Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey Connections, Mind-Body, Spirit

Just what is Reiki, Shamanism, and Qigong?

Reiki, Shamanism, and Qigong

I thought I would take a few minutes to plop down my thoughts about these healing modalities.

Reiki, Shamanism, and Qigong

Here’s some research and links, plus lessons from my personal experience:

Reiki

1) Reiki promotes self-healing by helping one relax and reduce stress. From Japan, Reiki uses beautiful symbols which a practitioner “paints” in the air / aura around the client. I have both been a client and attended two classes. It is amazing to feel the heat / warmth on specific areas of your body when you are seated, eyes closed, and have no idea where the Reiki master is until you feel the heat. Reiki is not magical but may be mystical depending upon your interpretation. Since my upbringing included a faith that taught “laying on of hands”, AND present day revelation, I have no fear of spiritual types of healing (because everything originates from God, Source, Divine) and in fact, I embrace all healing modalities! Reiki is often translated to mean, “Spiritually guided life force energy”.

Shamanism

2) A shaman is a person with a gift for healing, a person who has practiced bridging the natural and supernatural to effect change in one’s health. A shaman may also be a priest, monk, or tribal medicine man/woman. The shaman I met did not go into a trance, did not bang a drum, or dress weird. Too many times people let misguided perceptions of what alternative natural healers “may be like” and totally miss a blessing!! Profound health and guidance comes through healers not a pill.

Qigong

3) Qigong is a powerful healing and energy medicine from China. It dates back to between 2500 – 5000 years. There are different Qigong applications.

  1. Healing Qigong, sometimes called medical Qigong helps the client understand and know how to work with one’s own energy system to balance and prevent dis-ease.
  2. This is the one I experienced. External Qi healing funnels energy through the body, from the head to the feet – actually pushing or detoxing illness down the legs and out the feet!
  3. Sports Qigong – the one most familiar to those who practice the martial arts. Also, people learn this for improved golf games, increased agility, accuracy, and stamina while playing sports.
  4. Spiritual Qigong – most associated with spiritual and self-awareness, most likely evolving from Taoism and Buddhism.

Blending the modalities

I had an amazing visit with Dr. Laurie Zakresky. She performs a blend of modalities of healing. She intuitively learns what you have need of and applies what will help.

In the treatment room, you lay fully clothed, shoes off, on a massage table. Typically massage or meditation type music is playing in the background. The Reiki, Shaman, or Qigong practitioner will move hands near your body, and sometimes pull on your feet, or touch you lightly on pressure points. There is no massage or such happening.

You may experience a warmth / heat, tingling, or other physical feeling when the practitioner passes hands near your body. You will notice, often very soon, that whatever ill symptoms you had, will lighten or leave your body. I felt tingling in my legs and feet. I also was a bit lightheaded when I got up to leave. By the time the hour session ended, some sinus issues I had were completely gone and I felt quite relaxed. I was instructed to continue pressure point tapping for a couple of issues and to drink more water.

Dr. Laurie not only showed me where my pressure points were, and how many times to tap them, etc. but also provided me paper instructions of exactly where to tap on my body so I wouldn’t forget. There was no charge for healing services, however, gifts are always appreciated and of course, she has a store full of wonderful items so it would bless you both if you found anything to purchase.

I will be spreading the word about Dr. Laurie and the Divine Books store. The store sells books, crystals, soaps, natural candles and scented wax “melts”, a kind of pure room air freshener, cards, gifts, and more.

If you’re in the St. Petersburg, Florida area and have any health issue, I hope you will call her to arrange an appointment.

Peace, love, and unity. We are all connected.

A bit about me:

An Amazon bestselling author of two co-authored books: “Transform Your Life Book 2 Inspirational Stories and Expert Advice,” “Energy of Receiving”, plus author of “Blue Eyes: Ethereal Messages of Connection,” and holistic health book that details how I naturally reversed asthma, “Have Yourself a Wholly Vibrant Life: Reversing Asthma and Other Chronic Illness Naturally” all available on Amazon.

Be the best version of who you want to be.

