more. Everything I said or didn’t say, everything I wore and how I carried myself was up for judgment. This was a very scary arena to jump into as a rookie not knowing what to expect.

Honestly, I was a bit relieved when I didn’t win. I never felt so free in my life! I no longer had to show up with my underdeveloped confidence and a smile on my face as I shook like a hurricane on the inside. I could now relax. At the same time I was sad, depressed and I even mourned the experience. It helped me grow in so many ways that I will never experience again.

Facing my fears, to be part of the change I wished to see in the world, has helped me expand! All of me! Mind, body, spirit and all the energy I give out into the world has been shifted into someone I always knew I was.

Putting aside my fear of failing, or being judged and facing my doubts helped me ‘level up’ as you do in a video game. To stand up for what I believe, even though my anxiety, was the hardest thing I have done in recent memory and worth it even though I lost.

There is so much wisdom in the journey others call ‘failure’ that I no longer consider it a loss at all. I consider the experience of rising above my fears a blessing that expanded my life in ways that didn’t seem possible.

When I came out the other side, I saw that most of my fears were unfounded, unnecessary and failing was a real-life win. Learning to stand and speak my truth fed my soul and gave me true confidence I no longer needed to fake!

Instead of feeling like I was headed to the basement in a scary movie, This experience helps me see I am armed and prepared for whatever I find. I also know that I am perfectly capable of learning what I need on the job or on the fly, to come out alive and well. Choosing to feed my faith in myself and humanity, instead of my fears, has changed me for the better as if by magic.

Feed your faith adventurers, it is life changing.

Wishing you beautiful experiences of faith and love,

With love,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

The feeling IS the prayer

February 7, 2019February 5, 2019 emyminzel

Everything in Life is Vibration’ – Albert Einstein

Have you heard this saying before? I have. Yet it took me a long time to truly understand the meaning behind it. It’s been proven that the energy we hold in our body is real and the Universe responds to our vibrations. It’s just that we usually don’t notice all vibrations, just the big ones.

Like when we walk into a room and people have been fighting or if there is a party and you just feel the excitement in the air. Anger and Happiness are big emotions that throw off big vibrations, making them easier for us to feel. What about other emotions we don’t often like to share with others, like worry or sadness?

I know lots of people who keep those vibes to themselves because we don’t like to share them with our loved ones. Should we share them freely and bring everyone down to our current lower vibe? So we feel like we aren’t alone? I mean, it is no secret that misery loves company, right?

Here is the thing, I started to understand how I share my vibrations and energy, when I learned about energy healing and Chakras. But it wasn’t until I learned a simple trick, that helped me reframe my thoughts and be able to take responsibility for my big emotions and how they ‘feel’. It’s very simple; I just imagine painting pictures of my thoughts.

I am a nurturer by nature, and this means I care a great deal about my loved ones, animals, the planet and folks I have never met. Pretty much everyone. When I care so much it also means I used to worry about things I could not control. Worry is an energetically lower vibe that does not do anyone any favors. Not the worrier or the one you may be concerned about.

I used to say. “Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you anywhere.” I knew my worry wasn’t helping but it did not stop me from doing it!

Then, Stacy mentioned a skill she learned on her spiritual journey, that helped her with worry too. She told me to imagine painting a picture of my thoughts and what that picture of worry might look like if I put it down on paper to gift the person I was worried about.

I am quite certain my painted picture of worry would not be pretty. It certainly would not be full of color and expressing the love I know I hold for that person. It would most likely look like a rainy day full of doom and gloom! Is this the kind of picture I truly want to share with the one I am concerned about?! Um no. It is not.

Instead, I started to retrain my brain to send love and light to the areas or people I was concerned for. This is a much better energetic picture to send someone you care deeply about. When I am worried about my daughter, I send her love. I dig deep down in my heart, bring her smile to my mind and feel the warmth of love and caring I have for her. Then I send that feeling out to God/The Universe to help her feel this energy instead of my worry wart, rain cloud picture thoughts.

This is where and how I learned, that the feeling I was holding was indeed the prayer I was sending out to the world on her behalf.

I have another example. Just last week I found out an old friend had been in a horrible car accident and was in a coma, not doing well at all. Of course, my friends and I were very concerned. Yet, I knew it would do us and our friend in the hospital, no good to send up prayers of worry and sadness.

This person’s soul was in a coma, so I suggested instead of sending thoughts of “Please don’t die.” We need to send this person’s soul love. We needed to paint them a beautiful picture of our love and hope of a great life for them.

Can you imagine if your soul was floating around in the ether and hearing “Please Don’t die!” or “Please stay. You are loved. You matter.” Which prayers do you think would feel better if you could feel their vibrations? Which thoughts and words would have a better picture attached? Which picture would you want to hand over to the person in the hospital bed?

If your soul were floating around and could feel the vibration of thoughts and prayers, which feelings would you like to feel? Which prayer would make you feel like coming out of a coma, a rough patch, or sadness? Which prayer would help your soul feel like persisting on this earthly plane?

This is where, the feeling IS the prayer really makes sense to me. It hit home the effect my vibrations could have on myself and others.

When I shared my thought on this with my friends, half of them really liked the idea and the other half didn’t seem to understand what I was saying. This is okay with me. All I can do is speak my truth, but I am hoping this story will help others see what I see now.

