jody's journey

Edgar Cayce Health Care

Education And Information Relating To Edgar Cayce Health Readings

Linda Caputi September 6, 2016 Leave a Comment

Epilepsy: Jody’s Journey

By: linda caputi.

In 1986, when Jo was eight years old, we moved to Virginia Beach. Regretfully, it became a traumatic event since she missed her friends and the New York energy in which she thrived. Over time, her unhappiness developed into emotional overeating, and by age 14, my petite daughter was more than 75 pounds overweight. One thing,however, consoled her. She would be driving before her 16th birthday, much earlier than New York allowed. As 1993 drew near, her dream came true as she began driving and lost the extra weight she had put on.

Yet within six months Jo began having infrequent but strange episodes. They would begin with feelings of nausea and “zoning out.” At first the incidents were easily ignored. No external problems were evident and visits to the doctor were fruitless. But with more noticeable symptoms, we were referred to neurologist in 1995, and received a diagnosis of complex partial seizures.

Though this type of seizure appears milder than the grand mal type, it’s more difficult to control with medication. The episodes were actually mild seizures called “auras.” The usual electroencephalogram (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging tests (MRI) were performed but showed nothing abnormal. We traveled to the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville and another medical center in New Jersey that specialized in the treatment of epilepsy. More tests, same results idiopathic (of unknown origin) epilepsy.

The medical establishment looks upon epilepsy as a problem originating in the brain. Attempts are made to subdue the seizures with medication, brain surgery (to remove the “problem” area) or the insertion of the Vagus Nerve Stimulator. However, none of these treatments deal with any identifiable underlying cause.

At the New Jersey epilepsy center,I spoke with a nurse who worked closely with the surgeons. She said they were finding that some patients would be seizure-free following surgery, but within a few years the epilepsy had returned,and was now originating in another part of the brain.Al though Jody and John,her dad,felt surgery might be an option,the information the nurse shared suggested to me that surgery would be only a temporary solution.

Edgar Cayce’s perspective of idiopathic epilepsy was unique. Commonly cited reasons for seizures were directed to two areas below the brain: Incoordination of the nervous systems due to lesions along the spine or adhesions of the lacteal ducts within the abdomen.The remedies most frequently suggested were osteopathic adjustments and abdominal castor oil packs.

In September 1995,Jo turned 18. Like many others dealing with epilepsy,she hoped to find the right medication to prevent the seizures from occurring. This offers the possibility of an easy solution,though it wasn ’t the case for Jody. Through her first year at Norfolk ’s Old Dominion University (ODU)and the years following, Jo tried a number of different medications. Side effects were numerous but none diminished the seizures after an initial “honeymoon” phase when the medications were most sedating.

Then I found something that seemed promising. I started to explore Cayce’s epilepsy remedies and found a simple suggestion that proved to be of immediate help. It was regarding the use of ice for seizures and always worked well for Jody: When Cayce had been asked: “What can be done to allay attack once it has started?” he replied: “Place a piece of ice at base of brain and it will stop immediately.” (Cayce)

Despite the uncontrolled seizures and side effects of the medications, by September 1996 Jody did well enough at ODU to transfer to the University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville. She was now only minutes away from the group of neurologists she had been seeing. During the intervening summer months I researched Cayce’s epilepsy readings more intensely and attempted to share their holistic approach with my daughter. But Jo’s interest was minimal since dietary changes and time for castor oil packs, among other things, would be necessary.

In addition to Jody’s health challenges, I was facing my own. Within that last year, I had been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy (MD) and was very weak. But after discovering the epilepsy remedies for Jody, I became curious to see if anything was available in the readings for MD. There was, but as with the remedies for epilepsy, the ones for MD would take some time and effort on my part. In a way I was relieved that Jody wasn’t going to pursue the remedies, right then, so I could focus on the ones for MD first. Thank God they helped. I compiled my experience in an article entitled: “Remedies Found to Fight Muscular Dystrophy,” Venture Inward , Jan/Feb 2000.

In the fall of 1998, Jody called from the hospital in Charlottesville. She had started school again and attended a party that weekend at a friend’s apartment. It was warm so Jo and her friends danced outside on an elevated deck (equal to a 2-story drop). Unexpectedly, she started having a seizure and fell off the deck backwards. The angels must have been at work because incredibly she landed in a padded chair in the yard below. Her friends took her to the emergency room to make sure she was all right. Other than some bruises and a sprained hand, she was.

Soon after this occurrence, Jo realized the pupil of her right eye was dilated – light didn’t affect it at all. But when the neurologist examined her, he could find nothing wrong. However, he made an appointment for her with a nero-ophthalmologist whose first question surprised her. “Are you using Afrin nasal spray?” Actually, she was. She used it frequently during fall and spring because of allergies. The doctor explained he had seen this condition before and it generally cleared up within six months of discontinuing the spray.

