John Morgan, my friend and former boss, put together this video so that I could offer my recording of Virtual Massage on YouTube. YAY! Click on the video below to hear it.
Here's the back story of how I came to write and record Virtual Massage:
My friend Lena was my first massage client here in my new home when I lived at the River House. After she left, I was on the phone to John Morgan, my boss of John Morgan Seminars fame and I said, "I wish I had another body to work on." And he said his shoulder was bothering him and what would I do to alleviate the pain. I told him I'd start with his traps and work into levator...and being the auditory person he is, he said, Tell me as if you're giving a massage in real time. So I did, without the anatomical nerd-talk. At the end of it, he said he felt better and said, "I think you have something here. Write a script." He came up with the name Virtual Massage AND did the post-production (he made my voice sound like velvet!) AND designed the CD for me. John was my willing guinea pig as we worked through the script together and he gave me advice on how to make it even better. On the final reading, he fell asleep (the ultimate success!) and I hung up the phone after I was finished. He phoned ten minutes later saying, "I think you're ready to go into the studio." High praise coming from "America's-Best-Known-Hypnotherapist."
I also wanted feedback from a fellow massage therapist, so I read it to my friend Bess. She said, "That was fantastic! I feel like I've just had a massage and a half!" High praise coming from my favourite massage therapist! The night before I went into the studio, I read it for XM Radio Guy, who has been a client for years. And he said, "That was amazing." THANK YOU!!!
I also have background music on this recording. And not just any music, but my favourite music when I'm giving a massage: Chesapeake Bay: Reflections of Beauty, by Mike Zampi. He let me use the whole CD just like I would in a massage session. So, it's been 13 years and things have changed! But the recording still sounds fantastic. Thanks, John!
I know I can't be the only blogger with this sentiment, right? haha So anyway, here's what's going on:
This is my new CD, Virtual Massage. And this is the story behind how it came about:
My friend Lena was my first massage client here in my new home. After she left, I was on the phone to John and I said, "I wish I had another body to work on." And he said his shoulder was bothering him and what would I do to alleviate the pain. I told him I'd start with his traps and work into levator...and being the auditory person he is, he said, Tell me as if you're giving a massage in real time. So I did, without the anatomical nerd-talk. At the same time I did some distance Reiki and at the end of it, he felt better and said, "I think you have something here. Write a script." He came up with the name Virtual Massage AND did the post-production (he made my voice sound like velvet!) AND designed the CD for me. John was my willing guinea pig as we worked through the script together and he gave me advice on how to make it even better. On the final reading, he fell asleep (the ultimate success!) and I hung up the phone after I was finished. He phoned ten minutes later saying, "I think you're ready to go into the studio." High praise coming from "America's-Best-Known-Hypnotherapist."
I also wanted feedback from a fellow massage therapist, so I read it to my GSF Bess. She said, "That was fantastic! I feel like I've just had a massage and a half!" High praise coming from my favourite massage therapist! The night before I went into the studio, I read it for XM Radio Guy, who is familiar with my healing work and my Healing Labyrinth Path CD. And he said, "That was amazing." THANK YOU!!!
I'm also excited because I have background music on this CD. And not just any music, but my favourite music when I'm giving a massage: Chesapeake Bay: Reflections of Beauty, by Mike Zampi. He let me use the whole CD just like I would in a massage session. THANKS, Mike!
In addition to the new CD, I've written a new website with Homestead--so easy! Not as complicated or labyrinth-beautiful as Healing Labyrinth Path that my friend Val did...but I did it! Techno-tardo moi! It's not official yet--I have to get my domain name, halichambers.com pointed to it (Oh, the tribbles with Stargate..Hehhhh....) Anyway, in the spirit of the Holliday season, I am going to have a drawing. If you go to the new site and subscribe to my newsletter, I'll put your name in the hat to receive a complimentary Virtual Massage CD. There will be 3 lucky winners and I'll do the drawing on the third day of Christmas (next Friday, Dec. 28th). First newsletter will announce the winners and have some homemade spa recipes for relaxing into the new year. Mmmm...yummy....
Monday, October 27, 2008
Down my road on Sat. Oops! Horses! Part of the 7 miles of dirt road I travel out into the world.
