Category: Announcements

The Journey Continues

What a month June delivered to us. Astrologically, we experienced two eclipses. Mercury retrograde joined Venus retrograde and we welcomed the first day of summer and celebrated the longest day and shortest night of the year in the northern hemisphere. As the wheel of time continues to turn, we entered into the waning half of the year. Until the winter solstice, the light of the days will slowly shorten as the nights lengthen. Since we are in the height of summer, this will not be noticeable for a few months. But as we edge towards the autumnal equinox in September, the daylight hours will shorten and the temperatures will begin to cool. For us here in Arizona, that will be a welcomed relief!

The Adventure of Self-discovery

I have so much that I want to share with you this month. I continued my studies with Tommy Rosen and have experienced so much joy, insight, motivation and gratitude for his work and for the discoveries I have made. The 8-week intensive just completed and the 13-week Kundalini and Vinyasa yoga classes that I attended every weekday are on break for the month of July. Tommy is taking that time off to write and rest. He has given so much of his heart and soul to us students these past few months. We wish him well on his break. (If you are interested in finding out more about Tommy Rosen’s work, here is a link to his website and offerings.)

Continuing on The Path

I was contemplating what I was going to do after this course, having been so immersed in his work and with this tribe, but I didn’t have to wonder long. I met a beautiful student of Tommy’s and indeed a soul sister. She is taking me and 3 other women into a deep dive for the next 9 months starting mid-July. I am extremely excited to be a part of this adventure.

I continue to receive more and more information and guidance regarding my work as a healer and wellness and recovery coach. I am developing some juicy programs that I will roll out in fall. Meanwhile, I am open to working with anyone one-on-one via Zoom. (See details)

I ended my last newsletter promising you I would continue to take you on my journey of awakening with me. What follows is the next chapter on that journey. These offerings are a part of the memoir I am writing, with the intention to publish in 2021. I very much appreciated your comments and feedback after my May newsletter and continue to welcome them.

The Journey Continues
Chapter 2

Divine Grace

It was time to move from the wonderful Italian Villa near Healdsburg to my own home, so I began the search in earnest. I explored diligently from Santa Rosa to the northern Sonoma county line but found nothing suitable. Back to the drawing board! I created a “wish list”, a vision board, prayed and meditated. Soon after, I saw an ad for a house for rent in Cloverdale and drove up to take a look. It was perfect! I filled out the required paperwork and waited. I quickly received a call back from the property manager asking if I’d like to view the home. I found out later that many people had applied for this little gem. Why was I considered and chosen out of all the applicants? The only answer I have for that is Divine Grace.

The Move

My friends rallied to help me with this move. I had stuff in storage, stuff stored with friends and I needed to sort and release even more stuff. All in all, the move came together with as much ease as possible and I immediately settled into my little cottage in the quaint town of Cloverdale. I would be here for the next 2 years, enjoying the bucolic surroundings, hiking and biking among the hills and vineyards. In this peaceful setting, I was able to immerse myself in my spiritual practices. Alongside the beauty and quietness, there were also challenges—like trying to figure out how to make a living so far away from my previous work in Napa and Marin. And there were times when I was lonely. I had one friend in Cloverdale but knew no one else nearby. One day, as I was looking online for work, I noticed an ad for a nurse practitioner in an integrated health clinic. I applied and without ever being interviewed in person, I was hired and offered more money than was originally listed in the ad. I loved that job which took me to clinics in Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa and Ukiah. I particularly loved the patients in Ukiah—just down to earth folks, many were old hippies, some were professionals who were tired of the fast pace and high cost of living of the Bay Area and others just looking for a lifestyle more closely connected to the earth.

Settling In

For the next two years, I commuted to these clinics, kept a few hours at my Napa and Marin offices and saw a few clients in my home office. Even though I was driving a lot and getting tired of spending so many hours in my car, I loved this time of my life.

Change is the Only Constant

Two major events happened during this time that were completely unexpected. I met a man who would later become my life partner and change things significantly for me. And I would be offered a job that was different than anything I had ever done before. Todd moved in briefly with me in Cloverdale, but we would soon relocate to Petaluma to be closer to his work and to the San Francisco Airport since my new job required air travel.