It was such a relief when Jody told me this, I didn’t really hear (or want to hear) that the neurologist had also suggested having another MRI. I was looking at the expense ($1,400) and thought it was unnecessary. Besides, it had been only three years since the last MRI and it seemed as if the neuro-ophthalmologist had diagnosed the problem correctly. However, Jody had the final say and decided to skip the test and wean herself off the spray. With her usual resolve, that ’s just what she did.

March of 1999 Jo unexpectedly called to say she’d be home the next day. She had decided to take a medical leave of absence because the seizures were worse. She also said she was going to give the Cayce remedies a serious try.

Jody received the treatment plan on epilepsy from A.R.E.and looked it over. Though its one-size-fits-all approach didn’t incorporate all possible treatments or individualize them, it was convenient to have an organized package outlining Cayce’s general treatments.

Attempting to be of help, John and I also focused on Jo’s well-being. This is not to say that John and I were in agreement about how to approach Jody’s condition; we weren’t. But each of us still knew that the other wanted the best for our daughter. Devotion and detachment were both needed on our part, just as the best of both allopathic and complementary/alternative approaches would eventually be needed better.

April 19,1999. Jody officially started using the remedies and set up a schedule: Three consecutive days a week for abdominal castor oil packs, followed by an abdominal and spinal massage (my job), daily doses of Passion Flower fusion , weekly spinal adjustments, and the Cayce diet .

On my own, I continued researching the epilepsy readings. Though they seemed to follow a certain pattern from one reading to another, there were many variations in what caused the problem, the effect on the body, and the treatment for it.

Old-fashioned osteopathic adjustments were consistently recommended for epilepsy but finding that type of an osteopath in our area was nearly impossible. That left chiropractors: The best alternative, I thought, and so many to choose from.

Jody agreed to these treatments, but they seemed ineffectual and gave her no relief from the chronic tightness in her neck. However there was a young man, Francois, who had trained in France and did bodywork similar to spinal adjustments. His treatments integrated visceral (abdominal) manipulation and massage to help relax the muscles that hold the spine in alignment. After his treatments, Jody could feel the difference in her abdomen and neck. Unfortunately, he was moving and only planned on visiting occasionally.

But Jody was determined. Gradually she made the necessary dietary changes and, after a while, even found them agreeable. More important, the uncomfortable sensations in her stomach diminished, as did the frequency of the seizures.

By late May 1999 Jody started going three, four, or five days without a seizure, and by July she went eleven days straight seizure-and aura- free! This was cause to celebrate; yet when she did have a seizure, she could still have several in a day.

Early September 1999, Jody had a routine appointment with her local neurologist. He asked how she was doing, and without mentioning the Cayce remedies, she replied that she had changed her diet and was feeling better. He said that was encouraging and to keep it up. They then discussed lowering her medication since it didn’t seem to make a difference one way or the other. However, he wanted her to have another MRI because her right pupil was still dilated. This time Jody didn’t resist the suggestion and neither did I. The seizures this last year had been more severe and frequent except when Jody carefully followed the Cayce remedies. (It was now four years since her last MRI.)

Jody went for the MRI a couple of weeks after Labor Day. A few days later the phone rang. It was the nurse from the neurologist’s office asking us all to come in the next day to see the doctor. Alarmed, I said, “We’ll be there tomorrow, but please have the doctor call us today.”

The neurologist called back while Jody was out with friends. John and I listened in on different extensions as the physician explained a tumor had been found – though this might prove to be good news. It was very possible, he thought, that the tumor was the cause of the seizures. In any case, he said he would talk with us in greater detail tomorrow.

John was optimistic, if not ecstatic. The tumor was the culprit all along and could simply be removed. Yet to me, the tumor was like a death sentence, since my mother had died from one 15 years before.

September 22,1999. The three of us sat down with the neurologist. He said the tumor was located in the right temporal lobe of Jody’s brain. Benign or malignant, aggressive or not, these answers wouldn’t be known until a biopsy was performed. Did this mean she first needed a biopsy before it could be removed? No, not necessarily. This wasn’t his specialty but he could refer us to a nero-surgeon at UVA.

Where was the best place to go? Would radiation or chemotherapy be recommended for this type of tumor? Why hadn’t it shown up in the earlier MRIs? Questions were many – answers were few, I realized as we left the office.

By the time we arrived back home, I had been nominated to make the necessary decisions and medical arrangements. Fine. Where to start? First things first: Heavy-duty praying. Then I started looking for the right neurosurgeon. (To condense: Jody had surgery at UCLA. The tumor was completely removed but due to complications, Jo suffered a stroke that paralyzed her left side. Thankfully, she improved rapidly and was sent home within a few weeks from their well-known rehabilitation center to resume treatments in Virginia Beach.)

Originally, I thought Jody would be returning home in a wheelchair and wondered how she would get around her room without major renovations. But because of Jody’s progress and her ability to ambulate with a cane, John only needed to make minor changes for reasons of safety.

