Valerie Harms

Soldier down!
They cry.
Help needed here.

Well, I had to watch two magnificent trees cut down branch by branch. And then those trunks that had taken years to grow were sawed into big chunks and carted away. Now nothing is left but the view of blah-siding to coops. The cutting down was heartless murder.

These trees were beautiful in all seasons. In winter when the branches were bare, they were perches for blackbirds and magpies. In spring leaves sprouted and when it was in full summer bloom, they were home to dozens of birds. I wonder how many nests were tucked among its leaves. They were full of birds. In fall the foliage turned brilliant yellow. They were a sight for sore, tired souls.

But not only were they there for human and avian appreciation, these trees nourished the air and soil. They filtered toxins out of the air, trapping them in their leaves and bark. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They cooled the air and filtered rainwater in their bark. Their roots fed lichens and created habitats for microorganisms and fungi, essential to life. Without them there is more dead space. Countless living beings lost their lives with the felling of the trees.

It was a disaster and no one put a stop to this execution. I mourned them. I still do. Trees are as valuable as people, some even more so. In living they are purposeful. They give while many people I know are just takers.  Read More 

Since the Drumper's election the causes I care about the most have been fired up. I hate his lies and attacks. Now he is condemning the CIA, New York Times, Politico, NBC, and more all because they don't worship him.
Latest: the election was hacked. If DT hadn't won, wouldn't he be suing or otherwise jumping up an down about that fact? Instead he claims to really have won the election because of illegal voters.
Fact: Russia released hacked emails to bolster DT's campaign. No evidence yet that they influenced the outcome.
Fact: Republican & Democratic campaigns were hacked. Only Clinton's emails were made public.
Fact: DT has not condemned Russia's invasions of Crimea and other incursions. He has appointed a team favorable to Russia.
Fact: DT has not expressed awareness of climate change. He has appointed a team against climate change.
Fact: DT's appointees would replace public lands at the expense of wildlife in favor of fossil fuels.  Read More 

Samhain is a good time to hex your tormentors and to dialogue with your ancestors.

In several of my books I list journal techniques inspired by the Intensive Journal Method developed in the 1960-70s by Dr. Ira Progoff. He was a psychotherapist who wanted to provide ways for people to work on their own. The journal techniques dig much deeper than ordinary journal or diary writing. The sequence and approach evoke unconscious potentials for one's life. I have used the method for 30+ years. I have explained how in my book Crossroads. I highly recommend the method. It goes beyond therapy into spirituality.  Read More 

In all the years I've been working on a single novel I've done a lot of research. That's one of the fun things -- you can learn things -- for a purpose. The best way.

Jim divided his time between Paradise Valley, Montana, and Patagonia, Arizona.
Another favorite writer. See my Facebook page or Google him to read many tributes. He died in March at his writing desk in the middle of a poem. That's the way I'd like to go.

I wind up the semester course led by Rick Bass, one of my favorite authors. I connected with a few of the students, ranging in age from 20-40. Some of them wrote about very difficult topics. My writing progressed from their urging me on to expand more, more, more.
I've watched a couple of movies by the French woman Chantal Ackeman who records every moment in detail. Slow but bewitching. Another good lesson.
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The PDFs are on the topics described below. All are inexpensive but drawn from my (long) years of experience. If you want to order one or more, just pay via Paypal and notify me. (You can pay at Paypal without having an account).

1. Inner Wisdom of the Body, Tips for Befriending it. If today you are often judgmental toward your body, it’s time to ally with it as you experience intimacy, sickness, sensory pleasures (music, food, fabrics, etc.), and stages of life. You will be helped in healing. 2 pages, $5, PDF.

2. Dreams are like Fed-Ex Messages from Your Soul. Tips for Understanding Them. Dreams may seem like impossible riddles but if you only work with a few a month, you will benefit from the rich flow of imagery from the unconscious. They correct your passage in life. 5 pages, $5, PDF.

3. Animals as Power Figures. Wild and tamed animals live all around us but have you stopped to think about those who live inside you? I offer you 10 techniques for working with animals as wisdom figures in order to enable you to live your life more powerfully. 3 pages, $10, PDF.

4. Rebirth Symbols. Rebirth is about renewal, resurrection, and transcendence after life delivers a blow. I describe symbols and rituals drawn from the world’s myths and religions that have helped people heal since time immemorial.
7 pages, $10, PDF. Read More 

This book is amazing in lots of ways. Its direct, hard-hitting language: blood, sex, urine, and shit. It starts with a photo of a young girl running from an explosion in a war-torn country. She loses her family. She encounters a wolf in a trap chewing off his leg to get free. The main characters are various artists. Its theme: women and war and art. So timely.  Read More 

5 TIPS for uncovering it

Always start with a short meditation or quiet moment to improve your concentration
1 Write an anecdote from one period of the person’s life. If a memoir, choose yourself.
2 Describe in detail two memories from that time. Use all your senses — touch (fabric), hearing, smell, sight, and taste (food is SO resonant).
3 What was going on for the person at this time? What decisions was he or she facing? What transitions? What path did he or she not take?
4 Then pull your thoughts together and write a scene about this time in present or past tense. Select a point of view and establish a tone. Use action verbs. Try to avoid “was” or “there” as they are weak words.
5 Use dialogue between people that has tension or humor in it.
By now you have a chapter, maybe a short story, and can go on to the next.

If you want to send me an email about how this approach worked for you, please do. Valerie@valerieharms.com

Or we can have a phone consultation for $40.
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