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Saturday, September 30, 2017

Surveying the costs of health insurance

I am currently fighting three health insurers, trying to get them to cover basic healthcare costs, including what is supposed to be covered under the ACA. Am now taking it to the next level. After meeting briefly with a health insurance advocate at New Hampshire's insurance department, I am in the process of filing official complaints with the state.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering if others are drowning in health insurance and medical bills--from ridiculously high premiums to astronomical deductibles, never mind the rising costs of co-pays. Therefore, I've created a brief Health Insurance Costs Survey and hope you'll follow the link to complete it and add your voice to what I consider a national crisis.


If you're outraged or even a bit peeved, please also consider contacting your elected officials. It's time to get them listening to us and our needs, rather than to the interests of health lobbyists and rich corporate donors from the country's medical industries. 

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Penning the six-word memoir

This year I've plunged into a practice of daily meditative writing. Or mostly daily. I embarked on this new journey one day as I was cleaning off my bookshelves, leaving my adjunct professor years behind while welcoming my new life as a writer. And occasionally teaching artist, especially now that I've been added to the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts roster.

While weeding through my vast collection of books, setting aside those I was certain I'd no longer need, I removed Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. Later, sitting to read Pema Chodron and take some time to reflect and meditate, I noticed a book spine with the Shambhala Publications logo. Those who already know Goldberg's work and that of Chodron will know my instant excitement. I picked up the book, opened, and began reading. In that instant an entire new world of writing and meditating possibilities opened up to me.

I am onto a second book of Goldberg's now: The True Secret of Writing: Connecting Life with Language. In it yesterday I read about the six-word memoir.
Created at Canva.com.
Instantly intrigued, I grabbed my notebook, made grids, and wrote several. It's a fun word play that I used again today, penning: The bite of fresh ginger tea. It may not be revolutionary, but it was what I was thinking as I brewed green tea with fresh ginger for my husband this morning. I've not been a green tea aficionado, but have recently begun to develop a taste for it, so long as there is that sharp edge of fresh ginger root to spice up a warm cup or a glass of it cold.

As you can see from my graphic, I ended up expanding on the six-word concept until I had a handful of lines that together formed a memoir. It's a slice of who I am and who I'm becoming as I grow in my daily spiritual practice. I gladly share it with you, and invite you to try the six-word art form. I also recommend you consider launching your own daily meditative writing practice.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Together You Can Accomplish All

An angelic message of loving and compassionate guidance in troubling times of overwhelming lower-vibrational energy among the country's leaders.

This morning I sat down to my daily meditative writing and decided to reach out to my angels. What follows are my thoughts and questions (indicated within << and >>) and the answers I received through my head and pen. Yes, I wrote this out longhand, as has become my custom. A return to simpler times. And a nod to Natalie Goldberg’s advice—fill an inexpensive spiral-bound notebook a month. Or at least attempt to do so.

<< Angel write? Guides? Is anyone wanting to reach out now? With advice perhaps? Guidance? Wisdom from a higher plane? Ok, I have a question: How do we help ourselves maintain a higher vibration? AND: Is keeping a higher vibration akin to being more positive in general? >>

You can feel us filling your heart right now, can’t you? We’re helping to lift you to that higher plane you seek. Yes, we’ll slow down slightly. We’re sorry you’re sluggish. And that you’ve been down and depressed—in the dumps—lately. We are here to help you. Let us. Breathe in deeply. Breathe out slowly. Just be. And this will allow us to enter in, lift you up, join you, and help you through this troubling time.

Yes, it is disturbing to us too how a few very wealthy by earth, lower-vibrational standards can control so much of your government and thereby have dominance over your lives. All your lives. We don’t just mean you and your family, whose insurance and medical bills are deeply troubling not only to you, but to us too, and to your departed family members. That this is true for countless others in your country too is deeply disturbing and troubling to us all.

—Please be sure to share this with anyone who would stop by your blog.—

Your leader is working on an ego-based lower-vibrational field, which is impeding his ability to lead. Unfortunately, most of your elected officials, and by extension their appointees, are working under this negative energy force. They are guided as so many of you suspect by greed, which of course is an ego-driven concept. They accept great sums of money from unscrupulous agencies and agents—people living their lives in fear, within the lower vibration orbit. Thereby, they are absorbing this negative energy and transferring it among each other and to not only the American people, but to the world.

Yes, we will slow down again. It is urgent you and others get this message disbursed. It is why we continually speed up.

Also, we need to say to you: Trust us. We will and we are providing the words. You are very good to settle in and allow us this venue to speak to you and to others. You wanted to insert “hopefully” there. The hope is yours. We know you to be a gifted writer. Your words will be read by more than only your mom, your family, and friends. Your friends here on this side are asking us to relay to you now that they believe in your abilities as a writer—most always have. Okay. Back to our day’s message:

We are deeply concerned by the constant attempts to push down those among you who would rise up in solidarity and ask for, nay demand, what is yours/should be yours as a birthright. Free medical care—not so much free, but provided for nationally—is paramount to a loving, caring, and compassionate society.