Determined as ever, Jo set up a schedule for exercising inside and began taking short walks with us outside. Once more Jody was aiming high. Besides regaining use of the left side of her body, she was hoping to restart college by the fall of 2000. In order to accomplish this, she would need to build up enough strength and coordination to carry herself and a heavy backpack the required distances between classes and an apartment on campus. This would be no small feat, but I had no doubt that she would achieve her goals if only to get away from us!

November 1999. This Thanksgiving, more than ever before, was a time for gratitude. An added bonus was that Jo had been seizure-free for two months – the longest yet. We were all delighted by this and by her healing in general. To many it seemed inevitable that it would be just a matter of time before she could resume a normal life.

However, despite how it appeared, I still had doubts about what the future might bring concerning the seizures. There were still too many unanswered questions. What if the tumor wasn’t the cause of the seizures but the result? Maybe the tumor wasn’t seen on the first MRI because there was nothing to see. But the most perplexing question to me was if the tumor had triggered the seizures, as the doctors implied, why had the Cayce remedies helped the way they did?

It was my greatest hope, that the seizures were over, but I kept thinking about what the nurse at the New Jersey epilepsy center had said about the reoccurrence of seizures after surgery. If this was true, the seizures could return at any time because the original cause, which existed below the head, not in it, had not been alleviated.

Mid-December 1999, nearly three months since Jody’s last seizure. It was morning. Jo was in her room preparing to shower. John and I were nearby in the kitchen when we heard a loud yell and a thud. Thinking that Jody might have slipped and fallen, we ran in to find the bathroom door slightly ajar with Jo lying on the floor behind it. It took only a moment to realize she hadn’t fallen accidentally. She was having a seizure.

After speaking with her neurologist, Jo considered her choices and shortly before Christmas resumed the Cayce remedies. It was easy for her to pick up where she left off once she set her mind to it. She was already eating well, which was half the battle the first time around. Castor oil packs , abdominal and spinal massages, and chiropractic adjustments were started again as well. All this was in addition to an exercise program Jo’s therapists had outlined for her and could be followed independently.

January 1, 2000 came and went. Days passed, and then a few weeks without another seizure. We all kept our fingers crossed, hoping for the best. But disappointingly, they returned again with her next menstrual cycle. Once more John talked about exploring hormonal therapy. I favored Cayce. Jody was in the middle. The only positive thing we all noticed was that having one seizure a month was quite different from having 10 or more.

With Jody’s permission, I requested a physical reading for her. However, I was cautious and deliberately gave no indication of Jody’s condition prior to the reading or in the questions I submitted for the reading. What I had submitted was Jody’s date, time, and place of her birth. The time and day for the reading was prearranged. All that Jim needed was her location – just like Cayce. When the time came, Jo and I waited quietly together. I looked forward to Jody’s reading with anticipation – hoping with all my heart that Jody would find some help. As it turned out, I wasn’t disappointed.

Within a week we received an audiotape and a transcript of the reading. The answers were nothing short of astounding. While in trance, Jim described Jody’s condition: The symptoms, cause, and remedies to be followed with an uncanny awareness of what was already being done on Jody’s behalf.

I read the transcript and was humbled. What a gift! Jim’s reading was no different from what Cayce might have suggested. He did what I had hoped someone could do; he had individualized the remedies to Jody’s particular needs. We were to continue with the Cayce diet and abdominal castor oil packs but add alternating packs of castor oil and Glyco-Thymoline (a product frequently recommended by Cayce for a variety of reasons) to the spine. Minute amounts, taken orally, of Glyco-Thymoline and atomidine, a form of iodine, were also suggested. Then Jo was to have cranial-sacral/osteopathic adjustments to help the “incoordination in the nervous system” and the “rearrangement … of cranial forces” between these series of packs. The chiropractic adjustments she had been receiving just weren’t doing the trick.

Adding the spinal packs to Jo’s regimen wouldn’t be difficult, but finding the right person for the cranialsacral adjustments was a different matter. I learned there were two different types of cranial-sacral adjustments, both conceived by osteopaths. [Note: Dr. John Upledger, founder of CranioSacral Therapy (CST) discusses the differences between the two techniques on his website: www.upled ger.com/news/9505b.htm.] Jo tried both types of treatments, which cost anywhere from $45 to $75, depending on who was doing it. But the effects were so subtle she found it hard to tell if the treatments were helping.

Since I had no experience with this type of bodywork, I requested a follow up reading with Jim. The second reading emphasized that the therapist’s intention and attitude were as important as their technique. This, too, went along with what Cayce had repeatedly reminded caretakers when administering to the person in need.

From Jody’s second reading: “So much here then is determined by the interaction of the body with those influences laid upon the body, and in such the acts of intention and those who do practice same are probably the best through this period.”

It was just this “interaction” that caused a problem for Jo. Besides the treatment’s subtleness and cost, there was the element of time. A session usually lasted an hour and Jo needed to lie relatively still for it. This wasn’t an easy thing to ask of her since Jody even looked upon sleep as a regrettable intrusion in her life.