I woke up with a smile this a .m. and feeling v. rested. Aaaaahhhhhh...so nice. My motto is
A merrie heart maketh glad the day.
I have a new one:
When you feel better, you do better.
Because it's true: You really DO do better when you feel better. I watch this transformation after I've led a guided meditation or given a massage. We are such a frenzied, stressed-out society. Especially in these economically, politically turbulent times. Get a massage. Meditate. Take time to BREATHE. Or do all 3 with Virtual Massage. ;-) Have a GREAT day!
It's been a v. busy day. I've been getting ready for the Front Royal Air Show tomorrow. I found out about it on Sunday at church-in-the-woods & decided to get a booth. Chiro-sister & I are doing seated massage, as well as selling her glass pendants, & my CD's. I got new packaging for Healing Labyrinth Path--the CD covers look AWESOME!!! National Media Services really came thru. I sent final approval for the CD on Wednesday, and I picked the CD's up this afternoon. How cool is that?
In addition to seated massage, Virtual Massage, & beautiful jewelry, I also made some labyrinth crafty things:
Finger labyrinths on steno pads; great to keep by the phone.
Finger labyrinth rocks. Painted with dimensional paint for the labyrinth part.
So I'll be at the airshow on Saturday & will prolly be tweeting. Will post again on Sunday. Here's wishing Blue Skies to everyone. :-)
Meditation is one of those things that I practice daily. It varies in length; every once in a while it's 10 minutes, sometimes it's 2 hours. Usually, it's somewhere in between. I also take 5 minute breaks throughout the day. It doesn't have to take a long time; you could start out with just sitting down for 10 minutes everyday. The key to getting in the habit is to get in the habit. Decide on a time and place and do it every day. The more you do it, the more you'll want to do it.
I do it first thing in the morning with my cup of coffee, in my Meditation Chair:
Usually with this guy. :-)
Meditation shifts your brain waves from Beta waves to alpha waves. Alpha waves are what you are experiencing in between sleeping and waking. It's a very relaxing space. Meditation also activates your parasympathetic nervous system, so that you are relaxed. This is important because this is the place of rest, rejuvenation and healing. Cell biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton, grandfather of Epi-genetics, says that 98% of all diseases are related to stress. So if you can manage your stress, you can manage your health. Meditation is a simple and beneficial way of enhancing your health and well-being.
Favourite Resources
If you want to explore more . . .
Audio
Recordings of guided visualizations. First up: Dave Dobson. I have fallen asleep to Dave's Beach Trip for 30 years. This isn't technically a meditation recording, but it is incredibly relaxing and great to fall asleep to!
John Morgan (who studied with Dave): Accomplish Anything Take a relaxing walk along the beach and program yourself for whatever you want to accomplish.
Improve Your Self Image. John did this with me over the phone shortly after I started working for him. The knot that I'd had in my stomach for months, melted away, and I drifted off into a deep sleep.
I got these AWESOME photos yesterday from Moriah Diamond, creator of the The Way I See Me photography. I watched her leap around (and encourage others to leap around!) with a huge SMILE the whole time. Here enthusiasm is contagious! You know those inspirational photos with little captions underneath? She makes YOU the inspirational photo and you can create any caption, quote, or affirmation that you want. So go check her out and tell her I sent you!
On the last day of the seminar, after we've learned all about marketing and selling our services and products, we have a Market Place where we mill about and do just that. We tape a sign to ourselves front and back:
Your muscles will melt...
because I'm a massage therapist. But if you don't have time, or you want a relaxing meditation, you can listen to my Virtual Massage CD--with built-in muscle-melting hypnotherapy. Yummy. Back tomorrow with the full Cash Machine Report!
I got an email from my friend Doug O'Brien asking if I knew anyone who would be interested in working in sales for John Morgan. Can I stay home in my jammies and not go anywhere? I replied back. I was out in the wilderness with 2 aging dogs, trying to figure out what to do with my life. Enter John Morgan.
