Adventures on the Tuckaseegee River!

 

It's takes practice...to be truly good at a thing.  Including...keeping your heart open.

To me this means...I don't stop doing the things I love rather...I seek them out more. And I bring friends!

It truly takes courage to allow ourselves to remain open to possibility versus shutting down after we've experienced the pain of grief or despair or heartbreak.  I know you know what I mean here.

And I've learned that continuing to engage in things that stretch us a little bit can be so very powerful. If you're too afraid...invite your friends. Because there's something about having your besties along with  you when you're about to experience something epic!

These things don't have to be expensive...in fact they can be totally free activities. So no, you don't have to put yourself into a tough spot...but rather sometimes just a little creativity will do.

This whitewater kayaking trip with Tuckaseegee Outfitters in Whittier, NC cost just $30 per person and SOoooo worth every penny!

Of course you can spend thousands of dollars on a Colorado River trip through the Grand Canyon...but I'm simply saying...if you're planning to repeat said fun and adventure over and over...it can be done on a budget.

So...that said...go...be...do!

and Stay Wildhearted!

 

 

 

The Hidden Language of Frequency: Discover the Invisible Forces Shaping Your Life • 40-Min Live Zoom • Thur, July 16 • 6:30 PM ET

  

 

The Hidden Language of Frequency

Session One: Everything is Energy...Now What?

A practical introduction to living as an energy being.

Thursday, July 16 | 6:30 PM ET
40-minute Live Zoom Exploration with Rachel Dickson
$10

---

We've all heard the phrase...

"Everything is energy."

But what does that actually mean?

More importantly...

What does it have to do with the way we experience everyday life?

In this 40-minute immersive Zoom session, we'll explore frequency as a lived experience in some very practical ways.

Together, we'll begin noticing the invisible forces already shaping our thoughts, emotions, relationships, and even our sense of well-being.

We'll explore questions such as:

• What does grief feel like from a frequency perspective?
• Why does music have the power to move us?
• What happens to our awareness when we spend time in nature?
• Why does noticing matter?
• How do we recognize the frequency generated by our thoughts?
• What simple practices help us to maintain our “home frequency?”

Imagine for a moment that life is speaking to us all the time.

Birds are speaking.

Trees are speaking.

Water is speaking.

Our nervous system is speaking.

Emotions are speaking.

Intuition is speaking.

Resonance is speaking.

The language is already here.

Most of us simply haven't learned how to listen...or how to interpret what we're experiencing.

This session is about how to become more observant.

Some of the most profound shifts in our daily lives come from learning to notice what has been quietly present all along.

If you've ever sensed there's more happening beneath the surface of everyday life, this conversation is for you. (Think Matrix).

Together, we'll begin exploring The Hidden Language of Frequency and discover how awareness may be the doorway to living with greater presence, coherence, and connection.

Frequency may, in fact, be the doorway to becoming a conscious participant in our daily lives instead of simply reacting to our circumstances.

I personally invite you to step into a new way of seeing yourself and the world.

 

---

Details

Date: Thursday, July 16
Time: 6:30 PM EST (please note the timezone)
Length: 40 minutes
Location: Live on Zoom
Cost: $10

(reservations are no longer available.)

Once you reserve your spot, you’ll receive an email with the Zoom link for Thursday.
Just show up, settle in, and we’ll take it from there.

 

 

Life has this special way of jamming us in so tight that no amount of wiggling will set us free.

 

I'm gonna guess you're thinking the same thing I was thinking when I saw this old metal car hood jammed into these trees along the creek bank. 

I was hiking along and had just broke through the tree line and stepped out onto the edge of the bank when I looked downstream and saw this image.

"Really?" I thought to myself. "A car hood, out here? Come on!"

In my myriad of outdoor experiences there's usually beer cans, rubber tires, some chunk-a-metal something, plastic bags, water bottles and every other sort of man-made litter you could imagine lying around out in the woods.

But this time it sorta jarred me into reality. (Sorta like the sound the Road-Runner makes in the old Bugs Bunny cartoons when he stops...foooaaaannnng) Anyway, once I got over my initial shock of what seeing this metal hood did in disrupting my serenity (I stood there and looked at this thing for what seemed like ten minutes.) 

My concluding thought in that moment was, "Wow, this creek must have really been rushing fast and high for this hood to get lodged here like this."

Finally I stepped past it and continued my rock-hopping-adventure along the creek bank...and proceeded to forget about it. About 45 minutes later on my return trip back up stream, there was the hood again in all its glory. 

But this time...it hit me. 
Hmmm, that hood is sorta like life and like me.

I'm floating along life's stream digging the flow and the view and the experience and then I bump into this rock, and that rock and then get stuck on this tree in this place. 

Then this huge flow of water comes at me and jams me into this place where I stay with no ability of my own to move...and simply have to wait it out until the next big rush of water comes and lifts me up and out to float to the next.

I've been there, many times. Jammed into a bunch of trees and rocks. 
Unhappy that I can't move. 
Grouchy that my surroundings have grown stale. 

Until I let go, and simply appreciate it for what it is. No amount of struggle or complaint is going to change it. I simply have to resolve to appreciate where I am and enjoy the moment. Because until I can appreciate where I am and be grateful...I'm not going anywhere. 

Life has this special way of jamming us in so tight that no amount of wiggling will set us free.  We need to be here for some reason.

There's much to be learned jammed up in here, would I just look and listen and learn. And when I realize this and simply sit still and learn, that's when it happens. 

I learn what it is I'm supposed to learn and don't even realize it...and then when I least expect it, that's when the rising river comes. That's when change comes...and poof...when I'm not looking for change anymore that's when I'm lifted up and I float on down stream again...to enjoy life's next adventure.
Ironically, when I'm unstuck and floating down stream again I look back and say, "But wait, I was comfortable there, I liked it there, I had friends there and etc etc." 

Let it go Rache, celebrate what was and embrace the thrill of knowing new experiences await you, likely greater than the ones you just had, once you relaxed enough to enjoy them.