But through the ensuing summer months Jody worked with the updated remedies. This included the recommended adjustments approximately every two weeks from an osteopath we had just located whose specialty was cranial osteopathy. However, despite our best efforts, Jody continued to experience monthly seizures.

September 2000, Jo started back at ODU on her own two feet. It was a struggle but she knew it was worth it. In the meantime, Jo came home on weekends and kept up with her studies, exercises, and all of the Cayce/ Branch remedies.

Through the fall months, the seizures persisted, even with Jo’s biweekly visits to the osteopath. Maybe it was time for a change? I made inquiries and found a woman’s name mentioned several times as someone who was good with CST. She was a massage therapist who had traveled to the Upledger Institute for intensive training. Jody agreed to try someone new but between everyone’s schedules, trips and studies, it took quite a while to arrange a convenient appointment.

In early December 2000, the CST therapist finally saw Jody and worked on her for more than an hour. As Jo dressed, the therapist mentioned that during the session she felt a major shift take place. She hoped it would be beneficial but said that a few more treatments would probably be needed.

However, in the car ride back to ODU, Jody informed me she wouldn’t be returning because she wasn’t comfortable there. I understood, but when Jo went through a menstrual cycle in a few days without a seizure, I asked her to reconsider. Not having a seizure at this time of the month was the ultimate test – and the first time this had occurred in seven long years. But feeling the way she did, Jo rightfully wouldn’t return and I resumed the search for another CST therapist.

During Jody’s recovery, I began volunteering in the A.R.E. library, which eventually turned into a full-time position. I loved being there despite my reservations about being able to work in a metaphysical library. Having dyslexia and dealing with all those unfamiliar words was a challenge. (What in the world was an “ephemeris” and how could I look it up if I couldn’t even spell it?) But my supervisor, Claudeen Cowell, was generous with her encouragement and appreciated my enthusiasm for the Cayce health remedies.

It also seemed that the right people came into the library just when you needed them. That was the case when I began looking for another CST therapist. Beau Johnson walked in. He was somewhat of a modern-day Johnny Appleseed, who traveled around the country talking to people about Biodynamic agriculture and healing ways of living. Beau, as it turned out, was also a good friend of Jim’s, and went on to tell me about Mark Shean, a friend to both of them who did CST when he wasn’t working on his organic farm. I took Mark’s number and called him. It sounded as if he didn’t have as much training as the previous therapist, but he had enough.

I hoped Jody would find Mark’s treatments tolerable, and she did. She actually found them very relaxing. Jody saw Mark three or four times in the next couple of months. After not having a seizure in December, she had one in January and another in February. Once again doubts clouded my mind.

Yet, looking back, it worked out all for the best just the way it was. Jo had her last CST session and last seizure in February – February 18, 2001 to be exact. Of course, she didn’t know at the time that that was the last one.

As each month passed without incident, I casually asked if she had had a seizure, and she just as casually answered “no.” She didn’t share her feelings with me, but I had to control my own growing excitement that this might be “it,” yet walk a fine line in case the next month proved me wrong.

The summer passed uneventfully. Jody circled August 18 on her calendar – the date that would signify six months had passed without a seizure, and scheduled an appointment with her neurologist. But when the time arrived, she was disappointed to learn the doctor wanted her to wait an extra month because of her medical history. Though she had no choice in the matter, she understood. So she waited, seizure-free, and started driving once again. September 18 – her 24th birthday – was a long awaited gift for all of us. Our efforts paid off.

To this day Jody continues to be seizure- and medication-free.

About The Author:

Linda Caputi, a retired registered nurse, is on staff at the A.R.E. Library, and has been involved with the Cayce material for the last 30 years. She has researched, compiled, and updated many of the circulating files on both medical and non-medical topics, and is the author of the book, Epilepsy – Jody’s Journey: An Inspiring True Story of Healing with the Edgar Cayce Remedies. She is available for private consultations on Cayce and alternative remedies. Contact information; [email protected]

This article is adapted from the book, Epilepsy – Jody’s Journey: An Inspiring True Story of Healing with the Edgar Cayce Remedies .

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Epilepsy - jody's journey an inspiring true story of healing with the edgar cayce remedies - softcover, caputi, linda.