Information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

For more about me, this blog, how I create websites, why I wrote a holistic health book, and more, find me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey Connections, Spirit

More I don’t talk about… digging deeper

Our move to St Petersburg, Florida allowed me the soul reaching pleasure to meet several new folks and reconnect with old friends. In my research and reading about “connectedness” and “it’s all energy / frequency” I am now beginning to really “get” this concept of “there’s no coincidences.”

A couple weeks ago, after the whole vet experience that I wrote about in my Orlando Examiner blog post with our doggie, Beau, I was led to someone who would open me to yet another level, or layer, of “energy and frequency knowledge.” If I am losing you, don’t worry – it may make sense after you re-read my previous post, Something I don’t talk about. Or you may want to skip this all together. I have been known to lose people in my logic and ramblings. This is more for me to note certain things–and as is the reason for all of my posts– to leave a legacy for my beautiful granddaughter, Jennifer. So here we go.

It’s ALL about Energy
It’s ALL about Energy

I was led to Sue (at the first health food store I visited) and she connected me to Linda at the natural food store for animals – who, because I mentioned I do “EFT / “Tapping”, proceeded to introduce me to the store’s owner, and animal wellness author, who’s name was also Sue. This Sue was also VERY into energy, frequency, etc. So, we did an EFT session right then, that day, on the spot! And I felt that spiritual connection, as if someone life changing had entered my experience.

Sue loaned me a book she had on her shelf. That book? Power vs. Force by David R. Hawkins, M.D. Ph.D. Wow! I brought it home and continued to read it as often as I could. To say that this book shifted my world and mind is probably an understatement. Nonlinear dynamics and chaos theory explained. Ah! It’s like breathing math when I read and comprehend this wisdom.

Passages such as, “Can man lift himself by his bootstraps? Why not? All he has to do is increase his buoyancy and he will effortlessly rise to a higher state. Force cannot accomplish that feat. Power not only can, but constantly does.” As well, “Force is experienced through the senses; power can be recognized only through inner awareness.”

Frequency talk

I keep talking with others about frequency and how our five senses are just “receiving” frequencies. How do you know that when someone plays the C note on the piano is being heard as the same C note for all? How do you know? Well, over time many people sort of observed by hearing it and agreed that C sounds like C? We do not even have the words to explain what C sounds like, we have to HEAR it. As a group of us listen to that C note, we agree, yes, ah, that is C. Do you see what I mean? haha!

An Empath?

So, with that being said, when someone stubs their toe, they feel it. Or do they? Not everyone FEELS that pain the same way. We know some people have a high tolerance for pain, and others have a low tolerance of pain.

When I SEE someone get hurt, I feel it. Some people have told me that means I am an empath. It’s probably why I cry when I watch movies that are dramatic, really I cannot imagine that I totally related to everything going on that is sad in every movie or TV show. I cry, others do not. I am sensitive in that way. Apparently, not everyone is. I have watched TV shows and movies with other people and they are fine – they are disconnected from the emotions of the characters. I am not. That’s why I can’t watch certain shows or movies, they’re too overwhelming for me.

My eyes and ears interpret something in the frequencies being transmitted on a much deeper level than others. It’s why I knew I could not be a counselor. I knew I would bring my work home with me every day and it would spill over into my home life, affecting my relationships.

Making advancements

So, reading Power vs. Force, I was struck when I read, “the person who has arrived at a habitual state of unconditional Love will experience anything less as unacceptable. As one advances in the evolution of his individual consciousness, the process becomes self-perpetuating and self-correcting, so that self-improvement becomes a way of life.” That explains it! Why I seem to be on this inexhaustible quest for correctness in living / loving / forgiving. Maybe also that is why so many people have come into my life whom I have had to forgive? Another thread to unravel.

I’ve always tended to be a person who perceived injustices to myself and those around me. I thought it was because of my native American ancestry – whereby my grandmother and her people had been persecuted. As well as, experiencing religious persecution. Hmm, but now I read that “…moralistic judgments are merely a function of the viewpoint from which they proceed.” A person who is resonating at a higher level of consciousness views morality very differently than the person who is vibrating in the lower frequencies and that makes a lot of sense to me!