As I look back at the events over those few years, it is clear to me now that only a presence so loving and so magnificent could have orchestrated this Divine Plan. As Tommy Rosen puts it, I felt that “my case was being considered.”

“Despite my worrying, my fretting and my fears, I was consistently carried and cared for by a benevolent loving energy of the Universe that I now identify as the Divine Mother. I began to see that even the challenges were there to develop my inner strength. “No mud, no lotus,” as Thich Nhat Han says.

Learning to Trust

In the next newsletter, I will share the adventures around my new job, establishing life in a partnership, my granddaughter’s decision to move in with us and our eventual move to Asia. I think by now you are seeing a central theme in my life: Divine Grace, guidance, protection—however you define it, is always present. Our task is to slow down long enough and learn to develop the stillness and intuition necessary to remove the blocks to listening and receiving that guidance.

Reconnecting

I am so excited to be reconnecting with you after many years of silence. The past few months have been unprecedented and many of us are trying to find our grounding in these uncertain times. Initially, I welcomed the reprieve from my busy travel/work schedule. A portal opened where I could slow down, meditate, rest, write and deepen my yoga practice. But, like many, I became concerned about money and how I would continue to support myself. Returning to my previous job anytime soon was not likely going to happen. I felt like the Universe was offering me a gift—the gift of time, space, slowing down. A time to go within. A time to listen to my inner GPS. Maybe there is another path for me to step onto rather than returning to my previous work. After all, while I loved my job, it didn’t really feel like my Soul’s calling and I’ve always felt like, at some point in time, I would return to my work as an energy healer, Medicine Woman, Shaman and health coach.

Now is that time.

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Where Have I Been?

In the spring of 2013, I accepted a job in Austin, Texas and was on track to rearrange and relocate my life. I sublet my apartment in Marin, packed my belongings, put some in storage, with the rest to be shipped to Texas. At the last minute, the job fell through. I was left stranded, not knowing where I was going or what I was going to do. Within minutes of telling a friend what had happened, she called me back to say that her boss was offering me her executive wine country home to live in rent free for a month while I figured things out. I jumped at the chance! Shoving the rest of my stuff in storage except for a few things that I would need for the month, I headed North. (I had no idea that I was about to embark on a 7-year journey that would eventually take me to Asia, India, Australia, the Middle East and finally back to the U.S.)

Settling into my temporary digs in the middle of Dry Creek Valley was not difficult. It was a beautiful, serene setting near hiking trails around Lake Sonoma. I had plenty of time on my hands—something that I wasn’t used to—and I took complete advantage of it. I spent time in nature, hiking or just sitting and meditating. I read and journaled. I still wasn’t clear what I was going to do when the month was up and was getting concerned when I got another phone call.  A friend of mine who lived close by had an emergency appendectomy and during the procedure they found some atypical cells that could indicate cancer. After her recovery from the appendectomy, she had to undergo another surgery to remove part of her colon, as a precaution.  She and her husband asked me if I would come stay with them in their picturesque Italian villa nestled in their Zinfandel vineyards to help nurse her back to health. I would have my own en-suite and could stay with them rent free in exchange for my nursing skills.  As my friend’s health improved, my role transformed from caregiver to something more akin to a sister. We agreed that I would pay rent for my room and become a part of their household for the next 6 months. To extend my respite from my previous hectic work/life schedule was just what my body and soul needed. For the next 6 months my life looked vastly different than it had for many years. I had a chance to rest, see a few clients, journal, meditate, get back into nature, socialize and contemplate. I could see that the Universe was indeed taking care of me, yet I wasn’t able to fully relax into that knowing. I kept wondering and, at times, worrying. What was I supposed to do next when this time in Shangri-La ended?

forking paths

Despite all the fretting and worrying, I was gradually developing a trust in the Universe through my spiritual practices. I read books such as E-Squared by Pam Grout, I Can See Clearly Now and Wishes Fulfilled by Wayne Dyer, The Law of Divine Compensation by Marianne Williamson, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza and many more.  I listened to affirmations, guided meditations, prayed to my spiritual teacher Amma, journaled with fervor, and continued my yoga practice. While I was at the early stages of learning this “trust” lesson, it has turned out to be the one of the core lessons and profound shifts of my life, ultimately leading me to uncover my purpose or “Dharma”.