Our friend did come out of a coma, they have a long road of recovery ahead, which is a wonderful blessing. Did our feelings, of raising our vibrational thoughts and prayers, make a difference? I am not sure. What I am sure of is that I sent a picture of love to my friend and not worry or fear. I know this is what I would prefer to feel from my loved ones too.

Remember friends, you are painting an energetic picture for the world to feel.

The feeling is the prayer.

What are your feelings and thoughts painting today?

Thank you, for reading my blog today.

Wishing you an abundance of blessings and joy!

Love,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister

*Photo credit – Water color art by me, Emy Minzel

Oh Joy! Oh joy! Oh joy!

February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 emyminzel

When Stacy and I decided to go on our Retreat, we both had our own intentions for the weekend. Mine was to hold the feelings of happiness and the vibrations of joy in my body and mind for extended periods of time. The point of the exercise was to get comfortable with higher vibrations. I had been use to living in a political climate that seemed to be a bit lower in frequency and happiness was becoming a fleeting weird feeling, as of lately and I was not okay with that!

It was clear to me that I had some work to do! I needed to take responsibility for the energy I was bringing to my mind/body/spirit, the world and in my writing. This concerned me so greatly that I made the intention to make it a daily practice of holding myself accountable for the quality of my vibrations. I was determined to get comfortable with being joyful and content. Just like any other skill, if I want to be good at it, I knew I must practice.

The first morning we woke up on the boat, the sun was rising slowly, and the birds were singing as the water was rocking us gently. We observed nature’s beauty in our surroundings. I gave thanks to the Higher Power for the blessing to have a time out of the Minnesota winter and this helped to encourage my peace of mind. It was proving to be easy to be joyful just sitting on a boat, watching the morning come alive with my coffee as Stacy and I sat in silence. I smiled at the day before me, feeling up to the challenge of staying happy all day.

We were doing our best to be silent, to encourage ourselves to go within and seek the guidance we were looking for. It did help to encourage me to stand in my own truth. I found it was very liberating to not have to negotiate my feelings or compromise my state of mind; just for the sake of conversation. Then again, I also came to realize I process my feelings and come to a deeper understanding of my deep thoughts, when I can communicate and look for a different point of view. Sometimes we don’t see, what is plain as day to your loved ones.

As I sat there for hours, just watching nature and jotting down my thoughts in my notebook, I found I was increasingly joyful. I sat there smiling to myself, just for the joy of if it and because I could. If I could choose to be joyful just because, then I should be able to choose joy at any moment. Right?! Of course, you and I both know that isn’t always true. Our emotions can be very powerful, but the thing is, we can choose those too. We can choose to acknowledge the thoughts they bring us and then decide if they are true or just our subconscious bringing up old fears or worries.

When I give myself time to dig deeper into my reactions, I begin to understand. Stacy would help me see that my anger, was most times, just my initial reaction to being displeased. I don’t want to get worked up over things I cannot control, like politics. I am truly a lover and not a fighter. Because of this I must find a way to make a difference in the world that allows me to be love; not war. I also find myself wondering if “I am able to be this person if I pursue a political path?”

I know it was always up to me to bring light and joy to the room with me, when I walk in. I get to choose to be happy and share joy. Yet I worried about what others might think and put pressure on myself, that wasn’t necessary, when I was a candidate. This is a thing lots of people do, I suppose, when facing unfamiliar experiences. We tend make things worse, than they truly are, just because we fear the worst instead of expecting the best.

This was the whole point of my ‘holding happiness’ exercise! I want to retrain my brain to expect the best. To look for the joy in my life, every day. I am going to remind myself that it “is” safe to be happy. I am worthy of being happy and I have every reason to be happy. So I would like to start enjoying it! I have been blessed to see my life, in a different light, after a joyous and crazy experience that kept me away from what truly matters to me. I can finally see the blessings in my extraordinary yet ordinary life and feel the joy it truly brings.

Life gives you lessons all the time if you are able to see them. I can see that I have a choice now and I choose joy. Every day I am doing my best to be joy, to be love and to be the best me. I don’t have to make it harder than it is. All I must do is make a choice to be grateful and joy will follow. I don’t have to be on a boat and in Florida to be joyous! I realize, all I must do, is consciously let joy in!

To do this, I have started a new practice. Every morning before I get up, I give thanks and I wait until I find the vibration of joy. I stay there until I feel it and then I hold it and send it out into the world before I can get out of bed. Affirmations that help me get into this vibration are “I am love. I am joy. I am light.” I also think of who I love and even use cuddling my dogs, to help me feel those good vibes!

I am not a morning person, but this practice has helped me embrace the start of the day a bit better. It is basically a short, purposely powerful meditation; that helps start my day with love and joy. Assisting me to be the best me I can be as soon as my feet hit the floor. It has been working wonders. I hope you try it!

I am so thankful for the blessing of our short Adventure Sister Retreat. Stacy and I always have such powerfully healing experiences when we get to spend extra time together. Thanks to our visits and going within, I can see where I needed the help. We are truly soul sisters helping each other grow. I am blessed to have such a dear friend that loves me just as I am.

I am a perfectly imperfect practitioner of joy!

Oh, joy!

Wishing you an abundance of blessings and joy!

Love to you all Adventurers!

With love,

Emy Minzel ~ Adventure Sister

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Stacy Crep ~ Adventure Sister