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• About this title
• About this edition

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Follow Jody’s journey, as seen through her mother’s eyes, in the first part of this book. See how something as simple as an icepack confirmed the effectiveness of Cayce’s recommendations. Observe as events converge, bringing together the right people, tools, and approaches, each at their best time to contribute to Jody’s healing. Read about Jody’s struggle to regain control of her body after suffering from a surgically induced stroke when a brain tumor was removed – while at the same time continuing to deal with ongoing seizures. Besides Jody’s own laudable efforts, help from a higher source was evident and added to the support she received from her dedicated parents, loving friends, and the prayers of others. Read further and be awed by a remarkable encounter with Jim Branch, a man who did what Cayce could do: alter his state of consciousness and connect with the wisdom within all of us to offer insight and aid when other methods were unsuccessful. Because of Jim’s willingness to share his gift as Cayce did, Jody was given the missing pieces she needed to individualize the remedies and complete her cure. (Jim has since died.) The second part of the book consists of Edgar Cayce’s most commonly mentioned remedies for idiopathic and symptomatic epilepsy. It is written for the person dealing with epilepsy, or a therapist, who wishes to delve more deeply into a natural approach and offers hope for those who may not be responding to conventional therapy. This part begins with an overview of epilepsy from Cayce’s unique perspective written by Walter Pahnke, M.D. The spiritual aspects of healing are then addressed by the author as well as the physical ones and open a window for the reader to the mind/body connection and the importance of our attitudes and ideals in the healing process. This might lead us to call some of the more surprising recoveries "miracles," but it is this underlying spiritual understanding that is so vital to the successful outcome of any holistic approach. Step-by-step the reader can explore Cayce’s physical recommendations, which have been divided into their separate components, but are meant to work together synergistically. Directions for making a castor oil pack and giving a spinal massage are presented along with contact information for therapists or product purchases. In addition, the Cayce readings for 105 people with epilepsy have been charted. The charts are designed to visually illustrate the frequency with which each specific remedy was recommended and to whom. Variations and trends are simple to see and comparisons are easy to make. The last part of this book focuses on nine case studies; people with epilepsy who received one or more readings from Cayce while he was alive. Highlights from their readings, and correspondence either from them or about them, are included. These nine people followed the recommendations Cayce gave them and were cured. Or so we are told. However, the only important question that should concern us is: "Would Cayce’s approach work for someone with epilepsy today?" The truth can be found in the results. Jody was willing or maybe desperate enough to try these unusual treatments. Four years seizure and medication-free attest to the fact that her answer is a resounding "Yes!"

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• Publication date 2005
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• ISBN 13  9781929841042
• Binding Paperback
• Number of pages 276

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How i got this body: jody's journey.

Just a few weeks before her 25th high school reunion, Jody Orfield scheduled an intake appointment with a personal trainer. She was tired of being tired and living with arthritic joint pain and Crohn's disease. Forty pounds overweight, she couldn't find any clothes in her closet that fit to wear to the reunion. But when she got there, she reconnected with her best friend from high school and got inspired to train for a triathlon. Now she has six triathlons under her belt, she's 40 pounds lighter and her Crohn's is in remission. To cap off her season, she will run the Twin Cities 10-mile before next Sunday's marathon.

BAND GEEKS TO TRIATHLETES: When I got to my reunion and reconnected with my high school best friend, Kim Gorman, I saw her and said, "We were band geeks together and now you're an athlete?" No way -- this is so cool! She was officiating at the YWCA Women's Triathlon that weekend, and she said I should come see it. But I couldn't even go. It was fear that was keeping me back. [Still], she and I just started talking, and I asked her to tell me more about the triathlon thing. I tucked it in the back of my mind, and on the intake form at the gym I wrote that within a year I wanted to complete a triathlon.

FURTIVELY FIT: Knowing the old me, I knew I was never going to follow through, so I didn't tell anyone [about my goal]. But I really connected with my trainer, Todd Stebleton, and just over the course of a few months, I made a lot of changes. Before then, I thought I was working out hard and I really wasn't. When I went to my first session, the client before me came out beet-red, covered in sweat. I said, "I haven't paid -- can I leave now?"

TRY-ATHLETE: Both Todd and Kim believed in me when I didn't believe in myself, and that was the key to my first race. Kim and I raced the Buffalo, Minn., triathlon together. It was amazing. The pictures are really funny of me. I'm literally dancing across the finish line. I was smiling and waving at everybody -- not very competitive. But that's OK. It was fun and all about the experience. This year all my pictures are serious. I just hired a tri coach, and I train six days a week. It's a balance of swimming, biking, running and strength training. It didn't hit me until this year's YWCA Women's Triathlon, how far I've come, until my husband and I started walking around Lake Nokomis [to warm up]. It came back to me that a year ago, I couldn't even walk around the lake.

TRIFECTA: We all know about [balancing] diet and exercise, but I think the third piece is emotional stuff, and that's the piece I had never tackled before. I did a lot of emotional housecleaning, and then everything fell into place. Sometimes Todd pushes me so hard physically that I have emotional meltdowns.

(NOT) DEFINING JODY: I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2004 but I'd had symptoms since 1990. It was taking over me, defining me, holding me back. I made huge diet changes, and it took away all my joint pain and my Crohn's is in remission. It's my big thing: Don't let whatever disease you have define you. For a long time I didn't even tell people, because I didn't want to be defined by the disease. You're still who you are. You just happen to be living with Crohn's. I'm Jody who is a triathlete who has Crohn's.

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Jody's Journey

Tuesday, february 6, 2024, did someone say, "struggle bus".

