Author: Lori Jayne Carlson

The Headdress by lori jayne photojournalist – copyrighted 2018

The paper pilgrim hats and Native American inspired headdress I made and wore during my elementary school years were intended to celebrate a day of “Thanksgiving” for the peaceful relationship between the indigenous people of the Americas with colonizers.

A pretty picture, but history tells us the picture was totally inaccurate. It breaks my heart to think that for all the years I celebrated the relationship between the Native people and my ancestors, the knowledge held in the hearts of indigenous people was that the original Thanksgiving not only saw the killing of hundreds of indigenous Wampanoag people, but led to the genocide of millions of indigenous people throughout North and South America due to colonization.

This Thanksgiving, I give thanks for my Native friends and those who are teaching me the truth of our shared pasts. I want my Native friends to know that I am an ally and will continue to learn and share the truth of the history of the indigenous people and my ancestors.

As a holistic life coach, I teach a Polynesian practice of forgiveness and reconciliation called Ho’oponopono. “Please forgive me. I’m sorry. Thank you. I love you.” Repeating these words has proven to be a powerful way to shift the brokenness in our hearts and can start the healing process. “Please forgive me. I’m sorry. Thank you. I love you.”

As a young girl “celebrating” Thanksgiving…I didn’t know what I didn’t know about the truth of Thanksgiving. But this Thanksgiving, knowing the truth of the history of our country and trauma that still resides in the hearts of many of the indigenous people I know and love, I am filled with love and gratitude because I know that truth and I will not be silent, I will pray for forgiveness and reconciliation using Ho’oponopono, and I can and will be a part of the healing.

I love you all … xo

#LoriJayneLifeCoach #Ho’oponopono #EnjoyTheTurkey #KnowTheTruth

Last night, we experienced a wicked storm…maybe one of the worst this summer. Now, I’m used to Iowa storms (having previously lived on the edge of tornado alley) so, I have experienced some doozies … but, last night’s storm was pretty wild.

Lightning and wind. The threat of a power outage. Torrential rain and flash flooding.

I’ve kind of felt I’ve been living in a storm the past several weeks. It’s amazing how easy it is, while riding the storms out, how we forget the calm after the storms.

Just like the calm after a storm, this morning I feel better, clearer. Not yet a place of certainty, but a place of faith. (I did, after all, make it through another storm).

I am on a journey. We all are.

There will be storms…there will be times of calm and clarity.

It’s just the way life is.

When you storms overtake you, there are many tools to help you get through them (mediation, movement and conversations with a good friend or with God – to name a few).

Take a deep breath, right now. All the way down into your belly. Doesn’t that feel better?

Take another one. Nice, right?

One more deep deep breath.

Ahhhh…that is how it can feel.

Deep breathing can turn fear into excitement, pain into clarity and sorrow into understanding. (It’s also really an amazing way to lose weight and heal your body … more on that in future post).

Deep breathing can get you through the worst anxiety.

So, whether you are riding a storm out, or experiencing the calm after the storm … just keep breathing.

Life really is that simple.

I love you all and will be with you again soon … xo.

#LoriJayneLifeCoach #LifeIsSimple #JustKeepBreathing

I was talking to a very dear and wonderful friend of mine earlier this evening about the work that I do with mindfulness, energy healing and life coaching. I am not one to push my own stuff on to anyone else, but I do like to offer what I do to help others. My friend has always seemed very resistant to my work as a healer and coach whenever it would be brought up in conversation. Tonight, I told her I felt she was resistant when I would bring up my work and asked her if she would rather I didn’t offer it to her any longer. She asked me a question that I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about.

She asked, “Why hasn’t it worked for you?”

I responded generically saying something like, “It’s a process.”

After I left her place … I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about that question.

It was a great question actually.

The fact is … it has worked for me … over and over again.

Because life has ups and downs, man.

Have you ever heard “if you are a flat line ..,.that means you are dead?” It is so true!

The thing is … the techniques I use have worked … and have been proven to work in my life and for many others I have worked with … over and over and over again.

I have healed my own depression, PTSD and addictions. I have witnessed medical miracles. I have see many shift into a higher consciousness. I have seen so many, including myself, take steps and begin loving themselves even after they believed they would never be lovable to anyone.