In my next newsletter, I will continue to write about my adventures and what transpired in the next chapter in this saga:  where I would be living, what I would be doing and the struggles and shifts that were occurring on my inner landscape. My intention is to help you discover, as I have, that the universe really does have our backs. It always has. And to not only believe it, or know it intellectually, but to really feel it and experience it, trust it and allow it to be your Guiding Light. There is a conscious, loving energy all around us and if we can learn to invite it in with unfolded arms and an open heart, we can experience life as a joyful and profound gift. I have come to accept that every challenge I am given is really an opportunity to grow into my divine soulful Self.

Working with Rachelle

Nothing would bring me more joy than to share my healing practices with you to help you find your footing so you can evolve, and fully experience your joyous birthright as a spiritual being—learning to relish the challenges inherent as a human in physical form as guideposts toward conscious transcendence.

Individual Sessions

Our one on one sessions are individualized to meet each person’s unique need. The tools that I draw on include my background in psychotherapy and expressive arts, functional and holistic medicine, shamanic practices, astrology and oracle readings. Most of my clients meet via Zoom; however, once shelter in place restrictions are removed, we can meet in person in my home office.

Personal Retreats

If you are called to take our work deeper, you may want to consider scheduling a personal retreat. These are typically 2 days (can be weekend or weekdays). We will gather in my home nestled near the Sonoran Desert Preserve in Arizona. The retreat is uniquely designed to meet each individual’s goals and needs. I incorporate ritual, art, somatic healing, breathwork, meditation, yoga, astrology and/or shamanic journeying to customize each person’s experience. Prior to your retreat, we will meet via Zoom to tease out what you passionately desire to experience and what outcomes you want to achieve from our time together.
Accommodations and travel are not included but I will assist you in making these arrangements. Delicious vegetarian/vegan organic meals are included.

Sedona Hike

May Updates

Signs of new growth are bursting forth everywhere I look these days. From mustard blooming faithfully between rows of woody grape vines, to the trees in a full regale of white, rose, and pink blossoms. With this seasonal rebirth and the beginning of longer days it feels like playtime, especially out in the bounty of nature. Everyone just seems to be happier. And I, too, feel like I am finally emerging from a period of retreat and introspection.

Recently I’ve enjoyed some awesome hikes along the coast where fresh wild greens and flowers make the landscape luscious and bright with sweet color. I also went to a Giant’s game, which is always a pastime enjoyed when the days stretch on into a slow, golden sunset. I just celebrated my birthday and it’s fitting that this is the beginning of a fresh, new year in my life for major changes are afoot!  I spent 5 glorious days on the Mendocino coast for my birthday and took advantage of its beauty and remoteness to listen to my inner guidance for my next steps on this journey of life.

I had imagined that the next time I would be writing to you, I would be telling you about relocating to Austin, Texas for a new adventure brought about by a job offer. However, just a few days before my scheduled departure from Northern California I received a notice that the job offer had been rescinded and the move was off! After recovering from the shock and disbelief I needed to figure out what I was going to do next. And figure it out quickly because I had already rented out my home, quit my jobs and packed my belongings.

Before I had much time to react, I was gifted the opportunity to stay in a beautiful guest home nestled among acres of vineyards and surrounded with hills and trees not far from a beautiful lake. So, I loaded my car with what belongings I thought I would need and made the trip north to what would be my sanctuary for the next few months.

I didn’t know much but I did know this: I was being asked to surrender and trust a force greater than my small self and that I was being taken care of. I had the strongest feeling during the drive that I was on a journey to love. What that really meant and how that would unfold has yet to be revealed. Yet it is with love that I share some of the highlights of this time of uncertainty and the insights that simply trusting has revealed to me in my next post.

November 2012

The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place. – Barbara Deangelis

This is such a great time of the year! The trees and vines are brilliant with their fall colors and the days are sunny and crisp while the nights are cool and (usually) clear. Along with most of us here in the Bay Area, I enjoyed watching the major league play offs and World Series with the Giants coming out as champions for the 2nd time in 3 years!  Over a million people gathered in San Francisco on Halloween to celebrate the victory.