I just told my adult daughter the other day, a snake is not a dog. They are different creatures. If you want a snake as a pet do not expect the snake to behave the same way as if you brought a dog home. They are completely different and they behave differently. You would not apply the same expectations to the snake as you would apply to the dog. Right? So if you marry the man whom you think is soft, warm, and cuddly then over time he shows his true colors, sheds his skin and becomes the snake, ah, now you know – you didn’t really marry the dog, you married the snake! Your expectations could never have been correct, as the dog is not the same as the snake. The man shows his true colors over time (people can only pretend for so long) and if you continue to treat him as the cute, warm, and cuddly dog, do not expect him to change from snake to dog – it doesn’t happen. Your expectations are what must change – or better yet, have no expectations at all.

I think as I continue reading I will have much more to share.

What do you think?

Is anyone reading this? LOL

I’m interested to know how many others are the least bit interested. Are you also searching?

Do you believe as I do that there are no coincidences? Do you believe that we are all connected?

If you do not want to comment, I certainly understand. You can email me directly: takeituponyourself@gmail.com

UPDATE: July 6th, 2014 –> Check out my post, We Are All Connected.

A bit about me:

An Amazon bestselling author of two co-authored books: “Transform Your Life Book 2 Inspirational Stories and Expert Advice,” “Energy of Receiving”, plus author of “Blue Eyes: Ethereal Messages of Connection,” and holistic health book that details how I naturally reversed asthma, “Have Yourself a Wholly Vibrant Life: Reversing Asthma and Other Chronic Illness Naturally” all available on Amazon.

Be the best version of who you want to be.

Information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

For more about me, this blog, how I create websites, why I wrote a holistic health book, and more, find me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey Connections, Mind-Body

Lou-Lou and Beau, my “kids with fur”

About our fur babies

Preface: I’d been told that when you’re in recovery, it was a good thing to get a dog. I had no idea what I was in for, or what a huge commitment I was making! 🙂 Over the years, I was going to observe and learn a lot from my two doggies, “kids with fur”, or “fur babies.” Oh yes, a lot!

Receiving them into my life

I bought Beau from my cousin, while she was working as a long distance trucker. She also bred Shih-Tzu’s. Her mom and dad brought Beau to me (via a long drive on her mom’s lap) from WV to FL when Beau was only 6 weeks old.

I don’t recall if my cousin told me this, or it just seemed to me to be the case, but Beau must have been the runt of the litter. Always quiet and unassuming, he would let the other puppies walk all over him. At least that always proved to be the situation when we introduced him to our spirited and challenging female Shih-Tzu, Lou-Lou.

Lou-Lou was about a year old when a friend of mine convinced me she should have a playmate or mate as it were. I actually registered Beau with AKC under the name, “Lou-Lou’s Beau”.

Lou-Lou was the alpha of the two. They had two litters of puppies together when Beau was about 2 or 3 years old. My cousin told me to be careful that Beau didn’t hurt the puppies. But that never happened. Beau would help Lou-Lou keep all the puppies clean. He was the best dad!!

I had both Lou-Lou and Beau spayed and neutered after that second litter. Later we would come to learn that an accidental pregnancy (too soon after her first) would put severe strain on Lou-Lou’s health. She lived to 12 years of age, mostly because we ate an excellent raw diet and because she was so strong-willed. She had always experienced recurring bladder issues (which meant lots of trips to the vet for us), and finally succumbed due to a combination of complications from arthritis, infections, and more.

Conversely, Beau, has always been easy-going. He’s so polite in fact, he waits to be invited up on the couch! (Now I have to lift him up on the couch). Up until this year, he wouldn’t remain on the couch when I would get up for a few seconds to grab a drink or something! (I have to lift him from the couch to the floor now). He has never had an accident in the house, unless ill. He never barks. He never scratches anything. (Well, he did a couple times, no idea why). He never begs. Okay, maybe a little! He’s really just the perfect “man.” LOL

Lessons they taught me

Beau has taught me much about life, and continues to. He never sees a stranger. Beau is totally the social butterfly! 🙂 His eyesight has deteriorated now, so his behavior has changed some. He is more concerned with the smell of things than who is walking near us. But he used to make me a tad bit jealous, because he could just take off, go to anyone, and leave me behind without a second thought. In fact, I am quite sure of that. I am the one that superimposes my human ideas onto him.