<< Is there no compassion? >>

There is limited compassion among your elected and appointed officials. Too many are operating out of a place of fear and mistrust. Truth is the first casualty of war and of democracy in this case, in your country. Your leaders—most of them—are lying to you all, to the American voters, to the citizens.

Black Lives Matter. This is another failure of your country’s leaders. Unfortunately, this is a deep-rooted fear that reaches back to the dark times of slavery. European societies operated for so long in a feudal state that the aristocrats too easily bought into the notion that people who looked or talked or worshipped or lived differently than themselves were to be treated with utmost fear, contempt, hatred, and greed.

It is time for those of you discontented with racial ignorance, fear, hate, and greed to first pray, meditate, and/or become quiet in whatever manner is comfortable to you and to seek to lift to the higher vibration where you will see good in all people, even those who live in the lower vibration of the ego-driven world.

Then you must march. Not just for a weekend but for as long as it takes. Shut down Washington if you have to. It’s so malfunctioning now that little change will be seen. At first. Sit in as long as it takes. Each of you take on tasks you are comfortable with. Those who can cater and cook should feed the masses. Those who can sew and knit and crochet should clothe or warm the masses. Those who can sing or chant should raise your voices. Those who can write should pen the messages everywhere you can. Those who can fund the movement should contribute to a general fund. Those who can organize should do so.

<< What should our demands be? >>

Healthcare for all. If that’s Medicare, then so be it. Stop funding the megalopoly that is the American medical industry—it is literally killing tens of thousands every year.

<< Is it? >>

You are yourself more sick lately as a result of your oppressive medical bills and your insurance companies’ (yes, plural; we know you are fighting three corporate giants presently) refusal to pay bills they are or should be required to cover. You are not alone. Countless others are becoming more ill due to the stress of trying to pay their medical bills.

It is time for the American people—all American people, regardless of race, denomination, party loyalty,  etc.—to rise up, or sit down as it were, and not move until Senator Bernie Sanders is heard and respected and permitted to work with others uncorrupted by ego, the corporate giants, and the oligarchy, in order to fashion a Medicare for all that will take effect immediately. There should be no four-year phase in. This should have been done and dusted after World War II. And again in the 1960s and early 70s. And anytime since.

Let fear be no man or woman’s friend. Or guide.

Rise together and you all will not only begin to fix the ills that plague your country, but you will also raise the vibrations of others.

Do this out of love. And a desire to seek truth. See the light in all beings and it will be accomplished together.

<< When should we get up and go home? >>

That is not an easy question to answer. We mentioned Black Lives Matter. And that is next on the agenda, alongside environmental concerns and worries, and infrastructure.

<< That seems a lot to do. >>

There is much that needs tending if your country—and the world—is to survive.

<< You speak of North Korea? >>

And of your leader. He is not well. And he operates out of fear and a great concern for his own ego at the expense—great expense!—of everyone around him, your country, and the world. He needs your prayers. There are too many who would see him fail and burn in Hell. But that is not our way. He needs to be lifted up. To be loved. And forgiven. But your country also needs him to step aside or, more likely, be escorted aside by legal action.

Unfortunately, those who come up behind him also act out of fear-based lower vibrations. They seek to stamp out all we would stand for. It is their own fear of being voted out of office should they not do as their highest donors bid. They know someone else will gladly do this bidding in their stead.

<< So we should work on campaign finance law? >>

Yes. And term limits. But it is not our intent to completely overhaul your entire government.

<< That’s all we’ve talked of today. >>

It is on your mind. It is keeping you up at night. What was your first thought this morning when you awoke for the final time?

<< I wondered if we’d entered WWIII overnight. >>

Your concern was and is shared by many. This is why your current leader needs to be escorted out of office now. His ego-based fears may drive him to a corner where his actions may bring ruin and devastation to all.

<< Is this a certainty? If he stays? >>

We cannot predict the future. We can only help those who ask for our love and support. We are now busy helping many the world over with this concern, with the worries of healthcare in your country, and with the ravages of what you call Mother Nature and of cruel regimes everywhere.

We are happy to be of service, but we cannot alone help those who operate at a lower-vibrational, ego-based fear. They need assistance, which is why we propose a nationwide sit-in. Not just your country’s capitol, but in each state’s too. And in major commerce and finance districts. At the docks and shipping lanes. At transportation hubs. Shut down the country for a day or two, a week or more, if necessary, until two things are done immediately:
     1. Medicare for all is passed as law
     2. Your current president is escorted out of office

<< These things usually take longer than a few days or a couple weeks, I think. >>

That is the old way. A stymied congress. Representatives and senators loyal to a rich few. Make them see you’re not going to take it any more. Yes, as the song says.

Stop now please. Type this up and publish it. Today please.

<< Okay. Thank you. >>

Thank you.