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Inspiration & Information from Universal Wellness

Release Date: 7/1/2009

I was attending my monthly business networking meeting held at various local businesses. This meeting was hosted by a deluxe assisted living facility in Venice. The first miracle was the luxurious spread they provided us for breakfast complete with chefs making our custom omelets to the beautifully carved ice sculpture.

Every meeting there is a drawing from the business cards for lovely prizes. Often they are things/services that I'm not interested in and I wish them for the person whose life will be enhanced most in receiving them. However, on numerous occasions there are prizes I desire and I say, "That's mine" or "I want that!" Yes, they've picked my card 99% of the time that happens. Today I wanted a gift for a very silly reason. I wanted the gift bag it was it. The bag was all sparkly and pretty and I'd run out of bags to gift people things in. The prize happened to be a bottle of wine (not something I'm big on) and a bottle stopper with a beautiful silver heart….the heart will stay with me for a while :-)

Everyone gets a chance to stand up, introduce themselves and their businesses. I stood up and said, "For all those who have been following my Spa Retreat progress…..manifestation, I thought it was Costa Rica but recently Panama has been presenting more powerfully. If anyone has any leads or ideas, please let me know."

At the end of the meeting, a gal who worked at the assisted living facility, Julie *, came up to me and said, "I live in Panama". She has homes here and there. She asked what areas I was considering. Trying not to be too specific and open, I said, "kind of around the west side, near Costa Rica." Julie says, "I live in Bocas Del Toro." She couldn't help but notice my eyes getting bigger than saucers. Bocas Del Tor has been in my mind for months. Bocas info and pictures were on my desk that very moment. She said she could connect me with the various spas around and I could stay at her apartment. We agreed to get together later that evening at her place.

So I'm going to my new angel's place to talk business and possibilities. Lo and behold, thanks to my morning's winnings, I even have a gift to bring….a lovely bottle of wine! I arrive at Julie's condo right at the beach on Venice Island and her husband Dan* answers the door. It was kind of interesting as he is all dressed up….in swim trunks! As I enter I see she is wearing a bathing suit herself. I'm thinking, "She's totally comfortable in the midst of luxury and totally down to earth too - I like these people!" My first feelings couldn't have been more right. We talked and laughed for hours feeling like we'd known and loved each other forever.

Turns they have all the connections I could possibly dream of in Panama. Dan is in construction and knows about properties, building and dealing with "the system". Julie has holistic training, knows how to go into the rainforest to get plants for cooking and healing. She gave me some soap she made that smelled good enough to eat. She showed me her hand-crafted jewelry made from sharks teeth and shells. Layer after delightful layer of complimentary information unfolded.

So, I had all sorts of choices. I could go now, stay at their place and flounder on my own…..not good timing anyway (legal stuff not quite finished here). I could go with Dan in August when he prepares the way for Julie's effortless arrival. Or I could go with Julie in September effortlessly flying in with her. I won't need to know how to call a taxi or even where my apartment is. I'll just have an Angel to guide me around, show me the ropes and introduce me to all sorts of cool people and adventures. I choose Door 3, thank you Universe!

So, I'll be dancing off to Panama in September to live and scope out areas for the Spa Retreat. I've been doing plenty of virtual travelling and now it's time for me to really see and feel the areas. Then I'll be able to provide more info for the Spa Retreat Birth Plan to present to my potential financiers. They are beautiful people but a little more "practically" minded than I. The Universe will provide and my Angels and Fairies are always taking care of me aren't enough for them :

More adventures later...

* Names changed to protect the innocent - or guilty, however you choose to see it!

I know most recipients of the Universal Wellness newsletter are not pregnant or expecting to be so. However, if you are in any way, by profession or relation, associated with anyone who is or may become pregnant, you definitely want to know about Giuditta Tornetta! She experienced a painless childbirth, delivering her daughter at home, with the support of a midwife, meditation, and hypnosis tools. This riveting experience inspired her to dedicate her life to helping women obtain a painless and natural childbirth. Today Ms Tornetta has written "Painless Childbirth: An Empowering Journey Through Pregnancy and Birth" in bookstores wherever books are sold and on line.

Look for more details about this amazing woman and her works at www.joyinbirthing.com

Here is a unique idea Giuditta shares with us...

A different kind of shower

By Giuditta Tornetta

Look for more details about this amazing woman and her works at http://www.joyinbirthing.com/

Here is a unique idea Giuditta shares with us...

At one point of another in your life one of your best buddies will either get married or have a baby and you'll feel excited about giving her a shower. Showers are fun and silly yet too many times we forget the sacredness of what we are celebrating. Here are some ideas you can use for either type of shower where you take a little time to express your friendship as well as to honor the sacredness that such a rite of passage means in a woman's life.

Blessingways

Blessingways are rituals or ceremonies celebrating the rite of passage into motherhood, but could certainly be used for a spouse-to-be. A way to fulfill a woman's spiritual needs and connect her with her community. A Blessingway can be as simple as lighting a candle representing the light within all of us.
Since the emphasis at a blessingway is celebrating a special and magical time in a woman's life, there are several activities and ways to celebrate a woman's journey to motherhood or marriage.
Here are some fun activities, most of these are focused on baby shower but you can get creative and modify them for the spouse-to-be:

Beads: Purchase some beautiful beads (you can use glass or semi-precious stones) and encourage all women to string one bead each as they offer the new mother/spouse some advice, later you can have a professional string this necklace the woman can use either during her labor or in her wedding ceremony. Many mothers have said that these birth beads give them strength and focus during labor. It is a powerful and tangible way to show your love and the community support that surrounds the mother. Women also have enjoyed this necklace to calm down just before they stepped into the ceremony.

Scrapbook: creating a scrapbook as a group that focuses on all the love and support surrounding the mother-to-be and her baby. Other blessingways have included making simple bracelets that all the women wear until the baby is born to show their support, prayers, and well wishes.

Belly paint: Another fun activity is to paint the mother's belly. You can use henna paints or any non-toxic (preferably natural) body paints. The mother may have a design she would like, something of special significance. You can talk it over with the mother beforehand and decide what she would like. Henna paint may work especially well because it could last until the birth, if the mother wants.

Washing mother's feet: washing a mother's feet in warm water gently scented by essential oils is a lovely way to show support for her. Many mothers also love to have their hair brushed. This feminine activity is very soothing and empowering to the mother.

Candle Blessing Ceremony

For this ceremony you will need a quantity of unused candles, and some oils to anoint them if you like. Lavender and rose are good for anointing. Long tapers work well, as do the large candles in a jar that burn for a long time. Sitting in a circle, ask your assembled friends to take a moment to think of the blessing or protective wish that they most strongly want to send to you and your baby. Ask them to concentrate that desire into their candle. You might suggest that they hold their thought or image clearly in mind while breathing slowly in their candle three times.

Once everyone has had a chance to focus on, ask her to go around and share their wishes with the group. Raising and focusing the group energy on the blessings increase the power of the candles. For the birthing mom, each person will bring their candle home with her to be lit as soon as labor begins or whenever else they feel the need to send you energy. For the marrying woman each person will light a candle whenever they receive a message from you of worries about your union, or when they sense your marriage needs a little help.

Giuditta Tornetta is the author of the bestselling book Painless Childbirth: An Empowering Journey Through Pregnancy and Birth. She is a birth and postpartum doula and can be visited on her website at http://www.joyinbirthing.com/.