October was an extra special month for me as both of my grandkids and my mother celebrate their birthdays. My granddaughter turned 16 (really?) and continues to enjoy her friends, school, cheerleading, and her car. My grandson turned 10 and loves his sports, especially football and soon, basketball. My mom turned 92 and proudly announced she got her driver’s license renewed for another 4 years!
For me it’s been an exciting month since my last newsletter. I spent a wonderful weekend on Tinsley Island in the Delta for their annual Women’s Cruise. I learned to paddle board (thanks to my patient instructor and host, Cynthia Bernheim), kayaked around the island a few times, and enjoyed a lot of dancing, yoga, and hanging out with amazing women.
I managed to squeeze in another weekend away and went up Healdsburg to meet my cousin and friends for wine tasting and bottling. The vines were especially beautiful and showing off their brilliant fall colors and all the growers and wine makers were happy with a bountiful harvest this year.
This month’s feature article focuses on the importance of using an integrated approach to healthy weight loss. True and lasting healing requires attention to the emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of our selves. When we are out of balance in one area, this affects the whole, as mind, body, and spirit are one.
My whole approach to healing work is based in an integrated model, which experience tells me is essential for reclaiming and maintaining health and vitality. I hope you’ll find something useful and inspiring in this article. Let me know what you think!
With love and kindness,
Rachelle Goering, M.A., F.N.P.

September 2012

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony. – Thomas Merton

As I write this month’s newsletter, my heart is brimming with gratitude and appreciation for my wonderful family and the adventures we shared this summer.

I’ve just returned from a beautiful holiday with 50 of my Goering relatives. Every other year, my father’s siblings and their spouses, children, nieces, nephews, and every other familial relation all gather somewhere in the contiguous United States to reminisce, catch up on the latest from each other’s lives, play games, hike, sing, eat, and simply enjoy each other’s presence.

This year we gathered in Logan, Utah. The family congregated at a local hotel and enjoyed great food, numerous games of Scrabble and Taboo, lively conversations, and one heck of a talent show! Despite all this, I think the highlight of the weekend was the 7 elders sharing memories, insights, and stories from their long and colorful lives. We’ve been reuniting like this for the past 34 years and are fortunate that all of my father’s siblings are still living. At 92, my father is the oldest of The Magnificent 7. I feel incredibly blessed to have such a loving and fun-filled extended family!

Earlier last month, my daughter and granddaughter flew out from Kansas to spend a week with me. We headed up to Tahoe where we enjoyed swimming, shopping, and hiking. We even found a little time for relaxation too! In addition to this girls-only reunion, just a few days before I left for the family reunion, I spent a fun filled weekend in Carmel with a group of friends. So it’s been a delightful summer filled with loved ones and I’m not quite ready for it to end!

Whether it is the love and support of good friends and family, rewarding work, strong faith, or good health, we all have aspects of life to relish and be deeply grateful for. These things also take investment and with that, balance. This month’s article is about finding that balance so that we may have enough to give to each part of our lives, with enough left in reserve for our selves.

With love and kindness,

Rachelle Goering, M.A., F.N.P.

Summer 2012

In summer, the song sings itself.  – William Carlos Williams

Sunny summer greetings to everyone!  As I write this note, I am enjoying a perfectly gorgeous summer morning and watching the moon set over Mt Tam. I am in awe of the beauty of my surroundings and am so grateful to be living in right here, right now!
A few weeks ago I returned from spending the 4th of July in Kansas with my family. It was a sweltering 103 degrees the day I arrived and got steadily hotter each day until a cool front came and brought some rain right before I left. I remember those days growing up on the farm and we didn’t have air conditioning for much of my childhood. We just figured out how to manage in the heat. This visit I spent a lot of time at the community pool with my grandson. Talk about living each moment to the fullest, he certainly exemplified that! I loved watching him jump from the diving board, make new friends, and just have a blast.
In a few days my daughter and granddaughter will be visiting me for a week. We’ll spend most of that time in Tahoe, hiking, biking, swimming and hanging out – I’m ready for a true vacation where I leave all work and daily concerns behind. We’ll also meet up with my niece and her husband in San Francisco who will be vacationing from Wisconsin.
And finally, at the end of August, I’ll be joining about 60+ aunts, uncles, cousins, spouses and children for our bi-annual family reunion. This time it will be in Utah. It’s always a great time to reunite with this clan. We all get along well, have a lot of fun together, play multiple games of Scrabble and Taboo, as well as sing and dance and eat. This tradition was started when my daughter was 9 months old and she’s now nearly 34 so that tells you how long we’ve managed to keep this going!
So it will be a busy and fun filled rest of the summer and my commitment is to live in each moment and enjoy it to the fullest. I feel very blessed with doing work that I love, friends and relationships that nurture and fill me, good health, and the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Wishing you a wonderfully delicious fun filled summer as well!
To your health and happiness,
Rachelle Goering, M.A., F.N.P.