Our first conversation lasted an hour, and I felt like I'd met an old friend. I had. Over the course of almost 2 years, he has been my boss, my mentor, my coach, my cheerleader, favourite blogger, and my dearest friend. I don't know what I would have done if John hadn't come into my life. He has given me the means to support myself without having to have a soul-sucking 9-5 job. I get to stay out in nature or go out into the world if I need to. As long as I have a phone & internet access, I can pretty much go anywhere & still work. How cool is that?
Beyond teaching me about sales and radio, he has taught me a tremendous amount in the hypno-world. I would never have done Virtual Massage without his guidance. It was his idea, and we worked together over the phone. He was also a student of Dave Dobson's and has a way of simplifying complex ideas and at the same time, making it entertaining.
Reminds me of a story . . .
"Remember when Dave said you have to climb out on the skinny branches?" he asked me. "Skinny branches? What?" I replied. "You have to risk climbing out on the skinny branches to get the best fruit." It's a lesson in sales, it's a lesson in life. It's an ongoing lesson for me--risking. I like to think I'm getting better at it.
Dave & John on their last visit. I love that impish look on Dave's face. John didn't know he was giving the finger until he got the photo back. I'm just impressed that John's eyes are open.
Dave was supportive of my work with John and thought it was a good match. I have to agree. Words can't express how grateful I am for our friendship. So I will end with a quote*:
You may recall from Tuesday's post that I was headed to the Goo Goo Dolls concert with chiro-sister & friend Tereasa. As Tereasa & I were walking to the theatre, the tour bus was parked there. I said, "Quick, Tereasa! Go pretend you're going in & I'll snap your picture!" But she wouldn't. So I did:
This was the best of 2 tries with my camera. 1988 Hali would have been on the bus. 2010 Hali took a nap, ate some DSF, and drank 3 cups of PG Tips to stay awake for the concert!
Tereasa managed to be one of 15 picked for the GGD meet 'n' greet. AWESOME! And perfect for her 40th b-day. She took a little gift bag with good-for-you chocolate & I gave her some Virtual Massage CD's to give them. All right, let's get comfortable . . . .
Tereasa with the boys. :-)
On the way to the concert, Tereasa was telling me about the annoying couple at 2 of the other GGD concerts she's been to. "This HUGE guy was right in front & I couldn't see, etc. etc." Well. Guess who was there? HUGE Guy right in front who would periodically leave & come back with more drinks for his drunken tribe. There was this cute little group of girls near him & when he left they would shift over. All 6 of them.
All a part of the concert experience; I'm still amazed that I escaped without a beer bath! This is one of several photos where I took a photo and HUGE Guy's arm would block my shot. There's Johnny's guitar poking out at the mid-region of HUGE Guy's flabby tricep.
HUGE Guy's arm also made guest appearances in my videos.
The opening band was apparently a v. popular boy-band. Before the concert I was reading the band name on the drum kit. Rocket Swimmer? Is that a euphemism for something? But no, I was misreading it. They were called Rocket Summer.
Oh.
Is that a euphemism for something?
Anyway, they were very cute & the lead singer reminded me of Bono in his early days. No white flag to march around, but he was very hands-on with the audience & there were a few people singing along to the songs. They were prolly thinking, "Yeah! We're going to see Rocket Summer but they're opening for some band. I dunno--the Goo Goo Something-or-other." ;-) And then! The GGD took the stage.
Chiro-sister & I wore our Tereasa B-day T-shirts. At the start of the concert, I pointed to my T-shirt & Johnny squinted & read: "Happy Birthday Tereasa." This was the moment to have my video running--but no! I missed it! I did get the rest of what he said, which was: "You know who else's birthday it is today? That's right, Hitler."
*sigh*
The whole night people were telling me & chiro-sister, "Happy birthday, Tereasa." Hahahahaha After the third one, I stopped explaining that I wasn't Tereasa. ;-)
Look! Those heads are sprouting a bass player (Robbie)
They played all my favourite songs and-and-and! It was just an AWESOME concert. Worth the drunk people and the sticky floor and all of it.
I'll leave you with a few shots of Johnny: (You're welcome)
Loved the gauzy back drop!
Let love in.