Do I have more work to do? Yep. Absolutely.

But … I am here today because of the mindfulness, energy work and coaching that I have used and incorporated into my life.

I am an internationally published photographer and writer. I created my dream job and cash seemingly out of thin air when I applied the techniques in my daily life.

I have had great loves.

I have healed relationships and created so many new wonderful ones.

I feel so blessed every day to even be here considering the traumatic past I experienced as a child.

I am compassionate, I love, I laugh and for the most part I live with a lot of peace in my heart …  more than I had ever imagined I could have.

It is only when I am NOT doing what I know works – to create that abundance of love and laughter and peace – that it appears it isn’t working.

And … the truth is … even when I can’t see it working,  it is all still working “behind the curtain.” Wonderful magical things are still just waiting for me to align with them. For it is only when we are in alignment with our highest selves, God, the Universe, that we can have all of those things (and far more.)

There are times in our lives when we lose momentum. I have done my yoga and meditation practice most every day for the past 11 years … only missing a few days during all of that time. Sometimes shit happens, you know? Like me having influenza (the icky kind), which turned into pneumonia, that brought me down for almost three weeks. In times such as those – we can lose our momentum and it might take a bit to get back to where we need to be.

And a very cool part was that during that down time … I learned new techniques and practices that I can now use and incorporate not only in my own life, but I can teach what I learned during that time of contrast in my life to those I work with as well. You see … because there is beauty and good in everything.

So … in answer to your question my dear dear lovely friend … it has worked for me and will continue to as long as I continue to do what I know works.

I love you and I thank you so much for not being afraid to ask the questions that reveal so many beautiful answers. I am so blessed with you my beautiful friend.

Love love love to all … xo

I woke up this morning thinking about creating a photo series featuring yarn-bombed little-people wrestlers. “What the hell did I eat last night?” was my next thought.

Okay … so this might not be something I’ll actually do or focus on. But … I’ll tell you what … this thought got my imagination sparked. Like …  that spark has been out for a while too as I’ve gotten comfortable in my job as a photojournalist, which I have actually loved. So … I’ve been asking for some direction on what I could love more than what I’m currently doing in order to take my next step.

And what does this have to do with yarn-bombed little-people wrestlers?

Well … doing an intentional photo series, instead of my journalistic work, would give me more control over my subjects and more creative license (instead of shooting from the hip and putting up with horrific lighting conditions), having the chance to play a bit more with my photos. These things sound appealing … very appealing.

After working as a photojournalist, I’ve learned a great deal about photography and lighting and people and so much more. And I’m so grateful for it all. But, as I have been looking to take a step forward in my career, I hadn’t yet felt excited about anything else other than doing what I have been doing.

One silly idea comes into my head and I know my path, something to look into at least. And I’m excited.

Studio work? Or creating art perhaps?

Annie Leibovitz.

Annie Leibovitz started as a photojournalist and became known for her iconic images of people. She’s a major player and I’ve always loved her story and her work.

I have a few groups, clubs I could perhaps start with. (Those of you who might be reading this might know who you are). Do little interviews … really get to know someone and create a portrait of that person … an iconic portrait.

I still have my little portable studio. I will totally need an upgrade though. New equipment … what photographer doesn’t love that idea? (If you’re a mechanic or a carpenter, think new tools. If you’re a fashionista, think new shoes. Yeah…that’s what it feels like for a photographer to think about new equipment). Manifesting new equipment … yep, I’ve done that before and I can totally do that again.

I can travel around the U.S. doing it (in my RV) (with my dog). I don’t have my RV nor a dog – yet – but this is something I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time.

Would I do this on my own? Or maybe work for a while with someone I can learn from?

Annie Leibovitz?

Hmmm … the juices are flowing.

The point of this blog is not just to share crazy thoughts that come into my head. The point is to not dismiss crazy little ideas when they come to you. Go with it for a moment and see where it takes you.

Those thoughts, like everything else in and around you, are there for a reason and could very well lead you to the answers you’ve been searching for. Those thoughts could lead you to life of your dreams.

I totally just Googled “yarn-bombed little people wrestlers.” No one else has done it – yet. (wink)

Next post – manifesting.

Love ya!

xo … lj