Reminds me too that I once realized that if I can't be thankful and appreciate where I am right now in this moment, then I'm shaking my fist at life and ultimately slapping life in the face
for somehow giving me what I'd asked for in the first place!

Change is inevitable. 

Permanence? 

I'm not sure that exists...and then I hear in the distance, “Be careful what you wish for”...and then, “Be grateful for where you are.”

Not such a bad thing that metal hood I saw there by the creek. 

Ho Ho HO! River mugs are here!

 

Check these out!

Brand new river mugs for you to sip the magic from.

Three designs to choose from right out of Pisgah National Forest in Western North Carolina.
Fresh water photos I took while videography-ing these very special river spots.

Click here to browse the shop!

 

Living as an Energy Being: Our Upcoming Wildhearted Gathering (Sunday, June 28, 2-4p)

 

 

Attuning to Frequency: Living as an Energy Being   (A Wildhearted Gathering)

Sunday, June 28th | 2:00–4:00 PM
Elk Haven Wellness Center | Brevard, NC
Facilitated by: Rachel Dickson, Jaci Daley & Marci Sheer
$25 | Limited seats

---

Everything is vibration.

Your thoughts.
Your body.
Your habits.
Your environment.
Your feelings.

Each of these carries a frequency and together they create the state from which you experience life.
Most of this happens without our even realizing it.
But when we begin to notice it and become aware, everything changes!
In this gathering we’ll delve into how we can develop healthy feeling habits and keep our personal vibration at a level that optimizes the way we function in life, brings us success, and allows us to be naturally more balanced and alive.

Seeing ourselves as energy beings is the one of the most important breakthroughs of our times.  Throughout this wildhearted gathering Rachel Dickson will guide us on a journey to understanding new energy (frequency) principles that we can intentionally use to keep ourselves healthy and improve the realities we live within.

This Wildhearted Gathering is an invitation to experience those principles for yourself.

---

This Wildhearted Gathering is an exploration of:

Frequency in the body

We begin with a live crystal bowl sound bath led by Marci Sheer...an immersion in vibration designed to help the nervous system settle and the body return to coherence.

Understanding frequency and raising vibration is pivotal to affecting change. Marci Sheer will help us begin as we connect with our centers via the frequency and vibration of the crystal bowls to create fertile soul soil for intention setting.

---

Frequency in perception

Through Colour Mirror Wisdom Bottle selection with Jaci Daley, we explore the subtle energetic patterns already active in our life...bringing into focus what may have been operating just beneath our conscious awareness.

---

Frequency in daily life

Rachel guides us on an exploration of our habits, attention, and routines as expressions of the energetic state we choose to live from within.

How you begin your day.
Where your attention goes and why it goes there.
How you engage your body and move through time.

---

Frequency in integration

We close with a guided meditation to help the experience settle into the body so awareness and the principles of frequency becomes something you can feel as well as understand.

---

You may leave with:

• A clearer felt sense of your own energetic state
• Awareness of the patterns shaping your daily frequency
• A deeper understanding of how vibration and attention interact
• Simple ways to begin shifting your lived experience through awareness
• A grounded experience of yourself as both physical and energetic

---

About Wildhearted Gatherings

Each gathering is intentionally designed while remaining open to the wisdom that emerges from those present.

We don't believe transformation comes from someone else having your answers.

Instead, we create experiences that help you access the wisdom, clarity, and next step that's already calling from within you.

Through intentional facilitation, embodied practices, reflection, and collective presence, participants discover that what they're seeking has often been quietly seeking them, too.

---

"The way out is in."
— Thich Nhat Hanh

---

Reserve your seat:

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center (Community Room)
100 Elks Club Rd, Brevard, NC 28712
🕑 Sunday, June 28 | 2–4 pm
🎟️ Tickets: $25 (includes downloadable Vibrational Sensitivity Questionnaire)

This event has passed. Registration is closed.

(After reserving your spot, you will receive a confirmation email with details such as what to expect, the venue address, contact info for questions, and the link to your Vibrational Sensitivity Questionnaire.)

Photo Credit: Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

 

Human default?

 

A little something I wrote back in July of 2024 and... a worthy read.

There's a pretty tough 20 minute hike up out of the Green River gorge at the end of the Upper section whitewater kayaking trip.

Guests are required to carry their kayak and paddle up this trail. They agree to this ahead of time with truly little understanding of what it actually means.

I'm carrying my boat too as we march up the trail. Breathing hard, sweating, muscles beginning to ache. And I get to watch and listen over and over how this is navigated.

Some go quiet. Some talk while they walk. Some get angry. Some just get it done.

But nearly always in these moments of physical stress and discomfort I witness a default human behavior where the focus becomes "what's best for me" and "what's best for me specifically to lesson or eliminate MY pain".

Concern for other's pain almost always goes out the window because I want my pain to be eliminated first and foremost.

Carry my boat for me please, or help me with my burden with little or no concern for the fact that everyone else is experiencing the same exact thing.

I've begun to realize we ALL do this in many areas of our lives. Ask yourself if the truth that exists underneath a moment of disgruntledness is actually based in my need to eliminate my own "best interest" first and foremost?

Isn't this why we get upset when someone takes "our" parking spot? After all..."that was mine" right? Of course it wasn't yours. Its simply a parking spot. The layer of "mine first" comes directly from the mindset of "what’s best for me is best". But is it?

And who is deciding this "bestness" anyway?

I've begun to take note of my own behavior and whether in a moment of dis-ease if I'm acting from a place of "me first". And also trying to navigate whether I recognize someone else acting from "me first" and how to best sail through this moment.

We each have our own default inner programming when moments of fight, flight or freeze arrive.

We don't always see it. Because these defaults have been playing out unrecognized for years. But when you do see it...you can't unsee it.

And I do believe these programs can be re-written and/or re-scripted.

I'm still trying to figure out how to do this well.