UPDATE: Someone else got the Happy Birthday Tereasa Moment! Click HERE. YAY!!! "You know whose birthday it is? Yours." Hahahahaha
"I woke up fat," a woman wrote in an email to John Morgan. She went on to tell him of her years of failed yo-yo dieting. Then she found out her husband was having an affair with her neighbor. She got a divorce and gained even more weight. When she connected with an old friend about an impending grade-school reunion, she was extra-motivated to lose weight. Her friend then told her she had attended one of our seminars. Well, as the seminar coordinator, I can't get our program to every city, and we take off a few months in between our New Year and Fall seasons. What to do if you can't attend? Watch the DVD of the seminar, just like the woman who "woke up fat." She was writing John because she did watch the DVD, wondering whether it could work as well as an in-person seminar. She had successfully lost the weight she wanted to. A bonus was that at the grade-school reunion, she reunited with an old flame and a year later, they were married.
It's always wonderful to get unsolicited emails telling about participant success stories. Here's another one that came with pictures:
Recently I was listening to an interview with Bruce Lipton who was talking about how the first seven years of our lives we are essentially in a trance. Our brain waves don't reach a conscious beta-wave state until about the age of seven. This means that we learn everything before the age of seven in a state of hypnosis and it is hardwired into our subconscious. The good news is that the subconscious makes sure that we don't have to figure out how to walk every time we wake up in the morning. In fact, anything we do automatic is the subconscious in action. The bad news is that it is habitual and automatic and if there is a behaviour you notice about yourself that you want to change, it's very difficult to make a change. One way is how we learn after the age of seven, which is through repetition. Anytime you find yourself sabotaging yourself in any area of your life, you are arguing with your subconscious. Anytime you find yourself struggling to make things happen, you are not in alignment with your subconscious programming.
Your subconscious is concerned with one thing: your survival. It will go with the program that got installed in your first seven years, no matter if you're now an adult. So to work with the subconscious mind to make the changes you want in your life, you need to use the tool that installed the program/pattern in the first place: hypnosis.
I get to talk to many of the participants who have attended our seminars over the years. The beauty of hypnosis is that it works with your subconscious mind. One woman I know stopped went gluten free and dropped a bunch of weight. That's what her body needed to do. Another one joined a weight-loss group. Another got a Wii fitness and started playing with her kids. One guy got off his blood pressure meds and dropped 40 pounds in 6 months. That's just the weight loss category. Then I hear from all the grateful people who quit smoking. One woman I talked to had smoked for 40 years! Two hours later, she was smoke-free. I got to talk to her a year after she took the seminar.
You all know that I work for John Morgan Seminars. Since I've been with the company for almost 5 years, I've watched thousands of people go to our seminars to stop smoking and lose weight. I've talked to some very grateful people. The smoking seminar seems the most miraculous because it's the most immediate: we've had 2-pack a dayers walk out non-smokers after a 2-hour seminar. People who have tried everything. One guy who was a meth addict & said cigarettes were worse than any drug he'd tried to get off.
While the smoking stories are dramatic, the weight loss ones are more than just about losing weight. One guy who wanted to lose weight, yes. But the main concern was his high blood pressure that the 2 different medications he was on, couldn't control. Within 3 weeks, he dropped 17 lbs. AND his blood pressure was normal and he was off his meds. He went on to lose 40 lbs. This is like many people's stories; they lose the weight, but they also have other benefits. It's like the opposite of Big Pharma "side effects." Warning, attending our seminars could result in increased energy and smiles for no reason. But I digress.
We are having a holiday sale. I work to get our seminars across the country in as many major cities as possible. But sometimes it's not possible. That's where the seminars on DVD come in. You can get the smoking or weight loss seminar on DVD and it works as if you attended a seminar. I had a friend get the weight loss DVD & she said she didn't really feel any different. But she noticed the next day that instead of her usual lunch, she chose a salad instead. There was no will power, no conscious forcing herself to change her diet. She just did it. The beauty of this program is that it gets you in tune with your own body and what it needs. We all have an innate wisdom and it can guide you if you listen. John Morgan helps you to listen. And YES, we've had smokers successfully become non-smokers after watching the DVD.