Lessons my fur kids taught me

Beau introduced me to many of our neighbors, some even when they were outside (and did not have a dog)! He’d just go over as far as I would allow (on leash) and stand, until I acknowledged the neighbor, or admonished Beau that it was time for us to go home.

He’s more fond of adults than children but he’ll put up with kids petting him – though he gives me a look sometimes like, they’re not his type! LOL. Of course he’s always gentle. Only rarely does he come upon another dog that he doesn’t like. I always find that amusing and feel it must be a “vibe thing.”

Letting go

When we had to say good-bye to Lou-Lou December 2012, Beau never missed a beat. He didn’t display any sadness. Perhaps he knew it was just time. I think he’d really known much sooner than I that it was time for her to “move on” to another plane of existence. At any rate, he seemed relieved.

She had always shared food and they ate together well, but she had to get on the shared doggie bed first, get it all ruffled “just right”, before Beau could lay down. When I came home from work, she had to be on my lap first, get leashed for walking first, absorb the most of my time, and grab all the attention (she was a barker) with neighbors and other dogs when we walked. Many of our walks were stressful just because she would bark and carry on when other dogs walked by. I even took her to doggie training to try and curb her behavior. It worked – for awhile.

Now, all the focus is on Beau. And I promised Lou-Lou it would be – on our last trip to the veterinarian.

I had to fight many battles for her with different veterinarian’s over the years as her bladder issues reoccurred. I developed anxiety over even having to take her to the doctor. I had to learn it was never about me. It was always about her and I had to determine eventually that my intention was the same as the doctors we saw – to help her whatever we had to do. Granted everyone has to make money but for the most part, those who I had accused of just wanting to make more money from me, well, maybe they just didn’t know any other way to treat her than do many tests (eventually we did all the tests we could) but I struggled with that – a lot.

In the end sadly, to help her – when on top of everything her arthritis was too much for her to even allow me to gently bathe her – the best I could do for her was to make that final decision.

For a year, I had carried her up and down our steps for every walk because she couldn’t make it on her own. Now, I carry Beau as his eyesight is failing him. But thankfully he is pretty healthy otherwise – no arthritis.

Taking good care

My intention continues to be ensuring the best quality of health and life for Beau and I believe I’ve found the best healthcare providers to partner with me. Thank you so much Dr. Rumore and Lisa at Lake Seminole Animal Hospital. Your “petside” manner and love for animals is heartwarming and so very important.

A bit about me:

An Amazon bestselling author of two co-authored books: “Transform Your Life Book 2 Inspirational Stories and Expert Advice,” “Energy of Receiving”, plus author of “Blue Eyes: Ethereal Messages of Connection,” and holistic health book that details how I naturally reversed asthma, “Have Yourself a Wholly Vibrant Life: Reversing Asthma and Other Chronic Illness Naturally” all available on Amazon.

Be the best version of who you want to be.

Information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

For more about me, this blog, how I create websites, why I wrote a holistic health book, and more, find me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey Connections, Mind-Body

We Vote with Our Dollars

Vote with Dollars

The older I get the more I see why it matters where we put our money. We vote with our dollars. Each time we spend a dollar on this or that, businesses profit from it. We can make or break a business by our shopping habits.

When we save, the money stays in the bank or under the bed not doing us any good in the moment but down the road (if we’ve stored it somewhere we are being paid interest) then it may grow into a larger sum of money and  be there for us to use at a later time. I’m not sure if it will be worth anymore because inflation seems to bite into whatever interest was made. And if you had it under the bed you’d end up with that same amount of money but it wouldn’t be worth as much as when you stowed it.

So, back to the point.

Vote with your Dollars

Spending money

Why spend money? Spending keeps people working. When you spend, others have the use of your money. And remember you exchanged your time for that money.

There’s a real relationship between time and money.

If you want to keep the economy moving – spend. If you want to slow the economy – don’t spend.

When you buy a car there is a ripple effect. Others benefit from your having bought the car. And the benefits may be direct or indirect. It reminds me of something I heard awhile back. If a butterfly flaps its wings on one side of the world, does it cause a hurricane on the other?