Humaning is hard.

But we can do hard things.





#wildhearted

 

Living as an Energy Being: Our Upcoming Wildhearted Gathering (Sunday, June 28, 2-4p)

  

 

Attuning to Frequency: Living as an Energy Being   (A Wildhearted Gathering)

Sunday, June 28th | 2:00–4:00 PM
Elk Haven Wellness Center | Brevard, NC
Facilitated by: Rachel Dickson, Jaci Daley & Marci Sheer
$25 | Limited seats

---

Everything is vibration.

Your thoughts.
Your body.
Your habits.
Your environment.
Your feelings.

Each of these carries a frequency and together they create the state from which you experience life.
Most of this happens without our even realizing it.
But when we begin to notice it and become aware, everything changes!
In this gathering we’ll delve into how we can develop healthy feeling habits and keep our personal vibration at a level that optimizes the way we function in life, brings us success, and allows us to be naturally more balanced and alive.

Seeing ourselves as energy beings is the one of the most important breakthroughs of our times.  Throughout this wildhearted gathering Rachel Dickson will guide us on a journey to understanding new energy (frequency) principles that we can intentionally use to keep ourselves healthy and improve the realities we live within.

This Wildhearted Gathering is an invitation to experience those principles for yourself.

---

This Wildhearted Gathering is an exploration of:

Frequency in the body

We begin with a live crystal bowl sound bath led by Marci Sheer...an immersion in vibration designed to help the nervous system settle and the body return to coherence.

Understanding frequency and raising vibration is pivotal to affecting change. Marci Sheer will help us begin as we connect with our centers via the frequency and vibration of the crystal bowls to create fertile soul soil for intention setting.

---

Frequency in perception

Through Colour Mirror Wisdom Bottle selection with Jaci Daley, we explore the subtle energetic patterns already active in our life...bringing into focus what may have been operating just beneath our conscious awareness.

---

Frequency in daily life

Rachel guides us on an exploration of our habits, attention, and routines as expressions of the energetic state we choose to live from within.

How you begin your day.
Where your attention goes and why it goes there.
How you engage your body and move through time.

---

Frequency in integration

We close with a guided meditation to help the experience settle into the body so awareness and the principles of frequency becomes something you can feel as well as understand.

---

You may leave with:

• A clearer felt sense of your own energetic state
• Awareness of the patterns shaping your daily frequency
• A deeper understanding of how vibration and attention interact
• Simple ways to begin shifting your lived experience through awareness
• A grounded experience of yourself as both physical and energetic

---

About Wildhearted Gatherings

Each gathering is intentionally designed while remaining open to the wisdom that emerges from those present.

We don't believe transformation comes from someone else having your answers.

Instead, we create experiences that help you access the wisdom, clarity, and next step that's already calling from within you.

Through intentional facilitation, embodied practices, reflection, and collective presence, participants discover that what they're seeking has often been quietly seeking them, too.

---

"The way out is in."
— Thich Nhat Hanh

---

Reserve your seat:

📍 Elk Haven Wellness Center (Community Room)
100 Elks Club Rd, Brevard, NC 28712
🕑 Sunday, June 28 | 2–4 pm
🎟️ Tickets: $25 (includes downloadable Vibrational Sensitivity Questionnaire)

This event has passed. Registration is closed.

(After reserving your spot, you will receive a confirmation email with details such as what to expect, the venue address, contact info for questions, and the link to your Vibrational Sensitivity Questionnaire.)

Photo Credit: Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

Home. What it is?

 

I was pondering on this question recently because...I’ve not been at my physical home address of late because I’ve been pet sitting and house sitting in others’ homes for the past few weeks.

What happens when you’re away from your own home for that long is that you begin to miss the comforts of your own bed and so forth.

I began to think more about the idea of “missing home” and knowing that since my pups are no longer here... the energy around my home has changed dramatically. And well...this has altered the “homeness feeling” I used to find there.

Pondering on this further...my next question was...what is “home” anyway?

Is home a place?

Is home a feeling?

or...can home actually be within me?

Enter the teachings of Ticht Nhat Hanh.

If you don’t know who he his...in brief...he was a Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, peace activist, prolific author, poet, and teacher, who founded the Plum Village Tradition, historically recognized as the main inspiration for engaged Buddhism. Known as the "father of mindfulness", Nhất Hạnh was a major influence on Western practices of Buddhism.

I’ve found his teachings very easy to understand, apply and to practice and also quite life-changing.

And I don’t think it is any accident that I came across one of his teachings on Youtube this morning titled “Loneliness and the Illusion of Connection.”

In this 20 minute video Ticht Nhat Hanh speaks of “connecting with yourself and the going home to the island of self as the way to heal ourselves and the way to heal our society.”

This practice involves a very simple mindfulness meditation of focusing on the in-breath and then focusing on the out-breath...and that in doing so we reconnect with our bodies and to the present moment.

Herein lies the answer to my question above.

Yes. Home IS actually within me.

It’s not a place, or a geographical location, or a feeling, or a building, or a zipcode.

Much to ponder here. Much to learn.

Click here to view Loneliness and the Illusion of Connection with Thich Nhat Hanh

Photo Credit: Image by cubicroot from Pixabay dot com

 

Sleeping with a mosquito

This one doesn't require an explanation of any kind.
Be bold, be you!

Carry on.

 

 

 

 

Yoga and connecting to your magic.

 

 

Listen...Yoga with Adrienne is worthy of consideration.

I mean...come on...her super cool dog sleeps in the background of nearly every video!
And Adrienne has 13.6 million subscribers on YouTube. I mean come on. That's telling, right?

I'm more of an at home solo trainer. Not much of a group, gym or yoga studio session kinda person. Please note here...if you are a group person I totally get it...and I still love you.

That said...I've been following Adrienne on YT for years...and took a hiatus for way too long from including "Yoga with Adrienne" in my daily practice.

There was a time too in my life when I didn't truly realize what yoga was about (hint: the breath). I thought it was too froofee and not athletic enough.