 WOW!  I'm thinking the Winter Doldrums might be part of the obstacle to folks continuing with New Year's resolutions.  I wonder if we made resolutions on June 1st, would we'd be more likely to pursue them past the typical 6 weeks that resolutions made on January 1st last?  Does that make sense?  I think Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a very real thing and we should take this into account when setting our goals and stop beating ourselves up for not reaching them in the speed of light we expect.  I know I mentioned another Zoom call, but I just haven't had the energy (or whatever). Stay tuned.

We just had a couple of beautiful days here over the weekend.  We enjoyed walking around Fort Vancouver and Pearson Airfield; learning more about the history of the area on Saturday.  Then, following the recommendation of a co-worker, we went to Frenchman's Bar on Sunday.  Yes, I know what you're thinking, but it's not that kind of bar😊, think of a sand bar on the Columbia River.  Chief had a great swim and we absorbed some vitamin D and beautiful views of the water.  In the photos below, I'm sure you'll recognize Mt. Hood which seems to follow us everywhere.  Also visible from this location are Mt. Adams & Mt. St. Helen's.  These 3 peaks are the subjects of native legend around here; though they don't go by those names.  You also might notice I have a different coat on! (Finally;-)).  Yes, I've begun collecting collegiate wear at the local thrift stores.  This is my U of WA Huskies jacket.

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Snow day/week.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

The only constant is change.

 This saying about the constancy of change has always resonated with me.  I remember when I absorbed the wisdom of that meme long before the word "meme" was ever imagined.  In this season of reflection and resolution, it's important to also remember that: "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."  What if we lived that adage as if this were our last day on Earth? Carpe diem.  Enjoy the moment and enjoy the journey.  The fear of heights I discussed in the last post has a silver lining.  I may not see the Bridal Veil Falls or the overlook on Mt. Rainier with my own eyes, but I've learned to look beyond the destination at the smaller details and little nuances around me.  I've never been much of a resolution person.  I guess I don't like dealing with the feelings of guilt and shame with the discovery the goal I've chosen just isn't doable.  But, I am a planner and I do like making lists.  So, I take these 2 preferences and come up with something small I want to accomplish in the next week:  Connect with Vancouver transportation to schedule of tour of the bus system.  I plan on calling them Monday and check off my list the appointment for my tour.  In the past, I've used this document:

to keep up with some of the goals I strive to achieve.  I remember one year I started tracking the days I took Chief for a walk, highlighting the day in pink.  This tracking blossomed into marking the days Chief went for a walk with David (highlighted in blue) and ultimately, the days Chief went for a walk with BOTH of us (highlighted in purple).  In December, it was a great visual representation of the days Chief went for a walk; super fun and rewarding!!  If you'd like a copy of this document (that I inherited years ago, so I can't give due credit to the artist who designed it), I think you can right click on the image and print it OR you can email me at [email protected] and I'll email a copy to you to print.  Just put "Calendar Tracker" in the subject line. Let me know what you plan on tracking.  Maybe next January we can post our artwork.

That's all for now.  Have a GREAT week!

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Happy new year.

 Cheers Friends!  Here's hoping your 2024 will deliver on all your hopes, dreams, and wishes.  It's certain that for that to happen, it'll require lots of hard work, focus, organization, perseverance... Hmmm, what else do you think?  Last week, WW invited us to choose a word to anchor our wellness journey in the new year.  Independence came to mind for me.  I remember a member (Cindy, you know who you are🤗) once shared that "independence" was her "Why?"  And that really struck me maybe because all my whys had always been vanity oriented (wear a certain size, weigh a certain number, and etc.)  This was an ah-ha moment for me and really expanded my imagination for Why? we're on this journey called life.

You know, out here in Vancouver, it's just a little different than Lawrenceville, GA.  Perhaps I've been a little too comfortable in my little patch of green I've called home for the past 30+ years.  Out here there's a lot of homelessness.  Maybe it's because we're living closer to the city, but it's really "in your face" prevalent here.  I haven't felt threatened or in danger, but I have had to tell myself not to stare.  The problem is, so many look just like me.  I don't want to contribute to alcoholism or drug addiction, so I don't want to hand out $$.  So, in 2024 I'm going to look for a way I can be part of the solution.

During the holidays, I remembered that back in the day we could buy coupon books from McDonalds that contained certificates for meal items.  We were encouraged to purchase them to give to our friends and neighborhood helpers like the mailman (Please note: this was in the 1980s & 90s and I'm aware they are now called mail carriers; oh, how times have changed.). My idea is to be able to purchase a book of meal coupons I could hand out when I came across a person looking for a hand up.  For $100 I could purchase a book of 10 meals that would include a main, a drink, and a side that an individual could choose from a list of options (think: a sandwich, soda and fries from Chick-fil-A OR a slice of pizza, side salad, and cup of coffee from Quick Trip).  Since I remembered that promotion, I've seen restaurants around here where you can pay for a meal, they post a receipt on a bulletin board, and someone who needs food can choose it and have something hot and fresh to eat.  LOVE IT!