Most people wait until New Year's and then they make some fluffy resolution that lasts until noon-ish on January 1st. Tap into your own innate wisdom and go with your body instead of trying to force it. It's just so much easier.
DVDs are normally $49.95, now more than HALF off!
YES, you can stop smoking!
Go to John Morgan Seminars to check out the sale. While you're there, we also have a lot of other programs. My favourite is still this:
I can't say enough about this. It's an amazingly simple process that helps you to transform your self-image, which drives everything! The first time I heard this was shortly after I'd started working for John. I was on the phone with him, as per usual, and I was experiencing a lot of anxiety. He did this process with me for a few minutes, and the knot I'd been experiencing in my stomach for months, melted away. I felt a sense of calm that I'd not felt in a long time. This IMPROVE YOUR SELF IMAGE CD is the gift that keeps giving. I often fall asleep to it.
The CDs are normally $29.95, so this is AWESOME to get them for over HALF off. GREAT stocking stuffers. There are lots of titles to choose from, but if you don't know what to get, get the latest-greatest, Accomplish Anything. You program yourself for whatever you want to accomplish. This recording was the answer to all those people who came up after a seminar and said, "I know this helps with weight-loss & smoking, but could it help me with ________?"
You can also get Virtual Massage, my CD. If you go to my website, it's $19.95. You can get if for half off if you order if from John Morgan. The only other time I sell it for half off is if you see me in person. So, enough of my yakking. Go check out the sale!
*Morgan in the Morning: John has had an illustrious, award-winning career in radio. This was the name of his radio show for many years.
Today is a most auspicious day in which we celebrate the birthday of THE John Morgan. Years ago, I had a chance opportunity of a phone interview for a sales position for John Morgan Seminars, and John Morgan took a chance on me. To say that he has been one the greatest of influences in my life is not hyperbole. As we are firmly planted in the middle of our second decade of knowing each other, I am forever grateful for his role in my life, as a boss, mentor and friend.
Here's a video that gives more backstory of his illustrious career:
In honoUr of his birthday today, because birthdays are a BIG deal in the House of Morgan, I thought I'd do a retrospective of some of the many posts related to John through the years. He was a great supporter of my blog and writing, and I always pay attention when he says, "I think you've got something there."
I included a lot of family photos, which I won't share here. I also included some of his birthday-related blogposts. Here are a few pages:
Photo of him and his dad.
John & his mother in a photo booth:
Looks like a Tim Holtz photo strip. That's one
of his tiny paper clips holding it to the page.
Photo of Steve Martin that John took at one of his shows:
So I signed it a la Steve Martin.
Last page:
Magnolia May was really John's idea! So I
had to have "her" sign his book.
The idea for this is that friends and family can sign The Birthday Book, so I included a pen loop and (NON-fountain) pen:
Back cover of the Birthday insert:
John is wearing one of his granddaughter's
hats, taken at her birthday party.
Second insert: I have notebooks & journals filled with notes I took over the years for John Morgan Seminars. I've often read them to him, but he's never seen them. So I included a few pages in an insert for him:
I copied the entries onto parchment paper:
The third insert is Radio-themed from his days in radio:
Inside has a pocket made with a photo of him when he was a DJ at KCMO (Kansas City). He rode a bull for some radio stunt:
Inside the pocket is one of his blog posts, Friendship,
printed onto parchment.
Here are a few pages with quotes and stories:
John had Gary Owens (from Laugh-In) record some
"drop-ins" for his show.
Center of insert:
Newspaper article from DJ days at KCMO.
Back of insert:
He was "Chuck Taylor" in Wilkes-Barre for 2 years and
told a lot of corny jokes. E.g. "Today's secret word is
PEANUT BUTTER. Spread it around." Hahahaha
Back cover of Radio insert:
I included one of his Grasshopper Notes journals:
For inspiration and a few laughs, you can subscribe to John's YouTube channel. His podcasts are short, 2-3 minutes recordings of blogposts from his Grasshopper Notes site. Hop on over there and give a listen and be sure to wish him a HAPPY Birthday! :-)
And now, here is a collective of a few past birthday posts over the years:
I got an email from my friend Doug O'Brien asking if I knew anyone who would be interested in working in sales for John Morgan. Can I stay home in my jammies and not go anywhere? I replied back. I was out in the wilderness with 2 aging dogs, trying to figure out what to do with my life. Enter John Morgan.