Pfffft. Um, let me tell ya...yoga can be soft and calm and it can also smoke your ass. One thing is certainly true for me here...every time I practice yoga I learn more about which side of my body is weaker or more or less balanced or tight than the other.

Is fascinating to me that something as simple as yoga can teach you so much about yourself.

And this practice is SO easy to do with Adrienne. All online... youtube...super easy to do first thing in the morning right in your own living room.

Yep, take this as your "get on the mat" challenge!

So...I'll put the link below to the 22 minute Yoga with Adrienne session I practiced this morning. And YES indeed I feel SO much BETTER!

Just felt the need to pass on the good feels today.

And in the words of Adrienne, "Yoga connect you to your magic."

Namaste.

Click here to get on the mat for just 22 minutes with Adrienne.

You won't regret it.

 

 

 

When an image makes sounds in your head...

 

If you've ever stood on the banks of a lake like this one, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
When an image makes sounds in your head...

The lapping of the water on the shore. 
The calls of the water-birds whether duck or loons or geese.

There's a sweet peace found there. 

And to soak up those vibrations is like a nervous system reset.

Namaste.

 

 

Photo Credit: Kanenori from pixabay.com  

 

When your Chihuahua walks into the grocery store behind you and you didn’t know it.

Willis had just joined the family. It had only been a week or so.

He came to us because his first person had passed away and we had only just lost our toy fox terrier Dodi to pancreatitis, so we had a pet vacancy.

It was a regular practice of mine to take the dogs with me on a hike at a nearby park...and then stop by the grocery store on the way home.

That’s what went down on this date.

Reeses Pieces and Willis were still in the getting to know each other phase.

We hiked...and the off to Kroger we went. Because I’m a professional dog parent...I parked in the shade off to the side of the parking lot...and left the windows partially down. Including the sliding back window of my truck.

I popped out and walked around the front of the store and out of sight of my truck.

Just so happens I’m a list person...and as I got near the end of my list...an announcement came over the speaker system. It went like this...

(Please note here...I’d shopped in this store dozens and dozens of times and never heard an announcement like this one...so of course it caught my attention).

“Would the owner of a tan Chihuahua wearing a blue harness, please come to the customer service desk.”

WHAT? HOW? And then I crack a smile as I proceed immediately to the service desk. Wiiiiillliss!

As I came around the corner...there he was...all grinny. Willis was in the arms of the person working the desk. He had a little gleam in his eye when he saw me. And as I approached I couldn’t help but ask… “um, how did this happen? How did he come to be in your arms right now?”

She replied, “Somebody saw him walking through the produce section and picked him up and brought him to me.”

Clearly, Willis had jumped out the window and followed me into the store. I had no idea just how loyal and capable a chihuahua was...who knew they were trackers? I still can’t believe he walked right through the font door of the Kroger that day.

And yes...I am aware this whole story could have gone horribly wrong. But it didn’t...thanks to some very good-hearted people making excellent choices to intervene on this day.

I took him into my arms and asked if it was ok if I shopped for a few more things before I checked out. She said, “sure!”

Then as I walked the aisles everyone was smiling at us because they all had heard the same public service announcement and they knew this story had found a delightful end. Willis was just smiling away because he’d found me!

But then...it struck me. OH NO, what about Pieces?

So I hurried back to my truck and there she was on the floorboard knowing full well that Willis had broken a cardinal rule of staying in place. I assured her that all was well and promptly closed the back window which clearly is how Mr. Houdini escaped.

Never underestimate the determination of your Chihuahua sticking by your side come hell or high water. Fiercely loyal these little ones.

And don’t doubt for one second that for the remainder of our days together (9 years to be exact)...if Willis was with me...the rear truck window was tightly shut.

And so goes the legacy of Will Willis. Dearly missed...yet I will always honor his big heart and his fierce loyalty. And his gifted ability of knowing where I was at any and all times.

Rest in peace my furry friend. 
Chief leader of my security team. 

You are sorely missed.

Raise Your Vibe: A 40-Min Guided Live Zoom Practice to Shift Your Energy • Thu, April 16 • 6:30 PM Eastern Time

 

5 Simple Ways to Raise Your Vibration
A 40-minute guided practice (live on Zoom) with Rachel Dickson
Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 PM EST | Live on Zoom | $10

---

We gathered for this last month… and everyone loved it so much we’re doing it again—because it matters!

Everything in this Universe is energy.

And whether we realize it or not…
we are always broadcasting a signal.

Through our thoughts.
Our emotions.
Our internal state.

And life responds accordingly.

In this guided gathering, we’ll explore what it means to raise your vibration—
as something real, grounded, and accessible in your everyday life.

This is about learning how to gently shift your energy…
so what you’re sending out begins to align with what you actually want to receive.

Together, we’ll move through simple ways to:

• become aware of the energy you’re currently holding

• shift your internal state in real time

• reconnect with a more grounded, open frequency

• raise your energetic “set point” in small, sustainable ways

No experience is needed.
Just bring yourself… and a willingness to notice what shifts.

---

What You’ll Receive

✨ 5 simple, practical ways to raise your vibration
🌿 A guided energetic reset you can return to anytime and build into your daily life (replay included)
💛 A grounded, supportive space to reconnect with yourself

---

Details

Date: Thursday, April 16
Time: 6:30 PM EST (please note the timezone)
Length: 40 minutes
Location: Live on Zoom
Cost: $10

Registration for this event has passed.

 

 

 

Your Coffee Called… It Wants More Art.

Well… this one kinda poured itself.

River of Life—my latest abstract piece—is now living on a mug, ready to join you for whatever kind of morning you’re having.

Peaceful.
Expansive.
Steady.

15 ounces of your favorite brew + a swirl of color that feels like movement, energy, and maybe a little bit of magic.

And it's only $16.99.

It’s art you can hold. You can sip from it. And carry into your day.