So, back to my word that resonates with me: Independence.  I think I'd like to expand on that.  I remember when studying Maria Montessori being introduced to the concept of Interdependence and the idea that we all need each other.  "No 'man' is an island," right?  She felt that from age birth-12 we work on perfecting ourselves and from 12-24 we discover how we fit into the fabric of society.  Upon reflection, for the next 35 it seemed like I worked to make everyone else happy with the choices I made.  Focusing my energy on being a daughter, wife, mother, sister, friend, co-worker, financial planner, organized homemaker, innovative business owner... Who is Jody?  All of those things (some better than others) and more.  Time to start thinking about the future; it all starts with a plan.  Today I'll make an appointment with the Vancouver bus system ambassador and start to learn how to use the public transportation.

Monday, December 25, 2023

A christmas miracle.

 The story of our manger:

A few weeks ago, in the midst of decorating for Christmas, I talked with Brad about thinking of a crèche they played with when they were kids.   I guess I was what you'd call a crèche collector.  One of my favorites was a paper folding set I picked up at an Oak Meadow book fair and assembled in the last month of my pregnancy before Rachel was born on Christmas day.  That set was particularly durable and endured for many Christmases of play and re-enactment.  Other special sets include a manger sent from Aunt Betsy from probably about the time she and Uncle Brett lived in Atlanta.  And a sparkled, glitter coated nativity set we used to track the progress of the Three Wise Men as they travelled to find the baby in the manger.  I was on a thrifting mission, keeping my eyes peeled for something Ashleigh could play with.  

A couple of days later, Chief and I went out for our morning walk.  We had a destination in mind on this particular day.  We enjoy walking to a local thrift store, Re-Tails, whose proceeds benefit the Vancouver Humane Society.  We've had the pleasure of scoring a few art finds at this location, they have 10% off on Wednesdays for seniors😉, and we're enrolled in the frequent shopper program.  We often take a loop through the store on our walk making it a good warm up/dry off spot as well as a great turn around spot.  On this particular Wednesday, we strolled past the nativity sets and lo and behold the set Brad and I were just reminiscing over was right there!  I thought, "NO WAY!!" And then I picked it up and said, "WAY!"  It was the same set!  Chief and I happily walked home with our purchase, eager to unwrap the package and take a look at our prize.

Turns out, the collection of people in the set left out a couple of key players, namely Baby Jesus and one of the wise men.  But, there were a couple of new friends we hadn't seen in the narrative before, a little pig and a husky dog. (Just a little aside on the Husky, you know I'm a Dawgs fan and super grateful to have a Pacific West Coast surrogate, the University of Washington Huskies!  Y'all might have heard of them?  Well, they've got a new fan!🙌📣) Anyway, certainly the set is incomplete without the Baby Jesus, so the search was on for the star character.  Wouldn't you know it, Google search search turned up the article at Walmart and The Christ Child Was born! YAY!  But what about the lost wise man? You might be thinking.

Well, just last week, I got the opportunity to spend the day with Ashleigh Laine, our busy little girl.  We planned a trip to the library which was a great success and we'll definitely go back!  Then we made a stop by one of my favorite Goodwill stores just to see what there was to see.  Ashleigh was entertained with all of the ride-on toys: the magic flying carpet, a fire truck, and the favorite was Minnie's airplane. We made several loops around the store shopping and greeting everyone we saw.  Not surprisingly, we spent extra time on the toy aisle, back and forth/up and down; lots of energy in that girl.  One one of our trips to and fro, a lonely manger caught my eye, the same one from the set I purchased a couple of weeks ago from Re-Tails.  My heart jumped, could there be any other pieces laying around? I started rummaging through the shelves, all the way at the back where I noticed some other action figures had migrated. And, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a tiny red wiseman with his last gift to bear. Seriously, I am not kidding. Please find below a video depicting the Discovery of the Crèche Journey.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight! 

That's all for now.

Monday, December 18, 2023

Tis the season.

 Hi All!  Hope December is treating you well and you're finishing up the details to make your Holidays Happy.  Happy belated Hanukkah and Merry Christmas a few days early.  We've been very busy decorating and learning the fun things to do in the great Pacific Northwest during the holidays.  And, funny thing, it's a lot like the things we do back home.  David discovered a renowned light display on a local avenue that we perused and we stopped off for a cup of hot chocolate in downtown Vancouver where a church was hosting a Christmas festival complete with Santa and his elves.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Where have you been, did someone say, "struggle bus".

 WOW!  I'm thinking the Winter Doldrums might be part of the obstacle to folks continuing with New Year's resolutions.  I wonder if ...

• Build a Meal  Hi All! Here's another project I finished recently.  After talking about meal prep today, I put this together.  I think y'all will ...

Photo: Art Durand

Are you surprised to learn that we start life as fully creative beings and the percentage drops over time from nearly 100% to as low as 2% by the time we are adults?*

I believe there is a link between the loss of personal creative power and the loss of a sense of wholeness—an integrity that runs through all areas of our lives.