Support small businesses

Considering small businesses. If someone makes a product or provides a service I feel is good, I continue supporting that business. I will also tell others (word of mouth marketing) about the business and what excellent product or service they provided. I may promote the product or service provider on blogs, websites,  Facebook, etc. All of those good and positive words help that business grow. Conversely if I am not pleased with a business I will also talk about it – and like the butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the planet, it could cause a ripple effect, the likes of which, that business cannot imagine.

If that one negative customer influences several others the business will experience a drop in sales. Enough mad customers could bring down the business – maybe bankrupt is too harsh a word. But if you’re a business owner or service provider and you’re not doing so well, you ought to consider how good you are or if you’ve ticked off a few people. That’s why the old adage came to be – “the customer is always right.” Yes, the customer is always right. If you don’t think that’s true and you own a business let me educate you.

Dissatisfaction costs businesses money

You don’t want your customer to leave dissatisfied.

If you hear any hint of dissatisfaction you’d better step up and make it right. I’m sure you don’t want people blogging about your business in a negative way. And if you don’t care – then you’ve really got problems. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Some people are hard to please. But you’re in business and you need to strive to ensure your customers have a high opinion of you. You cannot control what they say about you but you will go a long way towards having them say nice things about you if you show them you care and will go the extra mile to meet or beat their expectations.

Animals are democratic

Have you ever noticed that the animal world votes in a democratic fashion? If a herd of 100 deer need to get to the watering hole, it’s the 51st animal who influences the whole herd to move in the direction of the water at precisely the right time. Check out the red deer study. I’ve noticed that birds of a feather also flock together – it’s not just an old saying. Have you watched a flock flying and notice how many turn, seemingly at the exact same time, then the rest follow suit almost immediately? Flocking together seems to be the birds way of voting and it is instinctual.

People are habitual

People are also instinctual as well as, habitual. Most people stick with others, whether it be friends, jobs, neighborhoods, cities, or such out of habit and comfort. We stick with what and who we know. Keep us happy and we’ll be around for awhile. Tick us off and we probably won’t feel comfortable and eventually we’ll leave. And we will probably tell others (in some cases a lot of others).

Making it work

If you want friends, customers, and good relationships be nice. Go the extra mile. Live up to your word. Meet or beat others expectations of you. Show you care. That’s what makes it all work.

A bit about me:

An Amazon bestselling author of two co-authored books: “Transform Your Life Book 2 Inspirational Stories and Expert Advice,” “Energy of Receiving”, plus author of “Blue Eyes: Ethereal Messages of Connection,” and holistic health book that details how I naturally reversed asthma, “Have Yourself a Wholly Vibrant Life: Reversing Asthma and Other Chronic Illness Naturally” all available on Amazon.

Be the best version of who you want to be.

Information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

For more about me, this blog, how I create websites, why I wrote a holistic health book, and more, find me on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey Connections

Do people still use Phonebooks?

Do people use printed phonebooks?

This may be my shortest post ever.

I just can’t recall the last time I used a printed on paper, floppy, big, heavy, and real honest-to-goodness phonebook!

Ways to find a phone number

I was searching Google for a naturopathic doctor and kept coming up with yellowpages.com, superpages.com, Local.yahoo, citysearch, and many more individual search portal type sites. I know some of these sites come up specific to whatever you are searching for like Craigslist or Angie’s list.

Stop killing trees

I wonder when the phone companies will actually stop killing trees to print those huge books? I still see them occasionally. Those big yellow books, tossed on door steps and lawns.

I sure hope folks recycle ♻️ any they have, when they’re done with them. ❤️

Times have changed

I’m thinking that our first granddaughter (born in 2012) will never know what it was like to rely on those bundles of wood pulp directories. And that doesn’t bother me at all.

And instead of the 3 inch thick phonebook we used to receive, as of 2020, they’re quite thin!

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey Connections

Things I’ve Never Understood

Even at my ripe age of fifty, there’s still things in life (or at least in our culture and society) I don’t understand. I’ve started a list of those things. Because the mind likes to observe and catalog things. And because people like to explain things. It makes us comfortable when we can explain stuff.