Everyone can use a little more art in their day.
Not a bad way to start the day, if you ask me. 

Click here and take a peek in the Wildhearted Shop.

 

 

Long Live the Littles: Remembering Reese’s Pieces & Willis

 

It is with great sadness to report here that Reese’s Piece and Will Willis crossed over this past Wednesday, March 25th.

I saw this dreadful decision coming towards me for months.  Just over a year ago it was discovered that Willis had a small tumor in his bladder...which was the cause of repeated attempts to urinate every time we went outside.

I’ve since learned that this is fairly common in Chihuahuas, so I sought out information as to what I could do to help him and what I could expect moving forward.  On the other end of this...the outcome was commonly a serious emergency situation which by no means did I want to put Willis or myself through.

For starters...he was 15. And well this matters...because if you’ve had geriatric dogs...you know that there comes a point where throwing money at these little guys might buy time...but it can’t buy well-being.  And that deeply mattered to me.

Willis also was battling patellar luxation in his hind legs...and over the past few months he no longer stood tall...but rather hunkered down a bit...I’m certain to soften the discomfort he was experiencing in his hind legs.

Don’t get me wrong...Willis...like all Chihuahuas...went 90 miles an hour in most everything he did and fidgeted and was often very restless.  It’s just part of the breed.  You cannot make them slow down...but their own bodies can.

Yet he still looked me in the eye with a loyalty and a concern for my safety as head of my security team non-stop.  He often followed me around the house and stood slightly behind me and within inches of my leg. Often when I couldn’t find him I’d look down and he’d be right there next to me. Chihuahuas are like that...fierce and loyal and all heart.  Willis was no different.

He arrived in the family in 2017 when his first person passed away. It was a unique situation because we had just lost Dodi...and then Willis lost Wayne (his person)...and then well...Willis came and met Pieces. Which didn’t go very well at first. Pieces viewed Willis as an impostor for quite a while. But he didn’t care...he still led with his heart...and eventually Pieces accepted Willis into the pack.

He immediately captured the heart of anyone nearby as soon as he walked into the room. He had that kind of attractive energy...like a cute lil fierce and talkative pup would do. He was a sweet sweet boy. 

Willis showed me how to love everyone equally...so long as they gave you some energy and attention in return.  Rest in peace my little tan and white toed buddy.  You are deeply missed.

Now let’s talk about Reese’s Pieces.
Oh my goodness that sweet girl..and drama queen was the boss of the town...but in her later years she bossed more from the backseat...unless her body was required to block between whatever dog was in the room and Willis.  (I saw her do this recently and realized that she was “security teaming” on Willis’ behalf...and this confirmed for me that he was very important to her.)

She was discovered at the Ft Defiance Animal shelter in Defiance, Ohio and her ears were bigger than life itself.  I knew as soon as I walked into the room that she was coming home with me and she filled my life up with stories and drama and laughter and joy ever since.  That was 2011.
I remember walking out of the shelter with her in my arms and the person behind the desk said, “Good luck, she’s a drama queen.”

Boy oh boy they were right...but this made me smile about Pieces.  She knew what she wanted...and she learned how to dramatize in order to create the reality she wanted.  Mostly.

Her hearing was lost almost completely in the last few months. Which took me a while to figure out. Prior to this...if you squeaked a squeaker toy three rooms over she’d come running and rip it from your hands. She was tons of fun with the squeakers.  And then she couldn’t hear them any more and play time become only minutes...when it used to last hours.

The good news was...when a thunderstorm rolled through, or fireworks popped off she now slept all the way through it. No anxiety, no panting, just calm and relaxed because she couldn’t hear it any more.

Pieces had a heart murmur her whole life...and that began to take it’s toll and that showed in her breathing in the night. She also had teeth that declared war on her. And it was an abscess that flared that brought me to having to make the unavoidable decisions coming at me.  She too was 15.

It’s a sad thing to watch your pups deteriorate over time. And its even more sad to realize that the time to make that decision is creeping toward you like a snake in the grass.

But...I can truly celebrate a life well lived with both these precious beings.  15 wonderful years with Pieces and 9 wonderful years with Willis.

I cannot begin to describe the void and the energy vacuum that exists in the new reality I find myself. Literally everything changed in a day.

But I’ve already realized...I have much to learn about grief. And sitting with it in the room and in my heart.  More to come on this journey as I walk into the next chapter of my life.

Long live the littles!

 

 

 

Raise Your Vibe: A 40-Min Guided Live Zoom Practice to Shift Your Energy • Thu, March 19 • 6:30 PM

 

5 Simple Ways to Raise Your Vibration
A 40-minute guided practice (live on Zoom) with Rachel Dickson
Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 PM EST | Live on Zoom | $10

---

Everything in this Universe is energy.

And whether we realize it or not…
we are always broadcasting a signal.

Through our thoughts.
Our emotions.
Our internal state.

And life responds accordingly.

In this guided gathering, we’ll explore what it means to raise your vibration—
as something real, grounded, and accessible in your everyday life.

This is about learning how to gently shift your energy…
so what you’re sending out begins to align with what you actually want to receive.

Together, we’ll move through simple ways to:

• become aware of the energy you’re currently holding

• shift your internal state in real time

• reconnect with a more grounded, open frequency

• raise your energetic “set point” in small, sustainable ways

No experience is needed.
Just bring yourself… and a willingness to notice what shifts.

---

What You’ll Receive

✨ 5 simple, practical ways to raise your vibration
🌿 A guided energetic reset you can return to anytime (replay included)
💛 A grounded, supportive space to reconnect with yourself

---

Details

Date: Thursday, March 19
Time: 6:30 PM EST
Length: 40 minutes
Location: Live on Zoom
Cost: $10

“Registration closed — see you next time”

 

 

 

 

Support the Wildhearted work

 

Every once in a while someone asks how they can support the Wildhearted work.

Truthfully, the gatherings, river videos, Field Notes, meditations, and the spaces we create together take a lot of quiet time and care behind the scenes. And I love doing it!