May 2012

I love May! It is my second favorite month of the year with April being my most favorite.  April is, after all, my birthday month. This year I celebrated my 62nd birthday. When I was younger, I thought that anyone in their 60s was old. Now I feel very differently, of course! The truth is, I feel great! I feel vital and energetic; I’m happy and am coming to peace with my self and my life. I’m no longer bothered by the little things that ultimately distracted me from living a rich and fulfilled life. That’s part of the beauty of aging – we learn not to sweat the small stuff, we get to accept ourselves and really enjoy who we are and all that life has to offer.

That’s not to say I don’t have my moments, of course I do. But thank goodness they really truly are just moments. Because I see life as precious and want to live it to the fullest, I consistently do what I can to stay healthy and vital. The lifestyle choices I make have a direct effect on how I am going to look and feel. When I choose healthy foods over junk, when I choose to exercise and move my body with activities that I love, when I am with friends who love and support me, and when I incorporate relaxation and spiritual practices that nurture my heart and soul, I live more authentically aligned with my Essential Nature. And there is something about living in that alignment that allows me to live life passionately, moment to moment. 

My feature article this month is on aging and beauty and asks how we define beauty as we age. To stop the clock on aging is unrealistic, the better choice is to figure out how to age gracefully, to maintain our vitality and zest for life, and ultimately how to redefine our values so that we can embrace the wisdom and maturity that comes with living a long life full of challenges, sorrows, delights and joys. My hope is that each of you will reach deep into your core and allow your inner wisdom to guide you in defining who you are and how you reflect that back to the world.  See if you can get beyond the limitations of the media and your inner critic so access your true beauty–that of your authentic nature.

One last thing before I close this post, I want to honor my mother, Elizabeth Goering,  who at 91 is amazingly vital and feisty. She is such an inspiration to me, and I am very grateful to be able to celebrate another Mother’s Day with her by my side. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!
With Love and Kindness,
Rachelle Goering, M.A., F.N.P.

Nurture Yourself with Pleasure

A very warm summer greeting to you all!  I just finished my morning swim and am  filled with gratitude for the opportunity to begin my day with an activity that brings me so much pleasure! I realized when I allow myself to experience pleasure in all areas of my life, I don’t limit myself to the pleasure that I get from food.  There’s nothing wrong with getting pleasure from food but it should be only one of many ways to bring pleasure into our lives.

Summer is a natural time to seek pleasure and fun. What are some of ways that you can bring more pleasure and fun into your life this summer?  With the longer days and warm evenings, try a walk or hike in nature, or an impromptu picnic while watching the sunset, or maybe take in one of the many summer evening concerts, or just hang out with friends on a sun-drenched patio. Whatever you do, take time, slow down, feel the earth beneath your feet and let nature nourish you.

This month I’m excited to share an article from guest writer Regina Powers called How Energy Medicine Can Help Heal Unhealthy Eating Behaviors. Regina is a holistic nurse practitioner, colleague, and friend who writes about energy medicine and the role it can play in healing unhealthy eating patterns. Read Regina’s article here.

In this month’s featured article I expand in greater detail on healing your abusive eating patterns and why an integrated, holistic approach is essential to transforming your relationship with food and healing the abusive eating that has caused you so much pain and suffering.

With Love and Kindness and to a wonderfully pleasurable summer,

Rachelle Goering, M.A., N.P.

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Break Free from Abusive Eating™
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