  1. Insurance – Why do states (like Florida) have laws requiring people to buy auto insurance and insurance agencies encourage you also to pay for coverage that covers “uninsured motorists”? If it’s the law, then why doesn’t the state (Florida in my example) cover the uninsured? Or at least force the uninsured to pay for all accidents that are their fault? Which brings me to #2…
  2. No Fault Accidents – There’s no such thing. Someone is always at fault. I understand that it takes two to tango so to speak, or multiple people at fault but no one at fault? I’m not buying that logic unless you’re driving down the road and a tree falls over on your car.
  3. Late Fees – It seems this archaic situation penalizes the very people who CAN’T afford to pay. If the person had the money, they’d have paid the bill when it was due, duh!
  4. Credit Bureau’s – Okay, anyone who knows me, knows I’ve yammered about this subject for years. Credit bureau’s should be illegal and outlawed. Period. They are a private entity amassing too great of control over private individuals lives. They affect how much interest you to pay to a financial institution, whether you can rent certain apartments or homes, whether you can buy a home, and often as well (which really annoys me) influence a company’s decision whether to hire you or not. I say, if they want to remain in business fine, but each citizen should have control over what is released in the file. Oh I know you can “fight” errors on your reports but why is the burden of that fight on the individual? If you become a victim of identity theft you’ll find out real fast just how much power these behemoths wield over you.
  5. Science – People have said to me various times, “I’ll believe this or that when science proves it”. Well my friend you’ll be waiting a l-o-n-g time! Science is by definition, the observation and cataloging of particular things. And science evolves. It’s always changing. Scientists haven’t figured out all of the chemical make up of an apple, can’t tell you exactly how your brain works (granted daily they make great strides), nor can they define or better yet, agree, on how the universe works. Theories, all they have are observations, quantifications, and THEORIES.
  6. Schools of Thought – Adding to why I don’t understand #5, I learned a long time ago there are various “schools of thought” on every subject. So, why would you want to limit your thought to what science (someone else) has to say about your world, your body, or your mind? I say, find your true self, align with it, and be happy. There’s a different school of thought about what you should eat, “science” can prove or disprove it seems, just about every theory. I say check out who funds their studies.
  7. Free Speech – It seems we’ve lost our entitlement and right in this country to FREE SPEECH. Please stand up for free speech (whether you agree with what is being said or not). Seems like that should be a no-brainer but for lots of reasons people seem to want to control what people say. This came to a head for me when folks with a baby in a bar complained about us (two middle-aged educated folks sitting at the bar – the family was behind us at a table) saying a certain word a couple times that they disagreed with. First, we were in a bar, and second, who gives them the right? My husband and I were having a casual enlightened but FUN discourse going on between us, not being loud or brassy, and just happened to use this “word”. If those folks didn’t want their baby, and I do mean this was an infant, not to hear that word, they’d best move along. The bartender told us if we used that “word” any more we’d have to leave because we were in a “family bar”. What?!?! Kids are going to hear that word in a bar, a grocery store, Wal-mart, movie theater, walking in the mall, or coming from a car next to them in traffic. Get over it. Really?
  8. Source – In programming it all depends on who owns, controls, or has access to the source code. You can’t do anything very complex to the program without access to the source code. So, why let someone else, me or a doctor, tell you what’s wrong with your body (your source code). I don’t care how many degrees the person has, or how many years they went to school. They had to practice on someone (lets hope not on you)! No one knows you and your body, like YOU do. I’ve heard people say, “listen to your body” – and I’d believe that to be a good rule of thumb, except – there are exceptions. Sometimes our bodies are controlled by other forces. For example, if you have an addiction to something – that substance has set off certain cell receptors in the body to make you “think” you want whatever it is you’re addicted to, nicotine, sugar, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, all come to mind as examples. I once had a doctor tell someone in my presence that he couldn’t be physically addicted to marijuana – only mentally. Later it was determined (evolving science) that one CAN be physically addicted to the THC component in marijuana.