If something I’ve shared along the way has supported you — a gathering, a story, a meditation, or even a moment of encouragement — and you ever feel moved to help keep this work alive, there’s now a simple little tip jar here:

Click here to add some change to the tip jar.

No expectation, truly. Just one of the ways people sometimes choose to support the work.

Mostly I’m just grateful for this community and the many ways we continue showing up for each other. 

Grateful for you all. 🌿

 

 

 

 

 

The sense of being stared at.

 

 I woke up last night (as I usually do) and got up to let my pups outside. I think it was around 4:30a.

As soon as I opened the door, I felt that feeling and looked up into the forest.

There they were...alert and very attentive to what I and my Chi and Toy Fox terrier were up to.

Laying pristinely on the ground no more than 40 feet away from where I was standing were three very small deer. Necks all stretched and those giant ears radaring the air.

Is funny how we can feel when we’re being stared at. There’s a whole science to this...see the book titled “The Sense of Being Stared At and Other Unexplained Powers of the Human Mind” by Rupert Sheldrake. This fascinating world of invisible connections is explained in full detail here.

But back to my story, I didn’t want these deer to run off. After all I was only going to be a few minutes then lights out and back to bed...I wished the same for the deer.

So I didn’t stare at them since I knew they’d feel the energy this would direct at them and they’d surely bolt. Instead, I took quick glances and wondered what they were thinking as they intently watched Pieces and Willis move about before they came back inside.

Both my pups have lost most of their hearing...so I suspected they wouldn’t even notice these three little deer laying on the ground nearby. But I wasn’t sure if they might smell them or if they too would feel the sense of being stared at and glance back in their direction.

None of that happened. We went back inside...the larger of the three deer stood up so silently...but none ran off at least before I closed the door and turned off the light.

I was kind of hoping they’d still be laying there when I went back outside this morning...but I knew better. I knew they most likely bolted as soon as we were out of sight.

I wonder so many things about the wild. Like how quick movement can be a threat..as is the sense of being stared at. I would imagine if you’re seen running off by a potential predator you’re more likely to be chased than if you sit still in the hopes that you’re not seen to begin with.

What a blessing it was to experience this last night...and to be reminded that we live in the wild. We’re surrounded by it. And somehow that’s very comforting to me.


Carry on.




#wildhearted

Photo Credit: Image by Jeanine from Pixabay

 

 

 

 

The Field We Created

 

 

 

Yesterday we gathered.

And a beautiful circle of open hearts willing to slow down, listen deeply, and explore what lives beneath the noise and chaos of daily life came together in our first Wildhearted Gathering of 2026.

There are moments in community when something subtle yet unmistakable shifts. You can feel it in the room...in the stillness between breaths, in the honesty of what’s spoken, in the way strangers begin to soften toward one another.

That happened.

We explored color.
We listened to and felt the vibration.
We practiced witnessing our thoughts rather than becoming entangled in them.
We remembered that awareness itself is powerful medicine.

And perhaps most importantly — we remembered that we are not alone in this work.

To everyone who showed up so fully: thank you. Your willingness created the field. Your openness shaped the experience. What unfolded was because of many people participating.

These gatherings are about subtle recalibration. About returning to zero point. About coming home to something steady and wise within ourselves. About remembering our deep inner knowing.

The high vibration lingers because truth resonates.

More circles will come. More space will open.

For now, I’m simply grateful.

With love and respect to every soul who stepped into that room.

Much more to come. 

Namaste.

 

Something in You Is Ready to Come Back Together: March 1st

 

A Wildhearted Spiritual Gathering | Sunday, March 1

ReWeaving: Mending the Divide Between Soul-Self and Earth-Self

📅   Sunday, March 1 | 2 PM– 4 PM
📍     Wellness and Movement Center, 1171 Spartanburg Highway, Hendersonville, NC
🎟    $25 | Limited to 30 guests

Guides: Rachel Dickson & Jaci Daley

---

Reserve Your Spot

Seating is limited to keep this gathering intimate.

👉This event has passed.

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with event details and a link to your FREE 12-page Mindful Meditation Guide & Journal PDF.

---

Why Gather Now

We’ve been taught to fear our instincts, doubt our inner voice, or exile the parts of ourselves that once protected us.

Restoration doesn’t come from rejecting these parts—it comes from safely exploring the spiritual intelligence we were born with, honoring why we set parts of it aside, and inviting it back into daily life.

This Wildhearted gathering is a gentle, sensory-rich return to awareness. It’s an invitation to reconnect your ancient soul wisdom with the grounded, human intelligence of lived experience.

---

What We’ll Explore

• Sound Weaving: Layered soundscapes of crystal bowls and songs of the Blue Whale and carefully crafted frequencies to open the body-mind, soften the inner field, and recalibrate your cells.

• Zero Point Teaching: Discover the quiet inner meeting place where our body-mind and heart-mind can work as one. Learn to rest in awareness without needing to fix or change anything.

• Colour Mirror Wisdom Bottles: Select a bottle intuitively from a table of 36. Its energy and color will guide your reflection, insight, and inner journey. (You’ll be amazed!)

• Guided Inner Awareness: Gentle meditation and grounding exercises to reconnect body, mind, and earth.

• Integration & Reflection: A safe space to share insights and root the experience into daily life.

• Orange Dragon Blessing: An invocation of elemental energy to support unity, community, and belonging.

---

A Transformational Experience

The orchestrated soundscape created for this gathering, including the enchanting songs of Blue and Humpback whales blended with crystal bowls, is designed to guide healing, reflection, and deep presence. Every time this experience is shared in a Wildhearted Gathering, the results are astonishing: calm, clarity, insight, and a renewed sense of inner guidance.

This is accessible, nervous-system friendly, and requires no prior meditation or spiritual experience.