Our first conversation lasted an hour, and I felt like I'd met an old friend. I had. Over the course of almost 2 years, he has been my boss, my mentor, my coach, my cheerleader, favourite blogger, and my dearest friend. I don't know what I would have done if John hadn't come into my life. He has given me the means to support myself without having to have a soul-sucking 9-5 job. I get to stay out in nature or go out into the world if I need to. As long as I have a phone & internet access, I can pretty much go anywhere & still work. How cool is that?
Beyond teaching me about sales and radio, he has taught me a tremendous amount in the hypno-world. I would never have done Virtual Massage without his guidance. It was his idea, and we worked together over the phone. He was also a student of Dave Dobson's and has a way of simplifying complex ideas and at the same time, making it entertaining.
Reminds me of a story . . .
"Remember when Dave said you have to climb out on the skinny branches?" he asked me.
"Skinny branches? What?" I replied.
"You have to risk climbing out on the skinny branches to get the best fruit."
It's a lesson in sales, it's a lesson in life. It's an ongoing lesson for me--risking. I like to think I'm getting better at it.
Dave & John on their last visit. I love that impish look on Dave's face. John didn't know he was giving the finger until he got the photo back. I'm just impressed that John's eyes are open.
Dave was supportive of my work with John and thought it was a good match. I have to agree. Words can't express how grateful I am for our friendship. So I will end with a quote:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN!
- - - - -
I sent him a package last week. Birthdays are very special in the House of Morgan. John says that everyone's birthday is reflected on a clock twice a day. And when you notice a special date on the clock, you can say a wish for that person. So 4:16 is John's birthday. I am not often awake at 4:16 a.m. but I can notice the clock in the afternoon. I made something for John with a graphic that had "John 4:16" on it. I ended up not using one, so I cut it up and put it on the outside of John's package:
I was not prepared for the response from the gal at the post office. She said, "That's my favourite quote from the Bible. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." And then a man standing behind me said that was one of his favourite quotes, too. Post Office Gal said, "We should put more scriptures on packages."
I nodded. I'm not really up on bible passages. I sort of recall a wrestler with a John 3:16 tattoo, but not 4:16. I didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't a scripture because it had such great meaning to her. So I said, "Me, too!" And now it is.
- - - - - - -
Today is John Morgan's birthday. Loyal readers of this blog know all about him! Over the course of almost 11 years, I have peppered in stories of our conversations. He is one of the funniest people I know, with a dry sense of humoUr and quick wit. It is because of him that Magnolia May was born, when we were on the phone and I got a delivery from a planner company.
"I can NOT listen to you BLATHER ON about another planner . . . UNLESS YOU DO IT WITH AN ACCENT!" And so I went thru the unboxing with him, ooh-ing and ah-ing with a few Southernisms thrown in. In honoUr of today, here's the first video of MM:
And as John says, ALL THE BEST!!! :-)
- - - - - - - - - -
I will end this special Birthday Blogpost, with a re-post of Mum. I think she was his biggest fan and used to print out his blog posts and send them to friends and family via snail mail! She used to say, "The world would be a better place is everyone read John's blog!" One year, I made a Grasshopper Quotes book for her, which she LOVED:
Every year, on holidays, her birthday & special occasions, Mum gives the edict: "I don't want any gifts. Only consumables."
*SIGH*
So this year for Mother's day, I gave Mum a book I made for John Morgan for his birthday:
I did it with Picaboo, a GREAT company for creating photo books.
John has a Grasshopper quote-of-the-day thingie that you can sign up for. So I took the first 500 and put them into a book for him. Here's Mum reading:
I think she was laughing at: "It's flattering when someone asks for your advice; it's world-changing when you take your own."
"Life doesn't have an undo button."
When I look at these photos of Mum, I can hear her laugh: WOO-HOO-HOO-HOO-HOO! It's a fitting way to end, as John has brought a lot of laughter to all those who know and love him. So, dear John, may today be filled with MUCH LAUGHTER and MIRTH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
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