So I guess, it really doesn’t matter what you know, what you study, or what you do – who believes you anyway? There’s a phrase I’ve heard recently that seems to fit here. Familiarity breeds contempt. It’s why Jesus Christ had a problem getting those whom he had grown up with to follow him and why he had to travel to recruit the twelve disciples. Another thought comes to mind… isn’t it absolutely amazing what twelve people can accomplish – like start Christianity – when they all are of like-mind?

In this day and age of viral marketing, I’d like to see more great ideas “take off.” I’d like it if we could shed some of the things that hinder us. Wouldn’t it be nice?

For me, I’m trying not to take myself so seriously – no one else does.

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey Connections

Why I had quit Facebook

So, the day I originally wrote this, the social networking site, Facebook, went “public.” As in, it offers shares of stock for sale on the stock market.

I was on Facebook for about two years. I thought it was all about reconnecting; sharing tidbits of life, opinions, and photos with old high school friends, college friends, family, and so on.

Little by little, I became addicted to those elementary games and, for a few months, enjoyed playing them.

I had tons of photos on my site.

And then, I posted a lot of opinions – sometimes causing disturbing rebuttals.

Being a computer geek (I met my husband online and I work in IT) I know how to set the privacy controls and all that sort of thing. But, eventually, I got tired of the fad and moved on.

Just like my parents when the old party line telephone was being phased out for a private line in the 1960’s. That’s all Facebook is. It’s a party line telephone!

Do you know why a lot of people moved on from the party line?

Wives were suddenly made aware of their husbands shenanigans. Husbands overheard neighbors talking about how annoying they were, mowing their grass too early on a weekend morning or maybe how loud their truck exhaust was when they drove down the street. Kids picked up the phone only to hear some of the seediest conversations of their lives!

AT&T did great business with the advent of the private line telephone for a reason!

People started realizing they really didn’t want to know what everyone thought of them, or what their spouses were secretly up to.

Anyway, isn’t gossip a sin?

So, I have a sneaking suspicion (and hope) that Facebook will eventually fizzle out the same way those old party line phones did.

It seems bizarre to me that Facebook started out as a private network, mostly for colleges – you had to have a college email account initially to even get started.

Now, you’ll probably think I’m a conspiracy theorist when I say this, but the day the announcement came out about Facebook taking funds from Goldman Sachs (about $450 million), and a private Russian investor (do we yet know who that person is?) that was the final straw for me.

I’m half way through a Masters in Marketing degree so I understand the whole marketing perspective of Facebook – and that they’re only beginning to make money from advertising stuff.

Believe me when that really takes off you’ll already be so addicted you won’t even realize how targeted they’re slick marketing will be.

So, for me when a company gets too much cash inflow I question if there’s something “a bit more than meets the eye” going on.

Who wants the data?

Who wants the photos?

Do they care who I know?

Who’s trying to gain control?

Since I had no way to answer those questions I systematically began deleting all of my posts (and it took awhile since I had to delete each one individually), deleted all of my photo albums, etc. Only when I felt like I had removed EVERYTHING that I wouldn’t want published in a big city newspaper, that’s when I hit the “disable” button.

Admittedly, I’ve been back on, yes you can enable your disabled account again if you choose to, just to view some photos that family or friends refused to email – I know they’re sucked into Facebook, it’s fine, I was there once so I understand, but it’s a pain to disable it – too many questions and crap.

So, I went back on it a couple of times.

If my family and friends want me to see their kids growing up process, they’ll just have to email – or do what I did. Pay to store our digitized photos online.

Everytime I reactivate my account to check photos my family or close friends have posted, I feel wonderful for a few minutes–until I see something that pisses me off. Then I deactivate the account again acknowledging to myself how much I loathe Facebook. UGH!

Bottom line: I think Facebook is a time trap, gut puncher, and time waster for the most part — and I’ve got more important writing to do. 🙂

UPDATE: After the birth of my beautiful granddaughter (and her parents subsequent decision to allow pictures of her to be shared on Facebook), I begrudgingly returned to Facebook. In fact, I even setup an “author page“. Call it hypocrisy if you will, but that’s my story and I’m sticking with it. 😉 I preach a lot about forgiveness, so forgive me – and I’ll forgive Facebook. Just be careful, kind, and considerate out there…