---

Who This Is For

• Anyone craving connection, insight, and presence

• Ages 12+

• Fully accessible location with parking, entrance, and restrooms

---

💡 Why this matters now:
The Colour Mirror Bottle 12’s energy—Heaven on Earth—merges the above and below, the ancient and present, soul and human. This gathering is a safe doorway to experience it firsthand. As this will be our theme.

---

See you there!

Photo Credit: Image by Thomas Martin from Pixabay

 

 

 

 

It's hot tea, hot coffee and hot soup season ya'll!

Had some fun today creating two new mugs in the wildhearted collection. 

So proud of this lil blue bird painting "mugged" on the left and the abstract painting of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the right.

Songbirders...Mr. Blue Bird here is for you.

Wildhearted wanderers...this coolio abstract of the Blue Ridge mountains is for you nature loving souls.

Original art by Rach on your morning coffee mug...feel that wild vibe in every drop. 
(Is the most fun if you read that in a British accent).

 

Click here to check em out these new mugs in the Wildhearted Shop. 

 

 

 

#wildhearted

 

Belief!

 

“We are never more than a belief away from our greatest love, deepest healing, and most profound miracles.

In the instant of our first breath, we are infused with the single greatest force in the universe the power to translate the possibilities of our minds into the reality of our world.  To fully awaken our power, however, requires a subtle change in the way we think of ourselves in life, a shift in belief.

Just the way sound creates visible waves as it travels through a droplet of water, our “belief waves” ripple through the quantum fabric of the universe to become our bodies and the healing, abundance, and peace—or disease, lack, and suffering—that we experience in life.  And just the way we tune our beliefs to preserve or destroy all that we cherish, including life itself.

In a malleable world where everything from atoms to cells is changing to match out beliefs, we’re limited only by the way we think of ourselves in that world.

...we are never more than a belief away from our greatest love, deepest healing, and most profound miracles.”

Excerpt from the most profound and life-altering book by Gregg Braden.

The Spontaneous Healing of Belief—Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits.

I experienced one of those record screech moments this morning while reading this and the text below from page 116 of this very book.  But here’s the big reveal!

“There’s a central belief that guides our lives, and it does so in ways that we may not even be aware of or think about. 

You can discover what that belief is for yourself by answering a single question— the Great Question—below. 

The way that you do so reveals the truth of a powerful subconscious belief that lies at the heart of your existence.  The question is this:

Do you believe that there is one source for everything that happens in the world, or do you believe that there are two opposite and opposing forces—good and evil—one that ‘likes’ you and one that doesn’t?”

ooooooh! Much to ponder here with this question.  If you know me...you’ll know I love a great question. This one though...this one is a game-changer!

Gregg goes into much more detail in the book as to reasons why the answer to this question plays out in our experience of life, health, relationships, and abundance.  And please know...this isn’t a question about faith...this is a question about belief!

Indeed shattering the paradigm of false limits. Thank you Gregg Braden for challenging what we believe!

#wildhearted

 

 

Photo Credit: highonleconte.com and winter caretaker Wildcat/Bert

 

Writing as Ritual: 40 min Live Zoom Guided Practice, Tue, Feb 17, 6:30p

 

Writing as Ritual: Turning Up the Volume of Your Inner Voice

5 Gentle Ways Through Writer's Block
A 40-minute guided writing practice (live on Zoom) with Rachel Dickson
Tuesday, February 17 at 6:30pm EST | Live on Zoom | $10

Writing isn’t always about producing something.

Sometimes… it’s about listening.

In this gentle gathering, we’ll explore writing as ritual — a practice of quieting the noise, softening into presence, and reconnecting with the inner voice beneath the surface.

This is not a traditional writing class.
It’s a soul-centered reset.

Together, we’ll move through simple ways to:

• make space for what’s true

• settle the body and mind

• turn up the volume of your inner knowing

• follow the words that are waiting for you

No writing experience is needed.
Just bring something to write with… and your honest presence.

---

What You’ll Receive

✨ A guided writing ritual you can return to anytime
🌿 Gentle prompts to move through creative stuckness
💛 A quiet, supportive space to hear yourself again

---

Details

Date: Tuesday, February 17
Time: 6:30pm EST
Length: 40 minutes
Location: Live on Zoom
Cost: $10

Reserve your spot and receive your Zoom link + passcode after payment.

 

“Registration closed — see you next time”

 

 

 

 

 

After the Ice, the Exhale: Notes from Icepocalypse 2026

We survived Icepocalypse 2026...Phase I.
(freezing rain, sleet, ice, snow)

Now here we go into Phase II.
(wind and frigid temps)

What a day it was yesterday...the days before being full of preparedness.  
Yesterday felt like a siege was happening all around us.  
Our places of safety and rest...our homes being tested...trees being pushed to their limits by layer-upon-layer of freezing rain.

The feeling returned from my memories of Helene… “when will this end?” Come on!

Well...it did finally end.  As all things do.  
And then oddly the air warmed up here right after the end of the storm. And then it sounded as if it was raining again. But it was all the ice melting from the trees and from every surface it had frozen to.

Like a shedding.  

It’s such an odd feeling that it seemed the elements were voluntold to engage in warfare with one another. Like there was fury and anger in the air (um yes) and the elements had no choice but to respond to the energy of it.

I did in fact recognize this in the late hours of Saturday and into the morning on Sunday. The thought occurred to me...”If we can send love energy to one another...and into water...then why can’t we send love energy into the air?”

So I did.  
(If you’re not familiar with the “sling-shot love out into the world meditation” learn more here)

There’s no way to really know whether or not my intention had any effect whatsoever. But...I’m choosing to believe it did...and the severity and intensity of this storm lessened.

It was indeed one way that I was able to stay present and aware...working with the energies in the sky and the water in the atmosphere before things intensified.  I had never worked with the air in this way before...and well...what a magical experience to send love into these two elements...air and water.

This morning...the trees look like they’ve been thoroughly cleaned. Washed. Renewed.
The pines are so green and vibrant. And the sun is shining beautifully!