Since childhood, I have wondered what makes me, and others, tick. I stared up at the night sky and asked how does this human thing work and why do I feel so grounded yet so connected to the stars? I wanted answers and I wanted to use what I learned to be of service to that wholeness. I guess you could say that I’ve been coaching and learning since I was eating in a school cafeteria. Having experienced deep transformation along the way myself, I know what growth can entail and that it’s possible to come through, sense of humor intact.

I’ve been told that I open the door for others to uncover creative solutions that their best efforts had not previously been able to find. I’ve also been told “Things resolve easily around you.” I facilitate, or help forward, the flow of the transformational journey. Thus begins the reclaiming of that valuable creative power, the whole, integral self, and ownership of tools for navigating life as it unfolds.

My own unfolding has taken me from a New York banking career where I was named VP at age 28, to Paris two years later, where I lived and worked for 15 years. That’s where I first met Katie Hendricks and began regular trips to California for coaching training.

Ongoing education is important to me and my pursuits have been wide and varied. They include: The Hendricks Institute Leadership Program; The Enneagram; The New Seminary; Toastmasters; training in meditation and energy healing, and improv workshops and classes. I continue to hone my intuitive skills, providing clear insights, support, and useful tools for infinite personal potential.

My love of travel has taken me to some 25 countries and prompted me to live in a variety of delightful places. I currently reside in Ojai California, a magical valley not far from Los Angeles.

* George Land study

Feedback from Jody's Workshop Participants

Jody is inspiring! She has mastered the ability to weave deep transformation with play and invites playful discoveries that will change your life.

I didn’t know of the possibility of shifting a problem or pattern by playing with it.  I feel I’ve taken something heavy and lightened my load today.

This program presented new ways for me to understand myself, my feelings and how to change the way I am reacting in various situations.

GREAT facilitator.   Jody generously provides “real time” tools to open my mind and body to possibilities I already have – that were hidden before I took this workshop.

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Why Pregnant Rosanna Arquette Left Pulp Fiction Screening in 1994: Baby Was 'Kicking Like Crazy' (Exclusive)

"I got all freaked out because of some of the guns and violence stuff," Arquette tells PEOPLE amid the Quentin Tarantino film's upcoming 30th anniversary

Rosanna Arquette is proud to have been a part of Pulp Fiction nearly 30 years after its release — but she didn't see it in its entirety for about 15 years!

In a chat with PEOPLE ahead of her appearance at the 15th TCM Classic Film Festival opening— where much of the Pulp Fiction cast will reunite — Arquette says she was pregnant with daughter Zoe Sidel at the time the Quentin Tarantino classic premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1994. While she couldn't make it to France, she later attended a screening while she was still expecting.

"I didn't go to Cannes, I was really pregnant, and I just remember seeing [the movie] all finished, and I was with my mom," says the actress, 64. "My baby just started kicking like crazy and I got all freaked out because of some of the guns and violence stuff."

"So I actually left and never saw it for years," she adds. "It's an amazing movie, but I couldn't [stay] because I was so in my mom mode, so I was protecting... I said, 'This is too much for my baby.' "

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Arquette — who plays Jody, the wife of drug dealer Lance ( Eric Stoltz ), in the movie — said she thinks Pulp Fiction stands the test of time for many reasons, including Tarantino's "fantastic" Oscar -winning screenplay and the "wonderful," talent-laden cast.

"At the time [of production], we're just in there, we're rehearsing, we're working with a great director, but didn't realize how huge it would become. Which it really did," she tells PEOPLE.

As for how Tarantino, 61, ran his set, "Quentin is very specific, and so we rehearsed a lot and that was good," she says. "There were no bad vibes. It was just a good vibe all along. I think he started the whole thing where everybody worked for scale and just did the work."

She also says that the filmmaker "came to me" for the part of Jody, "and we met at Swingers and had a milkshake and he just offered me the role."

"It was a great movie to be a part of," Arquette adds.

Moviestore/Shutterstock

While she hasn't been in regular contact with Tarantino as of late, Arquette says she "would love to work with him again," and was even in talks for the role of Elle Driver in the Kill Bill films at one point.

But "everything happens for a reason," and the part of the villainous, one-eyed nurse ended up going to the "fantastic" Daryl Hannah .

"I can't even imagine being anywhere near as good as Daryl was in that role," Arquette tells PEOPLE. "So it was meant to be."

For now, the actress is "excited" to attend the TCM event on April 17 and reunite with some of her Pulp Fiction castmates, including John Travolta , Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman .

"I'm looking forward to seeing [them]," she says. "I'm proud of [ Pulp Fiction ], but I also love Turner Classic Movies. So it's really cool to come and have that film open it, because it's such a groovy festival."

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Jody's Journey: The First Year in the Life of a Chinese Crested Puppy Paperback – February 13, 2018

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• Print length 38 pages
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (February 13, 2018)
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