There’s a relief in the air today.  An out-breath.  I can feel it and I know you can too.
Cheers to everyone for checking on your people and remembering to stay present and mindful and aware.

Continue to stay warm. Love and light especially to those of you who are still without power.
Here in WNC we still have wind and cold temps to contend with.

Hmmm, I hadn’t thought about sending love into the wind until this moment.  
I know what I’ll be doing next.
Stay safe. Stay warm.
Namaste.


#wildhearted




Photo Credit: highonleconte dot com 

 

 

 

 

Zero Day: An Elemental Moment in the Mountains.

 

It's been ten months since our last elemental event here in WNC. Wildfires arrived here in March of 2025 and lasted for two weeks. A whole different sort of elemental event.

This time it's about air and water. We might know a thing or two about water events here in these mountains. But this will be my first time experiencing a winter air and water event quite like this.

I’m no stranger to extreme winter conditions having spent nearly 30 winters in Northwest Ohio...but this is different. The infrastructure is very different here. The lay-of-the-land is much more extreme and not flat as a board like NW Ohio.

I’d be remiss not to mention...everyone here is a bit unsettled and nervous...because this is the first really big regional and statewide (and really country wide) event since Helene in Sept 2024. So we all know disaster more intimately than we’d like to declare.

All that said, I’m deeply grateful for weather forecasters who gave us more than ample time to prepare.  Days in fact.  And from what we all witnessed post-helene...we know how much we appreciate line-people who work in some of the worst conditions...to restore power as quickly as possible.  Immense gratitude for this!

Yet, these sorts of events remind me just how reliant we are upon electricity.  Especially in the cold months.  Has caused me to rethink my personal strategies and systems for staying resourced and resilient. 

Another incredible experience for me is community support.  I mentioned to a few of my neighbors that I was looking for an extra gas can and within ten minutes I had two! (This was to have backup fuel for the generator my other neighbor is letting me use!)  Neighborly love is alive and well here.  I am so grateful for mountaineers who get it!

This is what it looks like when people take care of each other.
So here we are…pivots and rolling with the flow.

Also….the Wildhearted Gathering originally scheduled for January 25th has been moved to February 1st from 11a-1p same location.   

Here’s link to the details on that.

In a few hours...various form of winter precipitation will begin to settle over the mountains.

I know we’ll all get through it.  One dear friend said to me, “I’m already focusing on the other side of this...it’s already happened and everyone is ok and we’re going about our lives.”

That thought helped me shift...remembering there’s a larger wisdom at work, and more support present than what’s immediately visible.  A reminder to trust the same intelligence that shaped these mountains and continues to move in and through them. 

For now, the work is simple: stay warm, stay prepared, check on one another, and trust the steadiness that lives beneath it all. 

Namaste my dear friends.
Stay safe. Stay warm. Hugs to all.

#wildhearted

 

 

Photo Credit: Seth from highonleconte dot com

 

 

 

 

Spiritual Peace and Happiness...When music grabs your soul!

 

 

There are songs that grab your heart and immediately cause you drop everything right where you are and listen intensely...and this is one of those for me.  

Please take a moment, pause and listen.

You'll be glad you did.

Peace,
Rachel 


This song is by Lenzspot.  
Their intention is to create music all about emotion and to heal and motivate.
I think they nailed it with this one.
Carry on.

 

 

Our first Wildhearted Gathering of 2026!

ReWeaving: Mending the Divide Between Soul-Self and Earth-Self

A Wildhearted Spiritual Gathering
📅 Sunday, March 1 | 2 PM– 4 PM
📍 Wellness and Movement Center, 1171 Spartanburg Highway, Hendersonville, NC
🎟 $25 | Limited to 30 guests
Hosts: Rachel Dickson & Jaci Daley

---

Reserve Your Spot

Seating is limited to keep this gathering intimate.

👉 This event has passed

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with event details and a link to your FREE 12-page Mindful Meditation Guide & Journal PDF.

---

Why Gather Now

We’ve been taught to fear our instincts, doubt our inner voice, or exile the parts of ourselves that once protected us.
Restoration doesn’t come from rejecting these parts—it comes from welcoming them home.

This Wildhearted gathering is a gentle, sensory-rich return to awareness. It’s an invitation to reconnect your ancient soul wisdom with the grounded, human intelligence of lived experience.

---

What We’ll Explore

• Sound Weaving: Layered soundscapes of crystal bowls and carefully crafted frequencies to open the body-mind, soften the inner field, and recalibrate your cells.

• Zero Point Teaching: Discover the quiet inner meeting place where soul-self and earth-self work as one. Learn to rest in awareness without needing to fix or change anything.

• Colour Mirror Wisdom Bottles: Select a bottle intuitively from a table of 36. Its energy and color will guide your reflection, insight, and inner journey.

• Guided Inner Awareness: Gentle meditation and grounding exercises to reconnect body, mind, and earth.

• Integration & Reflection: A safe space to share insights and root the experience into daily life.

• Orange Dragon Blessing: An invocation of elemental energy to support unity, community, and belonging.

---

A Transformational Experience

The orchestrated soundscape created for this gathering, including the enchanting songs of Blue and Humpback whales blended with crystal bowls, is designed to guide healing, reflection, and deep presence. Every time this experience is shared in a Wildhearted Gathering, the results are astonishing: calm, clarity, insight, and a renewed sense of inner guidance.

This is accessible, nervous-system friendly, and requires no prior meditation or spiritual experience.

---

Who This Is For

• Anyone craving connection, insight, and presence

• Ages 12+

• Fully accessible location with parking, entrance, and restrooms

---

💡 Why this matters now:
The Colour Mirror Bottle 12’s energy—Heaven on Earth—merges the above and below, the ancient and present, soul and human. This gathering is a safe doorway to experience it firsthand. As this will be our theme.

---

👉 This event has passed

After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with event details and a link to your FREE 12-page Mindful Meditation Guide & Journal PDF.

See you there!

 

 

Photo Credit:  pixabay dot com